The Last Garden Update

As The Great Garden Experiment of 2024 draws to an end, it is only fitting to document its success on ye old blog.

While the primary purpose of the garden this year was to raise enough flowers to supplement the flowers for the wedding, a happy little side effect of the experiment was that it also provided a fantastic pollen buffet for the local bee population. I really loved working in the garden while they buzzed about and, unlike some people, I was never afraid of being stung. My bees are quite gentle and non-aggressive.

When I planted sunflowers, I also unintentionally created a seed buffet for the local birds. They also got used to having me in the garden and paid me no mind as they snacked on the seeds. Several times, I had to pull seeds from my hair, as the birds weren't exactly tidy as they pecked them from the flower heads, tossing them from above.

I mentioned the hummingbirds in a previous post; they are also more than happy to share space with me in the garden.

So, while the garden didn't provide food for Hugh and me this summer, it definitely fed the wildlife.

Later this weekend, I plan to start pulling the spent plants from the beds. The cosmos have gotten especially raggedy and the majority of the blooms are spent. I gathered seeds from the dried flowerheads and am planning to save them until next year, when I will plant them in the flowerbeds under the trees in our front yard.

They were very pretty while they lasted, though.

The snapdragons are still blooming, but I have also harvested seed pods from the spent heads for next year.

I won't be saving seeds from the cornflowers or larkspur; instead, I will pull the plants from the soil and take them to the flowerbeds in the front yard, where I will leave them to transplant themselves, naturally. I'm fairly certain they will thrive in those beds next year.

I definitely won't be saving sunflower seeds for planting. Depending on what is left on the heads when I cut them down, I may make a batch of roasted seeds for the Man-Cub to enjoy.

The dahlias are still putting on a show, but I really want to turn the garden over, so I'll go ahead and cut the blooms. I'm going to attempt to save the tubers over the winter and will see if they are good to plant next year, although, I'm not certain where I would plant them, as they require a lot of space and my flowerbeds will already be a bit crowded.

The zinnias are the only thing that I plan to leave for a while; they are blooming like crazy and I definitely want to harvest their seeds for next year.

All in all, the Great Garden Experiment of 2024 was a huge success. Obviously, next year, I will return to the usual program of vegetables, but, I can say that I'm really happy I took a year off from that. 

On a similar topic, I did another flower-related experiment this year. I followed the advice of a woman on social media and I aggressively cut back my petunias mid-summer. The result was a continuous blooming that looks as good today as it did back in early July. This is such a fantastic thing as, usually by this time of the summer, I have thrown the petunias out because they've turned leggy and gross-looking.

Highly, highly recommend .

What's Up Wednesday, August 2024 Edition

 

What a great month it's been! My only complaint is that it went by too fast; I'd like a Do-Over, so that I can soak in the parts that I missed while I was enjoying all the festivities. I'm grateful to Sheaffer and Shay for providing the writing prompts that will help me remember this month for years to come, and although it is unlikely that I will forget the Man-Cub's wedding; I'll likely journey back to these pages for small reminders of what a perfect day it was fairly frequently.

What I've Been Eating

Hands, down, the best meal I ate this month was the dinner that we served after the wedding rehearsal. Hugh and I hired a very popular catering company from Neighboring City and they did not disappoint. The meal consisted of beef tenderloin medallions in a wine reduction sauce, chicken breasts in mushroom sauce, a trio of vegetables in a butter sauce, roll and butter, and a tossed fruit salad. We served an ice cream sundae bar for dessert, which was a big hit.

Another great meal that I enjoyed this month was a chicken and apple salad that I ate at a local flower nursery the day that I joined the bridal party to cut flowers for the reception centerpieces. The candied walnuts in the salad were slay. Do the kids still say slay? Or did I just out my elderly status?

Finally, I just recently had chicken and waffles at a fairly new restaurant in Hooterville. Chicken and waffles are notoriously hit-or-miss, so I was pleased to find them perfectly cooked and seasoned.

 

What I'm Reminiscing About

Since I mentioned the dinner that followed the rehearsal, I will admit that I have been reminiscing about the party that accompanied it. Hugh and I had been planning the rehearsal dinner for months, and it was so rewarding to see it come together as well as it did. 

The farmhouse table that Hugh built especially for the dinner turned out absolutely beautifully, and was large enough for the entire wedding party, parents, plus-ones, and a few extra guests. I had such a good time sourcing the decor items that I wanted on the center of the table, as well for the additional two tables where out of town guests and the grandparents were seated.

Of course, the best part of the party were the people in attendance, and it felt nice to be able to welcome them in such a big way.

