My $20.oo Deck Garden

Hi everyone! We're having a bit of a storm this evening. I have the curtains wide open so I can enjoy the lightning flashing above the ugly locust tree as the day fades to too early darkness. Mo is happily napping, though he did have a brief bout of being sick just now---not storm nerves! No he stole a slice of salami off a small antipasto plate we humans enjoyed on the deck, earlier tonight. So naughty, but just imagine the deliciousness of a spicy salami compared to the  dull dry brown kibble of  his everyday meals.

My deck garden will be happy for the rain, we had a bigger storm early today, at dawn. The garden pleases me this year. It reached its peak of prettiness last week, end of July, I think. Note to self to be more ruthless cutting back  the zinnias.

I believe I spent less than 20 dollars this year! Most of the seed packets were bought last fall when the market had them on sale for a dollar each.  I kept them over the winter in the freezer. The big expense was the $6.oo elephant ear bulb, and a few heirlooms from the spring flower show.[not all of these were used, including lost pack of Whirligig zinnias; and the the freezer yielded more common zinnias, sunflowers and marigolds from the dollar sale. The pollinators/ mix packs are gifts to folks who buy my bee inspired sachets.]

The pots, pushed together, create a tiny version of an English cottage garden, or so I tell myself, and form a sweet outdoor space for me and Mo, friends and family, too, to enjoy. The pots form a barrier to keep Mo from managing to fall of the deck, raised one story for hurricane safety.

Here is Mo trying on his rainbow sweater. I like to knit for a change from sewing sometimes.

I do love the zinnias, these are Cut and Come Again and State Fair.

 I love the palest pink zinnias, some so pale they begin almost white, then slowly deepen. [Zinnia blooms last a long time, weeks, even.]

More pink zinnias, different shade with dark centers and golden stamens.

This is my heirloom Green with Envy.

 A few varieties of marigolds.

I love marigolds but I don't like this one with the very prominent ferny leaves, kind of icky.

Sunflowers are just starting in August. These are Lemon Sunflowers.

This is a huge  volunteer sunflower! What will it be? Looks like a Russian Giant.

I have also been interested to watch and see what wildflowers have bloomed this year from last year's Pollinator Mix. Catmint?

Yes two pots have only mystery weeds, a drawback my dad impressed upon me when as a teenage gardener I wanted him to let me make a property ''fence'' area or ditch with prairie  wildflower seeds. He'd always grump and refuse, saying after a year or two only the the ugly weeds would survive [and ruin his lawn, lol.] He instead planted a hedge of small rose bushes---floribunda? Ugly little flowers, gorgeous red berries, lethal thorns---for his birds and wild critter pets in that spot, and gave himself his first heart attack, one 100* Illinois day. [Age 49!]

 But the in this seed pack last year were the lovely coreopsis, which did bloom twice again as I followed Mel's instructions to deadhead them.

The borage returned. A heavenly blue, and the Nigella from Mel too, also blue. Plus maybe dill or coriander? [at front]

The pretty white cosmos .

The bees did come, and wildly pollinated the lime tree. I have dozens of baby limes forming. Big harvest! I don't see honey bees here but many other bees and butterflies, even cute chubby bumble bees love the lime tree.

The other seeds that were a fail previously but finally woke up and grew are two kinds of ornamental prairie grasses. I thought they'd be pretty in the fall  with  new mums or a small pumpkin, because this year I am determined to cut back and clear up the pots by mid-November, not let them straggle on through December, and then be too frozen to remove.
And a few mystery plants: what is this tall ugly thing? With it you can see the early blooming nigella that I let go to seed for next year.

And this oddity, growing in the marigolds? It looks like a zinnia but the leaves and shape of the plant, almost a vine, aren't ''zinnia'' at all. A single petaled calendula?

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This week I am making a baby quilt, modern in style. I hope it pleases my friends.

Have a good week!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach.....

Westering Women ~ A Bride's Journey West 1853 (complete)

Hi! Welcome August! Today I put the final stitches in my Westering Women quilt and took its pictures to share with you.

Begun January 2016, this was a  quiltalong by quilt expert and historian Barbara Brackman.

