Somethings Old, New, Green, Redo!

Sunday, August 29, 2021

Midwest Gardening: End of August---Intense Heat and Humidity.

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Last Sunday in August....Intense heat and humidity!

I haven't posted anything, because frankly---being outside simply is AWFUL. When you get older, your body can't seem to adjust to the very hot or very cold temps. Even watering the pots was an ordeal, early in the morning.

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Hubby completed Tomato-cide and Zuchinni-cide in the garden Friday, brought in all the produce and pulled the plants up. Despite all our watering the plants were simply dying.

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We've had tons of yellow summer squash and zucchini up until now.

The ripe and unripe veggies were simply falling off the vines. I've never had soft green tomatoes before. Not rotten, just boiled inside the unripe skins. We experimented and put the green ones in the freezer to make green relish later.

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Old photo of pickle relish...in the making.

Pickles are done...green beans are hard as rocks. My flowers are bursting, though---and we will have a few cool days this week, so I will take photos.

Late Lettuce is small and already bolting. To say end of August is the pits...from Hell...is pretty much the description of gardening here in NW Chicagoland. Grass is scraggly and long---Pumpkin vines are everywhere with only tiny pumpkins on them. We do have two larger pumpkins...trying to survive.

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I have canned tons of tomatoes and sauces this month. and made 77 zucchini muffins. We eat summer squash or zucchini at every meal. Sigh!

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What we still have in the garden are turnips, winter squash, pumpkins, lettuce, peppers (very unhappy), carrots, beans maybe if the vines can hold on. We have the first rain in three weeks, today---I don't know if it will be enough.

About Flowers, with the trends of hotter summers, late springs, and longer fall season---I will no longer be planting petunias along with no geraniums. Even my trusty marigolds have been struggling. Dead heading seems to be a career with them.

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Successful this year...Mandilla, New Guinea Impatiens, Coleus, Caladiums, Elephant ears, prairie grasses, Hollyhocks were gorgeous but short lived, as were the Day Lilies. My Phlox have had continuous blooms, and are just now ending. Notice a trend---tropicals and native 'weed' type flowers.

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If the trend, Hotter for everything....continues, midwest gardeners will have to re-evaluate and adapt!

How's your late summer garden doing?

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Monday, August 2, 2021

Midwest Gardening: Midwest July , 31, 2021---HOT, STORMS, SUN, and SMOKE.

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Quick post today because I have to go outside and garden again today! Temps are in the 70's so quick run outside, lol.

Shadowed in the back corner of our property is a small plot we call the 'Back 40' roughly the size of a small room. Anyway, Hubby has faithfully watered and we have pumpkin squash plants flourishing here in the shade. Very late for starting fruit, but we will see!

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Behind the lattice is the compost pile, again, full of unintentional pumpkin plants.

Mind you 2/3 of the seeds I planted never sprouted...but the freelancers are doing well.

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On the North end, coming from the compost pile are multiple pumpkin vines and underneath is Rhubarb, I'm picking today.

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Our shade is halfsun this year with the trimmed trees.

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The on-going project, our flood plain with gravel and paver base. Eventually we will stone around the trees, too. This area dissipates our roof runoff. We had so many basement water issues, until we built and extension on the roof, and starting using paver base for run off areas.

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I haven't cleaned up here for awhile, but all the perrennial starts still waiting for cooler weather to transplant safe in shade. And all my shade pots. It was SOOOOO hot the last part of July, yesterday was the first day out from hunkering down in the house. I plan to get this area prettified this week, if the weather cooperates.

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Almost the last of the Day Lilies. You can hardly tell I thinned these out last Fall. This bed is do for a total redo this Fall.

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The garden as is...with tons of tomatoes ready for picking! I think tomorrow I will be making sauce!

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East side, is also busy being productive. I have no idea if I planted these, or if the birds did. Hoping they aren't invasive.

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The yellow chair has not been replaced. A Zinnia pot is full of flowers.

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This is two wood boxes of Hubbard squash plants and one or two buttercup squash plants. You can see the difference in the leaves..

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Yes, you can grow squash on fences. If it gets too big for the vines, I will sling it with netting.

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The front pond area is colorful, enjoy this Rex Begonia finally coming back to life from the heat. It's been too hot and dry for this plant.

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Always we have hoses, hoses, we are constantly watering. The Phlox exploded, and are almost done because of the hot temps.

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Crazy spikes from the rose, and the brilliance of the Phlox. Honestly nothing is level in this photo.

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Hubby working on the daily set-up of the watering. I wish we could do a permanent irrigation system. I do the pots, he moves the sprinklers. Rinse and repeat, repeat, repeat.

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Speaking of pots, I caught our Elephant ears with perfect light---un-altered photo.

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No fifteen-foot sunflowers this year...so many did not germinate---but of course the birds planted this one right at the landing of our front stairs! The air is full of smoke again today...hard to work and breathe.

Midwest July 2021---HOT, STORMS, SUN, and SMOKE.

Like much of the US and Canada, we have a constant haze here in Chicagoland.

To all everywhere, Please stay safe!

