Tag: gardening

Red Tomatoes and Naked Ladies

Red Tomatoes and Naked Ladies

My six-year-old son and I just returned from what should be our third and final vacation for the summer and boy are we glad to be home. This trip took us down to Arkansas and Blue Jay Hollow for several days of leisurely family time and then back up to Branson for some fast-paced themepark action. It was a good trip! But that being said, I am ready to unwind and spend the last few days of summer close to home at a slower pace (yeah, good luck with that one, you say. . .).

red tomatoes

Other than my husband greeting us before we got through the door Wednesday, I also had a few other good things awaiting my arrival. Not counting the jury summons in the huge stack of mail on the kitchen table, I found some wonderful surprises more of the mother nature variety. The naked ladies were still blooming out back (which I missed last year) and a couple of beautiful red tomatoes were perfectly ripened on the vine. Needless to say, yesterday evening was BLT night and it was yummy!

red tomatoes

So here’s to red tomatoes and naked ladies. . . may the crop be bountiful and your stems stay straight!

 

Our Roses Knocked Out Fall

Our Roses Knocked Out Fall

Knock-Out Roses

Thanksgiving is a week away and my Knock-Out Roses are still doing their thing curbside in Kansas City. We and they have been enjoying the unseasonably warm weather this fall, but since tomorrow’s high will plummet into the 40s, I decided to enjoy my flowers while I could. I also cut several stems for inside so I can enjoy them a wee bit longer.

Knock-Out Roses

Apparently these brightly colored beauties are the one plant I can actually grow well. I get more compliments and jealous comments about my Knock-Outs than any other thing I’ve ever planted. The same held true for the rose bushes at our last house. I don’t do anything special, except plant in seriously full sun and keep mulch around the base. Other than a few good drinks in the middle of summer and a pruning each year (the deer help me out with that at this house), that’s about all the care I give these girls.

Knock-Out Roses

The fun thing about these roses is that my husband and I had to first clean out a bunch of yucca’s standing their ground in order to plant these bushes. I documented that struggle at Get the Yucca Out of My Yard and received great advice and commiserating at Hometalk.com. I’m proud to say that we did seem to be the victors (fingers crossed) and have been rewarded with a big gorgeous display of rosiness.

yucca

Routines, Trains and “Naked Ladies”

Routines, Trains and “Naked Ladies”

Whew, the summer vacations are finally fini, and I’m home to stay for a while. After a week with my husband’s family in Hollister immediately followed by a week with my family in the Hollow, I’m actually happy to be home and ready to settle into a routine (at least for a few weeks). Preschool hasn’t started for my little guy, so we are spending some fair-weather days with MOMS Club® friends and wrapping up the summer around town. Today we spent the morning at Union Station watching the trains go by.

trainday2

Of course, I did spend my first day back just catching up on e-mails and marking up the calendar. Thank goodness for the fridge — it holds the family happenings.  Unfortunately, my two-week vacay just happened to coincide with the “Naked Lady” show. I completely missed the inaugural blooming of the bulbs I dug up at my grandmother’s old homestead in Blue Jay Hollow. Here’s all that’s left. . .

nakedladies2

Page 2 of 5
1 2 3 4 5