Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Bird watching, garden walk

 

We had a little sun this morning, seemed like a good time to play with my camera.  I got it for Christmas and I’m still learning.  I snapped 95 photos & 10 were decent enough (I hope) to share.  I spent a good hour chasing a pair of blue birds and totally picked the wrong time to go inside when 2 cardinals flew through the yard.  Anyhow, here’s the results of my morning!

100_0468-2

We’ve got a million of these bluish-black birds in the yard.

100_0502-2

Lots of these little guys too, I picked up a replacement feeder for the one that broke last year and they’re all over it.

100_0505-2

That’s the best blue bird shot I got…they’re quick! 

100_0524-2

Here’s where I gave up on long-distance moving targets & switched to macros.

100_0525-2

I can’t wait to can more pickles!

100_0529-2

J’s red beets finally came up in the mud.

100_0530-2

Tiny hot pepper is already flowering.

100_0537-2

No clue what this flowering shrub is but it’s looking pretty.

100_0548-2

Hey, at least weeds sit still…

100_0551-2

This was my birthday lily last year & the inspiration for my tattoo.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Garden Walk #3

 

100_0439

Rhododendron in its’ glory

100_0442

2011 Tomato Experiment-it’s doing really great, this is J’s early girl in a 5-gal bucket, planted a few weeks before the ones in the ground in half compost, half garden soil and fertilized with some alpaca manure

100_0443

Compared to one in the ground (at right), also fertilized but much smaller. Tons of hot peppers behind.

100_0444

Broccoli & cabbage, slowly growing

100_0446

Lousy exposure but the corn is up!

100_0448

The asparagus is almost done but we had some on the grill last night that was excellent

100_0449

My little row of tomatoes (hard to see with the fresh grass there), 3 Amish Paste, 1 Mr Stripey, 1 Black Cherry, 1 Old German.

100_0450

My yellow squash just came up (J bought transplants for his a few wks ago so I’m behind a bit).  Cage will leave shortly, it’s just there so I don’t step on them.

100_0451

My pickling cucumbers, I started these in peat pots, they’re ahead of J’s and already have some secondary leaves.  They’ll stay in this little cage & climb around it, space is limited, this worked well in the past.

100_0452

Peonies almost open!

100_0453

100_0454

Some flower seedlings…I was testing some old packets, some came up, some didn’t.

100_0455

Very late tomatoes but again, old seed I wanted to move out.  Some Cherokee Purple, Amish Paste, one little Bloody Butcher.  No clue where I’ll squeeze these into the garden, maybe in the flowerbed, lol.

100_0456

And lastly, I’d about given up on the nasturtiums on the porch that I planted with some dwarf marigolds but they’re up.  Thanks for visiting.

Monday, May 9, 2011

2nd Garden Walk

 

Brrr, just a short walk this morning, it’s a chilly 45 out there.  Half my photos didn’t come out but I got a few…

100_0432

I have a couple trays going on the porch (safe from kitties).  Some dwarf marigolds in the pot, cukes, way late tomatoes & flowers that haven’t sprouted yet.  I started these last week indoors on top of the coal stove for bottom heat.

100_0434

J got started on his tomatoes (just 2 in the ground) and peppers (many!).  The bucket holds the experimental tomato and it’s really growing great in a mix that’s heavy on compost.  We have steady sunlight issues in the garden due to the large trees nearby, this is the prime location for his stuff, though he did totally invade my part of the garden for his red beets & squash (grr!).  Luckily I got some of his prime real estate for my okra this year, lol.

100_0435

This poor photo…I can’t get it to brighten up the gorgeous dark pink bleeding hearts.  This was a gift from his mom yesterday, her bush had totally taken over its bed & made babies.  She’s giving me some black eyed susans in a few days too.  This adorns the corner of my new flower bed in the back that was a foundation for a shed or something years ago so it has a nice border & is easy to work in.  Before now it was just an eyesore of weeds & dirt.  I added some irises and planted seed for zinnias & sun flowers yesterday.  I’ve only seen a couple of my huge seed mix come up so far…we got torrential rains right after I planted & I’m not real hopeful, they probably washed all over the lawn.  I need to get my first 6 tomato plants in the ground today and finish planting the okra.  We’re supposed to have gorgeous weather in the 70s all week, I love it!

Friday, May 6, 2011

TGIF!

 

Seriously, I’m SO ready for the weekend.  I haven’t had any “work work” but am making some things for a booth next week.  Or rather, thing, as this is all I got done.

100_0430

Another chenille baby blanket/quilt.  Still needs a wash/dry to fluff it up but it’s all sewn & slashed.  I used some extra packaged bias binding I had on hand, can’t stand cutting up yardage for bias.  The print is a cute cotton twill with owls & flowers.

100_0431

Excuse the ugly patio furniture but I cut it with curvy edges so it’s got a whimsical/organic/whatever feel.  I think it came out pretty neat, this is a great baby size to wrap em up or let them play.  Hence the need for bias binding, I did it in 2 machine steps and it worked pretty well.

I missed the Wed garden tour photos this week, it was pouring down rain.  On my wander through the yard this morning nothing much has changed so I’ll try again next week, must be a little too early for weekly reports.

Have a great weekend, I’ve got some writing to do & then it’s party time!