Buzzy August

My dehydrated Italian tomatoes. Very sweet tasting all winter long.

Alan in shorts and bee jacket. The bees love him so.

Putting in the cleaned sugar tanks in both hives.

Our hives are only 4 month of age. We will be letting them keep all their honey so they can make it through winter.

My August harvest. Spent green beans, onions and potatoes! 

I had forgotten about there until I tilled today. This was the first time I was able to get onions not to rot in the ground.

Drying out for seed saving

My first time growing tomatillo. They need lots of room to spread and need wind and bugs to pollinate. Very excited about these and salsa making.

Frozen Snake Games

My husband knows I like snakes. He called me to look at one that would not move.

See, frozen snake, did not budge once.

His whole 3 foot of him.

My camera case did not phase him. Just a black snake looking for bugs and mice.

A peas me.

Here was the last of 9 lbs of sugar peas I planted from seeds - old seeds I had. We have been eating them pod and all until last week.  I saved some for fall planting. I shelled the hard dry ones for later. It was easy to grow these and the bees love the flowers. These peas will become a regular planting from now on. Still on the fence with my sweet corn battle. I have grown corn for 4 years. This is the first year with bees. I hope they pollinate this time.

July Veggie and Flowers

My pears thriving in this heat.

My winter squash

Cucumbers

Casablanca Lily

Phlox

My june bug patrol

Blue cornflowers

Dill

my zucchini

My 3rd  group of orphan ducklings. One day I hope my broody ducks will be good mothers. These hatched by mistake under a broody chicken and they were pushed out of the nest. I took them from the coop and into a brooder box until they can be fostered by an old mama duck. Lots of work but they grow up fast and are better for it.

My June Veggie Garden

With the purchase of a tiller I put it to work. I tilled 3 times and added farm compost to the rocky soil.

Very easy Dahlias.

Mammoth sunflower for the bees and birds.

This I am proud of making myself. A composter out of old feed tubs. Using scraps and a drill I made this. It is full of weeds, kitchen scraps, paper and the like. It is right next to where I need it, the garden. I think I will make a 2nd one for the horse veggie garden.

Pumpkins and rubber snakes

Green beans and Zucchini.

Zucchini

My lettuce is covered to save on sun and water. Lettuce does not like heat and hot sun.

This is one of three mixed lettuce beds.

More bush green beans

beans and tomatoes

my cabbage patch

cedar chips to keep away the moths.

Dill grown from seed for my first time. Very pleased!

more green beans

my red dahlias.

Thyme came with the house.

Cotton keeping watch

My first veggie harvest, sugar peas

Where I come from

I guess as we get older we like to see where we come from. Where do our talents, gifts, physical traits and skills come from? Photos help with that and memories of that. I remember my paternal grandmother showing me how to play on the electric organ. All those petals and keys. She also collected travel souvenirs in resin. She displayed them in a dark corner with back light. These resin encased seahorses, seaweed and shells came alive to me. She also raised exotic birds in cages that I to helped clean. She was a meticulous house keeper who loved her birds, Persian cats and tea cup chihuahuas. She was also a card shark. She was a tennis player and very active and taught piano until very late in her life. My paternal grandfather was a bartender. He was also of the discernment to place a good bet or two. He was an avid and prolific gardener. Both of them could read people very well. They had a knack for games.

Last guy on the right is my grandpa on my paternal side.

My grandma on my paternal side in the middle. Both photos taken in New Orleans, Louisiana

I got my music ability, long neck, cheek bones and long nose from the paternal side. I can play chess, cards and have a knack sometimes. I love to raise animals and enjoy their company. If you spent enough time in a bar the magic is lost. Bars and liquor bore me. I love dogs but outside is best. I have a soft spot for Persian cats. But my husband only like the short haired cat. So all of ours are shorties. I do love the sea and have sea shells that light up thanks to new LED illumination devices.