We have reached the time of year where I reap the bounty of months of gardening. At first, you’re pretty tickled to have one beautiful large tomato for supper, especially as early as this year (June 21st)! Then the real harvest piles up, til I’m buried under fresh vegetables. I took these pics over the last couple of weeks. The best ones of the flower garden were too sunwashed to use, but you can click on these to see them full-size. I picked a peck of banana peppers for pickling (yield: 23 jars). Bell peppers and jalapenos will follow. I probably have two bushels of tomatoes waiting to be processed, and more ripening every day. There weren’t enough cucumbers for canning pickles, but I made two kinds of salad so far. The attic has garlic and catnip drying. The sunflowers are starting to bloom. Read about my pumpkin crop in A Dozen Pumpkins. Color me busy.

Everyone enjoys the goodness of the summer vegetable garden. (via Cynical-C)

Miss Cellania’s Cucumber Salad
Big bowl of peeled cubed cucumber
Half a large onion, chopped
One cup water
One cup vinegar
Big glop of zesty Italian dressing
Combine all, keep covered in refrigerator. Use a slotted spoon to serve. Good by itself, or use as an ingredient in tossed salad. When the bowl gets low, add more cucumber to the liquid. Will keep longer than other salads.

Are you passionate about plants? Do your friends and family think you are obsessed? Simply take the test to confirm that you
are truly a mad gardener.

Konagod’s garden.

If fruits had a class structure. (via Grow-A-Brain)

In case you need a lawnmower, I know where you can get one cheap.

What kind of flower are you?

Miss C is a Daffodil What Flower Are You?

You have a sunny disposition and are normally one of the first to show up for the party. You don't need too much attention from the host once you get there as you are more than capable of making yourself seen and heard.

At Flower Garden, just click to plant a flower. Or a lot of them! (via Grow-A-Brain)

Peace Lily.

The disturbing lives of fruits and vegetables. (via Look at This)

Watching Magic Mushrooms Grow. (via Cynical-C)

FRUIT TEST

(Thanks, Phil!)
In the middle of the table is a round food tray with five kinds of fruits on it. They are:
A. Apple
B. Banana
C. Strawberry
D. Peach
E. Orange

Which fruit will you choose? Please think VERY carefully and don't  rush into it. This is great, I was astounded! Your choice reveals a lot about you!

Test results:   

If you have chosen:
A. Apple: That means you are a person who loves to eat apples
B. Banana: That means you are a person who loves to eat bananas
C. Strawberry: That means you are a person who loves to eat strawberries
D. Peach: That means you are a person who loves to eat peaches
E. Orange: That means you are a person who loves to eat oranges

Watch Your Foodometer! (via PAgent's Video Picks)

UPDATE 

Just this morning, I was inspecting how well my redneck trellises were holding up under the weight of some big tomatoes, when I spied something a little strange in the tangle of cherry tomato vines. A birdsnest! I grabbed the camera to show you, but I haven't yet told the kids, because they'd bother it. I'll let you know how the one egg progresses.  

God Finds Out About Lawn Care

Imagine the conversation The Creator might have with St. Francis about this:

"Frank you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect, no maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracted butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But all I see are these green rectangles."

"It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great extent to kill them and replace them with grass."

"Grass? But it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees, only grubs and sod worms. It's temperamental with temperatures. Do these suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?"

"Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn."

"The spring rains and cool weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy."

"Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it _ sometimes twice a week."

"They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?"

"Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags."

"They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?"

"No, sir. Just the opposite. They pay to throw it away."

"Now let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?"

"Yes, sir."

"These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work."

"You aren't going believe this Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it."

"What nonsense! At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. Plus, as they rot, the leaves form compost to enhance the soil. It's a natural circle of life."

"You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and have them hauled away."

"No! What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter and keep the soil moist and loose?"

"After throwing away your leaves, they go out and buy something they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves."

"And where do they get this mulch?"

"They cut down trees and grind them up."

"Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. Saint Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?"

"Dumb and Dumber, Lord. It's a real stupid movie about..."

"Never mind I think I just heard the whole story."

Previously at Miss Cellania: Tomatoes, Harvest, Lawn Mowing, and Garden.

Thought for today: I have a rock garden. Last week three of them died. -Richard Diran

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