Salsipuedes Garden-Squash blooms

The rain we've been having has helped my squash. All four plants have blooms.

Zuchhini squash bloom

My yellow squash have blooms also. The sugar snap peas are just beginning to bloom.

Soon to be sugar snap peas!

My carrots, however, have not fared as well. I used straight top soil in their pot, and it doesn't drain quickly enough. Hope they aren't rotting!

Help! We're under water!!

It is exciting to think that soon I will have fresh vegetables just for the picking! I like this gardening, but am very happy it is not my sole support. :)

Stay tuned!

Library Learning Patch-Corn and Venus Fly Trap

Today was action packed. First our 4 year old member gave a very informative report on corn.He told us that there are three types of corn.  He also passed out coloring sheets for everyone to take home.

Good report!

Then I read a wonderful book from the library, Secrets of the Venus's Flytrap.

                                                  

All of us were fascinated by what we learned. We did not realize that it was such a small plant! We also learned that even though Venus Flytraps do not grow here, there are other carnivorous plants in East Texas.

                                                                  

We  made Venus  Flytraps out of paper plates and played a game to demonstrate that an insect must touch the sensors two times in order to trigger the plant to close.

We did not get to go out to the garden today, as it was raining all afternoon. Next week we will harvest the lettuce. Stay tuned!

Additions to Bucket List

I've added two more items to my bucket list and have partially checked one off. I have harvested lettuce from my garden! Delicious. The two items I've added are:

Learn to do watercolor
Learn about dragonflies

So my entire list now is:

To learn Portuguese
Train Bochica to be less afraid (more or less)
To have a Paso Fino professional evaluate Bochica and me (too late)(
Pass on my love of the land to my grandchildren (in progress)
Become proficient in using  Photoshop Elements
Write a book
Learn more about web design
Go to Chile one more time and ride a Criollo horse through a vineyard
Vacation in  Charleston, S.C.
Visit the redwood forest
Make a good friend that I can talk to about anything
Sew a hand pieced quilt for my granddaughter
Teach my youngest grandchildren how to fish
Learn to do pen and ink drawings
Learn all about cows (any ideas how I can do this???)
Finally learn to meditate (know of any classes, anyone?) (in process)
Organize my house! (in process)
Visit Lost Maples State Park in the autumn 
Eat home grown vegetables from my garden (accomplished)

Learn to do watercolor

Learn about dragonflies

A book from our local library, When Wanderer's Cease to Roam: a traveler's journal of staying put, has inspired me to learn to do watercolor. It is, I believe, the prettiest book I've seen. The soft watercolors on each page just call out to me. I plan to check it out soon and then on some rainy afternoon, make a cup of tea and just sit for a while and look at the beautiful watercolors in it. I plan to purchase it sometime and place it on my coffee table,  together with the one, What the World Eats.

I am signed up for a one day class through my Texas Master Naturalist chapter to learn to draw plants. That is the first step to learn about watercolors - I need to draw better first! :)

I learned a little about dragonflies last year at a meeting of my chapter of Texas Master Naturalist. They are in abundance at my pond and even come up to the front porch and fly around. My granddaughter said they look like helicopters and was fascinated by them.  Have you ever noticed that children tend to make the world more interesting?

I'll share some of the things I learn. Stay tuned!

Rufus-the talking dog

Remember when I first brought Rufus home, how shy he was? Well, he has definitely overcome that in some areas. When he wants me to go to the living room and turn on the TV, he talks to me. Here is a short clip!

He doesn't stop this infernal whining (he calls it talking)  until I go to the living room, turn on the TV and sit down! And he doesn't even watch it now. He did as a puppy, though, so maybe he just likes the sound. Some spoiled dog!

Stay tuned for more Rufus clips!

Bluebirds Have Fledged

Well, the baby bluebirds fledged and I missed it again. My mother and I were sitting on the porch Saturday night watching the parents feed the babies. The babies kept poking their head out and I just knew they were getting ready to fledge. Well, we went inside to have dinner and I guess they fledged then. Drat! Oh well, maybe next time.

I checked the nest this morning to just make sure-and sure enough, they were gone. There was one egg that didn't hatch. It was smaller than the others, so maybe that is why.

The egg that didn't hatch

I cleaned out the nest box and disposed of the old nest. Now I'll need to keep an eye out for the next courtship ritual. Stay tuned!

Wildflowers or Weeds?

After living in several neighborhoods where "weeds" were frowned upon and I was expected to use chemicals to get rid of every single one of them and water constantly to have a lush lawn, I am so relieved to be living in the country. My  lawn here is "native". Whatever comes up gets to stay (except maybe stickers). What a revelation! I will never be able to identify all of them.   So, do I consider the flowering ones wild flowers or weeds?? I'm sure you know the answer to that--wildflowers of course!

A new clover to identify

Plantain

Wild onion

Evening primrose

It seems that every year I see different things. Last year I didn't notice the the blooms of my Virginia Pines. They re so very different from the Loblolly.

Virginia Pines

Loblolly

Salsipuedes Garden-My First Harvest

Exciting day! Even though my lettuce was rather small, I decided to pick enough for a salad.

Black seeded and buttercrunch lettuce

And am I glad I did!  I added a few bites of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and feta cheese, then drizzled it with just a tiny amount of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Mmmm-I had forgotten how good fresh home grown lettuce was! Definitely worth the effort.

My first salad from my lettuce!

 The two varities I grew this year were black seeded and buttercrunch. Both had a mild flavor. Next year I shall plant more and place them in a shadier spot to help them last longer in the heat. It would be nice if they would hold out until my tomatoes were ready, but I don't know if that is possible in this Texas heat in the summer. Salad will definitely be on my menu every day as long as the lettuce lasts!

As you may have guessed, I tend to go overboard with my hobbies/interests. Now I'm into gardening and already planning a larger one for next year.

On another note, the garden project that I'm leading at the library with the children as my Master Naturalist project is doing even better than mine in some areas. The tomatoes there are about 5 times as large--maybe containers aren't the way to go.

Hurry up garden--grow! I'm ready for more vegetables!!
Stay tuned.