I Guess I'm Done... This Is The End...

Scared ya, didn't I?

I'm just talking about my garden  :)   It's over and done with for the summer!  I'm always sad and always GLAD!  So much fun, but so much work.  This was a great garden year for us.  Alas, my volunteer pumpkins did not make it.  Well, they matured and I had some fine specimens, but just too early for fall decorating... they started rotting and then got attacked by squash bugs.  Yuck.. oh well...

Tony's tractor made small work of the remains of the garden.  Still needs a little care, but all the vines and everything have been piled up to burn after a good rain. Wonder when that'll be?  I thought for SURE we'd get in on the tail-end of that storm that went through far northeast Texas yesterday, but it dried up before it got here.

The last of my fresh tomatoes... Boy howdy, I hated to pull up those tomato vines.  But it was time.  Yes, there were still a very few small 'maters on them, but the heat is in the 100's again, and it was just a matter of time.  It's been hot and they were beginning to get spots on them that would rot before they got good and ripe.  So these were the last of the lucky ones... Maybe a big salad with chunks of tomatoes in it for supper. Maybe hamburgers with a couple of big slices.  Maybe I'll just stand over the sink and sprinkle a little salt on 'em and eat 'em and let the juice run down my arm and savor every last summer bite!

My freezer is full to overflowing, the top, the bottom, the door, AND my fridge freezer - not to mention all the canned goods from this year's harvest.  The good Lord has really blessed us here on this little piece of land this year!  Just look at the hay up there in the top picture!  It's been lush and green and abundant, too!

New Topic ---  I can't walk outside or open the back door unless THIS happens...

Of all the cluckin' and fussin' and pushin' and shovin' - you just wouldn't believe.  I'd like to think they love me for me, but NOOOO.  They only love me for what treats I bring!  Or they wanna get out and roam and look for bugs.  They fall all over themselves at the door to the pen.  When I open it, they jump and try to see what I'm bringing.  Lately (and you may have seen it in the freezer) I've been giving them watermelon - FROZEN watermelon in the hot afternoons.  They love it - it's cold, it gives them something to do, and I'm hoping it helps keep them cool.  They also love when I spray water into a corner and make some puddles.  They get in that mud and pick around and I guess it cools them off, too.

Well, my dear ones - gotta run - one last thing...  here's what's on my easel... just a sneak peak - I'll be posting over at my art blog, South Light, in a short.  Have a great weekend! 

Oh yeah - and keep yer dress down...

This 'N That...

Oh JOY!  We've been having scattered showers for the last few days, and let me tell you - right here near the middle of July, it's been WONDERFUL!!!  Thank you, Lord!  After last year's drought conditions and 100+ temps for 2 months, it's been such a blessing!  It's been a bit cooler the last few days, too...

I love in the afternoons and evenings to see these big thunderheads building up - they are so beautiful!

The evening sky last night was so pretty after the rain!

This was our sunset!

Boy howdy, are y'all in for a real treat.  Not only do I have a video of my chickens but you get to hear my East Texas accent!  You think Arkansans are bad, just wait til you hear this (sorry, Arkansas)!  We had divested the tomato plants of some horn-worms awhile back and one of my Black Stars had swindled it away from the other chickens...  (besides, everybody else does little videos of their chickens so why can't I?)  Just a little over a minute - that's all, can you stand it for a little over a minute?  I watched this first and though, "eh, it's not so interesting," til I got to nearly the end and heard myself talking.  Then I thought, "WHOA - my peeps might like a good laugh!"

Ooooweeee!  Is that accent bad or what!  I hate to hear myself on audio!  (scratching my foot - fire ant bites...)  Don't these chicks have a nice place to live?  Dad did such a good job on my coop and run!

Josh has missed his chihuahua, Bug!  He loves this little pooch.  Lindsey just shakes her head.  But she's got a kitty-cat, Alice, that she is crazy about so I guess they're even (remember Alice? She used to live here with me...).  Bug was so glad to see Josh, too!  I was really hoping that nothing would happen to her before they got home from New Zealand.  She's about 13 now and is having problems getting around.  

Bug was so excited to see Josh, too!

Well, y'all have a great Thursday - I've got some more tomatoes to process into spaghetti sauce today, and a few more pickles to make before the cucumbers turn to mush.  Take it easy on yourself!  Sending you all a BIG HUG from BUG!

TEXAS HEAT - from us to YOU!!!

In the hopes of bringing a little warmth and sunshine to all you snowed-in folks north of the Mason-Dixon line (and maybe even a little bit south of that). We Texas Gals have banded together this week!  Even tho most of us are feeling a little chilly, too, we thought a searing blast of heat from the Lone Star State might warm up your toes, your buns AND your hearts.  Here for your cozy enjoyment are a few scenes from summers past and those coming up in a few months! hang in there people - we're on the upswing now!

Greetings from Sand Flat Farm!  See how the sun shines golden on the side of the house! It's a hot sultry afternoon here at the farm. We're sitting on the deck in the back, I would imagine. Sitting in our metal lawn chairs that'll burn your booty and backs of your thighs if you sit on 'em midday. Sitting & sipping some sweet iced tea and letting the sweat from the glass drip on the tops of our legs just cuz it feels so good.  Probably got some burgers on the grill, a big bowl of homemade salsa and chips on the outside table and we're laughing and visiting with all the family. Can't you just smell those burgers already?

 

After a night of burgers, watching fireflies from the deck and swatting mosquitos we'll have a good night's sleep & then we're out early in the morning to work in the garden. Here's some of the hay bales from the first cutting  in the pasture behind the garden. I love how they cast long shadows in the early morning. Morning is my favorite time at the farm. I like to sit out on the deck and drink coffee in the just-up-sunny morn. Our big oak and sycamore trees offer shade over the deck and keep it nice and comfortable for an hour or so before the temps get too hot.

Good morning cheery sunflowers!  I LOVE sunflowers!!! They did really well this year and I love how they turn their faces to the sun everyday!

Hello there bumblebee! We've got lots of you guys zipping around the garden this time of year. Thanks for staying so still so I can get a picture of you!

Periwinkles loving their little spot by my refurbished old garden shed. I love them, too. They always grow well for me. Even I can't kill them! I hope they like their iron-ore rock edging - just trying to use what we've got here on Sand Flat Farm! 

July 4th is getting closer. I put red and dark purple petunias here in my old wagon. I think I need to add some white ones, too - then it'll look RED, WHITE & BLUE!  I love July 4th!  A chance to celebrate our country's independence and have a big blow-out party with friends and family and have lots of beautiful fireworks! Gotta be careful, tho - don't want to set the pasture on fire!

My hydrangeas are blooming well. I set 'em out last year and they're still small but so beautiful! They bloomed all summer long. Now, I want them to turn blue, so I'll have to find out how to supplement the soil. I may wind up having to move them. The summer sun has been so hot on them, they almost croaked last year. They drank lots and lots of water!  Aren't they supposed to do best on the north side of the house? I think that's what I heard...

My husband is riding his trusty steed here and killing the never-ending weeds that spring up all summer long. This little trailer sprayer has come in so handy!  Good investment!  Just another day at the farm. I've gotta go - I will be pulling weeds today from the garden!  Yesterday I turned on the sprinkler at the vegetable garden and I was so hot & sweaty from working that I just kept right on working in the sprinkler!  It was wonderful!  I looked like a drowned rat, but it sure felt good!

Bye for now!  I'll be back tomorrow with more hot stuff from Texas!!!