Monday, June 10, 2013

Lettuce Again!, Bushes, Garden, Carrots & Strawberries


I am still harvesting lettuce although it is starting to go to seed and I pulled some out for the compost pile today.  I have more growing so hope that I won't have to be without my salads!!  That is a little dill on top as I like to cut up a little of it in my salads.


Trying to keep at cutting a few things to dry!  This is more oregano and a little parsley.  I like to cut and hang them but taking them off the stems not so much!!!


We really enjoyed the dilly carrots that I canned last year so I got busy and canned three more pints towards next years supply.  I cut them up fine and add to egg salad, and tuna fish and sliver them to add to our grilled cheese.  I have even added a little of them to my salad if I am low on things to put in it!


This is my new strawberry patch just planted this year.  I must have missed cutting off this blossom as I was surprised when I saw this strawberry!


Here is a close up of it.  I think it was a pretty good size!


I have a few old strawberry plants from previous years.  I didn't get hardly any from them last year and even pulled out some.  I was surprised to find all these out there the other day.  They are small!  I am wondering if strawberries need a lot of rain as we have had quite a bit of it!


We do like our strawberries so after church we went and bought five buckets of them!  Gas is very high here in Indiana and we were part way there.  Lots of work but will be so yummy this winter!  I do hope I can grow more of our own next year!!!!!!


My pea patch has lots of weeds that I didn't have time to get pulled but it is loaded with blossoms now.  My sugar peas have blossoms on them also!  Can't wait!!!!!!!


My little 4x4 foot patch of beets are doing well.  Hoping to have some to make pickled beets.  I love them!


Coco is all better now and out helping us garden once again.  Let's hope she doesn't eat anything else she is not suppose to!


This the Gerbera Daisy that Coco got me for Mother's Day and ate the flower off!  It then got mildew.  I trimmed the leaves off and sprayed it and now it is short, but has a new flower and looking healthy so I planted it out.  Hoping she doesn't decide to eat the flower again!


This is the cute little pail Coco's flower came in.  It is only about 4 and 1/2 inches tall and about 5 inches across the top.  It is kind of gray/green spackled paint looking on the outside.  I would like to reuse it in some way!  Could someone be creative and come up with some ideas????????  


The Yarrow at the corner is blooming so beautiful right now!


Last year I had two Asparagus ferns hanging on our front porch and a bird made a nest in one of them.  This year I hung two Boston ferns and they are so thick I didn't think a bird could make a nest.  I was surprised the other day to see this little tiny nest right in the middle.  I just checked and there are four tiny little eggs in it.  Two are speckled and two are a real light color.  I have only seen a bird looking interested in the plant once!!  I will have to keep an eye out to see what my renter is doing! 


We had two of my Dad's milk cans painted black sitting in front of our garage.  I was so disappointed when someone stole them.  The space is not very large but we finally decided on these two little bushes.  They are Royal Burgundy Barberry and the average size is suppose to be 18 inches tall and 24 inches wide.  We also have burgundy shutters so hope they will look nice.


Here is a close up picture of one of the bushes.


Our front porch really needed some pizzazz!  Of course, being frugal, I did not want to spend any money! LOL I decided to stick this little round table out there with the pink tablecloth and a scented geranium.  I have a little chalkboard I intend to write welcome on and set it by the plant.


Here is another picture of the table, flowers and my Cozy Thyme sign and our little welcome dog!  Laundry and making lunch is calling so I suppose I have to do something besides gardening since I don't have a maid!!!!  Have a wonderful week!



32 comments:

Daphne Gould said...

My strawberries are a disappointment this year. They didn't get enough water last year and most were struggling. At least I had a few spots that seemed to do well. So I am getting some.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Daphne, I know my raspberry bushes like water so maybe water is the key to good strawberries too! I have paying the price to buy them!! Thanks for visiting! Nancy

Annie*s Granny said...

Everything looks so pretty! I'm glad Coco is feeling better....give her a hug for me.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Annie*s Granny, Thanks!! Coco gets lots of loving and I will give her a hug from you! Glad I have a gardener blogger friend who is also a dog lover like me! Come visit again! Nancy

Shawn Ann said...

I've never had good luck with strawberries until this year. I moved them to the bed with my blueberry bushes. I guess they are liking the more acidic soil. Although, I have a lot less than I had hoped because the bunnies ate a bunch of the plants.
How infuriating that someone stole your milk cans. People have no respect! Your gardens are looking great!

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Shawn Ann, I am sorry the bunnies got some of your strawberries! I like bunnies in my yard but only the statue kind!! The milk cans meant something to me and we had put heavy clay in them to keep people from carrying them off. They probably wanted to sell the metal! Glad you could visit!! Nancy

Bernideen said...

