An Unusual Visitor

Mike found this fellow beside the house a couple of weeks ago. I'd forgotten all about him, but as I'm in posting-frenzy mode, I thought I'd show you. It's a common garter snake, completely harmless, not especially common around here, but obviously there are some about. I'm not fond of snakes - I'm not afraid; I just don't like them at all. This one apparently lives under the house. I'll leave him alone, as long as he leaves me alone.

You're In Luck, Buck!

To use up the last of last year's hay, and to give the little bit of grass that's growing on the property a chance to rest, yesterday we got out the tractor and pushed out the remains of a large round bale out to the loafing shed for Buck and Rupert to pick at between grazing. They've been gorging nearly non stop.

Rupert with a belly full of hay! He's looking pretty sleek with his summer coat.
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Speaking of bellies (how's that for a segue?), Mike and I were both laying low all weekend with either a norovirus, or possibly a bit of food poisoning from our dinner out on Friday. I was the sicker of the two. We're feeling well again now. I've been out hoeing weeds all afternoon.

More From the Garden

Instead of flowering, Egyptian Onions form new little onions at the top of the stems. These are sprouting now too! I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do next...time to Google them.

I should have spaced the cabbages further apart

The spinach is fantastic! We had some today, sauteed with minced onion and garlic.

Lupins.

In The Garden...

Perfect Petunias

Luscious Lettuce

The Best Basil

Zucchini (we've had about a dozen of these already)

No News

Nothing much going on to report. We're in the dog days of summer here. Too hot to work outside for much of the day. Mike is working nights and we're trying to keep things vewwy, vewwy quiet so he can sleep well.

I'll put up some photos over the next few days, so you'll at least have something to look at when you kindly stop by!

Right...back online after a hard drive failure and some problems with the evil NAV.

We've had the first tastes of things from the garden...a couple of zucchini (from in the greenhouse), some spinach, a few leaves of baby lettuce, rhubarb, and tons of italian parsley. The tomato and pepper plants are doing well in the greenhouse. Potatoes, leeks, carrots, onions, chard, and peas and cabbages and strawberries are all coming along nicely too. The garlic looks nothing short of spectacular; unfortunately I can't remember where I tucked my garlic "map" that tells me which varieties are where. I'm going to have to start a full scale search for it. Three months ago it seemed impossible that things would warm up enough in time to get any kind of garden established but things are doing well. The raised beds and greenhouse are going to have to move in the fall to make way for house construction next spring...we have plans to make a very large garden space for next year.

Gillis has made a remarkable recovery, and other than having a very minor limp and being slightly cranky sometimes, he's pretty much back to his usual self.

Technical Difficulties

A quick post from my workplace to say that we're having PC problems at home and haven't been able to post. Back as soon as possible.

K