Backyard Vegetable Garden

Here is my adventure into gardening. We had to do a raised bed because our soil mud, is water-logged black clay. It's nasty. If you stick your shovel in it, you'll be lucky to get the scooper part of the shovel back without breaking the handle!
I had seen a post on The Pioneer Woman's blog, and after cracking up, decided it was indeed my year. I've been dreaming of one of these for at least 10 years, and especially the last 6 1/2 that we've lived in our home.
So, I put my husband to work! I had him build me an 8ft X 8ft box, and fill it with fertile soil. Yes, it stinks. I sure hope the plants reduce the smell. Good thing is, my daughter can smell it and won't get in the "poo dirt". We will likely have to put up either a little picket fence, or rabbit wire to keep both the bunnies and the kids out.

So, here's my box, with half the soil in it. 

Watering the soil down on a cold day. Very glad I didn't plant as the next morning dropped to freezing, and we had a frost.

 
Today, I had the husband nail twine across the bed every foot. We are gardening by the foot, and I already have my plants, seeds, and diagram.
Tomorrow...we plant! I hope the groundhog was right! It's supposed to be 80 tomorrow and I really hope we've seen the last of the frost.