Volunteer!

Yes!  I am growing vegetables this summer! 

 Well, this one tomato which was a volunteer I found in an outdoor planter.  Last week I transplanted it to a larger pot.  And look!  It has flowers!  I am most hopeful that I will actually have a few tomatoes.... eventually.  I will bring it into the sunroom if it looks worthwhile.

Many years ago I had a volunteer in my garden with fruit just a bit larger than cherry tomatoes.  I saved the seed for years....until I did. not.  Toes crossed that this little guy puts out something worth saving.

 Meanwhile I am enjoying messing around with the green plants, making new cuttings, encouraging bamboo., and all that jazz!

And the not so enjoyable process of getting the pool back to normal.  It went completely bloooey while I was down with Lyme and turned a lovely shade of green  which is great for plants, not so great for swimming pools.  The way things have been going I should get it clean and balanced in time to shut it down for the winter.

We are having cool nights.  It's been in the very low 60ºs when I go out to feed the birds at dawn. It warms up during the day so I spend as much time as I can on the deck, (I bought a nice, big umbrella to replace the one that was shot) or out by fish pond or pool.  Even though the pool is not swimmable it's still enjoyable to sit by the water.

The hummingbirds just came to the petunias.  I don't put out feeders due to squirrels and other fauna messing with them.  The love the flowers petunias, fuchsias, wild impatience to name a few.  Wish I could get a good photo but so far they are just too fast.

So odd to think that we are in the latter half of August.  I still have my toes crossed for a long, warm autumn.

We'll see, grasshopper............we'll see.

P.S.  Special birthday shoutout to my FB friend Barb Rogers.  Happy Birthday!  Keep on truckin'

Or Perhaps Here….?

Moving plants around on the deck seems to have become a new hobby.  Every few days I have been rearranging and pushing pots around.  I’ll probably be happy with them a week before it’s time to bring them in.

First up is the Aloe Plantation…..because doesn’t everyone need numerous aloes, grasshopper?  Okay!  Perhaps I am a bit obsessive.  Last year when I was cutting back and rerooting some plants I stuck the old roots with just the stumps showing in the black pot at the bottom of the picture.  Lots of new plantlets… pups are growing.

The big ferns are loving all the rain this summer.  I am going to need a crane to get some of them inside in September.  I have been taking cuttings and potting up babies.  Really, this does have a purpose,  My sun room is my winter green room, a necessity for surviving winter.

 I am coming to the end of taking doxy for my bout of Lyme.  Fortunately the tests came back negative for any other diseases.

We have had huge downpours over the last few days.  It’s so nice to have lush greenery and not have to worry too much about fires.  On the other hand because I have been out of commission the pool has turned a lovely shade of green.  Something else to keep me occupied and out of trouble.

FB is still not letting me comment on any comments made.  I do read and appreciate them.

As always stay safe, and thanks for stopping by……….*s*’

Were You Worried?

See how the conquering hero comes!

Sound the trumpets!  Beat the Drums!

Some hero!  Aloysius decided to come home at 4:45 AM this morning.  Winter started barking as though the starship troopers were coming over the hill.  Once we got her calmed down we could hear a certain very vocal kitty out in the yard.  He was sitting under the 4Runner, acting as though we had thrown him out into the cold.  So I gathered him up and and brought him in where Winter proceeded to welcome him by sitting on him.

After breakfast and second breakfast he has slept in his favorite green bubble wrap, which came in the package Linda sent when she was getting ready to sell her house.  I don't know what the love is, but he adopted this particular bubble wrap as soon as I opened the box.

Animals are strange......No doubt about it!

Needless to say we are overjoyed to have Aloysius back in the house and now can begin to resume something approaching normal.

I think I have gotten more done today that I have in the past several days.  In the center are the three little whistles I posted on Sunday all glazed, painted and ready to fire!

The weather is turning colder, no real frost yet, but definitely time to finish getting the plants in.  I'm  going to winter over petunias, nasturtiums, marigolds, and any others I feel like trying.  Right now it's like jungle in here.

I'm taking a tea break, but will head back to the studio in a few moments.

Enjoy the day, and, as always, thanks for stoping by............*s*