Well, I have joys and sorrows from the garden to share.

With which do I begin?

Sometimes Daniel will tell me that: " have good news and bad news.  Which would you like first?"  I always ask for the bad news first, so let me start with my garden sorrows first.


Our sunflower.  Our gorgeous gorgeous sunflower fell over.  Indeed, it is true.

I had tied up that sunflower several months ago, around the time we were Hawaii-bound.  A slight wind had made the tender stalk topple over, so I used some kitchen twine to hold it up, tying it to the fence.  That helped, for that particular part of this sunflower's life.  And I have thought to myself several times since then, "I should probably cut that twine off now..."  but I never actually got around to cutting it off.

That twine is what caused our sunflower's downfall.  On Sunday we had some heavy gusts of wind and that twine simply severed the sunflower right where I had tied it.  A clean cut.  I went to fill my glass with water on Sunday during the afternoon and looked out to see our gorgeous giant lying limp across our potato plants.

How devastating!!


Now I have it propped in a blue mason jar full of water, hoping and willing it to still grow, to still open fully and show it's beauty.  But how limp the leaves look now!  Those leaves which once amazed me with their sturdiness and grandeur.  What a shame!

I was telling Marlene about our sad sad sunflower and said that you could preach a sermon about this flower.  About how something in one season of your life that promotes growth, if allowed to carry over into other seasons of your life, will actually wreck havoc.  I have thought a little upon this thought, but not too long and hard and have yet to think of an example.  Allow me more time to think upon this spiritual thought and get back to you. . . any thoughts from your life?


And now for the garden's bounty and joys!

Harvesting carrots!

I don't think she quite liked the dirt on this one... 

I LOVE That she still has a little dollup of milk on her chin. . . 

I am a bit embarrassed by my homemade tomato stakes!  Oh how I need my husband here!

The 2 zucchini plants that weren't demolished by little Isaac.  They haven't produced yet, but they are sure looking healthy!  

She loves to roll in the grass these days!  I think she learned it, actually, from Elliott!  My brother's dog! :)

And yesterday Melissa and I finished canning our Zucchini Bread and Butter Pickles.  They are delicious!  And I truly think summer's bounty is beautiful: even inside a jar.  What a wonderful way to spend your time and putting your hands to good work.  I do think there is such joy and life in the work of sustainability.

Next on the canning-to-do list:

romano beans (we got over a pound of these long white beans from the farm, and Melissa and I don't quite know what to do with them!  So we are going to make Romano Beans with Indian Spices tomorrow. . . )

sweet onions (perhpas. . .  the farm had a bumper crop of these delicious onions and it might be fun to save some for the winter months. . .  maybe even add in the 8 we have in our garden.  Or save those. . . not quite sure yet what to do)

Blackberry jam!  We have been picking around a pound each morning on our walks and we can't wait to make some jam.



I am also excited because I just ordered some seeds online!  I can't wait to receive and plant: beets, spinach, and kale to see if I can get some this fall.  Beets are a new love of mine and I can't wait to see if I can grow them in our backyard.  It might be a little too late this season, but I am still going to try.