In the Jungle....The Mighty Jungle....

 

My front flower beds are a jungle of weeds.  I put on my garden work clothes and worked until the heat was unbearable.  Let's just say, it's not completely weeded as of today.  That's okay.  Life happens.  I'll get it done, and we need mulch too.  It's been rough this summer juggling everything including running around for parts and supplies for the bathroom.

By the way, the handy-man had personal business, so there is no shower yet in the bathroom.  Possibly today?  Maybe.  Who knows anymore.

Weeding ~ Tending Tomatoes and other ramblings

 

I spent the better part of the day weeding this part (my muscles reminded me this morning) of the front flower beds.  I have a lot more to do, but today I have to be in the tomato patches.  As you can see (sorry for the bath photos, I took them on my phone), there are no annuals. It just didn't happen in this bed.  Next year we'll get landscaping stones and it expand it out where we put tarps to kill the grass.  It will make mowing much easier.

During my husband's crazy long hours, we ended up with two different trims for the bathroom.  We had to run to the other "big city" and get the right trim so the bathroom could be finished up.  

We had a beautiful sunset last night.  Mom used to text me every night there was a beautiful one, because our sunset view is behind the house and behind the woods. I would not see it unless I was outside.

We ended up walking around the garden at dusk, to check on our motion sensor solar lights.  All are working, but one look into the tomatoes and I let a big sigh....I have more staking and tying to do.  Plus, the handyman used up the last of the gas, so if I will have to go get gas in order to do the tilling (again).

Today is one of those days I wish I had help.  Flower beds need finished weeding, tomatoes are in dire need of securing, beans need picked.....and oh, I have to paint one piece of floor trim this morning before I even go out the door.  I never got pancakes made yesterday.  I literally got the grill to the counter and that is as far as I got.  It's one of those whirlwind days today.

Speaking of the handy-man, since he changed his tune on payment amount regarding the bathroom, we are going back to doing the mowing and trimming ourselves.  However, the mower needs a new battery.  

Spring Blooms ~ The Great Purge

 

The daffodils are in bloom right now.  I decided not to can wild violet jelly this year, and concentrate on low sugar jams.  Our biker friend we hire now to mow, has already mowed anyway (and then there was snow).  I brought the daffodils in just before the snow arrived.

I decided, as I was cleaning out my hutch, that it was time to pass on the Wilton cake decorating books and cake pans.  An old neighbor, who used to babysit for us way back in the day (another town) is now considering buying them.  All the kids are moved out and the pans are for kids birthday cakes.  Oh, and this person actually decorates cakes and sells them from her home, so it will go to a good home and to good use.

Funny story, while in High School, I used one of the pans to bake a cake for Biology class.  It was a bacteria cell!  Ha ha!  My husband got a laugh out of that.  I'm sure I have a picture of it in one of my photo albums (somewhere).

I also used the same cake pan to make and decorate it for one of my sister's birthdays.  It was decorated like a pack of gum.  Yeah, I did a lot of cake decorating over the years.  I taught the kids the talent as well, but they have zero room to store it all.

I didn't finish cleaning out the pie safe, so today is the day.  I also need to clean two more kitchen chairs and put them back in the kitchen.

Daughter K visited and packed up her car.  I gave her one of my 3 crock pots.  Yes, that is right, I had 3 of them.  We used to entertain for my husband's side of the family, but now that his family is growing and buying houses, they started offering gatherings at their places.  It was time to let go of one.  

It will be a while before we have people over.  We still have a lot to do at the homestead.

It's another chilly day here today, but I'll be staying warm with all this work to do, ha ha!

Tuesday Tidbits

Monday ended up mostly a cleaning day.  Bathroom cleaned, hallway swept and mopped, dishes done, beef stroganoff put into the crock pot, carpet swept, etc.

I had some last minute garden stuff that needed to be put in storage, a dog gate moved out of the house (heathens tear it down when someone knocks on the door), and twine put away until next garden season.

My fun purchase from our weekend getaway.  The feathers on this clamored all the way home, and my husband kept rolling his eyes at me, ha ha!

It'll be a busy day.  Our mower guy didn't show up yesterday.  I hope he shows up today.  It's getting colder in our parts.

Fall Blooms ~ Sunrise

 

The recent rain has brought us some beautiful fall blooms.

A beautiful sunrise.

I've been washing a lot of dishes.  Our dishwasher is on the fritz.  My husband will look at it when he can.  Not this weekend.  He is working all weekend.

Egg production is low.  They are molting.

I'm still putting hot peppers away.  I have not pulled the plants due to the daily rain we have gotten.

Breakfast ~ New Flowers

 

Breakfast that I baked yesterday - onions, sweet potato, green bell pepper (forgot to add some hot peppers), sausage, garlic, eggs and chives.

I planted the flowers I bought over the weekend.  I love the new red ones.  The pictures were downloaded from my phone, so they are not great, but the dragon's breath is a bright and beautiful color.

The "Big City" held a large outdoor art event recently, and more and more people have gotten sick.  I may be making a decision on the October craft show.  I really, really want to do it, but I also have to think about Mom and being around her.

Garden ~ Cleaning and other Tidbits

I'm back back to gardening, weeding, and indoor clean up.  We haven't had rain, so my week started with watering everything before indoor cleaning started.

The weather has been a beautiful fall like weather.  Cool mornings and gorgeous evenings.  We went on a bike ride last night with two other bikers and I slept like a baby last night.  

However, we may be heading into very hot weather again.

More blooms to share.

I finally had some ripe blackberries to pick.

The egg basket filled up over last weekend, so I may be putting some aside to boil again.

My husband fixed the problem with the camper hot water heater.  Big hooh-rah to that!  I tried to get us a campsite for another park this month.  They are booked solid (as most are this year).