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Sandi

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Wednesday, July 28, 2021

When does furniture painting become an ART

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Last week I ventured north into Wisconsin to meet up with two cousins. Sigh, we hadn't been together for almost four years. We picked an 'out in the county' location to do some shop perusing and have lunch.

What Fun!

One of their favorite places was the Rusty Gate in Burlington, Wisconsin.

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From the moment you pull up into the parking lot, you know you are in for something special.

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A wonderful old bed, mounted on the wall greets you.

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Despite the 90+ degrees, flowers in every imaginable container establish this is a

HAPPY PLACE!

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I really loved the hodge-podge and riot of colors...all with VINTAGE touch.

Inside the high ceilings of the building and many full length windows fill the space with a soft light.

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Susie Myres, the owner greets you with a big smile a swish as she never stands still. The store is all hers, everything painted or curated by her, and it's divine.

In her own words, the Rusty Gate is Painted Furniture, Rustic Decor, Shabby Chic, Farmhouse, Steam Punk, Vintage Glam, and a bit of Industrial thrown in.

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A true artist, she fills the store with what she loves and it all seems to work together.

This is where painting furniture becomes an artform. She teaches online, and in the shop when Covid will permit, the many techniques she uses on the furniture (all of which is for sale or custom projects) displayed in the store.

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Taking a 1920's dresser and turning it into a masterpiece for your home.

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In this photo the piece is not so blue...but would work anywhere!

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Loving the shadowing on the raised details.

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Not afraid of playing with color, this clay pink and ivory dressing table was a masterpiece. Notice the three- dimensional ivory facings on the drawers.

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Accessories and hand-painted smalls were also for sale. Little 'This and Thats' make you want to take everything displayed home.

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Here's the Hollywood GLAM. What makes this buffet so special are the lines, and the mirror inserts on the cabinet doors and drawers. Totally gorgeous.

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Soft colored vintage rugs scattered across the floors add a touch of elegance and detail reflected in the mirrored cabinet door.

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Cabinetry displays mini-vignettes of vintage and newer items, perfect for gifts.

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Who can resist a Strawberry teapot?

The back room, used for classes was an artistic mess of activity and on going projects. Paints, stencils, stamps, and other items are available to finish your own vintage pieces.

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Susie has such a great smile while wrapping my purchase of a large sheet stamp and a decorative molding silicone mold.

If you are interested in seeing more of Susie's artistry on furniture and other pieces you can check these out!

Rusty Gate Facebook

Rusty Gate Vintage Furniture

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Sandi

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Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Midwest Gardening 2021: Finally Crops and Garden Food

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Last weekend, the garden started to go into full swing for producing real crops. The first crop was the July 4th tomatoes. Sooo-oo-ooo sweet and delicious.

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I highly recommend these for just popping into your mouth. They are similar to Caprese tomatoes you buy at the store. They get to about 2 1/2" across.

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Our summer squash, zucchini and pickles are really starting up also. Nothing is better than fresh veggies from the garden.

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Mix that with fresh picked basil or rosemary, dill in pickles...it is just the BEST!

So what's on the menu today.

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There isn't enough to can....but you can easily stir up some zucchini in stewed tomatoes.

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Recipe: Zucchini in Stewed Tomatoes

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How about a chicken, vandalia onions, zucchini, and roasted tomatoes with fresh herbs. Just toss your meat choice, veggies with some olive oil and your favorite mix of fresh herbs and bake or grill. Use lemon juice to reduce the sodium in your meals.

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Yellow Squash, Zucchini, tomatoes, onions, herbs, peppers done in a wok. Lightly cook...then seal in bags for freezing. Super in the winter when you crave some fresh garden tastes.

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Too many tomatoes all at once---cut tomatoes in half (cherry or small tomatoes), spray with oil, the pan and the tomatoes. Put in the oven at 250 degrees and bake until they have begun to carmelize or begin to look dry. I bag these in 1/2-3/4 cup measure and freeze in sandwich bags. Add to tomato sauces spaghetti sauce, chilis, bake dishes, the flavor is so intense---just kicks everything up in flavor.

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Our pickles haven't gone nuts yet...but soon.

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Slippery Jims made with those cukes that have gone too large. Sweet and spicy, these pickles are easy the recipe is HERE:

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Home favorite is fresh sweet or dill pickles.

Fresh Danish (slightly sweet) Dill Pickles: HERE!

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Family favorite here is our Refrigerator Dills, courtesy of Hubby's Mom.

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These will stay crispy for a year in your refrigerator...Plant lots of dill for these scrumptious crunchy pickles.

Refrigerator Dills Recipe---so easy----HERE:

Other veggies we are harvesting right now: sugar snap peas for stir fry, Swiss chard is perfect in salads, stir fry, or blanched, and all sorts of lettuces and green onions.

All these veggies are healthy and good for you.

Have you ever tried zucchini hash browns are scrumptious!!! Just shred, toss, add chopped onion and peppers if desired, with olive oil or corn oil and fry on the griddle. Great side dish or throw an egg on them for a delicious breakfast almost carb free breakfast.

Our beans haven't blossomed yet, and our pickles will be going nuts with the next rain.

We are watering on a rotating schedule.

What are you

HARVESTING IN YOUR GARDEN?

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