Garden Update

The bounty.

Mint.  Spaghetti squash.  Straightneck yellow squash.  Zucchini.  Green beans.  Eggs.

One of our beds.

 A lot of green tomatoes.

Renegade pumpkins and tomatoes have sprung up all over the place.  I let a few of them grow.  We'll see soon what they turn out to be.

My biggest problem this season has been the ground squirrels.

Ground squirrels.  Grrr. (Through gritted teeth)

They nibble on the pumpkins and spaghetti squash.

Now the squirrels will eat whole zucchinis!

What the heck?

I have tried putting dog hair around and sprinkling cayenne pepper.  It seems to work for a day or so and then they are back, wrecking my plans for sneaking veggies into all our meals through the winter.  We have also tried one kind of trap that they have eluded no matter which way we set it up.

Any suggestions?

**NOTE**

This update is actually 2 weeks old.

In the last couple days we have finally started to get ripe tomatoes.  Yea!

And several pumpkins are fully orange.

I will try to post more recent pics soon.

Happy harvesting to all you farmers out there!



What's growing?

Our new greenhouse works!

If you haven't gotten a glimpse yet of our marvelous greenhouse made from recycled windows, click here!

 (from top to bottom)

beets and lettuce

mint and basil

Trek's bean plant and strawberries

more strawberries and cucumbers

(also growing in the greenhouse but not shown)

oregano, lavender, cilantro, rosemary, Thai basil

cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, Cherokee purple tomatoes,

green peppers, jalapeno peppers,

yellow squash, zucchini, spaghetti squash

Due to our late frost date (last year it was May 31st), we have only two things in the outside beds.  Spinach and peas.  They are coming along nicely and if the weather continues to be as nice as it has we may get to transplant before June this year!!! 

Watching these tiny seedlings pop up is super exciting but it is even more exciting that the greenhouse is being used by several others in our neighborhood.  The different squashes have come from three different people.  Since a single squash plant can produce a plethora of produce we are going to share it between ourselves.  So, instead of force feeding zucchini to my children every day for the next year, we will have a lovely variety of fresh squashes.  And tomatoes.  And herbs. 

Now that's community, y'all! 

How Tall This Fall?

I know I just posted about how much my kids have grown

but just look at this please.

The one on the left is 2007 (a couple months after we moved out here) 

and the one on the right is this year.

It just confirms what has been hitting me lately...

that I need to be grateful each day for the time I have with my kids because they will be grown and gone before I know it!

"I try not to let the good things go by unnoticed."

-from Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry

Lord, help me to notice and remember the good things

and not focus on the little, fleeting frustrations.

At the Pumpkin Farm

This has been an annual trip for us since moving to California.

Bishop's Pumpkin Farm.

Aren't these pumpkins beautiful?!

It is quite the operation.

They have talking chickens that say things like:

Why did the rubber chicken cross the road?

'Cause he wanted to stretch his legs.

Ba dum chick.

What is a chicken's least favorite day of the week?

Fry-day!

Ba dum chick.





The big kids got to try out the corn maze for the first time.

I made Jono go with them.  I am directionally challenged so put me in a corn maze and you won't see me again until the new year.  I probably shouldn't have revealed that tidbit.  It could probably be used against me.

There are animals to pet and feed.  The piglets had not been born yet and that is the only time pigs are ever cute so I purposely neglected to take their picture.  But the goats were pretty sweet.

 

We accessorized a couple shirts for the occasion with puffy ghosts and iron-on letters that I had found on clearance last year.  Amazingly, I was still able to locate that stuff to use it.

Trek was so proud of his letters.  He kept saying "O-O-B spells boo!"

The finale was trying to get a cute family shot in the giant pumpkin patch...

So maybe not.

It was a good day with the fam even if they wouldn't cooperate for the picture.

We came home with several sugar pumpkins for baking.

Any pumpkin recipes you'd like to share???

Sonoma/Napa {sans kiddos}

My mom graciously and courageously kept the kids a couple days so Jono and I could have a belated anniversary getaway.

We stayed in Sonoma.  So, of course, we spent some time in the town square strolling around and window shopping.  We grabbed some tasty breakfast at this little bakery, and after seeing prototypes we decided we should make a wine barrel light fixture (that I failed to get a picture of but did sketch out very quickly) and some square-ish plates like this.  I need something to keep my hands busy, right? 

We also spent a good part of the day at the Mission Inn and Spa.  All the water and pools there are filled by natural hot springs.  Mmmm hmm.  I forgot how completely relaxing it is to be at a pool and not have to worry about any little people drowning.  Or, maybe it was the minerals.  But, either way.

That evening we skipped over to the St. Helena area (in Napa Valley).  We ate at the Long Meadow Ranch's Farmstead Restaurant where all the food comes straight from their own gardens. 

They have restored this old Logan-Ives house.

Isn't it cute?  And it has a swing!

Their full garden is at the ranch up the mountain but there in the valley they have these sort of gardens set up.

Different herbs and veggies are growing together that all pair well with a certain type of wine.  Beautiful!

Also, I have to give a shout out to Hopmonk Tavern in Sonoma.  You were great.  Your brews were great and your food was tasty (I especially loved the cilantro chutney)!

We are going back with some relatives at the end of the summer.  Any other recommendations for food, beverage, or entertainment?  I would love to have your suggestions!