tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14231405736674174072024-03-24T18:32:24.329-05:00A Home Grown JournalMama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.comBlogger2600125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-35252313193193470842024-03-07T06:32:00.000-06:002024-03-07T06:32:24.157-06:00Playing with Fabric - Using Up Scraps<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b>Knowing busy spring time may come early this year for us up here where winter never arrived (no snow on the ground when normally we would still have at least a couple of feet), I've been making time to play in my quilt room.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdd-Su-cD1OAXfu2VdLz9VfJSN13q9WV4qdpjT50rH7J4AfMaxSMJohUMP2_si82cqaqhK-W45eEZOZAroS2sGbC4-yWp-SYoJzSQMFspv6_yIpKP0fQl52vCcsg5jaioxOzoHw70_1tWlS1ucCbnDQc6I7GhwU6Bl9bfWxhHimTJv_eCPqlxERztXH3s/s448/Quilting%20-%203-7-24%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdd-Su-cD1OAXfu2VdLz9VfJSN13q9WV4qdpjT50rH7J4AfMaxSMJohUMP2_si82cqaqhK-W45eEZOZAroS2sGbC4-yWp-SYoJzSQMFspv6_yIpKP0fQl52vCcsg5jaioxOzoHw70_1tWlS1ucCbnDQc6I7GhwU6Bl9bfWxhHimTJv_eCPqlxERztXH3s/w400-h300/Quilting%20-%203-7-24%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I knew I had a bunch of half-square triangles left over from a previous project and wanted to use them if possible.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXi7ShYCbgqzsyvtruezonCGzL8D2RJYXWQ0drwqupFlIbXmMWKRl74OO0GeCvSBjeL98CeqQ9ZEn8fCOdv0t3Na_Z4bE4VHJ250nl9o6rmRwhNw48F42-aiss4uxBhG5MU7hJV5Fjxxvnt7nDeVRIFIkMycVVEdt7ip72V8DQiH4Mh5bF9SSLJPpt-SQ/s448/Quilting%20-%203-7-24%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="242" data-original-width="448" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXi7ShYCbgqzsyvtruezonCGzL8D2RJYXWQ0drwqupFlIbXmMWKRl74OO0GeCvSBjeL98CeqQ9ZEn8fCOdv0t3Na_Z4bE4VHJ250nl9o6rmRwhNw48F42-aiss4uxBhG5MU7hJV5Fjxxvnt7nDeVRIFIkMycVVEdt7ip72V8DQiH4Mh5bF9SSLJPpt-SQ/w400-h216/Quilting%20-%203-7-24%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I'm pretty sure they reproduced in storage.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQg8UPK4WpPXFvmIx6ikFzRVz_hT_2ZLy2cY-z1av6NLATeU6-h-xHf9njcy-Etux0XZJjZ1abKn2xKEbjmMxJtoZ46sxAB7fiIwRJ9_47uhVX8f5yIrSm2KBklEqx070KQ6CfZba_b_M79w8Oekt3KipcBuFjm2N9ibONVnB31ZuDfG4NmHluT_4wYbw/s367/Quilting%20-%203-7-24%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="367" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQg8UPK4WpPXFvmIx6ikFzRVz_hT_2ZLy2cY-z1av6NLATeU6-h-xHf9njcy-Etux0XZJjZ1abKn2xKEbjmMxJtoZ46sxAB7fiIwRJ9_47uhVX8f5yIrSm2KBklEqx070KQ6CfZba_b_M79w8Oekt3KipcBuFjm2N9ibONVnB31ZuDfG4NmHluT_4wYbw/w400-h366/Quilting%20-%203-7-24%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />End result? I'm pleased, but all those pointy points to try to match!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b>Somehow, I still have 4,776 more triangles left. Any ideas? </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-85150295342023253872024-02-12T08:51:00.000-06:002024-02-12T08:51:53.449-06:00Handwork Weekend<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>I spent a good share of this past weekend in my quilt room. (Hooray!) Two unfinished projects were worked on.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDiw6fKkTDdI8L_mBWHaNutMzvB0_72tJYJXi7Lu25plsXIl218CBy9YU_OfxM6yS2dQk5LvkR049-bBngWmGuBgydQ99AP2ETM0Icj8R_UhRaWIfCU-Hqbr1fGNeZRPUXsae2oTU3L9efcYuxfNrc8fE1XDVHQcmrl8CcmDfvD953I4Hvemi5F6mj4F4/s448/Handwork%20-%202-12-24%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDiw6fKkTDdI8L_mBWHaNutMzvB0_72tJYJXi7Lu25plsXIl218CBy9YU_OfxM6yS2dQk5LvkR049-bBngWmGuBgydQ99AP2ETM0Icj8R_UhRaWIfCU-Hqbr1fGNeZRPUXsae2oTU3L9efcYuxfNrc8fE1XDVHQcmrl8CcmDfvD953I4Hvemi5F6mj4F4/w400-h300/Handwork%20-%202-12-24%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />One piece was completed. (Hooray, again!) For now, it's hanging in our bathroom. The design is from one of Kim Diehl's books. She's my very favoritest professional quilter. Love her work. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCE3BmhFQEKI5lBNp8M_0C8iExKsu7JTLNzrr3qvWIMHuTllj4uOeM279j2BxVcfH8I-dv5W0dIfZacyHAXRjzakLkMA6vHE3DSBjBvPFB3J0VJ6ZDL5CFgmcX3a-dP71QxpMYl4jUD5Rkq7Iz2hBbp6IdnIKeFwYwxw6Pgs7xd3l2YgItzSx7BEqFDM/s381/-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="381" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYCE3BmhFQEKI5lBNp8M_0C8iExKsu7JTLNzrr3qvWIMHuTllj4uOeM279j2BxVcfH8I-dv5W0dIfZacyHAXRjzakLkMA6vHE3DSBjBvPFB3J0VJ6ZDL5CFgmcX3a-dP71QxpMYl4jUD5Rkq7Iz2hBbp6IdnIKeFwYwxw6Pgs7xd3l2YgItzSx7BEqFDM/w400-h353/-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The other UFO is a counted x-stitch piece started last year, but alas and alack, I didn't finish it before the Easter season. Will I accomplish that this year? I have a whole month and a half so there's a possibility I will. The design ends up in a round shape, and I have a round wooden frame that I'm hoping might work for the final finishing.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Now, can I squeak out more time hiding in my quilt room today? I may just try for that.</b></span><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-69590239716756931162024-01-31T06:34:00.002-06:002024-01-31T06:36:04.149-06:00Yin and Yang<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyyjKN5W6DSizU-LuTIMwVFZea-0ng9VoalQHE5-oCqYJi58q-CKb8B0jfyn_GP9tkZztwTN2tmkat5ScgSaEsWae-2alIVrOOau6LzjBaYCuapudjwfFSTlyTV4Df7idqlxex72ahUGnQbPFpunTbQPB0hEOj4eIqd70YEM_C1jhRblQIe0oXe-2Odc/s148/Untitled%20-%20Small.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="148" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyyjKN5W6DSizU-LuTIMwVFZea-0ng9VoalQHE5-oCqYJi58q-CKb8B0jfyn_GP9tkZztwTN2tmkat5ScgSaEsWae-2alIVrOOau6LzjBaYCuapudjwfFSTlyTV4Df7idqlxex72ahUGnQbPFpunTbQPB0hEOj4eIqd70YEM_C1jhRblQIe0oXe-2Odc/s1600/Untitled%20-%20Small.png" width="148" /></a></div><br />The yin and yang symbol shows a balance between two opposites with a portion of the opposite element in each section.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>~ I have a list of creative/fun projects I want to do these winter</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> months.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>* I'm lacking the impetus to do any of them. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>~ The unseasonably warm weather and melting of the scant</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> amount of snow we've gotten these past couple of months</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> makes it easy to get around outside.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>* The perpetual dampness has gone straight to my bones.<br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>~ My enthusiasm for planning this year's garden and ordering</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> seeds has burst forth.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>* Have you noticed how much the price of seeds and postage</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> has gone up?!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>~ We had a wonderful visit with our California family during</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> the middle of the month.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>* I have yet to get back to any semblance of my regular routine.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>~ I've had plenty of time to shop, research, compare prices</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> and purchase products online which we've needed for some</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> time.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>* I hate shopping, researching, comparing prices and </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> purchasing products online.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>~ All in all, everything is fine and dandy.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>* There's a distinct chance I don't know what I'm talking</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> about. </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-65355938916620637572024-01-11T11:08:00.000-06:002024-01-11T11:08:52.809-06:00Snow Slushies<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>What does your family call this winter treat for the kiddies (and sometimes big people, too)? Snow cones or snow ice cream? Or snow slushies as we do?<br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>When our daughter was at our quasi-grandson's home yesterday, she introduced him to the snow slushies she remembers from her childhood.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>She told him you go out and gather some clean snow in a container, bring it in and drizzle some fruit juice (apple, orange, grape or that of your choice . . . even maple syrup is yummy) over it, grab a spoon and enjoy.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>When the two of them came here for a visit in the afternoon, after telling me about making slushies earlier in the day, they decided they should sample one with our snow. The little squirt got a kick out of explaining it was okay to have the snow turn yellow if you used orange juice, but you had to stay away from snow that was yellow outside. Big grin.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_zQMDXIoNSxneTAa62oGnoTUyI5M5DfonH5qkL67WAOWw6PGuqPz04UE5cb2pYc0IbgQqAEzgnuPmwsxIYm-Qsmn7j6nrFKZ5Lx8XiaKiK9vnzvbfcR9DyfLYEYFRVafsfKoGUKXBf5vr8NEKIIKNTD9FuzGW-k4GuNNpLZdvAusWZSkCR3MI_f7Ojs/s4080/PXL_20240110_224613306%20MP%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_zQMDXIoNSxneTAa62oGnoTUyI5M5DfonH5qkL67WAOWw6PGuqPz04UE5cb2pYc0IbgQqAEzgnuPmwsxIYm-Qsmn7j6nrFKZ5Lx8XiaKiK9vnzvbfcR9DyfLYEYFRVafsfKoGUKXBf5vr8NEKIIKNTD9FuzGW-k4GuNNpLZdvAusWZSkCR3MI_f7Ojs/w301-h400/PXL_20240110_224613306%20MP%20-%20Small.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><br />The only juice I had was grape so tongues ended up looking a bit questionable. <br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>Too bad we can't make snow slushies in the hot summer time when they would be all the more appreciated. </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-75241148682503893732024-01-07T07:27:00.000-06:002024-01-07T07:27:15.611-06:00Finally!<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The weather prediction was for us to get 4-6" of snow (Snow!? What's that?) Thursday night to Friday morning. Hubby said he thought we were really going to finally get our first, long-awaited snowfall of the season. I've been tired of waiting for it and, having turned into a real bah-humbug, proclaimed it wouldn't happen.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_k1og2dwVZqfSTMMUE3J2xv5Lu8n10pNiCjOViS6T7JT4SoPIL7XcG4ZBlsmzyEfVpVW_nkayM3_64wrAxNYXeUfCN0kpQUDlkhBfsc2QheuQwv6_EQcLVySujXxQ3hhPGAlU0Zhaa5LumE8G1XrulXnQ9iN6rnM6u0JzGIoRjejkyEg6APVfL4VOkM8/s448/Snow%20-%201-6-24%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_k1og2dwVZqfSTMMUE3J2xv5Lu8n10pNiCjOViS6T7JT4SoPIL7XcG4ZBlsmzyEfVpVW_nkayM3_64wrAxNYXeUfCN0kpQUDlkhBfsc2QheuQwv6_EQcLVySujXxQ3hhPGAlU0Zhaa5LumE8G1XrulXnQ9iN6rnM6u0JzGIoRjejkyEg6APVfL4VOkM8/w400-h300/Snow%20-%201-6-24%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />What a pleasant surprise to see about 3" of (very, heavy, wet) snow yesterday morning. It was beautiful with ground and trees coated.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The temperature read above 32° from the get-go and stayed at about 35° all day. But for some reason, the snow didn't melt (as my continued bah-humbugging self insisted it would), and we felt almost giddy all day doing our various outside chores while trudging through the beautiful white stuff.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8n1IqsIT9U6jm5xAhZ8EmO1mOdVbFdkxw9iF3-4wBzXYZottgeZnEvjOn3qXOF2v8ge6dshjGrmqJ5Qzt8RTeq7Ekd1AaMYTfIDp2bSRbCax5tbYJSVEQwFwUWIchp9KlZONVIfyTpB9GHzRtpiRACnxt7MQQ-HWkAfurmbZSHKxbRrvFwbDrQG70nO4/s448/Snow%20-%201-6-24%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8n1IqsIT9U6jm5xAhZ8EmO1mOdVbFdkxw9iF3-4wBzXYZottgeZnEvjOn3qXOF2v8ge6dshjGrmqJ5Qzt8RTeq7Ekd1AaMYTfIDp2bSRbCax5tbYJSVEQwFwUWIchp9KlZONVIfyTpB9GHzRtpiRACnxt7MQQ-HWkAfurmbZSHKxbRrvFwbDrQG70nO4/w400-h300/Snow%20-%201-6-24%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I snapped the above picture from our back entry at 4:30 this morning when I got up. So, so glad to have the snow. Especially since temperatures for this coming next week are supposed to plummet and folks were beginning to talk about frozen septic lines and such if we went into real winter temperatures without any ground cover.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Yep, happy, happy. We love snow. We missed having it for the holidays just past, but are pleased as punch to have it now. </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-14136291351042634112023-12-24T12:34:00.008-06:002023-12-24T12:37:35.320-06:00Christmas Eve Day<div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJR3ObgLrCAtJH0RmaoYEpSp6yvY7A_BcPgIuYt5bHZMz74cOFAq_DN9mTLwqTo69Ztv0PU3cbzAx4OndSvefttKYJ0k3KBXult4AH_VbHDjy6_IUMF2w5vMMDQj8zjv4rBHpL7WYOHpnlJd1jEvuGOzokgnrQ53ABtqxAabCE95UHBvZL1rvt0gcKrCs/s448/Brush%20Pile%20Burning%20-%2012-23-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJR3ObgLrCAtJH0RmaoYEpSp6yvY7A_BcPgIuYt5bHZMz74cOFAq_DN9mTLwqTo69Ztv0PU3cbzAx4OndSvefttKYJ0k3KBXult4AH_VbHDjy6_IUMF2w5vMMDQj8zjv4rBHpL7WYOHpnlJd1jEvuGOzokgnrQ53ABtqxAabCE95UHBvZL1rvt0gcKrCs/w400-h300/Brush%20Pile%20Burning%20-%2012-23-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Late yesterday we got rid of an ugly brush pile.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Papa Pea collected much of this debris in the fall and was waiting for the required 3-6" of snow on the ground before burning it. He's been frustrated looking at this eyesore while waiting for a good snow cover.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Since we have nary a bit of the white stuff on the ground, he checked to see if he needed a burn permit to set fire to the pile. Most of our recent days have been very damp and foggy with no wind, as was the day yesterday with rain forecast starting last night and going through Christmas Day.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>He was told they had not been issuing permits but the weather was certainly appropriate for burning a small pile. