My, What a Busy Season!

       My favorite time of year! The growing season, of course! It's been so nice to get outside in the garden again! I am so enjoying watching the veggies double and triple in size! That always happens after a good dose of Boogie Brew tea. Then we got a nice soaking rain last night, of which we haven't had much of lately, and this morning the plants look like they've grown again! We should have some squash to pick next week. If I had planted the garden a little earlier, we would have been harvesting them already. It was so rainy and cold up until the middle of April, so I waited for better weather.

      The weather has been mostly hot and humid! Yesterday, while the temps were in the 70's, I came inside, drenched, after only being outside a short period of time! But we did get thunderstorms last night, thus the high humidity. And man, did the wind blow! I watched and heard things get blown all over the place! It happened so fast! I thought a tornado was developing! I'm so glad it wasnt'! I would be so scared if that happened! We usually have advanced warning if tornados are happening. But, I can take this weather so much better than the cold! I've decided that I don't like cold weather. I want our winters to be like they used to be; barely getting below 50 degrees! I sure could grow a lot in those temps! Even in the rain! I didn't like winters when it seemed we had none, but now I would appreciate weather like that in winter! But one season helps us to appreciate another.

      We enjoyed family over the weekend. We went to Yasmine's kindergarten graduation and experinced a different culture. I like seeing how other cultures live. It was a very enlightening experience for me. Then, on Monday, everyone came here for a cookout. The kids had so much fun swimming and playing in their little pools! I think they enjoyed that even more than the big pool! Kids are so amazing to watch! I wished I had more time to watch them when they're here, but I'm usually busy in the kitchen. I enjoy that too! Winn spent the night with me and helped me in the garden the next day. We planted some onions. She is such a good helper!

      I hope ya'll are enjoying your Summer! Well, I realize that where some of you live, Summer may not have arrived! But at least your temps are warming! Hopefully, ya'll are growing something! Enjoy your day! Thanks for reading! Blessings from Bama!

The process of making compost.

More Boogie Brew in the making.

Lettuces and chives coming up.

The chard and spinach is starting to grow.

A salad straight from my garden! Yes, I ate the daylily flower!

My camera needs cleaning but these are the squash.

These are the potatoes planted vertically.

Three little princessess!

The girls having a blast in the kiddie pools!

They especially liked running and sliding through this one.

Pretty little Riley!

The pepper plants have really grown!

Yasmine's class on stage.

Winterlynn the day she spent the night.

I got her in motion!

The little graduate!

Recieving her diploma.

May 2015 Garden

      After exeriencing 90 degree day time temps and 70 for the low at night, I went outside to a very cool 60, this morning! Yes, it felt almost cold after all the heat and humidity we've had! I wanted to run back in the house and put on pants instead of shorts! But I found a nice, warm sunny spot to stand and watch the cheeps, as I call them. (Chicks) We just put them on the ground this week. I hope they adjust well to the cooler temps last night and this morning! They seem to be doing good. The warmer temps have affected the egg-laying, as I'm not getting as many eggs. So many factors in egg-laying!

      It hasn't rained in a couple of weeks. My garden really needs rain! I hope we get the rain predicted for the weekend, even though the girls will be here! Hopefully, the chicks will know what to do! They have a nice shelter and doghouse to get in. I've been hand watering the garden since there's been no rain. I've also added the compost tea to it. You would not believe how the veggies have grown! I wished I'd taken a before photo, but there are some now's below. 

      Since it's gotten hot and dry, now is the time to plant okra. Okra likes it that way! If it's too cool and wet, the okra won't come up. I'm going to plant some long okra a friend shared with me he grew last year. I hope the seeds are still viable. I'll know within a week if they are.

      After watching so many of John Kohler's videos, I've really been inspired about so many things! I'm so glad God led me to them! I have been composting daily; and now I'm adding the azomite. It came in yesterday. It's supposed to add minerals to the much depleted soil. I'm also adding alfalfa since kelp is not easily obtained in this area. Alfalfa is a good source of nitrogen and minerals. I plan on looking for kelp when we go to the beach. Maybe I'll be able to find a source there. Soon, I hope to obtain used coffee grounds from a local coffee shop. I'm also getting some worm castings from a gentleman who raises worms for a hobby. I hope to learn how to do that when I visit him. He and his wife seem so sweet!

      I planted spinach and swiss chard in a container yesterday. The reason I did that is so I can move the containers out of the blazing sun when it gets too hot. As you know, spinach will bolt. I think the chard can take it, but just to be on the safe side, I'll move it as well. A lot of the seeds I sowed in the ground have not come up. I looked at the packages and most of them are Ferry Morse seeds. That's what Walmart sells. Some are good, some are not. I decided I would order some seeds from this company: https://seedsnow.refersion.com/c/02f6a 
They should be here soon. Hopefully, you will check out this link and order some seeds! They are heirloom, non-gmo seeds! I can get 20 percent off my future orders when you order through this link. Then, you can do the same on your blog!

      Time has passed since I began writing this post and it has indeed warmed up outside and in! But the humidity is low! Whew, I'm thankful for that! The honeysuckle sure does smell good outside! I hope you are enjoying beautiful weather! How is your garden doing? Let me know in the comments! Have a great week! Blessings from Bama!

A fun way to blow lots of bubbles!

Cooking a chicken in the Sun Oven. It got cloudy so I had to finish it off inside.

My favorite yellow iris!

A beautiful, fragrant rose!

Love this purple iris!

Beautiful peony!

The wild rose is taking over!

Getting my 'boogie on' so my 'plants can dance'!

The okra I was telling you about.

Containers of swiss chard and spinach.

A nice row of squash.

I harvested spinach yesterday so it needs to grow back.

These are beets.

A row of green beans.

The tomatoes were small when I planted them, but after using boogie brew, they really took off!

They even have blooms!

I love how the potatoes are growing! I really need to cover them with more dirt!

A close-up of the potatoes.

Can you believe how they've grown? It's almost time to put them in with the big girls. I hope I can sell the three roosters that are lying on the ground!

These three are in with the previous ones and have grown tremendously as well. 

These are the babies. Some of them are turning out to be roosters even though the lady sold them to me as pullets. I'm ordering all pullets from a notable hatchery next time!