Another Garden Update

It has been a very strange season in the garden.

A combination of perfect conditions and mixed results

The cool, wet Spring allowed everything to grow without

stress; then the heat set in followed by non-stop rain.

The garden doesn't seem to know exactly where it should be!

Speaking of which, the Bees have been busy

(of course they have)

which resulted in a tremendous cucumber crop,

climbing up the cattle panels and actually onto 

the chicken wire fencing.  

Almost every weekend, and sometimes in between,

we are canning either pint or quart jars of pickles:

cucumber slices, spears, mixed vegetables.

Taylor's had a smiley face!

She (my granddaughter) made a few jars to 

bring back to her place.

The tomatillos are just everywhere

and we have made several jars of 

salsa verde.

Now these are the good parts; however, there is also the bad.

Now the squash bugs have decided to appear, much

later than last year.  I was killing those things left and 

right, every single day, last season.  Now I find them

mating on top of the tomatillos

(love in a hot air balloon?)

so I inspect with duct tape, sticky side out,

wrapped around my hand and get the adults before

they can make the babies, although I am certain I will

soon find the eggs beneath my squash leaves.

We saw a little bird flitting from tomatillo to 

tomatillo so I hope it's a special 

Squash Bug Eating Sparrow or something.

On a lighter note I am progressing with my

Bee-Utiful quilt along sponsored by Moda.

It's been fun watching how to do the embroidery

stitches and experimenting with color and applique.

I can't say I'm "good" at it but coming along and 

learning from my mistakes.