I’m joining in GardenMama’s Wandering Wednesday Photo Challenge.
Here I stand in a puddle on our front path. A welcome sight indeed. It means that my water butts have water again and the garden has had some rain. Not a deluge, which it needs, but enough to freshen and quench.
I head for the greenhouse. The Tigerella tomatoes are beginning to ripen. Can you see the stripes? I’ve not grown these for a few years. Warm, sweet tasting tomatoes. Yum. My children need no encouragement to eat tomatoes. Especially when they are straight from the greenhouse.
I planted nasturtiums among the tomatoes and cucumbers in the greenhouse as a ground cover and companion. Their scent hits me as I enter the warm greenhouse, mixing with the tomatoes and the basil plants. I grab a handful of seeds, ready to research how I can add them to my winter larder (suggestions welcome).
Leaving the greenhouse, the grass is brown, with hints of green. We have barely cut the grass this year, when usually it would be a weekly activity. Through the orchard, I spot the early fallers from the apple trees.
On to the kitchen garden. Teasels with both flowers and seeds are enjoyed by the bees and birds. Now the rain has stopped the insects are making up for lost time. So caught up with their mission they ignore my camera held too close.
By this stage I am joined by an eager helper, keen also to make up for lost time. A quick snap and the pea pod is open. No need for a hammer.
Finally, collect runner beans for supper before heading back indoors. Keen to pick all that are ready and leave none to grow “village fete competition” length. Once, my then future grandfather-in-law, declared that he would happily eat a whole bowl of runner beans as a meal. He’s not around anymore, but this branch of his descendants are constantly reminded of this remark as I serve up a mountain of runner beans on their plates. Good job they like them.
Not forgetting, yet another over-sized courgette.
So where did you wander today?
Stayed at home today…enough excitement yesterday!! The rain woke me up in the night it was so heavy. I’m sick of it now, yesterday is the only day for almost 3 weeks when it didn’t rain all day. And it’s cold. Moan, groan, blah, blah…
Send some down here, please. My water butts are empty again!
I’m so glad you posted a picture of a “teasel”! I keep seeing them referred to, (apparantly they make great little hedgehogs…just poke some black ended pins in for eyes and a nose). We don’t have them around here!
Oh and beans…yes, we’re up to our necks, and I’m in bean denial, (avoiding canning on this hot hot day)! Lovely pictures!
xo maureen
I love teasels. They do make great crafting material. Very popular as heads for bonnet wearing mice, as well. Like pine cones, once we finish with them, they make great kindling.
Lovely photos, I see you enjoy taking pictures of all the little critters that surrounds too…
Your garden looks very pretty!
I cannot resist documenting the mini beasts. Gives me an insight into another element of the garden. Its interesting to see how they vary each year. We have more bumble bees than honey bees this year.
LOVED your photos! Everytime I come here it makes me wish I had invested more time in our gardens this year (tho’ sometimes I wonder if it would’ve been worth it with all the heat and little rain – our grass is browning here, too, and our few flowers are sad and straggle-y). But I am inspired for next year. Love the teasles and dragonfly pics especially.
Don’t tell anyone, but there are parts of the garden that are lacking attention. I like to think of these as nature areas, which they are by default. In truth, there just is not enough time to do it all. I’m not disappointed, because the rest gives so much.
Again I have to say, Cheryl, that your photography is amazing. Thanks for the photos of the teasels. I’ve only ever seen them brown and dried in floral arrangements. It’s wonderful to see them fresh and growing.
I love the purple flowers on the teasels. Later on, its a joy to see the goldfinches picking out the teasel seeds. Once the bees and birds have finished, we cut the heads and craft with them. I’ll be posting more later, I’m sure.
I always love to see where you have wandered, your gardens, photos and words are lovely! We are experiencing some much needed rain too, it certainly is refreshing for us as well as the garden! Your tomatoes are beautiful! Happy wandering : )
Thank you. I much prefer wandering around the garden harvesting than shopping.
Love the photos, and your little helper (with his hammer) is very cute!
Those tomatos are so pretty, I will have to look out for them next year.
They are fun and worth growing. I’ve never seen them ready-to-eat in the shops, but maybe I just go to the wrong places.
Beautiful photos!! I think I’ll be wandering over to the art supply store soon…. It’s been awhile since I’ve been there, and I think I can hear it calling me. 🙂
Happy wandering. That sounds a fun one.