Clean Up On Aisle Nine

It's spring!

This is the time of year our yard needs the most clean-up after the heavy snowfalls of winter have taken down the weakest branches and trees.  We rid ourselves of winter rubble in the yard and ready for the rainy, windy days of spring and summer that always prove to bring their damaging winter patterns.

Here is what our yard looked like yesterday before the tree cutters and mulching machines arrive to chomp up winter's damage.

Accomplishments And An Ambulance Ride

 It's been a month since I posted so thought I would catch you up on Life On Sprinkle

Grandchild #1 went to Iowa state in track and placed sixth in the state in girls 100m Hurdles.

She's totally pumped for next year since she is very young to have done this well.

Only a sophomore and rapidly moving up in the track world.

We are totally proud grandparents.

Woot Woot to Madeline!

Grandchild #2 took his very first trip to Washington D.C. after raising money to be able to to.

This is a huge step for him, and Anthony really enjoyed the trip.

We are soooo proud!

Another big woot woot!

Grandchild #3 played in his very first basketball tournament and took second place.

Check out that big bling bling medal hanging around his neck!

Go Drake!

You rock and Grandpa and I are totally proud of you.

That was woot woot number three!

 

 We ordered a very large cedar arbor for the backyard from Wayfair, but considering we want to plant a 'full sun' vine on it, we are instead installing it in the front yard.

 

 The arbor comes in nicely done pre-cut pieces, and then you build the arbor yourself.

Two sides with slats for the vine to grow on, and also a top piece to the arbor.

It didn't take my husband long to lay it all out and screw the pieces all together.

 It's all sitting on the front porch waiting for the cement footers (which he dug a few days ago before the RAIN fell, and fell and fell) to dry completely. 

 We decided on wisteria as our vine for this arbor.  They are so gorgeous in the spring with great looking lavender colored hanging blossoms.

 Needless to say, the front porch is a jungle at this time.... but a lovely one I must say.

Yesterday was my very fist experience with riding in an ambulance due to not knowing what the terrific pains I was having, along with heavy nausea and vomiting.

They arrived at the house and after I had settled into the ambulance administered pain and anti-nausea meds.

Four and a half hours later we were home from the hospital.

I slept a lot in the afternoon, feeling only tired and worn out.

A CAT scan determined that this was a single kidney stone and there are no others awaiting their turn to be born into this world.

What a pain and waste of an entire day.

So, today I spent the morning lounging on the porch, and then picked lettuce as well as the last of our asparagus from the garden, some of which I delivered to the neighbors.

I'll be grabbing a few groceries this afternoon, and hopefully discovering that my iPhone still works, the one that I rinsed in the colander along with the freshly picked lettuce.... my bad.

What's new with your world?

Ready For Fall

 We say good riddance to June and July, the two summer months from Hell this year.

Too hot.

Too humid.

Too uncomfortable.

Late afternoons when you simply pull the curtains and close up the house to keep the heat out.

Many days it felt like a cave in here, but it was the only way to stay comfortable and keep the house at it's coolest.

Heat is why we left Arizona in 2007 and moved to Virginia, but it now seems to have become a problem here also.

Where to next?

It's hard to even find the energy to think about moving somewhere else, but we certainly have contemplated it during the summer of 2017.

 Our butterfly bushes don't have a lot of blossoms left for attracting butterflies, but they are doing their best to keep the critters happy, and I have a few movie clips to prove it which I will do my best to get posted once I put the clips together and crop a bit here and there.

 The garden is doing okay this year, although not as robust as last summer....

we are awaiting the bell peppers and hope there are enough over the next month to allow us to do a few stuffed ones to enjoy, and to share with a neighbor or two also.

When our plants only produce a few, we become hoarders and no one else gets any from our garden.

The weeks ahead will tell what happens.

 The tomatoes, although still very green, are bulking up in size and as long as worms and bugs are minimal, my husband will have some heavenly tomatoes to enjoy.

 We had one day recently with temperatures in the 70's, so of course that meant grilling some burgers for dinner.

 He does not like his photo taken, so I do a bit of sneakery (probably not a real word) behind him.

 Rowdy grabs the last spot of afternoon sunshine to be found on the deck.

 The lawn turns brown when the summer heat turns up it's volume and not enough rain falls, but fortunately we have had just enough rain to keep things green.

