Good morning to all you lovelies! It is a glorious morning here at my home. The sun is shining, and it is cool. Crazy, our mornings have been very cool for a few days - yet it is to get very hot during the day. This is supposed to happen for the next few days. I love the cool beginnings. The birds are singing, the squirrels frolicking, and kitty is resting after breakfast. Windows are open for the moment!
As you saw yesterday - I did a big OOPS!!! Geesh, I sure didn't mean to delete my blog list. Live and learn. Now I know. I hope I got everyone back that was here before, and I added new ones. All those blogs listed are from gals who comment here!!!!!! We are family! ENJOY!
Let me know if I missed anyone!
On a nice morning, this is a normal routine for my boy. Eat, bathe and sun! Please excuse the grass and weeds - this was taken before I mowed and trimmed Friday! He sure has the life!!!!!!! He just lounges around here all day - then goes 'visiting' at night!!!!!!
Zucchini plants in middle of garden. Upper left are 4 cherry tomato plants - oh my, what was I thinking????? The zucchini plants are huge.
To the right of zucchini are all the normal tomatoes (8)! They are really hanging in there. Click on pictures to get a better look!
The old-time phlox starts blooming just as the tiger lilies stop!
The mallow plants are blooming like crazy. Every year they are in a different location!!!! Always a surprise.
Can you spy all the 'mators hanging in there? I have many.
There are 4 pots of peppers. Bigger ones, little ones and buds galore between all the pots! I will have plenty for the winter!!!! The plants aren't all that lush, but I have lots of peppers hanging out there.
There are grapes just 'hanging' out!!!!!!! I almost thought maybe my arbor died out this year - but NO - I will have grapes!
Coreopsis - tall and lanky plants. Not the prettiest around - but with the phlox - the yellow gives a nice pop of color.
Out front - coming along! Can you tell I love purple? It seems most of my flowers that come back over and over are purple, orange or yellow. I love the brightness.
Don't mind the crooked old handrail!!!! It is old and warped - but the animals still like it!!! Birds and squirrels line up for drinks and the birds sure do love getting refreshing baths! It will be replaced one of these days soon. Blackie in the afternoon - in the shade under the chair on the deck. See the washtub (top right) way out there - that is where the cucumbers are.
OK - just a stroll around the property. I always give a walk about each summer - just to show what is happening here on my little homestead! Nothing exciting - but it is mine and I like it. It keeps me busy and amused.
I hope you enjoyed our walk. I hope you each are having great success with your gardens, pots and flowers.
Have a beautiful and blessed day!!!!!
I'm glad you were able to get your blog list restored and figured out. Your garden plants are huge! Must be all that good rain you've been getting.
ReplyDeleteThanks - I am glad too. I know a lot of people read those blogs.
DeleteThe plants are doing fantastic! I hope it continues - sure looking forward to ripe tomatoes!!!!!!!
I enjoyed the tour of your garden! You have some good looking tomatoes just waiting to ripen. Love the washtub planter.
ReplyDeleteThe cool mornings are nice. Today is supposed to be in the mid-80's. Chance of rain tomorrow. So they say...ha!
Thanks. I am so patiently waiting for a fresh tomato!!!!!! Nothing like the first one!
DeleteLoving these cool mornings. Watching radar - I bet most of the rain misses us. We will see!
I loved taking this walk around your yard. Everything looks so good. Glad you were able to get your favorites back on your blog. Thank you for adding me. Blogger can be difficult with the constant changes. Your baby looks like our Binx. So sweet. The cooler mornings have been wonderful here too. Have a great day!!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Thank you for your advice yesterday!!!!! It helped immensely! I had planned on adding you for a while - and would just get busy. I love supporting each of the 'family' here.
DeleteEnjoy the cool mornings!
I loved the morning stroll! Your vegetables are doing great! There's gonna be some gooood BLTs there. And I'd be loving me some tomato and pepper pizza. Yum! Your purple phlox is lovely. Mine is white. Those are the best little flowers. I bought a little pot of one when we first moved in and now there's a great little section of them and they always bloom when there's nothing left. Yeah, my bird baths are a busy place year around. There's always a line to get in. I bought a smaller one for the littles because the other is deep. They love it but one of the robins does, too. He just sits in it lol. He thinks it's his own personal bathtub.