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>The question then remained could we get the pile <i>to</i> burn! </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYsnoGm8ftmXKXlkWua_kdh7pjJZStGr7N7IZBImjcyWNRSQiEYonCpQ21rrhMjGKMoTO9PeWiobWnwpZ7-vxHSvT_lKCa3qDp8gOpzGsxXQmnoedwdb3e9-Dfe_FrEZKUWz2d5PR5qEg3X40K3LBDs1SosqtJfB7hf9uKn9xHXAIOftsnzkE0QP2G1Y/s448/Brush%20Pile%20Burning%20-%2012-23-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYsnoGm8ftmXKXlkWua_kdh7pjJZStGr7N7IZBImjcyWNRSQiEYonCpQ21rrhMjGKMoTO9PeWiobWnwpZ7-vxHSvT_lKCa3qDp8gOpzGsxXQmnoedwdb3e9-Dfe_FrEZKUWz2d5PR5qEg3X40K3LBDs1SosqtJfB7hf9uKn9xHXAIOftsnzkE0QP2G1Y/w400-h300/Brush%20Pile%20Burning%20-%2012-23-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />But burn it did, although the flames looked a bit weak at first.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MRhaN8WTbCtGFCsHeq08aGoHFFPV28XzNU6wYU5T6eRrazMoYMPDkQz38kS6PG4LF6IAPqAhKdNneF683toWiuX-w_-7nzw8pURcUhlrq6VGhMHKF1HOgRGqbP6oZNoV5Y6kE1wsDrDt1ZDUtECRVvuU33OBsjT_ovkul7JGFm1VdD4EhuC_BdLRsOs/s448/Brush%20Pile%20Burning%20-%2012-23-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9MRhaN8WTbCtGFCsHeq08aGoHFFPV28XzNU6wYU5T6eRrazMoYMPDkQz38kS6PG4LF6IAPqAhKdNneF683toWiuX-w_-7nzw8pURcUhlrq6VGhMHKF1HOgRGqbP6oZNoV5Y6kE1wsDrDt1ZDUtECRVvuU33OBsjT_ovkul7JGFm1VdD4EhuC_BdLRsOs/w400-h300/Brush%20Pile%20Burning%20-%2012-23-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />It wasn't long that our voiced encouragement helped the fire to really get going.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCyesn-z5JgGrpWEw7E5LtKkMSldKJdNcYRgq5FpegGtQPfgOycocd_5X4PxeyFTOH_ZkeI4hfY_S_cmN2S0bchs9o_mxBSKU9twov_1fMSuCOY2QVDMyJcOT5taOZAuaKFVrK9RAnJBgSYE48mz35BhD6dJsWHptUwq3Q3lQ3ZX8jk4KRL4H56iJsFM/s448/Brush%20Pile%20Burning%20-%2012-23-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCyesn-z5JgGrpWEw7E5LtKkMSldKJdNcYRgq5FpegGtQPfgOycocd_5X4PxeyFTOH_ZkeI4hfY_S_cmN2S0bchs9o_mxBSKU9twov_1fMSuCOY2QVDMyJcOT5taOZAuaKFVrK9RAnJBgSYE48mz35BhD6dJsWHptUwq3Q3lQ3ZX8jk4KRL4H56iJsFM/w400-h300/Brush%20Pile%20Burning%20-%2012-23-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We had some impressive flames for a short time.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0Alhze-iMVSTQZ4KaOhgugXPqN9yP_VwvyZVPMKZLm6KwIfHE4eprlpaUtkbRTujj26juSeLL4nESeVBBypCtAsn8IWx8gAmMU12oWXvAAeYCq6cn9TRFSSCUA0lwEl5tnebfp7EX_4Qqne5D9vPQVmgW5eT60cU8Eg2jHdICknllrJVM7senNB-s2g/s448/Brush%20Pile%20Burning%20-%2012-23-23%20006%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA0Alhze-iMVSTQZ4KaOhgugXPqN9yP_VwvyZVPMKZLm6KwIfHE4eprlpaUtkbRTujj26juSeLL4nESeVBBypCtAsn8IWx8gAmMU12oWXvAAeYCq6cn9TRFSSCUA0lwEl5tnebfp7EX_4Qqne5D9vPQVmgW5eT60cU8Eg2jHdICknllrJVM7senNB-s2g/w400-h300/Brush%20Pile%20Burning%20-%2012-23-23%20006%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We were happy to see the pile burned quickly without producing any ugly black smoke, and with Papa Pea using a pitchfork to make the base of the pile smaller and smaller it was well out at last check before we called it a night.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>* * * * * *</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgfkl3yBa6XgXJDeOHilwvjQ0q3t9DzYj53mrmN0UaCe7P5PHhJhMGJr3JUI8Z3NvGBuF1GwLIQ1GRuIC2umnqeoGFiC13VFWHkpVyfzPW34oAy4LhKK4D3OapkAO32uPDRL6fD1ctGCxA896JtPe3ibzYqWDuUM9MTh8tZfYcZMFk3iYYdlDRM7LXvg/s6144/DSCF0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="6144" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcgfkl3yBa6XgXJDeOHilwvjQ0q3t9DzYj53mrmN0UaCe7P5PHhJhMGJr3JUI8Z3NvGBuF1GwLIQ1GRuIC2umnqeoGFiC13VFWHkpVyfzPW34oAy4LhKK4D3OapkAO32uPDRL6fD1ctGCxA896JtPe3ibzYqWDuUM9MTh8tZfYcZMFk3iYYdlDRM7LXvg/w400-h225/DSCF0201.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />We got this good shot recently of a brush wolf (coyote) looking as though he was posing in front of the trail cam. What a healthy, good-looking fella. (Gal?)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>* * * * * *</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2hQk7hbn55mV3WiKyzs6OcdpIea5pKR-4qHTzHXLrEcI-Hq6Nla8M1DOSGKKkxYc3jMfrPlt-TouA3LWyhax6nupe0lpNYpoO9-awYTyM9lyLn8cw7k4sfTknaiSmxgMImi1Fb0EXrjfqrveE6m3HIl3ai6BsSZNfjzOIdq3LrdTYImh3SU4N7okoYmQ/s1600/Happy-Holiday-Greeting-Card.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="935" data-original-width="1600" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2hQk7hbn55mV3WiKyzs6OcdpIea5pKR-4qHTzHXLrEcI-Hq6Nla8M1DOSGKKkxYc3jMfrPlt-TouA3LWyhax6nupe0lpNYpoO9-awYTyM9lyLn8cw7k4sfTknaiSmxgMImi1Fb0EXrjfqrveE6m3HIl3ai6BsSZNfjzOIdq3LrdTYImh3SU4N7okoYmQ/w400-h234/Happy-Holiday-Greeting-Card.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I'll close this Christmas Eve day post with this quote that is our holiday greeting to all of you.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>'Tis the season for kindling</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>the fire of hospitality in the hall,</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>the genial fire of friendship in the heart.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> - Washington Irving</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">MERRY CHRISTMAS</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">AND</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">HAPPY NEW YEAR! </span> <br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-52760210944481919752023-12-17T07:27:00.000-06:002023-12-17T07:27:17.395-06:00It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas . . . Not<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b>We're doing our best not have bah-humbug attitudes for the fast-approaching holiday season, but Mother Nature is not helping one bit.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b>Our landscape remains snowless, brown and drab as can be. I'm reminded that a friend of ours always said, "It doesn't have to be sunny to be a good day." Well, we can change this around to mean it doesn't have to be snow covered to put us in the spirit of the season.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b>The temperatures, day after day, remain too warm for any snow to accumulate. This is if we had any snow. Okay, yesterday morning I did wake up to an actual inch of the white stuff on the deck railing. The first we've seen so far. But the thermometer read 33°, started to rise immediately, and it all melted in a blink. Back to our mantra of, "It doesn't have to be snow covered . . . "</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b>I finally baked a couple batches of our traditional holiday goodies yesterday and if all goes well, some more may appear today. 'Bout time.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b>Two Christmas gifts ordered in plenty of time (we thought) have yet to arrive. At least the companies ordered from have been good in communicating with apologies explaining they're experiencing delays beyond their control. 'Tis not the end of the world.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b>Early last week I broke out in a nasty red rash covering most of my body including certain areas where one should never (ever) have a stinging, burning, itchy rash. Never having had personal experience of such, I was at a loss to know what the heck was happening. Turns out it's hives.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b>In my ignorance, I had always assumed (never assume, eh?) hives were individual spots much like bad mosquito bites. Nope. Picture raised, red bumps covering my skin in areas about the size of Rhode Island. Miserable? Yep, it's not been fun and six days later I'm still feeling the effects, though greatly subdued, that are not allowing me to exhibit my normal stellar outlook on life or ramp up much energy or allow me to get a good night's sleep. Could be a lot worse.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b>I have butter in a mixing bowl on the counter softening for a double batch of Spritz cookies. (We add a titch of almond extract flavoring to ours -- yum.) I think I'll get going on them because I know my current low level of oompf will require some couch time later on.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana;"><b>Hoping all of your holiday plans are coming along smoothly and that you'll have a White Christmas. Or at least will have the sound of Bing crooning about one floating through the house! </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-20829766793594683312023-12-02T11:53:00.000-06:002023-12-02T11:53:07.385-06:00Waiting, Waiting, Waiting . . .<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b>I can't guarantee you won't hear me some day soon bemoaning the fact that I've just had to shovel that pesky two-foot drift of snow that the wind regularly dumps across our door leading out to the front deck, but here it is this first week of December and we're still waiting for our first decent snowfall. We've not had more than one or two weak flurries thus far. No, our landscape doesn't look like the scene depicted in my current blog header photo taken a few years ago. Our daughter did report she saw two rabbits in the woods a day or so ago wearing totally white coats so perhaps they know the snow is coming any day now.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b>I may have mentioned before that the Old Farmer's Almanac predicts a warmer and dryer winter season for us. So far, gotta say they've been right on the mark.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b>Even though I have still been thinking it's autumn because of our continuing mild weather and no snow as mentioned above, in the last couple of days I packed away the Thanksgiving and all fall decorations. I told Papa Pea it felt strange to be putting up the Christmas decorations but if one takes a good look at the calendar, Christmas Eve will arrive in a mere twenty-two days. Eeeep. And we all know how fast time flies.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b>Dear daughter has been experimenting making homemade egg nog (her dad's favorite holiday drink) and a knock-off Irish Cream (which her mother could live on). The egg nog has been very good although I think she still wants to tweak it a bit. We all agree the current batch of Irish Cream ain't gonna put Bailey's out of business. We're so fortunate she loves fiddling around with recipes like these. Not only am I in a period where I'd rather eat toast for every meal (with an Irish Cream chaser), but still have no desire to cook. Period. (I will confess to having taken a peek at our traditional holiday goodie recipes, however.)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b>Papa Pea is gone for the day so I'm logging in quilt room time.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b>Back to it I go. I'm putting the binding on a baby quilt and then will listen to the audio book I'm in the middle of while doing the final hand sewing. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tOpivKcoITPM_hCc_NVQsI1bk5lEEqGG4L2iDoI3J7yI1prIi2jaUVaMN8k9YjHJ3DN48iySJLrdcl6LUdTIkhBLElc4bMJdq4zOk4vQUf8MvhPp0mUPZKBn2SPQizM73cOPtCa3ChaZCA7KSVNxtIAiHhtNoHZWsUz3p0kQsTUW_EA995bpI3sLxOo/s397/Baby%20Quilts%20-%2012-2-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tOpivKcoITPM_hCc_NVQsI1bk5lEEqGG4L2iDoI3J7yI1prIi2jaUVaMN8k9YjHJ3DN48iySJLrdcl6LUdTIkhBLElc4bMJdq4zOk4vQUf8MvhPp0mUPZKBn2SPQizM73cOPtCa3ChaZCA7KSVNxtIAiHhtNoHZWsUz3p0kQsTUW_EA995bpI3sLxOo/w339-h400/Baby%20Quilts%20-%2012-2-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="339" /></a></div><br />Above is the quilt and although I didn't intend to make a wonky version of a Gay Pride Flag, I have heard comments that I did so. <br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: verdana;"><b>Hope you're having a good day! </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-53416263677430693692023-11-15T14:18:00.003-06:002023-11-15T14:23:01.582-06:00It's All Hard To Believe<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>The calendar says it's the middle of November and we're having Indian Summer weather. When I got up this morning at 5:45 the outside temp was 41. Now in early afternoon, with a glorious sun having been shining all day . . . well, it must be in the 50s.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>Shutting down for the winter months may be something we're ready for but with this kind of weather so late in the season, we can't justify doing it. So outside tasks that we didn't think would get crossed off the list this year are being done during the short daylight hours in each day. Ready for a rest we may be, but using this unexpected time to accomplish a couple more fall tasks is worthwhile. As Martha would say, it's a good thing. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>* * * * * *</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>Recently my daughter noticed a small quilted wall hanging of an appliqued turkey I hung on the wall and asked if it was new as she didn't remember seeing it before. "Gosh, no," I replied. "I made that maybe about five years ago. Or maybe even six or seven years ago." Taking it down from the wall I looked at the date I put on the back when I completed it. 2003. Twenty years ago. Oh, my. Where. does. the. time. go?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>* * * * * *</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>I can't cook worth beans lately. I've forgotten how apparently. Nearly every meal revolves around something burned or missing an ingredient (or two) or it just has a strange (not good) flavor. Same recipes, same methods of preparation but nothing seems to come out right. Plus, danger, danger! I walk away from the stove and leave a burner on. I'm thinking the only sensible solution is to hire a full-time cook. Yep, I need to be replaced with a newer model. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>* * * * * * <br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>Friends are stopping in tomorrow on their way through to another destination so I should tidy up the house a bit. But how dirty can it be? I did a thorough vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing, cleaning . . . when? Couldn't have been more than three or four weeks ago.