blessed diva ... (fortunate diva)

a client shared 4 fabulous TWINS tickets with me .... hoping for a fabulous fall day and some good baseball -- I haven't seen Target Field -- so I was tickled pink when they offered them to me !!!

it's been dripping all day long -- not a lot or rain but a drip ... soaking in and doing good!

more fabulous zinnas -- I really really like my zinnas -- amid the gnawing by the wildlife the zinnas always make me smile.

the squash/pumpkin end looking south -- kinda sad looking .....

Monday's on 3rd Street ...

Oh hell, back to work! 

Yes, Ms. Green Tea I'll be at the Market when you arrive.  Last Saturday was my first Market -- and it went okay I sold everything I brought ...

If the weather holds by Mid September I'll have everything ripe at once.  Oh lucky me!

Marie

signs of the times....

milkweed that survived the mower and the stalk chopper

the sumac are starting to turn

loon goose near the melon patch == evidently the other geese don't like 'em

bloom on the birdhouse gourd vine .. won't bear fruit but pretty ...

the bushel basket gourd I picked and took to market -- didn't sell it ... but a lotta peeps asked about it ....

my crazy attempt at slowing down the deer -- it's sorta working.....

Market Day !!

   okay I'm up and awake before the chickens ... literally.  the coffee is already trying to make its way to my brain .. another 5 minutes and it'll have reached its intended destination.

   The produce is picked, cleaned and packed.  I really don't have much ... a dozen melons, a couple squash, a bushel of zuchini -- Gordy's green beans, cukes, eggplants and some kind of berries (goose or choke).

    The recipe of the week is typed and printed.

   Need to stop at the newly cleaned office (thanks Lori) and pick up all the stuff I forgot to bring home.  There is a list.

   Let the games begin .....

M


Cucumber Dip.....

8 oz cream cheese softened
1/2 C chopped and seeded cucumber
1/4 C chopped onion
2T Mayo ....
(mix it up)

(editor's note -- I stole this from cousin Jan -- she served it at the party Thursday night --- pretty darn TASTY ... and pretty darn SIMPLE )
  

Dang

   Anyone else notice the days are getting shorter -- daybreak is after 6:30am....and well sunset is 8:15ish ... I need more hours of light.  Makes me grumpy (grumpier?).

   Well it is Friday and since I seem to cram 7 days of work into Fri Sat & Sun -- I should have rested up yesterday -- and I kind of did .... I didn't chase any varmits -- I went to Oshawa and had fun with the scrapping/stamping Divas.  I ate (and drank) they created! 

   So meetings this morning, office over lunch and PICKING this afternoon.  This weeks pickings will be watermelons, cukes, apples, green beans and zinnas!  I have to attempt to set up the canopy too ... should be an entertaining event.

Diva

checklist ....

Getting ready ....

__ x ___  gas in truck
__ x ___  tables, props, chair, tent (in truck)
__ x ___  change box and change  (lots of 1's)
__ x ___  attitude

__x ___   WATERMELONS!!!!


Yep, I picked one last night -- plugged 'er in the patch and it's mighty damn tasty !!  I think it's a "Sugar Baby" .. small, round, dark and sweet red flesh ..... 

Lost one of my fabulous "cat food bag" scarecrows in the wind yesterday --- the "bag" probably landed over in Washington Terrace (fancy name for a bunch of houses built in a gravel pit) ... so ... it could have been worse.

So tonight is start picking -- apples, cukes, green beans, huge zuchini (they kinda got out of control) ... tomorrow night is the Watermelon !!!   It's going to be slim this week -- I'm guessing in two weeks they'll all be ripe at the same time.

Yahoo !!!! 


M

Whew ....

   it finally rained.  2 1/2 weeks without is a long time without rain in August.  1/2 inch -- need more, we'll take what we can get.  then it turned steeeemy, really steeemy -- makes things grow -- can not complain.  or in my case -- makes things ripen.  did the patch walk -- less deer today -- either the caution tape flopping in the breeze, the scarecrows, the "liquid fence" or just the plain nasty weather seems to have slowed them down a bit.  will have to respray tomorrow night --

  i can't believe how i fuss over the weather.  it's not like i can do anything about it -- i've tried the rain dance -- it didn't work -- tried the sun dance -- again no such luck.  could be worse -- no hurricanes or earthquakes in my corner of this world.  i'm liking the blizzards and the cold more and more every day!  and we don't mention the t word anymore -- in my cleaning I found some t pictures ... 12 1/2 years ago ... somedays it seems like only yesterday. 

  thank you mother nature for the rain.   keep the hurricanes & earthquakes in other places please!

Diva

weekend warrior ....

   So, remember the list .... the "sit on your tush and do nothing" never happened.

   I awoke to 17 deer at the apple trees Sunday morning.  I was not a happy gardener.  It was a call to action.  So I broke down and used chemicals.  On my trek to Mankato, I found "Liquid Fence" at Tractor Supply -- and at Drummer's -- "Deer Repellent" ...

   I applied the "Deer Repellent" -- 4 gallons worth -- $38 of concentrate mixed up to 4 gallons.  The jury is still out on it's effectiveness.  It reeks and that is what supposedly repels the deer.  Per the instructions it is safe for the plants and the mature fruit and veggies -- not to self -- all must be washed well.  It is made up of garlic, red pepper flakes, eggs and oil. 

   I also purchased 3 salt licks at Tractor Supply -- and spread them far from the patch. 

   I drove out there this morning on the commute -- didn't see any new munching -- but hard to tell in the fog and from the vehicle. 

   DAMN VARMITS.


   So most of my day was spent in the patch, on the ATV, laundry, cooking and cleaning.  I never did get my NAP ... or sew ..... odd.

Marie

Diva's Web...... just don't call me Charlotte!!!!

