Banana Peel/Water for Tomato Plants ~ Hot Day!

 

Has anyone tried this with your tomato plants?  I keep seeing it shared online.  You put a banana peel in a jar, add water, let it sit for 1-2 days then pour it at the base of you tomato plant for a better harvest, bigger plant etc.  There are so many different directions to make this as well.  Some say cut the peel up, only let it sit one hour.  Then there are dehydrated recipes to chop the peel up with egg shells.  Any tips on this would be appreciated.  I already crush and drop egg shells in the garden.

It's going to be even hotter today, and my husband insisted I stay out of the garden today.  I'll water, even though it says it will rain, because if I don't it won't rain.

I actually got some crochet time in yesterday, and created something new.  I'll be sure to share a picture soon.

Working Solo

I've been busy weeding the tomatoes.  All 112 of them.  I am using a hand hoe until my smaller tiller arrives.  I have to stay on top of it.  Yes, the flower beds and herb garden are still waiting on me.  I am working solo.  My husband had to work Sunday and today.  No outdoor get together for us this year.  No grilling, no anything but garden work.

However, the heat sent me inside.  I finally finished this order for a shop.  I had all but one already made, so that was nice.  I do need more buttons for making more though.  A trip to the craft store is on the agenda, but not soon.

The heat will be worse today.  I'll be out there early to beat the heat and keeping an eye on things.  Yesterday I found that something dug up my cherry tomato plant, but left it.  It's been replanted and watered.  Praying it comes back to life, as I do not want to spend more money on a new plant.  It already had cherry tomatoes on the plant as well.

My wheelbarrow has a flat tire.  Hubby promised to replace it, but he's not had time for that.  It may be on my to-do list this week.

I feel like I am juggling all things that need done really.  Painting continues, but limited to space (painting floor trim on saw horses).  I finally cleaned out the leather trunk that was on our first motorcycle, and it's up for sale.  Today, I really need to remember to check on laundry.  The garden work makes me forget the regular chores around here.

My trips to the grocery have been very few lately.  My last trip was to get some quinoa chips for queso to go with tacos.  I was in complete shock to see the price almost $6.00!!!  I am so glad we planted what we did, after sticker shock at the store.  I'm am, however, keeping an eye on staying stocked up.  

This and That

I had just finished a mountain of dishes, when I remembered I needed to find an un-finished project that needs done ASAP.  I spent about a half hour  finding the project, but no pattern.

Well, I need to organize my patterns on a day I have nothing important on the to-do list.  I could not, for the life of me, find the pattern anywhere.  Of course, the house is in chaotic order right now, but I am thankful it was still on the internet.  Whew!

Today's morning project - bagging garlic to fend of raccoons and deer.  Be sure not to put this near some vegetables that do not like garlic.  I am also hanging in the fruit trees.  Someone told us they do this and it works.  We'll find out if it works or not.  I bought some cheap garlic from the store to do this project.

I have spent some time searching for close, fun destinations for my husband and I.  He sometimes has a day off, some weeks not.  I am having fun finding about new things to do and visit on his day off, and still get a few things done here at the homestead.

Meanwhile, the herb garden and flower beds are weed fests.  I have to wait for the rain to stop, and the beds to dry up just a bit, and then I will tackle those.

Rain ~ Baking Day ~ Mowing Day

 Although we didn't get a lot of rain during the day yesterday, we got a good amount last night.

I took advantage of it, and did some baking.  I make Mom's favorite snack (just because), and I tried a new recipe (as well as a 2 crock pot dinner - hot pepper mustard sauce over meatballs in one and sweet potatoes/thyme/garlic in another).

The new recipe?  Bacon, cheese, jalapeno bread.  I used the frozen jalapenos from last year's garden, estimating "2" jalapenos, and left the seeds in (that is the way I freeze them).  We both loved it!  I'm adding the recipe to my "taco" night family get together.  It took time to make it, and a lot of ingredients, but so good!  I added the optional green onion, because the herb garden is producing well, although needs weeded badly.

Daughter K arrived for another pick up, but did not bring her trash bags down stairs.  I was busy in the kitchen, and didn't realize it until she already left.  Anyway, more is out of my front room and upstairs.

Painting continues.  I can only paint one thing on the saw horses due to humidity, and the AC remains off.  The mowing was done.  There was a window of opportunity in the day, where the sun came out, before the rain came back.

I worked for a bit in the utility room, but that is limited due to all the bathroom stuff put in there.  We are still waiting on our hired help to start gutting the smaller bathroom, which reminds me, we still need to buy the flooring for in there.

The garden is in!!

 The garden is finally in.  I just have to drop some zinnia and dill seeds this morning before it rains, and put my garden cart back where it belongs.

