Corn

I only picked this one this morning and ate it this morning.  Very satisfying!  This corn - fresh from the stalk had a milkier taste to it - wonderful!  Also I think I left it on the stalk to long, there were some kernels that were already denting and harder than I would have liked.  This one was the driest looking of the sweet corn though, but also one of the largest.  I will pick the rest very soon.  Possibly take some down to Mom and Dad's.

I think when I get back I will try planting some more.  I think there is enough time in the season to grow another crop of sweet corn.

Wonderful thing, knowing that one kernel from one cob can grow a whole stalk.

I can't say for sure if this is a totally GMO free corn because it is from Burpee and Burpee is owned by Monsanto - which I didn't find out until a few weeks ago - but at least there are no added chemicals of insecticide, herbicide or fertilizers.

Onions

Honest I didn't grow it on purpose

So I had this plant growing with my tomatoes and peppers and such and I thought they might have been some surviving eggplant - so I let them grow. They did produce these odd looking tiny tiny green tomato looking things that eventually ripened to black... so I did some research.

This is what I have http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/black_nightshade.htm

FYI

If you mix too much grout for a midnight grouting - loading it down with water will not stop it from drying under the water.

And then there was the septic

So the house deal may be on the rocks for my friends because of the septic not being large enough (only designed for two people).  Not to mention the electric needs work and the AC is bad.  But hopefully the seller will fix that or take it off the price of the house.  But we will see.

Did a little garden work, basically mowed down the grass and mowed over the remains of the pumpkin broccoli and cucumber.  The bugs and rabbits just decimated them.  I will probably replant some cucumber and pumpkin and try and get some sweet potatoes.  I will need to move where the pumpkin and cucumber are though; get them away from the bugs.  The zucchini is still fighting so I let it go for now but it is sick too.

The onions are looking ready to start coming out of the ground and the tomatoes are still doing well.  I keep waiting for them to start turning red.  I probably need to pull some carrots too.

The next few days will be in the 100s though so the most I will probably be doing is watering and a little picking.

Exciting Day

So Dad finally got to go home after doing most of the bathroom remodel (thanks Dad).  Of course he had to repair his jeep before he was allowed to leave the driveway....

A minor fuel line fix later he was on his way home.

Today I am going with my friends Allie and Jimu (we call him Jimu - don't ask) to look at a house they are interested in.  I am excited for them - I remember how enthralled I was with getting my first house with Rob.  At the same time I know how blind it made me.  My Mom and Dad tried to tell me the house needed some work but I wouldn't hear it.  There was a four foot diameter tree in the backyard!!!

Anyways, it wasn't totally bad that we got this house.  It has served us well.  But we are ready to move on too.

But back to the thing today - they found the house in the school district they have their girls in already and the girls are in the school Allie really wanted them in, so that is good.  This house is one that a guy bought and is flipping (has flipped) - not sure when it is officially flipped if when the work is done or when it is sold.

I haven't gotten to see the inside yet, which is what we are doing today while the inspector is there.

I will update more later.

Helpful Cat

More Rain!

Hurray we got another bout of rain!  The garden dirt doesn't have that cracked desert look any more.  Even watering it every other day it was going dry.

I got some diatomaceous earth to help take care of the bugs.  I hope it does the trick. Wasn't too bad in price too - just 9 bucks for a descent sized box.

Tomatoes are still doing well - I can't wait to see them start to ripen.

The bathroom walls are being tiled - it is looking awesome.  Dad has been working really hard on it (even on Father's Day).  Payment of beer and chocolate is being made.

BUGS!

So I went out into the garden last night and found out what has been demolishing my zucchini, pumpkin and cucumbers.  Cucumber beetles!!!

(thank you bugguide.net for the photo)

Only about 1/4 inch long.  I need to make a spray to get rid of them.  I don't know if I can save the pumpkin plants.  I know the cucumbers will need to be replanted - hopefully they can make another go of it.

The tomatoes are making a good go of it - so long as nothing eats them they should provide a good harvest.

Oh and yay we finally got some rain - but it doesn't look like we will get another storm for awhile again.

Garden update

Did some yard work today and was very happy to see the tomatoes starting to form on the plants.  I got some photos.
Oh well it added them in reverse order so the first one is the picture of the stems left from the rabbits eating some of the broccoli

Here is a head of broccoli starting - so far saved from the rabbits.

My corn.  These are the popcorn variety (Japanese Hullless) the sweet corn is very stunted.

Cherokee purple tomatoes starting!

My pepper plant - waiting for it to start making peppers.

My one raspberry (or maybe blackberry) I don't know.   I will probably pick it soon to keep the critters from getting it.

 More corn

 Watermelons which are part of my adapted three sisters model.

 Tomatillos.  The one in the middle is an original the ones on the sides I had to start over from seed.

 This was supposed to be a picture of tomatoes but they are kind of hidden behind the leaves.

French Canadians

OMG AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!11one!!
FRUSTRATION.

pant pant pant
foam froth foam

Grrrrr

and done.

woot!

So my broccoli is beginning to head!  I had thought maybe they were a lost cause because they took so long to grow bigger.  AND - my blackberry bush made a berry!!  A single berry...  but a berry!  Ok its a runt berry - but ... A BERRY!!

My sweet corn is stunted, but still trying to do something.  I need to try again with the cucumbers I think.  I will try to get in some sweet potatoes soon too.

I will try and get some more pictures up soon - hopefully one of the berry before those darn rabbits eat it.

and done

I went shopping with Allie.  I needed her moral support.  I hate shopping, even at home depot.  I am done for the day.

One with the mud

Mud, joint compound, plaster, spacling paste, whatever you want to call it; I am learning to work it.  It seems like it would be simple, "here take this mud and this spatula and slap it in between the joints of the pieces of drywall."  I have discovered there is a science to it, or even an art.  I don't mind it, kind of like it really, except for corners and balancing on the step-ladder.

Stuff is moving along though.  I am tired, didn't get much sleep, but I am satisfied.