Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Morning Walk Through The Garden

I Love Living In The Country:)





Our new country home is bringing me 
so much joy.


Come take a morning walk with me 
through my garden.

The green beans are starting to climb up the tee-pee :)

The mystery of whether our trees were apple or plum is solved. 

They are apricot, 
and almost ready to pick :)

We have grapes growing on our vines.

It is just so exciting . . .watching our garden grow.

 
Our cucumbers are starting to bloom. 


And so are our zucchini :)

We have bell peppers starting to come on the vine.

And cayenne that we are already eating.


Our basil is beautiful . . . 
I've been using it and it smells like heaven.

Our tomatoes are starting to get fruit . . .

Around here they get ripe in August.
Bring a salt shaker and come visit :)

Well, that's it for now.
Each day it looks different . . .

Next year because we will be here in the early spring . . .
we are already planning early crops like potatoes and peas.

Gardening is new to me and I'm enjoying the process of learning.
I've been keeping an ice cream bucket in the kitchen 
for all of my fresh vegetable scraps and 
my coffee grounds and egg shells.

I haven't made a compost pile, 
but I have been digging holes in the garden
 and burying my scraps . . . 
it seems to me working :)

Thanks for visiting :)

Your blogging sister,
Connie :)

52 comments:

  1. So great to learn new things, isn't it?!
    To eat veg and fruit from your own garden is just magnificent ( and so much tastier)!
    Love from Mirjam.

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    1. Oh, I know that they are going to be fresher and therefore have more food value than anything that I could buy at the grocery store. I'm enjoying learning to garden and I'm excited about learning to can, too :)

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  2. I love living in the country too! Your pictures are great. It looks like your garden is thriving. Our tomatoes are almost ripe and we have an over abundance of squash & cucumbers! Time to start making pickles.

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    1. I am so excited about learning to can. My husband and I have been reading "The Joy of Pickling" and we can't wait to try making our own pickles :)

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  3. I'm pretty new to gardening too. Oh, we had a garden when we first moved here 18 1/2 years ago...but our attempts at gardening just fell apart. I was having my hands full just raising kids back then! But now, the past 3 years I've learned a lot! I love it. I think even the most learned gardener would say--every year is different and there is always something new to learn. Your garden looks great. I hadn't thought of digging a hole and putting the scraps in the hole! That is a new one on me!
    I have a compost pile... and it makes some wonderful soil. We had the clean out from the chicken coop to it too!
    ...have a great week! Pat

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    1. Oh, they say that chicken poop is the best for gardens. I purchased bags of steer manure and then had friends that said next year they would bring me a pick-up load. One friend has horses, but I guess that would be about the same as cows, right? Learning as I go, and loving it. It's like everyday we see something new . . . we are like kids in a candy store, LOL.

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  4. I enjoyed walking thru pictures of your garden. I miss mine but I know my bod can't do the work anymore. Be sure to look into drying foods too.

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  5. Your garden looks yummy!!! I am able to grow some tomatoes in pots and can't wait for them to ripen.

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    1. Hi Linda, thanks for stopping by to visit . . . isn't it fun to watch things grow :)

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  6. Your garden looks wonderful! Love your tepee of beans...we painted an old metal maniquin turquoise..named her Matilda...and she holds up our Japanese cucumbers! Happy Monday!!

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    1. Hi Linda, that sounds so cute, I'm coming over to visit, in hopes that you will have a photo of Matilda and her cucumbers :)

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  7. That is a wonderful garden you've got, and my oh my! apricots! What a treasure that is. Oh, and I love your red rocker too.

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    1. Hi Sara, thanks for stopping by to visit. I am excited about the apricots, too. My daughter and granddaughters are coming to visit this weekend and we plan on making some apricot jam together. This new country life just suits me to a tea :)

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  8. Your garden is delightful. We live in a small city but on a fairly big lot. I love going out to the garden to see what's happening. At this time of year there's something new every day.

