Harvesting a GourZuchumpkin! What's next?

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Well, I haven't bragged about our crazy overgrown, not-producing-much garden this year.

How about a cross pollinated Gourzucumpkin! Yep....trust me it was real.

This is the last submarine Zucchini I picked from the garden in early October. It was very large and heavy and dark green with a bit of dusky orange mottling. I thought it might be turning rotten, but I brought it in and put it on my island  in a basket.

Under the pile of golden pumpkins, Delicata Squash, Butternut Squash I realized this week it had turned completely orange and wasn't squishy anywhere it was actually HARD? 

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 I had pumpkins planted in our first big raised bed, five feet away I had 2 Zucchini plants planted in the next raised bed. To the west 8-10 feet I had two gourd plants by the corn. We did get one small lumpy green/orange gourd. 

Now, you tell me, does this looks like a Zucchini when it was dark green and now does it look like a Pumpkin?

That's my longest knife, so it's pretty good size. The skin was so hard I called Hubby to help as my poor wrists couldn't even dent it.

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Here's three of my pie pumpkins to compare. I like the small ones because they have nice thick meat and keep well.

Well after almost breaking our wrists hubby came up with this way to cut the (Creature)  Zucchumpkin, see the quick video above! 

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We really had to whack it. I was beginning to wonder if I should waste gas baking this thing? 

Here you can see the hard outer shell----on the edge...no wonder we could hardly get through it. 

Curious, and since I was baking some other pumpkins, we cut it up for baking.

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The seeds looked like pumpkin seeds only very 

thick...nice thick meat on the sides, not watery like Zucchini at all, and very firm.

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Well, I baked it and it was sweet and delicious, the seeds were baked also as they were easier to pull out that way. If I had saved some they probably wouldn't produce as they would be a hybrid.

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Can't wait to make a Gouzuchumpkin PIE...LOL.

What else is going on...we killed ourselves this week cleaning up the yard with the last of the nice weather and snow forecasted for today and tomorrow. Yep, finally our gorgeous golden Autumn is dying. Today the yard is filled with snow covered leaves. 

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This was taken Thursday...the last of the red colors in the Forest Preserve.

We finished clearing all the outdoor Halloween in time and it is successfully stored. 

Hubby is having two eye surgeries starting this week, 

so I will be the driver as he is blind as a bat without his glasses. His prescription will likely change, so we figure a minimum of three weeks or more 

of not much going on.

Unfortunately that may curtail our Christmas lights and decorations outside, sigh...I won't be able to handle it all myself. Aging just means everything takes longer.

Harvesting...

Inside is a small disaster dragging all the plants in,...

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We brought in one raised planter with all the Herbs...I have room for a new Basil, as ours were just DONE!  Here are Chives (2), Parsley, Oregano, Thyme, some Rosemary and I'll add a Basil. We should be good for cooking all winter I hope. I have a HUGE Rosemary plant also, I brought in.

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Right now the Rosemary is on the table along with everything else. I had 5 huge sunflower heads that had seeds, so I sorted and bagged, labeled and dated them. Also bagged the seeds from the Sunflower small heads (not that many seeds) since the Gold Finches demolished. I still have my Zinnias and other flower seeds to harvest, but they are in a huge bouquet drying on the island. We had loads of flowers still blooming when we had to clean up the yard.  

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'Tis the Harvest Season

Fall, Leaves, Fall

Emily Brontë

Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;

Lengthen night and shorten day;

Every leaf speaks bliss to me

Fluttering from the autumn tree.

I shall smile when wreaths of snow

Blossom where the rose should grow;

I shall sing when night’s decay

Ushers in a drearier day.

But, I'm collecting seeds and planning for new crops. 

A gardener can't help but believe in the future, 

or why would we plant a seed? 

