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I Love Puppies!

7/31/2012

Here is my biggest watermelon. I had Farmer J put his hammy hand next to it so you could see it is getting to be nice sized.

Here it is, up close and personal. I can't wait to eat it. There are around six more...so far.

Farmer J also helped me to pick some veggies. What you can't see here, is the green beans. They are in the bottom of the basket. They will go nicely with the batch I picked a couple of days ago.

Here is another picture of Farmer J by my tomato plants. I was wanting to get someone in there to show how big they are.

This is a 2 foot long tray I start my seeds in. This is one picking. Mostly peppers and summer squash

As a parting shot...this is new puppy unsupervised. At least it is mostly paper and not couch. Or a multitude of other things. I am impressed that there are even pieces on the table.

I just love puppies!

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More Trouble and A Few Veggies

7/25/2012

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Seems that when it rains...it pours around here. Last Thursday, a family friend went in the hospital for a hernia repair. Sunday he was dead. It is testimony to living in the moment, because it may be all you have left. This man was Jim Julin. He lived his life in Rockford, Il., where he touched so many people with his art and kindnesses, that the whole time he was in the hospital people were lined up to see him. It has left a big hole of sadness in the community.

But I have to say, what a way to go. Being lifted up to heaven on the prayers of so many well-wishers...what a LOVING way to cross over.

You will be sorely missed.

Today I picked my first Sumpter pickling cucumber, and a squash.

Yesterday I picked two nice size eggplant. What you see here are the remnants. The ends and skin peeled off.

But, if you want a recipe you will have to go to Trish's Dishes. Later today. I hope. I am starting now.

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Garden Updates

7/18/2012

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Today...this is what I picked from my garden. The peppers are going crazy. Also, the kale is spectacular. I make a sausage/potato/kale soup like from The Olive Garden...but I like mine better.

Check out my recipes in Trish's Dishes.

This is my East wing garden. It is doing well except that the greens bolted. I am pulling it up to feed Farmer J's goats. I will be planting more greens in the next couple days...I hope. I am also hoping to start more green beans and maybe cucumbers. I want to start some cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and brussell sprouts in the house. They will be going in the ground in a month or so...I Hope!

I want to show you my baby green beans and all the blooms.

I have a bunch of yellow crook neck coming on here.

And a bunch of blooms on my Black Beauty eggplant.

These are Roma tomatoes...so cute!

This plant seems very hearty. I just want a glut of tomatoes. Is that too much to ask?

Watermelon...

This is the West wing. Much more overgrown...but just getting started. The 'bald' spots in the middle row there are pickling cucumbers. I think some birds are eating them. I may just plant some more.

Looking between the cucumbers, you can see the basil. I plant that all over the place.

Thought I would add a little thyme...just in case.

Oh...and Happy Birthday to my brother AND Hunter S Thompson.

Blessings!

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We Shall See

7/15/2012

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I know my thumb is out of focus here, but...I am just trying to show scale. I think this is a Beefsteak tomato. That would explain the size of the bloom.

Another thing I wanted to show you is how tall my plants are. I am 5'6" tall and my hand is on my hip. Self portrait, by the way. I'd guess 3 feet.

Look at these beautiful pale globes of potential deliciousness. I can hardly wait to start eating.

I want to can them this year. I sure hope I get enough to do that. I am hoping 40 plants will get that done. Mostly Beefsteak and Roma.

My squash are coming on now too. Yellow crook neck.

Even though this is out of focus...I count six buds. I love this.

I also wanted to show you my infestation of some bugs before I sprayed them with Neem, water and soap. I guess is makes them forget to eat and forget to have sex. That works for me. I am about to make a mountain of zucchini bread. Somewhere I found a recipe for cookies that I think I could make to taste like my zucchini bread. THAT makes it much more portable.

We shall see...

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Not Enough Spackle

7/13/2012

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Here's a picture of my East wing. It has a lot of bald places. So...now I get to figure out what I will do to replace what isn't there.

These are my beets...plus a volunteer tomato. They are puny!

I believe the reason are ants. These are ant holes. I want to say bad words! I have been waiting for golden beets since last year, and they ate my dreams!

If you look close you can see that the Mustard greens are bolting. It is hot for all of us.

Not the Kale...not yet anyway. I love Kale.

I finally got some dill to sprout. Not much, but some. I want it for pickles.

While I was pulling weeds today, I uncovered a treasure! This is the first blooms of the season. But to be honest...it has been years since it has. I planted this about 9 years ago, and it has almost died several times. So to see these blooms is encouraging. I am easily amused.

Here are some more treasures. I think these are hot.

Watermelon! I planted two kinds. Seeds and no seeds.

My beans are in bloom. My Cuz in Illinois put up over 40 quarts of green beans over the fourth. That woman works real hard! I would so love to go back East and help her out with all that work. I so miss that women-bonding thing. My Mom's women folk canned that way.

As you can see...I am getting ready to pick some eggplant. This one is a little scarred up from the birds pecking it.

This is my new herb section in my East wing. I can start making pesto!

I have been absent from here for some time now. The Little one in the above picture is part of the reason. He followed The Lad home from work one day with a hurt foot. He is mostly better now.

Along with that, BFF was diagnosed with cancer. She caught it early and is handling it like I would. She would not like too much fuss. But...I would be thrilled if you are the praying kind to please put a good word in for her for me. It will help this along...in my not so humble opinion.

Farmer J also had a very serious medical incident and is not out of the woods yet. He could use a good word or two himself. I have been on my last good nerve for some time now. I know this too shall pass. Having the garden helped to keep me grounded through this. I have been doing double-duty between here and Farmer J's. Going to the hospital. Dragging kids around.

I will say...Farmer J's kids have been great through all of this. I personally want to say thanks to them for being so good.

Love you kids.

This place has been a way to keep me grounded...but I was afraid to write because I was afraid to say anything. There has been too many things happening to people I love. In situations like this, I end up filling in the 'cracks' in things so everything runs smoother. Sometimes there is just not enough Spackle. So we just do the best we can with what we have and call it a day. I am waiting for this radical change stuff to show me the really good stuff that is coming. It is like being in a room full of horse poop, looking for the horse. As BFF would say.

Love you Gurl!

Anyway...I have been working on this post for a week now. I think it is time to let it go.

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I Love Puppies!

More Trouble and A Few Veggies

Garden Updates

We Shall See

Not Enough Spackle

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