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    1. Good Morning Lorrie, thanks for stopping by to visit. I know what you mean . . . by beans, squash and sunflowers are growing so fast, they amaze me from day to day. It's so much fun :)

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  9. Your garden is beautiful Connie! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and following along! I followed you back. For some reason my photo doesn't show up but I should be at the back of your list... with all the faceless folks Ha!
    Nice to meet you Connie!

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    1. Good Morning Sherry, I don't know why it does that, sometimes. I've had the same thing happen when I follow someone. It's great to make a new friend and I'm looking forward to getting to know you better, through blogging. Have a wonderful day!

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  10. I really enjoyed having a walk through your garden. It's lovely to see all the different fruit and vegetables at their different stages of growth. What a surprise with
    the apricot tree. It's so full and they look delicious. Nothing better than being able to go outside and pick something fresh. Have a lovely week.
    Ali xx

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    1. Good Morning Ali, it is such a lovely and excite experience, to have fresh food right outside our backdoor. I cannot wait for all of my vegetables to start ripening. I have been buying canning jars to prepare and today I'm going to town to look for a canner :)

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  11. Your garden looks great. I did gardening years ago when I had more energy but now it's just too much to try and keep up with it and work full time. I do miss the fresh vegies though

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    1. God Morning Ann, I can see where working full time and having a garden could be a bit overwhelming. It is a lot of work, but I'm retired and I have the time. It is sure a wonderful feeling having food growing just outside my backdoor :)

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  12. Your gardens are looking great. It is wonderful and exciting to grow some things for your kitchen! Nancy

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    1. Hi Nancy, I am having so much fun pulling weeds and hoeing my rows of vegetables. I'm finding it a mixture of hard work and relaxation. We are just starting to eat from it and the other plants are just a few weeks away. I can see lots of canning and yummy fresh vegetables on our table this summer :)

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  13. What a lovely walk round the garden. You have some lovely produce growing there and will really enjoy eating such fresh veggies. Don't forget to prepare for the glut, so dig out your recipes for green tomato jam, canned beans etc! I am glad you are so happy in your new home xxx

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    1. Hi Fran, I've been preparing as far as buying up some canning jars. Today I am going to town to buy one of those blue speckled canners. This is all new to me and Steve, but we have been reading a pickling book and I have been checking out canning recipes on the internet. It's exciting and we are looking forward to having all of this fresh food right outside our backdoor :)

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  14. Oh Connie. This is just great. I do so miss living in the country.

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    1. Good Morning Connie, We are truly enjoying the space to garden and I'm looking forward to the process of learning to can. I'm buying canning jars and reading recipes on the internet. I also have friends that have volunteered to help me learn . . . this is an exciting new adventure for us :) Steve and I are still pinching ourselves . . . this move to the country happened so quickly and has made a big change in our lifestyle. We simply love it!

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  15. Your garden is looking wonderful!! How lovely to have apricots. Sounds like you are having fun with your garden!

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    1. Good Morning Rebecca, I am having a ball . . . I find that the mixture of hoeing and pulling weeds to be very relaxing. I've always been an outdoors gal in the summer, but never been a sports person, so gardening is becoming my sport activity, so to speak, and I'm loving it. Not to mention all the fresh vegetables that are just weeks away from being in bountiful supply :)

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  16. What a bounty at your doorstep. I have never had a garden, ever. So seeing this makes me wish I had one. Wonderful!

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    1. Good Morning Melanie, it's great to see you! I am having a ball . . . it's hard work pulling weeds and hoeing not to mention that I have been sweating more than never in this heat we've been having. I just looked at the weather forecast for the next ten days and it's 89 to 95 everyday. We could use some of your Seattle rain :) I've been wearing tee shirts and I'm getting what they call a "farmers tan", so yesterday I pulled out a tank top . . . probably should have done it sooner, LOL. It is a great feeling being able to walk out the backdoor and having fresh produce. This country life agrees with me :) We are loving our new home.

