Sunday Bits #33 (fall seeds, gorgeous kitchens, great recipes, purple cauliflower)

I finally finished planting up all my planters, pots, window boxes, garden beds last weekend. Peppers are in pots, tomatoes in the ground, flower pots starting to fill out nicely, seeds coming up in the beds. The hardest part, the part that seems to take the longest, is actually getting everything planted up, eh? The buying and ordering is easy!

I always seem to have better luck growing purple cauliflower than white. It is so much easier!

Summer - I am now going to sit back and watch everything grow. Nothing to do but water, deadhead, and occasionally fertilise baskets and planters. I don't ever need to feed veggies or flowers in actual garden beds as the soil is amended with compost/manure annually - thus feeding the soil to feed the plants.

I say that, but it never happens, hah! I always seem to come up with something else to do, something new to make, build, or do.

I was lamenting to hubby just this morning about having no suitable spot for growing summer lettuces and he jumped into action. Is currently out there with my grandson, building me a small bed on the north sideyard, which gets only 2 to 3 hours of evening sun.

For Autumn- I have pulled out the seeds I need to for late summer/fall crops. Veggies like rutabagas, broccoli, purple cauliflower, cabbage, and maybe some flowers, too. I will start these in the mini-greenhouse on the deck. It is in a mostly shaded area, getting only morning sun, perfect for cool weather crops.

Fall veggies are started 10 to 12 weeks before first frost. In my area, that is around mid-September, so I will be start sowing between June 21st and July 5th.

Let's see how I make out. When I last lived in Alberta, I was a super busy full-time working mom to two teenagers and I gotta say, growing a fall garden never occurred to me, even though I worked at a greenhouse! The world is a very different place now though, so stocking the pantry with fresh, homegrown food has become pretty important.

Gardening Bits

More string light information and pics... can you tell that I am obsessed? Still not sure how I will implement them over my patio space, even after reading all these tips. If anyone in the area is an outdoor lighting expert, please contact me, lol. DIY Outdoor String Lights for Summer - MY 100 YEAR OLD HOME

This article with great housewarming gifts. I would add hanging basket or planter to this list, as well, if you know they like to garden. I was thrilled to get my basket. I also love #8.

This article is about edible gardening but I just really liked the gorgeous pictures!

These fantastic greenhouse and garden bed ideas. This is where I got the idea for my burlap shade cloth, you guys! Such a gorgeous blog and insta page.

This was a good podcast/good read! Learn about soil blocking versus planting in cells, succession sowing, whether growing flowers or edibles, and most importantly.. not starting your seeds too early. Want to start a flower farm (was always a dream of mine to combine with the tomatoes) read this article for good information.

Which also leads to this podcast... why grow flowers with edibles and what flowers not to plant.

The irises just make this yard! Sarah Price's Painterly Garden at the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show (gardenista.com)

So many good ideas and pretty pictures in this article about edible landscaping.

Some really great ideas for sustainable gardening. Wish we could have kept more of the elements as mentioned in the first one. 12 Sustainable Gardening Ideas From Landscape Design Pros (houzz.com)

Summer Bits

This huge list of 64 books to read this summer. I am a very avid reader but do not think I can read that many, hah! I like that it recommends all sorts of books, including décor. The only thing missing is gardening books!

This great list of things to do this summer. I love the one about ice cream and cake decorating!

These summer self-care ideas are so good. Ideas for how to take care of yourself when life gets busy, crazy, over-whelming. I keep working on doing some of these things. Am I constant with it? Absolutely not. I just keep trying to implement some nice moments into my day to day to help deal with life stressors, even if just for a few moments.

I like #2, am trying to do this more often now that we are in pollen season.

#5 is my favourite thing to do and goes well with #8. I tend to do this in the afternoon while it is too hot to work outside.

Numbers #11 and #12 are things that I have been implementing since the renovation has been completed. I have the perfect spots for both : )

#15 is a given, is hard for me to stay up past 9:30.

Décor Bits

This English Cottage kitchen is to die for! Love the sink, the brass faucet. Of course, if you saw the pics of my kitchen sink area (above), you know why I like it, as mine is almost identical, just different colours. More pics of my kitchen coming soon.

And this kitchen! The island, the cabinet colour, and the dining room!

What a lovely backyard makeover. Great ideas for a part sun garden, too. Love the potting bench with the cute sink!

And this patio! I could happily sit here with my coffee every single day.

These vintage flower pots though! Love the white roses with lavender!

Recipes

This strawberry milk sounds delish! Not at all like that stuff you squirt out of a bottle. Need to make this for my wee grandies!

Even more strawberry recipes! 40 different things to make, from cakes to snacks and bevies, too.

Holy doodle, these dessert bars from a cake mix look so good and so simple to make! Gotta try 'em!

and this, too... how to make a box cake mix taste homemade!

Ideas for a prepper kitchen! How & Why to Start a Prepper Pantry Today | Simplify (thesimplifydaily.com)

Saved the best for last... I found this amazing blog with the yummiest, most delicious looking desserts. It is in Spanish, which I cannot read, but I found the translation to be really good! Here is her beautiful insta account Patry García • Fotografía (@saboresymomentos) • Instagram photos and videos

Reading her recipe for the lemon poppyseed cake made me get on over to Renee's Garden Seeds order page to pick up some Pepperbox Poppies. Will sow the seeds this fall for homegrown poppy seeds next fall.

Whew, that was a full roster this week, eh?

I hope you enjoy today's links and get some great ideas to make or do or bake!

Have a great week ~ Tanja