ReplyDeleteBlackie looks quite content in her kingdom, as all queens should be!
Enjoy your cool morning. We had them for a few days, but it was too warm and muggy today. Everything is closed. Maybe next week.
Saw a cute episode of My Three Sons this morning. Chip spent $15 on a toupee for Bub to help him look nice. (It didn't, but Bub was going to wear it anyway). In the end, Tramp got hold of it lol.
Toodle-oo!
Can't wait for a home grown BLT (tomato). I always add tomatoes and peppers on pizza.
DeleteAll the birds - robins, and blue jays included love to take baths. They sure do dirty up the water. They just splish and splash.
Blackie is a king!!!!!! All boy! But this is his domain! LOL
I can almost remember that episode!!!!!
My apologies to HIS highness lol. I should know better. My boy is always called HER. And between you and me, it's pretty obvious from the side lol.
DeleteNot to worry, Debby. We watch a LOT of Dr. Pol via streaming service, and he always goes back and forth between her and him with the same animal during the same appointment. LOL! I actually thought Poppy was a "him" when she 1st showed up by the side door. In my defense, she was a tiny puppy of only 5 lbs. then. Hubs will see today (at the vet) if she's reached 25 lbs. now; she'll top out at 40-50 lbs.
DeleteBut I digress... I have a question for you, Debby. Son and I went to Saturday night mass and we all went to the St. Rita's Fiesta on Sunday. There, he and I each bought a one decade Rosary to carry in a pocket/purse. Since I do beading, I was wondering about making them to donate, and would appreciate your thoughts. --Elise
P.S. I'd also appreciate your prayers for guidance as I circle back around and son is interested in the Catholic faith his mom was raised in.
Thank you for sharing your stroll and gardens. Things here are starting to produce. I just have to remember to water, after things dry out from the heavy rains. I noticed yesterday that I finally have more than 2 tomatoes on 3 plants. There are a couple of romas forming, and my cherry tomato plant also has some. I've also got some green peppers forming. I just seem so late, after I planted them. But, I'll take it! I harvested my first parsley yesterday, long overdue. I dehydrated 5 trays. Today, I'm dehydrating the first of the basil -- another 5 trays. Tomorrow will be the oregano, followed by chives. There's no way I'll use all of this, so I'm going to bottle it up and offer it at our fall garden party to benefit the not-for-profit pregnancy counseling center who allows us meeting space for our bible study group. I'll just set out a donation jar and any proceeds will go to the center. I do the same with assorted jams, with a suggested donation.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me - many of us got a late start this year with having a cold spring. I am amazed mine is doing so much. It sounds like yours is coming along fine. Yay, on all the herbs. Question for you. What do you all actually do with parsley??? I have only gotten it on a plate at a restaurant (for palette cleaning). To me it has no taste - and I have never figured out why people grow so much. Just curious!
DeleteThanks
That is nice to donate surplus for the center.
Cheryl, I used dried parsley in a lot of things, from soups and stews to flavored rice and homemade Rice-a-Roni, and often sprinkle it on chicken or pork before roasting. There's also stuffing, pasta sauce and so on. --Elise
DeleteLike Elise, I use dried parsley in lots of stuff. Nice flavor. Soups, stews, Alfredo sauce, pizza sauce, meatloaf, etc. I use fresh parsley in salads, too.
DeleteI just never found parsley to have any flavor. Maybe it is just my taste buds.
DeleteLoved the photos of your garden! And all the flowers and tomatoes. It will be a banner year for tomatoes for you I think! Hotter than Hades here in Phoenix. I walk my dog at 4:45 am each morning now, it was 89 degrees at that time this am. But we like the walk…especially since we only get one walk a day now at these temps. Have a good one, Hilogene in Az
ReplyDeleteI think it will be a good year as well. Will keep me busy for sure.
