Now THAT'S a sweet potato!

We didn't get many but considering that many of them are almost this size, I'll take it!  

Add these to the 100+ pounds of winter squash and we'll be all set for our beta carotene requirements for a while!

Oops

So... I think it's time to repot the spider plant.

I'm just glad I was able to get it out without breaking the pot.  I really should be more mindful of the houseplants.  But a bunch of them are getting repotted prior to bringing them in for the winter.

I also dug a little bit of thyme to join the basil and marjoram on the windowsill. Love my fresh herbs!.

Swaps!

My brother has been trying his hand at making bacon!

Thursday evening he came over with a three pound slab of double smoked applewood bacon.  I sent him off with a couple of crookneck winter squash and a few late season tomatoes.

I definitely think I came out ahead on this trade!

so... this thing happened yesterday

My baby girl got married!

The joys of saving seeds!

Ah, part of the fun in saving seeds is that you never really know what you're gonna get.  

I'm having a not-so-hot year for peppers.  They have been very slow in producing.  So today I finally picked a green bell pepper to use for dinner.  I wanted something to add more pepper but balance out the heat of the jalapeño I was using.  I dice up half and toss it into my recipe and pop a strip from the other half into my mouth.  

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that this pepper had some HEAT!  Still sweet like a bell but with a lovely slow burn.  I'm guessing that it crossed with one of the many, many hot peppers we grow every year.

I think our enchiladas will be a little more spicy than intended.

Heirloom Amana Orange Tomato

This is, hands down, my favorite tomato.

Amana Orange-  weighing in at 2 lb 2 oz of deliciousness!

More flowers!

The pollinator garden is in full bloom!  So glad I planted this next to the garden when we moved in.  There are so many bees and butterflies!

Some gratuitous flower photos

Yes, I've been bad and haven't posted here in, like, maybe forever?  But things have been  busy.   My middle child graduated from high school last weekend and my daughter and her fiance are home for the week.  The garden is in and things are progressing.
The weather has been varied and unpredictable, but this morning, the air was cool and the sun shining on the rain-soaked flowers.  Beautiful!  I thought I'd share a few of my favorites.

Done!

I finally finished the very hungry caterpillar quilt!  There have been many interruptions but it's done.  Good thing, since the baby arrived on Mknday.  This will be going to lovely little Ramona in Texas along with a copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

I know all the mistakes - a row put on upside down, points that don't match- but I'm still pleased with it.  It has been a while since I have done any quilting.

Work in progress

I'm working on a baby quilt for V's editor. I cut it out on Sunday afternoon and stitched up the blocks this afternoon on my day off.  

So far I'm quite pleased with it.  I haven't done any quilting for a while and I have forgotten how much pleasure I get from the precision work.

I've rearranged the blocks several times since this photo was taken.  I think I finally have it but I'm gonna sleep on it tonight and hopefully stitch all the blocks together tomorrow after work.  

It's a start!

I discovered that a couple of our sweet potatoes (that we got from our friend Roger) had started to spout.  So, they are now in jars on the windowsill.  I haven't grown sweet potatoes for years and never had much luck.  But maybe this will be the year!

So, we've had some snow

The latest winter storm, Linus, dropped about 13 inches of snow on us on Sunday.  

 It's been cold but it is so beautiful, I just had to share.

I know I said I'd be better about posting.  I've just been busy with other things and nothing post-worthy seems to be going on here.  We've all been passing around respiratory crud, work has been super busy and it's winter so there is nothing going on outside, other than we've started to get a very few eggs from the hens.

So, hopefully I'll post more when it gets warmer and there are more exciting things going on here.

Ooo!!

A late present from Santa!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all from our house!

Snow?!

Yesterday was a lovely day, upper 60's and absolutely beautiful.  

This morning, I got up to let the dog out and realized it was snowing.

I'm not ready for winter yet!!

Why I should have supervision

So... This evening on the way home from work, Vernon wanted to stop at the hobby store in the mall to pick up something he needed.  On one edge of the parking lot was the farmer's market.  It was the last market of the season and the vendors were willing to deal.  I didn't need anything... really...  But I couldn't resist this pumpkin !

Isn't it awesome!  I asked and the variety is 'One Too Many' also sometimes called the bloodshot eyeball pumpkin - with good reason.

Research says that it is edible and makes good soup.  I'll have to see.  I don't think I have the heart to carve it for Halloween.

I'll definitely be saving seeds!  From what I found it is an open pollinated variety so again, we'll see what happens next year.

Trade!

Well, we didn't get the chicken coop cleaned out today.  Our friend Roger called and asked for help.  He has been having health issues since losing part of a leg a couple of years ago and just isn't able to do all those things he used to do. And his wife has just recently returned home after her father's funeral so she has problems of her own.  They asked for help cleaning out their garden and taking down fences and trellises.  It was a lovely day and the coop can wait til next weekend.  

Sharon and I dug sweet potatoes among other things and we were sent home with a big bag of them.  Yum!  Roasted sweet potatoes for dinner tonight!

Confusing weather

It is one of those 'soft' mornings.  You know, the kind where it is warm and humid and the air feels soft.  If it weren't for the changing leaves, the frost bitten garden and the molting chickens, I'd swear it was spring.
It will be a busy weekend here. Cleaning out the chicken coop and prepping it for winter is on the agenda, as are senior photos for my oldest son.
Last night was the final home football game of the season and so, it was senior recognition night for football, cheerleading and marching band.  I must say, Ian looks great in uniform!

For halftime, they did their annual Halloween costume show.  The weather certainly cooperated as heavy fog started rolling into the stadium.

So, I've avoided work for long enough.  I suppose I should get started on my mile-long to do list for the weekend.  sigh....

Fun!

Vernon and I actually went out to a social event last night!  Shocking, I know!  We went to a local wine bar to meet up with other members of a local steampunk group.  A grand time was had by all!

Good thing I have the day off!

I worked last weekend so I have today off as comp.  good thing, too!  The forecast is for the first hard frost of the fall tonight.

We've had a few light frosts here and there already but it's supposed to get down to 32*F if not a little colder tonight so this should be the end of the garden.  

So... Today I want to bring in all the squash that are *almost* ripe and pick what few green tomatoes that are left as well as any peppers I can find.  Honestly, I'm ready to be done.  The weird weather we've had has made for a lackluster season.  

Time to hope for a mild winter and a successful greenhouse.