Sunday, August 7, 2011

Around the Homestead

Bear with me - lots of photos tonight... Summer is just one of those times when the gardens and the kids seem to be doing something new every minute!

First, some fun thrift store finds. The kids cookbook is from 1971, has adorable drawings throughout, and super easy instructions, so adult help really isn't too necessary. I also like that is was written before the times of "super careful parenting". I mean it's nice and all to think a kid will help make dinner with only the use of a plastic butter knife... but in reality, kids want to actually help, and they're very capable, if we can just let go of our own fears and trust 'em :) This book has kids browning meat on the stove, slicing and dicing veggies, and of course making plenty of 1970's desserts to go with it (jello salad, anyone?). And as a side note, a recipe should NOT be called "Never Fail Fudge" because when the fudge turns out a gooey (but delicious) mess, and never becomes firm, it's mighty easy to get a bit angry at the title of the recipe.

This is our bean patch. Pretty sad state of affairs. Stupid Mexican bean beetles are trying to get the better of me, but I'll win in the end, you'll see. I didn't catch on to the beetles' diabolical plot until pretty late in the game. However, a lot of the plants are sending out new leaves, so I think we may get a second round of harvest there. These are my fave Jacob's Cattle beans. They look all dead and brown there on the plant, but look how cool inside:
The first sunflower opened up today ~
My new patio garden bed is being over-taken by something from the compost. Not sure what, and it's fine with me, as there's not much planted there anyhow. Always a fun mystery, for sure!

Clay's black-skinned watermelon plants are Rocking Out!! They have completely covered the trellis he built for them:

B's dad is coming to visit soon, which means he's looking around restlessly at all the unfinished projects he'd like to have done before the visit! Including the skate ramp tarping system. That was destroyed in the big hail storm earlier this Summer, and with much grumbling, the project was put on a back burner for a while. Hopefully it will be resurrected soon!

Reed was determined to pick all the "pricklies" off of the cucumbers. These are Edmonson cucumbers from Seed Savers. Oh so yummy!

Figs!!

Hardy Arctic Kiwi plant climbing right up the porch
...

And a few cute baby photos to send you off with. At four month old, little B-girl has started to figure out what her hands can do...

Grab everything!!


This little girl is so full of love, I feel blessed every day to be around her spirit!



So, that's what we've been up to this weekend, hope your days are just as lovely~

2 comments:

Jackie Snyder said...

The garden looks awesome. Blossom is so happy!!

Julia said...

B has the most incredible smiles! Can't wait to get some from her Saturday!

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