DeleteOh that is hot. Can't imagine that hot that early - yikes.
Glad you have figured out a way to get those walks in!!!!!
Your garden is doing wonderfully! My peppers have bloomed and I'm not seeing much fruit, and the cucumber is pretty much a bust. The tomatoes, on the other hand, are going nuts.
ReplyDeleteI too, enjoy the cooler mornings. I've been out watering the sod with my tea around 6:30 a.m. and it's just lovely out there then.
Cool early mornings are the best. Everything is waking up and there is a nice breeze. It's like the rest of the world is still quiet!
DeleteShucks on the cucumbers. This is the first year in ages that I have had any luck (fingers crossed). I even quit growing them for a while. I hope you have lots of tomatoes and peppers!
WOW! And thank you, Cheryl! I was just wondering if you'd soon be sharing photos of your garden and am thrilled to see it. Looks like a GREAT harvest is ahead for you (fingers crossed, sayin' a prayer) and some of the pics took me back to our years in Ohio.
ReplyDeleteThose grape vines live on even when we're sure they're spent. Had one of them in Ohio. Also the Hollyhocks (you referred to as mallow) just keep coming back each and every year, often in new spots from the seeds. What wonderful memories. There was a friend who lived just behind our neighborhood that would share seeds, cuttings, divisions and such as I got our new house garden planted. Then I did the same and helped her can veggies.
Our days in the AZ mountains have been HOT, with mornings heating up quickly. Some might think 90s isn't bad, but at 6000+ Ft. altitude, the sun is stronger. My single tomato plant toasted in the heat. I have to plant earlier next year. Even the shrubs look crispy. Still waiting on monsoon rains. The dogs spend afternoons inside now, napping in the cool of the a/c. But the heat has brought out all sorts of new critters, like lizards, and I saw a pair of quail have started nesting under the ground-touching branches of a juniper tree.
I'll be staying busy inside. ;-)
--Elise
I love sharing my pics. I hope to have a bumper crop this year. Sis and my neighbors should get some!
DeleteThey sure do seed and it is amazing the different areas they come up!!
Gosh - I couldn't stand the heat you guys describe. Almost not fit for man nor beast. I would be in napping too if I were the puppers! Sorry your tomato was bust. Maybe you need shade cloth.
Stay cool!!!! Here's hoping you get rain and cooler days!
Love your yard and garden and those grapes are amazing! My blog is ilikeknittingandsewing.blogspot.com if you care to add me I would be thrilled.
ReplyDeleteThank you - they make the best jelly!!!!!
DeleteI sure will - love for people to get to know each other. Thanks
Enjoyed a tour around your garden. Blackie looks like he is enjoying the sun. Was watching the Tour de France on the tv while reading your post, wondered for a few seconds what mators were.....doh! They are coming on well.
ReplyDeleteThanks. LOL - just a slang word for tomatoes!! I guess it is a country thing - but I still say it! I forget not everyone understand my/our slang!!!!!!!
DeleteBlackie moves from sun in the morning to shade when he gets warm. He is a lazy boy!!!
One of my nephews LOVED tomato soup, but for years called it "Mato poop." Always made us laugh.
DeleteLOL - now that is funny. That will stay in my head!!!!!!!!
DeleteYour garden looks so lush and bountiful! Most of the flowers in my beds are purple, orange and yellow, too. It's a color combination that always looks good.
ReplyDeleteI harvested two more zucchini and the first cucumber yesterday. We had a total of .75 in. of rain last Sunday, so I wanted to catch the zukes before they became too large. Lots of tomatoes on the vine, but none ripe yet. We need warmer nights to ripen the tomatoes (though they're not good for sleeping). Peppers have a few blossoms but are being crowded out by the beefsteak tomato plants. I'm trying to stake my zucchini plants this year, if I can keep the stakes in the ground (rocky dirt).
You were right about the stink from the dead groundhog. It was much better by yesterday, so I think I'll just let nature finish the job instead of hiring someone to remove the carcass from under the shed.
