Monday Monday

Monday already.  Wow, the weekend just flew by.  Somehow it seems we've mostly caught up on things around here and have enjoyed a slow and almost lazy weekend.  The grass is all mowed, the weed-eating done, the coop and cages are clean and I actually am caught up on the weeding in the garden.  For a day or so anyway!  

 I took a walk around the garden this morning, enjoying a cup of coffee and a cool breeze.   The squash, no matter how close I keep an eye on it and obviously no matter what I spray, dust or sprinkle on it is still being attacked by squash bugs. I pick them off and kill them almost to obsession.  Kind of like a monkey will groom another monkey?  I search for the eggs and destroy them too, and I'm still loosing this battle.  I am almost to the point that I am ready to just give up trying to grow it.  The problem is that we both love squash. Oh, and did I mention I'm not a quitter?   I wish we could afford row covers because I'm starting to think that might be the only thing left to try. 

In other news around the homestead all the beans and the black=eyed peas are starting to bloom. The pepper's that were planted a few weeks ago are all blooming.  I've even been able to pick about a pint of jalapeno's and a little bell pepper.   The 14 or so that I picked up a couple of weeks ago seem to be coming out of their shock from being so root-bound when I got them.  It may just be a "banner" year for peppers. The row on the right are all the runner beans and the peas.  On the left are two types of bush beans with some different types of peppers and squash mixed in.

 The tomato's are looking great so far.  There are green tomato's all over the place.  I need to tie them up again.  The "cages" that Mars built are working well so far.  Not bad for some old cedar limbs and a bit of baling wire!

 I've read that marigold's planted with your tomato's will help repel insects. So I planted these when they were seedlings.  I don't know how true that is but I love the look of them there! They are just starting to bloom now.  Can you see the green tomato's?  I can! Actually I can see Fried Green Tomato's on my plate very very soon!  In the south, summer isn't official until you've had your first mess of Fried Green Tomato's!

Here's a shot of the lower garden.  The onions are almost ready to pull.  The spinach has bolted and some of the lettuce has also started to bolt.  I harvested turnips last week.  I didn't plant many but will put some more into the fall garden.   We'll start it here as most all of this plot will be about finished soon.  Except of course for the tomato and pepper plant's I stuck in there. 

 I've got lemon basil tucked in and around the garden and the flower beds that I've been harvesting and dehydrating a little at a time. I'm planning on drying a fair portion of the onions for using this winter.  I use a good amount in cooking and would like to have onions last until next year.  We'll see how it all works out.


Right now the garden is in that "limbo" phase.  Where things are either getting ready to take off and others are just about done.  So while I have a chance I think I'll try and give the house a good going over today.  Hang some laundry, find me a shade tree and read a good book.  Not a bad way to spend a Monday.  I've certainly had worse.