Sum Sum Summertime!

I've been gardening for many years and have never had results like this year. I'm not certain what it is - is it the rain? is it the warm days and cool nights? Whatever the magic sauce is, I love it! My gardens - flower and vegetable - are all growing like they're on steroids! Mom asked me recently if I use any fertilizer and the answer is no.

I have a little bit of everything planted - things that I love - in the flower beds. They are heavily populated with coneflowers and daisies (five different varieties).  Then, there is lavender, calla lilies, hydrangeas, bee balm, coreopsis, zinnias, calendula, nasturtiums, and more. There are all kinds of herbs including four varieties of basil, spearmint, rosemary, eucalyptus, comfrey, lemon verbena, lemon balm, thyme, several different sages including clary sage, dill, two kinds of chives, chamomile, etc. Last year, I couldn't grow a cucumber for love nor money! I planted them twice and might have harvested one! This year, I have them running out of my ears! I read somewhere that they don't like being planted with tomatoes but find it hard to believe that is the reason they performed so poorly last year.  

I have two fenced-in raised beds that I use for vegetables. This year, I dedicated one bed to just tomatoes - six different kinds! All of the bushes are absolutely LOADED! They are all just hanging with tomatoes! I have no idea what I'm going to do with them all! I need to learn to can! Mom used to make a tomato relish that was yummy. I will use some in spaghetti sauce and freeze bags of that. 

The second raised bed holds all the cucumbers, yellow squash, spaghetti squash, honey nut squash, and zucchini. All the plants are producing like mad! I've never planted honey nut squash before and am anxious to see what they taste like. We are already enjoying the yellow squash, zucchini, and cucumbers. These cucumbers are the sweetest and best ones I've ever had. I will have to find the name of the variety so I can try to get them again next year. They're meatier with fewer / smaller seeds. 

I love nothing better than cut flowers! I have vases full of flowers all over the house. My favorite vases are jars and bottles. Mom loves those Starbucks Frappuccinos that you can buy at the grocery store four bottles to a carton. I peel the label off and use Goo Gone to remove the sticky residue.  Next, I fill the bottle with water and flowers sometimes tying a bit of twine, string, or ribbon around the top of the bottle. This makes a simple and charming vase to give away to someone filled with flowers. 

On this year-long plus weight loss journey I'm on, I've been walking a lot. There are so many options for outdoor activity where I live. I really love that Ohio has so many parks and green spaces. They're everywhere you turn. My neighbor and I walked last Sunday morning at Caesar Creek Gorge and caught two of the locals out enjoying the morning. They were just hanging out - not minding us a bit.

I need to get back to the soap pot but have been busy recently with a knitted order for a friend back in Virginia who is expecting her first grandchild. A little girl! The order, a blanket, is finished and visiting the blocking mats this weekend. I bought this coordinating yarn for a hat, socks, or booties but haven't heard back from her yet as to whether or not she wants me to knit anything other than the blanket. The blanket pattern is Lace Coverlet by Plymouth Yarn Design Studio and I knit it with Dreambaby DK Yarn also by Plymouth. This is the second time I've knit this pattern - love it and love the yarn!

Other than working, tending gardens, and knitting, we've put the boat in the water a couple of times this summer. We have an old pontoon that we bought when we lived in Virginia. The original owner had it all decked out for fishing. We don't fish - we just cruise - so we stripped all the fishing stuff off. We were left with just the driver's seat and a small bench seat in the back. Doesn't bother me - I can put my beach chair or towel anywhere I want! It's so relaxing riding around the lake!

We had severe storms this afternoon complete with tornado warnings. Thank goodness they passed fairly quickly with little to no damage in our area. Mother Nature did apologize by offering up this beautiful sunset. 

Thanks for reading and hope you have a relaxing weekend!

Comments

[Lisa]

WOW! Your garden is gorgeous!

[Jill]

You have one of the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen.

[Martha Donley]

Robin, it is really easy to freeze tomatoes if you have the room. Wash them, cut the core out and pop them in a freezer bag. To use remove from freezer, run under hot water for a few seconds and the skin slides right off. Then thaw and use. Don't wait until they are thawed to remove the skins.
Would love to get together some time.
Martha