October 10, 2019 Last post of the season as the snow falls.

We got home from Ohio and still had some produce as well as really lovely fall weather.

I gave a bunch to Alma.  My high school friend Janet offered to help me make zucchini crust pizza next week.

September 26, 2019 Hottest September on record but that means

My garden is still producing!

So I've been cooking and baking  for two days.  Watched 3.5 hour 1960s version of War and Peace with Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda and Mel Ferrer while working in the kitchen. It was very close to the book and the book is so long. For dinner on Wednesday, I stirred fried the peppers and zucchini with onion and a few hot peppers. Very nice. I put a hot banana pepper in with the dill pickles which will give them a yummy bite.

I was a little baffled about the produce because Joan, Claudette and Debbie were supposedly looking into the garden.  I think Claudette took some things but probaby left the monster zucchinis for me.  They took a lot of tomatoes I think as there were none of those left but that is okay.  

This was the second largest zucchini. Made a great meal

The monster zucchini had tough skin but made a really good and spicy curry zucchini vegan soup. The bread are my yogurt, coconut recipe with whole wheat flour and half the sugar called for.  A post on FB reminded me to make more zucchini relish.

September 2, 2019- 100 degrees, new record and 5 hours in the kitchen

I've been real busy since I got back. I also realized I've given away 7 big zucchini and still have one left and I've made so many things:  stuffed zucchini after flying 34 hours, 3 loaves of coconut zucchini bread, that zucchini onion tomato casserole.

Thought this was funny. The cucumber coming out of the fence.  

And BTW, a rabbit thinks he owns the place. I think I could shoot him if I had a gun.  He was in the backyard this morning. Found where he was coming in and blocked that but now he lounges in the front yard. Nothing for him to eat though. He must be thirsty in this heat. very lethargic

I mean, I've had 25 cucumbers.  Made more pickles today and used all my carrots to make my favorite soup.

Instagram picture including pesto. Gave some to Debbie

and a video tour of the garden 

And really, this is the only butternut squash.  I read that I can put it in a dark place in the basement and it will last a month so no need to make soup now.  Full freezer!!!

August 6, 2019

We took out all the sugar snap peas and i pulled out some carrots. 

there are a few cucumbers.  The yellow squash really has just petered out completely.  There are about 5 new zucchini coming.  There are more tomatoes every day and the basil and parsley has rebounded after two weeks. Also banana peppers and 3 big green peppers!  I took some of the marigolds out of the garden and planted them in a pot.  

August 10, 2019 some big Zucchinis and busy in the kitchen

August 28, 2019 They said there were no cucumbers?

We returned yesterday.  Our guests ate all the cherry tomatoes that were ripe but there are more coming. They said there were no cucumbers but counting what Debbie took, there were 10!  And 6 more zucchini.

I made zucchini boats for Tom but did not have any due to having diarrhea from Nepal.  I really did okay on the flight back (34 hours, ugh) but I did not eat anything much.  So I am still having it on Wednesday afternoon but feel okay.

I slept until 11, had an egg and toast and cafe vienna. And then I made a cucumber, little honey, lots of mint, lime drink as Tom said, "Maybe a cleansing drink." It was good though

But the kitchen is a mess as I watch Claudette Colbert in "She married her Boss."  Another 30s comedy.

 I found another oversized cucumber like the one on the right and made my drink from both of those. The crooked neck squash is hard skinned. What happened to my summer squash?  I think it was bad seeds from Walmart or The Dollar Store.  So I made a soup, using a can of creamed corn that I threw in.  Kept the reciple. Tastes good.

 I always have extra boat mixture.

So there is the soup cooling and I am cooling the pickle water to room temp.  I still need to make carrot, ginger lemon soup. There are some old carrots in the refrigerator from when the Hemperlys were here. I put two cloves garlic, fresh dill, part of a spicy banana pepper and peppercorns.

getting more zucchini- August 13, 2019

I've been making zucchini yogurt bread. I have 6 loaves in the freezer, labeled: LA, Utah, Cambodia, Singapore.  Make one dill pickle and note that I did not have enough so had to put that Tupperware thing in there to keep the cucumber in the brine.

My banana peppers are hot. Bummer and the green peppers are skinny but they are all still good.

There have been Japanese beetles in the marigolds in the garden but they don't eat anything. I am putting Sevin on the roses in the back. I notice that the front roses' leaves looked bad. I went out Saturday evening and found 5 in one rose but no damage yet. I did not have the soapy water so carried them in my hand. Ugh. icky. Them moving in my hand.

This is what the garden looks like today.  The cosmos have taken over the petunias and marigolds. 

Found a peanut in the grass! Darn squirrel. Digging in the grass now. But saw this hawk. He was sitting there and the stupid squirrel was walking towards him then saw him and panicked. Rather funny to watch. Sadly the hawk did not eat the squirrel. 

August 2, 2019 no cucumbers, well, one

I did just read on Laura Flander's Instagram that this year her garden has not produced like in the past. Well, I sure know that.  I found a paper with my totals of last year and taped it up!  I had 19 zucchini and 30 cucumbers in July alone. This year, I think I am on my 10th zucchini and only one cucumber.  Lots of bees, healthy-looking

garden but nothing
Tomatoes, basil and banana peppers have been more prolific. And one crookneck squash. (I thought i planted summer squash but this is what I got-interesting. I don't spend a lot of money on seeds so I should expect this.) I had needed one for my morning veggies with an egg.

