Wild Wednesday

I wasn't quite sure what to title this post because there's not a consistent theme in what's running through my head as I get ready to write.  So, wild Wednesday it will be since it's Wednesday and my thoughts are running wild. Ha!

For starters, we've gotten a nice bit of rain here the last several weeks causing the gardens to really flourish.  I posted a few photos on Facebook yesterday but for those of you who have managed to stay away from Facebook here's a brief update for ya...  

Gordon's garden from a different angle...

We have gotten more rain since this photo was taken a couple of days ago and everything is almost twice as high.  It's amazing what good 'ol rain water will do to a plant!

It probably won't be long until we will be picking okra, squash, green beans and cowpeas.  Yay!

Gertie's garden is also doing well.  Here's a different angle...

We've picked some green beans and rhubarb so far and it won't be long before we'll be picking tomatoes and harvesting onions.

The sweet potato vines and lima beans are spreading and vining and the younger tomato plants are starting to bloom.  Our first batch of potatoes we planted didn't fair so well. Potato bugs got the better of them even though we sprayed with an organic spray.  New leaves are appearing on the plants so we will leave them be and see what happens.

 

We have also been picking black raspberries every few days and have gotten a gallon freezer bag full.

The blackberries are just starting to ripen so we picked a few of them this morning along with some more black raspberries and a few dewberries.

This morning I went out and picked some wildflowers, mostly red clover, to make some wildflower jelly.  I threw a cup of fresh picked blackberries in the pot, too, so it will be blackberry wildflower jelly.

The flowers were washed then the combination was brought to a boil and will steep overnight.  Tomorrow I will strain the berries and flowers then we can make jelly with the infusion.

Several weeks ago we bought a bushhog for the tractor which was a must-have to keep the hillside and fields mowed and maintained.

CountryBoy practiced alongside Gordon's garden before heading up the hill. 

He tackled the hill like it was nothing but in actuality, it was pretty scary coming down and is much steeper than it looks.

This morning he is taking care of a tree that had been cut down some time ago before we moved here.

It was an eyesore from the road, a haven for snakes and a pain in the neck to mow around.

He will be cutting and splitting the salvageable wood for use this winter.  A win-win.  Eyesore gone-wood for fireplace, yay!

When we moved to the farm four months ago the place was overgrown with trees, shrubs and plants.  We decided not to trim any of it (even though the urge to get everything nice and tidy was strong) so that we could find out what plant was what.  We are glad we resisted the urge.  The briar patches throughout the property have yielded delicious fruit and we've had something in bloom every week since the snow melted.  Here's just a few of the flowers we've had around here...

Pretty, huh?!

We've also had lots of butterflies flitting around sampling the goods...

 

And this?  This makes me smile...

Oreo cat-napping in the grass by the laundry line.  My sweet little buddy!

And last, but not least, the kitchen is done, woohoo!  We may tweak a few things here and there but structurally speaking, it is done.  Here's a sneak peak I shared on Facebook...

My next blog post will, more than likely, be the kitchen reveal.  I've got lots of photos to take and edit and I have to find some 'before' photos in the archives so stay tuned. 

GoneCountry