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNupFfBWso0HTzwbt_qiDYZYzEUG_pHq0t2BP9_GJGjcm4zdWQQkbfOHiyfK3dtHyPn422aw8vENY9n22W2R9pea5F6XNPbIFEN0xxtaxySBSiil96B6X7FWzGY3ZVPpD-_5ifIJJeUJcpwY_xC1aVJYWw7Qf3v7s03lHFnmFVfCR5ru-JVs3t8mlysJk/s502/a441de1f2e7be1c561d0ff0222b0b818--clean-house-retro-humor.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="495" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNupFfBWso0HTzwbt_qiDYZYzEUG_pHq0t2BP9_GJGjcm4zdWQQkbfOHiyfK3dtHyPn422aw8vENY9n22W2R9pea5F6XNPbIFEN0xxtaxySBSiil96B6X7FWzGY3ZVPpD-_5ifIJJeUJcpwY_xC1aVJYWw7Qf3v7s03lHFnmFVfCR5ru-JVs3t8mlysJk/w395-h400/a441de1f2e7be1c561d0ff0222b0b818--clean-house-retro-humor.jpg" width="395" /></a></div><br /> </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-32641579494463017542023-11-05T19:08:00.001-06:002023-11-22T10:23:48.019-06:00Stuff<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Rain threatening to turn into snow tonight and through tomorrow had us scrambling today to get a couple of those most necessary tasks done around the homestead.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>I lent my brute strength to help Papa Pea haul our sport boat to its winter parking spot, unload it from the trailer, turn it upside down on blocks and then store the trailer. It's really only a "little" boat but both of us have taken some Arnica to make sure a couple of tweaked muscles while manhandling the boat around don't bother us or inhibit a good slumber tonight.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>I plant Scarlet Runner Beans in the garden each year mainly for the beautiful display of red flowers they give us for most of the season.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXnDRTzBPHyEtdZtLxc7gIHxZfy8WcBxMknQQ36wfkerrzfm2zaSpF6-GGJI4Qo9vY9PSABLhLfc6K27sp75bwQXneiUMXLsNG4J9fllNN7dPceH4bJwF37-ZwZ-H86vObSMwD2OSyUH-zoCQMoHGw_S8u1Lh5iYihGLSsWuJGG9yi3RGmJFq4Wv0pA4/s448/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20008%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiXnDRTzBPHyEtdZtLxc7gIHxZfy8WcBxMknQQ36wfkerrzfm2zaSpF6-GGJI4Qo9vY9PSABLhLfc6K27sp75bwQXneiUMXLsNG4J9fllNN7dPceH4bJwF37-ZwZ-H86vObSMwD2OSyUH-zoCQMoHGw_S8u1Lh5iYihGLSsWuJGG9yi3RGmJFq4Wv0pA4/w400-h300/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20008%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Our daughter then lets the beans stay on the vines for as long as possible hoping they will dry naturally. Most years she has to hang them inside her house to complete the process.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPg86v2C2zREJle1BY_EcRv5a24sfdkvo_Vn1qZ_nTXxaqcJWFh9WsAKg7i6lkPLv-BZgRGC9V7l3KBU7FdBi_qC627YmIeRpuiyI4q3hRodrtHs3W510wXby-7qK7z-opZEAlIVtUahe0Td1I9sSCU75TqwCktB_nSdxwz4qUhfrJRgwNqHBOkmE-v4/s448/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPg86v2C2zREJle1BY_EcRv5a24sfdkvo_Vn1qZ_nTXxaqcJWFh9WsAKg7i6lkPLv-BZgRGC9V7l3KBU7FdBi_qC627YmIeRpuiyI4q3hRodrtHs3W510wXby-7qK7z-opZEAlIVtUahe0Td1I9sSCU75TqwCktB_nSdxwz4qUhfrJRgwNqHBOkmE-v4/w400-h300/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The bean pods this year grew nearly a foot long and were plentiful.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvlh26GfNs515KnU2licT6TTcNHR_Nw5BWIxKyHG96byIWcxnjqBo6e4OJjDDEMN9GxfmrZIpj4Y2K4ohmIpw6wLnnA4zqOeIAxERxgBHkGSUuwptPNHNgprn_mVuU616L9YAa3aRFOSyPLUqoi2edb7M8gdWNuHTdsAHTXHwIAm-sOTpWXF4QAHPhrI/s448/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvlh26GfNs515KnU2licT6TTcNHR_Nw5BWIxKyHG96byIWcxnjqBo6e4OJjDDEMN9GxfmrZIpj4Y2K4ohmIpw6wLnnA4zqOeIAxERxgBHkGSUuwptPNHNgprn_mVuU616L9YAa3aRFOSyPLUqoi2edb7M8gdWNuHTdsAHTXHwIAm-sOTpWXF4QAHPhrI/w400-h300/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Then she shells the dried beans, puts them in one of her homemade boxes and gives them to friends as Christmas gifts. They're really an attractive bean with their black and pink coloring.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDsT51hNOrY1WsUejHwOnRs0iHB8U_t48mcN6sPMIc_15YSmooQwBVk41pc1XhO-bN-N8F9zRHS_V6gB_EJkmT9bZW0VGMfCYs1nNknhoVfVpfvq_93-94TV7KNMvv1kO4M8dH-gv_NvZ2FH0hZK-tfJhBNcnT_REqGQXC1i5iusECRZWCqoIN9N0ZKw/s448/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20009%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="448" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDsT51hNOrY1WsUejHwOnRs0iHB8U_t48mcN6sPMIc_15YSmooQwBVk41pc1XhO-bN-N8F9zRHS_V6gB_EJkmT9bZW0VGMfCYs1nNknhoVfVpfvq_93-94TV7KNMvv1kO4M8dH-gv_NvZ2FH0hZK-tfJhBNcnT_REqGQXC1i5iusECRZWCqoIN9N0ZKw/w400-h249/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20009%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Papa Pea found the time to sort through our apple harvest of a week or so ago. Not a good year for our apples as the harvest was light.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8rmtUCJTQkKnY0jSY5PpK2ApAOpcUrWRRysbuqX7ukToYTKLn9wbkObDZ-tDsNjmgICa8voWra0OPqFaTtIuwy6L6S_I1Btbl-nnuEi5dMvnFhIaZn5tD8J-OeND8197vy9FT0V_znnl6Cj0B0aPeYYTR_BkQvvgD7uqMmG3tVFMz6tYQVbXfjSIfNM/s448/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8rmtUCJTQkKnY0jSY5PpK2ApAOpcUrWRRysbuqX7ukToYTKLn9wbkObDZ-tDsNjmgICa8voWra0OPqFaTtIuwy6L6S_I1Btbl-nnuEi5dMvnFhIaZn5tD8J-OeND8197vy9FT0V_znnl6Cj0B0aPeYYTR_BkQvvgD7uqMmG3tVFMz6tYQVbXfjSIfNM/w400-h300/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Our best ones are from our crab apple trees. Or I should say one of the two crab apple trees. The one from which this apple came gave us an abundant crop. The other one didn't do much at all. I like that these crab apples are quite a good size, and they're my favorite for an eating out-of-hand apple.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CAnn8dZk6mymerYCX7lovjokBL4kDYZLOfA6P4nJBLqh_WDI5NR4BzbEcXRF6jz2rvSMWzmpCkJ7VwU0G5Nb5BZ-N-Irh_iVUnqquommvsMiyBDlPwnNbkKbfHUbbjLEFW1ET6Dy0aByfkfisSVYZWN13DbxyHpUXNz4IonwK4uVKMjoZUqZhwCeBuE/s448/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20006%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CAnn8dZk6mymerYCX7lovjokBL4kDYZLOfA6P4nJBLqh_WDI5NR4BzbEcXRF6jz2rvSMWzmpCkJ7VwU0G5Nb5BZ-N-Irh_iVUnqquommvsMiyBDlPwnNbkKbfHUbbjLEFW1ET6Dy0aByfkfisSVYZWN13DbxyHpUXNz4IonwK4uVKMjoZUqZhwCeBuE/w400-h300/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20006%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Another reason the main apple crop was disappointing is that much of the fruit was afflicted with either bitter pit or apple maggot. At first I thought it was bitter pit but by the appearance of this one I just cut open, it looks very much like apple maggot. Papa Pea thinks we have both problems. Ugh.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHI5OT5RjWerkCpgfLiu41y9FQlLEP8gTB-Q0IEzAv4H8_0cz7N9UGsn86KTkFB_VPBXSgj4U4Dk4NKW-T5gma5pIFzeL7PjUgvTBusJ1pcAjSwcHtVoCUnC8WJ0ZzzVkS4aePNw4WV7f1cvOffo3fXGnTZFiWcLfjCJm0L2TrgOdXAJM7APN0B8WZe2U/s448/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHI5OT5RjWerkCpgfLiu41y9FQlLEP8gTB-Q0IEzAv4H8_0cz7N9UGsn86KTkFB_VPBXSgj4U4Dk4NKW-T5gma5pIFzeL7PjUgvTBusJ1pcAjSwcHtVoCUnC8WJ0ZzzVkS4aePNw4WV7f1cvOffo3fXGnTZFiWcLfjCJm0L2TrgOdXAJM7APN0B8WZe2U/w300-h400/Apples,%20Beans,%20Gingersnaps,%20Etc.%20-%2011-5-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />It just seems the right time of year for gingersnap cookies (there's a wrong time?) so that's what I baked late this afternoon. It created a delightful aroma throughout the house and happiness in bellies.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>There. I did it. A new blog post. And my brain doesn't even hurt. Much. </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-53481634594365524752023-11-02T12:44:00.000-05:002023-11-02T12:44:14.991-05:00Thanks For Caring<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b>It's undeniable that the calendar proves I haven't put up a new blog post in over a month now.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b>I've been truly touched by the concern for my well-being by you dear readers. I'm glad to say that my well-being is intact, but I have definitely lost my blogging mojo. It's gone, disappeared entirely. Where or why, I cannot figure out.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b>Do I have writers' block? Or the fear of posting boring fodder that's of interest to no one? Is it rebellion against the time that sitting and using modern technology takes from actively living in (what used to be) a more personally interactive way? Do I suffer from the inability to intelligently share my thoughts and pictures in a post? <br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b>Yes, to all of the above.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b>My daughter has more than once said, "You should write about that on your blog, Mom." Huhn. Each time, I realize to do so has simply never entered my mind, nor can I summon up the will to do it even with her gentle persuasion. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b>I'm not throwing in the towel and deciding to never blog again. But how long it will take to unscramble what's going on (or not going on) in my head is up in the air.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-family: verdana;"><b>In the meantime, know a couple of things: 1) All of us are alive and well while continuing to live our much appreciated lives making repairs, doing maintenance and creating improvements here on our little homestead while having taken time for some new mini-adventures and recreational outings during this past gorgeous fall season, and very importantly, 2) I want to say it warms the cockles of my heart knowing my posts have been missed by those of you who have communicated with me. Thank you so much. </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-3585717287982621502023-09-30T15:42:00.000-05:002023-09-30T15:42:10.639-05:00Would You Follow A Different Path?<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>Here's a hypothetical question for you. If you could go back to a certain time in your life and change the profession you chose, would you? It seems to me that as we gain the knowledge and experience of years . . . well, if we had only known then what we know now.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>When I left for college, my father told me there were only two professions I should pursue. I was to become a teacher or nurse so I could always support myself. (This was way back in the early 1960s, you should remember.) I should forget any inclination to follow my "artistic" aspirations.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>Although I never became a teacher or nurse (good thing for both professions), I did have a successful career working for a vice-president of a large company. My pay scale was extremely good which would have enabled me to support myself, if needed. I believe I did a very good job. Was my work truly enjoyable or fulfilling? Nope. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>I've always wished I had pursued a degree in Fine Arts or Interior Design or Drafting and Design. (In high school I wanted so much to take the Drafting classes offered. "Sorry," said the administration. "No girls are allowed to take Drafting." Oh-kaaay. I no doubt missed the chance to become a famous architect. Or not.)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>That's my "if I could go back in time" story.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>You're next. Would you follow a different path than you did? </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-10399818238689074642023-09-25T17:16:00.000-05:002023-09-25T17:16:05.401-05:00Can You Stand One More Trip Through The Garden?<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGicqzNoFvFQrkXn93wJuU7YxCMslxThkEpTcn_gfYZZqmnq76GGe-yt1JR3uZ8_ND9-nRO7s3ZErtKPk1TPKdu9TXSt6S-zJCpeiNQnEvrTaxv64LJvME_0YxbK8EASiJ7EL3-NfVGIkMMZybAeCvCVCgPnirYU1hrJrTwrzPsxgZr4tFOUe4bBdCkg/s448/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGicqzNoFvFQrkXn93wJuU7YxCMslxThkEpTcn_gfYZZqmnq76GGe-yt1JR3uZ8_ND9-nRO7s3ZErtKPk1TPKdu9TXSt6S-zJCpeiNQnEvrTaxv64LJvME_0YxbK8EASiJ7EL3-NfVGIkMMZybAeCvCVCgPnirYU1hrJrTwrzPsxgZr4tFOUe4bBdCkg/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />My second planting of lettuce still looks good, </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>but is becoming a titch on the bitter side.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdztv3KbpIOvQ-3NMnl_sh8W4AdLjwWcAk4w3uYKuR7NPJYfvvUUW0ZxzZUSM-d6EnqF9NPQQKAZiCaNDWa9Koalf1d3si0kyANnA6f0B_dZtwdTLHret4ZiFV5W2aDDXqJ_FHVrOgnMs03gT0EzW_8HBTOQM2im6kqA6-xXBlkWhl9Nw1FqZqQT11VBU/s448/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdztv3KbpIOvQ-3NMnl_sh8W4AdLjwWcAk4w3uYKuR7NPJYfvvUUW0ZxzZUSM-d6EnqF9NPQQKAZiCaNDWa9Koalf1d3si0kyANnA6f0B_dZtwdTLHret4ZiFV5W2aDDXqJ_FHVrOgnMs03gT0EzW_8HBTOQM2im6kqA6-xXBlkWhl9Nw1FqZqQT11VBU/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The coloring on the strawberry plants </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>could hardly be more in fitting with </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>this beautiful fall season.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4FGQzRTIJI6nkiEasx7_PQrYCukubGAmkQPQaTNneVDcd8cQ81aSQB-18CyxNf3yXD5IhKXn8uTxMg11YageZb2BO4tu2hHpByy8DMl0OwU3r6gBCnx3J2DVnY8SxxyYj5J5fqhqzSB45h9QX4YL5eMfB1RHycYY5TJoJe6v8FV7WD2lqolM0K-iOJI/s448/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4FGQzRTIJI6nkiEasx7_PQrYCukubGAmkQPQaTNneVDcd8cQ81aSQB-18CyxNf3yXD5IhKXn8uTxMg11YageZb2BO4tu2hHpByy8DMl0OwU3r6gBCnx3J2DVnY8SxxyYj5J5fqhqzSB45h9QX4YL5eMfB1RHycYY5TJoJe6v8FV7WD2lqolM0K-iOJI/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />With all our rain the last couple of weeks,</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>these slicing cukes got away</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>from me. These are so big they're</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>bitter tasting. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWioCkvHDSe8mruwjs-Jwbzem936oxVkNyjNwTHc4bIr5crSQYsuC4UlEoj_mzWQIDmIhMN3SMj-rI6qCAc1yJ0ckkfZJeJx5rAPOX0vWol4DBe9IMF_IUCNiGIOjrktTBbNMKwgsNXYzgafwAgz3Ak-XW76cS7RqEfKwnubfZxa0uFQIl__cs9PZwaDQ/s448/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWioCkvHDSe8mruwjs-Jwbzem936oxVkNyjNwTHc4bIr5crSQYsuC4UlEoj_mzWQIDmIhMN3SMj-rI6qCAc1yJ0ckkfZJeJx5rAPOX0vWol4DBe9IMF_IUCNiGIOjrktTBbNMKwgsNXYzgafwAgz3Ak-XW76cS7RqEfKwnubfZxa0uFQIl__cs9PZwaDQ/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I purchased a special packet of</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>colored gourd seeds that</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>promised a big variety of</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>different shaped and colored</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>gourds for my</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>decorating purposes.