by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
Welcome!
I should say (to myself) welcome back!
Here is a photo of what’s kept me from my KID KANDY and picture book posts. It has been THAT crazy.
So, forward and onward.
Let’s read some books!
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Happy Autumn! |
Category Archives: Gardens
Early Pumpkin Harvest
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Safe and gorgeous |
By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
I harvested 8 pumpkins this morning.
It’s August.
Harvesting pumpkins in August just does not sound right. Especially when it will be around 90 later this afternoon.
Not right at all.
Extenuating circumstances encouraged me to wade deep in the bristly pumpkin patch and knee high grass to grasp my favorite orange fall buddies. Er, I mean, signs of the season. Sure, I talk to my pumpkins. And those dratted slugs and squash bugs. I do admit to speaking kindly to my pumpkin pals. Not so much with the vermin.
Doesn’t everyone talk to their plants and garden inhabitants? No? Hmmm.
Slugs. They were eating HOLES in my pumpkins! I rolled one large pumpkin over and a huge spotted slug, probably 3-4 inches long when stretched out, was coiled comfortably in the blossom end hollow. UGH. Tiny little slime booger slugs were creeping all over as well.
Odd. Spring. Weather. We had the weirdest spring. That is all I can blame on the extremely early crops. It was very warm, very hot, and then very cold. Plants in my area don’t know what to do. Except grow.
Squash bugs. I’ve been so busy packing up the house, I missed recognizing the sign of yellowed leaves that indicated I had extra special garden pest visitors. Why, those hungry little insects have moved right in!
Orange. These pumpkin babies were colorful and ready to visit my porch.
Snip, snip, tug, and off we went away from hungry mouths to the safety of shade and protection.
Fall (in August) here we come!
How is your garden growing this year?
Favorite Summer Recipe ~ Stuffed Squash
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Crispy stuffed squash, a summer favorite! |
by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
Ahh. The bounty of summer awaits my growling tummy!
Though I am posting this recipe today, I made this dish several weeks ago. Due to the odd weather this year and very early and hot spring temperatures, the produce schedule is very early or entirely off schedule!
I know. But we take what we get and have a fancy meal. I also acknowledge that I post this recipe in some form almost every year. It is that good.
This year, on July 1st (so early), I harvested a zucchini and a yellow squash plus wax and green beans. So delish!
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Stuffing for the squash |
Stuffed Squash
Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey
washed and chopped green and wax beans
2 squash, washed, cut in half lengthwise, and scooped out
1 can of black beans, rinsed
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 carrot, diced
1 onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 cups chicken broth
parsley
black pepper
crushed peppers
salt
Mrs. Dash
onion powder
olive oil
grated cheddar cheese
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Prepped squash. I sometimes like to add olive oil, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper before I stuff them. |
1. Saute onion, garlic, and carrot in olive oil. Add turkey meat to brown it.
2. After turkey is browned, add black beans, beans, tomatoes, and spices (to your taste). Add enough chicken broth to make a thick mixture. Let cook until bubbling and fragrant.
3. Stuff peppers with stuffing. I love them full and overflowing. You will probably have leftovers, which makes a tasty soup or casserole base. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
4. Place on parchment paper covered cookie sheet and bake for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Check often as you near the end of your cooking time to make sure squash ingredients are not overcooking. We like a crispy cheese topping, so we let them cook the full time.
5. Remove and enjoy!
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Ready for the oven. |
You can add almost anything to this dish. If I have quinoa, it goes in the mix. At times I’ve added broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms – you name it, I’ve probably had it in my stuffed squash.
I just love summer gardens and their tasty treats, don’t you? What’s your favorite summer dish?
What’s Your Fragrance?
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Lavender, my signature flower |
By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
A few days ago, I was reading in 2 Corinthians, chapter 2. Immersed in the words, it took me a moment to realize that I was reading with a scent in my nose.
Tantalizing wafts of fragrance swirled through my thoughts.
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15, ESV).
