day dreaming of posting

I just have to share this ... if you look closely in the center of the photo there is a hummingbird perched on the flower. I have taken a friend's advice and affectionately named him (her?) Patrick. I have several hummers but this one is spunky. I adore him! When he is not a peeping Tom he perches on the clothes line but is so tiny he looks like a clothes pin.

We have been busy. Dan's show season started and the garden is full and ready to be harvested! Dan pulled 12 pounds of beets for me yesterday! Something got at the leaves and left them like swiss cheese so I can't really steam them. Steamed beet leaves are amazing. I'll need to do some research for pest control once I identify the pests. We go on holiday in September. I have loads of reading and learning planned.
So, yesterday we pulled out Dan's grandmother's Victorio brand strainer to make tomato sauce. This is far easier than the boiling and peeling method of making sauce. My favorite tomato sauce recipe remains roasting. The recipe is in my blog from last season. I have no idea how many pounds of tomatoes we used for this sauce but we have approximately 18 quarts simmering away in my new/used roaster...uh, hope this works for a slow cook. I have no time to baby sit a pot for a day.

What is crazier in this photo, the colorful tomatoes or the pattern on our flooring?

attracting butterflies, birds and hummingbirds

Based on my bird experience I have vowed to be a better bird person...bird feeder hanger...bird lover??? whatever. I just need to learn what beneficial birds I want in the yard, how to get them here and make a happy environment so they stick around... and if I'm lucky I can Cinderella them and get them to help me with the laundry. Do they whistle while they work or is that the 7 dwarfs?I just picked up these 3 books and suggest them to you, bird lover wanna be. The first 2 are Rodale Organic Gardening books, Attracting Butterflies & Humming Birds to Your Back Yard and Attracting Birds to Your Back Yard. Birds in Your Back Yard is a Birds & Bloom Book.

I think I am a step ahead of the game this year. I planted red bee balm and some other hummingbird and butterfly loving plants! We have spotted a humming bird these past 2 seasons but I want him/her to make his/her home here!

I have been plating zinnias for years because the remind me of my father and his artist friend, David Ellinger. David loved to paint zinnias. I remember when dad took me to visit David, during a trip home from college, and he had stacks of paintings but the one that caught my eye was of zinnias. I have a few of his things hanging in the house now but not that zinnia! I do have beautiful memories with my artist and art loving dad!

Gluten Free Food Events in Berks

hello all who have a gluten intolerance or just choose to cut gluten from your diet. My friends at Gluten Free Food Rocks are hosting 2 big events in Berks. The first event is a gluten free vendor fair on August 21st with educators, vendors and samples.

If someone in your family becomes diagnosed with a gluten intolerance it can change the way many things are done in a household. Some can't even tolerate some personal hygiene products because of ingredients, some need to keep all the food prep equipment very separate. If you want to learn more join the folks at Gluten Free Food Rocks! Click here to check out their blog.

The GFFR will also be hosting a Gluten Intolerance night at the Reading Phillies August 29th. The details are on their blog.

does size matter?

Well, from what I read it does but it's kinda relative. Big summer squash, not so good. Big bottle of rich Shiraz, good.

I've read that the more frequently you pick squash, when they are at an ideal size of about 5-6 inches, instead of letting them get over sized and under flavored the plant will produce more squash for a longer growing season.

The cucumber, seen in the line up, is an Armenian cucumber. This one is a new favorite of mine for the thin, non-bitter skin and when they are sliced they are beautiful. This one got too big.

The bean...well it is some kind of crazy, Chinese long bean. It's crazy that it is so long. I planted this wizardly bean too late in the season so I have only 4 beans to show for it. I was hoping to grow so many that I could braid them into some funky dreads to lay over my cat's head for a rainy day photo shoot. Come on, like I have to to spend time with the cat...just thought it was a fun bean to experiment with. I'm saving the seeds for next year and will plant to eat eat.