I Talk a BIG Game--

 

A the LORD God Knows it.

 

“Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."

You might very well know where this is going…

You might also remember the sage advice I received at the onset of the summer break…  something like … PLAN YOUR SUMMER, DON’T LET IT COME AND GO… with regrets… blah, blah, blah… YES! Good advice and you can read all about my intentional summer planning here  -- by the way, I still think it’s good advice.

However, all the plans in the world aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on if you don’t do something with it—OR!  Plan properly.

I can say I’m going to do this or that… but unless I’ve prayed and asked God his direction, it’s really just an idea. Not much to it.

“Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

Of course, there is also, the unexpected illness that tends to throw a wrench into the works too.  Don’t get me wrong—I’m not thrilled about the way things are going with my health at the moment. However, I do believe, that the LORD will slow us down from time to time—causing us to REST in Him and take into account our daily lives. Making the most of how we walk… not becoming tied down with counting the days so much as weighing the intent of our hearts.

“Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."

So, while I’d planned on getting it all done , this summer and while I’d made a LARGER-THAN- LIFE-TO –DO LIST… I’m really, concentrating on what’s important.

Rekindled relationships. Family. 

Restoration, both in the physical and the spiritual.

Realistic Expectations—living each day as it is given.

Resting in finding Truth and Loving my Lord--

‘Til Next Time, Be blessed.

Patricia

 

*not an ICAD – (water color,on 8.5 x 11 sketch paper; Three Rose buds in a Pot)

*quote taken from NASB:  James 4:13-15

Muscadine Grapes–Stacked Pots revisted

 

I pulled this picture up from the bottom of the barrel lets just say… but I wanted to remind you what these cracked pots had become after a little bit of finagling, back in 2012.  Since then I planted what I thought was a grape vine; but because of my ruthless pruning technique—it never would bear fruit!

Today, I was out in the yard taking a few pictures here and there because I drawn there by this purple mystery flower…

While I was out there, realized I hadn’t pruned the vine back!

You can barely see my big metal rooster and you can’t see the stacked pots at all!

That vine is all over the place, the four o’clocks are springing up… 

Oh, wait! What’s this???

Muscadine Grapes!?!? 

I was so surprised!  There are more than these two of course… I didn’t want to disturb them, but let them grow and ripen.

This is thrilling!  I plan to make grape jelly…

I have read they have lots of good benefits to them. 

• What do you know about Muscadine grapes? 
• What do you do with yours?

Any tips… will be gladly appreciated!

• Oh, one more thing… any ideas what the mystery purple flower is?  The grand-daughter and I tossed out a bunch of mixed seed last year in the Spring/Summer time and all I can figure is this little seed held out and is just now germinated and blooming! 

As you can see I’ve not done anything in the garden this year—school has taken up that share of my time.  

• You may read more on my stacked pots here and here

 

‘Til next time, be blessed …and garden!

Patricia

 

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” ~ John 12: 24

A Day in Pictures

Good morning Marigold

How Things are Coming Along--

 

There is so much happening and going on in and around our home right now! I’ve got lots to say today!

First off… what a weekend! We’ve been super busy working on the camper—every spare bit of time off, we’re out there measuring and drawing up plans and cutting and screwing things together. Summer is getting into 90° temps finally; and I think we must have done pretty well insulating it…because we open the windows while we’re working and it’s not too hot in there!

 

It’s starting to take shape on the inside…though nothing is painted yet. We’ve got to add a couple of more shelf units and trim…then Honey is going to spray the inside with his compressor and air gun. It’s going really quickly now.  I’m super excited.  I’ll be posting more photos on my camper blog if you’re keeping up with it there!

Our garden is still growing!  I didn’t think I’d get ANY Zucchini from this garden. But yesterday late evening… I went out to check on all the gardening… and look what I found!  It’s been hidden all along under the leaves.

ONE HUGE ZUCCHINI!   I hope it tastes good.  The cucumbers and tomato are just a bonus!  We’re getting plenty of those!

