Wow it's been almost a month since my last post!!
Lots of pictures and a way too long post.......
Gosh where to start? Oh wait, I know!!
The website is up and running! What a journey it has been! I can now take paypal and regular credit cards. Figured out shipping and can print my own labels. AND the postal carrier can pick up packages off the front porch! Big shout out to Brenda for the recommendation of Big Cartel! I will do a blog post in a few days on the new website and why I went with Big Cartel and not Etsy. I actually have sales!!
So I am getting there! Well I am there :)
Lots more to add and need to get an Art/Dustable page up but it's coming and soon!
It is canning season and so much more!
The garden is really winding down. Drought, too much heat, the lawn ranger who mowed all the squash, and then ran over the cord to the electric fence allowing every beast in the hood to free range in the fenced area of the way back gardens. Gooseberries are gone! I really don't remember a summer quite like this. The pests have been out of control this year, I could spend entire days pinching bean beetles or picking cabbage worms or killing vine borers but I finally threw in the towel and walked to the studio..... past the groundhog. Who has now tunneled behind those rain barrels and down the foundation of the house. He is huge and grey around the muzzle, he has been around a long time and could use a walker. As I chased him out of the parsley, he lumbered away with a full mouthful and then squeezed his fat butt under the neighbors shed. He turned around and glared, while munching my beautiful flat leaf parsley. While I was locked in a death stare with the old fat bastard, the chipmunks were have a field day with the tomatoes and all low hanging fruit. Bold as brass, they climbed the patio tomatoes and munched while we were sitting on the patio!
These are the little signs when I can go full on commando or pick my battle and go to the air conditioned studio.
Here is a photo montage of the less than stellar garden season of 2020.... it's really sad.
For the first time in almost 40 years we have snakes! Rat snakes and garter snakes. The snakes have eaten all my frogs and toads in both ponds. I love my frogs and toads, not so much the snakes.
Loading the kiln one day, looking out the window, I noticed something jumping in the garden. Rufus! Over a one week period, 2 hummingbirds (one released and one dead) and then he went after the butterflies! Just NO!
He looks very cute and sleepy in the picture below but he is a killing a machine. God Rufus, eat the snakes or bugs but leave my hummingbirds and butterflies alone. I now have a super soaker and I can hit a moving target on a flat out run from the back door; tuck and roll for a full frontal assault of this jerk!
I think holding a dead hummingbird was the day I truly walked away and threw in the towel and asked why do I do this?
really tired gardens........ but the zinnias have done well! The world needs a lot more zinnias and dahlias in my ever so humble garden opinion.
and although this squash plant has been mowed over several times, still it persists!
(sorry it's an election year)
The end is near for cucumbers....... I really don't think I could eat another pickle.
Deer and Hosta plants! Remember when I said they don't like smelly things? This is proof!
They ate all the foliage but left the blossoms. They didn't touch the basil, lavender, alyssum, sage, salvia or the watermelon! But they picked their way, on nimble little legs and ate all the leaves on the hosta! Amazing!
This squash plant has had more surgeries for vine borers than I can count and in this very dry summer it found the water. Nature is amazing. And the one pumpkin on this vine will probably be chewed by the chipmunks who live in the rocks of the pond.....
Sooooo how about some good things that are happening?
Cucumber relish is done!
The girls have started laying!! Yesterday I collected 4 eggs! The wait is over!
Smokey Salsa is in the jars and tucked on shelves in the basement!
Nothing eats eggplant! Makes me wonder why I am eating it but grilled it's pretty tasty!
The girls got a new roof! This will make winter so much better for the chickens and even better for the chicken mistress!
So many pollinators this year. Sleepy bees in the early morning.
Every single blossom has at least one bee if not 2 or 3.
The basil is up to my waist this year. I have neglected the hell out of it and nothing eats it, it's also lovely with the tomatoes and eggplant!
headed to the kitchen for dinner and sauce!
I am grateful and humbled by the kindness of friends, this just rocks my little world ....... thank you 💞
this is amazing!! it has all the "things"; chickens, gardens, a cat, my house, the same bench, a coop and I am working on a green house for next Spring. OH and a hedgehog...... I prefer those of groundhog!
The studio is hot and busy!
And now it's time for Harry Potter and a cold Guinness!
Cheers! I cannot wait for pumpkins and falling leaves!
Bring me a pumpkin spice latte' NOW!
Stay safe out there 💚💚💚
Hostas are the breakfast bar in my yard and neighborhood. Don't know what is eating the geraniums, but cayenne pepper helps for a while.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue! I sprinkling hot peppers around the plants to no avail I guess the next step is spraying them. I my head I just know I will bend down to eat one of those juicy ripe tomatoes and get a mouth full of hot! Because I am no smarter than a chipmunk LOL! Thanks!!
