Friday, September 15, 2017

Time flies but I don't

We got to meet our newest granddaughter last night!  This is Cici and our grandson Ryan!  We are so lucky to have two new granddaughters and a great granddaughter join our family lately!  Cici and Ryan brought us two beautiful paper-cut pictures from China.  



Here is a better view of the pictures.  The one on the left stands for happiness and the one on the right stands for long life.  Aren't they pretty!



I am picking a few strawberries often from my little 4x4 raised bed I planted in the spring.  I am finding I really like them sliced on my morning oatmeal!  As does my husband!



This is what's left of a pea I planted!



I think this black worm with the stripes is the culprit that ate my peas!  What is this critter anyways and how did it get there??!!??
I  have a raised bed on legs and used organic soil!



I planted more kale in another raised bed so if nothing eats it I will maybe be able to harvest some!




And this is my poor shredded Rose bush.  The insects are sure trying to discourage me from gardening!



This is the path going down the courtyard garden so there is a little beauty the insects have left for me to enjoy!



I did not harvest a lot from my yard long bean plant in the five gallon pot but was thrilled to be able to dry one of the beans and save these six to try again next year!



I made up some of my instant oatmeal.  It is easy to make and saves a lot of money!



I ran off or maybe hubby did it for me these pretty recipe cards.  The waste on the top had a cute picture so I cut it off and made gift tags!



After a few times ripping this out and starting again I finally got this fold over pot holder crocheted.  Not I just have to try to stitch up the middle! I have a couple old ones of this type and love them.



I bought a gluten free pizza crust mix from Aldi's and made it up.  Put on my own toppings and it turned out pretty good!  Score another one for my gluten free journey!



Did any of you listen to the free podcasts of the Basic Living Summit?  A lot of it did not apply to me with my courtyard attempts at gardening but I did pick up a few tidbits.  One of the speakers inspired me to go out and cut more herbs to dry!  Time flies and I don't but this is the good along with the bad happening here lately!  Hope you enjoyed your visit!!!!













20 comments:

Granny Marigold said...

Such pretty recipe cards!!

I'm sorry you have had such a problem with bugs ruining your plants.
I had bugs eating my Zinnias and I sprinkled Rotenone powder on them and it worked. Rotenone is apparently made of ground up Iris root so non toxic ( except to bugs). You may want to check it out for next year and see if it affects small dogs that sometimes eat what they shouldn't.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Granny Marigold, Thank you for the information on Rotenone. I will google it to see if it is toxic to Coco as she eats most everything. I could use it on my raised beds where she can't get too though. I hope I have better luck next year. Nancy

Betsy said...

Yay! You figured the potholder out! I knew you would. It just took a little patience. I'm sorry about your garden problems. Unfortunately, gardening isn't anything I know much about it. The photo of you and your grandson and your new granddaughter is beautiful. It's wonderful to see the happiness in all of your faces. The paper cut outs they brought you are so intricate. How sweet.

I hope you're enjoying the last days of summer. We had a cold snap here and actually had to turn the furnace on in the trailer tonight as are having a frost warning. It was 98 on Tuesday and it's supposed to freeze tonight! Crazy weather this year. We still have had no rain for over three months. We're hoping that might change next week. Have a lovely weekend my friend.
Blessings, Betsy

Cheryl Kimbley said...

Sounds like a nice week. Cici is a really pretty girl. I love the pictures you were gifted.
Your little garden is pretty. it is getting to that time of year that things are winding down.
Have a good weekend.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Betsy, Thank you. We love having some of our family living nearby. It is nice again here and I wonder how long it will last. Trying to get at the Christmas shopping and making before the snow flies! As you know the weather is so unpredictable! Enjoy your little camper as long as you can! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Cheryl Kimbley, Thank you. We are happy to have Cici in our family. Not a good year for my garden but I will try again next year! LOL Have a good week-end! Nancy

Margaret said...

My, you have been busy!

Oh, I think that worm may be a cutworm. I found one in a tomato, believe it or not! And Japanese beetles have been very busy this year around here too - some years are worse than others, though, so don't lose faith! Good idea saving the dried beans for seed - I usually do that when I get a new variety as seed companies pack so few in a packet.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Margaret, A cutworm? I thought cutworm looked different. Will have to google that one. So far I have only saw one beatle! My problem trying to grow yard long beans is somewhere to grow it and keeping Coco out! Thanks for your suggestions and encouragement! Nancy

Elizabethd said...

I do like your recipe cards, they are so cheerful.

Gloria said...

Hi Nancy,

I enjoyed your post today. I really like your cutout pictures and the recipe cards are cute. Good idea to use the tops for gift tags. Those darn insects always find a way don't they? So Frustrating. So how do you make your own instant oatmeal? I am going to have to check out Pinterest for that. Bet it tastes a lot better than the store bought stuff.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Elizabethd, Thank you! I think things with roses are so pretty! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Gloriade, Thanks! I am glad that you enjoyed it. Here is the recipe for the instant oats. You need 1/2 C quick oats, 2 tsp powdered milk, and 1 T sugar. In a bag or jar put the powdered milk, add sugar and add oats. Stir or shake well. To make add hot water and a little milk and stir. Add fruit or whatever you prefer. This is too large a serving for me. I make several at a time and put in jar and measure 1/3 cup out for a serving. I measured a boughten one that my hubby uses and it was about 1/3 cup. I hope this was helpful. Nancy

Rain said...

Hi Nancy :)) Oh, I'm so sorry about your garden...I had insect problems with a few of my plants too and next season I'm going to prepare myself with some kind of organic "pesticide"...I don't want to lose crops to bugs anymore. I listened to a lot of the summit as well, and what interested me most was the canning! :) I really want to get a pressure canner at some point. I like freezing my stuff, but I feel as though canning might be a better option in the future. Those paper cut photos are beautiful! Congrats on meeting your new family!! I'm NOT a flyer...after my last trip on a plane (in the 90's) I decided home is where I want to be! :) Yahoo for a good pizza crust!!! :)

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Rain, I used Neem some but maybe not enough. I read where you can use coffee grounds and broken egg shells to deter the cut worms. I gathered information from the Saving Seeds speaker, and the skin care one. I surfed some of them too. I don't like to fly anymore either!!! Nancy

Henny Penny said...

It is amazing how the worms and other insects can find our plants. You would think that worm eating your peas would have ended up in a big open garden somewhere instead of finding your one little pot. I can't grow kale because of tiny little black worms that absolutely strip the plants. I would hate to have to survive on what I grow in the garden. :) It sure is fun to try though.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Henny Penny, Yes, I don't understand how all the bad bugs and insects find their way into my yard when I rarely see a bird! We would starve also on what I grow. Thank goodness for food stores! But like you I keep trying! Nancy

Gloria said...

Thanks Nancy. I will give it a try.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Gloriade, Your welcome. Let me know your thoughts on it. Nancy

Julie said...

Hello Nancy, those paper cutouts are just beautiful. I love all the detail in them. Your recipe cards are lovely too. It is disheartening when things keep eating out veggie plants ... we have the same problem over here in summer & I have raised beds too. I am not sure what the answer is really apart from the bug bait you can use but it always seems so toxic to me.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Julie, I do love the recipe cards also! I wish mine were all pretty like that! LOL I am starting to put more coffee grounds and egg shells on my one raised bed so hope that helps. Have to replant some things and see! Take care! Nancy

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