Ann and Eva go to the Quilt Show

These two girls are ready to go.  If you are local, check out the poster on my sidebar, or go here to visit their facebook page.

I planted several kale plants this year.  They are small but pretty and new to me.  I think they should be larger but you can't judge  because of the weird summer  weather we have had.  Maybe someone will have some "growing kale" tips for me.  Happy Monday, it's such a beautiful day.

P.S. I think I really like the new blogger interface.  Just took some patience, which I have little of.

Busy Bee....

My daughter PJ is getting to be a nag. She says I am behind on my blog, when she knows I am making salsa.

So far it's going well, although I would rather be out in the garden. A couple of days ago I found a website of Steve Wheen, who does pothole gardens. The pictures are mostly England but some from New York. I think he should move to Michigan where he would never run out of potholes.

Go to www.thepotholegardener.com to see his little gardens.

Kynda's Pineapple Tomato....

These are delicious tomatoes and beautiful when cut. They are just now getting their groove on. It seems the best-tasting tomatoes need to have the top third cut away, like the Cherokee Purple and Pink Brandywine. I think they are worth it however.

It's a perfect day today weatherwise, but I was up briefly at 5 and there was lightening in the East way beyond a sky-full of the most beautiful stars that we don't often get to see. I watched awhile then went back for more sleep. Have a happy Tuesday everyone.

Graham Thomas...

My little sign is from Job... He stretcheth out the north over the empty place and hangeth the earth upon nothing.

Garden Tuesday

The Joe Pye and Coneflowers teamed up . Can we be together forever?

The volunteer Black Knight likes my little new path of Gail's rocks. My aching back, not so much.

I am fascinated with the broom corn. It was wet this morning. We had a nice rain.

Botanical Interests seeds. My favorite sunflower ever!

Cock's Comb, my grandmother called these. We never had them but after I moved here, saw them being sold by the Amish in Shipshewana and then a few years ago a patch at Gail's, The Farm. Had to grow some. These are in pots.

Next to family pictures, I like garden pictures. Love from Michigan.

Broom Corn....

Anyone out there ever grow this stuff?????

I can't have regular corn because the squirrels eat it; Barb says if I make a door wreath with this the mice will eat it...

We had a nice day at John Michael's birthday party. He is four! And a garden tour at my house after.

Things we like.....

Amarantha, very tall, planted from a small cell pack of four . My how you have grown!

The winter cover of a favorite magazine, should be out the end of the month! Happy Monday morning.

Petite Monarda...

My Mother moved to Michigan in the late eighties, and living out in the country, never before had had an opportunity to "trash pick" like we do here in the city. She found this old chair and we have given it the opportunity to grace our garden since then. The chair is getting old but a prop here and there keeps it looking good. I miss her, there was never a dull moment.


And the lilac flower is petite monarda which PJ gave me. It stays really short and bushy and doesn't mildew; it will bloom for quite a while, longer than the tall monarda. The white flowers are coneflowers. No complaint with them either, just wish they would spread so I could share them. Only pink coneflowers do that.

I hope my neighbors have finished with their fireworks. It has been like a war-zone here. I hate to be the neighborhood scrooge but they were so loud I couldn't watch JR on Dallas last night. Happy Thursday that seems like Monday.

Larkspur and Silvery Fir Tomatoes....

Larkspur is the easiest flower I know of. I save the seed and scatter in the very early spring and that's it. It will soon be going in this hot weather but this clump is getting afternoon shade.

Silvery Fir tomato from seed by Botanical Interests. This is three plants, the foliage is very nice and we will see how the tomatoes are. There are lots of green ones. It looks nice enough to be among the flowers.

Garlic scapes...

I never knew what to do with these weird things that bloom on my garlic. I didn't even know they were called "scapes". Go here and you can learn about them, and also have a laugh ....she will make you laugh.

Also, that's my new Value World container. $1.91

Some days there's PIE.....

From Kate's Kitchen via Jeff this morning. He brought his saw and cut my butterfly bushes down. Somehow they tend to become butterfly trees if not cut down in the spring. Last summer they were so tall I couldn't reach the top blooms to deadhead them.

It is so good that Jeff can do a chore for me again and that he is getting better.
The flowers are mixing themselves up which is okay, they do a better job than I do.

And Hugs and Kisses are finished today. XOXO

Quick Fire Hydrangea......

If you have room in your garden for this one, it looks so beautiful this time of year. It is not showy and big like most, but its changing colors are worth it.

Thank you all so much for commenting on my pilgrim couple. Somehow their faces seem to say stuff, like I think he looks a little dubious and she looks like she thinks he is being silly. Or is it just me?

