What's Going Down around Home?

Here it is Wednesday already and my blog posts at Midnight on Thursday and I got nothing!! So grab the camera and see what's at hand...

My laundry basket broke...so I ran right out and... 

Got some tape to fix it up...now you know me better than to think I would go purchase another one, this thing has loads of laundry left to do and I have plenty of tape...haha

Mom's Mimosa Tree 

WHAT AM I UP TO?

 I have been busy with chores around my homestead, grass cutting, stix pick up, some pruning of overgrown things and moving my suet feeder all over the place to try and stop squirrels from attacking.  

and drying some  home grown Oregano...this is  one of my favorite herbs to grow even the squirrels don't bother it! The deer neither...it's the perfect herb..

 I packed this jar with Jalapeno peppers fresh off the plant added vinegar and a sprinkle of sugar...in a couple weeks I will have a  hot vinegar splash which goes well with cooked greens of all kinds, 

WHAT'S GROWING and WHATS NOT?

More goodies from the garden pots, but tomato is so obviously missing! I have some small green ones but nothing to pick! One plant is way tall over my head and it has flowers and tiny pin head size tomato...I don't think it's going to produce much. 

                This cherry size has a few

Hmmmm Maybe this Katydid is eating my tomato?

"TOMATO, WHERE?"

The Japanese Eggplant is trying to give me more fruit this is #5 some critter ripped the last 4 up while they were still small...I put screen over the top an attempt to save this one...Wish me luck..

"Namaste"

The Zucchini plant has given me more veg to enjoy and the green beans and asparagus give one or two tidbits daily that I break up over a salad...

I keep them in some water till time to cook

IN OTHER HOMESTEAD NEWS:

The Carolina Wren built a nest in  the airplane plant, unfortunately when I try to water the plant she flies out...I saw the eggs this time..

3 new homesteaders on the way...

The Blue Whale Hosta is always gorgeous and the hummers and bees get happy for this...

Getting Happy

The young Brown-Headed Nuthatches are quick at the feeder while the Carolina Chickadee waits a turn in the Holly Tree..

Refill this asap

DANGER 

Meanwhile a drama of sorts was seen  on the handle of the  watering can..

 Inch Worm? Trying very hard to mimic a stick on the handle... being stalked by an Assassin Bug...don't worry I moved the  little worm to safety..

dragons at the heliport landing

the dinner bell

The Gladiola I stole from the roadside wilds in FL are now blooming...

MEANWHILE 

I skipped...down to the pasture for  plums just 2 days ago the tree was covered...

found one....good thing I didn't really want any jelly, hmmmm 

HOLY Webworms! The eggs are laid by a little white moth  in the family Erebidae, and around here its mostly in the Persimmon trees.  They spin this web and the caterpillars defoliate the entire branch it does not harm the tree but it is ugly looking...

                     the black specks, caterpillar dodoo...so don't let it hit your head! 

READY-SET-ACTION:

Here is a short video I put together of garden to table, its too hot to enjoy doing any DIY projects, birding, hiking or travel so I'm staying close to home and enjoying the simple things... 



...like a home grown and cooked meal!

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Please give a shout out to our blog friend Dave, of Everyone Likes Pictures, he is going through some medical issues at the moment. Dave I sure hope you're up and at it again soon will certainly be thinking of you....all the best my friend. 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Half way to 2022

This week I did make a quick stop at Bramblewood, by the Wateree River, 

saw a few birds wading  and in the holding  ponds...

Sadly there was one goose that had died, but nature has that figured out...

 the fun thing was the pollinator plot, 

Lovely flowers, 

and the next fun thing was watching this Yellow Throated Warbler, feed a fledgling...

I wasn't fast enough to catch the actual feeding, but I enjoyed watching that part..

A quiet 4th was had around here I think I heard 4 firecrackers distantly and that was it.  Most of my original neighbors have either moved or died...sadly,  Im in that line. We had one of the coolest 4ths on record is what the tv weather man said it was amazing...I didn't even have my AC on if you can believe that.  It's back on today tho had to put it on about 1 pm. 

My Bee Balm had 2 blooms this year, I have been really treating it with Miracle Grow and spraying it with soapy water to keep the grasshoppers off it,  Only 2 blooms so far but sure is nice to see and the smell is amazing. 

The tiger lily is gonna have 4 flowers this year, 

and the tall phlox have been opened a long time already

The Wandering Jew is almost touching the ground...

This Camelia is outgrowing this space so it was either cut it down or cut it back so I chose to cut it back...I didn't take a before shot of course but now it has  a tall slender open weave look.  Should be pretty when it blooms in the late fall..

hard to get it to show up in a photo

The veggies are still producing Im on my 6th zukes now, the last batch I cooked was so fresh and delicious..

I have 2 big Butternut squash Im trying to keep the deer and squirrel off limits..wish me luck. 

And more peppers, I had one with my salad tonight...

I cooked 

But this is not for me, its for the Girls!

I now use Fresh Pet for their meat....I have tried to eliminate the dry and heavily processed food from their diets.  They're officially now 13 years old on the 4th! That's 91 in human years. 

so they do a lot of sleeping and taking things easy. 

All grey but still loving life..

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Never Kiss a Crow on the Lips...

What again?

I've been ill again! It's not Covid, it's like a head cold; sneezing, sore throat, ears stopped up that kind of thing and just feeling bad.  So I haven't been out much this week.  So over the last few weeks I have some left overs to share...some B roll if you will...

Wildlife comes to me...

When I appeared in the window I surprised this doe who was enjoying some of the clover I sowed in the  yard...

A Good Tip

The crows travel in a group of 7 or 8 normally and they come morning and afternoon to find things to eat in the yard...and let me say I rarely have to pick up after the dogs as these scavengers keep it picked up for me, 

👄no kisses

Calm

Last week when I walked around the lake in the nearby state park, the water was super calm...

My path takes me by the grassy picnic area...

It was so quiet I was the only human around...

And one of the B-roll shots that I really enjoyed is this Solitary Sandpiper at the vernal pool 

Life:

And you know I've been trying to replace the photos deleted by Flickr when I gave up on them...so this one I took of my "treasured" good dishes....my china cabinet is stuffed full of my favorite things...45 years of collecting...

I can't recall the last time it was put to use...

Hope you enjoy the 4th if you're celebrating...I do have a small watermelon I've been enjoying it's such a refreshing treat. 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.