What's in the Garden? Edible and Not

Almost bursting open sunflower. As Kevin says, my sunflower jungle is alive!

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

I'm amazed at how quickly the garden is taking over the backyard.

I'm sad that several icky pests are winning and eating as much as they can (slugs, earwigs, pill bugs, and aphids). Since I prefer not to spray my garden with pesticides, it's a daily battle to find those critters. Loss is expected.

Strawberries are still blooming, though they are exhausted!

But mostly, I'm happy to see this dirt produce food and beauty for our eyes, nose, hands, and tummies. I supposed I could add ears to that list, as the bees are a humming, though they classify as beauty not food. At least for us. The cats love to snatch and gobble them up.

Here are some things growing in the garden.

Oregano, much loved by bees, is heading towards full bloom.

Tea roses - beautiful though they were plagued by aphids early on in the season.

Creeping thyme, a walkable plant (you can walk on it). But watch out for bees!

Edible thyme is blooming.

Radishes are tasty and almost gone. Mmmm

Sunset lily. I love the color of these blooms.

Ripening Roma tomatoes.

The pumpkin plants that are threatening to take over our tiny backyard. Soon, it will be true.

Poor, sad, dwarfed okra. I've replanted 4-5 times. This is the best so far.

Wax beans love my back yard. Green beans? Not so much.

Dill entices more bees and is ready for canning.

Part of the sunflower jungle.

Lavender and friend.

Raspberries are coming on strong, much to the delight of the icky pests.

Baby zucchini

The parsley is blooming. Those tiny sweat bees love this stuff.

Garlic. I have no idea when it is done!

 

Kale.

Baby yellow squash. If you squint, you can see someone else was impatient to try it. Go away, bugs!

Sage. This is also in bloom. But there is more than enough to go around. Five times around.

That's my garden so far, all from the backyard. I'd be happy to share, especially the herbs. Has anyone else grown okra? What trick am I missing (other than heat, which I think it really needs)?

Happy tasting, smelling, seeing, touching, and hearing in your garden today!

The Lily ~ Haiku and Photo

Lily from my garden


fireworks of flora



speckled bursts of joy

fireworks cool to my touch

enchanting lily


by Angie Quantrell

National Garden Week - The 2nd Week in April

You have no idea how happy I am to see this many blooms on the blueberry bush! The weight of winter snow broke off at least half of the plant.

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

 

Next week is National Garden Week -

the 2nd week of April.

Fading beauty. I'm so sad to see my tulip season conclude.

I am so onboard for this celebration. It's time to plant my garden!

The strawberries are looking future-tasty.

Actually, I cheated. I've already started to plant seeds, since we are expecting highs in the mid to upper 80's today, it may be past time for new sprouts. But I think that is a freak of too-hot-too-early weather and it should drop back to the 60-70's.

Half planted beds. Waiting for seeds.

Here are some National Garden Week photos from my yard.

Garlic, parsley, and sage - all repeat visitors from last year. Plus a cat tail of one who wanted to be featured.

Oh, each new bud, flower, and sprout is so exciting.

We even planted a tree trunk for the cats to scratch and climb. It won't grow...but it is part of our garden.

I'm already dreaming about tasty blueberries, sweet-tart strawberries, exquisite raspberries, and savory herbs and vegetables.

 

Dabbling to pretty-up a very hot corner of the yard.

 

Join me. Let's celebrate our gardens.

The dogwood is just beginning to burst into bloom.

 

I would love to see photos of your garden.  

 

Poetic Pink

Photo by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Pink puffs perfectly poised to produce

pretty pearls of poetry.

warmed by sun's long days

life-giving nectar drawn up

to the sky; beauty

 

 

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

 

 

What about you? What do you see in pink?

Hugh's Photo Challenge: Week 13 - Love

 

 

Love

 

 

partnership of years

 

evidence in rings worn thin

 

remembrance of love

 

 

Haiku

by Angie Quantrell

(2-17-16)

Fall Mums in the Garden

Gorgeous fall color is the only reason I keep mums in the garden.

Otherwise, they take up quite a bit of valuable food real estate. Basically boring all summer, just green growing leaves, these beauties come into their own in September and October.

Pest free and easy to care for, I suppose they are worth the space.

Hope you are having a colorful autumn!

The Back Side of Yellow

the back side of yellow


"Yellow is a small wheel of cheddar cheese,
Permeating a musty odor out of the bakers shop
Yellow is a thousand paper cranes,
Floating down a slow, mellow river
Yellow is the round circle of moon,
The light that stays through the coldest night."

~ ANISHA DATTA, Confessions of a Part-Time Optimist: a Collection of Poems

Flowers Are Laughter

Earth laughs in flowers.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I adore flowers. Don't you?

Imagine

laughter springing from the Earth as flowers burst into bloom,
honeybees gurgling with joy as they zip from nectar to nectar,
showers of color patterning the landscape,
fragrances of beauty perfuming the air.

Bumblebees, hummingbirds,
children
gardeners, lovers, friends,
family -
all

imagine

the Earth laughing in flowers.

~ Angie Quantrell

Snoqualmie Pass Tunnel Hike ~ Iron Horse Trail

Last Saturday, while the temps were soaring over 100 degrees F., my honey and I enjoyed the coolness of the Snoqualmie Pass Tunnel. This hike, really a walk, is perfect for those hot days when you just need to cool off. That is a true statement as evidenced by the hordes of bicyclists and hikers joining us in the dark cold.

Beautiful flowers grow on both ends of the 2.3 mile long tunnel. Inside? Nothing but damp, drips, mold, and gravel. That, and blissful cold.

My honey approaching the tunnel entrance from the east, headed west. As suggested, we wore our walking safety vests, to alert wheeled travelers and give them the chance to see us in the dim - ok, nonexistent - light. Coming around the slight bend in the trail from the parking lot off the Hyak exit on Snoqualmie Pass, we could feel the cool AC blowing through the tunnel. Ah, heat relief was in sight! Due to the low temps in the tunnel, take a jacket.

Not much to take pictures of in the tunnel. Flashlights are a necessity, though one can see a tiny dot of light at the end. Emphasis on tiny. After this sort of scary mug shot, we gave up trying until we neared the western end of the tunnel.

The light from the tunnel entrance/exit slowly, ever so gradually, appeared closer and larger.

The hat is a dead giveaway as to whom I am following out into the light.

Beautiful views, some shade, a few picnic tables, and a potty await tunnel traffic.

Wildflowers covered the sides of the path.

The western tunnel entrance is located beneath power lines. Every time I travel back to eastern Washington along I-90, I look and try to find the tunnel entrance. It has not happened. I think the side of the mountain blocks the view.

See? He is not so scary in the daylight.

Me? I have some hair going on. The damp tunnel helped curls turn into wild frizz.

The homestretch.

As long as the tunnel is not closed for blasting for the construction project on I-90, the tunnel hike is a wonderful break from sunlight and the normal daylight hikes.