It's such a busy season, summer.  My garden is approximately 5,000 square feet.  That says a mouthful!  It is similarly planted as last year, with some additional items this year.  I have one little eggplant starting to make purple flowers.  I only have that in place due to the fact that my Mom fixed some roasted veggies during a Memorial Day get together, and I actually liked the eggplant.  I've always disliked it, otherwise, but am now giving it a second chance. 

I am not quite swimming in squash yet.  However, I am filling up a large mixing bowl with an assortment every couple of days.  With 2 varieties of green zucchini, and 5 varieties of yellow summer squash, we're having to get creative quickly!  My favorite uses are in stir fry, and roasted on the grill.  I have lots of spinach, and have enjoyed many spinachy salads thus far.  My lettuce was great, briefly, but has since turned bitter.  I'll see if it goes to seed, and make an effort to save some seed this year. 

I have two varieties of pumpkin in the ground, one being my favorite blue Jahrradale (which I never seem to spell correctly), the other being "Dill's Atlantic Giant".  The second has produced upwards of 1000 pound pumpkins, but there is a certain approach needed to achieve such results.  Not sure if I'll be that devoted, as the spreading out of the vines leaves quite a cover for you know what.    Likewise, I have 2 varieties of watermelon, one of which produces fruit up to 100 lbs and the other, up to 200 lbs.  We'll see.  I'm having a little trouble with my lemon cucumbers, and after 3 attempted plantings, only have 2 good plants.  My pickling cucumbers are in better shape,  but I'm not liking the bitter flavor in the skin.  Hope that goes away.  I have some salad cucumbers as well as Armenian.  Lots of radishes, but the ones planted June and later are very hot to taste.  Lots of tomato and pepper plants.  My Roma grape plants are loaded with green tomatoes, not too many ripening yet.  Another week or two, and look out.  I'll be out there for hours more. 


Plenty corn is planted, though not as much as last year.  Less is more sometimes, so says my gardening mentor (Mom...).  Tomatillos?  Of course.  Can't get rid of them.  And the most successful crop?  Weeds.  The goats don't mind, though. 

We have 8 turkeys going right now, should get at least one nice one for Thanksgiving, if we can make it without incident.  We tried setting a hatch of pheasants, but didn't do so well.  We have 3 that were given to us as chicks.  Our ducks and aracauna chickens tried to set some nests, but one lonely little chick didn't survive...the other eggs went bad.  Still have some snakes around, but they haven't been obnoxious yet.  Oh, and a set of puppies, with a momma that ain't so bright.  She just about had it the night she got under the house and tore up the airconditioning ducts. 

On the swimming scene, we've been battling the results of wind and sun:  algae and dirt in the pool.  We put in some extra vaccum time last week, and may finally have a handle on it.  On the sports scene, 14 yo dd is attending voluntary practice for the high school girls' team here, as her age group doesn't have enough participation in the AYSO league.  And DS finished out his baseball season well, though he didn't make the all-star team as he had hoped.  However, the coach that helped him throughout the year hooked him up with a club ball opportunity, unexpectedly, and so it seems that we will be dealing with e5 kids in two sports this summer and fall.  Yikes.  Double yikes. 

Not a lot of time for crafts or poetry, though I do jot a little ditty down here and there.  In the meantime, just sporting my farm girl tan and enjoying the life the Lord has given me.  He is good!  All the time!

Blessings from the ranch!

PS  If you're reading this on my blogsite, I'm hanging out at facebook more often than not.  If you're reading this on facebook, it's because my blog imports there.  I've neglected my poor blog this summer!  Sorry, blog buddies!