Olympics, fairs and gardening - no politics!

Even though it is very warm now, the air has that feel to it that says it's the end of summer and not the beginning.  That thing you can't explain but you notice it the first day you walk outside and it is there.  I will admit that summer has gone by very fast this year and I have spent much of it in an air conditioned office - so I will not complain about the heat!  Since my last post (and it looks like it has been awhile!) we have been busy with the garden, we went to the county fair, and I am currently doing my every 4 year TV fest watching more TV during the Olympics than I do during the other 4 years altogether!!  I justify it by crocheting in front of the TV so it looks like I'm being productive, but of course I have to stop during the gymnastics etc!  I grew up watching the Olympics and it is something I thoroughly enjoy.  I root for other countries when I hear a life story that tugs at my heartstrings.  Some people say the spirit of the games isn't there any more, but when you watch a runner stop and help another to cross the finish line - I think maybe it still is there, at least  a little!


I want to show you my new toy!  There are no links here, I got mine from Amazon.com but I am not an affiliate- I am sharing with you because I am having sooo much fun with this!

First I cut some chives....

then I get out my new toy - the 7 bladed scissors!!  I use the tool to cut the chives and it ends up like this.....

perfectly even for dehydrating and they will sprinkle out of my dispenser so nice, shook a few on an omelette the other day and it looked marvelous!  I realize that how the food looks is not the most important thing - but it doesn't taste any worse if it looks good!!  Think about how long it takes to chop a lot of chives, or rosemary, or oregano - yes it is a time saver.






The Lilys in the back of my garden that came up after being
rotor-tilled are just beautiful this year!  They
must be hardy - that old saying "that which does not kill you makes you strong"!  Love the fragrance too!












The apple tree was trimmed and just loaded with apples, then we had a real wind storm and several of the heavy branches are broken.  We will wait and hope they ripen still and then cut the branches after the harvest.  We were planning to 'top' the tree, guess it did it by itself!  Look at all those apples though!

I went outside to take some photos of the garden and found that the 'neighbors' had come over to visit and terrify the cats!  The peacock came along with his hens this time.

In the spring when the garden is just planted I always think I will have a lot of space and by the end of summer I am worried about one thing overrunning the other!  The cucumbers have produced 14 quarts of dill pickles and 7 pints of sweet pickles plus the eating in salads and snacks.

The beans are slower than usual this year and one row grew and the other row is not doing well at all.  (The vagaries of gardening.)  The 'neighbors' are getting ready to go home over the back fence.

The corn looks like it will all do well, the last bunch is popcorn, I have never tried it but daughter in law #1 sent me some seeds so we are giving it a whirl.

Bell peppers have done well this year too.  This big boy is one of many they have produced and they still have blooms!

Seems that the county fair is always during the hottest week of the year, and this year was no exception!  The most popular place for kids was the firefighters with the hook and ladder truck providing their own 'water feature'!  Wet happy kids running all over the place!






Think that about catches us up, football season is ready to start, Mom is coming to visit soon - life is good here!
We are keeping all of our firefighters in prayer, seems like the whole western US is on fire, these heroes are working very hard this summer!

A Touch of Spring Fever!

Seems like there is so much going on and so little sit down at the computer time!  My mother used to tell me how busy she was and I would tease her about being so much busier after she retired, and now I realize I wasn't funny!!  :)

The weather has been nice lately, we have been getting the weather the eastern part of the country is dreaming of, lots of sunny days and temps in the mid 50's (about 13C) not warm unless you stand in the sun - but so pretty, and of course I smile because in the northern states I know we all put on shorts and t-shirts the minute it hits 50 and the rest of the world would probably laugh at us if they could see!  (We went out for lunch after church this morning and were surrounded by t-shirts and flip flops!) It's really not warm, we just get excited after winter!

Hubby and I went to the Senior Center for lunch on his birthday in January and we walked through the 'Parks and Rec' building while we were there and noticed a "Kick Start Your Garden" class being given in February, so we paid our money and registered for the class.  It was a lot of fun and very educational.  The class is given by the University of Idaho Agricultural Extension Office (these are the folks that supervise 4-H, do soils testing for farmers and just all around ag stuff) The young lady who is an extension agent in our area was very good and easy to listen

The 'haul' we came home with!

to, the presentation was very timely as it was all about starting your seeds early and how to do it, she covered greenhouses, and starting in the window in the house, grow lights and heat mats, and hoop houses.

She went over starting mixes and clean pots and all kinds of containers.  She also covered frost cloths for when you get ready to harden your seedlings and how many degrees each would give you of protection.

We had a great time, there were a lot of people there and they asked a lot of good questions about things we didn't think of at the time or things we don't yet know about our growing season.    I think we would have felt it was worth it for the information but we also came home with handouts, a soil thermometer, a book on Idaho gardening and 12 packets of seeds! We paid $24 for the two of us and we had 3 hours of fun, got lots of information and some cool stuff.  We will definitely be watching for the next extension classes, she said it would be on soils and then maybe one on preserving.  I'm excited!

Of course all that talk of seed starting has us talking and planning our garden for 2015.  We have been talking about each of us picking one new thing each year to try, I think this year mine will be Kale.  It is not something I have had a lot of but it has so many health benefits we should at least give it a try.  Not sure what hubby will pick for his trial veg yet but we have our graph paper ready!!

I am fairly certain we will get a little cold winter weather yet before spring, but we are getting ready! (Always keeping in mind that when it gets hot I will be moaning and whinging for cooler weather!)

Odds and Ends and Runny Noses!

Just some random stuff today!

Hubby and I are being sort of the ultimate couple and sharing a cold (by the way, sharing the cold in no way diminishes it, you each get a whole one)! There is much sneezing and coughing and nose blowing going on here this last week. I must say I think Hubby is complaining more than me but that may just be my cranky sick persona speaking! ….smile

The garden is coming along, our days of abnormal heat (in the 90's) last week really kick-started everything, the corn and bean seeds are sprouting and the plants we put in are very happy (I think). My Columbines are just beautiful and the tree out front is kind of amazing! The weeds are growing best as is usual in my world. I always remember my grandmas answer to the question “how do you know if it's a weed?” She said “pull on it, if it comes out easy it was something you wanted, if it comes out hard it's a weed!” Still holds true! Every day is a little weeding and watering and I am enjoying myself immensely! Hubby is very pleased with his 'salsa' garden, the tomatoes and peppers enjoyed the early heat and are doing very well, he is experimenting with different varieties of both this year and doing lettuce as well.

One of the Columbines

The first raised bed

There are actually 3 beans coming up so far!

Grandmas wonderberries

kind of hard to see but this tree is full of lovely yellow flowers!

The 'studio' was needing a little organizing this week so I've been going through the piles and sorting while I have no energy and small ability to breathe. I keep the box of tissues nearby! I did get started on the T-shirt quilt, but need some new needles for the machine, working on the fix of daughter in laws old quilt from Grandma, got some mending to get to, went through the vintage beads and findings and organized them all in little drawers in cool plastic cases (don't you just love harbor freight?), and got done with the family group sheets for one side of the family to send to Mom and Auntie for them to have fun with. I am feeling pretty good about the space and think sometimes God just needs to slow me down and have me clean up around myself a little before he let's me go haring off again!

Got to talk to the 3 sons and 2 daughters in law for Mothers day, which was very fun! Spoke to my Mommy who spent the day with her mother! 

We are coming up on our one year anniversary in this house and I am trying to put together a sort of before and after post with a few pictures.  Soon...

So now I'm ready for the cold to be over, seriously …. anytime now!