Garden Photos

Recent photos. With the arrival of spring comes my garden visitors. And our newest bird house...or is it an apartment!

Spring has sprung

Wow. I haven't been on this blog in a long time. I've been busy on my other blogs though. Here are some pics from the weekend.

This is the blog where I share what doesn't fit elsewhere. Generally things around the homefront - yard and kitchen. With the arrival of nice weather I hope to share more here.

We are less than 2 weeks away until Clayton returns from Afghanistan. Woo hoo!

Planning a new view

Next winter I want to have a new view out of this window. Gotta work some bird feeders into it somehow...the cross section of the window frame blocks out my little fence line bed.

And this is the view further out...

Time to Plan

I haven't been here on this blog since November. Seems like the other blogs got more attention.

The new year is here and that means cold weather. My winter is usually spent dreaming of Spring and planning additions to the gardens. We barely have the foundation plants done since re-doing every garden and creating the 80 foot fenceline bed. I have one bed to finish with foundation planting and that is the front garden. We waited until the new sprinkler system was installed. So the old plants have been yanked and it's sitting "naked" waiting on Spring.

Here is the before picture:

This will be a bird garden. We'll see how it turns out!

Photo of the Week

small harvest

Garden Walk

Summer blooms are fading. Took a few photos in the garden today.

BIG Mosquito?

I was going to sit out in the swing and enjoy the nice weather with a couple of magazines until I got attacked. They were relentless and we scurried back inside before one of the cats got carried off.

Looking ragged...

...but still producing.

The weather is taking a toll on my tomato plants. I think my yellow plum bush is about done. I liked them and will plant again next year. The heat has slowed them down but they should bounce back producing when the temps are a little lower.

Photo of the Week

Before a wash...

Stop...Thief...Thieves

I am SO mad. Figured out why I haven't had many tomatoes this week. Guess the heat is leaving them thirsty. What they didn't take off the vine has been pecked. I have pieces of tomato all over this part of my yard.

This one is blurry but you can see what is in its beek.

Our Sunsets

We have no housing behind us. Just a field that is used for wheat and alfalpha. This allows us to enjoy many wonderful sunsets.

Yikes

Nothing like having a big hopper scare you when you're weeding. He was 3 inches long.

Molting Cicada

When they first appear they are kind of cute. Such fragile looking wings, until they dry. They leave behind those ugly brown skeletons on the brick, furniture, trees, etc.

Garden Foe

Here is what has been eating my Hibiscus.

Photo of the Week

Red bell pepper in the making

Hibiscus

They are slow to return in the spring but so worth the wait. I have 12 in my garden. Different colors and sizes.

Snack time

Which one doe I choose?

Hibiscus

Dreary Day

Supposed to be a rainy week. Cool and wet. Just when I feel like gardening!

Small but mighty

2 years ago Barry dug out enough lawn so that I could plant a small [more like tiny] garden. I just gotta have my home grown tomatoes.

I think by next year we will have tilled the area behind our fence. It's our easement area but shouldn't be an issue in using it. Most of it will get some real grass in place of the weedy stuff there now. The rest will be an expansion of garden space. It backs up to a wheat field and the current access road is used by those that need behind our properties.

Here are my tomatoes for 2010. I always plant Jet Star and Juliets. This year I'm also trying Mr. Stripey and Yellow Pear tomatoes. I tried a yellow version last year and like them. I don't recall the name but it wasn't what I picked this year. In between the cages I also have green, yellow and red bell peppers along with some jalapenos. I may have to squeeze another cage in the adjoining flower bed and pop in a cucumber. I can remember the gardens Mama would have when I was a kid. Back then it was hard dirty work that a kid didn't enjoy. But when winter arrived and we enjoyed the harvest that Mama had canned or put in the freezer, it was worth it.

I can't wait until I have the first tomato straight from the vine!