 These two enjoy a tad of shade.

 And then Rowdy heads to the front door to see what his dad is doing indoors.

I took his photo at the vet yesterday.... he had an infection that is now being treated...

one of those icky anal gland infections.

Meds are taking care of it for him and soon he'll be back to par and able to enjoy the last month of summertime

and soft shady grass.

We are all ready for fall at our house.

How have you faired?  Are you a summer rat or do you prefer the cooler months?

Life Is Finite

You all know, as I have expressed it here so many times, how much I love autumn,

but it can at times bring on the feeling or the realization that there is a finite-ness in life, and the older I get the stronger those feelings become each year.

Yesterday morning we had a small rainstorm pass through and the winds kicked up a bit.

My husband headed out to the garden to pick more tomatoes that are still ripening as we await the first frost of the season, and the pups headed out with him to romp behind the garden.... one of their favorite places to play on our property, because that's where lots of small critters hide.  Rowdy especially loves running into the woods and works hard to stir up fear in the hearts of squirrels. gophers, bunnies and sometimes even a fox.

So, here's my video of just a few minutes from our day with the sound of the leaves rustling in the wind, my husband carrying the tomatoes to the house, and the pups as they scamper in the cool air.

Hit Or Miss Endeavor

 Although we have had LOTS of tomatoes from the garden this year, the rest of our home grown crop has been discouraging.

 No cucumbers at all, and only a few very small squash with bell peppers not nearly as bountiful as in years past.... in fact I probably won't be stuffing any peppers this year.

 But we are thankful for what we have grown successfully and will simply hope for better weather during next year's growing season.

 But what has been good enough to pick goes straight up the hill to the house.

 Rowdy helps in any way he can.... like following along behind.

That's helpful, right?

 Izzy needs a refreshing drink too....

 There's just nothing quite as tasty as cold cold well water from the hose.

It's a delicacy.

 Gardening.

It's a hit or miss endeavor.

No Cucumbers This Year

 My husband went to the garden yesterday morning before the sun was too high in the sky, and began picking tomatoes and bell peppers.

 So far it's been a good season for the garden when it comes to growing tomatoes and bell peppers.

 but he has planted cucumbers from three different times, from three different seed packets

 

and they have refused to grow, which is a first for our garden.

We have cucumbers every year since starting our garden in 2013.

It's disappointing, but this has been an extremely hot summer with vast amounts of rain during June and July...

possibly too much rain, and the cucumbers seeds could not take root or simply washed away.

He built a drainage system around the garden so that heavy rains will now drain around or under the garden, I guess next year will be another chapter in our garden's history.

Hoping for cucumbers!!

 We can tomatoes each summer.  This year he has been busy with doing coding work for a client, so his hands are full.

So this morning I had a neighbor over who's husband is out of town a lot, but will return tomorrow.

 

 We sent her home with some of these red, round beauties after a lovely visit on the screened porch.

With the harvest we have had thus far, my husband will soon be filling the picking basket once again.

Summer bounty is a good thing and we enjoy sharing it with those around us.

It's A Smorgasbord!

As you can see, the garden is going gangbusters right now.

Husband is just waiting for his tomatoes to ripen,

but we have already been enjoying yellow squash, cucumbers, and other gourdy type foods,

some on the grill for dinner each evening.

We need to get out and do more berry picking before the deer eat them all... or the bears, or any critter that might even be considering taking them from us.

It's a real smorgasbord out there!

Hump Day!

Horn Of Plenty

The horn of plenty has arrived at our house.

 Green and Italian variations of lettuce, so much we cannot eat it all.

 Cucumbers and squash... quite large and oh so good.

 Even if you live in a home or apartment with very little outdoor space, you really should try container gardening.  Home grown is too good not to attempt it. AND of course then you can be assured that what you are eating is pesticide free.

If you can grow flowers in pots, you can also grow vegetables in a patio container. 

Just a part of last night's dinner.

Fresh from our garden, the squash were grilled with a dash of love by my husband.

Now, you all know that his cooking skills were one of many reasons I married this man.

Plus, he looks great wearing his apron.

Here are some container garden videos so you can start planning for next year's planting season.

Use your deck space and fill it with containers!

Happy Growing!