Friday, August 1, 2014

Potatoes, Flowers & Preserving!


My potatoes did not do well this year.  I guess where I planted them the soil was too hard!


Made up a batch of zucchini bread!  It is delicious!  Used my friend's recipe.  Should get some ambition and make some more!  Are you busy preserving from your garden this summer?


This is my third time to plant cucumbers!  I finally saw a couple little cucumbers today!  Maybe I will get some yet!


My friend Ann, was kind enough to give me some cucumbers from their wonderful garden!!  Here are two batches of freezer dills in the process.


I don't believe I have seen this many flowers before on just one sunflower stem!!!  Have you??


I took the top off this yard art today and was going to move it and what a strange sight popped out!  We are making our yard easier for these two "young people" to care for and are taking this area out.  So far we have had seven bushes and the grape vine taken out.  Will make for much less weeding around.  I plan to keep the veggie garden, flowers and raspberries!!   Back to this strange sight!  Remember the asparagus patch Coco kept getting into.  She was getting caught in the wire of the fence we put around it to keep her out (which didn't) so we took the wire down and it became "Coco's Asparagus Patch!"  One asparagus root escaped her as you can see growing back along the white fence.  When I took the cover off the yard art today and this popped out I bet it must be another asparagus!  This patch just doesn't give up!!!!!!

21 comments:

Daphne Gould said...

I wish my patch were like that. I planted 9 plants. I think two are doing OK. Quite a few of them are dead. Some struggling. I wish I knew why asparagus hated my yard. But it does.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Daphne, Maybe it would help your asparagus to grow if I sent Coco to visit and dig in it for awhile! LOL Nancy

Margaret said...

Well, I would say that any homegrown potatoes are better than no potatoes ;) Made some chocolate zucchini bread (for the first time!) this past week too and it was amazing. And that rogue asparagus is hilarious!

Margaret said...
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Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Margaret, I suppose you are right about the potatoes! Chocolate zucchini bread! Would you mind sharing the recipe with me? Nancy

Margaret said...

No problem, Nancy - I actually used a recipe that Rachel (Grow a Good Life) referenced. The recipe is here: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/chocolate_zucchini_bread/

I'm thinking of doing a post just to show how yummy it was - if you can show that kind of thing ;)

Leigh said...

Envious of those raspberries! I've been trying for several years to establish some bushes but it's been a hard job. Haven't any better success with potatoes than you. And I love potatoes sigh.

Felecia Cofield said...

Hi Nancy! Yes, a few potatoes are better than none! Your zucchini bread looks yummy! You are doing a good job preserving your harvests! The sunflower is gorgeous! Yes, I had one to do that one year, however it didn't last very long. Yum, freezer pickles! I'm preserving mine with lime and am enjoying the results! So funny about the asparagus! Thanks for sharing! Blessings from Bama!

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Leigh, Yes, it sure is nice having our raspberry bushes but I don't know if I will ever be successful growing potatoes! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Felecia, Thanks! My sunflower stalk with many sunflowers is starting to die now too. It did last for quite awhile though. I have never heard of preserving pickles with lime. Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Margaret, Thanks for the recipe. I don't think pictures can ever show how tasty things are! Nancy

Lisa said...

Agree with the above consensus that a few homegrown potatoes are better than none! Can't grow 'em here either for some reason. Your cucumber vine is amazing! Surely you will get cucumbers soon! Ours is piddly, but keep hoping it'll kick in soon as I need to can some pickles to re-stock the pantry. Spoiled on homegrown/homecanned pickles now. And zucchini bread = Yum! and your sunflower(s) are gorgeous!

farmhouse-story said...

oh, the bread really catches my eye! and your sunflower is awesome! the things asparagus will do to dodge coco!! have a great week, nancy!

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Lisa, Thanks! I have two cucumbers that look ready to pick!! Yippee! Good luck on yours! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi lynn, Would you like to come for tea and a slice of that bread! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...
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Becky @ Becky's Place said...

I am in awe that you have potatoes ready to harvest. We probably won't dig up potatoes for weeks here! As for raspberries, my dad planted enough in the garden for fresh eating and keeps them under control so they don't spread much further than that. Love fresh berries, especially eaten out in the garden all warmed from the sun - yum! Asparagus is pretty crazy, pops up pretty much everywhere around the yard, though only planted in the garden, but none that came up the way you have photographed - ha ha.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Becky, It is seeming more like fall here to me already. Even some of my perennials seem to look that way! Pulled my onions to dry today. They aren't very big this year. I planted them in pots. Nancy

Audrey said...

That sunflower is amazing. I am going to try to do better with my garden next year. Would rather do a Fall garden.
Thanks for all you ideas and inspiration.
Audrey Z. @ Timeless Treasures

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Audrey, Thanks. I was surprised at how many blooms were on it . Had not seen that before. Good luck on your fall garden! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...
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