Vertical Cucumber Frames

 We are going to try growing our cukes up this year. I built some cheap frames from 1" PVC and some concrete wire mesh.

The mesh is just zip-tied to the frame. Next step: planting the last of the garden!

Garden Closing

Well, the garden is about done. We have pickled the last batch of peppers, picked the last of the tomatoes, and are expecting a frost tomorrow.


We dug up the last of the few onions that made it (not sure if we can blame the squirrels or extremely dry weather on their lackluster growth) and carrots a couple weeks ago. We will miss the fresh produce, but not the weeding.

Pumpkin Harvest

Anyone remember this tangle of sprouts from the spring?



Well, we just harvested the sole pumpkin. Behold!
She is already baked up, pureed, packed in baggies, and loaded into the freezer, all 7 cups! Who knew we would get so much from such a wee pumpkin? Here's to a few batches of pumpkin bread and maybe a pie. Mmmm, pie...

More Garden goodness (and gnome apron)

The tomatoes are going crazy (yay!) in this hot weather (boo.). Bennett helped me pick a second round while wearing his gnome apron.
For a little while. I tried getting a couple shots to show it off, but this is what you get with a three year old. I got the awesome pattern here, and let me tell you what a fun and quick project it was! The pattern is well drafted and came together easily. The best part: Bennett can put it on and take it off by himself, no fiddly strings. Genius!
He is great at sorting them after we picked them, keeping all the Yellow Boys in one basket, and all the red Campari, Roma, Better Boys and a couple Beefsteaks in another.
Guess what we did last weekend?

from the garden

The tomatoes are getting ripe, the eggplants are setting on, we have one pumpkin on the vine, the carrots are tender and sweet, and all is right with the world.

photos

Brian's well-defined bed... finished!
Lovely vibernum
Bennett's favorite "fire flowers"
Crook neck squash blooming like crazy
Lovely cucumbers just about ready
Squish!
A perfect shot on a perfect summer day.
Favorite Norah shot from Bennett's party

While we are waiting...

So here we are a week past my due date, and still no sign of the elusive new member of the family. We were so sure this kid was coming early! All those heavy duty contractions beginning at 36 weeks! Already dilating! Lost my plug!! Sigh.

Leave it to parenthood to remind you there is nothing you can count on, no guarantees. You know what they say about people who ASSUME. So much of the process is learning to release, let go of any expectations you have and just "go" with it. In that vein, and trying to stay positive, we have gotten a TON of stuff done in the meantime, in between flood warnings and the Rapture, that is.

Deep freezer purchased and stocked: check.
Major yard cleanup and mulching: check.
Cobwebs swept up: check.
Potty training complete: check.
Cars cleaned out: check.
Mount Washmore and Mount Foldmore in the laundry room defeated (thanks, Mom!): check.
A few closets and storage spaces cleaned out: check.
Baby clothes washed and ready: check.
Nice hair cut: check.
Pedicure: check.
Bennett in big kid bed: check.
Kitchen and bath floors scrubbed on hands and knees: check. Didn't do much, by the way.


Burke's Grief Quilt for this year complete: check. Now I need to figure out what to do with it: Sell it and donate the proceeds, give it away...


Baby Quilt for the new one completed: check. It's from Eric Carle's Brown Bear, Brown Bear book, a favorite of Bennett's when he was little. Choosing a unisex theme was kind of hard since we don't know yet if the babe is a boy or girl...


And the back. I used a simple purple batik and added a strip of stripes from the front and more of the kids.


Swing set assembled: check. Separate post coming on that insanity. Imagine Ikea. In hell.


New bed for squash, cukes and pumpkins: check.


Rest of the garden in: check. And planted by yours truly in efforts to bring on labor.


I even got pretty far in the quilting of Bennett's tool quilt! I'm trying to emulate wood grain with the quilting. The sun has not been cooperative, so these are the best photos of the quilts I have right now, but more when it's done.

Anyhow, we are still waiting. If there is not much happening by Monday we are going to begin the process to file formal eviction papers. As Bennett says: COME ON OUT, BABY!

spring sickies

I shouldn't have bragged that we had good luck avoiding sickness all winter long. Apparently we are getting walloped with the back log. Everything from Swimmer's Ear, upper respiratory infections, intestinal troubles, chest colds, migranes... it's been a bad couple of weeks/months.

That said, spring has arrived! At least while we are grumpy inside, the garden is coming back to life outside. And there are some fun smart phone camera apps to play with.

Egg cartons essploding

We started some pumpkins, sunflowers and sweet peas (think big easy-to sow stuff for a 2 year old), more to help Bennett get enthusiastic about the work ahead of us in the garden, but he is enthralled with the plants on our windowsill. Who knew some old egg cartons and a bit of time could be so awesome?

Sunflowers!

Pumpkins!

The little tray of wild seedlings, nestled in their pizza box liner...

Dirty Dirt Dirt

As spring quickly approaches it is time to get back outside and boot up the garden. Our first task this year was to fill the raised beds that little B and I built frames for last year.

This job requires three things:

Dirt

Manpower

and Wheelbarrow Rides!!!

A special thanks to Jake, Sarah, Finn, Colleen, Andy, Uncle Scott, and Opa Pratt for all their hard work. Need more Bennett and Finn pictures? Visit Speedville.

Pickling a Peck of Peppers

Peppers soaking in their briny/vinegar goodness



More garlic!
Finishing the hot bath...
Done!