Tuesday, October 1, 2019

MidWest Gardening September 2019

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 It's the end of September and while some things are just DONE...
others are not. As of 9/27 today, our GREEN vegetable garden is pretty much done, except for peppers and butternut squash. I picked the last of the tomatoes and got a huge bag in the freezer. 
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This picking was early September---we had two more pickings and we still have a bunch of peppers on our 12 or so plants. They have been big and thick. 

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Today, the Basil has had too much water, I dump the excess after every rain, but we have been soaked every third day or so.The Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme are very happy in the pot on the right. My Cilantro has revived and is growing thick. My Parsley not in the picture is almost as big and also has lettuce starting. If it gets cold, these long planters will go into the new greenhouse.

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This Rosemary Pot is very sweet and quite crazy. I will bring this into the house when/if it gets cold.


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My crazy late sunflower has branched out at the top and I had 12 blooms on it this week. They change colors and vary, day to day.

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You can see the trees aren't turning at all, yet!

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My big pot at the base of the stairs is very happy. Now in shade most of the day, everything has doubled in size. The 'sunflower' turned out to be a mulberry tree. and was promptly cut out this week. I will have to dig out the root after frost.

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This, Unexpected gift, which is quite happy by the pond. A Baby Tears I had in a few planters last year. I dumped dirt from pots around the pond last Fall, and it must have taken root. I will mulch and see if it makes it. I have had multiple ground covers here with not much luck. Too hot in the sun for most of the Spring and Summer, I guess the secret is more water, since we had tons of rain, records in fact.


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While the Sweet Peas are dead, this Monster Morning Glory has started in. 
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Huge mutant rubbery leaves and gorgeous 3" blooms. The color is amazing. I assume they will go until frost!

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These were not planted, but the birds help with that---after eating the seeds, from the neighbors plants.

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These are the grown-from-seed Marigolds after I trimmed them for the third time. We roll carts down this concrete. 8-10" marigolds are 18-20". The 12-16" ones are about 30" inches high. Amazing what hot weather and tons of water will do.

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I keep nipping flowerings on the Coleus, but they are just huge this year! We gave up on bug/critter spraying with rain falling constantly.

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This one gets more sun and is just as big. I do use a mix of composted dirt and 1/2 potting soil. They were fertilized, once????

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My Giant Sedum plants are full of pinkish blooms---the bees are thick and loving it, so I have to stay away from these areas. Some have fallen over because of the weight of the heads. Next year I will wire ring them early. 

As soon as they begin to turn burgundy, I will use some for cut arrangements. Such a wonderful plant for NO CARE--drought resistance and great foliage.

Well, it is Chicagoland...and 
SPEAKING OF RAIN, we are now in our 5th day since I started this post-----so....

(to be Continued)
Later when I can get some photos!


Thanks for visiting, I love all your comments, 
and I will be happy to try and answer questions!







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Friday, September 27, 2019

Our Fall Home 2019 pt.1

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This is definitely an OLDS post with lots of vintage and antique items highlighted, so come on in!

 Fall is so slow arriving here in Chicagoland. Last week's temperatures were in the upper 80's with several days of rain. The inner-city remains warm, while the suburbs' temperatures drop a bit lower at night. Everything is still in full bloom, and there is barely a hint of color in the trees. With these brightest sunshine days--and the dark dull gray days of rain, it seems to be nothing inbetween.

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We are totally skipping Halloween this year, but I will add a few pumpkins here and there soon. The OLD quilt is a hand stitched and quilted, I found at a Thrift store for $6. It's perfect to brighten up the porch, our cushions are really faded. This porch is a southern exposure and really takes a bleaching.

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Even on a cloudy day---it's bright, I took this today before the rain. I'll save our yard for my Midwest Gardening series. So, Welcome to my almost Fall Porch. I have to explain--we are doing limited decorating this Fall, as I'm having a knee-replacement the end of October, so all decor will have to be put away by hubby after Thanksgiving.
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We have burgundy doors and brown trim on a gold home...perfect for Fall! I did a REDO this wreath last year---and I still love the subdued foliage with the sunflowers!

