Garden Bounty

I decided to try a garden this year, one project that's been on the list of things to do for quite some time! My pa-in-law came over and plowed up about 3/4 of an acre - waaaay more than any noob needs. Needless to say, I didn't plant the whole thing. I did plant about 40 eggplants (they were leftovers from the farmers next door. Do you know they throw the extras away?!? Ridiculous!!), 20 okra, 16 baby lima beans, 30-something cow peas, 16 black eyed peas, and about 40 English peas. I started all but the eggplants and okra from seed. Since we have very very rich soil (old cow pasture) I decided to try it without putting any fertilizer down. Things are going pretty dang good considering, but I am definitely going to put down some organic chicken fertilizer next time to get those big bushy plants! Also, the only pesticides I've put on them is Safer Soap and when the little buggies wouldn't go down with thatTriple Action +. The Safer is good for organic gardening, though I don't think you can technically call it organic, and the Triple Action+ is a lot more gentle on Big Mamma than other products out there. TA+ is also excellent for when you're not real sure what the problem is as it is a fungicide, miticide and insecticide in one!! (The Safer Soap is for the bugs only) Don't have anything on hand but noticed you've got bugs? Break out the sprayer and a little of you kitchen dish soap! Add a smidge of the soap to the water and spray, spray, spray. It'll make the leafs slippery and taste bad. Of course when you can get something a little better to spray on them, this is just a quick fix. You can also add the soap to whatever you're spraying on them to make it stick better! We used that method a whole lot at the nursery.... with 17 acres and 3 giant greenhouses those critters'll give you a run for your money!

These pictures are from a few weeks ago, but I don't have any more recent ones on my computer! Ignore the grass that's everywhere... I just can not keep it out! I'm devising a plan for next time, so maybe it won't be so much of a problem.


These are the cow peas


Baby Lima Beans


Okra


Eggplant (these aren't quite ready for picking in this picture, but they sure are now!! My Granny's already came and raided my garden since she's not doing such a big one this year! LOL!!)


I picked this basket of goodies right after I took the pictures! Mmmmmmm!!!


And since we were on the topic of gardening, my mom started her first garden this year, too, so for Mother's Day I made her a gathering apron. Sorry, no action shots, but take my word, she loved it!!


Isn't this just the cutest fabric?

So I've been away for a bit....

Things have been ridiculously busy at work for the past month or so and I haven't had time to do crap. We lost 2 people from an already short crew, got some new help who just this morning wrecked a truck, and have all new upper management who doesn't seem to know much about the business. On top of that we've had to have the transmission in the Jeep rebuilt, signed up for a trip to Puerto Rico (that's in the middle of August, 3 days after our 3 year anniversary!!), had to pass on the trip to my Family Reunion in Dalonega, Ga, found my cards that were supposed to go out a month ago in a work truck (can't get a man to do anything and now I'm wondering if I should send them out or say fuck it from embarrassment- I haven't even checked that thread), fixed some minor things on the truck, lost one of our snakes (she passed- not just lost in the house!!) and my brother and sister-in-law have started their house behind us. I'm thinking about stealing some of those ideas Danni had over at The Whimsical Cottage for clearing out some of the negativity in and around the house. It's been a wee bit stressful for us here lately, but I've finally got a slow day at work today!! Can't wait for that week off!!

I received a package from Tero in the Hippy Swap at Craftster and hope to get those posted today or tomorrow. We'll see how that goes! I also have some pictures from the Disposable Camera swap that need to be put up on here as well. I did get those onto Craftster today. My package to Tero is out, but she hasn't received yet, so I won't talk about that just yet! I also still have a WIP that will be sent at a later date. I'd hope everything would come in on time to send it along with the first package, but it didn't and it's taking me longer than anticipated! I kept out a few extras to include in the second package so that it won't look so shabby! :)

My Little Visitor is still here and is going to go to Puerto Rico with us, too! Arti (my little guy) is in China right now. Annnd I have let myself sign up for yet another swap, but it's a Camper's swap and who could resist that?? I haven't started on her stuff yet (it's only 4 points however you want to make them), but I do have my ducks in a row and probably should start sometime soon!

Ah, I'm off to see if I can get some stuff loaded in this last 40 minutes of work...

Brewing a concoction

I'm trying to make something to help Jami with his psoriasis. I think this mix is going to be pretty darn good for it and I can probably use it on other things as well. I've had the herbs steeping in olive oil in a western window for almost 2 weeks now. I'm about ready to make my stuff, all I need is bees wax. I'm not going to elaborate on this because I may send some in a swap package and I'd hate to spoil the whole surprise!

Been Busy!

Lyle and I finished making the jelly last week and it turned out better than I could have imagined!! I managed to delete the the pictures off of my camera before I put them on my work computer, so I don't have a pic of the finished product! Believe me, though.... it's beautiful!


Jami, me and Cooter went riding around this weekend and I showed him the Old Jail in Jasper.


He had no idea it was even there, much less that they still have the noose hanging in the window! This is the top window of the building. I imagine they would let the town watch as the criminal was punished.



As for Lyle's adventures this week, we took him riding on the 4-wheeler. I think he really enjoyed that!

Lyle also discovered a funky vine flower on the fence row- a passion flower. He wanted to get close to see all the neat little layers of it.

Makin' Jelly!

This past Sunday I spent a very hot, very sweaty two hours picking blackberries. They're so plentiful this year! I'm sure it's a combination of all the rain we've been getting and the run off from the crop fields next door. Whatever it is, it's working! I ended up with a 9x13 casserole dish plum full of them, so we're making jelly! It's my first time making it, so keep your fingers crossed that we don't botch it!

I had a little helper cooking the berries. His name is Lyle and he's from Colorado. He's my Little Visitor from a swap over at Craftster.org and he'll be here until September. I think he's really getting into this!

Here we're sorting out the berries and getting them ready for the pot. We've already thoroughly washed them.

Lyle mashing the berries to get all the juicy goodness out of them (just before we let the pot boil over...ooops!!) Tonight we're gonna get on top of making the jelly.... dad gum it! We've been busy this week!

All signed up and ready to go!

This blog has been started as a place to showcase things me and the hubby make and things I do for swaps at Craftster.org! Sure, they'll be a lot of rambling and other things too!

Bare with me here.... I've never done this before so there's sure to be a lot of mistakes and changes!