garden and things.,..

Spring has kept us busy here at the ole estate. Now that it is in full swing everything is coming to life around here.

 

Garden is plowed and planted and seeds are starting to sprout. We have a pretty large deer population, so my Uncle told me to put soap on a rope around the garden perimeter, deer will catch the scent and think a human is nearby and stay out.....

 

I was a tad skeptical at first, but so far, the little soap on a rope trick seems to be working..This is a sunflower and corn popping up.



 

 My fellow Angel SANDY sent some heirloom cucumber seeds, boys planted them and now they have sprouted nicely. I also picked up some heirloom tomato seeds and got them started, few more days I will get them into the garden.

We went through a lengthy dry spell, but this past week Mother Nature as turned on her faucet, and everything is wet again..with more rain tonight and Sunday is supposed to be a complete wash out..then it looks like another stretch of nice weather for us.

Yesterday

The sun was warm and the breeze a bit cool, we opened the windows and let the air flow through.
Out in my little gardens the first of the radishes I planted were popping out of the soil.. The boys were excited, and perhaps a little too anxious as they began pulling them  up.
I got out my camera and decided to play with the color filter :

Earlier in the day, I got two tomato plants, one is a Goliath, and the other a cherry. So the boys each planted one:

Then saw the first little "knock out rose" is blooming:

-JUGM

The Weekend..

Friday the kids were out of school. We ran errands and did some housework. Once done NW opened the linen closet door and found Jack the Cat hiding. You just got to love the big boy.

Saturday had us busy with Senior umpiring the first little league game, and then our game followed. .. We had it won in the 4th inning, but certain kids (not mine) decided to give up. And then there was the poor officiating. I hate this league, because they make the coaches of the other teams umpire..most have no clue. 
Last night, we decided to burn the remaining wood we had in the pit...the evening was nice, and the full moon was rising. Made for a very relaxing time.

This morning is bright and sunny, but windy. Rain is in the forecast later tonight and all day tomorrow. A real soaker. My Kitchen is a mess-one child wanted french toast, the other was happy with a bowl of cereal. It is funny how brothers can be so much alike, but also so very different.

My radishes are growing. But nothing from my carrots. It has been over a month and only two or three have sprouted. So, I think I am going to get some tomato plants or bush cucumbers.  Not sure which yet. ND loves tomatoes, but so does the mockingbirds.. And then there is Libby, who thinks the little round things growing on the plant is a  tennis ball. *SIGH*

Friday I picked up a slab of ribs, and last night smothered them in olive oil and seasonings...soon Senior will have the smoker going, and the glorious smell of hickory wood and pork will consume the back yard and neighborhood.
I am off here now, to possibly head out the door for some cheap cat food and veggie plants, we are having a stray cat problem and setting a trap tonight.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a very blessed Sunday....

-JUGM

There are Holes in my Cukes!

I hope by viewing this picture that some of my gardening blogging buddies can help me determine what is munching on my cucumbers. They are getting these tiny perfect little holes in them.
Google search does not come up with much, other then it possibly being a "pickleworm"

Some of my cucumbers have them. Then some I pull off don't.  Since I have no clue, if they are still edible or not, The few I have found them on, I have thrown out.

Any advice would be incredibly helpful. As this is my first successful year growing cucumbers, and my bushes have been doing extremely well. Now we are getting hit with these mysterious holy things.

Lots going on...

I know Senior and I both have been MIA. We just ask for our followers not to give up on us. We are still here. Just please excuse us if we don't post or respond to any comments.. We have just had a lot on our plates this past month.
Seniors dad is still in the VA Hospital out of state. He has been spending a part of the week up there, then coming back home for the rest of the week.
It is getting to be a lot on all of us. The good news is, his dad finally had the long awaited orthopaedic surgery on his hip. Poor man was in there almost a month waiting to get it done. It was one reason or the next why they wouldn't. Finally it took a  bit of complaining to his dads doctor about it all..  What an ordeal this has been for all of us.
So now his re-hab and physical therapy starts. Hotels are getting costly, so Senior has decided to pull our camper up there and park it in a campground...doing this will save us quite a bit.