As you can see, my intent to produce a quilt with my imaginary bride's treasured scraps, has somehow morphed into one of my bright supersaturated results. I love it despite that, or because of that, who knows.

Mo and I went to check on my friends' mail and garden and did some photos there.

But in the end to get a good shot, I had to hang it indoors.

Some close ups.

Lovely quilting by Lori C. of Quilters Imagination.

I added four blocks to make a larger quilt. All the blocks seem to work together, despite my random efforts. Only Block 2 on close inspection looks very odd, like I make a mistake somehow, somewhere. Huh.

Some fave blocks.

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The ones I chose and drafted are the most precise.

The backing is a Little House on the Prairie print, from the original Garth Williams illustrations. Not period correct but irresistible.

I did two labels at very different times.

One label is a list of the names and meanings of the blocks, so the story doesn't go lost in the future.

The other is the label Barbara provided on the website. And only now tonight, as I edited the photos did I realise there is no mention of Barbara Brackman herself!, as the designer of this project. I will add that on immediately, on the Prairie Schooner label.

I loved this project. The history was so interesting and inspiring; the blocks are also interesting and, I think, beautiful even in  their Lizzy gaudiness.

Many thanks, all  these years later, to Barbara Brackman, for this sewalong.

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Very off topic but a few people asked how to make my friend B's delicious quinoa***. Here is her text to follow and a pic of what to look for in the store.

B s text below

I make a big batch of quinoa: edit: B reminds me to tell you all to halve the recipe, as this makes  very large amount!
In a large pot I sauté 1 diced onion  and 1 diced red pepper seasoned with salt and pepper in a little olive oil for about 3 minutes.  Then I put the softened onion and pepper in the large bowl I will eventually store the finished quinoa in.  Next I put 2 cups of quinoa in the large pot with 3 1/2 cups of water.  I bring it to a boil and then simmer it, covered for 12 minutes.  Then I turn off the flame and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.  Be careful when you remove the cover because the underside will be wet with condensation.  I season the quinoa itself generously with salt (about 7 shakes of circles around the big pot) and pepper (about 4 shakes of circles around).  Then I mix in the cooked onions and peppers with the seasoned quinoa and transfer it to the large bowl.
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I like these fast cook versions too, for one's pantry and last minute meal needs.

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It's a bit cooler now. Time for Mo's walk! Or maybe not.

Have a good weekend.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach..........

*** [Let's be honest, in your head, do you call it Quinn Noah, instead of Keenwah? I admit it, I do. I wish it was spelled differently. Like ''vegan'' which is not pronounced like vegetable, but as if the followers of this nutrition protocol are aliens from Vega (or Las Vegas?) What do YOU think/ say?]

July. Sunday

July. Sunday.

It's a beautiful Sunday morning here at the beach---hot and sunny but with a brisk wind blowing from the west. It's the last Sunday in July, the month is almost over, it has passed too fast. Did I savor it properly, I wonder---swim enough, beachcomb enough, admire the moon and summer stars? Drink sufficient margaritas and lemonade?  This will never come again, this July, as the days of summer, of wine and roses, fade off to the dog days of August  and the heat and tedium of September/ October.

]]

July is one of my favorite months. It begins, literally with a bang, with a holiday and fireworks and parties then proceeds through endless days of sun and sand. A month frilled with blue hydrangeas, with orange daylilies, white queen anne's lace, and pink roses.
Endless summer.

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 Later I made my friend's recipe for quinoa. It is the basis for her Mediterranean diet, she has slimmed from a size 12 to an xxx small. [2?]. She eats the quinoa with a protein such as chicken or eggs, then has fruit. I have to ask if she eats any other veggies, seems not.

This was delicious for us with small steaks and beautiful asparagus.

Early evening walk with Mo. He is channeling his inner Doug the Pug, media star. Look at those Doug-like neck rolls! [yes, pugs are supposed to have rolls, especially the fawn males.]

Have a good week! Meteor shower tonight, go look!

love 

lizzy

gone to the beach...

PS If you thought my blue stars and planets for Cheddarback was demented, but were too polite to say so [and thanks Audrey for liking!], I also got this soft faded sprig print, a find by Nancy at Joy for Grace.