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  17. Your garden looks gorgeous...all sunny and leafy. ...and all those apricots! Hope you enjoy making the jam!

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    1. Good Morning Jill, our daughter and granddaughter s are visiting soon and we are planning on making jam together . . . it should be a lot of fun :)
      We are loving our new country lifestyle :)

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  18. I love the smell of fresh Basil, and I think it is so funny that the tree are not apple or plum but indeed apricot. Your garden is looking really good, I love gardening, especially when it is as productive as yours. Enjoy your crops.

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    1. Good Morning Sue, Oh, I love the smell of fresh basil, too! Every few days I have been snipping the buds from them so they won't go to seed and when I'm through my hands carry that sweet smell with them :) I'm excited to try my hand at making jam this weekend with some of the apricots.

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  19. Love everything about your gardens and this post!
    Quite an impressive beginning to gardening, my friend.

    Oh, I do love apricots. Perfect for apricot-pineapple jam...... so tasty on fried potatoes. Yes, jam on fried potatoes.
    Give it a try, you'll love the sweet, and savory combination.

    Smiles :)
    K.

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    1. Wow! That is a combination that I have never heard of . . . do you have a recipe for apricot-pineapple jam? I just might have to make some and then fry up some potatoes and give it a try :)

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  20. I'm so glad to hear you're loving your new home and enjoying the harvest of all those beautiful veggies. I just cut fresh basil from my garden this morning to use in a Greek pasta salad.

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    1. Hi Melanie, Oh, doesn't fresh basil smell heavenly. I have been nipping the buds to keep mine from going to seed. When I'm finished my hands smell wonderful :)

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  21. I love your garden! The everyday morning walk must be calm and peaceful. While walking, you can enjoy the natural beauty. I love gardening too. I hope your crops will turn out well.

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  22. Oh Connie, I so enjoyed my 'walk' in your garden... The deer have taken their toll on mine! oh well,,
    As for the apricots...wish I had an apricot tree...neaxt year maybe.. but I have a ton of plums... the 1st time in a gazillion years!
    Have a lovely day and enjoy your garden.
    hugz

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    1. I'm so happy that you came to visit and that you left a comment. Sorry to hear about the deer and your garden, O am surprised that we haven't seen any deer here. With the alfalfa field across the road; I thought that we would be seeing them. After reading your comment, I'm happy that I haven't :) Enjoy your plums!

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  23. Hi Connie,

    Oh, I love your garden! Yep, I'd definitely say that's an apricot tree. They are so good when they are nice and fresh. What a clever way for your green beans to grow. I can imagine how beautiful that's going to look. For being a beginner I'd say you're doing wonderfully. I planted one purple bell pepper and it got hailed on quite heavily this week so it's given up. My little yellow pear tomatoes look wonderful - so glad I moved them underneath the eave so they are somewhat protected.

    Since you'll have both basil and tomatoes you need to try this --- a basil and tomato sandwich with mayo on toasted bread. It's heavenly!!!

    Hugs,
    Kay

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    1. Hi Kay, that sandwich sounds amazing and great for a hot summer day :) Sorry to hear about your pepper plant. Hail storms can be very destructive. I am having so much fun with our garden . . . and amazed that it is doing so well. I really didn't expect my first garden to be nearly this grand . . . at least that is how I feel about it. I'm loving our new country life :)

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  24. Your garden is looking really good ... especially the apricots, LOVE apricots!

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    1. My daughter was here and we made jam and slice and frozen some . . . those were for her, now I'm making jam this week for Steve and I. I love my new country life :)

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  25. Our tomatoes are just now ripening here in southwest Nebraska. We have grape vines also, grapes aren't ready yet, though.

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    1. We go out and watch our tomatoes daily . . . I guess it's the newness of being a first time gardener :)

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