Yesterday was so beautiful I did some unnecessary things outside and it looks like we are having another day like that today. Divine Child craft show is this weekend so it will probably snow as it usually does for that. You also have one more weekend to see Big River at the Out of the Box theater in Wyandotte. Be there if you are in the area, it is a big hit! 7:30 pm, Fri. and Sat. 3 pm on Sunday.

Solidago Fireworks.....

This is another fall favorite. I bought this plant in Springfield, it is a few years old now. It has nice foliage all summer . It begins to slowly show color and every day gets brighter. It will bloom several weeks.

I made this picture in the rain, looks like it was glittered. I found a baby bush today with a tiny little bloom.

I have been moving plants around today. I hope my neighbors aren't alarmed as I am moving so much from the back to the front. I can't grow grass anyhow.

Happy Wednesday all.

New Seeds....

I am a bit early starting my 2012 garden. But I am probably not the first one to order seeds. I like the name on this one and they promise to dance.


I try a different zucchini every year hoping to get one that doesn't hog up the whole garden. I thought these would be fun to try.

Pumpkins at The Farm and more...

These pumpkins were so pretty I didn't want anyone to miss seeing them. The embroidery is pretty too. Gail at The Farm makes those beautiful pumpkins every year with her dried flowers. The picture is from The Farm blog.

This one from an email from Mary. Are they onions, squash or pumpkins?? I surely don't know.

But these funny fellows are egg-a-plants! Happy Tuesday. It's Ray's birthday (my son) but he said he didn't want to hear about it. Those who know him will understand.

Hot Peppers

I picked up these plants at Bob's Market in Southgate, not knowing anything about them except they had a clever name.

They have done really well and when we went to Springfield I took some to Mark who likes hot peppers, still hadn't tried them then. When I finally had the courage to try them I was sorry I had shared them because they were way beyond hot.

Then, I looked them up and they are one of the hottest peppers grown. There is a measurement for the capsaicin in a chili pepper, named after the pharmacist who created it, it is called Scoville Units.

The Scoville Units in a Jalepeno are 2500-8000. But in these little guys it is 100,000-350,000. Sorry Mark. I was able to use them though, I made some Cowboy Candy for myself and Lisa. If you want to make some go here. If you don't know her, you will really like Pickles and Cheese. She has some really goood recipes.

I hope your holiday is going well. It is so cool and breezy here, I was able to open the door for the first time this summer.

Saturday Garden.....

Graham Thomas reminded me that he hasn't been on the blog this year. Walking out and looking around in my garden after watching Irene on the news is surreal.
Barbara brought this little man to live at my house. I have to figure out an anti-theft device to put on him.

Barbara is a good friend, she comes in, loads down my kitchen table with treasures she has found for me. She let me be in charge of tickets for "Joseph" and I failed to check the time so we were very late and she wasn't even mad.

I hope you and your friends and family are safe this weekend. It is much on everyone's mind even those of us who are going about our usual routine.

Saturday Garden.....

Back when we went to Shipshewanee often, the Amish ladies always had these to sell. I really struggled to get even one plant to grow...

This is a vinca, First Kiss Blueberry. PJ found these at Bob's market. I had always wished to have them, seeds failed me, but look for them, they are just a beautiful color.

I have ONE Jack-b-little. But I think more are on the way, just late.

This is angel vine. You can buy it at the greenhouse for 4.79 a sprig. This grows behind my garage facing the East and it gets pretty cold here in Michigan. I brought it inside for several years but it is a real mess. Then I said, oh well, die if you must...and I have had it come back every year so far.

And this my friends, is why I have these jumbo mosquitoes! Happy Saturday.

More Garden....

It was so quiet and still this morning. We were given another nice rain during the night.

This tomato is a "Legend". At Graye's Greenhouse there was a note that it was the most requested tomato plant last year. Of course we have to have what everyone else does.
We will have to wait and see how they taste.

Another "corn" plant tropical. This one is a popcorn plant. Doesn't look exactly like popcorn but smells like MJR theater lobby (not that their popcorn is good, but it does smell that way).

I was browsing USA Today news, many tragedies this week, and I read this article about the Amish. If you have time, it is a good read for Sunday morning.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-07-24-amish-tragedy_n.htm

Got Pumpkins?

We had a wonderful rain this afternoon and my pumpkins are doing nicely even though it has been so hot.

I have lots of Baby boos (white) only a few Mini Jacks, I gave most of those plants away. One called Bat Wings and Orange Magic. They are all small.

The angel lady is from a pattern by Bless Your Heart Country Crafts. She has alpine wool hair and pants from an old pillow case that was almost threadbare, but had the prettiest crochet trim. Funny face and funny feet she has. Happy Friday all..