Happy Harvest from our Home 

~~~~~~~To YOURS!~~~~~~~

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Sandi

Thanksgiving Preparations or something like that?

Thanksgiving is a few weeks away and the house is a disaster, all the Fall decor (pumpkins) outside have been brought in and there are pumpkins everywhere.

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I plotched the huge ones here and there and there and there. Not only did the pumpkins come in, but the parsley, gourds, squash and other herbs. I have dead flowers drying everywhere and sunflower heads cover my kitchen table.

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Our counter top display....super casual...this and that.

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I love these Tuesday Morning Napkins that have all my favorite tones for Fall. 

I miss that chain and all the other businesses that have bit the dust in the last few years.

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I will have to roast veggies this week to freeze, before they start getting mooshy. We had lots of garden squash this year.

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The last thing I will do is roast the big pumpkin for pies in a week or so. I have 4 large pumpkins to roast this year. I also have a PumpZuchin ??? that I'm curious to see what it looks like inside.

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As long as the oven was going forever---I'll toast my sourdough and oatmeal sunflower nut breads for stuffing. I multi-task, hence the chaos in my kitchen all the time this time of year.

I abhor killing anything GREEN, but some of the plants I'm wintering over need a trim because of space and some I will try and root, but there's not enough room anywhere in the house for another HUGE plant. 

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 Here's the great OLD cookie jar I snagged at Goodwill at one time for $4.00. I have no idea what it is, (unmarked but Ohio Valley clay) but I have been searching for something to use for a cookie jar for the Grand. 

Notice the clever use of wood putty bucket for a pedestal REDO-lol, under another squash, and the large green pumpkin. Another clever enhancement is the wood plane, I really need to some decor arranging...but there is time, isn't there??? I think November moves the FASTEST of any month...so much to do.

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Left over Halloween pumpkin from Grandbaby---she did great on the face---when she was only three. She hates when I use old works of art of hers, but I say, "Replace it with something else, please." 

Our lifestyle at our age is Drs' appointments kept on the IPAD or phone and the few social things we do...I say we have organic planning...taking it as it comes.

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Here's my Parsley, lurking under the front window in the living room, an attractive wad of paper  towel catching the overflow from it's rain-soaked planter.

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We've had so much sunshine and lovely temps...lots of WIND though...I gave up on righting the chairs.

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Marigolds are finally decimated. I will leave the flowers for the birds to chew on over the winter. If marigold seeds are good for Purdue chickens, they will feed our feathered friends. Totally a GREEN thing to do.

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Very Old porch vignette is now devoid of color and dreary---I will have to perk it up, somehow.

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This artificial arrangement looked great by the door, but even weighted down, it blew over at least twice this week. (Note to self, to use bricks next time in the bottom, instead of pebbles.) In front with the leaves is another OLD lantern that has a REDO flame in it.

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This little corner I freshened up last week, and will probably rearrange again.  The OLD lanterns had flicker lights in them and I redid the chalkboard after Halloween.

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Inside, here is one corner of the living room is an old photo that looks finished, gorgeous dried oak leaves in an OLD vintage Royal Copenhagen Vase with a nymph on it. Small collection of porcelain animals reminiscent of pets long gone, all very OLD. (This year it will be chestnut leaves)

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Our chalkboard said it best, "Gather Family Friends and Give Thanks." It doesn't say anything about Thanksgiving Planners, polished silver, table-scapes, or neat houses. Will I make it, since I still have a few weeks? 

Happy Thanksgiving Preparations readers, how ready are you?

Thanks as always for stopping by, I'm loving your comments, questions, and suggestions.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own or I am in possesion of the originals, 

I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or products used. 

Please do not use my photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

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Sandi

Midwest Gardening: Garden Starts, Plants, Planters...wishing for Spring!

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It's trying hard to be Spring in Chicagoland, it was 70 yesterday, but will be below freezing tonight, it's already in the low 40's at 1pm. I hooked up the heater in the greenhouse as I have all my Dahlias, Potato Vines, and miscellaneous summer bulbs started in there. Hopefully since it was sunny today, it will hold. I will put it on high tonight.

I haven't posted much about our home, mostly because it has been full of bags of donations, shipments of 'stuff', and barely put away Christmas, and well---PLANTS, lots of PLANTS.

In the Kitchen...I began the garden starts last week, March 5-10, actually and entire month late. But, that is another story.  

