I
managed to venture out to the garden...hoe in tow to check for tomatoes,
zuch's and anything else. Folks in the county are seeing a lot more
snakes this year than they normally do and after spotting the one I saw
not too long ago...I am going prepared now.... It also makes it safer to
pick up or look into zucchini's ....
We have a cat who loves to follow us to the garden. Her name is RPITA ( pronounced
"Are Pita" acronym for royal pain in the a**) and she is notorious for
getting in between your feet to love on you at every step. I literally
had to run her out for fear that she will trip me and either I'll break a
hip and lay in the garden until John comes to find me or the odd chance
of falling near where a snake could be coiled up for a nap. I love
her...but wished she would just come out there to explore instead of
being her sweet self.
This year my garden....sucks. Sorry, no
other good word for it. This extended drought is killing me and my
soaker hoses are just not doing it although I don't keep them on all the
time I do drip them a good portion of the time... And for the first
time ever I am having a horrible weed problem despite 5-6" of mulch.
The fall garden rocked, and last year the spring/summer garden rocked.
This one is in the ditch for sure and I have no clue why... Others in
the county are having much better luck. SMH.
I think I will
probably get out there next week and dig the remaining potatoes, pull
what is left of the fall Bok Choy cabbage that is still making but
starting to have that "last leg" look and blanch and freeze that. My
beans are kaput and the corn never made a good stand. Then till all of
that up and just keep the tomatoes and zucchini's going until they give
up and just do a good clean up and work on the bigger food plot we
didn't get a chance to put in.
Late August and into September I can start planting the fall garden. The okra still has a shot and can take a lot of abuse.
I was able to harvest several tomatoes and 3 very over-sized zucchini's
and some good sized smaller ones. Many folks toss the over-sized ones
because they are big...too big to steam. They are good fried or a good
size to make zucchini chips but I like to slice them lengthwise and
scoop out the middle creating a "boat", mixing the zuch I scooped with
lean ground beef, fresh tomato, Italian herbs and Parmesan cheese then
refill the zuch boat with this mixture and grilling them. YUM.
Will probably head into the other room in a bit to continue working on
the rooster quilt or try my had again at starting another crazy quilt. I
learned quickly the success to doing a crazy quilt is in the first, 5
sided block. And now, I have a template!
I also need to start
cutting strips for a rope rug...and put out the call for unwanted cotton
clothing that may be past it's prime...to recycle into a rug. Best
place to find it: after a garage sale offer to take off their hands
anything that is made out of a woven material. You can use knits too.
Some people will give it to you OR you can offer $ for a big box full so
they don't have to pack it back up.
Then with a rotary cutter
you just get after it cutting strips and rolling into balls, sorting by
color. Great recycle project and these rugs last a very long time.
Hope your weekend is progressing well.... how's your summer garden coming along?