bees and bumbles buzz
searching, sipping, slurping feast
nectar and pollen
oh, let me smell you
be still big thing, are you food?
no. you’re flowerless
get out of my way!
true flowers wait; gotta get
work to do, to do
true flowers by Angie Quantrell
photos by Angie Quantrell
Purple Robe Lavender Farm, Arlington, WA
Today’s post is a far cry from yesterday. Lavender to onions and garlic. Oh my. Cry if you will over chopped onions . . .
Let’s take a little diversion from fragrant to pungent.
Due to earwigs and extreme heat, most of the garden is struggling. But for alliums. The onions, garlic, and leeks are doing great! Not only producing, but surviving all of the above. Let’s hear it for alliums. And don’t forget the chives, a favorite snack food of a certain young onion/chive lover. The chives are marching along in perfect order.
This is the first year I’ve tried spring onions. Wow, did they love the garden bed! Since I’ve never grown them before, I tested a few before they were ready. Now they are all harvested and drying. I’m not sure if that’s the correct procedure, but it’s what I’ve done and it seems to be working.
The garlic was a surprise from last year. I think. I’m forever popping sprouted garlic cloves in a garden bed or patch of ground. Usually, they are eaten before I get anything useful. This spring, for the longest time, the middle bed had only this big bouquet of garlic greens. Finally, after the complimentary squash plants over grew it and scapes started growing, I could tell they were done. I pulled them out and we actually have garlic! Also drying with the onions.
I pretty much leave the leeks alone, letting the bees enjoy the flowers (and earwigs-isn’t that odd?). Sometimes I will harvest a leek, but most are left alone to reseed. And they do that very well.
How about you? Any tips for growing alliums? Or better yet, a favorite recipe?
Looking forward to next year and a fresh crop.
I had the best time last week visiting college friends, eating good meals, catching up, making rubber stamped cards, and exploring a bit of the Pacific Northwest. July is a a great month, because it’s lavender time, friends. Lavender Time.
Three of us (waves at Alyson and Renee) traveled to Arlington, Washington, to visit the Purple Robe Lavender Farm. It was such a delight! The bees were humming and buzzing over the lavender-covered hillside, making me want to grab a book and a nice cup of tea and find a spot to plop down. Or a notebook and my purple pen, so I could dream and write. Or spread a blanket on the ground beneath the lavender plants so I could enjoy the activity.
Alas, we were too busy chatting, smelling, and clicking photos. The fragrance was fantastic! We nearly had the place to ourselves. We did swap photo taking tasks with two other women, and I saw a family or two wandering the grounds. But mostly. Us.
White lavender (which I read later was a pink and white lavender named Melissa) and purple lavender created a white-edged purple carpet. I crept carefully between the rows several times, or scooted close to heavy heads, only to be calmly buzzed by bees and bumblebees. They paused, acted like they wondered what great flowers I had to offer, and then toddled back off to their work after they realized I was of the boring flowerless sort.
People in the area: Go now! Take a picnic and camera. The grounds are open for wandering, there is a small shop (of course, with lavender-smelling things-including lavender plants), and I noticed several picnic tables spread about. The lavender is peaking right now. This is the time. You-cut is available if you want to take home a bouquet, and comes complete with a photo-ready basket. A small selection of drinks and snacks are on hand.
Ahhh, lavender. It’s always been one of my favorite flowers. Enjoy.
Plus. Take some friends. It’s the best.
Photo by Angie Quantrell
Purple Robe Lavender Farm, Arlington, WA
Girl Warriors, How 25 Young Activists are Saving the Earth
Written by Rachel Sarah
Chicago Review Press Incorporated, 2021
Girl warriors! How cool is that? This fascinating topic is presented in an easy-to-read format. Thank you to Rachel Sarah and KidLit411 for sending me a copy of this inspiring book. Click on the link to read KidLit411’s wonderful interview of Rachel.
I was happy to read about young women who are choosing to follow their passions, from caring for our world to animal care to sewing and creating beautiful clothing. What is amazing is how each girl warrior has embraced what she feels is important, and then has continued pursuing those interests and goals. Young readers will be inspired to follow their passions as they read about the 25 different girl warriors.
Why I enjoyed this book:
~ young girl warriors!
~ easy to read chapters, each one focused on one warrior
~ a variety of causes and passions fill the pages of this book
~ I learned something about each young woman, read her story, saw her photo, and was able to hear her passion and commitment to making changes
~ ideas for things to try!
~ inspirational
~ the book format is light, flexible, and the perfect size for holding
unplanned garden guest
wood and wet quench appetite
feast, tiny world king.
feast by Angie Quantrell
photos by Angie Quantrell, Yakima Valley
Photo by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley
is it time? harvest?
soil erupts with sharp fragrance,
come, my garlic treat
earth treasure by Angie Quantrell
Photos by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley
This is our third successful (meaning: no earwig damage) allium crop! Maybe next year should be a season of rest for the garden beds when I grow just alliums and let the exploding earwig population die off a bit. The idea does bear tasty consideration…
Photo by Angie Quantrell
Yakima Valley
Love, Laughter, and Life 