Sunday Bits #46
- Sep 10, 2023
- 4 min read
Happy Sunday! We're in that weird in between phase... not summer anymore but not quite autumn either. Maybe that is just me though? Oddly enough, I am a bit sad that everything is still so green rather than the beautiful golds, oranges, and burnished reds of autumn.
Don't get me wrong, I am nowhere near ready for winter to come though! There is still tons to be done in the garden. Today is my day to harvest everything that is ready to go and then make plans on what to do with it all. Do I make more fridge pickles? Do I bake? Seems like the perfect baking kind of day. I most definitely need to do something with all those zucchinis and then post the remainder on Facebook for someone else(s) to enjoy the bounty.
I pulled most all of my cucumber vines this morning. While they are still producing and flowering, they are just so very powdery mildewed from our cool nights and high dewpoints. I just want them gone, lol.
My zinnia/cosmo bed is super spectacular this year! Blooming like crazy. The only drawback is that I put it on the side of the house so only see it when I go in or out of the gate. Note to self... grow the zinnias beside the patio next year (behind that cucumber vine basket), and move the garlic or potatoes (or both) to the zinnia bed instead ; )
Check out these lovely Russian and German Reds that I purchased from a local farm to add to my planting stock. I also have some of my own stock to plant, as well, but most of them were just mediocre in size this year. This makes me so sad. You know what they say though... feed the soil to feed the plants. I need a lot of feed to make this soil better.
The soil that the landscaper bought me last year was hard, lumpy, horrible. Not sure if this is what the 'garden mix' I purchased looks like in real life, or if it the landscaper ripped me off.... I know which way I am leaning, lol. Karma though.
So, even though we will be feeding this soil a lot, lot, lot, this fall... I still need a new place to plant the garlic. I am thinking that zinnia bed sounds like the perfect place as that is really great soil.
While writing my latest post about front yard food gardens, I came upon this fantastic article for how to prune fruit trees to keep them small. Best of all, no special type of tree is required. No dwarf rootstock. You can do this with any of them! I am so keen to give this a go. How cool, eh? Especially for those of us who are vertically challenged ;)
Do you struggle with pollination on your squash or pumpkins? This article explains it all!
These arbours! I love several of them, especially the first one that just seems to say come on in. Is so welcoming! Can't wait till next spring, when we start fixing up the front yard. An arbour instead of a fence will be perfect.
Planting a natural garden. There are some really lovely ideas in this article. Love those flowers, want to implement more of them into my landscape next summer when we do the front and side yard revamp. Also wondering how I can implement that split cedar fence idea into my pollinator strip this fall....
This was an interesting/informative experiment about how to best store your tomatoes.
Homey Bits
Table setting ideas for Thanksgiving... can you believe that is just 4 weeks from today? Eek!
This is a cute and easy autumn diy for those of you who like to dress up the table.
Well, if this isn't just the smartest idea ever. Whether you are renting or maybe you just want to put up temporary curtains while you are renovating, this is a terrific idea!
Holy doodle, this is one of the prettiest farmhouse yards I have ever seen! Everything is just so nice. Love the berry bushes in the netted-shed thingie... what a great way to keep your berries from getting wormy or eaten by birds.
Recipes
I made a batch of those super crunchy fridge pickles using apple cider vinegar instead of the white, and no sugar added. On this Whole30 elimination diet (for my allergies), I am not allowed any sugar at all, so thought they might work better for me if I used a less tart vinegar.
Well, they are okay, but not surely not amazing like the original recipe. Just don't have enough zing. They need more... To make them again, I would omit the water altogether and use just 3 cups of the apple cider vinegar. I am really enjoying that crunch though, so adding them to everything. All my veggies hashes! If you are cutting sugars out of your diet, or just prefer a milder pickle in general, use the apple cider vinegar instead of the white. You will like them, they are yummy... just don't add any water at all ; ) Or, if you prefer, add 1/2 cup white vinegar to add that wee bit of extra something something.
Check out these grilled cheese sandwich ideas. Maybe it's because I cannot eat bread this month, but these ideas have me drooling. I mean, who doesn't love grilled cheese, eh? I am saving all these ideas for October and then will be making them all, one by one ; )
And this one, for those of us who love chickpeas. This garbanzo spread can be used as a sandwich spread (great sandwich ideas given here, too) or as a dip. So yummy! Kind of reminds me of a sandwich I would get back in the day from a wee bistro called 'Carrot On The Run'. Vegetarians rejoice with this one!
This yummy seasonal treat... easy apple fritters!
Oh my goodness... yet another lemon berry loaf. It is called a Lemon Yogurt Anything Cake so you do not have to add berries, you can add poppy seeds instead, or nothing at all. Check out this fabulous recipe. We are going to have to have a bake off with all the lemon cake recipes that I have shared with you ; )
A great recipe to help you use up those zukes - zucchini bread pancakes!
And this zucchini lasagna, too!
Last, but maybe the bestest of all? Check out these amazing espresso chocolate chip cookies!
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