Everything is coming up roses...

My rose bed is beautiful.  I had no losses over the winter.  At a zone 3, I'm pretty excited about this feat.  If you are looking for hardy roses these buggers have passed the test.

 Morden Blush - It has no scent, but blooms off and on all summer.

 Henry Kelsey - It also has no scent and blooms intermittently. 

 Rambling Red - Darn still no scent, but blooms about twice a season.

 Topaz Yellow -  She smells divine, but be careful her thorns are nasty.  She blooms about twice a season.  

 William Baffin - The pink rose in back, blooms like crazy then intermittently.  A bit of a scent.

Theresa Bungnet -  She smells heavenly, starts with a bang and then blooms intermittently.  Problem is she is very disease prone.

I also have Mom's Harrelson Yellow, CL Westerland, Champlain, and Charles Albanel.  I am super excited, as I bought an Australian Copper.  A few years ago I tried to start some slips I got from a wonderful lady in Deadwood named, Rose.  The slips didn't make it, but the memory stayed.  It hasn't been easy trying to maintain a rose garden at this altitude, but I live in a gambling town and this is the risk I'm willing to take.

An update on my Flycatcher Family.  The four little ones are doing great.  They chirp anytime they hear me coming.  Fuzzy little guys.  They aren't the handsomest group.

I also thought I'd throw in a few photos of the vegetable garden.  My tomatoes look great.  The peas are perfect.  

The outdoor beds are flourishing with all the rain we have had.

The borage and asparagus had to be tamed.  The carrots are making wonderful progress.  The lettuce and spinach are past their prime.  My gardening companion doesn't mind if the lettuce is past its prime.  She expects a leaf every time you enter the garden.

 Tier two is also doing great.  The sweet corn, beans, beets and I think egg plants are making great progress.  I'm leaving the onions in the ground and will see how they are next year.  I never ever get big onions.  I did have two nice ones that made it through the winter.  I'll give it a try.

 Tier three hasn't fared so well.  Something ate my broccoli.  The pole beans and sweet corn does look good.  I am also happy with my garlic.

 I will leave you with a very pleasant surprise, Brazilian Lemonade.  

3 Limes washed and quartered.
1/3 c. Sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. sugar
4 c. cold water

Pulse the limes, sweetened condensed milk, sugar, and 2 cups of water.  Pour liquid through a strainer and then pour the other 2 cups of water through the strainer.  Serve over ice.  Sit on the porch and enjoy while watching the butterflies and flycatchers.  What do you sip while enjoying the garden?

Saga of the flycatcher....

Every year we play host to a couple of flycatchers.  Over the years I have come to the conclusion that they are the dumbest birds out there.  Each year they agonize over nest placement.  I think the agony comes over choosing the most fledgling unfriendly place they can find.  One year it was in a shed and another was at the highest peak of our cabin.  I am sorry to say the survival rate of their offspring hasn't been the best.  The first step is always a doozy.  

This year was another drama filled endeavor.  It began with the mother and father determined to build their nest on the porch supports.  This is a great concept as the nest will be well protected.  Problem was they kept forgetting how to get to the nest.  They had four separate nests, because every time they got on the porch they couldn't remember where to go.  Finally, one of them figured it out.  It would go under the porch and come up through the stairs.  Of course this nest is right above the water fountain.  Another doozy of a first step for the little guys.  

There are little ones.  I got on a chair to take this photo.  As soon as the camera beeped they opened their little beaks for food.  It was cute.  I will have to move the water fountain when they get to the first flight stage.

 I am inspired by Our Plot at Green Lane Allotments.  They always report the success and failures of their garden.   I am going to follow suite.  My Early Frost Peas are stellar.  They are producing like crazy and taste great.   I am also very happy with my Bolero and Cosmic Purple Carrots.   The Arcadia Broccoli tastes great, but the heads are small.