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYUhReqLc0DNscYFORgu_RKVMGOi3QVyH7VDag939Snym2bSKOz-bk0KYRx-srjBUioq928BHcq0O6rMJDPEAyb_7-pXoSHfuq-fI8A5xBdaK-ZQo5kydhUyLEE07hxycmZguXS_Q9QsvRZTCQ2XEDCzvwp7pfqtRxyMFOy7fAItaEiYZMAubywkPk6M/s448/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHYUhReqLc0DNscYFORgu_RKVMGOi3QVyH7VDag939Snym2bSKOz-bk0KYRx-srjBUioq928BHcq0O6rMJDPEAyb_7-pXoSHfuq-fI8A5xBdaK-ZQo5kydhUyLEE07hxycmZguXS_Q9QsvRZTCQ2XEDCzvwp7pfqtRxyMFOy7fAItaEiYZMAubywkPk6M/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Ninety-nine percent of them are</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>either this or the above shape.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>(Yes, this one seems to be</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>growing upside down.) <br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgraOZ0QSt8Y4mD30bJAg6ncrwLyAmkkZWNcjPG9B9RDs-X88myVGH5zuTDKzouA6YKmTDeVHPMjtW5X19DX3ah9oJJy4RLIfB0ZoAbGPH33oEzQtJVDYa9G0pLPa-eWbdOtT_45WzD1yiqgv-LmuBKBSMObKY35yf6IY_7j6BKn13zkwpak_ZFxU2iq1g/s448/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20006%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgraOZ0QSt8Y4mD30bJAg6ncrwLyAmkkZWNcjPG9B9RDs-X88myVGH5zuTDKzouA6YKmTDeVHPMjtW5X19DX3ah9oJJy4RLIfB0ZoAbGPH33oEzQtJVDYa9G0pLPa-eWbdOtT_45WzD1yiqgv-LmuBKBSMObKY35yf6IY_7j6BKn13zkwpak_ZFxU2iq1g/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20006%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Look at the <strike>mum</strike> sunflower that</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>just bloomed on one of</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>the stalks.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaDHKXzjI80DzbVMsaX009R8KH1fw230o8oqCfgZdmBlQ0-Rla457kvJO2Gee90gQE5xY_50j2FVi_hnv6-dseOufw0HcDwNsj7KsvYMYMw6g3JtKoWQBec1Sq31SmS4-2Zwr1JBcfW3oq_CbLOEgejrCFPXj2D6cA-c1CEhIQ8grAZ9Rs9R5Nt-kLo0/s448/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20007%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaDHKXzjI80DzbVMsaX009R8KH1fw230o8oqCfgZdmBlQ0-Rla457kvJO2Gee90gQE5xY_50j2FVi_hnv6-dseOufw0HcDwNsj7KsvYMYMw6g3JtKoWQBec1Sq31SmS4-2Zwr1JBcfW3oq_CbLOEgejrCFPXj2D6cA-c1CEhIQ8grAZ9Rs9R5Nt-kLo0/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20007%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Our pumpkins are finally doing a<br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>good job of turning orange. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>So far, names </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>of four kiddles are</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>taped on ones they've picked</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>out for their own.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rfs_QjaiSsXa0ky8CvgQPf8Mx0TAvnquMYvEjhhKu9PqSTw8exN5eg771BB0nNLsbbtbBhVdT7uymtAZDpegCJjdre8jTSZcB0pYKBUKxli_y6-BLrmSvrLvIDIWjd2qOpw6kyXgQUavgfvAYbDpa_JxKdbkADV0p3Aszyylgw2pO7KqjB5C4kSyEmM/s448/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20008%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rfs_QjaiSsXa0ky8CvgQPf8Mx0TAvnquMYvEjhhKu9PqSTw8exN5eg771BB0nNLsbbtbBhVdT7uymtAZDpegCJjdre8jTSZcB0pYKBUKxli_y6-BLrmSvrLvIDIWjd2qOpw6kyXgQUavgfvAYbDpa_JxKdbkADV0p3Aszyylgw2pO7KqjB5C4kSyEmM/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20008%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We're getting gorgeous red</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>peppers on our </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>green pepper plants.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZD00aQ_S2TZgLnSjMn8Vj0Yk8hyL4eoWVXveaopApJzoSvc1AiofQJMLrORyQYgM-GOq1NTs00ArixNazWMQmbZhX0G-k_7X17qsBaQRpItMAvdSzLCfOte1qJ3vSxkry145pEreS90rO13o6lembgPZv_J3WqsJYzfZNrS9CE3xjc_YTpX8JqDGUcMc/s448/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZD00aQ_S2TZgLnSjMn8Vj0Yk8hyL4eoWVXveaopApJzoSvc1AiofQJMLrORyQYgM-GOq1NTs00ArixNazWMQmbZhX0G-k_7X17qsBaQRpItMAvdSzLCfOte1qJ3vSxkry145pEreS90rO13o6lembgPZv_J3WqsJYzfZNrS9CE3xjc_YTpX8JqDGUcMc/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-25-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Last but not least, not in the</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>garden but cooling</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>on the back porch, is the </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>first apple pie of the</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>season made with our</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>own apples. </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-68209565022740278292023-09-23T11:48:00.000-05:002023-09-23T11:48:18.897-05:00Gingersnap Recipe<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Katie C. had asked for my Gingersnap recipe in the comments section of my last post but I've been having trouble getting it to her so said I would post it here. It's a perfect treat for this time of year and I hope you, Katie, along with anyone else who tries it will like it as much as we do.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Here goes:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>GINGERSNAP COOKIES</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>3/4 C butter</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>1 C sugar</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>1 egg</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>1/4 t salt</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>1/4 C molasses</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>1 t cloves</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>1 t ginger</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>1 t cinnamon</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>2 C flour</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>2 t soda</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Cream butter and sugar. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Add egg, salt and molasses</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>and mix in. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Then mix in cloves, ginger,</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>cinnamon, flour and soda. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Shape into walnut size balls and</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>roll each ball in granulated sugar.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Place balls on greased cookie</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>sheet and bake at 375°</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>for 6-8 minutes.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Cool on cookie sheet a few </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>minutes before cooling</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>completely on racks.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Store in air-tight tin and</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>immediately hide tin </b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>or cookies will be gone</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>by end of day.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>My husband prefers them super-soft so I tend to bake them only the 6 minutes but I actually like them to "puff" up a little bit if left in a minute or two longer. As they cool, they "crack" to give that traditional gingersnap appearance.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Good luck making yours, Katie. And thanks for your interest.<br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-34680321412564365242023-09-18T11:04:00.000-05:002023-09-18T11:04:54.224-05:00The Best Time Of Year<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>Crisp days, cool nights, color galore and no bugs. (Well, except for those nasty ticks that one has to take precautions to avoid.)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>I'm always energized this time of year (good thing). It enables me to (puff, puff) get the last of the garden harvest in and processed. Even though the garden itself looks terrible now, it's still giving all it can to make the last of the harvest worthwhile. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>I was thinking of making potato pancakes for dinner last night so went out to dig up a couple of potatoes.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25YPG9j9Nds_0JKtW4_q7G7D2PLg8mIC5ngR0JpXKuYfEIoJlHxcbTsKIr9m4loa1cL0H-h9jsFhhJ3JvLzzCd6afqeT6d-EaL8gTg3r1VKesGjdTClIMtcZCjYXZUxgw5MPtkPm-sW5byrHpMHY_C3MivcSOyV-eahDWLZo8GY4XmYRfI6KD-vKzt9g/s448/Garden%20-%209-18-23%20009%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg25YPG9j9Nds_0JKtW4_q7G7D2PLg8mIC5ngR0JpXKuYfEIoJlHxcbTsKIr9m4loa1cL0H-h9jsFhhJ3JvLzzCd6afqeT6d-EaL8gTg3r1VKesGjdTClIMtcZCjYXZUxgw5MPtkPm-sW5byrHpMHY_C3MivcSOyV-eahDWLZo8GY4XmYRfI6KD-vKzt9g/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-18-23%20009%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />One would think I got carried away, but I found these spuds under just two plants. What a haul. Six and one-half pounds. (No, we didn't eat them all last night.) Methinks our potato harvest this year is going to be a bonanza.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncDm__cmJFo54d5QhBLUutIDNwUZ6eVl4M1MmNEyGe-UgtGVs8hiQv1dQtHI4Ec0tG23SPGx8HARpHXTRjr2jDhxp_ALlC46TJURsnVj8wJjFZcM6c7bbTK9WZTa7OUyg6k89crgZrPbs4kwp3_utASpFoND153aK7D-B2S-SHlewXyVuWXPETIDIZLo/s448/Garden%20-%209-18-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncDm__cmJFo54d5QhBLUutIDNwUZ6eVl4M1MmNEyGe-UgtGVs8hiQv1dQtHI4Ec0tG23SPGx8HARpHXTRjr2jDhxp_ALlC46TJURsnVj8wJjFZcM6c7bbTK9WZTa7OUyg6k89crgZrPbs4kwp3_utASpFoND153aK7D-B2S-SHlewXyVuWXPETIDIZLo/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-18-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>Most of our pumpkins still look like the above.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4t_6VdOo2mgxm07AvcY0mibvl-91GTwzqNstVnjWzuuEGRdPynWJ-k3bltp9KYSKqypkI0m9VRETdUCKNIPU1YD0VDPIY4WY_P20U8ahMPzQTBm_mBPTx6_SFSIwmnZTfQeh-ULrTjk5ABq3Eh3wiYluLX2jtLBZ4twFRiy5HQK5fg9cOOmEbwao22U/s448/Garden%20-%209-18-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4t_6VdOo2mgxm07AvcY0mibvl-91GTwzqNstVnjWzuuEGRdPynWJ-k3bltp9KYSKqypkI0m9VRETdUCKNIPU1YD0VDPIY4WY_P20U8ahMPzQTBm_mBPTx6_SFSIwmnZTfQeh-ULrTjk5ABq3Eh3wiYluLX2jtLBZ4twFRiy5HQK5fg9cOOmEbwao22U/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-18-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>But a few of them do show signs of coloring up properly.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>We've had a too-long period of wet, damp, dewy, drippy weather. Mowing the grass for the last time this season has been put off and put off which has resulted in thick, matted, green stuff that is impossible to get through with the lawn mower. Papa Pea has had to "knock down" most of it with the rotary mower on the old Gravely garden tractor which leaves a lawn that would definitely not measure up to Martha's standards, but it was all we could do.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXNyHiF9QzzRqcqeSYGiZiQLxu4fw_vXEAMGQOgHnJ6SpwQsHENJddNqXS-YMoysFs8POcgpqhw10Puhh9TKVOwFw2SkY_Ep3d6AcaGNk7GkH3zUhbbyzdzBltsw98f_QquZ_Jpa0waCn_pCButQsLD_xnWly_2jgFAIr58SyA8mzGqHfgP-_aUYkNw0/s448/Garden%20-%209-18-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXNyHiF9QzzRqcqeSYGiZiQLxu4fw_vXEAMGQOgHnJ6SpwQsHENJddNqXS-YMoysFs8POcgpqhw10Puhh9TKVOwFw2SkY_Ep3d6AcaGNk7GkH3zUhbbyzdzBltsw98f_QquZ_Jpa0waCn_pCButQsLD_xnWly_2jgFAIr58SyA8mzGqHfgP-_aUYkNw0/w300-h400/Garden%20-%209-18-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />The grass between the raised beds always grows extremely well because of the fertility of the raised bed soil which "leaks" out to the surrounding area. My dear husband will have to take his heavy-duty weed whip to these areas (the Gravely mower is too big to fit) because when I try to do it with the regular lawn mower, everything clogs up and the motor dies over and over. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZW4agrsiOhm4TN3qTXhRxtT1w-YxPLryCUMehSEDpjN3I6ouEoIY59xJxEXtStSY-XphIC8P_ozFdkJ6Ee0hZE-ZVObI3tT5jeh9uoOeig_BOFvk-dC5-ObxmVJ1mUnzH0beC9SFhvDSNBm9DKd0KW64cWJzKv3__RhVT2PocyNdurUC7YuT2eY-pAo/s448/Garden%20-%209-18-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZW4agrsiOhm4TN3qTXhRxtT1w-YxPLryCUMehSEDpjN3I6ouEoIY59xJxEXtStSY-XphIC8P_ozFdkJ6Ee0hZE-ZVObI3tT5jeh9uoOeig_BOFvk-dC5-ObxmVJ1mUnzH0beC9SFhvDSNBm9DKd0KW64cWJzKv3__RhVT2PocyNdurUC7YuT2eY-pAo/w300-h400/Garden%20-%209-18-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />The weather has put the baking bee in my bonnet. Yesterday I made a pan of brownies and early this morning a batch of Gingersnap cookies magically appeared from the oven. Gingersnaps are a family favorite, and I personally think they go perfectly with autumnal weather.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>Yesterday I made a batch of Stuffed Green Peppers for the freezer. Ended up with sixteen servings for us which provide a quick and easy meal all winter long for the cook in the house.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>This week we're planning our annual hike to a favorite spot which allows a gorgeous overlook of surrounding territory and the fall colors. I told the troops I want to go as early in the day as we can get it together because it's such a popular hike that as the day goes on, the trail gets close to being downright crowded. It may make me seem antisocial, but I don't think it's any fun hiking when there is a string of people in front and in back of you.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>Isn't my new blog header photo stunning? Another great photograph by our daughter. Not taken this year but rather a few years ago as the colors aren't quite as full-blown yet as the photo shows.<br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-5929259250210765892023-09-06T20:27:00.004-05:002023-09-06T20:27:59.608-05:00And Didn't It Blow!