Friday, July 21, 2023

Garden Friday

 

 
Welcome to a lazy, summer dazey Garden Friday.
The critters don't seem affected much by the heat of the season.
As for this gardener, I get out early
and spend most of the afternoon inside. 
The swallowtails have been visiting in full force.


The corn is coming along.
This is a first-time crop for me,
so it's very exciting to see any little changes!
 

 
This week, a handful of Jacob's Cattle beans 
were harvested.
They will be saved for next year's planting,
and hopefully, we'll get a few more to actually eat.
Aren't they just spectacular?
 
 
 
A couple of trays of herbs and flowers were sown.
Everything I plant is protected from squirrels
(and our resident chipmunk)
using welded wire. 
We were graced with 1/2 inch of rain this week,
for which I am sincerely thankful.
 
 
We have a lovely array of zinnia colors this year.




 
 We also have a few creatures that are sleeping the day away.
 



Not everyone is a slacker though.
There are plenty of pollinators doing their work.

 
 
This is the old oak tree that was taken down a few years ago.
It seems that fungi enjoy hanging around here.
This is the spot where wood chips have gotten dumped,
and I'm wondering if that lends itself to the mushrooms growing.


The chooks are enduring the heat as best they can.
It seems that the Golden Comets handle it the best.
I'm not sure if that is a trait of the breed,
or simply because they are a bit younger than the others.
They have been a wonderful addition to our homestead.
 
Life is Better with Chickens!
 
 
 
 

12 comments:

  1. Love al the flowers! And those beans have a beautiful color pattern...
    We could use some rain!
    Happy weekend!
    hugs
    Donna

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    1. So many folks are in need of rain right now. I hope you get a good soaking.

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  2. Oh my - such pretty zinnia colors! Mine were just about to bloom, and then we had a storm blow in last night. 60 mph winds - so grateful for no damage (I always pray the tree roots will hold strong) but the zinnias are on their sides. Hope they perk up to look like yours! And is that a black bumble bee?? Maybe a regional bee...we don't have black ones up here - always something new to discover! Enjoy your weekend, Mary

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    1. I'm not sure what type of bee that is, but we have so many different types here. Yes, there's always something to learn. Thank you for stopping by.

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  3. The Jacob's Cattle beans really are a work of art. I'm glad you got rain, and lots of swallowtails. Three cheers for the pollinators!

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    1. Aren't they stunning? I hope you are doing well with this heat. Always good to see you here.

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  4. The Jacob's Cattle beans sure are neat--very magical looking. I love those ice-cream-colored zinnias too. I'm very glad you got rain! I am hoping we'll get some tomorrow!

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    Replies
    1. I love how you describe the zinnias! Hope you get some rain to cool things off. It's been sweltering there. Thank you for visiting.

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  5. Happy to hear you received some rain. Can you believe that this will be the first week since the garden took off that I will have to water? I've watered the containers a handful of times, but we've had enough rain to provide all of its watering needs (and thankfully not enough to have the flooding many have experienced) up until now. I don't know that I ever remember a summer where that was the case! The zinnias are beautiful. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!

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    Replies
    1. That's amazing that you've gotten enough water to pamper your garden! What a blessing.
      Thank you for stopping by, Staci.

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  6. Life is better with chickens! I do a few things for my chicklets and the hens. I soak the ground a couple of times a day and they appreciate a cool dust bath that seems to keep them going in hot weather. I also add an occasional watermelon cut into smaller pieces after being stored in the refrigerator for a good chill. The chicklets (who will start to lay in November) get a mini pool by tossing ice from the freezer frozen in blocks then I fill up with a bit of water for them in a large circle feed pan of plastic . Instant wadding pool.

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    Replies
    1. Great ideas that I will work on today. I've also started freezing diced fruit in ice cube trays and leaving them out there in the shade. They were an instant hit! Great to see you here!

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