On top of it all, NW got sick again. A violent gastrointestinal virus has been circulating around his school and classroom. Five other kids in his class have had it, along with 2 other boys on his baseball team. My poor child has been vomiting and having severe diarrhea since Sunday. He has had no appetite and has dropped 6 pounds. He has had severe stomach cramps that make him double over and cry in pain.
The doctor has given us a kool-aid solution with honey and salt to raise his glucose  and electrolyte levels because he was getting dehydrated. I feel so bad for him- It is always him getting sick and he doesn't understand why everything happens to him. My baby has missed out on so much this week at school and with baseball.  But today was better, he drank all the kool aid and ate a bowl of animal crackers..hopefully there is a light at the end of the tunnel for this nasty virus.

My garden is flourishing. Here are some pics of my baby cauliflower heads, and broccoli sprouting up.. I took these just a few days ago and the broccoli heads have doubled since...

And my beautiful first yellow rose of the spring:

 

Even Little Libby Lu-Lu got in on helping me water the roses:

 



-JUGM

Garden and A Debate

Was in the backyard with Ruger and thought I would snap a few pictures to share with you guys. Remember previously I said i started planting roses?
Well, here is a good shot of the "Gold Medal Rose" I put in.. Looks like that rose food I bought is paying off, the blooms have been spectacular.

And finally got the long awaited Bi-Colored Rose...

The small carrots I planted are growing along nicely in the boxes... should not be long now until we are snacking on them.

And you can't live in the South, and not plant Collard Greens....another staple in my house that we freeze and eat off of for the entire year.

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Now to the good stuff,;Last nights Debate..  I went to bed last night with a renewed energy..Mitt Romney had a home run.  You could certainly tell who was the more prepared and the more presidential of the two.
Obama was a stuttering embarrassment without his teleprompter and Mitt seized the moment.
Afterwards I am sure the President went back stage and smoked an entire carton of Newport's. I guess that is what happens when you have John Kerry of all people as your debate coach.

Mitt delivered many memorable lines, but none better then : "Mr. President, you are entitled to your own airplane, your own house as president, but not to your own facts."  What a zinger!.

I hope that the independents and those of you who are still undecided watched last night, and that it helped make up your mind.
Tune in next week, when it is Ryan vs Biden..That is the steel cage death match I have been waiting for. 

Finding New Places

 

I love discovering new places. Like today, I must have passed by the little produce stand a hundred times, but never stopped until today after my eye exam.  

Pumpkins lined the sidewalk outside, the windows were decorated for fall. A bell rang when you walked in the little store. A kindly elderly man was behind the counter bagging green beans.
"C'mon on in" he said with a smile.  I smiled back and began to browse and inhale all the good smells.
"Have you been in before" ? he asked
"No, sir" I said
"Well, here then ,have a free tomato".
I held out my hand and giggled, and said a big "Thanks". Now, that is the kind of customer service you just don't get anymore.
 I looked around...loaves of fresh breads, and jars of  Apple butter, Mayhaw Jelly, Peach and Black berry Jams lined the shelves. He told me sweetly they were all very good, and only $5.00 .
He loved stocking local honey as well, even had it in 5 gallon jugs.
Immediately I thought of ideas for Christmas baskets for family, my sister loves all that stuff

"You got a dog" ? he asked. I nodded. "Then on the second shelf is doggie treats made by the special needs kids over at the high school, they sell them for a dollar a bag".  I picked up a bacon flavored one for Ruger; Then told him my neighbors grandson is in that program..
 " You know" he said " I don't get any kick back off selling those, it just seems the right thing to do"

Wow!  I thought, have I dropped in to the twilight zone at some point!

I then, got a bag of carrot sticks, and some fresh broccoli-the boys will love it. NW will only eat broccoli if it is fresh and steamed. No frozen stuff for him.

Did more browsing, then his little wife stepped out and greeted me with a smile. More customers came in. I paid and left with a big 'Thank You", and a " I will be back". The little couple left a impression on me, for their kindness and customer service. And I meant what I said, I will go back and often.