As the words I read floated through my mind, they were accompanied by the memories and aroma of lavender.
Lavender.
In my heart, Christ (and therefore God) has the refreshing, calming, soothing, and beautiful fragrance of lavender. He smells like lavender! The Peace that fills my soul and permeates my life is that of lavender.
Quiet. Peace. Reverence.
Is it no wonder that lavender is one of my favorite blooming herbs? I am drawn to lavender as the bees, seeking scent and beauty. I gently brush my fingertips along the flowers and attempt to capture the faint scent. Or I crush and bruise petals and stem between these wretched fingers, forcing the flowers to release their fragrance. For my benefit.
Isn’t that what happened so long ago? He was crushed and bruised, all to release the gift of His life, the fragrance of salvation. But that was not just for me. Rather, it was for all of us.
The fragrance of lavender.
Do you read with your nose? What fragrance is God to you?
Oh, to smell like lavender to those around us.
How a Garden Transforms a Backyard
By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
These are before and after pictures of our backyard. The after pictures are really just snapshots of specific moments in time, as gardens are always changing and evolving.
Nearly 7 years ago we purchased our home. Putterers by nature, we have planted, chopped down, removed, added, painted, built, dug up, relocated, and generally wrecked havoc (or as I like to say, made improvements in accordance to our tastes) with the yard. Front and back.
The above photo shows what the triangle garden looked like when we moved in.
This is the patio door overlooking the old cement triangle garden.
Here is Kevin digging out the cement to create a new garden area.
Here is a view of the new triangle garden, after many years of growth.
This is the view looking out over the old gravel bed.
Here is our view.
The old backyard view while standing at the house.
The same view a few years later.
The garden shed without any sunflowers or privacy fence.
Our well worn garden, including a privacy fence and garden beds.
My garden and backyard today.
What we’ve added: a dogwood tree, a brick patio (covered now by the sunflower forest), 5 garden beds, a flower bed, hundreds of plants, cedar privacy fence, a clothesline (behind the shed), underground sprinklers, shade curtains around the patio, and lots of love.
That’s my garden. What changes have you made in your garden?
What’s in the Garden? Edible and Not
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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.
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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.
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Oregano, much loved by bees, is heading towards full bloom. |
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Tea roses – beautiful though they were plagued by aphids early on in the season. |
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Creeping thyme, a walkable plant (you can walk on it). But watch out for bees! |
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Edible thyme is blooming. |
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Radishes are tasty and almost gone. Mmmm |
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Sunset lily. I love the color of these blooms. |
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Ripening Roma tomatoes. |
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The pumpkin plants that are threatening to take over our tiny backyard. Soon, it will be true. |
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Poor, sad, dwarfed okra. I’ve replanted 4-5 times. This is the best so far. |
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Wax beans love my back yard. Green beans? Not so much. |
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Dill entices more bees and is ready for canning. |
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Part of the sunflower jungle. |
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Lavender and friend. |
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Raspberries are coming on strong, much to the delight of the icky pests. |
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Baby zucchini. |
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The parsley is blooming. Those tiny sweat bees love this stuff. |
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Garlic. I have no idea when it is done! |
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Kale. |
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Baby yellow squash. If you squint, you can see someone else was impatient to try it. Go away, bugs! |
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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
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Lily from my garden fireworks of flora speckled bursts of joy fireworks cool to my touch enchanting lily by Angie Quantrell |
What’s Growing in the Garden?
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Strawberries, raspberries, lavender, and radishes fresh from the garden. |
By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell
What’s growing in the garden? I mean besides cat fur.
The strawberries are slowing down and I think ready for a big break to build up their energy. Whoa! This was the most prolific strawberry (also known as strawbabies and beebes around our house) harvest I have ever had. Not counting the minimal loss from slugs, sow bugs, ants, and raiding grandchildren.
Raspberries are coming on! Beautiful, tasty, sweet-tart lovely bursts of flavor – be still my heart. I love me some raspberries (also known as raspbabies and beebes at our house).
