Sunday, July 29, 2018

Butterflies and Courtyard


Some more produce from the courtyard.  Loving my 4x4 strawberry bed with Everbearing strawberries!  Only picked two zucchini so far and they are fat in the middle but not very long.  Why is that???  Hoping for another one or two but will see!  My first Rutger tomato picked.  Very few raspberries.  Only one bush is producing.  Something shredded so many of the leaves this year!



A Queen Anne's Lace was growing in the middle of a bush.  They frown on this kind of flower (weed) in the front yard.  Guess they don't appreciate God's gift of free beauty! 



I cut off the flowers before pulling it out and made a little bouquet.



The girls made my gluten free muffins for me and my gluten free cookies!  Aren't they the cutest and sweetest little girls!



Here is a picture of the gluten free yum-yum cookies.  Would you like one?



There were about 11 of these and this is the only one left except a baby one.  I hope this one decides to take off soon to make his chrysalis.  



This butterfly and another small one came back to visit.  I like to think they were the ones from here that developed into butterflies!



There are two of these things laying on the soil and I think they are dead.  It is probably my fault because before I knew better a couple crawled off to another place and I brought them back.  One was crawling up the side of our house.



This is one of the caterpillars that crawled off and is forming a chrysalis on the wrought iron near our gate.  He had to go a long way from the raised bed on legs down on the mulch beside the edge of the cement all the way here.  He was moving right along when I saw him.  It has been interesting to learn about butterflies!



These are the supports that hold up the covers on this bed.  I am using them for a trellis and trying to grow yellow pole beans and a cucumber.



The birds planted this sunflower but not in the best spot but I left it there.  It was fun to see this goldfinch trying to eat the seeds.



Here is another picture of him.  I love to see goldfinches.  So bright and cheery!  Thanks for taking the time to visit me.  Please leave a comment so that I will know that you have been here.  Enjoy your week!  Nancy  


40 comments:

Sue said...

Enjoyed my visit to your garden today, Nancy, Thanks for sharing.
Sue

Cheryl Kimbley said...

Lovely garden. I love the little finches. I watch them on the sunflowers and the cone flowers. They are just beautiful.
Have a great week

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Sue, Thank you for visiting and I am glad that you enjoyed it. Come back again! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Cheryl Kimbley, Thank you! It is so nice to see a few birds,etc in my yard this year. I am glad that God created such beautiful nature for us to enjoy. Nancy

Granny Marigold said...

You got a great picture of the Gold Finch.
I don't know why your zucchini are fatter in the middle. I've never seen that happen before. My problem is crooked cucumbers. And they're on the bitter side. We've decided to quit trying to grow cukes and zucchini too.
Your strawberries have done so well. Good thing there are some successes or we'd all quit vegetable growing.
Have a great week!!

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Granny Marigold, Isn't it disappointing when our cukes are bitter. I don't even have any yet. They are very small so wonder if I will. I will probably still try to grow zucchini and cucumbers again next year! Maybe they will do better. Have a good week! Nancy

Betsy said...

Such sweet girls and how thoughtful of them to bake for you. Fat zucchini’s. I don’t know what causes that. I wonder if it’s the same thing that makes my MY middle fatter?! :-). Loves your garden photos today. I miss having a garden.
Blessings,
Betsy

Bee Lady said...

I remember a day when you would see people with zucchini and cucumber and you would run the other direction, because EVERYONE was giving them away! Now people are having a hard time growing them. Scary. I have a friend who brings all caterpillars inside into a little greenhouse until they turn into butterflies to save them from being munched on by birds.

Joyce said...

I so enjoy visiting you vicariously through your blog. I am amazed at your gardening talents! Love your posts!

Margaret said...

Yummy harvests! The odd cucumber shape is most likely because of incomplete pollination - I have odd shaped cucumbers sometimes (usually one end is much fatter than the other) and it seems that some varieties are more prone to that than others.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Betsy, Thanks! I don't think the fat zucchini makes my middle fatter but I think a bowl of ice cream every night makes my middle fatter! Growing things is good therapy. Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Bee Lady, Yes, I remember reading the funny things about too much zucchini. Makes you wonder if perhaps the bees have anything to do with it. I have seen a couple in my little courtyard this year. Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Joyce, Thanks for leaving a comment! Are you the Joyce from Michigan? Welcome! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Margaret, Thanks! Am enjoying what God gives me in my little courtyard garden. It was zucchini and not cucumbers with the fat middle and short. Sauteed some for lunch and it was very good! Nancy

Creations By Cindy said...

Enjoyed the pictures and those girls are adorable. We had so much rain this summer that our cukes and squash drowned. I think I did manage to get one bag of squash. My tomatoes done really well along with jalapenos, Okra and banana peppers. I would love to try my hand at strawberries! Have a great day. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

happyone said...