Another thing we’re getting plenty of…?  Grand-babies!

Take a look at what I got in my text message this morning…

Yep!  I’m going to be an Oma again!  *edited to say the newlyweds are having a baby!

Of course, I’m excited!!!!

If you follow me on Instagram… I’m so sorry for the duplication.  I do have some followers here that don’t have IG accounts—and I like to keep EVERYONE informed. 

Hope your week is off to a great start!

‘Til next time, Count your blessings…

and name them one by one…

Patricia

 

Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season, we shall reap , if we faint not. ~ Galatians 6:9

 

Late Garden- June 2015

 

With all the rain we’ve had this year… and the late start we got on our garden, it’s been a strange one.

See my gorgeous zucchini plants I’m growing? (she boasts proudly)

No zucchini. sigh

Crooked neck squash in the same bed. YUM!  One plant… and 1

…2 and 3!  Yes! 3 squash.  Not sure… but I think this bed needs to have the soil amended.

The tomatoes I planted… are doing pretty well. What?  you don’t see my tomato plant?  Weeds… pssshh!

OKAY… yes,  They are in the same box…as the squash and Zucchini plants… Over in a corner… They ARE growing tomatoes.  But not huges amounts of tomatoes….

I got lazy this year—and honestly, I didn’t check for compatibility of my plants.  I also have not let my SHADOW fall in the garden much this year… ehem!   (I haven’t weeded it much.)

I have one other box that we planted with about 6 cucumber plants… and we are getting lots of cukes from there.  (seen in the top right corner of the first picture)

How’s your garden growing?  Is it finished already…due to hot temps?  Is it underwater or washed out due to rain… or is it still going strong?  My garden is the most lush and green and GRASSHOPPER FREE it’s been in years!

It’s mostly GARDEN-ER FREE too.   I’m a lazy gardener this year.  I was thinking maybe a Fall garden might be more productive and gardener friendly for us this year.  We’ll see!

‘Til next time,

Patricia

 

Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:
So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
~ Proverbs 24:33-34

Rain, Whimsy and Produce

We’ve had some rain—and are expecting more this week. It has kept everything green and growing around here!



After years of an on-going drought. I am not going to complain.  The shower pictured here was a welcome relief from a hot humid day. It cooled down a bit.  I took this last week.
Colonel Sanders is hidden in the garden behind all the wild grape and 4 O’clocks… I just haven’t had the chance to get the gardens ‘tamed’ this year

.

He is supposed to be standing sentry duty.  But he really looks more like he is hiding from someone!
There is just so much, going on right now, still; I’m glad  We I decided to go ahead and plant a little bit of a garden (seen in the first picture)  this year.  After the “we’re moving, now we’re not saga”  I just planted in the two remaining bed boxes.  You can see they’re full.
Well, they’re over flowing now… I took pictures today but didn’t get them downloaded.  I was mainly interested in getting some produce!

I was surprised to get a cucumber and a couple of tomatoes already!  Especially, since we got such a late start.


Just goes to show you… whether you have a large area to plant, like we do;  or you have just a small plot, or only room OR TIME for a few boxes or containers, like we DID. You can still grow something to put on the table.
You just have to do it!

** also, there is a new post up on the CAN (the Tin-Can Camper) …considering changing the name of that blog… I’ll let you know if I do!

‘Til next time,
Be blessed!

Dig in and Grow-

Was on the fence about gardening this year. In fact, we did nothing to prepare for a vegetable garden. We really thought we’d be putting the house on the market and moving; and went as far as pulling some of our bed-boxes up and hauling them to the burn pile.



