Up the Hill - Down the Hill

I haven't posted in quite a while now.  As I'm sure most of you know, the weather this season has been... interesting (to say the least).


Here in the Midwest, we have experienced quite a drought.  I tried to keep up on the gardens as best I could, but with life coming at me from all angles, I just couldn't get to everything in a timely manner.  Some stuff has lived.  Some stuff has died (boo).  


We did have a lovely storm earlier in the month which brought lots of rain and also destroyed my neighborhood!  Take the good with the bad I suppose.  Ha!  Check it out:

Taken after my daughter informed me a tree had fallen in our yard.

50 foot Maple tree down.

My neighbors deck.

It was actually pretty scary.  My daughter and I quickly moved downstairs, and she laid her head on my chest and said "Mom, your heart is beating really fast!  Are we ok?"  Poor girl.  


Afterwards I read that we had winds over 90 MPH, which is stronger than most tornadoes?  I had looked at the weather forecast, and it only said rain, so of course I was ok with that.  It came over us so fast!  The wind picked the furniture up off my deck and swept everything down the length of it (which is 40ft.).  Strangely, most of my potted plants stayed right where they were, although, my Zinnia's and herb gardens were totally windblown and since have died.


We were out of power for a few days, and since I have septic/well water, we had no use of the facilities or running water, so we left until it was restored.  Leaving town felt like driving through a movie.  Power was out through my town, and the ones surrounding me.  Trees were down everywhere!  Everyone was outside cleaning debris and checking to make sure nobody was hurt.  I keep saying it felt like driving through a post apocalyptic city.  Very strange...


Now that things are getting back to normal, I figured I would post some pictures, because lots of stuff is actually kicking serious butt right now!  I'm very proud.  Enjoy:

My Hindu Rope hoya that I'm in love with!  This picture is sort of older, and it's surprisingly grown quite a bit.

Comfrey is doing really well!  Again, this is an older picture (older as in like 3 weeks).  It's growing like crazy right now, and the stupid beetles really dig it.

  

ON TO THE INCREDIBLE EDIBLES!!!

I have harvested some of the garden beans already, and they are fan-freakin'-tastic!

Of course the mint survived.  It's doubled in size since I took this picture last week.

Garden Peach tomatoes - delish'

I have about 4 pumpkins, and this is the largest of them.

YAY!

As you can see, the Japanese Beetles really love my edemame.

Another heirloom bean picture.  They really are gorgeous.  Unfortunately, when blanched, they lose their color.

C'mon... OKRA!  Still waiting on bloom, but they're doing well.

So there you have it - nearing end of July and things look pretty good, as far as I'm concerned.  Thanks for all the advise and words of encouragement this season.  It's been tough, but I'm still standing (per usual).  Ya'll know Kelly can't be faded! 

Living Large

Just another photographic update.  Enjoy!

Not the BEST photo, but my first zucchini from the garden.  PROUD MOM! 

The pumpkins are kinda taking over.  These will NOT be a raised bed experiment next time around.

Pumpkin from another angle.  Even though they are spilling over the sides, they quite obviously would have taken over the whole bed had I not added that trellis.  I get the feeling I will need to add another one.

I was so concerned with the cucumbers since this was my like 2nd-3rd go, and only 2 seedlings survived.  They're kickin' butt now though! 

See my little baby cukes!

The only strawberries that really worked for me were these, the sequoia.  I have 2 other varieties with not a single berry on 'em.  I don't know enough about them, but I thought they were all supposed to mature at the same time.  Suggestions?

Lex loves coming out and eating them straight from the garden.

Mmm...

Oops, back to the pumpkins... this is incredible:  One of the vines were growing SO strong it pierced through one of the leaves.

Right through to the bottom. Isn't that amazing?  I was so impressed.

Pumpkins coming...

Something likes my okra more than I do.

Here's my squash (zucchini and yellow summer crookneck).  You can tell my the different leaves which is which.

On the left are soybeans (Edemame), Ice Box watermelon in the center (slow going), and heirloom mix bush beans on the right.

Japanese Beetles are here and trying to ruin EVERYTHING!  I've sprayed my deck pots down with soapy water, but with the sun blazing, it's scorching the leaves.  Also, the beetles seem to be laughing at me.  Suggestions? 

Poor little carrots being shrouded out by the squash.  I'll have to fix this today.

Add caption

I'm so proud of myself.  I never though my gardens would turn out as well as whey have.  Thank you to everyone who's lent me a hand throughout this season so far!!!

The Garden Is Hap-hap-happy!

Herb

Zina and a "Hummingbird Mix"

Zina on it's way...

Grrr...

I never planted Viola?  This is in my pot with Snapdragons!

My Gladiola never bloomed.  What gives?

Yeah, yeah... I know I need to weed but this is my Comfrey.

What a peach!

Something's eating them, and they didn't grow as well as I anticipated but still glad I gave them a go.

PUMPKIN!!!  You know what this mean!

Pumpkin

It's happening...

Squash

Squash going crazy and the Okra workin' it's way in.

Pumpkin is growing over my peppers.  I'm gonna have to move the peppers into a different cell to let them get sun.

Yellow Pear tomatoes ARE HERE!!!

I'm so proud.  These guys I started from seed back in April and they've been in this location since end of March.  Wow!

Just when I'd given up hope on my Coleus...

First Hydrangea blooms.

My other Hydrangea blooms (also first)

So, I didn't realize my camera lens was streaky before I started taking these photographs.  I did the best I could and I think they turned out okay.  This put a huge smile on my face today.  Happy Father's Day, ya'll!