A great start to August
Someone asked if we could swim in the pond...well there is no way I would even sit on the pier and dangle my feet in the water. We have seen those big snapping turtles...the kind that mama used to say would bite and hold on until they heard it thunder. We have also seen water snakes in the pond. Yikes!
Rare it is that we wake up on the first day of August to low humidity and 63 degrees. It feels wonderful outside.
As soon as Poppy was on his way to work I picked up my camera and work basket and went out. First thing, I watered the pitiful looking teeny tiny garden which by the way is about finished...
The pepper plants look like they might come out, if we get rain soon. I picked a dishpan full of shriveled up peppers that were not fit to eat and dumped them into the compost bin. We are still getting a few tomatoes and squash and lots of okra.
This is half a short row of green beans...half runners. I want enough to cook at least one good pot before cold weather. Seasoned with fat back and cooked slowly on the stove so I can smell them cooking. Might add a few pods of okra on top. Awww, makes me think about mama.
and here's the other half of the new little row of beans.
Finishing up in the garden I then went to work on a bucket of cutting that needed to be potted. A neighbor dropped off a piece of Rose of Sharon that she accidentally broke off and a wild rose pulled from her driveway. Guess the neighbors know me pretty well.
and cuttings from an Azalea that I accidentally broke.
and these are pots of tiny tiny Rose of Sharon plants. It is amazing how these have come out. These sprouted from seeds that fell last fall and have been struggling to survive in the dry parched ground. I love rescuing tiny plants.
Better get busy. Still have housework to do. I was busy outside before 7:00 this morning. Thanks for looking in.
Love,
Henny
Your pond is like mine- and no way would I dip my toes in it! Snakes and snappers and no telling what else is in there. :/
ReplyDeleteAnd that's not even thinking about the brain eating bacteria...I've got to where I think the only safe place to get wet is in the shower here at home.
LOL! Isn't it delightful outside today? 65 here this morning at 6...LOVE IT!
Henny, thank you so much for leaving such a kind comment on my blog post about losing our Tiger. It means so much. I've just been reading back through some of your posts. You clearly live in paradise! Earlier this year my husband, 29 year-old daughter and I took a road trip to Asheville, NC (from here in Massachusetts). It was the first time I'd visited your beautiful state and we all fell in love with it. I read with sadness about you losing some of your new guinea (chicks?). I'm so sorry. The daughter I mentioned above, an avid animal lover, recently loaned me a book and I just finished it. I think you would like it, although I must warn you that much of it will bring on tears. It's called The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly by Sun-mi Hwang. Oh my gosh, what a beautiful book it was. If everybody could read it I think even those who don't really think of animals as having feelings or emotions would become believers in how alike they really are to us. Anyhow, I hope your humidity stays low and that the black snakes stay away :)
ReplyDeleteAll my best to you,
Donna
You have gotten me excited about planting a late bean crop. We are planning a trip to Home Depot this weekend, so I'll see if they still have seeds. I agree . . . no swimming in your pond. It is a shame, because it does look inviting:)
ReplyDeleteGlad you have some relief from the heat. We do too, today. My tomatoes are nice and big and turning red now. We got one dinner from my yellow bean plants (only 2) and I've been enjoying our herbs in salads and stir-frys. That's it for me this year. No time with all the construction. Love your pond but would stay away from it. too. Deb
ReplyDeleteLooks like you are very busy as usual. Your pond looks lovely!
ReplyDeleteAh I saw your garden again. It's like travelling to my mom's garden really. She's got peppers and okras too. I remember hating okra as a kid but I guess I'm missing it here in Russia.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't dare swimming in the pond too in that case. Better just look at it. It's relaxing enough :)
Oh how do you ever get up so early? I sometimes wish I could make myself get up earlier but I am a night person. I just wish I was not scared of the dark. LOL I would go outside and walk at night. We have not had much okra and I had the farmer to mow down the green beans I have canned more beans than I care to can any more until next year. We need some rain here to.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day! Love you
Poor teeny tiny garden... didn't have much of a chance this year. I am glad you are having slightly cooler temps. Tomorrow is still forecast to be hot here then the rest of the week will be a good 5 degrees cooler. A most welcome change. Is that last photo your work basket? I love it. I will try to find one like it and use it for MY work basket.
ReplyDeleteThis should be the most productive time in a Seattle vegetable garden, but this year it has been hard to keep it going with the dryness and heat. Our tomatoes are just starting to ripen here. For some reason our pole beans are refusing to even bloom. They just keep growing up and over.
ReplyDeleteI wondered about snakes in and around your pond. Ugh.
I'm just north of you over the border. My pole peas are over 10' tall, and finally now seem to be putting some effort into making beans.
DeleteI'm just north of you over the border. My pole peas are over 10' tall, and finally now seem to be putting some effort into making beans.
DeleteI figured you wouldn't even dip a toe in the pond....I wouldn't either. Yes it is August...I need yo make that work list:)
ReplyDeletethe pond is lovely to look at, too bad you can't swim in it. Growing up we swam in the creek. It had crawdads in it (Sonoma CA) and we would walk across the low part on boards we put down. My brother who was 2 years older always got his toe clamped on by a crawdad while he was crossing our board walkway. Guess his toes hung over too much!
ReplyDeleteI do admire your industry in saving those tiny plants.
ReplyDeleteLove your pond but I'd find it frustrating in the heat you have to be unable to jump in it!
Had no idea you could start azaleas and rose of sharons that way.
ReplyDeleteThe cooler weather has been nice. Three days of it makes it feel summer is over.
ReplyDeleteHow splendid to rescue damaged plants, I admire your tenacity you never give up, well done.
ReplyDeleteI cannot wait to feel the world at 63 degrees! How wonderful. Perhaps some cooler weather will revive your garden and give you a bit more. We visited my mom in Florida for four days and so enjoyed swimming in the pool. Even if you can't swim in it, I know you get a lot of enjoyment and serenity from your beautiful pond. Swimming would be a definite bonus though in the hot summer we have had!
ReplyDeleteI'd find it really hard to have a pond and not even be able to dangle my feet in it, nevermind submerge myself in it when it is hot. Lovely to look at though! Any fish in it?
ReplyDelete