I kept two boxes.  They’ve both seen better days—but for now they’ve got veggies planted in them.  Yay!  I was really thrilled to work in the dirt over the weekend. 
There was plenty to do too. I had let the boxes get filled in with bermuda grass and weeds. I think I might of even dug up a few hardy potatoes, leftovers from last years garden.
We planted

• Tomatoes (Big Beef and Goliath)
• Crooked-neck squash
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini squash
• Sweet Red onion

I went ahead and purchased plants instead of sowing seeds.
I also—didn’t double check, which plants are compatible with other plants. I seem to forget from year to year. I even have a notebook for that— still, I didn’t check. I wanted to get them in the ground before the rain.
We’ll see how this goes. Whatever comes up is fine by me. Like most of my gardening in the years past  —it’s pretty much ‘dig in and grow’! 
We’ve had storms the past two nights. They plants have perked up nicely; maybe they’ll take off and we'll get some groceries!
‘Til next time-
Be blessed.
Patricia
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:: Tomato and Cucumber Salad-

I’ve only been gardening with intent for about 3 years.  I played around with a garden when we first moved to the country—but really, I was too busy growing my children and growing myself—to worry with food; when all I really had to do was load up 4 kiddos into the VW Eurovan and  head down the highway to Wal-Mart. Gone are the days when ALL MY FOOD COMES FROM WALMART. In fact, I rarely step foot inside that store anymore.

So after 3 year short years of TRY, TRY AGAIN… this years garden has been pretty successful. How I measure success has changed over the years too.  I’ve only planted 4 small garden boxes.  They are chock full of different edibles.  I’ve put away about 6-8 quarts of green beans from a little 2 X 8 foot box. I haven’t canned any…but I do blanch and freeze. Either way… 6 or 8 qts from such a small plot of ground. Not too shabby!

We’ve had a mild Spring and Summer so far—by mild, I mean moderate temps. Today was in the 90’s  breezy and sunny. We’ve had lots of rain—so guess what?  FEW grasshoppers.  That’s right!  You’ve NOT heard or read about me Whining about GRASSHOPPERS.

 

I’ve heard and READ …they thrive in the drought. Their eggs hatch like crazy and that water—lessens the hatching and keeps the population down.  I’m not sure if its true or not… but, WE HAVE HAD RAIN…AND ‘HOPPERS NO BIGGER THAN the ones you see pictured here. Oh, they are here-- but NOT HUGE and Not CLOUDS OF GRASSHOPPERS.  Don’t get me wrong, we have them… but I don’t feel so OVERWHELMED by them this year.  The downside… WE DO HAVE MOSQUITOES!!!  AWFUL! AWFUL! THINGS.
All that said… the gardens are growing before they’re being obliterated and munched to death by the hoppers.  I’ve actually grown some FOOD this year.  Really, last year was such a disappointment.
These are the cucumbers!  I’ve got them ALL SIZES.

 
They’re coming along pretty well. Will I make pickles with them?  Probably not. The Honey and I do like to slice a cucumber and some onion and cover them with some water and vinegar—keep them chilled and eat them as a salad with dinner. 
I’ve of course grown radishes—Bree usually, plants those and pulls them.  They come along so quickly—they meet the need to have her patience greeted with a speedy harvest.  Cooked up a few things with those.  I love them grated and put into Cole Slaw! So yummy.

This is our LONE TOMATO.  I counted I have about 1 dozen tomato plants in various boxes.  All have bloomed.  This is our only Tomato.  We’ve had plenty of rain, gentle breezes…and flying whats-its to pollinate them but NO Tomatoes…except this one. :/

I have noticed this!  Right after the flower blooms… it wilts and falls right off the plant.  So there’s my tomatoes… fallen down before their time. 


“Blossom Drop” – could be caused by a few factors.

