Spring Annie...

She has a little bit o' green, her little heart says "spring". I made her from a pattern by Raggedy Old Annies (the nurse one).

Now I am going out to plant my sugar snap peas in the mud of my garden in the beautiful sunshine. Happy Thursday!

Last of the Garden

Only 67 jars this year. If you want to make some, my recipe is on the blog. Search "salsa". I buy the ingredients for my salsa at Dearborn Farm Market but it is getting late and the tomatoes are not as good. August is a good time to make salsa.
These are holding up well, as we have not had a frost.
Monkshood is tall, about 6 feet and all parts of the plant are poisonous. The squirrels leave this one alone.
Chocolate Joe Pye is best in October.
And for next year, I want to grow these. They are "Easter Egg" radishes. All colors from the same packet of seeds. John Michael and I ate these for lunch, with ranch dressing. Happy Thursday evening.

Mid-September Flowers

I have never had so many butterflies as this year. I think I owe it all to this plant, milkweed.
These are everblooming iris.

Sweet Autumn clematis are everywhere. When they are small, they are prettier.
This is the big white butterfly bush which is not really at its best right now.
And this is my stick fence made out of butterfly bush limbs which sprouted and now I have a new plant to be moved.

Heavenly blue is heavenly.

That's it for the Saturday garden tour on this drizzly day. Bye now.

Breakfast for Dinner

Hands to work, Hearts to God, an old Amish saying I haven't seen in a long time. I only made a pic of the biscuits because they were a big hit. We had all the fixings of a country breakfast and everyone enjoyed it...one person told me that he never gets to have a breakfast. It was a great success in all the ways that count.

Of course, this is a Sweet Meadows design. I made some of these little girls for a special order...and made a new friend by doing so. Best wishes to you Dee, I'll be thinking of you.
One flower that is blooming in my garden, Texas something or other. It doesn't require anything, just room to bloom.

Happy Thursday everyone.

The Last Day for Raspberries

Today is surely the last day I will pick raspberries from my little patch. (this year).

They began really early and have never before lasted until July 20. I remember this date because it is my Dad's birthday. Had he lived he would be 99 today. I miss him always and wish everyone could have known him. I know he would have loved to help me pick, as he always strung the beans with no complaining.

I was visiting www.inthissmallhouse.blogspot.com, and this is her comment on the raspberry patch....."no one wants to pick raspberries, so there you are, alone in the quiet with a moment to think, to pray, and even listen." I never pick that I don't think this very thing, I was glad Sandra spelled it out for me to remember.

So one last remark about the berries, I made jam, I made freezer jam and many pies and even tried some new recipes, but my favorite was a big ol cobbler that we took to Blessed Hope Church for their dinner, everyone liked it with ice cream and Charlie got to serve it!

Beautiful Beans

We'll take these! Lisa used to be a city girl before she moved to Jonesville, now she gardens and cans, hunts, and brings in firewood just for starters. She is a hockey mom and working mom and she probably won't get this cool wire basket back.

Say Salsa

HOT SUMMER SALSA: 8 cups peeled, cored, chopped fresh tomatoes; l to 2 cups seeded and chopped fresh jalapeno peppers (use rubber gloves when doing this, also you can use more or less to taste);2 cups chopped onion; 8 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro; 1 tablespoon salt; 3/4 cup cider vinegar and 1/4 cup fresh lime juice. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Pour hot salsa into hot pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal jars with two-piece caps. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Makes 4-5 pints. Or just sit down and eat it. Rebecca eats it on her scrambled eggs.

Coffee Time

This is where I sit with my coffee, today there was a hummingbird on the black-and-blue salvia, the first I have seen this year.

Little pond, big lily

Tuesday

This is my favorite spot in my garden.

Ernest Markham