July 18th - and it's Hot this week

Butch on Mae

Well the days of nice coolness are over I guess, though still cool at night so can't complain too much.

Leigh on Mae

Me on Mae

My husband's nephew and his family are in Rural Retreat visiting Nelson's sister and we've spent some time with them this week which has been fun. We went to our neighbors farm - he raises - mules and got mule rides and learned more about gardening.. We all rode the same Mule - the best trained fortunately.  The kids rode first but didn't have my camera then. We went home hot, tired and with a "mess" of potatoes pulled up and given to each of us while we were admiring his garden.


Leigh, Emma, Max

Anthony just watched



Luci

Then they stopped by for a tour of our house and Butch picked the garlic he grew over the winter which we are sharing.  Ours is in the shed drying.

We had quite s storm last night.. heavy rain, lighting, thunder. Never saw Max so afraid, but he sure was last night. Had to remove the fan from the bathroom window because the rain was coming right through it onto the bathroom floor. Have never seen it do that before..

Today did some pruning and weeding. Stayed out way too long, but had noticed a bloom on a Turks Head Lily and went out to see the others. Several were so covered with Sweet pea that they were lying on the ground.. After several  tries, found them all I think and they are more upright now..  Hoping they will still bloom.
The garden is now showing promise! We have some green beans that will be ready to pick in another day. I have zucchini, yellow squash, green peppers, banana peppers, some jalapenos - all still small but growing! Long thin cucumbers, have picked a number of these and today our first tomato. It was very sad looking, but once I cut off the skin and top part, it tasted wonderful. Have two more almost ready to pick.


almost ready to pick

First ripe tomato - sad looking but tasty

I was reading a book today and it said this which I love and must put here to remember, " Ah, Nature. Since a garden is an attempt to impose our human sense of order and beauty on nature, it is also the perfect place to discover what ridiculous idea that really is." Dora Galitzki, NY Times Gardening Columnist.   I do learn that every day it seems.
  Butterfly bush is beginning to bloom and already butterflies are flying around it. 

Zucchini

Butterfly Bush











shed fan

  Nelson put a fan in the shed a while ago and I forgot to take a picture. It takes the carbon monoxide out when we use the generator. It also helps cool the shed down a little if we are working in there.. That's all for today.