Nice to see what's growing in your garden. Queen Anne's lace may be called a weed but to me it is a flower and I like them. Lots of them around here where I live.
Those cookies look delicious and yes, I would like one. : )

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Creations By Cindy, Thanks! I am sorry about your cukes and squash but so far I have not had much luck either but not from the rain. Better luck next year! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi happyone, I love Queen Anne's lace too. Why don't people see the beauty of it! I will warm the tea! You come get the cookie! Nancy

Julie said...

Your garden & your pickings look wonderful Nancy ... I too love queen annes lace. Your grandaughters look most happy baking in your kitchen!! Yum cookies.

Connie said...

Nancy, this was such a fun post and granddaughters are beautiful :)

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Julie, Thank you! My one granddaughter, Gracie, just loves to bake so put her to work! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Connie, Thank you! I am glad you had tme to visit. Hope your having a good week! Nancy

Shawn Ann said...

Lots of great stuff going on in your garden! Their is a brush meadow across the street with lots of queen annes lace, I enjoy gathering the beneficial insects from them and bringing them in to my garden when I need them! Love your butterflies. Sometimes we bring in the caterpillars too until they emerge than we release them. It is fun with the kids! Those cookies look amazing!

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Shawn Ann, Thank you! The one on the gate is still green and has developed a little brown along the edge so I am wondering if it is dead. How long does it take them to develop the white chrysalis thing. How do you care for them when you bring them in and what do you put them in? I am just learning about this. Nancy

Shawn Ann said...

Nancy, I usually have bug houses around. Whatever plant I find them on, usually parsley or carrots or queen annes lace I put that in with the caterpillar so I know they will eat it. And I put a stick in so they have a place to put their cocoon. And I give them a little spray of water every so often. Once they emerge I let them go that day after their wings dry out!
I don't know why you can't follow my blog. I wonder if I need to do something. I don't know. I am on instagram more, I don't know if you do that. I am there as @shawnannshomeandgarden

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Thanks Shawn Ann, No, I am not on instagram, just e-mail, blog and facebook. Maybe I should try again to follow you. Nancy

viagra said...
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Haddock said...
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Jo said...

It's the first year in a long time that I haven't grown my own tomatoes and I'm envious now that I'm seeing everyone harvesting theirs, I shan't make the same mistake next year! And strawberries too, they're never as tasty as home grown when you buy them from the supermarket. I used to have an allotment where I grew lots of fruit and veg but I gave it up a few years ago. Those cookies look delicious, what thoughtful girls to make them for you.

Joy from Days Filled With Joy said...

That's a lovely harvest you got! I miss my veggie garden... love that the girls were baking for you! such a pretty picture of the gold finch with the sunflowers!! xx

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Jo, Thanks for visiting and making a comment. Homegrown everything is best but I don't seem to do well on the larger tomatoes and have only so much space now. I am glad I have the strawberry bed though and hope you will try that. Come again please! Nancy

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Joy from Days Filled With Joy, Thank you Been so hot the last couple of days that not much has gotten done out there. Love the goldfinch and will try to grow more sunflowers next year for them! Be safe helping your son get his driving hours in. Nancy

Stephanie said...

Hi, sweet Nancy! I so enjoyed my visit in your garden. Thank you for this delightful post, my friend. Hugs to you!

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Stephanie, I am glad you could enjoy your visit to my garden. I love sharing it. Hugs back to you! Nancy

Connie said...

Hi Nancy, what a fun post. Your granddaughters are so sweet, pretty , too :) I love that photo of the gold finch by the ladder and birdhouse, great shot.
Regarding the comment you left on my blog: Only two granddaughters, not three. The photo with the hair was them and me in the middle :) I wish that I could post their photos. I got some great shots at the fair and we have one of the four of us, Grandpa, Grandma, Abbey and Lucy all dressed up for the rodeo. I'm getting a few of them printed up to frame :) We had a wonderful visit.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Connie, Thank you! I would love to see photos of your granddaughters but I understand that sometimes it is best not to post them. How fun for you to have them. My 16 year old granddaughter from VA called today so that was a nice treat. I am glad you got a picture of the four of you at the rodeo. Such a nice memory. Nancy

Shawn Ann said...
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Cate said...

It's not the wheat (gluten) that people are allergic to. It is the chemicals they spray on the wheat that are bothering people. There is no "gluten" allergy.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi Cate, Dermatologist did a biopsy (Dermatitis herpetiformis)and it came back I am sensitive to wheat, barley and rye. I know our wheat is not grown like it use to be and we have way too many pesticides and chemicals on everything. Since trying not to eat wheat and med I have hardy any itches so am thankful for that. DH and coeliac disease are due to intolerance to the gliadin fraction of gluten found in wheat, rye an barley. I also have a mildly raised celiac level. So gluten allergy or not this is how it is. Thank you for commenting. Nancy

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