Our hometown fair is in full swing.  First time in two years.  I am so happy to see it happening.  Not sure if we will actually get to go, but happy it's going on this year.

I'm still unable to view my blogger reading list. I sent a message for help on this.  We'll see if they can fix the issue soon.

Blogger ~ Blooms ~ Garden ~ Road Construction

I don't know if it's my internet or blogger, but I'm unable to read anyone's blog.  Hopefully blogger will fix it soon.

More blooms from our glady's.  Oh, by the way, we were sitting on the front porch late evening and two hummingbirds were enjoying my tall purple phlox for the longest time ever.  It was fun to watch them.

Rain is in the forecast today, but as of waking up we have zero.  I sure hope it does rain.  My garden actually needs it.  the mosquitoes are horrible this year, but we do need the rain.

Road construction has started out in front of our homestead.  They literally just did this in 2012, and it really doesn't need done (there are worse routes that need re-surfaced).  I'm not looking forward to it, and the dogs will bark and bark.  Sigh.

We had plans to go to another "big city" and then those plans changed and then we ended up not doing either.  The heat was horrible, and after Hubby worked in it all day, he just wanted to get home and into the AC.  Thank goodness for egg salad.

More Blooms ~ Dehydrating Sage ~ From Pile to File

 

More garden blooms.  I had a hard time getting the photos, as the lens steamed up from the humidity and heat.

I dehydrated my first small batch of sage, using my smaller dehydrator.  I learned that if you cut back your sage too much (close to fall), it will die over winter.  I dehydrate in small batches over the summer to avoid killing my sage plant.

We had another very hot and humid day.  Garden work was done early.  I needed to check the radishes and tie up more tomato plants.

I got another new recipe off the pile.  It's a healthier breakfast bake using sweet potatoes vs. white potatoes.  I added some finely diced jalapenos to it.  I also used sage sausage vs. the sausage the recipe called for (no water, just cooked it first), and of course organic ingredients.

It was very good, but the sweet potatoes released some liquid, so I would cook the onion and sweet potatoes before hand, and shorten the cook time.  Oh, and you can make this the day before and refrigerate and then bake the next.

Question - what is your favorite dry bean to use to make homemade bake beans?

Extreme Heat ~ Rain ~ Rhubarb Vodka

Whoops!  Yesterday morning I overslept.  First time in years.  Not sure if it was the extreme heat we had or what, but I felt terrible that I did.  I am always up making coffee, feeding the cats, packing my husband's breakfast and lunch.  There has been a lot on our minds though. 

The ladies cooled off the best they could with chipped ice.  I left the coop open when we finally got a down pour, so they could get wet and cool their hot feathery bodies off.

Although I will now be behind in weeding, I am so happy for the rain.  The funny thing is, is that we both said if it's a rotten year we'd not plant a garden next year.  In fear of a rotten year (3 years in a row), we really cut back on what we planted too.  Now I regret not planting my popcorn, peas, spaghetti squash etc.  Well, I'll be over those regrets, as soon as I visit Farmer's markets and re-stock.  

I finally got rhubarb vodka in the making.  We like this better than strawberry, but both are good.

I finally found organic broccoli and asparagus!  I blanched both and got them in the freezer.

More photos of my snapdragons.  My lens kept steaming up, it was that humid.

More Flower Bed Blooms

I took some photos while weeding flower beds a few days before we lost internet.  You are finally getting to see them today.  

Storms ~ New Blooms ~ Comforts of Reading

Nothing real exciting to post today.  First thing I did yesterday morning was check laundry, run the dishwasher and wash any remaining pots and pans.  If the storms took out the power, we have no running water.

Cell phones were charged, and water was put up for the animals.  Just in case.  Oil  lamps- check,  lamp oil - check, candles and matches - check, emergency lamp/radio - check.

I also decided not to do more freezer cleaning, and to not use both dehydrators.  I didn't want to risk a freezer that wasn't shut and cold, nor have any electrical issues with any outages.  Those jobs remain on the to-do list.

Early morning a steady rainfall began, followed by wind and thunderstorms.  

The temperature dropped and it was too chilly (and not safe) to read on the porch.  Soon, around noon the rain stopped and the sun came out.  Two o'clock arrived and guess what?  No rain nor a bad storm.  In fact, no rain the rest of the day, but it appears it'll rain today.

Before the rain arrived I took a few pictures of some colorful snapdragons starting to bloom.

I have a short Honey-Do list for my husband today. I have a few indoor jobs he could do, that won't require a lot of time.

Regarding reading...

I have not read an entire book in 2020, due to just feeling down, depressed and disgusted at what was happening in the world.

The past few days I picked up my newest book and finally opened it and read.  It felt fantastic.  I finished the book in 3 days.  A fascinating story of a woman growing up in Vietnam and moving to Ohio.  I met her at the flea market when we bought her book.  

Anyway, I'll be passing the book on to my Mom or whoever in the family who wants to read it.  One book in, one book out.   A fantastic read!! I believe my husband wants to read it next.

Storm and Random Tidbits

 

I hammered the tomato stakes in good, but decided not to start tying the tomato plants up to the stakes until the storms pass today.  I was in fear that if the stakes go down, the plants would go down with them.

Today's weather?  Possible thunderstorms, hail and possible tornadoes.

First coyote sighting yesterday morning.  It headed away from our property.

We discovered we still had a half of a quart canning jar full of home grown popcorn.  It was still good, popped almost all the kernels and was as delicious as ever.  I will be planting it again next year.

Broke my hoe.  They never last long.  It says 15 year warranty, but I have no idea where I bought it, nor saved the receipt.  Tomatoes got weeded anyway.  We have 62 tomatoes, but two may not make it.

New blooms in the flower beds.