I've got a 1,000 ft of "caution" tape woven amid the scarecrows and a dozen solar lights -- more yellow tape to come and well, I broke down and bought chemicals.  Need to read up on the chemicals ... might not be safe for the edibles!   I also put out 2 salt blocks -- a distance away to give the nasty buggers something more delightful to consume.

The battle has began and damn it  ---- I AM GOING TO WIN ...

ps.  I just did another 1,000 feet of tape ... this might get to be a messy clean up ! 

birds of a feather flock together (ya, cheesy I know)

fueling up for the long flight south ....

yes birds there is enough for everyone ... share

black gold... i discovered the pioneer woman blog and her iced coffee recipe is easy and tasty -- cold brew coffee -- chill it down, pour over ice and add cream and flavoring ....  yum yum yum

nothing is better than caffeine with a bit of sugar on the side!

M

T G I F & Favorite Things Friday ....

  I'm not sure why I'm looking forward to the weekend.  I really haven't "worked" much this week -- between the endless meetings, lots of chatter and well, the prep work for the colonoscopy.  I just haven't accomplished a whole lot.  So ....

  I have declared Sunday --- "Sit on your tush and do nothing but read, nap and eat all day".   The last time I tried this particular event it lasted less than 2 hours.... time will tell.  In the meantime ... I have a list ....

1.  Friday Night Sew In ... just gotta sew tonight.
     a.  press and finish back for "brick project"
     b.  finish quilting table runner & bind
     c.  clean that sewing space

2.  Walk that garden and shoot at them deer. 

3.  Clean out the car --- the black interior is a dirt magnet.

4.   Mow at office and weed one flower bed (they are bad)

5.   Start packing up my office for the great "painting event"
         (skylar this means get ready to paint)

Thats enough for one weekend!

Marie

ah ... it's been a week

  yes, the dang deer are still eating - I haven't been out there for almost 48 hours !! 

  It has been a busy busy week.  Farm Income Tax Seminar in Mankato on Monday, County business all day Tuesday (really all day).  Wednesday I actually worked 1/2 the day .... and then I .....

       drank a lot of nasty stuff --- spent a lot of time reading --- and well, getting ready for today
       which involved over-sleeping --- ya, 7:15 .... and I had to be at the hospital for the 7:45 check - in
       I was home by 11:00 and EATING .... and well - per Dr. Ritsy .... I have a nice colon. 

       the prep was much worse than the procedure.  but I'm NEVER doing it again. 

  so, I'm working from home this afternoon!  might check out the patch -- see how much has been ate (a lot) and get some fresh air!

M

the buggers are back ... nasty pictures to come

at least they don't like zinnas

it was so tasty they left fertilizer deposits .... and how does one spell fertilizer -- S H I T  ... old office joke ... I asked Dot one day how to spell fertilizer (in the days before spell check) ... and her reply .... S H I T.   we farm girls have an ugly sense of humor when tired.

even a squash ... damn it's really irritating me ....

ha! got 'em scared ....

see the buggers are looking at me ....

yep and this one too....

but they're scared of this unit (and it's mine for the week) or until the owner gets back from his fishing trip ... we get to feed the pigs and keep the tractor .... by the end of the week we'll be wishing we were fishing

but they really want this !!!!

they haven't been here yet == at least since it rained ...

the only eggplants we're gonna have ... because the buggers got to the rest of them .... varmits

muffy, the one eyed cat is guarding the eggplant and dad's lawn mower ... don't ya love the canopy -- sometimes he's a pretty creative recycler ... it's quite the sight going across the yard ...

Favorite Things Friday

  So, T G I F.  and it's a good thing this week.  Next week will even be better.  Nick, the cat, and I have been battling all morning so he's not on my list of favorites today.

  But the good news -- IT RAINED!

okay, these are from the previous rainy day 4 weeks ago -- ya, 4 weeks without rain was 3 weeks to long.  per the weather dude our extreme weather will continue thru fall.  record snowfalls, record cool spring, extreme heat/humidity and now no rain. 

I did the rain dance out here last night ..... because even though watermelons like hot & dry weather, my sandy soil needs water !

so  CLICK ON THIS LINK and check out the rest of the Favorite Things Friday --- many thanks to Mrs. P for hosting !

M

and the ribbon is ...

it's a "blue"ribbon winner at the Nicollet County Fair -- pictured above in it's unfinished state ... because it took almost a decade to complete!!!!!

don't ya love the empty wine bottles on the wall .... one would think we consumed a bit in this office - unfortunately we consume more coffee and tea than vino !

the Girls new residence .... & others

the girls got relocated to a new home -- hopefully it's coyote proof .... they started out the first 6 months in this coop and were moved to the chicken shack ... I think they'll like this one better ..

my most attractive scarecrow

see the corn coming out .... amazing that it survives it gets pretty beat up in the harvesting, hauling, shucking process

sweet dreams this might be the first ripe melon --- maybe by Saturday ....

Noisy night on the prairie ....

  and where does corn come from ....

headlands are done -- starting to cut into the center of the field

there he goes

okay getting ready to turn and burn

picking into the truck ... side by side across the field they go (teamwork)

hurry up and wait

gonna be a long night ... 2 pickers 4 trucks and they're hauling it 50 miles away to be processed --- noisy, dirty and the cut corn has an odor to it ...... in 2009 the patch was located along the same headlands....

crafty diva . . .

today I made scarecrows ... trying to keep the deer "scared" off .. so far so good

they are cat food/chicken food/ kitty litter bags on t posts.. creative recycling at it's best ... they're waterproof, colorful and noisy when blowing in the wind. !!!

grow baby grow  gotta long way to go

bessie will be spending the night out in the patch too.... vehicle = humans = no deer .... i'm getting a bit desperate ....