Busy bees...

This year I had a plethora of garlic.  Enough to make my first braid with plenty left over to plant this fall.   I have to say there is something very satisfying in not only harvesting, but also creating something beautiful from the garden.  That wasn't the end of my bounty.  I canned the carrots, peas, beans, and onions for stews and casseroles.  There is always raspberry jam.  It was great picking raspberries with my niece and teaching her how to make jam.  Finally, I bottled my rhubarb wine.  Now I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I will get some sweet corn, egg plant, tomatoes, and maybe a pumpkin or two.  I am not certain as the temperature went from 90 degrees yesterday to 56 degrees today.

My flowers are plentiful.  I'm extremely happy with this year's garden.  I am improving at growing annuals.  After years struggling with growing hollyhocks here, I have some real beauties.  I am always a sucker for taking photos of the bees busy with action.  I love the dusting of pollen on their legs and the glint of sun on their wings.  As the saying goes, "the hum of bees is the voice of the garden."

This used to be my strawberry bed.  Now it holds cosmos, sunflowers, poppies, and there are pumpkins in there somewhere.

I finally have an established colony of peaches and cream hollyhocks.  I took a bouquet of them to school the other day and the students didn't believe they were real.  They thought the flowers were made of tissue paper.

She is very intent on making honey for winter.  I know how she feels.

Oops, I guess spiders have to eat, same as worms.

I am so impressed with borage.  My new favorite wrap is a spinach tortilla, ranch dressing, spinach, bacon, chicken, and borage flowers.  My nieces thought it was amazing to eat flowers that taste just like cucumbers. 

A very slow follow up on my rhubarb leaf bird bath.  It does hold water and it is HUGE.  Unfortunately, just like every birdhouse on our place, I have yet to see a bird use it.

Aren't these hollyhocks beautiful? A big thanks to my mother-in-law who kept supplying me with seeds until I finally got some to grow.

Probably my favorite summer flower are my AJ's Black Eyed Susan.  Given to me by a good friend.  They make beautiful sunshine drifts around the yard.

Last year the chipmunks planted sunflowers all over, so this year I didn't plant any.  My mistake.  This is the only one in my garden.  Live and learn.

I have the worst luck with onions.  They never get big.  I let them go to flower this year.  I'm leaving them in the ground, with hopes of having something bigger than a golf ball next year.

The bee balm is thriving this year.  It looks so nice against the yellow.

Yellows and reds are the colors of my summer garden.

With that lengthy dialogue, I will leave you with a few parting shots of the yard.  It is certainly green for August.  I hope you enjoyed the garden tour.  How does your garden grow?  Any hints to get larger onions?

Post rally

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is finally over.  There are a few stragglers, but the dull roar that has permiated the air is starting to lull.  We headed out to our property to see what we could see.

 I saw these nasty caterpillars eating my gooseberry bushes.  There aren't any berries, thanks to a hard freeze.

I did some research and found out these vines are wild cucumbers.  Bummer they aren't edible.

The wildlife was abundant.  We saw wild turkeys and antelope.

I think my favorite photo was capturing the hawk in flight, while taking a picture of Bear Butte shrouded in clouds. 

I am so glad the Rally is over.  Is there something you have not been looking forward to this summer?

Loose ends...

 Well, I survived 5 days with two rambunctious youngsters.  We had so many adventures:

-Hiking
-Making Walking Sticks
-Visiting the Spearfish Fish Hatchery
-A picnic in the Park 
-Wading in the Creek
-Camping
-Doing a Scavenger Hunt
-Visiting where I Work
-Hiking Bear Butte (WAY HARD)
-Picking Berries
-Making Jam and Jello
-Learning to take Pictures
-Fishing
-Fox watching
-Singing and making up silly stories
-Gold Panning
-Driving with the top off of the Jeep
-Eating lots of Lemon Drops

 I was super happy with this pinterest project, an outdoor adventure hunt bag.  It printed easily on a paper bag so the kids could put their treasures inside.  You may notice we had an additional camping guest.  We did pretty good for our first time camping.  Of course i was just in the back yard.  Close enough for an extension cord so I could blow up the air mattress.  That is Aunt Bonnie's idea of roughing it.  http://www.cleanandscentsible.com/2015/06/outdoor-scavenger-hunt-and-smores-printables.html

Probably the thing we were proudest of, but will never do again is hiking Bear Butte.  It was a way more difficult hike than I anticipated.  It didn't help that the wind was blowing so hard.  It is a good thing I fed the girls before the hike.  They needed the extra weight or they would have blown away.  This photo is from the top.  If it looks steep IT IS!

 We picked raspberries and one learned how to make jam, while the other worked on her photography skills.  The photo on the left was taken by Sierra and the heart below was Taylor's.  


It was a grand week and I am so thankful that I got to spend time with them.  They were great little ladies and I'm very proud of them.

We are off to a great start...

 After plenty of visiting at our family reunion, I niece napped two of my four nieces.  We had a great drive back.  We saw antelope, fields of hay bales, and stopped to watch a mother fox as she sat on her den.  

 When we got home we hit the trails hiking to a high hilltop to see what we could see.  Then we read ourselves to sleep with the book Heidi.  We woke up the next day and did some serious pancake eating, before we hit the road.  Out at our prairie property we pulled weeds (unsuccessfully). 

We have been determined to make a wish and blow all of the seed pods off of a milkweed or dandelion.   We have failed miserably in getting all of the pods off, but very successful at dispersing weed seeds throughout the land.  

We looked at bugs...

and found some fabulous feathers.

 

Ella had a spa day.  She got got her nails clipped and a bath.  We stopped short of painting her toenails.

 We worked on our woodworking skills, by making our own walking sticks.  We sanded, learned how to use the woodburning kit, and painted them.   Then we took them on a trial run.  We are keeping track of our hikes, how long they are and how fast we go.  So far we are getting slower.  Stopping to look at tracks, petting tadpoles, and eating raspberries may be slowing us down.  Oh and the occasional photo shoot.

We still have many adventures planned.  We are going to be fishing, camping, swimming, hiking, and laughing or singing (or laughing at our singing).    It has been a grand time.  Did you ever spend the summer at someones house?  Who was it and what did you do?

Peas and Purple Carrots...

 My garden is producing peas and purple carrots.  I also have some orange ones, but the purple ones seem to better.  They are tender and seem to grow longer and straighter than their orange counterparts.

 My peas also are going great guns.  Of course, I couldn't resist taking a photo when I saw these two peas in a pod.  

I keep forgetting to update you on the rhubarb leaf stepping stone and bird bath projects.  All three turned out great.  The stepping stones are holding together and an immense help in the garden when I'm trying to weed.

I don't have a good photo of the birdbath, but it also turned out great.  I'm super glad we added the wire as the leaf was huge.  I stained them with a leftover green from the picnic table project (you know my love of using stuff leftover from other projects).  I do think the bird bath needs to be sealed.  

July is slowly slipping through my fingers.  I am hoping for a nice slow summer.  We have been lucky this year with plenty of rain and it hasn't been overly hot.  

My nieces are coming next week and I'm getting ready.  The tent is up, wood for the firepit chopped, fishing poles found, scavenger hunt lists devised, and adventures are planned.  I must admit I'm excited to spoil (umm) enhance their outdoor skills while they are here.

Any big family plans for the month of July?  Any outdoor ideas for little ones?  

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?