It's Going To Be One Of Those Seasons

More on that title later, but on Sunday Lee mowed the lawn and then we went to a little fundraiser open garden event.  The garden, really the grounds with 40 acres and 2 ponds, was extensive.  But it was a very hot day, bright sun, and full of people, so I didn't take many photos.  Lee loved this stone though, so I had to share it:

 

Swallows?  So funny sticking their butts out of the nest and pooping on the ground below.  There were slightly smaller ones in a nest on another light fixture:

 

We went to Guilford's Lobsterfest on Saturday, a fundraising event for Guilford Rotary.  Lee ate both of his lobsters, but I only ate one and took the other home.  Lee made me lobster salad on Monday.  A tiny bit of mayo and fresh dill from our garden.  I cut more dill than the needed for the lobster and decided to mix it in with the greens which were mostly store bought, but some fresh cut mesclun from our garden.  It was so delicious, I don't want another green salad this summer without some fresh dill mixed in:

 

Then Lee took advantage of the absolutely perfect weather and did some yard work.  He came in and asked me if he should harvest some of the potatoes.  Remember the ones that were turning yellow in the driveway and had been attaked by Colorado potato beetles?  I said, sure, go ahead, and he took out a tarp and started turning over the pots:

 

He did two of the ceramic containers and the large wooden box.  I love that it came out in the square:

 

So delicious boiled and lightly buttered.  Not a huge haul for 3 containers, but with the Colorado potato beetles I thought better to harvest now and enjoy.  It's going to be one of those seasons.  Maybe not everything will go prefectly, but we'll have to be adaptable.  We have three other mid-size containers growing and 4 huge trash cans, so I'm sure there will be many more potatoes in our near future:

 

And I harvested another big bunch of the kale.  This bowl is huge, so it's a lot more than it appears to be:

 

Lee is so loving his new grill and Monday's adventure was pork chops.  Look at those perfect grill marks (and ignore our messy table):

 

After work on Wednesday I grabbed my trusty Felcos and finally finished deadheading the irises in the patio garden.  Tough to see here, but the day-lilies are getting pretty close to blooming.  Mid-July is pretty typical for them:

 

I'm so enjoying the new raised bed:

 

This is the reverse view of the herb bed than what I usually show you.  All the herbs are doing well, but the chives (left) and tarragon (right) seem particularly happy:

 

And the back view of the zucchini and cucumbers with the mesclun mix beneath them:

 

The raised veggie bed.  The nasturtiums are blooming away, the volunteer basils look great, but the onions took a pretty hard knock in Tuesday's thunderstorm.  The Swiss chard and Detroit Dark Red beets are trucking along, but the kale...:

 

Let's just say I'm happy I harvested so much of it over the weekend because the cabbage worms have hit with a vengeance.  Again, it's going to be one of those seasons.  We just discovered that we love kale and the cabbage worms get it.  I picked off about 20 today and smashed them, but I doubt I got them all:

 

Since I try to always end with a happy thought, here's the best looking tomato in our garden this year.  In the driveway, definitely a smaller container, but clearly getting more sun than any of the other tomatoes.  A Lillian's Yellow tomato which is new to our garden, boy I hope we like how it tastes:

 

Maybe on Thursday after work I'll be able to get out and pot up some containers because it's supposed to be very hot over the weekend and I can't see me doing it then!  Do you have big plans for the 4th of July?

Comments

[Mummer]

We have nothing really exciting planned for the 4th - other than going to Marco for the fireworks, admiring my new plumbing, AND, accepting delivery on a new, smooth-top range!
I'm so looking forward to Lee's gourmet meals....
Oh, how discouraging to have hungry bugs - we came back to dead lawn, dead shrubs, even dying cactus. Absolutely no rainy season yet.
But, good news - in NC, my etoile violet clematis flourished (cuttings coming in September) and a few fig branches snared from two different trees in St. Augustine seem to be o.k. in the moist earth I stuck them in last night.
So, now what I'm looking forward to is fresh potatoes surrounding an interesting Thanksgiving ethnic meal!

[Wendy]

Your herb garden looks great, Heather. And you're right... it's gonna be one of those seasons.

[Heather's Garden]

Mom -- I don't know why you think there will be any potatoes left by Thanksgiving.

Wendy -- The herbs are loving the sunny spot. I'm very pleased with their progress. Just as long as I get some tomatoes this season I'll be happy enough.