I bought a pack of 25 wooden, 5 foot tomato stakes online and got it shipped free to the house.  Funny story about the tomatoes.  

I was planting when Daughter K called.  She asked if she would be the one getting any extra slicer tomatoes.  I would always grow them for Mom.  Guess who hopped in the truck and went and bought her a plant in the middle of planting?  Yep. That was me, but I also got me an extra hot banana, as mine did not all sprout.

You know it was a long day in the garden, when you don't see me post so early today.  I slept very well, ha ha!

Our friend came over and cleaned all the metal out of the burn pile.  He loaded up his truck and that job is done as well.

I painted one more cabinet door, and cleaned some of a junk drawer out.  Then I called it a night.

We have one kitchen drawer, that my husband dubbed his.  Well, the tracks keep breaking on it, due to the weight in it.  He tried to blame it on me, but guess who took all the tools, and heavy stuff out?  Yeah, I did.

I sent him a photo of this, and asked what the heck does this go to?  He had no idea.  Guess where it went?  I ran it outside before our friend left and added it to his scrap pile, ha ha!  The garage and all his tools will be so organized by fall.  I found my water spigot splitter that I lost years ago too,  ha ha!  Anyway, that drawer is painted and back in place.

The rain is to arrive around noon today, and the garden will love it.  Oh, by the way, the Etsy seller that was the only one I could find online with organic music garlic, fizzled out.  Order was never shipped, and I got zero responses from sending messages.  So....I had to go into my stash left from last year and plant asap.  I had to cut the amount down by about 20 cloves, but it's planted.  Tomatoes rank at the number 112 this year. All paste, but 2 slicer plants and one cherry tomato.

I planted 55 hot peppers, and one is new - golden cayenne.  Planted 33 bell peppers, and two types of lettuce.  We didn't get to plant everything we wanted this year like peas and potatoes, but I'm happy with what I got in considering everything that was going on this year.

I finally got the herbs planted as well, and after the rain will tackle weeding it, as well as the flower beds.

This and That

Last week I tried a new all-in-one crock pot meal - spaghetti and meatballs (with homemade ingredients).  We did not like it.  The pasta cooked too long for our taste.

My husband and I enjoyed another harvest of asparagus.  I don't know that we'll gut much more.  I'm so glad we tilled and are expanding this in the garden.

My to-do list has increased like you would not believe.  I am being told that my husband may not get the holiday off work now.  Not sure the honey-do list will happen.  So frustrated with this schedule this year.

I happened to check my fit bit and account associated with our insurance and his work.  They increased the points from 3000 to 4000, so I have to find out if the absolute required increased from 1000.  That would not be good, considering the amount of work I am doing on my own with the gardens.

Happy Homemaker Monday

I am so thankful I have my husband, and his full and complete support in life.  No matter what is stressing me, he is always there for me, even with this long, long hours at work.

He continues to work (coffee pot is pre-set for 4:15am) 12 hour days, 6 days a week, with about an hour to work and back.  If someone asks for his help with something, it needs to be super important, because he is exhausted when he arrives home.  He only gets one day off, and yesterday we had a date.

Many people also assume I have all the free time in the world, because I am not employed.  I'm frankly tried of explaining how busy I am lately as well.  Between the garden, the kitchen painting, herb garden, and flower beds, I am exhausted by 6pm.  Sunday was a well over due sanity saver day off with my husband.

Well, most of the day off.  We worked on a list of things that had to be done up until about 11:30am, and I got 3 things out of the garage we don't use anymore as well.

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

I will join up when she posts.

The weather . . .

Back to beautiful 70's.

As I look outside my window . . .

My herb garden is such a hot mess of weeds, and there is more to be planted in all of the gardens - vegetable, herb and flower.

Right now I am . . .

Getting ready to post this.

Thinking and pondering . . .

...about a long vacation next year due to the long work hours this year, the closing on the sale of Mom's house is tomorrow, not sure we'll get to go camping this year

How I am feeling . . .

Rejuvenated, but not looking forward to the next few weeks. There has been talk of my husband getting no days off now.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Leftover homemade blueberry pancakes, local blueberry sausages and organic coffee.

On my reading pile . . .

Haven't had time to read.

On my TV this week . . .

Smokey and the Bandit

On the menu . . .

-pork chops, home grown asparagus
-tacos, queso
-have no idea for the rest yet.

Looking around the house . . .

...so much to do yet

The to-do list . . .

-do a quick check on laundry
-floors
-paint
-start working in the utility room of what I can for now

-gather items that need loaded for another donation drop

-while paint dries, clean up back porch, plant in the gardens

From the camera . . .

Oddly, nothing

Prayers . . .

Our friend Aaron.  He continues to heal from on infection after surgery.