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Our huge front window was scheduled to be replaced, (the last one) but the greenhouse REDO, soaked up all the funds along with a few other projects in the yard.

My mom's maple rocker(1950's), and the 100+ year OLD spinning wheel are great reminders of the warmth of Fall and Home.

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My Grampa's OLD handpainted wooden duck decoys are happily quacking on the window table.
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This Canvas back decoy is original paint from the mid 1930's or older. An unmarked 1910-1920's? OLD antique pottery saucer holds some potpourri and some bitty birds. I still use candles, (always soy) this time of year.

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Two OLD mallard female wood decoys chatter on the other side. The faux greenery was a find at the local thrift shop---A big bundle for $4.00, much better than $6-12 a stem at the local craft stores. The pitcher I found in my stashes from my old shop---probably 2006-8 or so. I do like the narrower throat on this one for taller branches.

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Our Vintage Fall Kitchen

There is only a hint of Fall with our normal cast of characters on the island---this I'm sure will change soon. I really need a pumpkin or two...LOL. The working side of the kitchen---is just that, we cook and eat 95% of our meals here. 
Seldom do we eat out, or have take-out.
The contemporary vase holds some faux flowers surrounded by broken marigold stems from the yard. They are huge this year and very prolific. The crocks are Old and New
The trivet is old, but unmarked (30-40's)

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The OLD antique fish poacher holds some dried gourds and faux pumpkins...red leaves bring my colors in. I will reprint the sign, when I find it on my comp again---on beige. 

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I love the rusty reds of Fall, and the Old thrift store plaid tablecloth covers the bright white cabinet making our dining area warm and inviting. A bowl of apples and pears is surrounded by my husband's great-grandmother's oak table and four chairs.(definitely antique-1880s) We have added two contemporary oak chairs to match the blinds. 

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Christmas pig is busy snuffling in the Antique coffee grinder, my grandmother's OLD coffee pot holds some sunflowers.
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This OLD metal lunch basket was a gift for Christmas last year. It has a green top--so it will be out through the Winter filled with goodies. Here is a favorite pumpkin cookbook, some dried gourds and faux vegetables. Our live squash have not ripened yet, and we have no pumpkins this year, it was a tough Spring. 

The OLD mini kitty mold I found last year. I'm going to make some chocolate treats in it for Halloween, before my surgery.
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I'll fill the OLD Capitol Dairy Co, Chicago (1920's-30's) milk bottle with Fall candy for Halloween and Thanksgiving. Since it is still hot--I'll wait a bit. The clay lump---is my son's 6 year old's detailed log cabin.(It's already 40 years OLD) and perfect for a fall setting. The antique (1920's) scale is always somewhere in the kitchen.
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For the first time in three years, I pulled most of my blue and white antiques out of the cabinet. I added my OLD English and Japan cottage pieces, a pumpkin plate and a really OLD Turkey platter. The antique OLD brass grater on the wall is hallmarked for the early 1800's and was from the family.

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This OLD brown transfer ware platter is quite large and perfect, though there seems to be a slight crack under the glaze. I'll post more about this in a Finds Post.

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This week I found this OLD 1930-40's Sadler Tea Pot from England...perfect for our home. I added a few flowers to the small OLD blue pitcher.
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I love the Turkey platter and it almost fits in the cabinet. A canning jar ring pumpkin Redo adds a bit of homey shine. 
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A pitcher of dried flowers fills in this shelf with a few gourds. My other transfer ware plates are all antiques at this point. 


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Later Afternoon light can become quite moody, casting rich shadows.
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I took this today, a rainy day---and turned on the lights...I confess we had a miserable late Spring and we never removed the pine garland woven with lights. We used them often to brighten the house during all the RAIN we had in our miserable Spring.

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Some sparse NEW Dollar Tree garlands woven through the lights and pine are perfect until the Christmas season. I took this photo at noon and this makes the darkened room so cheery!
I have a bit more decorating to do in the living room. And that will be it. Finally pumpkins are showing up at the grocery stores. We hope to go to a pumpkin farm this weekend...IF it doesn't rain.

