Family

Family

Monday, May 16, 2011

A Look at the Garden and More

Don't forget about the Victoria Botkin Curriculum Advice giveaway here.


Lots happening around Chambleeville this week.  I am determined to get back to a school routine as the last three weeks have seen so many interruptions.   We'll see how that goes as Lauren and her three little ones are here for most of the week.  Her asthma is not doing well right now.  The house they moved into has some mold problems which are causing havoc with her asthma.  She will be here as much as possible until they are able to move somewhere else.  In addition to losing a house to a tornado and having trouble with her asthma, Lauren also has a pseudo-tumor in her brain that we are pretty sure was caused by steroid use....which unfortunately has been necessary through the years for her asthma.  We knew that there were/are side effects to using the steroids, but when you are faced with a choice between breathing today and possible problems later, you choose to breathe today!  The pseudo-tumor can be treated with medication, but that means she needs to wean the baby....which during the upside-down time which is their life is difficult to handle.  She may wind up opting for a spinal tap to remove some spinal fluid which is one option for the condition.  

Aaron and Kaelan also have a piano recital tomorrow evening. So they will continue to polish up their pieces today and tomorrow.  I think they are quite ready and I will be glad for them to move on to some other pieces!!  The Irish Washer Woman runs through my head all. day. long!  ; )  However, I am so very thankful for the progress they have made and am thankful that they enjoy playing the piano and the violin.

Here's a look at a few of the garden areas around here.


Raised beds with tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, lettuce, peas, leeks and okra.


Orka and tomatoes

Cucumbers

Cucumbers and onions

Two kinds of lettuce

Tomatoes

Green peas have blossoms

This mixed squash bed WILL be weeded today, boys!

Some newly planted tomatoes and basil

Our older blueberry bushes are full of berries and are almost bent over with the weight.


Lots more berries like these will be great for the freezer, canner or dehydrator.

We've planted green peas, lettuce, a variety of tomatoes and peppers, a variety of squashes, cucumbers, leeks, okra, parsley, cilantro, chives and have added many new herbs.  In addition to our sage, thyme, spearmint, peppermint, oregano and lemon balm we've added apple mint, lemon mint, chocolate mint, rosemary, lavander, stevia, more chives and..... I can't even remember!!  Jordan has some more tilling to do as we have about 30 pepper plants to be planted, more basil and some more squash as well.

We've also been busy dehydrating a 50 pound bag of sweet onions that I purchased for $10.  It's been really easy to do, except for the tears!  Thankfully, once they start warming up in the dehydrator the teary effect is gone.

Now to get all these little people rounded up for some table time activities.  Do you think I'll make it?  I'm beginning to wonder, myself!!  If you don't hear from me tomorrow, send help....please!



This strawberry bed has been producing, but we have to keep the birds out of it!





Linking up with the HOMESTEAD BARN HOP
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3 comments:

Anita said...

I love it! I want to learn how to garden now. Thanks for sharing!

Barb J. said...

We have had the same problem with birds in the strawberries in years past and considered doing that netting. The question is... how do you weed with the netting on? It seems like it would be a pain to pull up the stakes and take the whole thing off every time you needed to weed or harvest.

Anita said...

Barb, the netting is basically draped over the tomato stakes and pinned with clothes pins. We remove some clothespins to gather the berries and to weed when necessary.

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