Picnic and a Surprise

Tuesday we went for a picnic with the Horn’s. We had a great time. It was our first picnic of the season with them.

The picnic spot was beautiful!

Fresh strawberries from North Carolina. It’s still too early here for them but these were delicious!

I came home today to find this lounge chair being made. I love it! Thanks Hubby. We have looked at this design for a while now and he said he thought today was a good day to build one. It is chilly here today and very windy. Our temperature is 50 degrees as I type. I think there is a freeze warning in effect for tonight. Wouldn’t you know it, we just got our plants in the ground this week. I certainly hope they are wrong. It has been a beautiful day though, just chilly. Beautiful sunshine and the air is so clean and clear. I do love days like this.

Have a great evening and God bless.

May 24, 2013 5

Mint Syrup

This has been a busy week for us. On Friday, the girls and I cut some mint to try a new recipe.

We wanted to make mint syrup. One cup water, one cup mint and one cup sugar. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat slightly, let simmer for 10 min. Turn off heat and let it cool to room temperature.

For a half gal of tea, we used 1 cup mint syrup and then filled up the half gallon with water. It is absolutely delicious!! I have been making mint tea for years and I definitely think this is the best.

After making the mint syrup, we all worked in the garden. We had to take down the old fence we had put up last year to keep the chickens out, pulled up the stakes and the tomato fence. Then we got the tiller out and started getting it tilled. We had high hopes of getting the plants in the ground but the rain was faster than we were. Oh well, hopefully tomorrow (or the next day). We have had rain all weekend.

Yesterday, we went to the Greensboro Science Center with Dave, Jess and kids. We had a great time!

So much to see and do!

Well, that’s about it for now. We will be starting revival at church tonight so I guess I better be getting my crew ready to leave. I hope you all have a great evening and God bless.

May 19, 2013 1

Blueberries and Squash

The girls and I picked a gallon of these beautiful blueberries yesterday. It was a nice day for picking. It rained on us before we got to the blueberry place but stopped before we got there. The bushes were wet but the temperature was not bad and the bugs even left us alone.

Today we made this zucchini pineapple recipe. We used yellow squash instead of zucchini. It actually tastes like pineapple. You would never know it had squash in it. I got the recipe from here. http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/zucchinipineapple.htm A blogger friend of mine had made it the other day. She posted about it here. http://holcombhappenings.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/a-day-of-canning/ I think it will be really good.

Now, question time. I found out from the internet this squash is called a patty pan squash. Do any of you ladies have a recipe for it? Our pastor gave them to us and I really would like to try them. Online it says it pairs good with tomatoes but I thought I would ask you all.

Our weather change here has been amazing. We had rain yesterday which we so much needed. We laughed and said the plants in our garden were doing a happy dance for God. The temperatures have cooled off so much. We are right now at 73 degrees!!! Thank you Lord.

Well, that’s about all. I hope you have a great evening and God bless.

July 12, 2012 5

Saturday

Hello ladies, I hope everyone is having a great weekend so far. We worked today on putting a fence around the gardens.

The “ladies” were very glad. They had not been free all week as we had not had time to get the fences up. We knew the minute they were turned loose they would head straight to the gardens. To express their dislike of not being turned loose they cut back on their laying. We usually get 11 or 12 eggs every day. This week we got 7 or 8. I told them I expected full quota next week. No excuses.

We found this drift netting at the barn, rolled it out and cut it in two pieces. The posts are cut from old wood we got from the job site. Not bad-zero expense. I am hoping the plastic bags that you see will keep the birds away. So far it seems to be working. I replaced the 14 plants they had eaten and so far all is well. It took us 4 hrs to put this fence up. Hubby helped or it would have taken much longer.

The rose bush at the green swing is in full bloom. I think it is lovely this year.

Another picture of the rose bush.

I realized it had been a very long time since I put a picture of Jasper on here.

He is our farm dog in training. Shadow has been teaching him all the tricks. (Most times, Shadow just tolerates him). Well, that’s about it for today. Supper was hotdogs and beans. Simple because Mom was tired. I hope you all have a great Memorial Day Weekend and God bless.

May 26, 2012 4

Dollywood

Wednesday, we had a GREAT time!! We went with the Horn’s to Dollywood. They had bought season tickets and got free one day passes to take a friend. We were their friends. Thanks again, guys. We left Floyd at 7:00 that morning and got back home around midnight. It was a long day but filled with fun. Everyone was tired but happy. Please be in prayer for Vicki and Quentin. Quentin’s grandfather passed away yesterday morning.

Yesterday was a dry day here in Floyd so I jumped in and started working on the garden.

I tillered both gardens and got them ready for planting. It was a full day. This morning I started getting the plants in the ground. So far, I have planted the potatoes, corn, onions, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. After lunch, beans and tomatoes. The girls will be helping me with them. They have been inside doing the housework this morning while I worked outside.