This morning I took Husband to have his blood drawn to see if he has a vitamin B12 deficiency. He napped in his chair this afternoon while I showered. He got outside in the wheelchair for about 15 minutes yesterday evening before the neighbor fired up his lawnmower and we had to come in. It was a beautiful evening with a nice breeze and low humidity. We're to get more rain Thursday.
--Frances in the Trailer Park
Thanks. I just love that color combination. One year I did a bunch of planters of purple and orange impatient plants together. They were so pretty.
DeleteI have never staked zucchini. I have seen that done though.
Glad you are starting to get harvest. It tastes so good.
Yep, I have had enough critters die under the deck, that after 3 or 4 days it pretty well goes away. Glad you don't have to pay someone.
I hope all turns out well with the blood test. The evenings and mornings have been lovely. We are supposed to get rain tomorrow - you seem to be in the same path, just a day apart!
I love that: "We are family!" Yes, and that is a blessing! : ) I appreciate you putting my blog on your sidebar, that means the world! : )
ReplyDeleteYour garden is so nice Cheryl, you really have a knack for it! It is so hot here our poor little garden is suffering something terrible. We did go out today and pick even more figs, and they are so good. I'm going to have to get busy tomorrow washing and slicing half of them to dehydrate. I have a simple dehydrator and it works nicely.
Today hubs picked up one of our little grandsons on the "mule" (small motorized utility cart) from down the street at their home and he picked figs with us and I showed him how to make a paper butterfly with glitter glue designs. He also had fun on my husband's inverter board with hubs supervising! lol Hubs hurt his back and neck and found the inverter at Academy on sale, cheaper than a chiropractor visit and works quickly with less trauma too.
Love your purples in your garden, I too like purple in the garden. You have a nice color combination there...Your yard looks very pretty and homie, I like it. Blackie looks so cute, what a sweetheart.
The crooked railing has character, it's very neat looking and I bet you have so much fun watching the birds and squirrels waiting in line! Really cute. Yesterday we had a healthy, plump little female cardinal just having the best time in the bird bath by the window, she was so adorable.
Tonight I'll warm up my large pan of red potatoes, beans, onions baked in tomato gravy served last night and maybe an Italian green bean casserole. Yesterday I had turnip greens and corn with it.
Take care now, I appreciate you! Have a good afternoon and evening! ~Amelia
I DO feel like we are family. You are welcome.
DeleteWell, things look lush because I let them have their way! I do not have a manicured flower garden at all. It just grows how it wants - all natural - that is what I like.
It is a ball watching the birds and squirrels. Blackie could care less about all of them! Love watching them take baths.
Your meal sounds very tasty. Love how you make so many dishes of veggies - it shows a lot of creativity.
Yes, it is like family, such a blessing. : ) And I would like to say that you are so kind and so discerning on people's feelings and such, making sure to place friends on the sidebar. I'm sorry some were deleted, that must have put you on pins and needles!
DeleteI love natural gardens like that...That is the same way I try to do mine too, it doesn't have a choice! lol It's a bit like those antique gardens we read about it isn't it?
Thank you Cheryl, it's amazing what one can do with almond flour, nutritional yeast and seasonings!
So glad you got your blog fixed, Cheryl. I hate it when computery things mess up! I never know what on earth to do and always fear making things even *worse*!
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks very nice. My veggies are in pots only, so I can keep them watered. Picked my first yellow crookneck squash yesterday! Roma tomatoes are getting awfully plump, but no sign of red. Little pole beans are growing... now about 2 inches long, vines climbing all over the cattle panel arch my nephew made for me.
I use parsley in cold potato soup, on devilled eggs, and dry it for use in soups come winter time. Also, it is a pretty green plant.
I had mallow for awhile some years ago, but must have pulled up the new seedlings for it is gone. My phlox just started blooming, daylily season is about over. I have a pretty perennial called Stokesia which you can look up online. It's a native plant!
A few years ago a lady gave me a tiny plant - she said it was an Aster. Well, I planted it and it has come back every year but until this year it was just little. This year it put up a stalk and bloomed! It's a beautiful blue, but my camera will *not* take a proper picture of it, the blue shows up as white, so peculiar.
