For every house is built by someone,

but the builder of all things is God.

Hebrews 3:4






Saturday, August 7, 2010



Morning is my favorite time of the day
to work in my garden.  We have a large walnut tree
that shades the area for a couple hours making
it much cooler.  I can hear the birds singing and it's
a perfect time to talk to the Lord.
I have a few things sitting by the door so
I'm ready anytime to step outside and tend
to my fruits and veggies.


I like to wear these polka dotted rubber boots.
 It keeps the ticks and chiggers from hitching a ride on
my legs and later ending up who knows where, if you
know what I mean.
Those of you who do not live in tick and chigger land, may not 
understand this problem.  
Consider yourself blessed. 


These are what I brought to the garden this morning.
 My tomato plants needed some stringing up since 
I didn't use cages this year.  They were looking
pretty wild.
The gloves are for picking off the big fat juicy
Horn Worms.  I just can't get myself to touch them
with my bare fingers.  Ugh!
Have you ever tried to pick one off?  
They sometimes grip themselves so tightly onto the branch, 
that it requires a yanking that
results in... well, I don't need to get into all
the details of hunting for Horn Worms.
Yesterday I noticed some of my tomato leaves were eaten
off a couple of branches.  A few Horn Worm droppings 
were resting on the leaves below.
A sure sign of a Horn Worm.
I searched and searched.
NOTHING!
I hate it when that happens because that means I 
could come out the next morning and the
whole plant will be eaten.
So I got up real early this morning and to my
surprise I didn't see anymore damage.  I still looked hard.
Perhaps one of the friendly birds taught him a lesson.

Here's a picture of one of those yucky things.
I have had some that were 3-4 inches long.
Now tell me, would you touch one with your bare
fingers?

Oh, this is just too much for me.

Enough of that!

I thought I would share a few pictures of my
garden.
Now, remember from a previous post,
most of my plants were orphans rescued from
my friend's greenhouse after the flood this last Spring.
They were almost burnt beyond saving because
when the power went out, the big fans that keep
the greenhouse cooled down obviously didn't work.
So, all this to say, the Lord has been good and
has caused these plants to bounce back and
produce.

Looking down my raised beds.
By the way, raised beds are my favorite way
to garden.
You can see how I tie up my plants here.

Purple Basil

Sweet Genovese Basil
I'll be making lots of Pesto and putting it
in the freezer for this winter.

Sugar Baby Watermelon
I harvested this one yesterday for our
weekend.
Crimson Sweet Watermelon
Not quite ready yet.

Bed with the peppers.
I planted them all in the same box.
This was a last minute decision and probably not
the best because I'm sure there was a little
cross pollination going on there.
These plants were given to me and I had to 
prepare a lasagna bed really fast.


Cayenne Peppers


Bell Peppers
I'll wait until these turn red.
Did you know that is not good to eat green
bell peppers?  The best is when they're red.
I just learned that.

I also have jalapeno and Anaheim peppers.
I couldn't get a good picture of them this morning.


This is a Bumble Bee doing his job on the Cucumbers.



I also planted:

Potatoes - Not such a great crop,
I will try a different method next year.

Green Beans - pretty much a total failure.
I'm learning that here in Tennessee it's best
to wait until July to plant.  Last year my Spring
planted crop failed, so I replanted in July
and I had the most beautiful, pest free Green Beans.

Tomatillos - Beautiful plants but no fruit.
These were also a victim of the flood.

Onions - Okay crop.  It was our first
year for onions and we know what
to do different next year.

~

Well my friends, I got a couple bites out there this morning
but I came in, rinsed off and used some
of my friends homemade healing salve.




So soothing!
Thanks Donna K!

 ~

I better sign off,
Breakfast is ready!


Warm Country Blessings,

Christa
 




11 comments:

Camille said...

What a WONDERFUL post Christa!! I have missed your posting...but no wonder ~ you have been BUSY!!! What a GORGEOUS garden! You must be SO pleased! :)

How fun that you are growing watermelons...sooo yummy and soooo good for you!

YUCKY horn worm...eeeewww!!! I am with you on the gloves! :0

Your sweet peppers look like they are turning out beautifully. For a very long time now I have stayed completely away from green peppers...they are just unripe reds...hard on the tummy. :)

I enjoyed my visit here today...fun to see what's been happening in Tennessee!

Oh...and I *love* your cute boots.

Have a wonderful LORD's Day!
With Love,
Camille

Melanie said...

I enjoyed looking at your garden, Christa.
It won't be long 'til you can enjoy eating it!! :)

We have to check ourselves for ticks too, plus our pets have a way of bringing in a few every now and then. We haven't had them as bad this year. We do get a lot of mosquitoes though. It's pretty wet and swampy where we live.

Have a blessed weekend.~

Nadine said...

Beautiful photos of your veggie garden!
Love your boots!

Blessings!
~Nadine

Mrs. JP said...

Oh, I've been chewed on by chiggers lots this year! I have to wait until late afternoon for shade to go out in but it is wonderful. Your garden looks great..very orderly and cared for.
Hate the horn worm..yuk.

Janean said...

yep, those nasty horn worms. yak!!! gotta have gloves.

do you mean to tell me there are people who live where there AREN'T chiggers nor ticks??? here on earth?? wow.

your garden looks fab!

Lady Farmer said...

What adorable boots, Christa! Wearing them would almost make me enjoy weeding! teehee
We don't have chiggers, so don't know what that is like, and the ticks we have are all out in the woods ~ at least I have never gotten any here at home, but a few pets have.
I think the horn worm is rather pretty with his little swirls on his sides, but I don't think I would want to pick him off without gloves, either! Especially if it is a game of tug-o-war and ends not so prettily!
Your garden looks fantastic ~ not much of mine even grew! I planted pole beans three times and only a few seeds have sprouted. And my tomatoes are just now in flower! Looks like I will be visiting the farmers' market to fill my jars for canning this year!
I didn't know that green peppers were not good for you, but then, I don't care for peppers anyway! But I will remember that for my pepper loving family!
Have a great day of worship, tommorrow! We will be having our annual church picnic tommorrow after chuch. A great time of fellowship!

Mountain Home Quilts said...

I am so glad we don't have those worms here. I agree- Yuck!
Did you make the red and white quilt that's on your sidebar? It is gorgeous!!

Anonymous said...

Hello Christa,
Your garden looks so beautiful, and well tended!! So glad to hear you love your morning time, and it is such a blessing, God's Mercy is New EVERY morning, enjoy Him in your Garden!!!
Miss you dearly,
Back here where I've never seen that awful worm!!! ~ Mary P.

Cathy Murray said...

Hi

I wanted to introduce myself to you. I've stumbled across your blog lately and I'm enjoying reading about you and your family in the USA. I'm from Australia and have visited your beautiful country twice as my sister and her husband used to live in San Diego for a number of years. Just thought I'll make myself know to you all.

Your sister in Christ
Cathy

Anonymous said...

It is fun to see how your garden is coming along Christa.

I am glad the salve helped. I need to make more ~ a bigger batch this time.

Donna (who lives in a place free of ticks and chiggers~for now!)

Unknown said...

Your garden is stunning, the watermelons make me want to cry! lol I've never been able to grow them. I even enjoyed seeing the tomato hornworm, seems like a crazy thing to say but they are magnificent for a bug!