DeleteLol at your battles with 4 legged creatures ... our son had a squirrel Momma move into his attic. He was in a panic thinking of the damage that might be done. I suggested something I had read ... light and music as they like dark and quiet ... so with grow lights shining and country music blaring, Momma Squirrel headed for greener pastures ... M said he swears she made 15 trips to take out all the youngsters one at a time ... heading to neighbours bush area.
ReplyDeleteR too, has many garden woes this year - however, our neighbour across the road has had amazing harvests. They 'bagged' everything with a remay type cloth - she made individual bags for some plants using glue and for the rest they made frames to go over hoops on the beds and they have covered greenhouse. They are sharing the most amazing Roma type tomatoes which I have been canning. They also gave me a cantaloupe the other day! - yummm!
I have got as far as taking studio ware out into the backyard and hosing off the red clay. Getting ready to get back at it as soon as the canning, etc is done.
Enjoy your studio time! ... I am glad the online sales business is working for you! ... b
You know I started out with hoops and netting and Frost cloth for cabbage butterflies. And then stuff got big and it got hot and I slowly cooked my plants so took the darn stuff off and BAM! Also wondered about pollination with tomatoes and beans and cukes. So the chickens are eating really well!
ReplyDeleteGreat tip on the music and lights!! I was just loading the kiln and heard the chirp of a chipmunk. Grabbed a kiln shelf and he poked his head around one of the bricks. ARGH!!! NOT IN THE STUDIO! As fast as I moved glaze buckets he moved faster. All the doors were open and I thought great, go to the light, outside! He ran under the freezer! I am not moving the freezer as it's full! Looks like Metallica and studio lights :)
When switch in my head finally flipped. I got in the van drove 5 miles up the road gave a guy $5 and got a big basket of tomatoes. Thought my head would blow off! Really, $5 for all these tomatoes? Take my money! See ya tomorrow!
Online sales...... who knew!? Oh no, no, no; let me get in my super packed van, drive 50 miles or more, spend a day setting up, sleep in a ratty hotel, stand under the plastic dome for 10 hours in 100 degree heat or even better, rain and make $100. Oh and take my booth fee 6 months to a year in advance or sit at my computer and load pictures. The paradigm has shifted and we are not in Kansas anymore! Although I swear I saw a flying monkey eating my last peach!
Canning is in full swing here too!! Happy Dance!! Thanks B.!!
We battle the bugs too. It seems we try to grow zucchini every other year. If it's not squash borers it's end rot. So we skip it one year and then decide to give it one more try the next. We have had two zucchini survive to the edible stage. We are watching two more. Typically okra is dependable... not this year. At least we have had plenty of Cherokee tomatoes, and butternut squash has taken over and growing into the woods.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that online selling is taking off for you!
Hi Michèle! Same here with zucchini, plant it every year and am excited to get one or two! The vine-ectomy might have worked this year except they went right to the heart of plant, the coming through area. Finally out of shear frustration I just yanked it! And I love grilled zucchini!
DeleteIt is a bumper year for tomatoes! Peppers are just starting and hoping for the best! Have never tried to grow okra! Tried eating it when we lived in Louisiana and just never did much for me. I do like the plants through, especially the red stem variety!
Hoping I can get the webpage updated this weekend! Both kilns are firing so gonna a bit warm in the studio today!
Living large for Fall at this point ☺️👍🏻
I think you have just created too beautiful an environment and everyone wants to hang out! We had the opposite experience this year, planted out in the pasture, down and dirty gardening, not to my personal aesthetic, but man, that garden rocked this year. First year we ever got squash and there was too much of it. Everything seemed to come in fast and furious and then everything gave up at the same time, except peppers. The only thing we struggled with was cucumbers, they were bitter all summer or gigantic. We would go out in the evening and see none, then in the morning there they would be, 12" long! We have already eaten all the pickles I made, so that will be missed this winter:( We also had almost no pests this year for the first time. Last year was our year for every bug that God created. I got really sick of squishing bugs, but maybe I got them all, haha!
ReplyDeleteLOL oh I had not looked at quite like that! Today we are back in the 90's and again the rain missed us. I have decided to water a few things just keep them alive. The gardeners lament: Oh wait until next year! Ya, Hope Springs Eternal here at happy acres. I've already ordered seeds! This is the year I am really missing my Mom, she was a crack shot entomologist and would have loved the array of critters on this small half acre. Only woman I ever knew who carried vials of alcohol around in purse and it wasn't for drinking but instead collecting! Last week I had yellow fingers squishing bean beetles. So happy somebody had a great garden year!!! Has this stopped me from canning? Oh hell no! LOL!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely believe that that you stated. Your favorite justification appeared to be at the net the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed at the same time as other people consider worries that they just do not recognise about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also outlined out the entire thing with no need side-effects , other people could take a signal. Will probably be back to get more. Thank youสล็อตออนไลน์
ReplyDelete