Greetings from my Blackie to yours, Cheryl! Debby, I am interested in the one-decade Rosary. Never heard of that.
Be well, y'all. Pray for rain! :)
MaryB
The plants that are in the ground - have a soaker hose wrapped through them - if they need a drink. The others in pots get my saved rain water. Plump tomatoes and not red - same here.
DeletePhlox just started here a few days ago and the lilies are pretty well done. Must just be the cycle. that sounds like an interesting plant. I have what is called New England Aster and it gets huge every year - with lots of little blue flowers. Butterflies love it. I will have to look yours up!
Well hello back to your Blackie!!!!!!
Hope you get some rain!!!!!!!!!
Mary I looked that up and it is very much like my NE aster. It blooms late summer/early fall here. They look a lot alike. FYI
DeleteMary, I hadn't either. At the Fiesta, they had some that were pocket Rosaries (in a little velvet pouch), but also a single decade Rosary as a keychain. I've seen Rosary bracelets before, but there were none of those and I thought this must be more popular/practical. --Elise
DeleteI lo0ve the kitty picture on the back deck, just hangin out.
ReplyDeleteThanks - he just loves hanging out during the day.
DeleteCheryl, your yard looks lovely, you should be really proud of all your hard work. Louise
ReplyDeleteThanks - but the Lord does the most. I let the flowers do what they want and the garden - well, it seems to thrive. I am blessed.
DeleteRain has arrived. Along with thunder and lightening. The "girls" are in, settled down now and napping with soft instrumental music in the background. We've desperately needed the rain! --Elise
ReplyDeleteP.S. Poppy weighed in at 19-1/2 lbs. Unlike her sissy, she doesn't mind a car trip and loves the vet's office.
YAY on rain!!!!!!!! Poppy is growing like a weed!
DeleteYour garden looks terrific. I have grape envy! I've been getting some weeding and harvesting done every day. Today I scratched up some leaf mold and decayed tree wood which is like peat. Used it to mulch some beans and cukes. We just went out to check for blueberries and after many, many years of disappointment, seems like this will be the year for them. We got a couple quarts. These are wild so small and takes longer to pick a quart. We'll try to get out for a longer picking session. Went fishing yesterday and I caught a 5 1/2 pound pike which was fun and tasty. This country surely provides in the summer and fall.
ReplyDeleteLove your kitty. He looks so contented. Life is good at your place!
Our fire ban has been lifted and it looks like the Quebec fires are under control. Now the northwest is burning up; smoke seems to be staying out there.
Hope all you frugal folks are eating from your gardens now. More than just free; free from pesticides and herbicides.
How cool on the blueberries. Wild or not - they will be yummy. Hope you get a bunch! Fresh fish - you lucky!!!! It has been years since I had fresh fish.
DeleteIt is amazing what there is out there to provide for us. No pesticides or herbicides here! Love eating from the garden.
I do believe he is content!!!!! He has it pretty nice!
Hi Cheryl, I'm so glad you got your blog fixed. I am pretty clueless if anything at all goes wrong with Blogger. Your garden looks so healthy. Blessings upon blessings!
ReplyDeleteLaura Lane of Harvest Lane Cottage
Thanks - I am as well - thankfully another blogger explained what to do! Thank you - it is coming right along.
DeleteBlessings to you!
Tommy brought four blackberries in for me today when he watered. They were so delicious. I told him how to propogate more blackberry plants from the two long canes. He said he had six canes and five are living.
ReplyDeleteYour yard is lovely. I am a pink flower person, but all colors are welcome.
Yum on the blackberries! berry plants are pretty easy to propagate! I have had raspberries just do it themselves!
DeleteThank you. I love all color - but truly am a purple person!
All of your plants and flowers look beautiful and thriving! Even little Blackie is so cute! 😍 Thank you so much for including me in your blog list! Yours is definitely a favorite of mine!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I just water them - God does the rest! Blackie is a sweetheart.
DeleteYou are most welcome!!!!!!!