Check out THIS POST it's a great blow by blow of the entire process from the past! YIKES I'm behind this year.

Anyway I had to move plants everywhere ELSE! To the Bedroom with four...

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I have a different piece of furniture here now...but I'm double protecting it...from the water from these plants.....

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And these. Hard to take photos with bright light outside, The hanging spiders have been quite happy in here with an air purifier and a humidifier running full tilt all winter. The only plant not happy is my Rex Begonia..which I think got overwatered...they are touchy but gorgeous.

Back to the Living room and PLANTS!

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The biggest plant was this darn IVY TREE...which I love and hate...each time we transplant it, it becomes HEAVIER. LOL. It's very happy in the living room windows.

I also moved three Mandilla into the living room and  more plants into my bedroom. It's pretty much plant heaven in our house right now. Oh, another one is in the bathroom...very happy there.

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Chaos and Plant Central: The upright box is one of the big garden planters 3'x8'x 2' high (above bunny munching) for the vegetable garden, the other is opened on the floor---a million pieces of metal...that should be lots of fun. 

(Each year from now on we will build or order raised containers for the garden.) We are getting too old to be lifting and bending over so much, and container gardening will be more compact, also less tilling for my hubby. At 78 the tiller basically drags him around. 

Wood will be very pricey with the Canada Trade wars...and tariffs, so we opted early to purchase these metal ones at a steal. They are 50$$ $more now then early February.

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Middle pot: I purchased a lovely lime Philodendron to put in the bottom of the pot with the Dracenas. It will be on the front porch this summer under the eaves, maybe the end of April or May.

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This  LIMEY should look great in that old antique pot with the Dracena spikes.

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The climbing Mandilla on the left is growing so many new shoots, it's going everywhere. I had fertilized everything the end of February and the plants are now kicking into high gear.

Our kitchen is perfect for starting plants, two huge windows facing South and East. Problem was I had so many plants wintering over in the house.

March 5-10 I  planted a bunch of flower and vegetable seeds. When they begin to sprout, the tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and flowers, I will keep you up to date on how everything is doing.

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It takes a lot of room to do starts. Hopefully I can fill the greenhouse with the rest, if the temps would moderate a bit more. It's been pleasant in the 80's in the greenhouse, I actually turned the fan on yesterday.

Later this week, I would love to start Peas, and the lettuce/radish/onion pots for the railings so we can have fresh veggies---as soon as possible in the greenhouse. By April we should be able to put carrots, beets, broccoli, and Kohlrabi into the ground, they are all cool weather plants. 

Since critters ate my zucchini, beans, cantalope, spinach, brocolli, and all my sunflowers last year...I'll be starting those in the greenhouse and move when they are BIG into the gardens. (Another reason for raised planters).

LEFT:  I moved my two rosemary plants into one big ugly pot. It's been okay this winter...and will definitely be happier outside when it is warmer. I'm going to have to replace many pots this next year. 

REDO:  I will garage sale for some.

CENTER: 

The wooden spoons on the covers are holding them down for they were a bit warped. I use big baking trays under some of my starters. I have two layers of plastic covering the surface of my cabinet, which has worked in the past.

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First thing up planted on March 5 was COSMOS. YAY! But this means I'll have to transplant them to bigger containers later. UGH.

The South window has these shelves set up. IF all goes to plan, everything will be in the greenhouse before Easter, so we can eat (10 or so) at the table.

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These are Birthday flowers  (the roses were done)  my from February. I actually love the spicy scent of carnations...so nice to have something blooming now. Of course the roses are drying straight in the hall wall for use some other time.

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I Can't wait for flowers like these!

How are Your 

GARDEN PLANS

Going!?

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Sandi

October "Flew" a Mind Meander

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Wow, October came and flew out the window with all the witches and goblins.

I've neglected the blogs---but golly, OCTOBER was busy.

First, I have to be very careful of my shoulder...the cortisone has worn off and each day is good or bad, or really awful, depending on how the crabby shoulder feels about doing anything. Flinging totes and racking leaves, pulling weeds are all on the NOT REALLY list. I try, and then give up quickly.

My Gardening has been limited. The vegetable garden NEVER got fully planted, and the corn, beans, peas, pumpkins, squash we planted, didn't produce for us. TWO beans---out of 4 packages.

Yikes, the worst year ever. Peppers were okay, we did have fresh broccoli, chard, and tomatoes, 

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The last of our tomatoes...ripening in the window.

and fresh cucumbers all summer and into Fall. 

The garden still needs to be emptied and tilled, which is this weekend's project.

