Garden Discoveries

I grew up for the most part in apartments and condos, and this is my first experience growing vegetables.  I don't know if this process is as exciting for everyone, but I have been in awe and amazement at my little garden experiment.

I am in the learning process and sharing more of my harvest with caterpillars and other critters than more experienced gardeners probably do, but I say, "You're welcome in advance," to any neighbors for that butterfly you saw yesterday.  I probably incubated it in my tomatoes somewhere.  

Speaking of butterflies, moths, and other insects, this process of metamorphosis is incredible to consider.  They often go through completely different life forms in their lifetime.  A caterpillar crawls along, eating away.  Then pupates, spinning itself in a kind of silk attached to a branch or leaf.  Eventually emerges as some type of winged creature--moth or caterpillar.  This just amazes me.  This amazement is probably at the root of my inability to kill these garden eaters, but who am I not to share the bounty?  We all need to eat, right?  

This is an awesome picture of a baby cucumber in the foreground, with a  teenage cucumber in the background.    So exciting to see these guys growing strong

I don't think this picture does it justice, but this tomato
plant should be named godzilla.  The stem alone is probably two inches
in diameter.  Creole tomatoes, of course.

This cucumber is going to be all grown up soon.
They start out all little and spiny, and then start looking like
the grocery version, smooth and striped.