My miniscule crop of French radishes is nearing readiness for being pulled up, roots and all. I planted a roasting pan with radishes in hopes of avoiding above mentioned pests who annually decimate my peppery red and white treats. Take that, you vermin! Today Donavyn and I pulled up a few to check for size. And we gobbled them all up, just like Goldilocks ate Baby Bear’s porridge. Just right.
Lavender, one of my favorite flowering herbs, is starting to bloom strong. I haven’t seen many bees this spring, so I am pleased the purple blossoms are attracting several from somewhere. If only a swarm would descend in our area and we could capture it . . .
As always, parsley, thyme, dill, and sage are available free of charge to any and all. The sunflowers look like they will put on a great show in another couple of weeks. Birds delight, but beware the two slinking gray girls who blend in to the bricks and sand beneath your dinner table.
One of my failures this year is okra. I really wanted to grow some for my mom who grew up in Missouri. I’ve done 3 plantings, and there is nothing to be had but munched sprouts. I guess they taste good?
I’ve also done multiple plantings of echinacea, or cone flowers, for the bees and butterflies. This last batch is finally showing promise. I may just have to buy half grown plants.
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells,
And pretty maids all in a row.
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There is always a furry body helping me. This one particularly loves to sleep on the strawberries. |
My friends, how does your garden grow?
Container Gardens
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Baby kale and lettuce mix win the mobile garden location |
By Angie Quantrell Angie Quantrell
Container gardens are the way to go this year.
It’s funny how I go through fads in my garden.
Last year, I didn’t want many containers other than the raised beds and strawberry garden. I relished the empty patio space that left ample room for the grands to race wheeled vehicles around without crashing.
Previous growing seasons bloomed and produced according to my every whim and decorating idea. I loved grouping pots and plantings according to heat and watering zone. Notice I say heat instead of sun requirements. My afternoon garden is all a heat zone and any container has to be mostly in shade or capable of handling the crippling sun rays.
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Baby kale |
This year is once again a container garden year. But my reasoning is fresh and experimental.
This year I want to win against the garden predators. Slugs. Sow bugs. Earwigs. Aphids. And whatever else is chewing its way through my fresh veggie crop.
For instance, radish is languishing in an old turkey roaster pot that has holes in the bottom, mainly because every time I have planted them in the past, the sow bugs and slugs have eaten holes and rings around each beautiful radish.
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Radish seedlings popping through the soil |
Lettuce and kale are making a new home in a little red wagon and a washtub. This is my attempt to avoid the slugs and aphids.
Chives and a random sunflower are living in yet another washtub.
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Chives and a sunflower plant |
Germination has commenced and plants are popping through the soil. What has yet to be found is how successful the plants will be in growing to full-size and giving me tasty treats.
Kale? Check. We’ve already had baby leaves.
And that’s all I know for now. We shall see. Let the experiment commence.
Until then, kale, strawberries, and herbs it is.
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Spring strawberries |
Encroaching
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Beautiful yet encroaching and taking over a flower bed |
By Angie Quantrell Angie Quantrell
Encroaching.
honeysuckle
crab grass
pink flowers
vines
raspberries
strawberries
parsley
pumpkins
sunflowers
evergreen tree
birch branches
moss
slugs
sow bugs
daddy long legs
yellow jackets
aphids
white grass bugs
ants
gossip
television
news
media
politics
pollution
violence
wars
famine
drought
Encroaching.
In my yard. In my community. In my world.
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Aggressively encroaching vines grasping for toe holds |
It starts small, but once you start looking, it’s everywhere at every level.
Encroaching.
What is encroaching in your life?
Yet. There is always hope. Big or small encroachments, He is here.
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Raspberries escaping and encroaching throughout yard |
But you are a shield around me, O LORD;
you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
To the LORD I cry aloud,
and he answers me from his holy hill.
I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.
Psalm 3:3-5 NIV
Love, Laughter, and Life 