The Good Stuff

I hear that we have more watermelon and pumpkins than we will know what to do with.  Mom gives me the daily report.  All I know is, at this house, we're sure enjoying the harvest!

Fresh watermelon is tasty!

Chocolate-Orange Zucchini Cake

Hot Town, Summer's in the City...

I seem to keep griping about the heat. I really shouldn't give it such a bad rap. It has helped produce tons of squash and okra. In fact, the hotter it gets, the more the okra seems to like it. The squash, however, while producing well since the end of May have finally given up. The crispy plants were pulled and the ground will be allowed to rest for a bit until we gear up for fall planting. All rows of beautiful bean plants except one were pulled due to the fact there was not one single bean to be found. Lots of flowers, but NO beans. Because we are big believers in HOPE, we decided to save one row for posterity. Just maybe???? The tomatoes will probably go this weekend as they are TALL and they are CRISPY. Just a few tomatoes left to ripen and we'll call it a day. I will hate to go back to buying store tomatoes. Something is just not the same...

Okra grows and grows

Still going strong are pumpkins and watermelons. The first pumpkin of the season was harvested on Saturday. It is a beautiful shade of orange...too bad Halloween isn't anywhere close...I am reading now to see how to preserve until witches and goblins appear...we still have approximately 6 more ripening....(you never know where one will pop up!)

First pumpkin of the season...

On the watermelon front...there are 10 growing at the moment. We have 5 black diamond and 5 "regular" ones. They have absolutely taken over the place. I wonder if watermelon and pumpkin cross pollinate? What would that be? A pumpkermelon? A waterkin? A waterpump? (No....) or a pumpwater? (Nah....)...

Black Diamond....Yum....

And the "regular" variety

Finally, the corn has started to show its tassels....it would be really exciting if we actually got an ear or two...with this heat however...

Corn Stalk Tassel

Fruits of Labor

Mom and Dad have done an amazing job with the garden.  We've been over twice recently and can't believe how far everything has come.  Lately, they've done all the work and we've...well, done a lot of eating.  Dun-Good produce is tasty!

Rory and Jack's favorite

Squash, sliced and frozen

Breaded Okra

The family got together for July 4th and had some fun in the garden.  Good stuff.

After-dinner harvest

 Garden self-portrait

It's Summertime in Texas...and it's HOT!

The intense heat has caused us to water every morning for about 2 hours. Eddie gets up and goes to work about 5 am (hence the beginning of the water cycle) and I follow around 7 am (hence the end of the water cycle). The garden looks green and gorgeous when I leave...and rumpled, droopy and unhappy when I return home in the afternoon. (I would feel the same if I had to endure days upon days of HOT sun...). The bean plants are absolutely gorgeous...lovely wires with white flowers and slender stalks...only problem...not a SINGLE bean. Hmmm....

The squash has just about finished...there are a few plants with fruit still maturing. After the cycle is complete, we will plow under and prepare for fall planting. A few corn stalks are still with us; as are a few tomatoes...However...pumpkins, watermelon, and okra are thriving. The pumpkins are appearing in the tomato cages, under the bean plants. and among the cucumbers while and the watermelon plants have sent shoots outside the fence. A few giant cucumbers were spotted under the brush...(Yea pickles!) and did I mention pumpkins are appearing everywhere?

We have learned so much from this experience...and we have only scratched the surface...notice the visitor...thank heavens he was OUTSIDE the fence...

Fourth of July bounty...God is so good!

Black diamond watermelon...thanks Mandy and Andrew for trying the first one...hopefully this one will be better!

Under the leaves are several of these...hiding...

Halloween in July? I am reading up now on how to preserve until October...

As long as he stays where he belongs....

June 26: It's a Forest Out There!

This week with a switch in the watering schedule...suddenly crops are either exploding or dying out. The 100+ degree days (with the accompanying 30 mph hot winds...) have continued; therefore, a few plants have simply decided to call it a day. The garlic completely burned out...as did the carrots, and a few green bean plants succumbed to charred leaves, stems, and roots. Remaining plants have definitely slowed down with the following exceptions: okra, pumpkin, the yellow squashes, and watermelon. These have truly stepped it up. Okra is growing literally overnight as are the squashes. Watermelon plants are taking over the upper half of the garden, while baby pumpkins are appearing EVERYWHERE. (even in the tomato cages...) The corn is hanging in there, as are a few zucchinis, butternut squash and tomatoes. The cucumbers have just begun to set, so the jury is still out on them.  The bean plants that did not suffer from sunstroke look pretty, but NO beans.

Oh, notes to self:

• When the seed package says to ONLY plant 1-2 seeds in a mound and 3 feet apart...they MEAN it.
• Pumpkins plants that were not thinned appropriately according to package directions should NOT be planted near cucumbers that were not thinned appropriately either.
• Plant pumpkins in a LARGE area...I'm just saying...

Pics of the week:

Okra loves the sun! Doing well in the HOT environment...

Baby Watermelon just after a drink....

Largest pumpkin thus far...about the size of a soccer ball...

Uh...see the difficulty here...read and follow directions....

And Now...Here comes the HEAT...

The HEAT is on....

...and I don't mean Miami...as a Mavs fan...that will never happen...The HEAT here refers to days of over 104 degrees. Lately, the wind has blown around 20-30 mph at times and the temperature has soared...as of today, we have had over 2 weeks of 100+ weather. Rain? Not so much...The garden is not happy. Basically, the beans are toasting, anything that looked vaguely like an herb (with the exception of dill) has long since succumbed to the heat. Grasshoppers are labeling the garden as a smorgasbord for the taking...However, some things have persevered...and we have added a few additions to take the places of the less fortunate...(welcome watermelons, corn and okra!). This week's success stories:

Now these were good...really good...

I never knew peppers could be so sweet...

This pumpkin, growing right in the middle of the tomatoes...is so CUTE!

Sunday, June 5---Things are Booming!

Sun Ripened Tomatoes...

On the one hand...The garden is busting...out of its bounds! On the other hand...the heat and numerous unwanted intruders are contributing to the demise of some crops. So let's take each of these as separate issues...

In the good news department...

• Tomatoes are ripening...
• First Anaheim chilis were picked...
• Zucchinis are everywhere; as are crooknecks and yellow squash...
• Butternut squash are as big as my feet...
• Young watermelon are sprouting...
• Young corn are sprouting...

Butternut Squash

In the not so great department...

• Remaining potatoes had to be dug as green caterpillars took up residence and bored holes...
• Several carrots were burnt by the sun...
• Onions had to be removed as thick brown caterpillars set up house in all the leaves...
• Moles enjoy a good eat...
• It's HOT outside...

A mole who is no longer with us...Aggg...

All in all...still a great experience. Eating fresh vegetables is a wonderful experience and the taste is SO much better than supermarket produce. The time spent caring for the plants is so peaceful...no phones...no computers...no interruptions...(well, except for an occasional ant or bee...). However, just FYI...mosquitoes, chiggers and grasshoppers are just plain annoying...