<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Yesterday turned out to be the last day (for the time being, at least) of our extreme heat. Even so, as early in the day as we could, Papa Pea and I took our bowls and stools out to the blueberry patch to gather ripe berries.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFlAyP22VNBBT0PUALwD0KmDKB2uX2-Ik_rAbWyxD7FUeIkVn7O_pO2peMoUwUFIvvZV4GVt8M5qTwO8NbTKk5kZ_TU6KZA5PAOVnHMbdpdxlEIEiPXECbhmTQNqlrPagJffzMG_3XWpHXzvtMG-dAuRtSbb7ayGqyNxgCcPse7fZWpeN4qY71X-Ao9w/s448/Garden%20-%209-5-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFlAyP22VNBBT0PUALwD0KmDKB2uX2-Ik_rAbWyxD7FUeIkVn7O_pO2peMoUwUFIvvZV4GVt8M5qTwO8NbTKk5kZ_TU6KZA5PAOVnHMbdpdxlEIEiPXECbhmTQNqlrPagJffzMG_3XWpHXzvtMG-dAuRtSbb7ayGqyNxgCcPse7fZWpeN4qY71X-Ao9w/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-5-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I've been watching this bush (one of them planted two years ago) because of the intense pink coloring of the berries as they wend their way toward ripeness. I can't remember ever seeing this particular coloration in any of our berries before. Of course, the tag we keep on all the plants indicating their variety is missing from this one. I could pull out my records and look it up, but I'm too tired to do so tonight.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQETmUgbBJRDVZEXoj8rTKXbzbJFpPOC9XWOcngbeo7hYRfnWhaSPFNT7aKnbkuD5mMTYhlvCyeuEObJ0bh7cDIquYt0_OvNDAqzB50NxfGosBv3cSNcv9cmq0NaLBdnz8iOjk71eAMAiiwOBHJvyZRQPNE0J6-0edWeI3BcYJIcFUwNOwSWunvjiDU_E/s448/Garden%20-%209-5-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQETmUgbBJRDVZEXoj8rTKXbzbJFpPOC9XWOcngbeo7hYRfnWhaSPFNT7aKnbkuD5mMTYhlvCyeuEObJ0bh7cDIquYt0_OvNDAqzB50NxfGosBv3cSNcv9cmq0NaLBdnz8iOjk71eAMAiiwOBHJvyZRQPNE0J6-0edWeI3BcYJIcFUwNOwSWunvjiDU_E/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-5-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I also knew there were pickling cucumbers to harvest so even though it was already getting hot, I filled a large bowl with a smidge over nine pounds of them.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Then to make sure I heated up the inside of the house, I came in and canned them.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>That about took the stuffin's out of me so I tried to stay as cool as possible for the rest of the day.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>In the late afternoon, the sky turned dark and started to look as though we might get some of the rain that had been in the forecast.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>And rain it did along with winds so wild we weren't sure much would be standing when it quit. It was a bit scary.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4C09d74dSJV3R5goISCdo27Z00SaRC8vJVHPTMv5GWCb4D7NpD7qRoUPS2Y7z0HzyXctdsXetGOnLigc8LBvW7UdejHVx_k9pgoSmcDTsQyj7E4F1OgowqHOmnSC9CQdQ0mz1eDjdZgtT3OAFun5ZeXj2DY_iAc4ZPC26OreqmTBVYQgLSJACQlnjC0/s448/Garden%20-%209-5-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW4C09d74dSJV3R5goISCdo27Z00SaRC8vJVHPTMv5GWCb4D7NpD7qRoUPS2Y7z0HzyXctdsXetGOnLigc8LBvW7UdejHVx_k9pgoSmcDTsQyj7E4F1OgowqHOmnSC9CQdQ0mz1eDjdZgtT3OAFun5ZeXj2DY_iAc4ZPC26OreqmTBVYQgLSJACQlnjC0/w300-h400/Garden%20-%209-5-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />This trellis with colored gourds growing up it was staked on the four corners, but when I took a tour of the garden this morning I could see it was definitely listing to the south at an odd angle.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ocBc6GFqe7NmFAF3_VKUT06r4pjHaKxhakpTEEVuhdf-AUYhfr0HtYw3ch4Xd0bCmAzFAi22qga-h9jfEeU8EOXpfbjscwoHVTUP0tDRurQxl_hPH8iBbusIYy3_teuxGXDE4sayGTFi2rVnW1mHEsz2MfXHwp9NylGCdIm2VUG8IPGkGA5CM4lsw5E/s448/Garden%20-%209-5-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ocBc6GFqe7NmFAF3_VKUT06r4pjHaKxhakpTEEVuhdf-AUYhfr0HtYw3ch4Xd0bCmAzFAi22qga-h9jfEeU8EOXpfbjscwoHVTUP0tDRurQxl_hPH8iBbusIYy3_teuxGXDE4sayGTFi2rVnW1mHEsz2MfXHwp9NylGCdIm2VUG8IPGkGA5CM4lsw5E/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-5-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Cosmos stems are always a bit delicate and brittle. These took a beating in the storm.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsebT3Klg-PeU7ycVvQ3uChnhh9eMHvc6HJn6Zw-3oAvnWrX3KguZ19knZluvoPzF7-ZtT37V-7Ba3yZ1ErfGazhu3UsSijOYP-doU-fFFA8k6FmtX1X034QL9Uq0IedaSDuraRK8rHLKmohAzCgDjdv6GYvZ7ZmQX44NZXBVEIrBimWxtpuq_FrT2vc/s448/Garden%20-%209-5-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsebT3Klg-PeU7ycVvQ3uChnhh9eMHvc6HJn6Zw-3oAvnWrX3KguZ19knZluvoPzF7-ZtT37V-7Ba3yZ1ErfGazhu3UsSijOYP-doU-fFFA8k6FmtX1X034QL9Uq0IedaSDuraRK8rHLKmohAzCgDjdv6GYvZ7ZmQX44NZXBVEIrBimWxtpuq_FrT2vc/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-5-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The two rows of sunflowers didn't fare well either.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0UbeZ9k7lZ5V0aEgJ_tzYMGcpFerBeJhp6l0O4b8j-aHhftnMl1QyfhAluAJFWp3ZALVXNp--een_WBBbHbfL9JSY-hhhfY_PiGQObObvVbOl887WJ1_nQIJZ4H91TWe55RLRK9HdpoyoBHS4GyUUXkog_qa0sRzAo-47zed6wgOw9iNgy5frebJvhw/s448/Garden%20-%209-5-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0UbeZ9k7lZ5V0aEgJ_tzYMGcpFerBeJhp6l0O4b8j-aHhftnMl1QyfhAluAJFWp3ZALVXNp--een_WBBbHbfL9JSY-hhhfY_PiGQObObvVbOl887WJ1_nQIJZ4H91TWe55RLRK9HdpoyoBHS4GyUUXkog_qa0sRzAo-47zed6wgOw9iNgy5frebJvhw/w400-h300/Garden%20-%209-5-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Some fell on the pickling cucumbers next to the cattle panel on their left. Some are left standing, some are upright but leaning at a precarious angle.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>The wind damage could have been a lot worse. But I did spend a bit of time this morning doing some earlier than usual garden clean-up. We appreciated the rain which measured a good two inches, but could have done without the accompanying heavy winds. But the storm did bring in a "cold" front and pushed out the heat. Our high temp today reached only into the 60s and the same is forecast for tomorrow. It will good sleeping tonight!<br /></b></span></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-74371796092700254702023-09-04T11:57:00.000-05:002023-09-04T11:57:13.354-05:00We Are Melting!<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>Hot, hot, hot. Too hot for us northern people. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>Week before last, we were sure fall had arrived. The colors started to turn, the temperature began dropping long about 5 p.m. each day bringing that feeling of autumn to the air, and our lawn was starting to collect leaves drifting down from the trees.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>Then last week temperatures nearly caused whiplash to those of us ready for sweatshirt weather. They soared right up to the hottest of this summer season. Well, perhaps the apples, sunflowers and pumpkins will have a chance to reach their full potential yet.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>As for humans, we've had a couple of sleepless nights. Our body thermostats just don't adjust easily to 80-some percent humidity with sweat dripping off our noses. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>The lack of rain, for yet another period, coupled with the high temperatures has caused forest fire danger in the surrounding area to be listed as way too high for comfort. Not much to do but put on our coolest (while remaining decent) clothing and keep our fingers crossed for mid-week when promised rain arrives along with lower temperatures.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOhr0SggTsrAxQjDcrVovGBILzrBMwt5WFZzHLXAprkG160NJJkD7YiCCcYDWu6TSFP-ENdSBIK2T7fSF6fEZFcDiuMGdQGlSOTb25hJH_iSm0bAJWOis26LcH4ChqRSBd1kqMk0purGKR8ssVQOX_j-CSgycTO9Khv81KBv2kKQkDgRaOaufDfgfzXw/s448/Bouquet%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOhr0SggTsrAxQjDcrVovGBILzrBMwt5WFZzHLXAprkG160NJJkD7YiCCcYDWu6TSFP-ENdSBIK2T7fSF6fEZFcDiuMGdQGlSOTb25hJH_iSm0bAJWOis26LcH4ChqRSBd1kqMk0purGKR8ssVQOX_j-CSgycTO9Khv81KBv2kKQkDgRaOaufDfgfzXw/w300-h400/Bouquet%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Here's a lovely, wild bouquet a sweet nine-year old girl gave me when she came in yesterday from a walk on our property. I was touched. And impressed. The rugged beauty of nature. And the thoughtfulness of a child. </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-2125693328984453622023-08-24T15:57:00.000-05:002023-08-24T15:57:07.686-05:00Just Call Me . . . <div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Yep, call me done in. Pooped. T-i-r-e-d. It's that wonderful time of year when the garden is giving forth its bounty just about faster than I can get it harvested and processed. But that's a good thing (puff-puff), and what we gardeners hope for all season long. So I'm thankfully pushing along.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Actually, I'm doing a fair job of keeping up with everything (garden related at least). Except for the weeds that have obviously seen this as their last chance to band together while I'm not looking (or have time to look) and are happily bursting forth.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Right now I have a second batch of Blueberry Jam on the stove after having done my first batch yesterday. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FIkDfK1OBeOyAiIw2jkdtQt3aYCuDYJS1qkZaat0ZHNNDohmEfGEWFqxta2MXXiuf_Yt6nA-LWCDYAZbbrAxw--8W-OdXAs8TLoRrvMB39n7SSAEItpCpAI7LuWHLYRWqYtVwRQYxEw-vAN9kEZ7comuNs7cSodv6qysp2POKw2Dr8jhm6n9BxEh2cE/s448/Garden%20-%208-24-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FIkDfK1OBeOyAiIw2jkdtQt3aYCuDYJS1qkZaat0ZHNNDohmEfGEWFqxta2MXXiuf_Yt6nA-LWCDYAZbbrAxw--8W-OdXAs8TLoRrvMB39n7SSAEItpCpAI7LuWHLYRWqYtVwRQYxEw-vAN9kEZ7comuNs7cSodv6qysp2POKw2Dr8jhm6n9BxEh2cE/w400-h300/Garden%20-%208-24-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I have to confess I cooked it too long yesterday and the consistency is thicker than we like. Geez, after having made Blueberry Jam for umpteen years, you'd think I'd know what I was doing by now.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Also harvested and processed the last of the beets yesterday. Last year, I kept all of our beets (unprocessed) in the root cellar which didn't turn out really well as it takes sooo long to cook beets that I always found something else to serve as a veggie with our meals that was quicker and easier. (Emphasis on quicker.) This year I'll be able to pull a packaged serving out of the freezer, pop the beets into boiling water for a couple of minutes and on the table they will go.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjL9mUbQFZAtZjxQDkmpKHZodnkrAs9Tno3NWuyMfn_KTF88YdCFy3T_Ne-oYcntp7RnkkAldnaeoZnsK17GUcsBygmKbNR8lUa9ywFtAnDwgJjRNI9B6iHMSV_XlIpUy5ieMKzllkYZZv0YcIR1a1giNZmWh35y3yJNpHW7SomLnz7T6bfzFvh1X5lzY/s314/Garden%20-%208-24-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="314" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjL9mUbQFZAtZjxQDkmpKHZodnkrAs9Tno3NWuyMfn_KTF88YdCFy3T_Ne-oYcntp7RnkkAldnaeoZnsK17GUcsBygmKbNR8lUa9ywFtAnDwgJjRNI9B6iHMSV_XlIpUy5ieMKzllkYZZv0YcIR1a1giNZmWh35y3yJNpHW7SomLnz7T6bfzFvh1X5lzY/w400-h299/Garden%20-%208-24-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I've dehydrated some herbs already but methinks enough has grown back on the plants that another cutting can now be taken. That's a shot of oregano above.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Blooms on the sunflowers are prolific and I have vases of them showing off their cheerful faces all over the house. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>I planted a packet of "mixed" this year and they are, indeed, mixed in size and color.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjG-Yy5x5IRGeEdmMtpiMlrNgwFRrakN9jjIz0ohgY2QT73dEtVJ8jqCvTPDA_aSa8MIfH2T1PWvpgwgmNymMs7i0afC-QVAL4L6BfBkFFZH1-vFxppadEvuW7I50P1at-fSoSQhkS42O6SFt2dV1n4fVbqpCwz42VDZucl6PRhyKVtsBCG1NYLxpGRE/s448/Garden%20-%208-24-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjG-Yy5x5IRGeEdmMtpiMlrNgwFRrakN9jjIz0ohgY2QT73dEtVJ8jqCvTPDA_aSa8MIfH2T1PWvpgwgmNymMs7i0afC-QVAL4L6BfBkFFZH1-vFxppadEvuW7I50P1at-fSoSQhkS42O6SFt2dV1n4fVbqpCwz42VDZucl6PRhyKVtsBCG1NYLxpGRE/w300-h400/Garden%20-%208-24-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />This is the tallest one so far. I just measured and it's 8' tall and growing.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSS3R-2xC33jVc3dXNdI1Cp7lJvoQQMOQzQ1nwdu2itwm1m_WepFC-JkWztOFjZp7zDcSfb5Fb2-HRjT_f11-sCsvD4dfmkv79EPNWlucp6IREhMpFzf5ogMWvhrYNDyLyJF8574XvZlcGYCc4bO6YOmVxM1I8o1Ckgb0bzcL2h7Pf-3kQngWjopmvyU/s448/Garden%20-%208-24-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSS3R-2xC33jVc3dXNdI1Cp7lJvoQQMOQzQ1nwdu2itwm1m_WepFC-JkWztOFjZp7zDcSfb5Fb2-HRjT_f11-sCsvD4dfmkv79EPNWlucp6IREhMpFzf5ogMWvhrYNDyLyJF8574XvZlcGYCc4bO6YOmVxM1I8o1Ckgb0bzcL2h7Pf-3kQngWjopmvyU/w400-h300/Garden%20-%208-24-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I'm particularly fond of this lemon colored one. Not as tall as it's neighbor, but one of the bigger ones. The plants range in size from about 3' to that big guy in the first picture.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOZtq7c0lrzAwQcGr2Aoex5pM6Mfuy7TJQC2XCfDlM8qhqZrhzwz51yoJqGaqblWpmBvtO4QuydBoAVsUYYbTkXpF_SjyaQCG1VT2N_5v6kl3wUACqYxNP3NUZ_BiSRf3pTRj3WX4uPkGCyFDgeU8T2N3TibFKPV6mgbATILGEJThbYlNcN-uj_eGOYk/s448/Garden%20-%208-24-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxOZtq7c0lrzAwQcGr2Aoex5pM6Mfuy7TJQC2XCfDlM8qhqZrhzwz51yoJqGaqblWpmBvtO4QuydBoAVsUYYbTkXpF_SjyaQCG1VT2N_5v6kl3wUACqYxNP3NUZ_BiSRf3pTRj3WX4uPkGCyFDgeU8T2N3TibFKPV6mgbATILGEJThbYlNcN-uj_eGOYk/w300-h400/Garden%20-%208-24-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Even the cosmos have decided to bloom, late though it seems to be. I'm getting a good mixture of colors this year after having hardly anything other than pink, pink, and pink last year. Same seeds planted this spring so I wonder what causes the wider selection of colors this year? Is Mother Nature fooling with me?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>The blueberry mixture is getting close to thickening so I'd better get it into the jars and water bath before it thickens too much again. Fingers crossed I don't end up with blueberry <u>syrup</u> with this new batch. "So what's wrong with blueberry syrup?" my husband would say. If it happens, I'll just call it a win-win.