Currently Pissing Me Off

When I make a salad and go to the refrigerator:



I don't want to find only the REMNANTS of my last batch of balsamic vinaigrette .

When I go to the pantry for a snack:

I don't want to find THREE boxes of the SAME open snacks.

When I reach for a piece of chocolate :



I don't want to find someone has eaten all the dark chocolates leaving only the stupid peanut ones.

On the PLUS side - the tomatoes are coming in!



Only the cherry tomatoes, but I'll take what I can get!

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person*

I was a girl when I married. A fresh-faced, twenty-two year old bride.

I knew nothing of life, really, but I was in love.



A quarter of a century later I am still in love.



And suck it people, I can still fit in the dress!



*~Mignon McLaughlin

I'm Out Back

I have two large flower beds; one in front yard and one in back. Their style is best described as "Cottage" as there is nothing formal about them. They are both islands, edged in brick with a pathway that winds through the middle for both enjoyment and ease of tending.




Remember when the back bed looked like this in March?






Now it looks like this:


I chose an entirely different color pallet for the back garden than the front.




Each week as some flowers begin to fade others come into bloom. From week to week the beds never look the same, but are always a delight.

I am by nature a planner, an organizer, an OCD type. I'm left to wonder: where do all those tendencies go once I'm in the garden?

Segue – Real Casual Like

So I mentioned that my gardens are not over run with vermin because of my awesome predator situation right? Ahem…so anyway check this shit out!

Green beans! Yeah, I don't see any yet either, what do you think that means?

I planted two kinds of cucumbers: slicing and pickling.


This is one of the "slicers"; appears to be about 9 or ten inches long. Should I pick it yet?



I know he's not mature, but look at that lettuce down below.



I can not WAIT for the tomatoes to be ready. I have six varieties going!



I also threw some carrot seeds in the ground. How will I know when THEY'RE ready to harvest?



God god, I know a lot about flower gardening but vegetables? Another story entirely!

For The Birds

We have an amazing variety of wild life living in our very close to urban suburb. My gardens remain largely unmolested by squirrels, rabbits and such due to the hawks and owls that reside in our treetops.

You might remember a few years ago when we had an owlet sighting at a neighbor's house? This year the owls nested and hatched nearly in our back yard. Many evenings as we've sat outside having dinner we could hear them hoo-hooting away.

A few nights back Precious Youngest was headed out the door and I could hear frantic ...I don't know...sounds of some sort. I went to investigate and found her standing stock still in the doorway and gesturing wildly at me while hissing "Camera! Camera!"

Two young owls were perched on our fence mere feet from where she was standing. I handed her my shitty Fuji point and shoot camera, at which point one of the owls startled and flew away. But the other was way too interested in us to fly off.

I realize these look like pictures of bad Halloween decorations, but Precious Youngest turned off the flash so as not to scare the remaining owl away. He/she was a good two and a half feet tall. We know it was one of the babies because:

1. The adults don't EVER come that close
2. The parents (we presume) were sitting up in an Oak tree calling apoplectically to him/her get the hell away from us already.
   

If Precious Youngest had used her super nice because this is what we want to do with our life camera you can be sure the quality of photos would have been better.

In any event, the owlet sighting stopped all activity until he/she finally flew off. Pretty cool, no?

Oh hai!

Life is just serving up a banquet folks, and I do love to eat. So while I'm off enjoying all that summer has to offer I thought I'd show you my favorite rose.












I inherited this rose from the previous owners, I have no idea what it is. The buds start out white with faint pink tips.

As they open up the bloom turns a gorgeous dark pink. Oh, and by the way? I still have asparagus coming up! I don't think I've ever harvested asparagus in June. This makes me very happy!

Working Girl

I know you have all been on the edge of your seats waiting to hear….Precious Youngest is employed! It was not easy let me tell you. The Saint and I took turns nagging her about applications and follow-up calls. There is just not a lot of hiring going on right now.

At any rate, she found this job on her own. The work seemed in-line with her talents and paid better than the standard. She sent them her resume and a link to some work she’s done. They met her Wednesday and hired her on the spot. The job is entry-level, grunt work sort of stuff, but it is in her field of study so we’re hoping it provides some good, practical experience along with a paycheck.

So, home and employed in under three weeks! As the saying goes: I'm not a nag, I'm a motivational speaker! (I might also have bribed her with the promise to buy her this dress. I’m just sayin’.)

Salad Days

Last fall I plotted out a new bed for vegetables. After much prep work this spring I'm pleased the results. Room for six tomato plants!


I have lettuce at various stages; this needs to be thinned


I've never grown cucumbers before - so far so good.


The Romain has done beautifully!


I picked a head last night.



Not much washing needed if you grow it without chemical aid!



I made a nice Caesar salad - delicious!

Spring comes with a bound, Spring the deliverer*

The Saint and I work like the proverbial dogs for about four weekends every spring. He primarily tackles the yard, trees and shrubs. I handle the gardens.

I enjoy it for the most part. After having been cooped up in the house for many long months being outside just feels so darn good!

But there always comes a point: having divided/transplanted/fertilized/dug up one to many perennials or having planted one too many flats/pots/borders of annuals that one begins to question the whole concept of gardening.

In particular one questions the wisdom of having two large flower beds, an herb garden, a vegetable garden and various and sundry plantings in pots and smaller beds.

Just when you think you can't do ONE.MORE.THING. you realize that all that's left is a bit of maintenance.

and simple enjoyment of all the hard labor.

So worth it.

*Robert Lewis Stevenson