Gas tank problems???

Speaking of watermelon.....we have a propane gas tank for cooking beside our house.  To say it looked dreadful was an understatement.  It has been a complete eye-sore for the past 14 years, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.

The first picture is what it has looked like for 14 years.  I never knew what to do with it, other than hate the sight of it.  So, my nephew sent me a picture a couple of years ago of what it could look like.  After much contemplation, and self doubt in my ability to paint it, I finally got all the paint and decided to JUST DO IT! If I failed I could always repaint it right?  Now I am not minding looking at it beside my house.  Be of good cheer...

Compost watermelon

Well we cut ant ate the compost watermelon.  It was delicious.  Oh yeah, it was not seedless.

If you recall, I threw the remains of a watermelon in my compost pile?  I got two watermelons out of that seedless watermelon and the first was delicious.  Getting the second one cold now. YUMMO! Be of good cheer....

I have been away from the computer for a few days with a sick husband who had to be hospitalized.  I wasn't smart enough to take my lap top computer with me.....DUH!

Well, you won't believe.....I threw the remains of a seedless watermelon in my compost pile, (like I've been taught) and guess what happened?

You guessed it.  It sprouted and now I have two of the cutest little watermelons growing.  I will have to research to find out how to know when to pick them.  The one on the left is almost ready I think. This is the second time I have discarded seeds or melon and had them take root.  I grew a watermelon outside my office door once, when I worked outside the home.  It is really exciting to me.

I have to rip up and replant my garden due to all the heavy rain we've had.  Everything is yellow, and I mean BRIGHT yellow from too much water.  Oh well, such is life.  Summer is young, and there will be plenty more veggies to be had!  Looking forward to the next go round....😊

Compost gardening?

Here are the results of the "seedless" watermelon I threw out in the compost pile.

This made me feel somewhat better after my last couple of successive failures with the pickles and yellow garden.  I think I should not feel bad about a yellow garden cause I can't control the rain right? 

I am currently trying to dry out some okra pods for spring planting, and I am growing some black-eyed peas.  If you have any information that would help me know if or when they can be planted, I would be glad to hear from you.  Be of good cheer.....

Welcome Back to me?

Well, I decided it was time for full disclosure, something I have been putting off for a few days.  I would always like to paint a picture of sunshine and bliss when it comes to my retirement/gardening/canning etc.  However, such is not the case.

I have had to deal with bagworms getting into my Leland cypress, and Lorapedulum (sp?)  which both had to be cut down, a hen that won't quit brooding (trying to hatch eggs that are not fertilized) which has resulted in less eggs, and then tons of rain!

We had a tremendous amount of rain in June with a tropical storm passing by, and rainy summer season.  The rain just ruined my garden.  Everything turned soggy and yellow, and I had standing water for the first time ever in my raised beds. 

Before the rain set in, I was able to harvest some cucumbers and make some pickles for the first time ever.

But.....they didn't turn out.  They got all mushy and yuck.  I learned from this experience that you don't add boiling water to the cucumbers and then process them in boiling water.  It cooked them to mush.  Lesson learned.

I also made another batch of blueberry syrup which ended up being jelly.  The syrup wouldn't thicken.  The jelly was scrumptious though.

And last but not least, I successfully canned more jalapeno peppers.  I used a different recipe this time because the last batch was too vinegary.  Hopefully these will be better.

I may as well admit, I have gotten a bit discouraged.  No, a LOT discouraged.  I have decided that despite the failures, I am going to pick myself up, (slap myself around a little bit ✊) and keep on keeping on. 

I just wanted to let everyone know, but enough of gloom and doom.  I need to get to work to beat the summer rain storm we will probably have.  Be of good cheer....!

I have been MIA for the last couple of days, celebrating Father's Day and doing odd jobs, weather permitting.  We had a rain free day yesterday and look what I got.

I spent the morning gathering blueberries.  They are not very big this year, but I wanted to get them in before the tropical storm gets here.  Yes, we are expecting up to 7-8 inches of rain in the next three days due to this tropical weather pattern.  A couple of people are losing their berries to the rain.  The ripe berries are splitting and turning mushy, so I wanted to at least have some fresh ones.  There were still a lot of green berries so maybe they will get bigger after all this rain (keeping fingers crossed).  My 12 year old niece is coming to spend the day so we are going to do some fun things....inside of course.  Maybe some sewing??  Maybe an antique store?  I love antiques, cause I am one? 😁😁

Rainy Gardening

We are experiencing some very wet weather these last weeks, and while I am trying really hard not to complain, but be thankful, for the rain, my garden is saying enough already.  I am losing a couple of my squash plants, and the others are developing the white powdery fungus caused by too much humidity.

Not sure how to prevent the fungus.  (top left leaf)

However, I have found some bisqueen, (clear plastic) and I am getting ready to try to cover the green beans, tomatoes and black eye peas.  While they will get some rain, they won't get inundated (my $5 word in my 50¢ sentence😃)

Speaking of rain, I hear thunder......

Guess I'll have to get to some of my inside creativity.....