DIFFERENT TOPIC!!!!

I was going to give you an update on the sewing room situation, but honestly, I'm tired of thinking about it. Last week was filled with people in and out looking, estimating, recording, etc. Today the guys got the floor out and now I'm just waiting until someone can start replacing the drywall. Things will move slow as we have been told that the recent wind and high water situations between here and Cedar Rapids have a lot of their staff booked for a couple of weeks.



In the meantime, I've setup a little sewing area in my kitchen. My machine on my old teacher's table and a make-shift design board made of 2" styrofoam and started working on the quilt I wanted to make for the sunroom. I just needed some creative time. Improves my whole outlook.




Do you have Japanese Beetles in your garden?
I didn't know what they were when I first saw them, however, they were making short work of the leaves on my raspberry bushes. When I visited our local nursery they informed me that the beetles could do major damage and there were only a couple of ways to kill them. Burning or drowning in dishwater. The alternative was this 'beetle trap'. Sounded too good to be true.



I wasn't in favor of spraying or trying to catch them. So we put this up at the far end of the garden. The beetles are drawn to a scent and fly in the bag, go down thru the trap, and can't get back out. The bag fills in about a week and they live thru it. It's creepy, but this is the 3 rd bag of beetles that we've trapped. I rarely see any on my garden - they were getting very fond of my green beans that were just starting the blossoming stage.

Speaking of green beans - here's mine. I planted pole beans this year. They are heavy producers and easy on the back as you can pick them while standing. I picked 3 yesterday and there are 100's of tiny ones, so I'm hoping for a bumper crop.


My squash are all over the place. It's hard to see them here, but I planted the yellow butternut and I have dozens. I'm excited as they are our favorites.




The carrots really aren't ready yet, but I couldn't resist pulling a few. My sister was here yesterday with her 2 little grandsons so we pulled some up for them to take home. The soil here is perfect for root vegetables; more of a sandy loam so the carrots are growing nice and long. The ones I pulled yesterday were about 6-7 inches.




Just for fun I planted a hill of several different gourds. Here's a little bumpy one that is growing up a rake handle and covering this little bird house. I have 3 or 4 different kinds so far. The other vines are my Sugar Pie Pumpkins. I always use fresh pumpkin for my pies in the fall. There is such a difference in the taste. The ones specifically for pie have a finer texture and are sweeter than jack-o-lanterns. Other years I have had to go as far as Des Moines to find them. I'm excited that I'm going to have in my garden this year. I have found 3 so far. One of them is on vine that has climbed up one of our arborvitae so it's hanging about 6 feet off the ground!!


And look at these!!!! I didn't realize my garden was home to these lilies. I first became acquainted with the Naked Lady while I lived in Des Moines. A friend of mine pointed them out to me one day when we were walking in her neighborhood. They are actually an Amaryllis - Belladonna Lily. The excitement is that they are a huge surprise if you don't know that they are there. The bulbs come in the Spring and look very similar to other lilies. The difference is the leaves all die down and are gone. Then, in early to mid August within a couple days, bare flower stalks shoot up about one and half feet with these beautiful trumpet shaped flowers. They are a pale pink. I cut one stalk and put in water in the house and it lasted for 5-6 days. Believe me - I have the area surrounded with sticks and labeled. I'd like to move them this fall so they are by themselves and I can watch for them. They are pretty lost right now in all the other lilies in the back of the garden.

Well, that's about it for now. Tomorrow I'm off to Iowa City for a routine check on my feet, and Wednesday, The Club is meeting for a birthday lunch in Cedar Falls. Can't wait. I haven't touched on the picnic we went to last weekend. I took pictures, so maybe later this week, I'll have a chance to get those out.

Isn't this weather great!!!!! Until Later!!