Remember this photo from last year? My compost bins were completely full.
This spring I added some alfalfa, turned the pile every weekend, and voila two full bins magically became half a bin. I used some of the compost when I redid my red/yellow bed. The rest will be used to mulch my roses, mixed in with vegetable garden, and the butterfly garden.I got a couple of nice carrots from the garden. I roasted two more sheet pans of tomatoes. They are so delicious.
The title is about things not going as planned. Well, I picked a plethora of crabapples for wine. They make a pretty tart wine, so I thought I'd add some wild apples to sweeten it. Usually, the wild apple tree doesn't produce much and generally they are too sweet. Well not this year. They are amazing and perfect for pies or crisp. Change of plans. The apples are saved for another day. I added some grape juice to the crabapples in hopes of toning things down.We had a ton of turkeys tonight. Hens with chicks, jakes, and single hens. What an uproar. They were clucking like crazy.My sister was out for a couple of days, while she presented at a conference. It was the first time in years we were together without kids underfoot. We enjoyed some nice visits on the porch and talked gardening until our hearts content. The highlight of her trip was being able to return some irises that she had given me long ago. They came from a school where our grandmother had taught. Her patch and grandma's patch had both died. She forgot she gave some to me and thought they were lost for good. Mine are multiplying like crazy. I was more than happy to return the gift.
Ella has been on the alert. While my husband was bow hunting deer, a young mountain lion joined him. It was at one end of the meadow and my husband at the other. It took off when my husband got out of his stand. It isn't the best picture from his game camera. Do you have generational plants? Have you been using your garden harvest? Do you have many apples? Hope all goes smoothly in your neck of the woods.
That first photo reminds me of a Millais painting. WE have had a bounty of cooking apples that have been stewed and frozen.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got some good apples. I've been in tomatoes finally! Everything here is so late. I have a geranium from my great gma & peonies from a dear friend who is no longer with us. I treasure them. I also have strawberries that I purchased a 4 pack of back in the early 90s. They are now at their 3rd home. I plan to take them with me when I move again (have left some each time too of course.)
ReplyDeletePS Mountain lion is good slow roasted just not fried :-)
ReplyDeleteHi there! I just replied to your comment over on Debbie's blog, hope you go take a look! Nice to meet ya!--right now I am enjoying your pretty blog pictures.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that your sister could visit for a couple of days. I like that the two of you could talk plants. Every gardener needs a sister like that. I have been enjoying your garden pictures so much. Good girl, Ella! I hope she stays safe.
ReplyDeleteI love all of your photos and the iris's are so pretty! I have tried several times to raise apple trees but have not had success. A neighbor who used to purchase eggs from me told me that they have not been able to get apple trees to grow. Your carrots are so pretty......I have never seen one with the dark color. Is that a different kind of carrot? We have coyotes.......and once in a while we spot a black puma. Just loved visiting your blog today!
ReplyDeletei am not sure what "generational plants" are?? i have been using my garden harvest, i have roasted and frozen 4 bags of tomatoes, they are delicious!!
ReplyDeletei have not pulled my carrots yet, i think i will this weekend!!