Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Home is where you sweat 'cause you're workin' real hard.

Alright, so now you've been updated on how the early summer progressed. "So how are things going NOW?" you might be asking.  Ok, ok, well first things first, let me show you the cutest thing ever:


It's a baby watermelon.  Isn't it adorable?  I had no idea the watermelon plant had even successfully flowered, and yet here it is.  In this photo (taken only a couple days ago--these photos are relevant to the present, I swear!), this little watermelon is probably only 1 1/2 in. long.  Awwwww...

Anyway, though we have had hot days, this summer has not been nearly as miserable as the past two summers.  I'm not even sure we reached 100 degrees this year; I was even--eep--cold today!  It was pleasant.  But having a moderate to cold early spring/summer also made a few things in the garden get a little stunted (mostly my pepper plants...and eggplant!...wah wah...), but other things are just loving it.  Here, I'll just get on with the photos instead of blabbering on. 

Here is a volunteer melon that I just found last week.  It was literally 4 inches in diameter when I found it--hiding in plain sight!

My little helpers. 

What the garden looks like now!  It is quite the green explosion!  We thought the fig tree died over the winter, but it didn't!  Look at it!  It's flourishing, and loving life! 

The first harvest of beans off of the vine.  Not quite enough for dinner...

The tomatoes are really happy, though.  They are loving the hot sun.

What the yard looks like from the alley.  I love that you would never suspect that the garden is there if you're just walking past it on the other side of the fence.  Although, I guess the blackberry bush gives it away a little this year. 

My attempt at a panorama photo of the yard.

I spy a Satcha!

I'm trying to coax the beans into growing into an arch!  So far, it has only been slightly successful. 

One last look at the delightful green.  It is truly a gift to go back there and watch nature--we've created a whole ecosystem back there!  We've got bees, wasps, hornets, butterflies, what I think was a young female Giant Eastern Hercules Beetle, baby preying mantis, rats, robins, sparrows, worms, and we even have a Yellow Garden Spider that has made its home in the tomato plants.  Photos to come soon, once I can get a good one of him--it was too windy to take a good one today.
Though this is a horrible panoramic picture (I think our yard is too small for panoramic...), just take note of the paw paw tree next to the silver compost bin.  It has now--as of this week--just gotten taller than me!  How exciting!

OK, guys, that's it for now.  Thanks for reading!  The next post won't be all about the garden, I swear, but that's where I've been putting a lot of my time and energy.  That, and neighborhood meetings, making artwork, and singing...been wearing lots of hats lately.  I'm getting excited for vacation!

Until next time!  Ciao!  


Friday, July 25, 2014

Catch up time!

So, my mother just informed me that there may have been a few questions as far as how I've been doing down here. I have been rather behind on these posts, so we'll do a quick catch up to where we are now! Photo style! 

This was taken in early spring.  With birthday money from Ninna (Peter's mom), I bought myself an electric kettle--which was a life-changing purchase!  I was so inspired, that I then created this coffee/tea area.  Underneath (and hidden) is Kitty's litter box.

It comes equipped with grinder, elecric kettle, all of the teas (stored in the little drawers and in the boxes), hot cocoa, coffee, french press, and tea pot! 

The yard--full of seedlings!  But there's the blackberry "bush" in the background!

Satcha enjoying the space.

Our front planter--an explosion of perennials that I planted last year.  I basically dumped a whole seed packet (that's what it said to do on the package!!!)--and it worked!

The only big planter on our street.

From the front.

So pretty!

Things were just so happy to be alive!  It was a "long" winter...for here (nothing compares to long Minnesota winters!  I know, I know!!)--but we did have quite a few things die off that shouldn't have.

A closer look at the GIANT BLACKBERRY BUSH/VINE/THING THAT IS TAKING OVER THE YARD!! (In a good way--yum!)

Harvest time!  Notice that the giant blackberry bush produced giant blackberries!

Here they are!  We could fill an entire nice-sized bowl every day at its peak. 

It even started creeping into the alley, which I thought was pretty cool. 

Here are the beans!  The iron grate was saved from the original rat-infested shed that was in our backyard.  There's nothing better than repurposing! 

An example of how big these blackberries were.  This one wasn't even the biggest one!

Aaaaaand...that just about brings us up to date!  There is a door project that I still have yet to post, but that will come someday.  Plus a whole bunch that is happening with our other property.  I guess I should probably post a few photos of that sometime soon as well...but I can't give everything away at once, so you'll have to wait!  Oh, the anticipation!

Anyway, thanks for reading, folks!  Until next time...