I certainly don't have a green thumb, but it might not be black either. Maybe we'll call it.... purple.

I almost decided not to share yet another garden update, but in looking back I suppose a bit has changed. I've pulled up the peas (after harvesting enough to freeze some) and trained the cucumbers across the middle of the bed, essentially given up on the corn, and planted a pumpkin mound...  I'm pretty sure the onions stopped growing a while ago. :(  We only have one zucchini so far, but there is still the possibility of more.  The two zucchini plants in the back have a bit of powdery mildew, but the two in the front seem okay.  I have green beans coming out of my ears, green tomatoes on every plant (plus have harvested several ripe tomatoes already), and am still watching that one pepper grow but not yet ripen to red.  The pink flower is cosmos, from Tom's garden, and that last picture?  Well, that's not really part of my garden, but I wanted to share anyway; that's a cicada, or rather, it was; the cicada had already molted when I took the picture.  We have lots of them!  They're big.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't take pictures of the hanging herb basket, but that looks more or less the same as last time, as do the plants on the deck, apart from a little more fruit.

Pretty soon it will be time to plant bulbs! And mums. I'm going to have to find a place for some mums!

Next year I am planning to grow the corn differently, re-attempt my hot peppers, add several vegetables to include broccoli and garlic, maybe fill another box with strawberries and a large planter or box with herbs... and plant an entire row of blueberry bushes!

Fun Across the Border

No summer would be complete without at least one trip to New Hampshire.  I didn't actually take very many photos this time.  Maybe I was just too busy enjoying myself.  We missed Becky and family,  but we still had fun, and we enjoyed meeting her new chickens and angora rabbit, Violet!  (I'll have to get a good picture of Violet another time.)  It's always a treat to stay with Nana.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am spoiled.

Perhaps the better word is "blessed," but either way there is just so much beauty around me. I shared some of our fun in my previous post, but it hasn't stopped. From taking a tram up to the summit of Jay Peak to visiting with family in New Hampshire, to the every day joys and challenges of parenting, I am feeling loved. Certainly I don't deserve any bit of it, but that's Jesus for you, loving us to the fullest, regardless of our inadequacy. ♥

A couple of weeks ago we made our way to the summit of Jay Peak. I was in amateur photographer heaven, except that it was all too brief. I only had time to snap a couple of photos before we had to head back inside to wait for the tram because it was so cold. I was on such a rush from the amazing views around me that I was able to ignore the temperature, but that wasn't quite so easy for the boys. They were freezing! They climbed up to the top of the highest rocks, Gabe racing up so fast he worried me a little (he has no fear) and Logan clinging to Brian the whole time, but they didn't really stop before turning back, shivering down and around the small area of rugged terrain to rush inside the cafe.

I still managed a few photos, as hurried as they were.

We'll have to go again some time and dress better so we can truly appreciate all the thoroughly breathtaking views. 

Something New

We had a few bursts of fantastic weather last week and took full advantage, starting with our visit to Shelburne Farms for Green Mountain Draft Horse Field Day on Saturday.  What a beautiful day that was.  Not only was there sun and yet a more tolerable heat than we have become used to this time of year, but there was so much to see and do.  From learning about how they make their cheese, not to mention sampling some, to riding in a tractor-drawn wagon, meeting all the animals, watching as horse drawn carriages sauntered by, and even celebrating their Sicilian donkey's 30th birthday, we enjoyed a wonderfully memorable day.  My favorite part was our short hike from the farm barn up to the top of Lone Tree Hill where we saw sensational views--of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks to the east and of the Green Mountains to the west.  I found myself stopping just before we began the trek downward, lifting my eyes to the sky and consciously soaking in every last drop of that moment.  Our God is AMAZING.

After a couple of busy days at home I took the boys hiking on some trails we had not personally explored before.  We climbed up the steep slopes of one hill on Tuesday and then another on Wednesday.  Thomas said his favorite part of hiking was the exploring part; not knowing where a trail would lead us until we tried it.  Thankfully I tend to have a pretty good sense of direction, so we didn't get lost.

Logan did very well, considering how steep he had to climb.  As out of shape as I've become, it works out, having a little one to set the pace.  Between his short legs and my extra pounds, we take things slower than I used to, but I have to say, since moving here walking and hiking have become somewhat routine, and I'm able to take on more.  Honestly I'm a little proud of us both!  And of Thomas and Gabriel too; they never complained about having to wait a minute here or there, while Logan caught up, though most of the time he kept up just fine.

 

 

 

On Thursday we ventured into the mountains to pick blueberries.  It had been ages since I'd done so, and the boys never had.  Growing up, we used to drive up a long dirt road to a place with many, many mature bushes and an old wooden farm stand with a sign on it, stating the price.  We signed a piece of paper on a clipboard with the amount that we had picked and slipped some money into the box.  I always loved to go, though I remember it getting pretty buggy.  I felt like I could get lost amongst the bushes.  They were so tall and bushy, and they seemed to go on forever.  Maybe I was just small.

The place we discovered out here was fantastic.  The bushes were young but plentiful in berries, and while there were clouds we welcomed a bit of sun and a heavenly light breeze.  It made for easy, wonderful, joyful picking, and the site was so beautiful that I have to admit I probably spent more time playing with the camera than picking berries.  Thomas took care of that though.  He was on a mission, and he picked well.  Gabe and Logan helped too, of course.  We took home 5.35 pounds of plump, ripe, tasty berries.

 

For years I'd wanted to try my hand at making and canning jam, and since I ran out of time with the strawberries (we picked right before our vacation and ended up having to freeze most of them), I thought, "Why not blueberry jam?"  I had never tasted blueberry jam before, but it sounded pretty great, so after watching a completely unnecessary number of how-to videos online and picking up a few materials at the hardware store, I dove right in.

 

It was delicious, and miraculously, all of my jars sealed.  Now I'm hooked.  I'm thinking of thawing out those strawberries for a strawberry-blueberry mix, followed by some apple jelly in September, and definitely both strawberry and raspberry jams next summer.

I wonder what we'll discover this week.