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>Now, as soon as the jam is done, I'm rewarding myself by spending the rest of the day in my quilting room. Yahoo! </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-77011973415660164472023-08-06T15:17:00.000-05:002023-08-06T15:17:40.894-05:00More Garden Progress and Pictures<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>I think the garden looks the best right about now. It's lush and full and lovely, but won't stay this way for long. It will be all too soon when it starts to look raggedy and blowsy (if that is a word). All in all though, it's a natural progression as I harvest all the goodness the garden provides for us by giving it's all.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtvowPPgUXPC-KLP5BZ1FK5elSbkt7py-5gY67i-RBjGdsW8bPs_hvS66Izs2n-gJVSSfvHWHdH9KzkkoYgi__nUqbIXF1fa6VsV9TyH_JmLOskjLS-6qH1fYGo0DG6cEEISY8U2NV9dZioDU9B0LPIGJ0LzPE-9fpb8BFO_pwNQJvzK-twJUK477krY/s448/Garden%20-%208-6-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="448" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtvowPPgUXPC-KLP5BZ1FK5elSbkt7py-5gY67i-RBjGdsW8bPs_hvS66Izs2n-gJVSSfvHWHdH9KzkkoYgi__nUqbIXF1fa6VsV9TyH_JmLOskjLS-6qH1fYGo0DG6cEEISY8U2NV9dZioDU9B0LPIGJ0LzPE-9fpb8BFO_pwNQJvzK-twJUK477krY/w400-h269/Garden%20-%208-6-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Even though we're once again very short on rain and considered in another drought period, things are looking good.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzY8QmeLJ259ttqxCdCt-3IY7iLn05dYYungxSINlJd58lKen0CPflE7GG9uy59L2suBs2ufU_AQf8O9xFcYjqm-eU2jufHmH8qT--kvSKbcGiz_SJkDuBbu8fP5W_fBdeviq-qxKs43ovjpmie8XzCGoBhkCpNEL3Xv5GHS45ZLppI3tvfh5lyQvVfQo/s448/Garden%20-%208-6-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzY8QmeLJ259ttqxCdCt-3IY7iLn05dYYungxSINlJd58lKen0CPflE7GG9uy59L2suBs2ufU_AQf8O9xFcYjqm-eU2jufHmH8qT--kvSKbcGiz_SJkDuBbu8fP5W_fBdeviq-qxKs43ovjpmie8XzCGoBhkCpNEL3Xv5GHS45ZLppI3tvfh5lyQvVfQo/w400-h300/Garden%20-%208-6-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I finally have one single blossom from my two patches of cosmos flowers. I've been questioning why these favorites of mine have not given me as many bouquets in the past few years as I'd like. Did a little research and found cosmos don't like a very fertile soil. I guess this falls under the "can't win" category in that the garden soil has apparently gotten just "too good" for them! I still have hope, though, that I'll get more flowers if I'm just a little patient. Hope so, anyway.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaxUglps6g9s4ZznjobvxTGlgfz89CAgzSVBF2ee0dL_ezmQza9mQAWUnzjjOq4Ns-5K5GisRedVp9xMfra54ji17NzcPYtmvM3a1ONFbcSpQ-NRgEshkOKfe9pJsqBdIPl4AfrdwySBSUeT-LYARxO1rs23mBdEVr8Zzhft6487o7BjRKaxDwAI-o2o/s397/Garden%20-%208-6-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="397" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaxUglps6g9s4ZznjobvxTGlgfz89CAgzSVBF2ee0dL_ezmQza9mQAWUnzjjOq4Ns-5K5GisRedVp9xMfra54ji17NzcPYtmvM3a1ONFbcSpQ-NRgEshkOKfe9pJsqBdIPl4AfrdwySBSUeT-LYARxO1rs23mBdEVr8Zzhft6487o7BjRKaxDwAI-o2o/w400-h339/Garden%20-%208-6-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This trellis of sugar snap peas (or edible podded peas as they're sometimes labeled) is so lush and heavy that the whole shootin' match started to go south. We propped it back up to a (almost) vertical position so now it's started to go west on me. Next year I'll definitely thin the seed sprouts out so there aren't so many vines to grow on the eight foot trellis.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCC1O-4BRcuYh3AEc5ENrRpMpH8KRWjjgNFbOFOEPrkGeW9LSHVT2TRtXPfag1vmI1bupo5yK3saMmppbJwVhtjE7xavo0tYukvX2jQDL-vTmZ2uoSaOiny6vIvv2b6AlleLxe-AVyagyNlk-1-wrTeyzKB2cJr6ipqu9PE9EqvzrA5e3Q2gZ-69GBrQ/s448/Garden%20-%208-6-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCC1O-4BRcuYh3AEc5ENrRpMpH8KRWjjgNFbOFOEPrkGeW9LSHVT2TRtXPfag1vmI1bupo5yK3saMmppbJwVhtjE7xavo0tYukvX2jQDL-vTmZ2uoSaOiny6vIvv2b6AlleLxe-AVyagyNlk-1-wrTeyzKB2cJr6ipqu9PE9EqvzrA5e3Q2gZ-69GBrQ/w400-h300/Garden%20-%208-6-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I placed pots of herbs in the bed under the hoop trellis where the Scarlet Runner Beans have done such a great job of completely covering the whole hoop. So much so that for much of the day, the herbs were in too much shade. The parsley is the one exception that can tolerate less sunshine. So yesterday I repotted three of the herbs into bigger pots and then set them all in the bed where I harvested the beets a week or so ago. The herbs should be happier in this new-to-them full sunshine spot.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgG1UlFRqB2fJyHijXm7hajKnTcpmkKHwreNpq5lKpiqLY4vRSylwU6EI3-ZHYPN6U3umg72v4TzwbOdPfdS1hv1Z-SKaXjhDwPAQavLQlDxj0VWMo97E3loV5XNoHDc-PkO17v4SnPgUIK4bJY0hyUJvzKIyrxAfF2YfcuNmiEwzxYVw3H6MPfYxcmbY/s448/Garden%20-%208-6-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgG1UlFRqB2fJyHijXm7hajKnTcpmkKHwreNpq5lKpiqLY4vRSylwU6EI3-ZHYPN6U3umg72v4TzwbOdPfdS1hv1Z-SKaXjhDwPAQavLQlDxj0VWMo97E3loV5XNoHDc-PkO17v4SnPgUIK4bJY0hyUJvzKIyrxAfF2YfcuNmiEwzxYVw3H6MPfYxcmbY/w400-h300/Garden%20-%208-6-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I grow colored gourds to use in my fall decorating and the seeds I've been using produce not a lot of variety to my mind. They've been mostly those green and yellow goose-shaped gourds and not much else. So I planted a different variety this year which I now realize would have been happier on the ground rather thinking they would climb on a trellis as did the old variety. I'm very curious to see the new gourds produced because the leaves on the ones this year are huge, and I'm having to tie the vines up to the trellis. (Not my favorite task.) Unfortunately, the vines are covering the lovely blue salvia plants I planted along the side of their raised bed.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4a5NJ7QQtabSom5CQkDCsDWvRR5_Wri4kUwFl-Oi9lsZrDGKnSZOFYYBSgFc8y8a0L7AXFSd_T4ZKYNazWcFAswZikRFnYjTdGsyAcbA124PNQ356-c3K8f5ggm6ke41NBULho6gxI2SNSGDESMGEQUKc3vVlwPokbFlJ3-GeSRuAXCJ7TMjv8zXD-zQ/s448/Garden%20-%208-6-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4a5NJ7QQtabSom5CQkDCsDWvRR5_Wri4kUwFl-Oi9lsZrDGKnSZOFYYBSgFc8y8a0L7AXFSd_T4ZKYNazWcFAswZikRFnYjTdGsyAcbA124PNQ356-c3K8f5ggm6ke41NBULho6gxI2SNSGDESMGEQUKc3vVlwPokbFlJ3-GeSRuAXCJ7TMjv8zXD-zQ/w400-h300/Garden%20-%208-6-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Surprise, surprise! I actually have enough dill growing that I'll have ample for making my dill pickles this year. Maybe my <strike>threatening</strike> coaxing the plants did some good! </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-56537293750315028722023-07-25T16:56:00.000-05:002023-07-25T16:56:53.775-05:00The Garden Is Taking On That Bushy Look<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>And that's not a bad thing since it means the plants are actually growing and producing.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqL60dvf035XUMLsItlUHS6AnhqaSN3ta2PhlOIIFj0Zj6pg7MJqGJiGicrUDuadbJ6zzZXtgJPEidRyP6uNKh9zHlXol3VIytfCdgWVDH2Tzz7l2lc6JiF4bqr_9TUaypITUPvdtXJs-qKglCD3ARFjvjQNmuskOpE_aFQWQEB6t8DgfpKF0A3oonSZQ/s2822/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="2822" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqL60dvf035XUMLsItlUHS6AnhqaSN3ta2PhlOIIFj0Zj6pg7MJqGJiGicrUDuadbJ6zzZXtgJPEidRyP6uNKh9zHlXol3VIytfCdgWVDH2Tzz7l2lc6JiF4bqr_9TUaypITUPvdtXJs-qKglCD3ARFjvjQNmuskOpE_aFQWQEB6t8DgfpKF0A3oonSZQ/w400-h326/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The peach colored Asiatic Lilies are starting to bloom. This is the one with twelve flower buds. They may not be edible, but they do feed the soul.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYEJSd3XDkLEf4rYArwu6V7CvfCywvty1i5R10kkCo7z60EsDpcJkxFB5oNQu4ejCbpd83pbQQkdLjOuiI6OVonHLImj3wain78Rgz_QhYHn6bv7YQVBGD-DcLaV93sx7PFZIumvi6ULbyYdpOLoOVgyTFggsv8udW-asM5yH2Zt4swHLM_IbX-hRctE/s448/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYEJSd3XDkLEf4rYArwu6V7CvfCywvty1i5R10kkCo7z60EsDpcJkxFB5oNQu4ejCbpd83pbQQkdLjOuiI6OVonHLImj3wain78Rgz_QhYHn6bv7YQVBGD-DcLaV93sx7PFZIumvi6ULbyYdpOLoOVgyTFggsv8udW-asM5yH2Zt4swHLM_IbX-hRctE/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I replanted this bed one week ago with radishes, lettuces, spinach, Scarlet Frill and arugula. Most everything sprouted within two days. <br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRONxRs1QNFI2eHSYcXfWWtXHbNhRmwwtImLeayBMUED7sPfNQJFlR_BFkHJSrXrUgWkN9rEwSHfUZguHzb6-ZD7jKE1v4Jc7QnzeFuRQ_MeoR1P418E49Y7NentNXhDpCUbRzjTvg-p-8s86hrwWRl2U8TPFKIBzmwxtFujzxvfoRMyNDNy_tIlN9C4/s448/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRONxRs1QNFI2eHSYcXfWWtXHbNhRmwwtImLeayBMUED7sPfNQJFlR_BFkHJSrXrUgWkN9rEwSHfUZguHzb6-ZD7jKE1v4Jc7QnzeFuRQ_MeoR1P418E49Y7NentNXhDpCUbRzjTvg-p-8s86hrwWRl2U8TPFKIBzmwxtFujzxvfoRMyNDNy_tIlN9C4/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Usually the red cabbage heads up before the green ones in my garden. Not so this year. The green ones are ready to harvest while the reds are just starting to form heads. We've eaten one of the green heads. The outer leaves had some holes but after peeling those off, I found a lovely, solid, insect-free head.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaEqFfRbVY5fEWBOu8UKZ7UhXnlyurPoZTdZEZYHXu1Bg3lEQQGxs_cshhZw1LrsxHx6Y0EEQrybX5ayvntSAiRUYX1ApqX3xQrd3ORnH7R9AftqZE8RH7SGIIaz42SRR3pdAIFY0qOx72_VYgfFPfmB1chJSQ0L1gg7f1BcOc1yNLPpJp4F5EjOVgoY/s448/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaEqFfRbVY5fEWBOu8UKZ7UhXnlyurPoZTdZEZYHXu1Bg3lEQQGxs_cshhZw1LrsxHx6Y0EEQrybX5ayvntSAiRUYX1ApqX3xQrd3ORnH7R9AftqZE8RH7SGIIaz42SRR3pdAIFY0qOx72_VYgfFPfmB1chJSQ0L1gg7f1BcOc1yNLPpJp4F5EjOVgoY/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I'm so happy with the Scarlet Runner Beans on the hoop trellis. The vines are blossoming prolifically and are close to meeting over the top.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmozGzPJ4aVlvgyaHAWcEtoGCFZdIWDDXPAX3ka97qc3h3UAMaXF4rEgiOQC1sOxDM-9Fxo6VuRZV0Vr4tSBTwJfTfgYIPoC1ste1rfvff7jsmhQy2RDkLuZGK82NRYPe-nnt6scl4bwTWl7DQrnhq0V7YUD7TTRKWDf8A__wkkEuvl3TSnimKfuVLN58/s448/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmozGzPJ4aVlvgyaHAWcEtoGCFZdIWDDXPAX3ka97qc3h3UAMaXF4rEgiOQC1sOxDM-9Fxo6VuRZV0Vr4tSBTwJfTfgYIPoC1ste1rfvff7jsmhQy2RDkLuZGK82NRYPe-nnt6scl4bwTWl7DQrnhq0V7YUD7TTRKWDf8A__wkkEuvl3TSnimKfuVLN58/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Both the green and yellow bush beans are finally shaping up. I've never seen such large leaves on the plants. Some are 8" long and measure 6" across. And, worry thee not that all the strength of the plants has gone into the leaves. There are blossoms on them, too.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjJGdswaPQ26Ycrl7_78FlePtmt1_na_9A_9ysPHlRmG0SdEvhGqDrPCd907tDBI69ZhlrAAHuYvf0IETToCCHYQLAxDumSThgAGEHUPsC0YSyW0K5LjeVCxnYSgRgaazMgm1xOrFi1Zi5CYGTITPMdaYWUX7sLkkWSJktuB6jgOs6dsEI4nv5RUYGUs/s448/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20006%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjJGdswaPQ26Ycrl7_78FlePtmt1_na_9A_9ysPHlRmG0SdEvhGqDrPCd907tDBI69ZhlrAAHuYvf0IETToCCHYQLAxDumSThgAGEHUPsC0YSyW0K5LjeVCxnYSgRgaazMgm1xOrFi1Zi5CYGTITPMdaYWUX7sLkkWSJktuB6jgOs6dsEI4nv5RUYGUs/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20006%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The shell peas are full of blossoms and finally growing up their trellises. Yay!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6osrHrz-oGcGJiEH_DPQAl-OiVc8UIBg9yW2KoXfQ_drELjfuou40s250ZUDECisRJwjJmOSpLSXk36sfZjsKoVCZsf5Ds84rVmUqbpsET2b-n9OPuKxde5VA6Ajcx46YIVRVgVdWJjXaIazAxp-CsDK3GqVkXD2loqEmZda8BOZz20GGwAmgLOW7W84/s448/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20007%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6osrHrz-oGcGJiEH_DPQAl-OiVc8UIBg9yW2KoXfQ_drELjfuou40s250ZUDECisRJwjJmOSpLSXk36sfZjsKoVCZsf5Ds84rVmUqbpsET2b-n9OPuKxde5VA6Ajcx46YIVRVgVdWJjXaIazAxp-CsDK3GqVkXD2loqEmZda8BOZz20GGwAmgLOW7W84/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20007%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Not to be outdone, the potatoes are starting to show their flowers.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9E1WoAkz1hwCm3F91WGigRJGsMPcbqMx-6BPKGaCgTALMCagpSv1PzRAdHnnns9J4r_TqQFt8iOpnO2kmdLq1sUFEKuaKjxu4_SsjXy0fR-VT3YqtNPumicN8j6G5MSONmt3rN-DB8T46fR5z316XV2NcE4RXAas6Q42U1FkzmO_U3W9v4IqJDtQRL0/s448/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20008%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9E1WoAkz1hwCm3F91WGigRJGsMPcbqMx-6BPKGaCgTALMCagpSv1PzRAdHnnns9J4r_TqQFt8iOpnO2kmdLq1sUFEKuaKjxu4_SsjXy0fR-VT3YqtNPumicN8j6G5MSONmt3rN-DB8T46fR5z316XV2NcE4RXAas6Q42U1FkzmO_U3W9v4IqJDtQRL0/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-25-23%20008%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This sweet rose bush is upwards of twenty years old and until last year spent about fifteen years in the woods near the L.P. gas tank. (Long story.) We resurrected it last fall and planted it in one of the berm boxes up against the house. We were pleased as punch it actually survived the winter and now is producing lovely little roses. The blooms almost seem to glow. The picture is straight out of the camera with no added coloration.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana;"><b>Additional parts of the garden are not shown in this post. More to come later. (I don't want to jinx it, but . . . I have dill that is growing! Shhhh. Barring something unforeseen should happen to it, I may actually have fresh dill to use in making my dill pickles this year!) </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-42453158815095043312023-07-23T13:53:00.000-05:002023-07-23T13:53:25.837-05:00A Fine Pie Day<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEadPZaXr5ecmR_gUJlBeSnxohEaZgjE5EKIZz5ax3TaTO0-WSVwvSWw2jDw-t94mdndyBI7N7nc3fheXGKsyxENozYnZW9MwXWRdzUS_ptcjbXTKiKlqMn9FL0kl593xOEsKfusZ0ikA_Ee0F00borLJOPloOiJYMNnZWQmLiDObeQCOXQPTAV6LGdY/s448/Pies%20-%207-23-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGEadPZaXr5ecmR_gUJlBeSnxohEaZgjE5EKIZz5ax3TaTO0-WSVwvSWw2jDw-t94mdndyBI7N7nc3fheXGKsyxENozYnZW9MwXWRdzUS_ptcjbXTKiKlqMn9FL0kl593xOEsKfusZ0ikA_Ee0F00borLJOPloOiJYMNnZWQmLiDObeQCOXQPTAV6LGdY/w400-h300/Pies%20-%207-23-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I just finished making two pies. A Cherry Pie and a Strawberry Creme Pie.