I must say I enjoyed sitting on the porch shelling peas.  Ella especially liked that I fed her the shells. They aren't even close to being done with production.  On the other hand my Telephone Peas are pretty sad.  They have spent more time climbing and not much producing.   





I am a bit late posting, as I spent the Fourth of July weekend visiting family.  It is always good to see loved ones.  I am sure you can guess I was at my in-laws as I am posting several bird photos.  I was not fast enough to capture a hummingbird this time, but there was plenty of other birds to keep me occupied.  Like the goldfinch below.

Once in a blue moon I get a rose breasted grossbeak, but they are common in Minnesota.

The highlight was capturing a cardinal.  I was a Harrold Cardinal in high school, but never saw a cardinal until I visited my in-laws.  They are so pretty and I love their call.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July, filled with family and fun.  My question of the week is what is your most productive plant this year?

There is always something...

When I started this blog I wondered if I would find enough things to talk about.  Truth is there always seems to be something going on.  Maybe to some people they aren't earth shattering events, but to me it is the little bits of fabric that make the quilt of life.  

I try to keep posts small, but this week was packed with adventure.  I will begin with the little guy below.  While out at our property we saw this little bugger.  He was certain I was his mother.  They must not have good eye site at that age.  It was hard to keep from picking him up, but I'm sure his mom was close by.

My Miss Kim lilac bloomed this week and hosted quite a few admirers.  I kept the camera handy while relaxing on the porch and wasn't disappointed.  There were plenty of guests.

This guy was much smaller than the hummingbird moths I normally get.  He looked so soft and had such pretty colors.

My garden has been filled with bumblebees this year.  They love the columbine flowers.  It is good to have them back.  A few years ago they were pretty scarce.  

A few closeups of my favorite springtime flowers.  The yellow rose smells heavenly.  I wish they bloomed more than once a year.  I'm always taking close ups of iris blooms.  They have so many different textures.  The velvety leaves, fuzzy stripes, and contrasting colors.  They are amazing flowers.

We have been getting plenty of rain, but I couldn't resist staging a photo shoot with my watering can.

These red iris remind me of stained glass windows the way they capture the light.  My husband found them and knew I would love them.  He is always looking out for me.

I end with one of my favorite springtime sites.  A doe and her twins.  Captured on our trail camera.  I hope everyone is slowing down and taking a few moments to enjoy the little things in life.  In reality, I find they are actually the big things.  

Busy as a bee...

I've been busy as a bee.  Projects all over the place.  The weather is so nice I can't sit still.  

Project 1:  Making stepping stones and a bird bath using leftover cement.  Giant rhubarb leaves served as the mold.  We covered them in cement.  The stepping stones were laid flat on an old piece of drywall.  For the giant birdbath, we took the biggest rhubarb leaf and spread it over some grass clippings to make a concave form.   Since it was so large, I added fencing as rebar.   The stepping stones turned out great.  I will let them dry a bit longer and then stain them.

 I'm letting this bad boy sit for a while.  It will be tricky to get it turned over.  We shall see in a few more days.

 Project 2:  This winter my little sign fell off of the fence.  It was hard to see during the summer, because the plants covered it.  I took its demise as a sign to move it to higher ground.  I put it on top of the cow waterer bird feeder/bath combo we made a few years back.  The wood was a piece we had sitting around, because it was twisted.  It is still a bit twisted, but I like the outcome.  All that is left is to plant a vine at the bottom.

 Project 3:  The Maitake (Hen of the Woods) Mushroom log.  I am super excited about this project, but patience is the key.  The mushroom plugs came in December and have been patiently sitting in the refrigerator.  A few weeks ago my husband and I cut a fresh oak log to innoculate.  It had to sit for two weeks before adding the mushrooms.  It is super important that the log does not get exposed to other mushroom species.  It sits off the ground on a pallet.  Finally, inoculation day.  I gathered my tools.  First, I drilled 5/16 holes in the log.  I tapped the plugs in the hole and then covered them with melted beeswax.  That was my favorite part.  The beeswax smelled heavenly.  Now it must sit and stew for several months.  I will keep you updated.

