Thursday, July 18, 2013


 This week we've had the pleasure of picking cherries from our little cherry tree in the orchard!   It has really grown since we moved here and this is the first crop we have had.  Well, last year we had about five cherries and they all got eaten while we were standing there admiring the little tree.   This year we have a bumper crop.  We still have more beauties at the very top but the tree has grown too high, even for our 20' ladder and its not very big around so not too steady when leaning the ladder.  Here's a picture of my daughter near the top and some (yes,some) of the cherries we picked.
Our little chickens are finally getting close to full-size.  They are still a little skittish but will come when we take their feed out to the garden.  I'm still mad at myself for putting them in the garden.  They have eaten the tops off everything we planted (kale, radish, beets.)  The only thing they haven't bothered is two huge sunflowers that grew as volunteers, and the potato plants.   We planted purple potatoes last year and have several of those coming up.  This year we planted red potatoes (my favorite) and have lots of those growing.  Potatoes are so easy.  Thanks to the chicks, they scratched up the rows where we planted so our veggies are spread everywhere.  But no bugs. 

Our blue berries are coming on strong now.  I actually picked two ripe ones this week that were very sweet.  The rest are getting big but are still the pale light blue color.  The apples and pears are still fairly little, their harvest season is in the fall.  Right now they're getting bigger and sweeter. 

Can't wait!

Monday, July 1, 2013

On our way to 100 °

I'm so happy our beautiful blue flowers are once again in full bloom.  Since we've had so much rain this spring they are really in abundance.

I'm still not sure what they are called.  Anyone have an idea? 

They have rather tall stalks with the clusters of purple trumpet flowers at the top.  I found one yesterday that had clusters all the way up a very tall stalk.  They seem to grow wild around here and I've only seen them one other place near us. 

We have a little place not far from us out on the hwy that has plants and veggies.  They set up a small stand with information, some plants and a money tube.  There's lots of plants out in the driveway on benches that they've started.  Boxes to put them in.  Prices are on signs so you know what you owe.  Then you just put your $ in the cash tube slot.  Its all on the honor system.  I love it.  You just don't see that much any more.  Anyway, she had some of these plants in little pots for sale but I never got to ask if they knew the name of them.
 Bella in her favorite cool spot, under our stairs with her food bowl where she can see it.  Dexter on the other hand, is sitting where he knows she can see him and get excited with him close to her dish.  They play a game every day.  She lays down, he sits on the stairs and torments her until she barks and growls and chases him away.

Even Emmy the chihuahua gets in on the act, running back and forth, hiding under the wood stove that's sitting nearby until she is noticed, then barking loudly at both dogs and Runnnnnnning as fast as her little legs will carry her.  Usually into her mom's arms for safety.

Funny thing, if no dogs or cats are around and Bella wants to play the game, she will find one of them and bark a few times, run back under the stairs until they all are playing the game.

Drives me crazy!

Well, here's what is left of my starter plants.  I had them sitting on our stone bench in the yard for more sun and watering.  Dexter must have found them and decided they looked like food.  This is all that's left.

I have found them all over in the yard (the 2-1/2  acre part), under leaves, in the driveway ... well you get the idea.  But never found any plant starts in them, just unrolled tp rolls with possibly some starter soil in them.  He must have had a real good time tossing them up in the air and trying to catch them before he ate them.

This is not a farm.  It really is a zoo!