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Old Goodies, waiting for further Fall decorating. 

Have you found some great pumpkins, and what do you put out every year for the Fall season!

Thanks for visiting, I love all your comments, 
and I will be happy to try and answer questions!














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Monday, September 16, 2019

Thoughtful Moment #2

We moved here in 1984...

Spliced photo(s) of the neighbor's American Elm Tree
and this isn't all of it, add another 20 feet or so. 

Only one foot from our lot line, this neighbor's 100 foot+ Elm has been a source of great beauty and fear. There were quite a few giant Elms in the area, apparently immune to the Dutch Elm Disease that was so rampant decades ago. We've watched most of them crack, get hit by lightening, die dropping in pieces upon anyone or thing underneath them, or were cut down.

Over fifteen years ago we offered our neighbor to split the cost of taking it down (3-4K at that time). His answer was, "That's what insurance is for." Problem is, this tree is on the west edge of the property. If it falls it hits the main power lines (south), takes out our garage and both cars, (east) or takes out our house and the back of the garage (northeast and north).

Every time there is a storm...I watch and worry. It gets so bad, I sleep in a back bedroom some nights. The squirrels haven't nested in the higher limbs for over ten years. 

What does that tell you? 

Maybe, squirrels are smarter than neighbors and insurance agents.




















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Saturday, September 14, 2019

Lo Carb Chicken and Vegetables

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Good Morning bloggers and friends!


The beginning of the this week was very busy. We are trying to finish up outdoor projects. I only have 6 weeks before my knee replacement, and there is a lot to accomplish before then.


We pretty much picked the garden bare on Monday because the critters were eating everything faster than the veggies could ripen. After a few days in the house, the tomatoes were all ripe. Zucchini is still and issue---a good one but still an issue. 

Midwest gardening has been pretty good despite crazy weather, and our small garden has had some great yields.


I made a jug of Danish pickles with some more cucumbers I had waiting in the fridge without the dill, recipe Danish Dill Pickles.

I also made Eight 3-cup containers of spaghetti sauce for the freezer, without the meat. Then it can be used with any type of meat or cheese. I simmered  that for about 4 hours and it was really nummy. (I pulled 2 bags of tomatoes out of the freezer to help do the sauce. I chop my tomatoes, skin and all, to make sauce. This gives you a rich deep red sauce and it thickens well).

 We farm GREEN organically, so I don't have to worry about harmful things on our veggies. 

That evening we had roasted chicken and vegetables. We are eating low carb for health reasons, and also because it is good for you.






We have our own fresh herbs growing, so I cut up zucchini, onions, tomatoes, basil, cilantro, oregano, thyme, parsley and garlic. This is very low carb and delicious. You could easily add smaller potatoes to this also.


A delicious way to celebrate the end of summer.

Lo Carb Fresh Herbal Chicken and Veggies. 4 servings 

I used a rectangle glass pan or baking dish

Place all in 
1 1/2-2 pounds of your favorite chicken parts cut into portions.
4 medium tomatoes quartered
2 medium onions quartered 
1-2 garden peppers
1 medium to large zucchini cut in half rounds of 1-2"
(If you use a very large zucchini- scrape the seeds out if you wish)

Drizzle all with 2-3 Tbsp. of olive oil
Sprinkle over the dish, the following:
4-6 cloves of garlic chopped fine

A large handful of mixed fresh herbs: basil, parsley, cilantro, oregano, thyme (pull off the stems and chop larger pieces)

Salt and pepper to taste (you could certainly add hotter peppers here, also)

Toss all this with your hands until all the herbs and oil are distributed and re-arrange everything evenly for baking.

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours on middle rack. 

To add richness, you could sprinkle with your favorited Italian cheese 30 minutes before finishing. I've also done this with Asian eggplant-the long skinny ones, split and cut in pieces

 (I leave the skin on the chicken to keep it moist, and remove before serving-you can also use 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts split down the middle into 4 pieces.

We had a fresh salad with the garden cucumbers and lettuce...a complete meal and only one dish to clean up! 

(PS this is my own recipe and way of cooking fresh and without preservatives)

Enjoy!











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