One Crazy Summer

It is officially Autumn. School is in full swing, the weather has shifted and suddenly I'm in the mood to bake bread.

Apologies to those who have left comments and questions in the last few months and have not received reply, it's been one crazy summer!

It has also been an Instagram Summer

The garden ran wild this year, with big harvests and the putting by.

I spent a good many days in my Big Mac overalls, plundering the garden and processing my harvest. I think the dehydrator ran days and days at a time without let up; along with my paring knife.

This one, this kid: She started Summer out in pigtails headed off to Forest Fishing Camp, got a Summer hair cut, spent over a week in the Midwest channeling Esther Williams, grew a couple of inches, and can now wear my old vintage dresses and look amazing!

There were adventures...

watching many evenings come on in the back yard...

and flowers.

My sister and her dog Gypsy came to stay for a bit. We gathered many herbs, concocted potions/balms, sang many songs, laughed a lot, and reconnected in a lovely way.

Well, I guess that pretty much catches us up to date. 

So, what have you been up to?

A Tiny Miracle

Yesterday whilst out in the garden I spied a tiny miracle. Well, to be honest, I actually caught the scent of a small miracle before I spied it with my little eye.

Earlier this year I took a few leaps of faith when it came to planting in the garden. I have told you of the many fruit trees we have and the abundance we are gifted with. Still, I wanted to try growing something I have never grown before, melons. This is not the complete truth, I have on one other occasion grown melons, watermelon actually. However, that is a tale of woe for another time.

A cantaloupe melon, a Charentais Melon to be specific. Pony Girl is wild for melons, so I thought I'd throw caution to the wind and plant one small plant. Over the Summer months I diligently watered and cared for said melon plant. I was quite beside myself when the first little green globe appeared on the plant, and then 2 more joined the party.

As time went on I noticed that the small green globes were not growing to the size indicated on the information tag that came in the plant. Last week as I checked them again I sighed the sigh that says, "Well I gave it a go, what a shame."

Yesterday though, as I was returning from my errands I walked past the garden bed with the miniature melons and caught a whiff. The scent of a ripe melon! upon closer inspection  the little fruit fell off the stem into my hands. Oh my thought I, surely it wont taste good, it's only the size of a softball after all, not nearly the 2 pound fruit it was supposed to be.

I cut the melon in half, hmmmm... it looks good. And then I took a tentative taste. This my friends was the best tasting melon I'd had in an age. It tasted like candy! Amazing! Hurrah!

I saved the rest of the melon for Pony Girl, who did in fact agree that it was most delicious.

Though in the scheme of things it was truly the tiniest of miracles, I'll take it. It's the everyday little happy surprises that make for a happy life.

Pick a Peck

Well, we are breaking records here with the wave-O-heat. It makes taking care of the daily routines a little tricky and sticky. I have been zapped of all craftiness and moving at a slugs pace. The only thing I managed to pull off this week was a 20 minute itty bitty purse for the upcoming festival this weekend. No beauty to be sure, but I imagine it will serve it's purpose just fine. Just slap on some patches and we are in business!



The only thing thriving in this heat is a certain section of the veg garden. The peppers are going gangbusters; Japanese eggplant at it's most utmost purpleness; and lemon cucumbers galore (my favorite)!



If you have left me a comment and I have not responded, please know that I so appreciate everyone of them and hope to be back in my usual form once the tempurature cooperates.
We are off to set up tents and find some shade whilst listening to lovely music. I will see you all next week. Until then, I am wishing you all a gorgeous weekend.

July in the Garden

Summer love...

This is a photo intensive post, showing off the best bits of the flora here at the cottage. I am coming to realize that the pictures I most enjoy taking, are of the garden. So, breathe deep and stroll through the fruit and flowers.




...and some of the harvest.
Shallots and garlic hanging in the larder.
Baby new potatoes of all sorts.

Just Looking

I have been missing for a few days. I am only just found and my words have not yet all come back to me. I will post in pictures I think, they are worth a thousand words, isn't that what they say?

The light has changed.
And the rain is returned.

I was found yesterday, here in the garden.
fernapple blossomvegetable bedsack of potatoesspireablueberry blossomslittle purple flowerfern again