Pick of the Crop

Elijah and I went with some friends to pick blackberries and peaches.  We figured on a couple of hours worth of work in order to get what we wanted.  It ended up being about 45 minutes, if that.  The blackberries were big and shiny.  They were not priced any better than at the store, maybe even more, but they are so much better when fresh like that.  I go them home and wash them and immediately put them in the freezer.  Later this fall they will make a great cobbler!

Okay, I had to make him pose for this one, but he really did pick quite a few!

The peaches were big and juicy.  They were plenty firm and the kids had a great time helping to pick them.  We could have filled our 1/2 bushel box from just one tree!  Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with all of them.  I think I'll try a recipe I have for peaches canned in apple juice.  No sugar required!

Sweet as a peach!

Such a ham!

Afterwards we went to Pops in Arcadia and got some cold drinks!  It was a fun time.  I think we will have to do it again next year.  Maybe this year if the peaches can well!

AAHH, refreshed!

There, They're, and Their-My Little Grammar Lesson of the Day!

It is a huge pet peeve of mine, but I hate it when people don't know how to use the three words in the title of this post.  Therefor, please forgive my misuse in my previous post.  If you can't find it, I'm not going to point it out.  If you, just don't rub it in too much.

There-refers to where an object is.
They're-conjunction for "they are"
Their-shows possession

I also hate it when people misspell "y'all".  It is a conjunction for the words "you all" and the apostrophe is taking the place of the "ou".

Oh, oh, oh!  One last one.  If someone asks how you are, you are not good, you are well (unless you are not well).  Guilty!!!

Have fun gardening today, y'all!

HeAT doMe!!

Yuck!  It is that time of year again.  The heat dome has arrived.  What is a heat dome?  Fairly simply, it is this, high temperatures (95+), little wind, medium to high humidity, no rain in sight, and several days of it.  We get them every year.  It's 99 as I type this.

This week's forecast ;-{

After whining about all the cool temps rain in late June and early July, we are now paying for it with a lack of both.  This makes gardening even more of a chore.  After going for several weeks with just a quick watering here and there, now I must soak it every morning.  Most of what I have left are hot weather veggies.  Tomatoes, peppers, okra, eggplant.  (Yeah, I know, that is not a sentence.)  They still need water.  Even my okra looked a little wilty this afternoon. 

You know it's hot when okra looks like it needs to be watered, and you already have

Their not wilted, just getting heavy with seeds!

Nice shady spot

The grass is still green and lack of rain will keep it from growing so much, so less mowing for me.  I guess that would be the silver lining, if there were any clouds.  It could last another couple of weeks, so I'll just grin and bear it and wait for snowboarding in January!

The grass is always greener...in June!

Pesto Chango!

My basil was getting a little out of control so...

...pesto and tomato-basil sauce!

Birds and flowers

I did a little rearranging in my front flower bed.  My calla lilies were getting very tall so I moved them to the back corner of the bed and moved around some of the caladiums.  It looks a little fuller but I'm not sure how the caladiums are going to fare.

<--Before<--After

                                   Sunny side out                                            

My Topsy Turvy birds are spreading their wings.  As of yesterday, we only hade three of the six left.  Hopefully they will all be gone soon.  My tomato really could use some good fertilizer.

The last three

This one tried to fly the coop and hit the window.  It was fine.

Topsy Turvy

Well it seems that tomatoes are not what grows best in my Topsy Turvy.  We have only had two and all of the other blooms have died.  The plant itself doesn't seem to be getting any bigger.  But look at what I can grow!

June 25, 2010

July 2, 2010

Rewards

We are finally getting a little something form the garden.  I shouldn't complain since I got it put in about three weeks late, but I'm going to anyway.

Typical Oklahoma garden fare.  Tomato, peppers, beans (black), and okra!

Of course since it is just the first fruits of our harvest, there are not many yet, but I do see tomatoes on the vine that are just about ready and the eggplant is producing well, along with the okra.  Soon I will have more of everything than I know what to do with.

Two of my tomatoes, both are heirloom, but now I forget what kind.  Guess I'll have to find the tags!

Okra-Clemson spineless

I finally pulled up the mustard, lettuce, and spinach.  They were all on their last leg.  The chickens and ducks really enjoyed it though.

 <--Mustard before       Mustard after-->
As with most people, I hate to weed.  Enter young slave labor.  Well, he's not quite slave labor.  I did tell him if he would do a good job, I would pay him.  Probably more than I should, but it's worth it to me.  Saves my back and teaches him that hard work does pay off!   Besides all of that, I got a flower!

A job well done.  Eccl 9:10

I just get rewarded all around!