Friday, July 3, 2015

The Case of the Vanishing Week

Whoa!  What happened to this past week?  Besides seeming like the shortest week I've experienced in a long time, I had my days completely mixed up.  Tuesday felt like Saturday, and I almost convinced myself today was a Monday.  No wonder the week got away from me.

We've been trying to hit the wood working this week, but there are always those "things" that keep coming up that "must" be done, and they've kept us from putting in big chunks of time every day on the wood pile.  But it will get done.  Eventually.  Slow and steady wins the race, ya know.  (Seems like we've been more slow than steady though.)

Took a walk through the garden tonight after dinner.


The potatoes have been hilled up for the first time and are already poking out of the soil.  Lookin' pretty good.  I pulled the top layer of straw off my experimental raised bed of potatoes and found . . . ta-da!  Three (out of 21) potato vines poking through.  Something tells me I should stick to growing the taters in dirt.


Our newly planted asparagus has all "ferned out" and I've filled in the ditches.  Looks like every root planted sent up at least one asparagus shoot.


Isn't this lettuce crowded attractive?  It's Allstar Gourmet Lettuce Mix from Johnny's Selected Seeds.  (Straight out of the camera, no coloration added.)


Look what a surprise I found!  This is in the garden of a person who can't grow cauliflower!  Granted, the head is only about 3" across but you coulda knocked me over with a feather when I saw it.


And lo and behold, what do I see down in the Wall O' Water surrounding one of my eggplants?  A blossom!  I'm starting to really like these Wall O' Waters.

Hope all of you can celebrate the 4th of July holiday tomorrow in the way that makes you happiest.  Being the introverts we are, I think we'll spend it away from the maddening crowds.

16 comments:

Dawn said...

your veg is looking good and that wall of water looks intriguing I will have to read back through your blog on a rainy day and find out more :-)

Sue said...

My goodness, that is the TIDIEST garden I've ever seen. Not a weed in sight. It looks like you're SWEPT it!!! Love it. Congrats on the cauliflower. It takes darn near perfect conditions to do those buggers, but if you can manage that---boy howdy that will be tasty slathered in butter. Of course, what isn't tasty slathered in butter!!!! Have a wonderfully quiet (ha. haha. hahahahhaha) fourth of July.
If last night was a taste of whats ahead , I might have to hide in the basement for some quiet around here.....

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

That garden looks amazing. Mine is still full of weeds, ha ha!

Sandy Livesay said...

Mama Pea,

I love taking a tour of your garden when you go for your walks. Sorry to hear your experiment with straw and potatoes haven't really panned out for you this year.
Look at that lettuce, lovely colors, and I bet it tastes amazing in a nice salad. I love having a variety of lettuce in my salad. Have you tried growing red romaine up there? OMG, look at that cauliflower head....looks perfect!!!! What was your secret to get a nice looking head like this? Was it because you planted a little later? Before you know it that eggplant flower will turn into a nice eggplant. They grow pretty fast once you see blossoms. Enjoy those babies!!!!
Be careful on putting off cutting wood because before you know it winter will be knocking at your door. One of my other blogger friends said she see's signs already of winter getting close with the changing of the leaves.......that's a bit worrisome.
Happy 4th of July to you, your husband, and family.
Sending hugs and love to you and yours,
Sandy

tpals said...

Lovely pictures. Pardon my forgetfulness, but aren't you usually a full year ahead on wood? So you are working for 2016/17 wood now?

Anonymous said...

Hey Mama Pea, it's looking good! Finally got my internet back, so will be able to stalk you on a regular basis again :) Love ya!

Sharon said...

Wow! Where are the weeds in your garden? We've has so much rain that I can't even get out with a hoe. Love the walk through!

Mark said...

Your garden does look great, and you do a wonderful job of keeping it weed free.

The week did go quickly here for a couple of reasons: I was on 'vacation' busy looking after De post-surgery, and it was the first week in many where it wasn't raining more days that it was dry. The "normal" weather week made it the time to catch up on lawn and garden work, too.

Mama Pea said...

Dawn - I've been super-impressed with the Wall O' Waters I used this year around my cherry tomatoes and eggplants. The silly thing is I've had them for a couple of years and just this season used them for the first time. Not very bright?

Mama Pea said...

Sweet Sue - My crew of ten is doing a really nice job in the garden this summer, aren't they? (Hardy-har-har!) I still can't believe I've actually grown (well, not to harvest yet) a cauliflower in my garden. These cool conditions we've had so far must be conducive to cauliflower. That's the only thing I can figure out. And you can be sure ours will be eaten slathered in butter! Hope you survived the rowdies in your near vicinity last night!

Mama Pea said...

Kristina - Thank you, ma'am! Yours may be full of weeds, but it's producing! And that's what we all do this for. :o}

Mama Pea said...

Sandy - Since I took the top layer of straw off the bed of potatoes, I have four or five green leafy stems poking up through. Should I get hopeful??

I did some reading up on cauliflower last night and it was stated that they do not do well in hot weather. Well, you know our spring/summer has been VERY cool so far this year so I think that may be why I'm having the success I am.

Your blogger friend who is seeing signs of changing leaves already . . . downright SCARY! No, no, please no!

Mama Pea said...

tpals - Yep, we do like to be a year ahead on our wood supply. Right now we have one full wood shed of wood that was cut and split a year ago. We'll use that this coming winter. The wood we're working up now won't be used (hopefully) until 2016/17. Because we buy our wood in 8' lengths that needs to be cut and split, we feel more secure being a full year ahead. I mean, what if one of us was unable for some reason to work on wood some spring or summer . . . to have that extra year's supply all set and ready would be a very good thing!

Mama Pea said...

Stephanie - Sure have missed your posts . . . and comments. Now get going and get a post up on your blog and fill us all in on what you've been up to!

Mama Pea said...

Sharon - Oh, yes, there are weeds. But I find if I pounce on them when they're small, I can stay ahead of them. (Doesn't always work though.) I know certain parts of our country have had way too much rain so I understand your situation. Thanks for the kind words.

Mama Pea said...

Mark - Heck, in the summer time there's way too much to keep up with let alone the catch up. Then throw in De's surgery and care . . . well, it's amazing you got done all you did last week. Hang in there . . . and hope De is feeling much better.