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>This past week I made a Chocolate Velvet Pie, and it was gone before I got even one single piece. "That's okay," I <strike>whined</strike> said. "I've had a craving for Cherry Pie anyway."</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ZkAMeAhremK56UYhDyJ7lTtJ1dub75zz00JP2L8wdel4BjrGYd5OB2jRBTmJAUK6O7tB9kwqJEH8rNyVEgsYf8vG_1yYOwKModbU6R0stysglDBSIE5oeO29KaGWt_3_BWJCUkXRl0ahMq5gHpf-OreUWJNyigow5Ch1s-yvuVbJKlJE6S_frsMgCdA/s448/Pies%20-%207-23-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ZkAMeAhremK56UYhDyJ7lTtJ1dub75zz00JP2L8wdel4BjrGYd5OB2jRBTmJAUK6O7tB9kwqJEH8rNyVEgsYf8vG_1yYOwKModbU6R0stysglDBSIE5oeO29KaGWt_3_BWJCUkXRl0ahMq5gHpf-OreUWJNyigow5Ch1s-yvuVbJKlJE6S_frsMgCdA/w400-h300/Pies%20-%207-23-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />So first thing this morning I made myself my cherry pie.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>Then Papa Pea and I decided we'd better croggle on out to the new strawberry patch to see if there were enough berries to warrant picking. (Our strawberry season is just about done. Kaputz. All over.) </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>Lo and behold, we came in with two bowlfuls which contained a combined weight of 4-1/2 pounds of luscious berries well worth the picking.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>My dear husband didn't miss the opportunity to make a not-so-subtle suggestion that there would be enough for one more fresh Strawberry Creme Pie, plus plenty to eat in a bowl with <strike>cream</strike> milk for breakfast a couple of mornings. (I've lost track of how many of this particular pie I've made already this season.)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVyqYLuDyK082YZYY5ykJ1I712EWLMq8yGz_4U5GODhNw9vZKVNPQKlhbSNCKryYp3IlyYIZr5OyJqsiLhNskxtPMM4bW8JwuAPMpCFYUb2XDFAOxvpI4Hm1OxN4meqZhlvEZgebxgrTpOzQ4MYQyGyKlABVxQM5ODkM8gdVPCzf_uDDEVSkgkAcCM1M/s448/Pies%20-%207-23-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTVyqYLuDyK082YZYY5ykJ1I712EWLMq8yGz_4U5GODhNw9vZKVNPQKlhbSNCKryYp3IlyYIZr5OyJqsiLhNskxtPMM4bW8JwuAPMpCFYUb2XDFAOxvpI4Hm1OxN4meqZhlvEZgebxgrTpOzQ4MYQyGyKlABVxQM5ODkM8gdVPCzf_uDDEVSkgkAcCM1M/w400-h300/Pies%20-%207-23-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Of course, I whipped up one per his polite request. (Having a baked pie shell in the freezer made it a snap.)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: verdana;"><b>This pie-baker lady is no dummy. I know good and well anyone who sees the pies will opt for the Strawberry Creme, and I may just get the whole cherry pie to myself. (She says with a Cheshire cat grin.) </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-12823355586151438852023-07-16T19:08:00.001-05:002023-07-16T19:08:27.633-05:00Better Than Beating Your Clothes On A Rock In The Stream<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>I am bursting with thankfulness each and every day I do our laundry.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hsQk-DhiWnxzxWNjnaWVcNzjJ6nHOa6voKisvPAaVQzea-zAkk0i3N3nty1PaLJ4MdbH6agvdvhgdttZ8GA_eazKLJFPqZSTkGPfZOmbQmW6JTHbhoRyDLdsAb_JHu84OM0HzjsrERwVNZpJ8Sbk8zEJzQE3V17ybnPx3jEXzjf7Chuh0fmvQk6mk28/s260/images%20-%20Laundromat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="260" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5hsQk-DhiWnxzxWNjnaWVcNzjJ6nHOa6voKisvPAaVQzea-zAkk0i3N3nty1PaLJ4MdbH6agvdvhgdttZ8GA_eazKLJFPqZSTkGPfZOmbQmW6JTHbhoRyDLdsAb_JHu84OM0HzjsrERwVNZpJ8Sbk8zEJzQE3V17ybnPx3jEXzjf7Chuh0fmvQk6mk28/w400-h298/images%20-%20Laundromat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />There were many years when, through ice and snow or hot humid heat, I filled baskets with our dirty laundry, grabbed my jug of soap, made sure I had enough quarters and lugged it all to (((shudder))) the laundromat.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBqLBcKj9e8f6S6NSVXxYvRQQQ-Dk6HH4mBxZharcrc6CIH_RNz3UPEZdoTapisn66eoVnAEABO9roM3D2lia-5I1sebYeZ6OD65WoxqgLRRaB920zMi1ckNPytPtHIvR6MzfkhTNiRTeNcP-lmDTxOHuNk81LYZOALUyJxQch3MEnntFR2USUzwuRZo/s270/63411%20-%20James%20Washer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="270" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBqLBcKj9e8f6S6NSVXxYvRQQQ-Dk6HH4mBxZharcrc6CIH_RNz3UPEZdoTapisn66eoVnAEABO9roM3D2lia-5I1sebYeZ6OD65WoxqgLRRaB920zMi1ckNPytPtHIvR6MzfkhTNiRTeNcP-lmDTxOHuNk81LYZOALUyJxQch3MEnntFR2USUzwuRZo/w400-h400/63411%20-%20James%20Washer.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I really felt I'd moved up in the world when we purchased a James Washer. What luxury to be able to do the laundry at home. And most of the time, had the bonus of ending up getting the kitchen floor washed at the same time.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPBuJbHUzKC7wTFqoX7NS1Q3fcLqimedE0Y0rmYi2gWgAWbE-o4yZ5JlxWPUU6KKtGmV-LC7W5yQnU--zHgFXXYRcaAHK5zArcTCraXx0UgfG9gZpwJrmRpcPNoMhgO9spBWc_XtvgWiHIES90TkyAbf26PD0mnXH0tZUs4KtdIkAJ5DcfLtOG1TA888/s448/Washer%20and%20Dryer%20-%207-16-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="322" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPBuJbHUzKC7wTFqoX7NS1Q3fcLqimedE0Y0rmYi2gWgAWbE-o4yZ5JlxWPUU6KKtGmV-LC7W5yQnU--zHgFXXYRcaAHK5zArcTCraXx0UgfG9gZpwJrmRpcPNoMhgO9spBWc_XtvgWiHIES90TkyAbf26PD0mnXH0tZUs4KtdIkAJ5DcfLtOG1TA888/w288-h400/Washer%20and%20Dryer%20-%207-16-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><br />Imagine my elation when we bought and remodeled our current abode and managed to fit these stackable units into our tiny bathroom.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>The washer conked out for good after a mere twenty years. (Guess I can't complain about that.) And the handle on the dryer is threatening to fall off now some five years later, but after a few minor repairs during that time (thanks, Papa Pea), it still does a bang-up job of drying clothes and can even deal with my heavy (oof, <i>really</i> heavy when wet) hand-made rag rugs when necessary.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRVJSgsXVikJKAlRWwXgwxdpGgQmrhRO4PqrTvo283OLq0RuqBhEgjjympj7_1FR4h84LCzG3NmQ24h0sGifhG8gsYJ8ZUp2F7Qrgps7AfwQMhEEnbNBqFiUq200ekqDh8V3HP32duTJPgntJiCgyFc_qqFAipyfD9yQEOoFLPCvJZ06brE_gtfApzaA/s433/Washer%20and%20Dryer%20-%207-16-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsRVJSgsXVikJKAlRWwXgwxdpGgQmrhRO4PqrTvo283OLq0RuqBhEgjjympj7_1FR4h84LCzG3NmQ24h0sGifhG8gsYJ8ZUp2F7Qrgps7AfwQMhEEnbNBqFiUq200ekqDh8V3HP32duTJPgntJiCgyFc_qqFAipyfD9yQEOoFLPCvJZ06brE_gtfApzaA/w310-h400/Washer%20and%20Dryer%20-%207-16-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><br />No need to feel sorry for me as when the washer gave up, we purchased a lovely, big washer that we made room for in a corner of the garage workshop.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqsl_RPF3FUva8DUxmsyNjOpG_NghX77grSvm7W7eIkVEI8s5RkWO09KydSdX0pcvbtGRgI7OQj1zbpYk--kk3dHgID-v-tuFJTmttf1YC052cMA-D8pdlOSrF8ZK6c3CH7DojTYiqofx4Pm50cLdT5dlcdFb04sT7o3FMHdbaHXDvuE7ADB-3GVfS4I/s448/Washer%20and%20Dryer%20-%207-16-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRqsl_RPF3FUva8DUxmsyNjOpG_NghX77grSvm7W7eIkVEI8s5RkWO09KydSdX0pcvbtGRgI7OQj1zbpYk--kk3dHgID-v-tuFJTmttf1YC052cMA-D8pdlOSrF8ZK6c3CH7DojTYiqofx4Pm50cLdT5dlcdFb04sT7o3FMHdbaHXDvuE7ADB-3GVfS4I/w300-h400/Washer%20and%20Dryer%20-%207-16-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Plus, I've always had the ability to string clothes lines right outside the door on our deck. On laundry mornings, my feet never need touch dewy grass or new fallen snow (well, I do have to shovel that) for me to hang the wash out in the breeze and sunshine.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: verdana;"><b>Shake your head and laugh if you must, but I don't think I will ever fail to appreciate the utter convenience of my home automatic washer and dryer. And my clothes lines, too. </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-56043925155998856812023-07-10T07:22:00.000-05:002023-07-10T07:22:10.971-05:00What's Growing Good . . . and What's Not<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-xRddBsB1w5XW9jz6kzWmJqN_IkGPuARDWXZnGsk2yqo2viq-mzy-82LqYgj2d2v7afs93R_1fWYK4S8R8Wv2sYGvezeWnR7fQoRdfLrlmDH-A3MUqSzdXaawMjGZsE5kNEF8-IklFODn24duYJfR84wliGSg01X6JQQigqmuiI1e74zpKia-TSByUw/s448/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20009%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-xRddBsB1w5XW9jz6kzWmJqN_IkGPuARDWXZnGsk2yqo2viq-mzy-82LqYgj2d2v7afs93R_1fWYK4S8R8Wv2sYGvezeWnR7fQoRdfLrlmDH-A3MUqSzdXaawMjGZsE5kNEF8-IklFODn24duYJfR84wliGSg01X6JQQigqmuiI1e74zpKia-TSByUw/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20009%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Doesn't look as though our blueberry bushes will give us a great crop this year, but we'll be appreciative of what we do get. The bushes did get a severe (and much needed) pruning this spring so that may account for the smaller crop.<br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQb0QJONakh-QhiMUI38-Ahp1BgkmPZsgdzvWZ2s7xaFBBhBboZUHsKabpnWghGR9BUpNGuxvYNe5LPO-L2sF1UY96JG_8z_-qRDYJ1XdZS7YXM0yj8O_X-p10JLDKIyfsRpk7itOsEMKnWaCNkyoCPk3kYSaJcK61zVd-mxyRXTSk7KIy4JfR8tWiOs/s448/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20010%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQb0QJONakh-QhiMUI38-Ahp1BgkmPZsgdzvWZ2s7xaFBBhBboZUHsKabpnWghGR9BUpNGuxvYNe5LPO-L2sF1UY96JG_8z_-qRDYJ1XdZS7YXM0yj8O_X-p10JLDKIyfsRpk7itOsEMKnWaCNkyoCPk3kYSaJcK61zVd-mxyRXTSk7KIy4JfR8tWiOs/w300-h400/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20010%20-%20Small.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />The haskap berries should be picked any day now. We've been taste-testing them, and they've definitely gotten sweeter (okay, less sour) than when we first tried them a week or so ago. Good thing they make a wonderful jam.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQ7PlGQMNArF3xpxk1f4tkgQQVKutcQK-NcWTc9j1H1RwvC-JiSkbEODkS62U2eLbZaQQH3Bo-fNbVdOsMvrHSiDxrs-zgvewgBer__acs57xIZjMmzSyHz2SuVWfasjhMttg6lNm0a8VgVl7y_9jpmt27rJfGPdWO87uYOBU8QJ3pX7gQMHcB58Mylo/s448/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20011%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQ7PlGQMNArF3xpxk1f4tkgQQVKutcQK-NcWTc9j1H1RwvC-JiSkbEODkS62U2eLbZaQQH3Bo-fNbVdOsMvrHSiDxrs-zgvewgBer__acs57xIZjMmzSyHz2SuVWfasjhMttg6lNm0a8VgVl7y_9jpmt27rJfGPdWO87uYOBU8QJ3pX7gQMHcB58Mylo/w268-h400/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20011%20-%20Small.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><br />The pretty green crinkly stuff on the right is Wasabina Mustard Greens and the reddish row on the left is Scarlet Frill. They're both salad "greens" and really add zing to our salads plus a whole bunch of minerals and vitamins.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRord2CgQ6Wv4adP4wkyqsltByubkJ4ldx-JGDmrB30-x9q8k9WhPs-lDeJnBvbJFek0GJ6BvU_QEjuFBNFpp45nfeHECa-ObD-6Iaj0wTxzPsNLNC8Uebrnz-WVw5w_eFbIVDRPEIRjU_ki_QqY-I0x4ezqA_qRBbCF8EQVJ9Pd8sgR9F6O59-x2LcuI/s448/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="285" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRord2CgQ6Wv4adP4wkyqsltByubkJ4ldx-JGDmrB30-x9q8k9WhPs-lDeJnBvbJFek0GJ6BvU_QEjuFBNFpp45nfeHECa-ObD-6Iaj0wTxzPsNLNC8Uebrnz-WVw5w_eFbIVDRPEIRjU_ki_QqY-I0x4ezqA_qRBbCF8EQVJ9Pd8sgR9F6O59-x2LcuI/w255-h400/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><br />And then there are my two pathetic rows (under the strings) of dill which have both been planted (replanted) a couple of times. Oh, if I could just get enough fresh dill for making my dill pickles. Is that too much to ask?</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRnIkus_e2Fm7xs3_6tNyKOU4ZqpULBd6oUyakaQqENY4xOl2wjJhPCarulrgT4PU7k8FN-eZWY2Z46sZ3Tqj2bDLHx5-O-HGML56ryL_D0U-W02AxihMlZ4uKcv_NF3aTV1AlWsOyuJj3Q9vGvNKcR6e9lQbs6Krlc8sIT-HVlaRJtTrVkBxL1CNOnI/s414/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRnIkus_e2Fm7xs3_6tNyKOU4ZqpULBd6oUyakaQqENY4xOl2wjJhPCarulrgT4PU7k8FN-eZWY2Z46sZ3Tqj2bDLHx5-O-HGML56ryL_D0U-W02AxihMlZ4uKcv_NF3aTV1AlWsOyuJj3Q9vGvNKcR6e9lQbs6Krlc8sIT-HVlaRJtTrVkBxL1CNOnI/w325-h400/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My little patch of Swiss chard is looking good.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbm0HUfz8MuvzAnppehW7xiwkG6Um07Q_1O5FcwBVgdSdJ6FXEFL_BQPc7P38_t2hfoMzuZHUoKiDNfkFPmTevAg9xbeMbZjRLMJfx7eBe4UhGXNy_Pq5Cm6vU0yXnnZXTK7Dcr50iTn9ydZkGTYA3XuqQNlcd3SLyrYoptpKVlLVNt8un9kBgUAphV6s/s448/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbm0HUfz8MuvzAnppehW7xiwkG6Um07Q_1O5FcwBVgdSdJ6FXEFL_BQPc7P38_t2hfoMzuZHUoKiDNfkFPmTevAg9xbeMbZjRLMJfx7eBe4UhGXNy_Pq5Cm6vU0yXnnZXTK7Dcr50iTn9ydZkGTYA3XuqQNlcd3SLyrYoptpKVlLVNt8un9kBgUAphV6s/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Beets came up very spotty. You probably can't tell that because of the leaves covering the bare spots now. I planted more in another bed but they're currently only about 2" tall.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVP-De-RBhZ32jb3BgzjcoIeyxoX8LlIMcBnqtLEdz7EQ7sLQ_VCMrfKd5kI-AjWhiNSJQx3y0OMnD6DWmkKz25Uot665fAVf6Osft74CQFLPUnquQjS4PJs0YN-bQIhf2WAQPWtPkMX4onh3IBhUrie_kuLkqrX8G2xQ4RaZr9tlM9DBJXfwAOr2Et0/s448/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKVP-De-RBhZ32jb3BgzjcoIeyxoX8LlIMcBnqtLEdz7EQ7sLQ_VCMrfKd5kI-AjWhiNSJQx3y0OMnD6DWmkKz25Uot665fAVf6Osft74CQFLPUnquQjS4PJs0YN-bQIhf2WAQPWtPkMX4onh3IBhUrie_kuLkqrX8G2xQ4RaZr9tlM9DBJXfwAOr2Et0/w300-h400/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The storage onions are looking hale and hardy.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7Nwa8Cx4b79J2BFp9_rBnNApBcxz7Xojh6iegXBp-fK7PYpWth73s3YSAAkdRwsssOY918ecl0w7c4CYS-KRXSN19gbvCr8HvOOLFmUTN9g1QGutWdRVmujEBjJ8LuqqqGIijGbFiRDt2jtzevFy1xU89IPd9SvuOBVjeh7bDQ8ZcCkXTiMNHUNawSw/s448/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7Nwa8Cx4b79J2BFp9_rBnNApBcxz7Xojh6iegXBp-fK7PYpWth73s3YSAAkdRwsssOY918ecl0w7c4CYS-KRXSN19gbvCr8HvOOLFmUTN9g1QGutWdRVmujEBjJ8LuqqqGIijGbFiRDt2jtzevFy1xU89IPd9SvuOBVjeh7bDQ8ZcCkXTiMNHUNawSw/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />What the heck happened to my carrots? They took so long to sprout that I almost replanted them. Probably should have by the looks of what's growing. Last year I had such a good crop that I'm just now using the very last of them. This year I'm pretty sure I'll be purchasing carrots for most of the year. </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzUgB4qxSLtwPO_LAmuM4iPLsxuBdH0-Q6Cg0aOxNxqWSL3Df_OasqvLeHWO1necKpLdjDTjXceFLczZDCiVFnaqm_froBexMFPVG8Nu65k1D9h4B_jfgpiCzVCazWvr9KDq3ND-gXUa_HYXvdSXeiUJAMluYrDBk0XKoGeuddy7YrbQ-yfM8kVLxLlA/s448/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20006%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzUgB4qxSLtwPO_LAmuM4iPLsxuBdH0-Q6Cg0aOxNxqWSL3Df_OasqvLeHWO1necKpLdjDTjXceFLczZDCiVFnaqm_froBexMFPVG8Nu65k1D9h4B_jfgpiCzVCazWvr9KDq3ND-gXUa_HYXvdSXeiUJAMluYrDBk0XKoGeuddy7YrbQ-yfM8kVLxLlA/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20006%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I like to grow colored gourds to use for decorating in the fall. Our weather has been so cool that these guys haven't done much yet. (The Blue Salvia in the lower left hand corner of the picture have yet to bloom.)