Days of Summer

The heat is on... again!!!!  The humidity came back and the temps are rising.  Normally we have about 19 days of 90* plus during the summer.  We reached that mark today and we still have the rest of July and all of August to go.  Sigh!!!!!!!
OK, I'll stop whining!  I swore I wouldn't complain once winter was over. 

We are becoming inundated with zucchini and yellow squash already.  We usually get a big influx all at once - then they slow.  I always have to get creative with them.  Luckily we do love them and they are healthy and they take on the taste of about anything.

G calls me the Bubba/Forest Gump of zucchini - LOL!  Fried zucchini, baked zucchini, zucchini, bread, zucchini soup, zucchini relish, zucchini casserole..............................................
I do have a secret weapon!

My MIL found this at a yard sale years and years ago and got it for me.  500 Recipes Using Zucchini.
I wish I could tell you where to buy one - but it's last copyright was 1988 and it was compiled through a garden club in OH.
I have gotten so many great ideas from this book over the years.
IF YOU have any questions about zucchini - ask.  Maybe I can find a recipe you would like!!!!!

On to other things:

 

I looked out the window yesterday, and saw this 2 doors down.  The young couple that lives there have a little girl about a year old - and this is the first time I have seen laundry hanging outside.  I love it!  They attached a line to the garage and then to a spindly little tree - but it works.  It there is a will - there is a way!  I love seeing young people get into doing things that are the old ways and that save a little money! 
I have another neighbor in the other direction, that often hangs jeans, towels, and blankets over the fence to dry (single guy).  Love folks getting creative!

This is all one plant in my front flower bed.  Aren't they beautiful!  Did you know that the smell wonderfully too?  This is right outside my dining room window, and I have one kitty (Coogy), who loves to sit and look out at the gold finches munching on the seeds at the flower centers.  He gets so excited!

We are getting some rather large cherry tomatoes.  Still no ripe regular tomatoes, but hopefully it won't be long.  There are many hanging out there that are huge, and the plants are really starting to produce a lot more tomatoes.  I sure hope this is a good year - Momma needs to do some canning!
I even have tomatoes coming on the volunteer plants.  They were so tiny when I transplanted them, and then sort of shocked with moving them.  But they have tomatoes setting - can't wait to see what they produce!

If you inhale hard enough - just maybe you can smell the heavenly scent of my old fashioned phlox!  They smell so sweet.  We have bees every where, and I am so glad.  I think that because we have so many aromatic flowers around, it truly does help.  My garden loves the bees as well.

My bee water bowl!  Don't forget that bees need water too.  If they try to drink out of bird baths and such, they often drown.  They need something shallow with a platform they can stay on while getting water.  I take care of them and they take care of me - by pollinating my garden!


Aaahhhh the wonderful days of summer.  There are just so many things to see and grow and do.  I truly do enjoy these days.  Every season has it's moments - but summer gives yields like no other.
Even though it is hot, hot, hot in so many areas - I truly hope you are enjoying the blessings of summer!

ENJOY my friends!