As we often try to do, we went down to join family at Sandy Lake, where our oldest son, Bill, parks his travel trailer and pontoon boat for the holiday. It was nice to get away from home for half a day as when we’re home, there is always work waiting for us, nagging us not to just sit around! Daughter, Randie, and her friend, Bob, joined Bill’s family and us. David and his family were going to come camp there too, but he had hurt his back at work and was home lying down with an ice pack, instead. He did say it’s getting some better but ouch!
On Sunday, it was back to work, as usual. Will took the haybine over to a neighbor’s field, three miles away and started cutting in earnest for the summer. He cut three smaller fields while I was busy tilling in the weeds where I had previously planted corn that didn’t come up due to the heat and crusty soil. The rain just made the crust tougher as it dried. I also hand-weeded two rows of bush beans in the Wolf Garden. Grandson, Drew, had helped weed on the third. So, we got a lot done in those beans!
I’m so grateful to see the second planting of Bear Island Chippewa and Simonet corn starting to come up in the North Garden! I was doing the happy dance out there. Today, I planted the third planting in the North Garden, of Seneca Sunrise and Trinity Hybrid sweet corn (Seneca for seed and Trinity to can). As usual, I plant hybrid to eat so I won’t be tempted to save it for seed, guilt-free eating and canning it!
The little flower bed I planted next to the garden last fall is doing well. I planted several peonies in it, some spring bulbs, then I threw in some Mountain Garland and a few other flower seeds. I’m happy to report it’s all nice and the flowers are beautiful. The peonies aren’t big enough to bloom this year. But next year they should be wonderful.
We’re excited to meet our newest member of the family, Glitch, the Dutch Shepherd, on Saturday. It’ll be a seven-hour one-way drive for us, but we are looking forward to it! — Jackie
Glad you got to have some time off and spend a day with family. My family from Ky came home for the holiday so we had a big get together on the 4th. My oldest daughter hosted everyone at her house and we had a grand time visiting, the guys and older boys playing football and the littles on a slip and slide. It was Hot, but everyone had a good time. My potatoes that I planted in containers are dying, so I am going to pull them and see if there are any potatoes . I don’t know why they are dying as there are no bugs on them and they have been adequately watered. I had the first squash from the garden. It looks like zucchini and summer squash may have crossed, as the squash was greenish yellow. They are mostly volunteer plants. They tasted very good, so I will just roll with it. Im still trying to keep up with weeds, but I can only do what I can do. Stay cool in this extreme heat and have a blessed week.
I’m so glad everyone had a good time on the 4th of July. We- my sister and I just relaxed and talked and had some good ice tea. It was still hot here.
The leaves on some of the tomatoes are turning brown and falling off. I figured it is the hot sun.
I got banana peppers to take their place.
To everyone cutting hay- please enjoy the smell.
There’s somethings that I really miss.
I’m going to get broccoli and Cabbage and Cauliflower out for the fall. It seems like I am meeting myself coming and going!
Can’t wait until you get Glitch!
Two more days!
So glad you got relaxation time
Take care ❤️
Our 4th was quiet with DH still recovering from surgery, just watched some fireworks on tv. We’ve been enjoying the Provider beans, they sure do produce and taste so good! Seneca Sunrise corn is starting to tassel and the Gueramon Martinique squash has its 1st blooms..hoping to stay ahead of the squash bugs, sneaky things sure hide their eggs. You flowers and hay look great, glad you had a nice visit with family on the 4th. Have a safe trip to get Glitch! May God bless us all with good weather and a peaceful year.
Of course we ALL want to see pictures of Glitch!!!!!!!!!! We are to hit triple digit soon. Have already had “feel like” days of triple digit. We did see some fireworks. We stayed up late enough and went and sat on a tailgate here on our place. Powdery mildew got my summer squash. Guess I need to get motivated and plant some more (first average frost is in November here).
Oh….. And many have gotten their second cutting of hay here…… If we get rain we should get a 3rd and possibly even a 4th cutting. On the 4th, we had our winter supply of hay delivered to us. Another item to cross off the get ready for winter list.
For the 4th we went into town for a parade and listened to a local band. There was good food to eat. We could see the fireworks from our home 3 miles away.A great day away from all the craziness.
I’m glad to hear you also had a nice Fourth. We didn’t get to see any fireworks but went to bed happy anyway.
Here in the Copper Basin Alaska we have only had a few days above 70 but no frost since late May. I’m only growing in the hoop houses and green house this year except for a few potato boxes. One of my sons came and helped for a few days and he tilled all the garden area we used to plant so it doesn’t go back to brush. We will till again a couple times to help defeat the weeds so maybe next year some of them will help plant more and share the crops. I would do more but it’s hard to do much with needing the walker and cane except in raised beds. I could hand weed from a stool but pushing the seeder on a fifty foot row or planting a potato every foot in the same row would be difficult. I know you have infirmities too and you do a fabulous job. At heart my 28 tomatoes are doing great in the green house this year and the hoop houses are all intensively planted and growing good. A late happy Fourth of July!
While labor intensive, hand weeding is the best. Now that the heat dome has at least temporarily passed, I hope to get some weeding done in the garden.
Something dug up a couple of potatoes and another plant has died off. Will be digging garlic soon – between the winds and what I suspect are deer sleeping in the patch, the leaves are getting brown.
Glad you got away for the 4th. While I love being at home, there is *always* something that needs to be done.
I think we have our own heat dome in place now. The daytime temps are in the 80’s and forecast to reach the 90’s in a few days. Whew! It sure makes gardening tough, dealing with all those weeds, which don’t seem to care about the weather.