These are the seeds the girls and I planted in the greenhouse. They have done really well. Maybe all we needed all along was a greenhouse. They certainly look the best of any seeds we have started before. Hopefully, they will do good when transferred into the garden.

The squash and cucumbers have really grown. Speaking of growing, look how big the goslings are.

They were up in the field watching me while I worked. Well, I think that’s about it. I better get back into the garden. Enjoy your day and God bless.

May 18, 2012 5

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Just a few pictures today to show the progress of our upper garden. It is finally starting to look like a garden.

We have been enjoying lettuce and onions for a while now.

The peas are starting to bloom. I really love fresh garden peas.

These are the plants we started under the greenhouse. We decided since we were not having much success transplanting them, we would just leave them where they were. They seem to be doing great.

Cucumbers blooming. I love fresh garden cucumbers.

Squash blooming. I love fresh garden squash.

A closer look at the cabbage. I love fresh garden cabbage. Can you tell ? I just love ALL fresh garden food!!!!!

Enjoy your day and God bless.

June 9, 2011 8

Mr. Frog

Check out the size of this frog. He is huge! He was soaking up the sun yesterday afternoon in front of our car when we were leaving for piano practice. We, of course, could not resist taking a picture of him.

Yesterday was a nice day. Temperatures were in the lower 70’s with sunshine. My plants looks (maybe) just a little better but I do not think they will make it. The tomatoes look strong but the cucumbers look the worst. The squash may be okay-not sure yet. Lesson well learned. I suppose it was too hot when I transplanted them. Maybe if we had waited until the sun went down to transplant them, it would have made a difference. Not sure.

We had a nice visit with the Horn’s yesterday. We ate pizza and a strawberry crisp she had made from her fresh strawberries. It was delicious. We walked around her yard looking at all her flowers that were up. Her chicks and ducks. Everything. I love doing that. Just walking around with her looking and talking. I am so thankful she is my friend.

We hope to finish science this weekend. We are on our last definitions. Today looks to be nice. The sun is shining. The garden is still too wet to work in but we have plenty of other things to do. Enjoy your day and God bless.

May 24, 2011 4

Trout Fest

Remember a similar picture from last year. Same little girl perched on the drainpipe. Obviously she really likes the spot.

Now its brothers turn to sit for a while. We really had a nice day with about 90 people showing up all total. After we came home from the fishing we worked in the upper garden. Hubby tilled, and the girls and I set out the plants. They looked great. But then they wilted badly. We watered them when we planted them, again the next morning and again yesterday evening before we went to church. Last night the Lord watered them for us so we are hoping they look better now. I haven’t went up to the garden yet to check on them. If they do not perk up, I am afraid they will not survive. We’ll just have to wait and see.

We plan on going over to the Horns today for lunch and some play time then on to piano practice. I don’t think I told you all but we have ducklings now-12 of them. They are very shy and it is hard to get a picture of them. Mama duck keeps them hid most of the time. I’ll keep trying though.

Time for us to get busy. I have a load of clothes to hang out on the line and several more to get done. Enjoy your day and God bless.

May 23, 2011 5

Free At Last

Our chicks. Look how big they are getting. Today we finally finished their fenced in area and let them out from their little house. They were very excited and loved pecking in the grass and dirt. They are so much fun to watch. Now when Daniel comes up, he will be able to see them much better.

Today has been nice here. We worked on the fence and made the gate. Then Hubby and I went to get haircuts. A lady from our church cuts our hair. She does it at her home and always has home baked goodies to share with us. It’s like a visit instead of just a hair cut. We always sit around eating a snack, drinking coffee and talking after our hair is cut.

Tomorrow is our church’s trout fest day. Hopefully I will get some good pictures to share with you all. Maybe, after we get back, our garden will be dry enough to do some work in it. I hope to get the plants in the ground from the greenhouse. They are definitely ready to be planted. Next year, though, I don’t think I will plant any pepper or broccoli seeds. They just did not do well at all. The tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers though are huge.

Enjoy your evening and God bless.

May 20, 2011 3

Parkway View

We had a really nice weekend here in Floyd. Dave, Jess and the boys came up to celebrate Hubby’s birthday. Jess and I went to a yard sale in town. Later that evening they took us all out to eat at a local Mexican restuarant. We had a great time. On Sunday we went on a picnic down the parkway. This is a picture we took from one of the lookouts.

Today, we went down to watch the boys while Jess went to her doctors appointment. All is going well with her and the baby. Thank you, Lord. She will find out next month if she is having a girl or a boy. Daniel said they don’t want any “gwirls” there. Jess told him “but what about Mommy.” Daniel said “You’re not a “gwirl” , you’re Mommy. We are just praying for a healthy baby-boy or girl.

We have been getting lots of rain here. We have had a little sun this evening but mostly overcast. We still do not have our plants in the garden yet. It has just been too wet. We don’t have the brush pile burned or the lower garden tilled. I still have lots of flower seeds to get in the ground too. Oh well, all in God’s time.

Enjoy your evening and God bless.

May 16, 2011 3