Fresh from the garden

So this week is a down week, disappointing after a few up ones.  The highlight of the week has been using the herbs and vegetables I grew in my container garden.  When I started my garden, I had great hopes that it would save me quite a bit of money on produce.  That was a pipe dream.  So far it has produced: 2 very small tomatoes, 1 medium bell pepper, 2 strawberries, some green onions, lots of oregano & rosemary, a little parsley and cilantro and the beginnings of one zucchini.  Some money saver!  I spend about $40 in supplies and have gotten about $5 in harvest.  Despite the failure of my garden to pay for itself, I was thrilled to run out and clip some cilantro and onions for our taco salad.  There is just something special about walking outside, picking the produce and rinsing it in a bucket of water on the way to the kitchen.  My mom says "it's a self-worth thing," perhaps.  Maybe I am reaping more than just savings at the grocer from this container garden.  I can't wait for C2 to do more than pick/eat my onion tops when I take him out there!  I have wonderful visions of his face lighting up as he realizes that the seeds he planted have grown into tiny little plants and then his excitement when he gets to eat something from his very own plant...but right now I get to enjoy his mischievous smile as he coyly grabs a fistful of green onions and shoves them into his toothless mouth.