You can dry your herbs easily in a very low oven for an hour or two until they "fall off the stem" when squeezed.

Your garden is wonderful! A+

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Bernideen, Thanks for the oven information. I usually just hang mine to dry. The thyme is the thing that tries my patience the most! Glad you could visit! Thanks for the A+! Nancy

kitsapFG said...

Glad to hear that Coco is doing better! I know you were really worried about her. Sorry your milk cans were stolen. Amazing how stupid people can be about things like that.

A Woman that Fears the Lord said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
A Woman that Fears the Lord said...

Oh my! Your garden is beautiful! Simply lovely! Thank you for encouraging me to come and take a peak.

I would love your recipe for the dill carrots. :-)

farmhouse-story said...

first, i so sorry about your dad's milk cans:( those strawberries look awesome--(my favorite:) and i never thought to put carrots on grilled cheese, i'll have to try that! have a great week!

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi kitsapFG, I imagine they wanted the milk cans to sell to get money but they meant more than money to me. Some people just don't care I guess. There are still a lot of good people in the world though. Thanks for visiting! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Georgene, Glad you were able to enjoy the garden pictures. I will try to get the dilly carrot recipe to you. Thanks for visiting and come again! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi lynn, Since I canned the dilly carrots they are partially cooked so I just sliver them on our grilled cheese. Adds a little zip! Glad you could visit! Always welcome! Nancy

Jemma@athomewithjemma said...

Your strawberries made my mouth water! I just bought some at the market and they will not be as wonderful tasting as yours!
Happy Hugs-
Jemma

Jemma@athomewithjemma said...

Just wanted to leave a little follow up comment-I think your swiss chard would be wonderful in the spinach pasta salad!
Jemma

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Thanks Jemma for letting me know that! I have some that needs cutting! Nancy

Vicki said...

Oh, your garden and plants look so pretty! So glad you are starting to harvest again. We have a couple of old strawberry beds that we have to plant new plants in this fall. I didn't even know that strawberry plants had to be replaced when they got old until now! How disappointing to have someone steal your milk cans especially since they belonged to your dad! I hope the bushes do well for you. They are so nice.

Hope you are enjoying your week.

:)Vicki

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Vicki, Thank you for your kind comments! I hope the garden survives the bad weather for our midwest! Thanks for visiting! Nancy

The Polka Dot Closet said...

So glad Cocoa is well! Love your front porch, your flowers are so pretty...Now I want some strawberries!

Carol

Connie said...

just last night we had a salad from the garden, I added a little dill to it, too. The dill makes it taste like summer, to me :) Your carrots are so pretty. I've never learned to can, but there is something so beautiful about home canned vegetables. If I canned, I would never store them away, but have a large shelf and display them like art.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Your blogging sister, Connie :)

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Polka Dot Closet, Thanks. I love flowers but they are more work! Hope you get your strawberries! Come again! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Connie, I am sure that you could can! I don't pressure can, just water bath the things you can do that with. I am sure you would be tempted to eat yours instead of displaying them! Thanks for visiting! Nancy

chateau chic said...

I've never heard of dill carrots, but then again I'm not the gardner and canner like you! It saddens me to think someone would take your milk cans.
Thanks for stopping by,
Mary Alice

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi chateau chic, Dilly carrots remind me a lot of dill pickles. I don't can a lot but do a little water bath canning. Yes, I was really disappointed about the milk cans but then there are lots of good people too! Glad you could visit! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Lisa, Thank you! I accidentally deleted your comment when I was trying to get rid of a spam one! So much for my technology! I don't know how to get it back so wanted to apologize. We love our strawberries here but they are hard on the knees and back to pick! Thanks for visiting! Nancy

Cheryl said...

We just picked about four gallons of strawberries from a friends place. Our patch has produced some, but we want to make jam.

I am slowly catching up on blogs. I try to read but don't always have time to comment.

Have a wonderful weekend.

~Cheryl

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Cheryl, Thanks for taking the time to comment! I know you are super busy. Glad you got some strawberries to make jam. Hope it turns out well! Have a good week-end and come again! Nancy

Julia @ Vintage with Laces said...

I'm sorry to hear that your sweet Coco was so sick and I'm glad she's doing better now. Hopefully she'll stay away from things that are not good for her.
The fruit, veggies and herbs from your garden look wonderful and must taste just great. We only have some fruit trees. Right now there are a lot of plums. Figs will be the next to be harvested.
Have a lovely week!
Julia

The Polka Dot Closet said...

thanks for stopping by, yes I totally think you could rock a lace jean jacket!

Carol

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Polka Dot Closet, Now to find the time and lace to do it! I get lots of ideas but it is getting them carried out that is the problem! Thanks for visiting! Nancy

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