out of control

 I may have dropped the ball on picklers this year but these slicers are out of control!!!!

Bringing the sunshine in...

Harvesting dried Sunflower heads

Summer has brought so many changes for us this year. Our oldest son is engaged and our youngest son went away to college leaving us empty nesters for the first time in 20 years.

It's not a bad thing....I'm focused and happy about all of the positives of being a new empty nester but things around here just seem weird.... The house stays clean on its own 😉, the laundry basket isn't overflowing at the end of the day, the house has a new quiet that will take a little getting used to and we are learning how to shop and cook for just the two of us.

For the most part, our day jobs are keeping us pretty busy and preoccupied.

We were able to squeak away for a plane trip to Boise to celebrate our nieces vow renewal/wedding celebration earlier in the month. It's been so long since the two of us have been able to fly away together.

*Making a note to self: More trips will be in your future!

We moved and settled the youngest son in his new digs at the college dorm.

Plans for a new shop are underway here on the homestead...and excavation is about to begin. It is very much-needed space.

In the meantime, Summer has been hot and very dry... The garden has been hanging in there but has battled blossom end rot on the tomatoes and zucchini.

Summer has also thrown us a curveball as we discovered abandoned kitties under our chicken coop that took us a couple of days to catch. They were wild, scared, hungry and dehydrated!!!

Kitty number one went on to a loving home and kitty number two has wormed his way into our hearts and we have decided to make him a part of the family. Our mini Yorkie thinks that he is her new toy😺 it's really cute watching her try to make friends and kitty just isn't sure yet!

Now on the home stretch of Summer...we can feel the change in the cool morning air.

Going to have myself a good cry!!!

No, I'm not emotionally distraught....I'm just going to cut into my Ailsa Craig onions for a fresh Cucumber Onion Salad today 😋 and enjoy!

Seeing Purple

The Royal Purple bush beans have been in flower and just starting to show their pods.  I'm loving all that purple in the garden. Looks like a good harvest coming my way ;-)

Fading like a flower

Calendula is starting to buckle and faint in this heat, the Bee balm is on it's last leg. Enjoyed them while they lasted :-)

That's a mouthful

Love these cute little vintage kitchen scrub holders. I can remember my grandmas scrub holder from when I was little and helped her wash the dishes.. I recently found two of them at a thrift store and without hesitation knew what I would fill them with...

A garden fail

This is my Achillies heel this year...Pickling cukes!

First ones started were eaten by mice in the greenhouse. Round 2 isn't looking to swell either. I read somewhere in interenet land that companion planting cukes with sunflowers will sweeten up the cukes.

Well..it looks like an epic fail in my garden. These babies are on their last leg and it's not looking to good at this point!!! Guess I will be pickling wax beans instead.

On the brighter side...The slicers in the greenhouse are Rock stars!!!

Bulking up

Melons and Pumpkins are finally starting to put on some weight ;-)

Junk Truck

Filled my little Junk Trucks with some hens and chicks.  Now let's go play in the dirt 🙌

Leaf roll

It's getting Hot...and my little garden is starting to show signs of heat stroke.

Tomatoes are still looking ok for now but the leaves are starting to curl...Yikes! 

I 'm thinking it's Physiological Leaf Roll  

I 'll just have to keep an eye on them and see what I end up with.