Yes, I have been busy.  It keeps me young.  We have had lots of rain and it is so green and lush Happy Fathers Day!  What project have you been doing?

A walk in the garden...

Finally some flower photos...

The maroon columbine is insane.  It is like a weed. 

 The ajuga is intense and the bumblebees LOVE it.

 A miniature iris among the ajuga.

 The greenhouse is doing great.

 The camomile in the washtub is already blooming.

 The tomatoes, peas, broccoli, lettuce, peppers, and carrots are doing great.  There is also one hardy bok choi. 

 The parsley, asparagus, and volunteer garlic look wonderful.  I'm hoping the big leaves are borage, but I have a bad feeling it isn't.

 Peppermint, lettuce, and more volunteer garlic.

Chives, marjoram, actual planted garlic, little radishes and baby beets. 

Well, that is the garden.  I do have some sweet corn up.  I need to get some rosemary and thyme, as I lost mine this winter.  It is pretty wet here.  My beans still aren't up.  I do have some lemon cucumbers making an appearance.  My flower beds are struggling.  They need sunshine.   How does your garden grow?  Anything new you are trying this year?  I'm sticking to tried and true things this year.   

Bear Maintenance...

I bet you thought this would be about the bear hunt.  Well surprise, it is about garden decor.  More specifically my fishing bears.  They are dry cracked and two of them have lost their marbles.  They needed some TLC.

I stained them with some deck stain.  Giving them a nice summer tan.  Then I glued their eyes in, or tried to.  Don't think that was a simple task.  The little bear has big eyes and the big bear has little eyes.  Of course, I came to that realization after I dropped the big marble in the eye socket of the big bear.  My husband commented that it looked like he had a head injury because his pupils were unequal.  Do you think I could get that marble out?  We had major optometry surgery on the porch.  It took awhile but the operation was successful.  I got the marbles in the right bears and glued the heck out of those eyeballs.  

 I found them some fishing line and even a bobber this year.  I put the pump in and the bears are back on the porch.  I think they even look happier.  Now that I think about it, we did see three bears on our hunt and fishing trip to Canada.  Like the little guy, we even caught some fish.

T 

That isn't the end of my bear story.  I am here to say Gumbo Lily is right and there is nothing better than lard when baking.  I took our guide's advice and made a blueberry pie using the bear grease in place of shortening.  WOW.   Again I quote my husband (twice in one post he is on a roll), "I don't like change, but this is the best pie crust ever."  

Not only did I use the bear grease for a pie crust, but also in biscuits for my morning egg sandwiches.  There are no photos of the breakfast sandwich, because we were hungry.  I did have a biscuit leftover, slathered it in honey, and took a photo before eating it.  The honey is from our beehives.  Though I don't know if we will have bees much longer.  Our keeper brought in a new hive and they are ornery.  I've been stung 4 times already this year.  Before this year, I've only been stung once since we got them in 2009.  I wasn't even poking around the hives.  Just working in the orchard.  If they don't settle down they may have to go.  

Anyway,  back to the bear grease.  My only advice would be add add more flour or use less grease.  Here is my cloud biscuit recipe.  It makes four biscuits.   Just right for two people. 

Cloud Biscuits

1 c. flour add another 1/2 if using bear grease

2 t. sugar

1/4 t. salt

1/2 c. bear grease or shortening

1 egg

1/3 c. milk

2 t. baking powder

Sift dry ingredients, work in shortening until crumbly, add egg and milk.  Don't over stir.  Pat out on a floured surface.  Don't overwork the dough.  Bake at 350 degrees until brown.  Sorry forgot to watch the timer.  

Geeze, quite the weekend.  That was only a quarter of what I did.  It is good to get outside and get things done.  Hopefully, some flowers will start blooming.  What did you do this weekend?