<br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xmHnyPngtyTzMm9C7t6Nrco9IzT_H7f--e7RScIM5tCjY4yO9L5xeV7VTFdwnKq3AmfqeP1Z3aJQAPI_3PwaF6itKATb6TrharRRZmLHH3myTnqgjqnyHqZvloVwYIvYsP8iT6BNGveTDB9jaJ7ie0RScHjUocAtgzQv6WOR8_OslipLZuEu0VYvmBM/s448/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20007%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6xmHnyPngtyTzMm9C7t6Nrco9IzT_H7f--e7RScIM5tCjY4yO9L5xeV7VTFdwnKq3AmfqeP1Z3aJQAPI_3PwaF6itKATb6TrharRRZmLHH3myTnqgjqnyHqZvloVwYIvYsP8iT6BNGveTDB9jaJ7ie0RScHjUocAtgzQv6WOR8_OslipLZuEu0VYvmBM/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20007%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Same with the pie pumpkins. They'll have to put on a growth spurt soon or they won't have a chance of maturing.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTZfRghAuPJKalu7MNsrZDidojZVh85hM1Yn9qMid2RnuZjav4V-3wcmE37vdqyelcYb3JIGjDdhvczjw9UVn-zPlKKk-Sgp90TK0nCnyqEelqhd19DnPBTNNHDKyiUICR3gaXKJwKJ02aPH7Q1JPgGL8hgOTI2m8Q2VnQT2dWWwQcJ74rRs1T3F3Guo/s448/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="448" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTZfRghAuPJKalu7MNsrZDidojZVh85hM1Yn9qMid2RnuZjav4V-3wcmE37vdqyelcYb3JIGjDdhvczjw9UVn-zPlKKk-Sgp90TK0nCnyqEelqhd19DnPBTNNHDKyiUICR3gaXKJwKJ02aPH7Q1JPgGL8hgOTI2m8Q2VnQT2dWWwQcJ74rRs1T3F3Guo/w400-h245/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I think the lack of warm weather has hindered the growth of my bush beans. These are the green ones and don't have much of a "bushy" look thus far. The yellow ones are a bit farther along.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSdJw-QQ4CfTfGMsTae4Kh7yU9-dZG-la4RkGaN6YqQCPSOVjTSNxvpZ5Ft4Su1576xYhX03OeHHgcgC7uhI553YCvuWPnN4ffdjbq4E8vp9SpaZIPSfVe1hlSFX2gf_CXt7Wru__zU4SfTV5WN-Ne7mIGLHR6pECVQr6dgadTINw5ajAVGWY8IqOO3Q/s448/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigSdJw-QQ4CfTfGMsTae4Kh7yU9-dZG-la4RkGaN6YqQCPSOVjTSNxvpZ5Ft4Su1576xYhX03OeHHgcgC7uhI553YCvuWPnN4ffdjbq4E8vp9SpaZIPSfVe1hlSFX2gf_CXt7Wru__zU4SfTV5WN-Ne7mIGLHR6pECVQr6dgadTINw5ajAVGWY8IqOO3Q/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This is my first lily to bloom. I should really say "our" first lily because my daughter loves lilies. I've never been crazy about them, but she's trying to convert me.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGo5MTEyu6dOn7qVxxZtN58MaH9vUbGvULifvyEo_PYK0emix22a8YA0IYqyOMO8PTnB94xYwqQyXKnv02UVkUxiKpb3dqiYVqvxj_XHYpy3678X1HIuWGVbIQ6mExBnlgcdtq5Y2JM4K4BUy1fAgSWLUDF9XuTpXNyEZjU6FtjKHjUsKhhnaUJE-18o/s394/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="394" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGo5MTEyu6dOn7qVxxZtN58MaH9vUbGvULifvyEo_PYK0emix22a8YA0IYqyOMO8PTnB94xYwqQyXKnv02UVkUxiKpb3dqiYVqvxj_XHYpy3678X1HIuWGVbIQ6mExBnlgcdtq5Y2JM4K4BUy1fAgSWLUDF9XuTpXNyEZjU6FtjKHjUsKhhnaUJE-18o/w400-h341/Garden%20-%207-9-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I do have to admit that I'm eager to see what this particular lily will look like when it blooms. It has twelve buds on it! </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-62488152083131323752023-07-05T06:53:00.000-05:002023-07-05T06:53:49.654-05:00A Beauty and A Bother<div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AvD86YDdlaKUAg2TTnIFxL3qNPlhzuSOcDllVRR2-_d8eJRN0R43Ly80uKaffca2bpPi8nYnh5rdVlo_rfWnVvjLoSLQ86diKDLWZDMHxsL2dTkmfQlOTEKtAtPCNc93GVwJ1BuCQDOTtyq3Ei3whvaLX6FjGso6iiwmk_Px0Dh2PdWcVmEXRSS5USY/s448/Delphiniums%20-%207-3-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="307" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AvD86YDdlaKUAg2TTnIFxL3qNPlhzuSOcDllVRR2-_d8eJRN0R43Ly80uKaffca2bpPi8nYnh5rdVlo_rfWnVvjLoSLQ86diKDLWZDMHxsL2dTkmfQlOTEKtAtPCNc93GVwJ1BuCQDOTtyq3Ei3whvaLX6FjGso6iiwmk_Px0Dh2PdWcVmEXRSS5USY/w274-h400/Delphiniums%20-%207-3-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><br />The delphiniums in our south facing berm boxes are putting on a gorgeous display right now.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubPv6zKcm1ivDpA342vjj0bnMdwjM33Quwsq3ZzWAL6PKAwnCC-pX2om0SNcu1y0DPGq6fxEbAzu0tBlXBxXxSzLVj74rK8nEj73JJhPKdsToyNqQZLmkb4DnxbDIt61y7W26W1Q1k_ErYMM0L75GLecBAV2Jbe2cyblR0zMXy8z7m0Uo-Ifl2Y8iwqI/s448/Delphiniums%20-%207-3-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgubPv6zKcm1ivDpA342vjj0bnMdwjM33Quwsq3ZzWAL6PKAwnCC-pX2om0SNcu1y0DPGq6fxEbAzu0tBlXBxXxSzLVj74rK8nEj73JJhPKdsToyNqQZLmkb4DnxbDIt61y7W26W1Q1k_ErYMM0L75GLecBAV2Jbe2cyblR0zMXy8z7m0Uo-Ifl2Y8iwqI/w300-h400/Delphiniums%20-%207-3-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>They don't look too bad inside in a vase either.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>A few days ago while walking through our garden, our daughter was the first to notice an unwanted visitor. It's a small green worm that is dining on the green leaves of both vegetables and flowers. We're fairly sure it's the green cabbage looper. Papa Pea has dusted with diatomaceous earth which hasn't seemed to have done diddly-sqwat to discourage the creepy crawlies so is now working on finding a more effective natural, organic, non-toxic liquid solution to save the plants from the onslaught of these unwanted pests. Fingers crossed.<br /></b></span></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1423140573667417407.post-29057250012217191432023-07-02T15:33:00.002-05:002023-07-02T15:33:54.313-05:00The Garden Is Growing and Producing<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>After the little over 2" of rain we (finally) got last week, the garden has burst forth. It's curious (and a little frustrating) that no matter how much watering one does (during a drought) with sprinkler or hand-held hose, it's just not the same as the rain Mother Nature gives us. The rain that falls from above has so many more nutrients in it than our well does. We could still use more moisture but are very, very thankful for the much needed rain we recently got.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjGumDYZhwvrCMXsx4yzhtadZlxYxTyIwrqNet5YnuYretJVpZu58_fvPsw0pmc1wkqnFgmLIfKhOKrkJdDGcAY0TpNqK8OZ9-XhTRoIORz4rjuyBFF0bTxz5PpXcoc8EQ1cH7f81EkIaa2eLE6DFhACoCVkzM1GHHK0SpkjBkjneSJdzHYsPYHqHTV8/s448/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="332" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjGumDYZhwvrCMXsx4yzhtadZlxYxTyIwrqNet5YnuYretJVpZu58_fvPsw0pmc1wkqnFgmLIfKhOKrkJdDGcAY0TpNqK8OZ9-XhTRoIORz4rjuyBFF0bTxz5PpXcoc8EQ1cH7f81EkIaa2eLE6DFhACoCVkzM1GHHK0SpkjBkjneSJdzHYsPYHqHTV8/w296-h400/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20001%20-%20Small.jpg" width="296" /></a></div><br />Our strawberries are producing and we are harvesting now every other day or so. The above is the first harvest of a combined weight of 16-3/4 pounds of luscious berries. The closest bowl is from the new strawberry patch and the other two are from the old patch. What a bounty. As we speak, I have my second double batch of strawberry jam burbling on the stove. That will give us a total of 18 pints so far.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vUxd489ako7yqo2QpdGwqld9IF9QCFVSv3BjmsAQ5K0jHGF9IRhjEdLUXWLftCE4W2bPMp9PncvXpF9XDXkGh0yoC4_x35E3vr8aAdd-7QtnKD522i5P7P5TDxwEW56wbRX05Tmn5hiDLO5AZmS0JTW2HAg8EuneAy5a-xyLvBoDR2Mw04Iii0cpQQA/s448/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vUxd489ako7yqo2QpdGwqld9IF9QCFVSv3BjmsAQ5K0jHGF9IRhjEdLUXWLftCE4W2bPMp9PncvXpF9XDXkGh0yoC4_x35E3vr8aAdd-7QtnKD522i5P7P5TDxwEW56wbRX05Tmn5hiDLO5AZmS0JTW2HAg8EuneAy5a-xyLvBoDR2Mw04Iii0cpQQA/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20002%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />The cabbages are growing nicely. Heads are just beginning to form. This bed holds four red and four green. I stuck a spinach plant I needed to thin on either end of the bed but they're quickly being pushed out.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1-VCsYyx97V20Sa1gemsW_BSIG3BJJ6i14YkTi2YnzietfGjsP_qd1AShauPx9WPeQZ45zXcYFsVQpF2VaLjfw7rJagIPfl-wj6GZHdE-GoZJtWlK1okDomMpRszpS__vPHX8LZjIaz5a3FW_cmRtOhbYYRVGZNNKxcLYNl5aXy3vT5oVF3EYWSE_oA/s3072/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3072" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1-VCsYyx97V20Sa1gemsW_BSIG3BJJ6i14YkTi2YnzietfGjsP_qd1AShauPx9WPeQZ45zXcYFsVQpF2VaLjfw7rJagIPfl-wj6GZHdE-GoZJtWlK1okDomMpRszpS__vPHX8LZjIaz5a3FW_cmRtOhbYYRVGZNNKxcLYNl5aXy3vT5oVF3EYWSE_oA/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20003%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Our pepper plants are doing well and starting to form blossoms. I kept them covered with hot caps for quite a while but are out in the air and on their own now.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTXqmRzSGAf3JuOIyAmLWl7zYIDAtzWVY4xoHvYdnqOLt-ualjoPjQDd58LngMa3dtH2rPEZv6SoarPYGYRtDfzJa2_YFMmiWKOqK3k1uodiybpdlcGlPrurhBJL2H2MbCXWvmGbUJ7fnzYwdv7TOkO2BtFP0d86v5Zj-MVmET2cLv2q7JvQkSibn3Pw/s3072/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2111" data-original-width="3072" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixTXqmRzSGAf3JuOIyAmLWl7zYIDAtzWVY4xoHvYdnqOLt-ualjoPjQDd58LngMa3dtH2rPEZv6SoarPYGYRtDfzJa2_YFMmiWKOqK3k1uodiybpdlcGlPrurhBJL2H2MbCXWvmGbUJ7fnzYwdv7TOkO2BtFP0d86v5Zj-MVmET2cLv2q7JvQkSibn3Pw/w400-h275/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20004%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>You may not be able to clearly see it with all the greenery in this picture but the Scarlet Runner beans are doing a great job of climbing up the hoop trellis with no help from me. In the past I've had to coax them to grab onto the trellis by tying them up! Why did they decide to do it themselves this year??</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWjeehN4Sd4K2v6e63NI6JQiISt2YdqXJ0NFnNsqEu18YcB3_zRAyRe8N866Oy8NjO4dXAXAbPiPNCVOhr1dEhCTa1n__dH0K1jK1C_Q78CkVtDHZW_b4QRNLWb-rxxgBNKEF4wELxBEmjlzN_XuyAxNZ7w3UjkaTbHhztuPR3Tnck0xuo1cj4GRBffo/s448/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="448" data-original-width="325" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWjeehN4Sd4K2v6e63NI6JQiISt2YdqXJ0NFnNsqEu18YcB3_zRAyRe8N866Oy8NjO4dXAXAbPiPNCVOhr1dEhCTa1n__dH0K1jK1C_Q78CkVtDHZW_b4QRNLWb-rxxgBNKEF4wELxBEmjlzN_XuyAxNZ7w3UjkaTbHhztuPR3Tnck0xuo1cj4GRBffo/w290-h400/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20005%20-%20Small.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><br />Bush beans have been slow, really slow but are now starting to look good. These are the yellow wax ones which always seem to grow faster for me than the green ones.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nGSjNVyMzEIAMeF-KBFfmdoVE8G-d6E1nP2NsJ5Z8IhIoUDrd1k6kFEMZSxrX_b7VaYfTUBwlmP6SvJMn5eS4DiDFEBR9hgoWSIM2LHXgSUyvIBuMSI0yCyFpqMa-b_WFSIEQ-QVRC4iQq6bZzk_01PNcAtrZVr62BL1ccID59Fkvswt5TRZm4FcQPs/s448/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20006%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="448" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_nGSjNVyMzEIAMeF-KBFfmdoVE8G-d6E1nP2NsJ5Z8IhIoUDrd1k6kFEMZSxrX_b7VaYfTUBwlmP6SvJMn5eS4DiDFEBR9hgoWSIM2LHXgSUyvIBuMSI0yCyFpqMa-b_WFSIEQ-QVRC4iQq6bZzk_01PNcAtrZVr62BL1ccID59Fkvswt5TRZm4FcQPs/w400-h300/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20006%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I have a row of pansies on either end of the garlic bed. These were plants that were volunteers from last year that popped up in various places in the garden. I moved them to this location and I'm happy I took the trouble to save them. <br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInQKWLOvFUdeX0Y-XPoWkSwgqYJn0_SUJuhsvMzZtJrBwuiXFHrLKaXSBF31opS4_-JqTgyAEsH9pwXbvhgL4TybOdLKDqbjH-FkFPEFCZ5I9Daiq6KZkLhTGFLFeeLHdgWqFV_xIjt32SBu6E0aGdpJputKOe4Urb7sDP75OaFSHFDCXMOU5GG6faRc/s435/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20007%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="435" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInQKWLOvFUdeX0Y-XPoWkSwgqYJn0_SUJuhsvMzZtJrBwuiXFHrLKaXSBF31opS4_-JqTgyAEsH9pwXbvhgL4TybOdLKDqbjH-FkFPEFCZ5I9Daiq6KZkLhTGFLFeeLHdgWqFV_xIjt32SBu6E0aGdpJputKOe4Urb7sDP75OaFSHFDCXMOU5GG6faRc/w400-h309/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20007%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />We grew way too many potatoes last year (what a problem to have, eh?), and I attribute it to the great seed potatoes we got from Wood Prairie Family Farm. I've cut back on the footage I planted this year so we'll see if we still get such a big yield. I've hilled them up once and will do so again once more.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b> </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4zKCazuk85QclYzY_9iJ0shLnOBcdiiAM8tgO5wpIzXyiktLTsLk1Jq5G_EkXBT5BS2rdbtQdl4wFAGxKMMOtUSkbtrtOwe4EUebc8VxSbwLJH-rYWj_iIq6kt_Cj-EhEH5jrAu55DZCcxGjXDKSwJpJYkYITBXqkZzD57yFDXzS3ucDHZlc3o-msn8/s448/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20008%20-%20Small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="448" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie4zKCazuk85QclYzY_9iJ0shLnOBcdiiAM8tgO5wpIzXyiktLTsLk1Jq5G_EkXBT5BS2rdbtQdl4wFAGxKMMOtUSkbtrtOwe4EUebc8VxSbwLJH-rYWj_iIq6kt_Cj-EhEH5jrAu55DZCcxGjXDKSwJpJYkYITBXqkZzD57yFDXzS3ucDHZlc3o-msn8/w400-h280/Garden%20-%207-2-23%20008%20-%20Small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We got thirteen eggs yesterday. At first I thought a couple of the roosters must have started laying, but Papa Pea reminded me that the pullets we hatched out last year have just started to lay. How blessed we are to have such a plethora of homegrown delicious eggs! </b></span> <br /></div>Mama Peahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03649357184167949247noreply@blogger.com14