Tomatoes out the wazoo! Plus - More updates

This garden experiment has taught me some things. The biggest surprises have come with my squash plants. I have a million of them. They've all flowered. But some just haven't produced fruit, like my zucchini plant and my yellow summer squash plant. The summer squash did have several small fruits on them, which shriveled up and died. Hm. The plant next to it is thriving. Same soil, same sun. I'll have to try again next year because I think both of those varieties are kaput for me. I have a couple other squash plants that are producing fruits. The problem? I don't know what kind they are! I bought little plastic plant markers and wrote the types in Sharpie on them. The rain washed the Sharpie off somehow. So now they are mixed up and I don't know what is where. I'm pretty sure this is a butternut squash, but isn't it not supposed to come til Fall?

Maybe an acorn squash?

I guess we'll have to see as they grow!

Peppers are growing huge still and starting to get some color. Haven't eaten any yet.

Brussels sprouts are starting to come through.

And tomatoes.. TOMATOES! I have a million of them. 4 varieties- though they also got mixed up and I have to wait for them to ripen to know which is which. The cherry tomatoes are going crazy - there must be 100 fruits on there. I've already harvested about 25.

Several larger varieties too.

These will come in handy because I'm entering a salsa making competition in a couple weeks. I am practicing my recipes this week and will post them after the contest, lest someone actually looks at this and steals them! Ha! Let's just say they aren't the typical salsa.

As for my rabbit problem, problem solved! For my birthday, Ben & his dad fenced in the garden area for me. It doesn't seem right typing that because it was an ordeal that took them an entire day (or more). Ben's dad bought some fencing at a garage sale. He made the posts himself and also made this awesome gate himself!

Did I mention that the guys did this on one of the hottest days of the year? I don't know how they stood being outside from about 7:30-5:30. They were soaked with sweat and quite tired after that! I'm a lucky gal to have such nice people in my life!

Speaking of that, part of the reason I haven't blogged at all this month is that Ben & I got engaged on July 2! I'm still pinching myself when I think about what a wonderful guy my future hubby is and how lucky it is that our fates collided. We decided that we wanted to get married in the fall, and there is no way I wanted to wait until Fall 2011, so we are getting married on November 6- which happens to be the day that I posted the fateful ad that brought us together 2 years ago. I've been busy planning away. It will be a crazy couple months, but the outcome is worth it!!

We don't have all the answers

Ben and I just finished watching Bill Maher's documentary "Religulous." We went directly into watching the State of the Union address (me) and playing computer games (him) so we didn't really discuss the points in the movie, and I won't be surprised if we don't. Although now I feel a little inclined to bring it up, but only because I'm thinking about it. Religion is a big issue in a lot of relationships, but in ours, it's been a total non-issue throughout. I know people who have broken off relationships because of religious differences that couldn't be overcome or major compromises that had to be made because of it. All I have to say is "Thank GOD I don't have to deal with that!"

If I even believe in such a being.

Religion isn't something I know a whole lot about or care to talk or debate about. I might just be a huge contradiction when it comes to being religious. I think it's pretty routine to associate religion with one's attendance to services at a religious institution. My church life went like this: Baptized in the Catholic church because my grandparents (Catholic) threatened to disown me if I wasn't; even though I am not and have never been Catholic. Started going to church - Methodist (like my mom was raised) when I was young. Was very involved in music at church all the way up to high school graduation, therefore attending church often. In the end of this time, I questioned religion a lot but enjoyed the music, so continued on. I actually met one of my best friends as a middle schooler questioning my beliefs in youth group - she was too. In college, I was not into church except for a short try at a church close to campus, hoping to meet some new friends (it didn't work- they were very cliquey). When I moved back to St. Louis, I immediately went back to my old church, becoming very involved again in music. People who go to church, if reading this, might be surprised about my questioning my beliefs, considering I'm pretty well known in the church for being active in it.

Which brings me to my beliefs. Let me explain: I have no idea what they are. I don't really enjoy listening to sermons or prayers or scripture. The service I go to has a sermon and a little of the other stuff, but mostly is music. That is the reason I am attracted to it. When I sing, I feel wonderful. I could go as far as to say I feel the spirit inside me. What spirit, I don't know. I like to think of it as my grandma being with me. I know I believe in spirituality. I'd like to believe in a better place for the afterlife and for those people to be with us in spirit. Sure, that works for me. The other stuff, more fundamental, more, well, religious stuff.. I dunno.

I'm one of those in between people, but I like going to church (most of the time - when the sermon is 40 minutes long, I question it!) I actually suspect others who attend my service are in between believers like me, but of course, no one would talk about it openly.

Which brings me to the idea of religion within relationships. Ben is pretty anti-church, although I've managed to get him to church several times to watch me perform in different capacities. He just doesn't feel comfortable there. Which is fine with me. Though I like it when he comes and watches me because it makes me feel good to look out and see him supporting me. We very rarely talk about religion. Although I don't consider him an atheist - because I know he has some spirituality in him outside of organized religion. We have many common interests but we also have some unique interests that the other doesn't share. I think that is important in a relationship, because being your own person helps you really feel secure in who you are as an individual rather than a couple.

I have always scorned couples who couldn't do anything without each other. Ben and I spend much of our time together, but are free to do our own thing if we want. I wouldn't have a problem with him hanging out with his buddies without me. Ditto for him. I remember in grad school, when I had a friend who got married and had to ask her husband if she wanted to do ANYTHING on her own. Really ask his permission! She had to stay home and make his sandwich for lunch because he couldn't/wouldn't do it for himself, or transfer his laundry to the dryer for the same reason. Ridiculous. I never want to be that person- I want to be my own, to have my own free thoughts and actions. And I want him also to be able to freely think, disagree with me if needed, have his own thing to do. If religion is one of these things, no problem. I can't exactly preach my beliefs when I don't even know what they are!

So no, I don't really know what I believe. What I do know: church brings me something positive in my life, so I'll keep going as long as I get good feelings from it.