• Too much Humidity… check!  We’ve definitely had that.  It causeS the pollen to be too tacky and not able to drift to other flowers.
• Too High Heat during the day—Not so much. We’ve had lots of 80° and 90° days… nothing like we usually are accustomed to this time of year.
• Too Low Temps overnight—Uh, No.  That’s not it.
• Too Much Nitrogen. It is a high concentrated amount of dirt which includes chicken and cow manure(this could be the case in my blue pot) 

I used compost dirt in that barrel half.  —However the other two boxes where I have tomatoes planted don’t have this same dirt; and they’re not growing tons of tomatoes.  JUST THE ONE TOMATO!  
*edited to say; I found another plant with about 5 tomatoes growing on it. But that's it. 6 tomatoes in all. :/ 
I had plans for these tomatoes.  I like to eat them with cucumbers; and you saw how they’re thriving… I like to slice both of them (cukes and ‘maters) and drizzle Ranch on top …not drown them. Chill and eat! I’m not a big Ranch Dressing kind of person, but…
Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
This is something I’m going to keep working on…getting these tomatoes to grow.  I also should come up with a different dressing- something more healthy.  Especially now with my recent diagnosis of diabetes…I’ll definitely be experimenting with some new ideas and meals.

• Any ideas? 
• How to get these blooms to set fruit?  Or maybe…
• You have a vinaigrette that you think will be so delicious on my TOMATO? 
• I would hope it’s a good recipe too, if you suggest it.  As I only get one shot at it.  Seeing how I only have ONE tomato. ;)

Til next time, Be Blessed!



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The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him. ~Psalm 28:7

:: Hanging Gardens—A follow up !

 

It’s been about 1 month since I started my big experiment with my Hanging Ferns on my front porch--

“It’s No Wonder”

At the time—I was apologetic for such a lousy picture and no close up of my ferns… I told you how sad it was. Well for the sake of a ‘good’ experiment; I decide close ups were necessary. 

Don’t laugh--

here they are. “Lefty and Righty”

 

Pathetic really. 

If you live ANYWHERE in the Continental U.S.  or NORTH AMERICA  at all, then you understand the plight and trouble of trying to hang on to your plants during the NEVER ENDING WINTER! 

I almost killed them. Don’t let “Righty” fool you either… the trees in the back ground make it look way more grandiose than it is!  (this was after a hair cut!)

So after about 4 weeks of watering (HIT and MISS) with the Carolina Charm (links to blog not Pinterest) 

I’m happy to show the results

This is about mid way through the month of watering Lefty: WATER ONLY  Righty: Water and Epsom Salt

I had intended to do this 3X a week… however, it ended up being about 2—fully submersed with water and epsom salt… the experiment wasn’t a precise science—also, The Honey watered them when my back was turned.

Here they are on the ground after being watered…

 

Lefty, I have to say has grown fuller in size—but isn’t as GREEN.

While, Righty—HAS GROWN AND FILLED IN is still not caught up to Lefty—but Righty is much greener and actually looks pretty healthy.

I’ve begun to give them both the Water and Epsom Salts. 

It’s the first week of June… I’m going to see how well they do the remainder of the growing season.  I’m also making preparations for them to be inside in a sunny room over the winter next year.  Hate for all that hard work and water to go to waste.  I’m thinking—before they get too big… I might need to repot and split these and I bet they’ll grow even better.

Have you had luck growing ferns?  Have you tried many experiments with Pinterest finds?  Were they very successful?

Til next time, Be Blessed!



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But SEEK first His Kingdom and His Righteousness; and all these things will be added to you.  ~Matthew 6:33

:: The Mighty Oak- Survives Drought and ‘Hoppers::

I had wanted to do a post on all the harvest that we had this year. But, I’m afraid I didn’t keep very good records. The yield was so little. I barely wrote anything down in my notebook. Quite discouraging.
The last of the summer predator. The grasshopper. The killer of hope. The snuffer of garden dreams.

:: Frugal Fodder 25-- Fall Gardens and Water ::

With cooler than normal temps last week... I really got in the mood to garden again, after months of heat and grasshoppers.  I've been reading up on drought conditions around our state. One article I read talked about Texas farmers  planting a Fall crop of corn.  Those further south aren't going to because the water is just too scarce.

For us, living near the lake and getting the monthly reminders in our water bill keeps me more aware that water levels are low and capturing and using water wisely is important.
Our garden did NOT do well at all this year--due to 2 main factors, DROUGHT AND HOPPERS!