 

I also had the opportunity to give the kids their wedding shoes, which I had been working on in the weeks leading up to the wedding. I am so grateful that I was able to contribute something that they really wanted to their day.

What I'm Loving

We don't have the entire album from the wedding photographer just yet, but I am loving the sneak peek of the detail shots that she took.

I can't wait for the full gallery!

What I've Been Up To

We've been celebrating milestones! Obviously, the Man-Cub and Shanti's wedding tops the list, but we also have had the opportunity to celebrate Oscar for 61 years of service to fire services, as well as Mom's 80th birthday; both of which are awesome accomplishments.

What I'm Working On

The annual Barn Dance fundraiser for Not So New Job is next month and I am working on all the details that make it a success.

What I'm Dreading

The tickets for the Barn Dance fundraiser for Not So New Job are not selling out as fast as they usually do and I am dreading the thought that we might be left with unsold tickets. This is a ridiculous fear, given that we increased the number of available tickets this year by almost 100. We may simply have overreached, here.

What I'm Excited About

I'm excited for the changing seasons! Fall is my favorite time of the year and I am ready for it.

What I'm Reading

I read It Starts With Us in less than a day; I was fighting a head cold and didn't have the energy to do much other than read. Colleen Hoover's books are usually a quick read for me and this one was no different.

Monday morning, I had to report to the courthouse for jury duty, so I started reading The Dead Guy Next Door. I was several chapters in when the entire jury pool was dismissed, as the involved parties had reached a settlement. It would have been a complete waste of my time were it not for having the book. I'm looking forward to having some time this weekend to finish it.

What I'm Watching

When my eyes got too tired to read while I was fighting the cold that I mentioned above; I binge-watched the first four episodes of the new season of Emily in Paris and the entire Gilmore Girls, A Year in the Life limited series. 

What I'm Listening To

Hugh is mowing the lawn as I type this, so I am listening to the sound of the mower.

What I'm Wearing

It's almost time to go back to closed-toe shoes, so I have been wearing my cute sandals as often as possible. I especially love this pair.

What I'm Doing This Weekend

Hugh and I might take the boat out on the lake, or we might take the four-wheelers up to the mountains. It's really the last weekend of the year for either one, so we better take advantage of it.

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month

Hugh and I will be celebrating 31 years of marriage. I have no idea what we will do to mark the occasion, but it's something to look forward to, I'm sure.

Favorite Purchase This Month

I purchased these seed paper hearts to use as favors at the wedding. The Etsy shop that I used did a great job in getting them to me quickly and I was thrilled with the quality. I can't wait to plant mine to see what they produce.

Friday Favorites, Late August Edition

So, it's Saturday.

I didn't get around to publishing this post yesterday. I have no real excuse; I had a 90 minute massage and the rest of the day just kind of got away from me.

Anyhoodle, publishing now, in five, four, three, two, one...

The weather in Petticoat Junction has been rainy. I don't mind that now that we don't have an outdoor wedding to plan for. Funny how that works. With the rain has come a drop in the temperature, which has made for the perfect weather for sipping tea on the porch.

The rain has also sent my flower production  into overdrive; I am cutting zinnias just about every day.

This has made for some cheerful splashes of color in the house and on the porch; just what is needed when the skies are dreary.

My dahlias are also at the peak of production, so I've been able to enjoy them, as well.

Having all these flowers has also given me ample opportunity to use the milk glass vases that I accumulated for the wedding. I've written before about how milk glass has become a favorite, but it bears repeating.

With all of the flowers in the garden, you would think that I wouldn't have to refill my hummingbird feeders very often, but you would be wrong. I have a total of five full-sized feeders spread throughout the front and back yards and I have been refilling them all just about every other day. It's been crazy.

My favorite thing, though, has been getting up close and personal with the hummers when they visit the garden while I am deadheading or cutting flowers. They've gotten used to me and have absolutely no fear, which has made for some great pictures.

The Monday after the wedding, Hugh and I had the opportunity to host three of my aunts for dinner on the porch. They had extended their time in Hooterville so that they could spend more time with Mom, which all four of them truly enjoyed. None of them had ever visited our home before, so I was excited to have them. Hugh grilled up a bunch of chicken breasts as well as some local sweet corn, and I made a Caprese salad to round things off. It was a nice evening and Queen B especially enjoyed hearing stories about when Mom and her siblings were growing up while we polished off a huge pitcher of mojitos.

The only regret we had was that we were missing their one remaining older sister, who, at the age of 90 is too frail to travel, as well as their two other sisters, who have sadly passed. The seven of them used to travel together on sister's trips as often as they could and I'm glad they have those memories.

And, that wraps up today's Favorites.