My garden has been keeping me a bit busy with the
clipping, watering, harvesting, weeding, and getting rid of bugs.
Today was another harvest of cucumbers, green
peppers, and small tomatoes.
Bulldog Man and I decided the Pineapple Tomato plant
needed a haircut and some adjustments; to make sure it was standing and getting
the appropriate support it needed.
Here’s the before and after picture……..the plant
looks as if it enjoyed the haircut.
 |
| Before Hair Cut |
 |
| After Hair Cut |
Next to the Pineapple Tomato plant is another type
of tomato plant. My identification stake
is no longer next to the plant; therefore, I’m not sure what type of tomato
plant this is, but it is producing these beautiful tomatoes that actually look artificial.
The Borage seeds planted have grown nicely, and have
produced these beautiful flowers.
We had a couple of unexpected visitors on the
homestead today. While cutting the grass
and weed-whacking, I came across a turtle. Bulldog Man moved him out of the way
and over to some water and food, while I weed-whacked around the fenced in area
where Beans roams. We both wondered
where this turtle came from; being that there’s no pond or river on our
property. Later, we boxed up the turtle and
took him over to a nearby park, and let him loose.
Later in the afternoon, this little bunny came
hopping over to the front part of the house and was eating the grass (aka:
weeds). We watched him/her hop off down
the side of the house, and into the wooded area off the eastern side of the
property. Lucky for me, our garden is
fenced off and on the inside of this fence; we have installed bamboo around the
entire fence. The rabbits have not made
it into my garden……………..GOOD THING!!!!
I was half expecting the family of skunks to come
out next to visit us.
There is a family of skunks living in the wooded
area on the east side of the property.
I’ve captured a few pictures of flowers I’d like to share
today.
Instead of heating up the house, I started up our
grill, browned ground beef, onions, and celery.
I added 2 quarts of homemade broth, 1 canned jar of fresh tomatoes,
potatoes, and carrots from my garden; then some frozen peas. While I sat outside and enjoyed the cooler
temperatures in the shade, I let the homemade ground beef soup cook on medium
heat on top of the burner of the gas grill, while Bulldog Man enjoyed smoking
his pipe, with some sweet smelling hazelnut tobacco.
Life is good………….
Oh Sandy life does indeed sound and look good. for you I am happy for that. Hug B
ReplyDeleteB,
DeleteThank you, things are looking up :-)
Love the shape of those tomatoes, they are fascinating! Almost like large teardrops. Good food, good veggies, pretty flowers, definitely life is good. :-)
ReplyDelete1st Man,
DeleteThose tomatoes are so different, I wish I knew the name of them.
Amen Brother!!
That was a box turtle they don't live near water like the soft shelled or shallow shelled turtles. We get 100's of them around here.
ReplyDeleteSurprised you don;t get armadillo visitors.
PP,
DeleteWell this turtle decided he wanted to go into the water. We let him out at this park in the grass and he walked over and went in the water.
It's the first time we had one here on the property. We usually see them along the roads going into town.
We have possums too!!!
We've seen armadillos going into the mountains.......mostly on the road squished,lol...
Hmmm well it might be some type of water turtle then although the center of the shell looks too high for all the water turtles I am familiar with except snappers and he doesn't have the ridgeline down the center for a snapper. Even young snappers have the ridge and a more pointy head.
DeleteI know water turtles up here travel extensively across land during June because the larger males drive the smaller males out so we will find smaller snappers in the yard and even the barn occasionally. They will overnight in mud puddles and the like too.
Had a huge one here last month. The wife said we had to move LOL.
PP,
DeleteI'm not sure what type of turtle it was. As soon as it realized there was water the turtle took off and took the plunge.
I take it your wife doesn't like turtles?
Sandy, I've never heard of giving a tomato plant a haircut! I'll be curious as to what it thinks, LOL
ReplyDeleteWe seem to have a turtle pass through every year. They actually move along quicker than one would think. I'm never sure where they're coming from or going to, but they're always traveling in the same direction.
Leigh,
DeleteI'm hoping the hair cut won't kill of the plant. The top of the plant was to heavy.
Surprisingly, turtles do move fast.
We have those ugly softshell turtles here. They get huge if you remember. I've heard they make a great turtle soup, but boy they are ugly.
ReplyDeleteI've never given a tomato plant a haircut before. Does it stunt any fruit production in the process?
Izzy,
DeleteYes, I do remember from living there. I've had turtle soup, my grandmother made it. It was really good but I'm not sure I would make it myself. It seems like an awful lot of work to get to the meat.
I haven't had any issues in the past when clipping tomato plants however, this particular plant we did some major cutting on so we shall see if it stunts the fruit production.
Hey Sweet Sandy,
ReplyDeleteGarden looks beautiful, everything is so colorful. Last weekend I met a one legged man in a wheelchair selling mountain tomatos and plants. Bought two maters, sliced them up for a sammich, then bought three small mountain mater plants.. All I can say is how good they smell. My kids think I am a nut job by sniffin tomatoe plants every day....lol
Ask Senior some time about his adventures with Armadillos; He has actually gone out on night ops trying to shoot one that was tearing up our mulch beds in Florida. Another one, he got trapped under a neighbors driveway, and flooded the hole with water, that dillo could not get out fast enough. They got him in a bucket then dumped him in the woods a few miles away....
I too have clipped mater plants, but never saw any difference in fruit production...so good luck ! Hope it works for you.
JUGM,
ReplyDeleteThank you, my garden really took off this year. Tomato sandwiches are so good, I don't need any lunch meat........just give me tomatoes!!!
Armadillos can really cause havoc on your property. And from what I understand, they don't taste bad either. I've never tried them, and probably never will.
I'll have to ask Senior about his adventures with Armadillos, lol......
Hugs to you and yours,
Sandy
the only way I would eat a armadillo is if there was absoluty nothing else left. They have been known to carry leprosy, and other bacterial diseases. Plus they are just dang ugly..ick
DeleteWell dang. I thought we would get to see a photo of him and his pipe. I have only know one pipe smoker in my life. I hear you on the garden work. But the divine taste of what you have grown yourself makes it all worth it.
ReplyDeleteSandy,
ReplyDeleteYour hamburger soup looks yummy. I make mine pretty much the same way, but for some reason we just don't eat much soup in the summer. I think both of us think of it as one of those "warm ya up cause its cold outside" soups. I might have to re-think that one after looking at yours!
The only flowers I had this year were volunteers, the zinnia's from last year were nothing at all compared to the marigolds. They seem to be a larger plant this year. Did you see the picture I had of the first row of the garden. I swear it looks like someone planted them all in a row.
You take care and give BM hugs. (and a belly rub for beaners. ;-)
Sci