We've not had rabbits as a big problem, thankfully.  And the big news is the junipers are gone.

I drove around getting ideas on what to do with this area.  Tom worked hard this morning on the roots but we need a truck and a chain for to get those out.

I really have so many of these banana peppers and some of them are hot, don't understand that either. And glad for the tomatoes for a recipe I need to make tomorrow

The parsley and basil looked like they had a bad haircut two weeks ago and now they are flourishing again.  This Italian container garden is looking pretty good.  Waiting for those "chocolate" tomatoes.  None of those yet.

July 23, 2019 Well, 5 zucchini is better than nothing

So I picked these and gave one to Alma and I made Zucchini bread for Beau and Rachel Kong!  

I gave one of these to Alma.  Will maybe take the other to SLC.  

First tomatoes

Made pickled banana peppers

What Garden looks like now

There are two zucchini in the garden now.  Did not see any more or any cucumbers.  

Had a rabbit that Tom hit but sadly did not kill.  He chased it out.  

Paula was nice to me but I think it is because she was standing there with the peanuts. I mentioned my concern about them destroying the garden and she said nothing.

I put pieces of Irish Spring soap around the garden and that is supposed to be a deterrent to the squirrels.  I watched a squirrel digging right near the deck, totally tame. I want to trap some when I return from SLC but I have to do it in Debbie's yard. John might be the problem on that.

I did notice that the squirrel did not go in the flower garden. Paula said, "They did where there is dirt." Duh.  Can't really believe her. 

Japanese beetles destroyed a rose in the backyard. I cut the other one in the front and brought it in.  They are all over the neighborhood. Paula has a trap and traps 100s a day but I wonder if it is calling them and that is part of the problem. They destroyed her hollyhocks but won't spray because of the bees. Whatever.

I put my pink birthday baby rose and the calla lily in the basement and they get sun in the window well. It is cool down there. The Calla lily looks better. 

July 16, 2019 busy morning

So bad news about the roses as they got some weird fungus.  But I made mint tea for Alma and also pesto.  I picked carrots so that the butternut squash could get more sun.  And then more peas.
I went out to fertilize the veggies with the organic fish stuff but the bees were all over the zucchini flowers so I did not want to disturb them so I just tiptoed away.

We are getting rid of the junipers, slowly.  Not sure what to put there but at least they will be gone. They date the house.

July 9, 2019

Pictures!

My first fuschia and it's a perennial

Beautiful roses

 I like this pink perennial not sure what it is and the purple petunia

 Still getting lilies

 Not sure what these are

fun to see these going over the cement blocks but I've kind of wanted this for 20 years!

June 27, 2019- getting rid of two rabbits

I should have written last week when it was 40 degrees!  Very wet and cold.  Consequently, my cucumbers and squash are a month behind. I look at pictures from last year and can't believe the difference.

About the wildlife, well, we got rid of 4 squirrels before a neighbor "had a cow" about it. Tom was very gracious, but I made no promise not to trap more.  "You  have to let that squirrel go; he's the last in the neighborhood." The next day, Paula, feeding the squirrels again....5 squirrels were going bananas over the peanuts. Why did she say she would not feed them?  Discouraging.

The squirrels have not been burying them but I think it is because my garden is very full of plants and not a lot of ground.  So they are going over to Debbie's house and she is not happy about that.

A baby rabbit ate all these and my one hen and chicken plant.  I was so mad

Well, I got revenge. 

On June 23, Tom went out and started getting rid of the front junipers, a project on our list of projects.

The baby rabbit must have freaked out and ended up in Paula's backyard.

The rabbit was trying its darndest to get into our yard.  Why?  To torment me? Well, Tuesday night, 25th, I happen to go downstairs about 8pm and the rabbit was IN OUR YARD.  I chased it out and it had gotten through the chicken wire. I put the squirrel trap in the spot.

The next morning, faithful Tom went over to repair the fence.  I was on the phone with Alex, Beau and Summer and Tom seemed upset and focused.

I did not see the rabbit in the yard after that?

That evening, we were talking to Eric and Dava, our houseguests and Tom said, "There is a grave in the corner of the yard." I looked at him, surprised.  "What?"  So while he was repairing the fence that dufus rabbit, not so smart after all, came into our yard.  And what did Tom do---he smashed him with the hammer.

I don't care what any PETA people say. These rabbits are a menace and this one was after my vegetable garden.

Fast forward to Friday June 28 morning.  Tom comes into the kitchen and says, "There is another baby rabbit in the ice plant."  He got a broom and left the kitchen.  A few minutes later he comes in the house and says, "I hope this does not change me."  He had hit the baby rabbit with the broom and he bit the dust. Yahoo!

The big rabbits are all over the place and I texted Brian C. and invited him to the neighborhood for shooting practice.

And about the squirrels, I have a plan. I am going to learn how to do the squirrel trap.  I will put it out in the evening or very early morning. Hopefully I will get one.  Tom and Claudette said I could "relocate" the squirrel to their house. MaybeI can get rid of more.  Last year, we relocated 20 but I think they all came back.

They are so fat and thirsty with peanuts.  AAGGHH!