I was having my tea this morning on the porch and thought I heard some peeping. I looked over and saw the mama hens and chicks in the bed by the driveway. I ran to get my camera and followed them around. At the same time making sure they didn’t go down the driveway to the road.
Our biggest berry harvest yet.
Our summer squash isn’t doing too well. Fortunately, we’ve gotten some from neighbors and the farmers market. Here, one of the chickens is eating a big zucchini I bought for them. Leo always has a watchful eye.
The kitchen garden in late morning.
I’m usually a cool color person – my favorites are blue, green and purple, but I love the combination of pink and orange. Beautiful in the sea of green.
Queen Ann’s lace growing in front of the potting shed.
It hit 92 degrees this afternoon.
The beginning of a bushel basket gourd. Will it really get that big?
I identified this vine growing near the wood pile in my Peterson Field Guide to Medicinal Plants and Herbs. It’s woody nightshade, bittersweet. It has many uses – treatment for acne, eczema, boils and warts among them.
This is growing everywhere. It isn’t in my field guide. I will have to find another source for identification.
I took a walk in the pasture this evening. Nelson, our neighbor, had just cut it. I wanted to take a photo of this swamp milkweed. I think it is from seed given to me by my friend, Lesa. It was almost two years ago that I tossed hundreds of seeds in overgrown areas of the pasture and so far I’ve found three milkweed plants.
This honey locust is growing in the same area as the milkweed. I wouldn’t want this near the house with those wicked thorns.
Our two bushel basket gourd plants are flowering.
They flower at night.
Here they are at sunset.
I am drying these calendula flowers and will make an infusion with them. It will be good for skin conditions and skin just in general.
Dave and Samantha harvest potatoes.
I picked this room as my sewing room because it had this wall of closets. Originally, they had shelves inside them. I quickly realized that the storage space at the top was too high up for me. Even with a ladder I didn’t feel comfortable – the boxes were heavy and I was having to reach up over my head. The shelving didn’t work at all for my fabric, etc. so we took those out soon after we moved in a little over two years ago. Every once in a while I would mention to Dave that if he was in the mood for a deconstruction project he could take down these closets. The time came a couple weeks ago. I’m glad I thought to take the photo above after he spent a Sunday afternoon dismantling. The space on the right had a twin closet to the one on the left of the photo.
Everything gone and we could tell right away that it was the right thing to do. The room felt so much bigger and more light come from the east facing window.
Above and below – the same wall freshly painted.
This room was an apple green. This moonlight white sure brightens it up and is much better for letting my colorful fabrics take center stage. The inset shelves will soon be full of things – baskets of fabric, projects, magazines and other miscellaneous quilting supplies. I’m waiting until they are not just dry to the touch but cured. I’ve learned the hard way not to put things of any weight on a newly painted surface.
I don’t have as much time to quilt here with all the house and garden chores, but I still find it relaxing and fun. I’m still learning how to garden – quilting is a much more comfortable endeavor for me.
Thanks, Dave, for all the hard work. I love it!
This might be common yarrow growing between the pasture and the brush near the spring house.
Our garden has finally taken off. Those are the strawberries in front. I did beat the birds to the first few and they are very yummy. From left to right – wormwood, parsnips, potatoes in back and kale in front.
Our path to the barn is almost closed in.
Lots of chickens running around.
Leo and Dolly say – what have you brought us to eat?
The path looking from the other direction. Elderberry left and right. Cucumbers on the ground on the right. Need to get them to climb up the fence.
Our third elderberry back left, kale on either side of the path, okra in the center, strawberries front left and compost in the back.
Our first strawberries.
Will they be ready tomorrow?
Will we get them before the birds?
I made an herbal infusion today of comfrey leaf, calendula and lavender flowers in olive oil. It will sit in the garden absorbing the sun’s rays for two weeks and then I’ll strain out the herbs. I’ll use it for skin rashes, insect bites and such.
