Today’s flower really isn’t a true flower, but rather an herb. These yellows and greens are just about my most favorite of all summertime colors. I’m sure that you could probably tell from some of the yarn colors that have been in my dye pot this spring, that I am “green” thru and thru. Love it!
Everywhere you look at this time of the year are the scrumptious greens that are not only beautiful to look at but even better to eat.
This spring I played around a bit with my garden, changing it up a bit, but time will tell if it will actually be better. The salad greens are doing well, but I am not sure about some of the other things, such as my cukes.
Cucumbers are just about the easiest things ever to grow, as long as the cucumber beetles stay away, but this year mine are struggling, and it really is too late to plant a new batch.
I planted a bunch of dill to make pickles this year, but I worry that those cukes are just not going to make it. They are inexpensive enough to buy at local farm stands, so I just may have to resort to doing just that.

Of course the weather really hasn’t been much help with the garden this year either. The temps have been in the comfortable 70’s, but it has been really humid, rainy and gray…not much sun or heat for those tomatoes or peppers…..and of course there are the bugs…….always the bugs.
On tap this summer is a good deal of reading on gardening, composting and successive planting so that I can have a more fruitful garden next year. Perhaps I will settle down with a big glass of cold ice tea and catch up on Norma’s garden……..her’s looks fabulous!

Speaking of settling down, just this morning I finally picked up Bee. Geez…the bad part of not finishing something right away is trying to figure out where you left off.
Usually I keep pretty detailed notes on a pattern, but for some reason I just could not find the portion of the shawl I had been working on.
I looked in all of the usual nooks and cranny’s that I tend to leave my fiber stuff, but that page was no where to be found…..grrrr….

So, I ended up spending a good 45 minutes backtracking, printing out a new pattern and counting before I found my place again. Once I started knitting I thought it would be good to dig out my little knitpicks chart keeper to make it easier to read the pattern.
Can you believe it….that is where the missing page was…duh! Agghh!
All in all it is so good to be working on this stole again and this time she will not be cast aside for any new girl in town!

We also celebrated Ashley’s 23rd birthday this week. It actually takes my breath away to think that she is actually 23!! Yikes…where do the years go?
Thinking along those lines, I have decided to take the month of July and just turn off the computer (except for email).
I want to take the month to enjoy the girls, the garden and the summer. The dogs need some walking and the house needs some organizing, so I will be busy for sure….but it will be a relaxing busyness.
I have a few more posts that I want to share with you before the first of July, so we will chat soon 🙂

Yum!! Your photos make me want to be a bunny and just eat greens!
Have a great July! Looking forward to your return and tales about your adventures come August!
LikeLike
Oh, I’ll miss you! But you deserve a month off to smell the roses so to speak. I’ll have to catch up with you and your posts once I’m back from Greece.
Happy Birthday Ashley!
LikeLike
Cucumbers seem to succumb to bugs so easily – hope yours rally. I had just that thing happen with my Twist sweater the other day. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out where I was on the whole thing but I finally did and now I’m chugging along with it.
LikeLike
Found an interesting idea in the “Knitting in Plain English” book, she says to use the little white store inventory tags with the string! You can write on them and tie it to the project …. leaving you a “clue” as to what you might have done!! Have tried it and it seems to help this old brain keep track.
Love the dill, never did get plants in this spring, just not around enough, so my “garden” is all shades and textures of green. It does look better than I expected, and it certainly is easier to maintain!! : )
Will miss your posts but understand the need to take a break and slow down…
Have a wonderful weekend my friend!
LikeLike
Happy Birthday to Ashley! I think you’re wise to make sure you take some time to enjoy your family, home and garden. The months and indeed years do go by way too fast. One thing I always enjoy about reading your blog is the sense of tranquility and peacefulness which it conveys (although of course this may not be your experience of your life!); reading it always makes me reassess my priorities and want to make my life a little simpler and thereby richer.
LikeLike
You will be missed, but it’s completely understandable to want to live life ‘in the moment’. It occurred to me to try the same thing but I don’t think I can do it. Norma has some fabulous garden advice and even knows what to do about bugs.
Happy Birthday to Ashley!
LikeLike
Good for you!! You need to make time for yourself without obligations (that aren’t absolutely necessary, of course). I’ll look forward to your return. Yes, enjoy your family! Oh, I hear you about finding your place on a project once abandoned. I hate when I do that, and I leave good notes as well. I guess we just need to finish one at a time. Can you do that? Me either!!!
LikeLike
Have a glorious July with your family and the garden.
I had a good chuckle about your Bee Stole and the errant pattern page (haven’t we ALL done that? 🙂
Happy birthday to your beautiful girl.
LikeLike
I love the shots of your baby greens. We planted ours a wee bit late so we won’t get much more from them before they bolt. The worst part is, they were extremely strong and had a really strong unpleasant taste and had a really peppery after taste. So next year we will try another kind of greens. I do like the red lettuce ones and maybe the baby beet greens. We love our little garden but I think we spend more in watering than what we are going to harvest, but it’s fun.
LikeLike
Isn’t it funny how things are where they should be?!
Happy birthday Ashley!
LikeLike
Happy birthday to Ashley. Have a wonderful, restful July! I couldn’t do it….
LikeLike
Happy Birthday Ashley!!
I love dill, the flowers are lovely, it’s aromatic leaves are lovely on fish and in salads, and best of all, it is a host plant for the Monarch butterfly.
Enjoy your month off.
LikeLike
I have stres free month and enjoy your garden!
LikeLike
Enjoy your blog vacation.
LikeLike
Kim- I feel exactly the same as you. I will probably be spending some time with my daughter and son, as they are growing up and not only are they my children, they’re alot of fun to be around, and I just adore them.
You need to relax and enjoy your summer.
Take some time Kim- you certainly deserve it.
LikeLike
oh what pretty lettuces! i have an empty patch in my greens bed right now that i am trying to decide about . . .
LikeLike
Oh, I am valiantly fighting the cucumber beetle battle. Honestly, if it weren’t for the blog, I might not be so vigilant, so that’s another good thing about the blog. Your lettuces and dill look so WONDERFUL. And yes, I have four sweaters — not even hard ones — and it’s so hard to remember where I was, what size needle I was using, where the rest of the yarn is, etc. I really wish I were a one-project, work-on-it-’til-it’s-finished kind of girl. Ack.
Enjoy your July!!!
LikeLike
Family is much more important than blogging any day….enjoy your break! Your photo of the dill is so ethereal…so dreamy. I love it! It would make a great giant sized art poster.
LikeLike