I ended up buying 3 big bags of "IFFY"Green beans at the grocer, that had been bagged up for $2 bucks a bag. We've eaten some already, they are delicious. I ended up with about 3 gallons...maybe 10 quarts or so. I brought them home snapped them, blanched them and froze them.

All the little  snips and bits went to the chickens.  For $6 bucks, I got quite a bit of green beans for T.H. and myself and the chickens got a little treat.

They loved it!

So because it (gardening) was not successful this year, I am going to try Fall Gardening again. Where we live...we average about 254 growing days a year. So I've read. I don't know for sure it that leaves out our MILD WINTERS or OUR EXTREME SUMMERS. Either way, we are making use of water, besides JUST washing the dishes( I use a dishpan NOT A DISHWASHER)

 I am taking my water out to the gardens, the rinse water goes on the plants, the soapy wash water...goes in a few places... around the foundation of the house (our ground cracks bad in the summer months) in the compost or on the grass and flowers. We try to have as little waste as possible.

This is what I've planted for the Fall so far:

• Collards,
• Kohlrabi,
• Green Beans,
• Sweet Peas,
• Wax Beans,
• Acorn Squash,
• CORN
• ... and Zinnias! 

A girl needs flowers. :)

You might also like to read: "Thinking about water Here"   and "Fall Garden Planted";
both of these articles are from 2 years ago. Our last Fall garden. Over all, they were successful! :)

Do you plant a fall garden where you live?
Have they been successful?

 

He is the rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgement. A God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. ~ Deuteronomy 32:4 

 

:: Potato Tomato- Potato Tomato ::

I read lots of homesteading blogs about people living self-sufficiently and sustainable lifestyles... over and over this year, I've heard how people all over the country have been experiencing less than average yields in their gardens.

• Too much rain. 
• Not enough rain.
• Too late a start due to snow. 
• For us, it was the ravages of Grasshoppers.  We just have not had a cold enough winter the last couple of years. 

We harvested 1 big basket of potatoes; and I brought them up on the porch. They are keeping without growing eyes...nothing has gotten into them either, bugs or chickens. I know this is not the proper way to put potatoes up 'for keeps'...but hey it is working.

I cleared out 3 small rows of green beans back before the Grasshoppers got really bad...and it made the equivalent of a 1 lb. frozen bag. It was enough for about 5 small meals for The Honey and myself.
I blanched them and froze them on a cookie sheet and then put them in a zip bag.
I have enough right now to dump in a pot roast or something...but not by themselves.
This has been our worst year for veggies too.

We only harvested enough peas to add to one dish. I won't complain. It was our first time growing peas...I was glad we got that much.

Cucumbers... fail
Lettuce...bitter fail. By bitter I mean...we had lots of it...but it just tasted bitter. I know. that is what salad dressing is for... I tried that. It helped to take the vein out and just eat the leaf and it was alright on a sandwich. Overall... fail.

I must say, our tomatoes still have blooms on them and a few of them are just turning. The lettuce is long gone. So no tossed salad...  we both like sliced tomato as a SIDE with my meals...so can't complain.

I threw a sweet potato into one of the bed boxes and threw some dirt on it...it's coming up now. They are apparently drought tolerant. Don't know about the grasshoppers though...haven't seen them eating it.
They DON'T EAT THE TOMATOES... I should plan to grow nothing but tomatoes!!!  

This plant has doubled since I snapped this picture. 

I don't know much about Sweet Potatoes...but maybe we'll get some out of it. As I am the only one to eat them... just a few would be nice. Not to mention the education and experience I'll gain out of planting it. :) 

Most of you guessed that my address sign was the back part of a bench seat.
Yes!

I accidentally broke it when I sort of tossed it out of the way one day while mowing. Ooops! 

So glad it broke when it did...I'd hate for someone to have sat in it and have it do that. 

That would be embarrassing for me and for them. Not to mention how their tail-bone might have felt afterward. 

Deborah Jean's Dandelion House

Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. ~Psalm 37:4