Peek-a-boo !!!

Emerging life of agapanthus

Green beans

I am not a vege' grower! I have tried ... and tried ... sometimes I have success !!! Yay !! But most of the time, when I try, I have one good handful of 'whatever' - and then I end up with plants and vege's not to be proud of ! Actually, not all the time ... thinking back to last summer .. I planted some Aubergine/egg plant and harvested quite a few .. yay again ! I even gave some away !!! Wow - and they were good and plump! Oh yes, also had lots and lots of Rocket popping up all over the place! Lovely to add to green salads. I prefer to stick to the herbs I use in cooking - very rewarding picking fresh herbs for the cooking pot. I have parsley, origanum, marjoram, thyme, rosemary and chives (tinie tiny one!). I try and let them go to seed so I can have lots and lots but it never seems to work with me - except with the Rocket - they popped up .. everywhere !! As you can see too, I do not 'do' elaborate cooking either - very very basic stuff!! But healthy ? Yes, I think we eat healthily !!

I decided to try my hand at these beans. I was tempted to buy a packet of seeds when we had a friend, Mr T, out here from Columbia who is mad about growing his own vegetables but he says the variety of seeds and seedlings is limited in Bogata. Have no idea if you're allowed to take packets of seeds out of the country, but I think it is possible as they are vacuum sealed ... and anyway .. we went vege seed buying the one day when he was out here recently. He bought two handfuls of packets. Ooh ... and I got carried away looking at all those packets with photos of plump, disease free, fresh looking vege's !! He persuaded me to buy the packet of beans - 'Go on' he said 'they're so easy to grow' !!!! They are the knee high, bushy variety that don't need staking. Ok ... we shall see how I do !!!

Planted them two weeks ago and viola ! up they're popping!

I heard, the other day, that all his vege's are doing well - he planted his when he got back. I waited for the rains to come, so mine are a little behind in their development, than his. But apparently it rains practically every day in Bogata! He has an advantage!! Will keep you posted ... on mine ... not his !!

And getting his handfuls of seeds through customs, I think was a breeze for him. He travels so often that I'm sure they practically wave him through like a celebrity and welcome him home every time! He always goes back loaded .. really loaded.. with bottles of our South African wines - way over the restrictions ... so a handful .. no, two handfuls of seed packets, would not have been a problem.