Late in October I finally cleared the flower bed by the pond and got new mulch to protect the plants for winter, that was my Spring clean-up. We did get all the bushes trimmed and many branches cut down and dealt with. Hubby has really had to crank as these are the things I usually do.

Socially  we had a fish boil, and three family events in October

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Here are Cupcakes decorated as a family project before a Sunday dinner!

... and we saw a play, and had dinner out four times with friends. That's actually a lot for us. I do get out with a friend to do some 'thrifting' or a fun event during the day, usually once a week, too. Hubby bowls and has breakfast out twice a week and runs errands with a friend.

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Seriously what is more fun then family!

I usually plan an activity when everyone comes---we decorated red velvet cupcakes for Halloween. Lots of fun!

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 My Grand, her grandmother from the Phillipines..we are the same age and have lots of fun together!

In October, our only grand, turned 11, I can't believe that she is already a young lady. Time certainly flies the older you get.

I also did four Mather Institute projects which I will share more in a post. I had to go out and buy an iron to set the dyes we used for projects. 

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The Bulk of my time in October, I spent on listings for my Etsy shop, over 134 different items. So, Figure a minimum of 8 photos each  or 1,072 or more photos, all edited and information researched to verify age, condition, price and more. That is a my own personal record. Goal is 8 more totes or another 75 items for November, which ever comes first. I will be listing some wonderful handmade vintage mold and tart tins Christmas items this coming week.

    

Etsy BarberryLane

Etsy BarberryLane

Treasures from all different times.  

My mom's and my own stashes!

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Some of these are already gone...but you can visit my Etsy shop in the right column.

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And SALES were very good for me in October, with new items always generating interest in everything. 

I did get through over 15 totes of vintage items, family linens and my own craft stashes to get all those new items listed. I'm over the ache of letting things go, it is time to wean and find homes for all the wonderful items my family and myself have collected. I also made several delivery trips to Goodwill and another favorite thrift store with donations. Use it, sell it, or LOSE IT...is the motto now!

We are still dealing with the fruit-basket-upset since the February flood. But, we managed to get all the saved totes out of the garage and, and the tent taken down after emptying and gone through, though some totes/boxes are still on the back porch. More of everything will have to be dealt with this month. 

Doll wise---I attended the October Windy City Doll meeting and had a great time at that. The dolls are happily content to live in their houses and not pester me too much about getting out, for the moment! 

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Our only home decorating for Fall was the buffet, and a few floral arrangements in the house. 

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 I've been terrible about sharing--but there has always  been a stack of something somewhere in some state of disrepair or cleaning that screwed any photo taking. Who needs photos of chaos...when you are living in it.

I attempted to have little spots of normalcy with seasonal touches.

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It's surprising how well the oranges/reds work with all my blue and white!

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My herbs are now in the kitchen

Last week we brought the outside in...and my house plants have moved back inside the house, just in the knick of time. The huge Hibiscus plant was wheeled into our temp controlled garage...it's too heavy to lift at this point, and we have a grow light on a timer hooked up with it. I have three Mandillas that need to have new hanging pots---which will be a project this coming week, I will share.

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Mandillas---set in those clear bowls that will become hangers/Cross your fingers? The did get a bit of nipped from frost I think, I hope they recover.

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A double dracena/pony tail was happy on the front porch, and now shares the windows with my Ivy tree.

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Gnomes seem to not want to leave anything alone. 

No apologies, they are from my Scandinavian heritage...so I just have to let them do 

what they want to do. LOL!

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Waxing the counters is a seasonal chore...!

I never managed Spring cleaning with the mess in my shoulder, so I'm concentrating on a good clean now everywhere. We've had more electrical work done this last month, and now realize as seniors, we may have to have help with more regular things around the house and yard. We are hosting Thanksgiving, but not Christmas.  And, I will be scaling back both holidays in order to deal more of the down-sizing project.

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The angle of the sun changes so this time of year, and my wood tones seem to come to life. I appreciate the sun now when it isn't so blistering hot.

So, that is the plan for November, and I promise to share!

Sending wishes that you all are Healthy and Happy, and please keep my blog and our journey in mind, as I try and do a few posts here and there. 

Starting November cleaning in the kitchen...NOW!

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All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi