Tuesday = Garden Tour

Trying to choose a positive outlook on this year's garden, but i have to say this weather is really putting the garden in a funk this year. Bah! First it's the never-ending test of the fire sprinkler system with it's 40 degree nights thru June, then it's the high 80s and low 90s for 3 days after the Fourth of July, now it's back in the 60's and showering. The peas are starting to succomb to root rot, the "cheddar" cauliflower to root maggots, and the slugs are beating up my lettuces. You should have seen me out there last night donning the miner's light to catch the big brown bullies in the act and i gave them the kabatcshzies with my garden hoe. I'm sure my neighbours have a video on Youtube by now. :o)

However, since i am trying only to see the good this week, here are some of the things i am trying to focus on during our increasingly busy week: the hollyhocks are starting to put on their show (time to make fairy dolls with C.monster), and we've had some interest in the "feather - in - law" unit we just installed out front. There should be a head of butter lettuce for salad when my parents arrive for this weekend's feis.

Momma's broke her broody, so the girls are laying 3 - 5 eggs a day again. Hooray! The hydrangeas are numerous after our spring rains, which will make for a beautiful bouquet or two.

More gold finches are visiting us. They must sense we've planted a ton of sunflowers and purple coneflowers for them. I love the architecture of these Shasta daisies...in a couple more days, this bloom will have these little sweet orange specks in the middle.

I am hoping this bloom is a fruiting blossom of our cocozelles.

If not, at least we've had these beautiful cheery cherry zinnas to distract us.

And despite the schizophrenic weather,

the toms and corn keeps on trucking each day!

Corn should mature by end of August and i saw

a little blush on a cherry tomato today!