Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

That song, sung by Nat King Cole, was always played on the radio station in my home town as I was growing up, as the 'official' start of summer.  It still means summer to me - and very appropriate these days - except maybe for the lazy part.

I'm beginning to harvest and dehydrate some of the crops in my garden, along with fruits and veggies I have purchased.   I've done onions, mushrooms, jalapenos, eggplant, strawberries, (Bing) cherries and plums.   It's amazing how a packed-full tray dehydrates down to nothing.  2 pounds of fresh cherries can fit easily in a pint jar when dehydrated.   Snap peas and garlic are done for the year, and will be used without dehydrating.   No sign of broccoli or brussels sprouts forming on the plants yet.  

I think you can 'biggify' these pictures.  This isn't a bad shot considering it was taken with a point-and-shoot camera with no macro lens.  

These are my yellow pear salad tomatoes.  They are a little farther along than my other tomatoes - paste type and beefsteak type, because I purchased a plant of these, and the others took 3 tries to get seeds going, so they went in a little later. 

My attempt to take an 'artsy' shot with a different cluster of tomatoes 

  

Some other shots of the mini-farm.  Basil, Lemon verbena surrounded by thyme, a pot of mixed flowers for pretty, Patty Pan squash, eggplant, and under the chair,  a sedum.  Peppermint and chard not shown - to the right.  

At the foot of the stairs, potato plants in a tall trash can, 3 pots of tomatoes (5 plants in all - some are 2 to a pot), on every other step, plus a pot of tarragon in there too.  I'm not sure its a good idea to plant 'nightshade' plants next to each other since they draw the same pests, but with tiny spaces, compromises must be made.   

Thyme and rosemary in the back, 1 Jalapeno, 2 yellow bell peppers, 3 plants of 'Greasy Grit' pole beans in buckets.  I may only get enough beans to save for seed this year.  If I get more, I'll make 'leather britches' for eating later.  

   

Lima beans in large pot, flowers in large planter, beets in small planter, shallots, onions, blueberry plant, flax in background and a few turnips behind the chair..

(note swimming pool on deck next door.  I wonder if they considered the weight of a pool full of water..........which is why I use ugly, but lightweight plastic containers instead of cool clay pots)

This is the only shot I took of the garden, showing more basil (can you ever get enough?) brussels sprouts, oregano and broccoli tucked around the edges.   Not shown, but elsewhere in this garden, more onions, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and 'extra' tomato plants.   

Also last weekend, I went to Ohio for this bee-yoo-tee-ful girl! 

Do I need another rabbit?  Like a hole in the head. I saw this breeder's Mini Rexes  ( Kelsey's )  at the first rabbit show I went to in Ohio, and when I saw this doe on her website, it was love at first sight.  Her color, Sable, is not 'legal' for showing in her breed, but she can be used in a Sable Pointed breeding program, should I choose to breed them.  I'm hoping I'll be able to cage her together with my lilac Mini Rex, but it's not likely.  Two un-spayed females would probably be too territorial, but I'm working on getting them used to each other, and it's worth a try.   She doesn't have a name yet, but I'm thinking of some possibilities. Her color is really a much richer brown than you see here, with almost black head, ears, feet and tail - like a Siamese cat, and she has a sweet, wonderful temperment.  I haven't forgotten my angoras.....more on them at another time. 

That's all today from Wren Cottage.