Countdown to Halloween

Pink Anemone in Backyard

                                                                                           

White Anemone in Backyard

55 Days to Halloween and Counting...

So, I was driving to a friend's house a week or so ago and noticed that her neighbor has some rather large, rather orange pumpkins. I was so jealous... Byron called it "Pumpkin Envy" and that is exactly what it is. Now, granted, that guy only had about 3 pumpkins total (that I could see) and we have quite a few more pumpkins than that, but how did he get his pumpkins so big and so orange in August. I guess he got a good early start, probably indoors where nothing got to the delicious little seeds. Anyway, we didn't get quite the early start, but we DO HAVE PUMPKINS, lots and lots of pumpkins especially the mini ones called "Jack-be-little" and "Baby Boo".

Oh, and I got myself a new camera last night and needed something easy to photograph (you know, easy as in doesn't wiggle when you take a picture of it like puppies and kids).

12 week old Lily finally sat still for 3 seconds

So, I just barely figured out how to set my camera to all the automatic settings and get a lense on the thing and I ran out the door to take pictures of our "harvest". I know this is a little self indulgent (so many pictures), but it is good practice--and I need practice. I start a photography class in two weeks and I am a little worried I will be way out of my league.

My main focus was squash and pumpkins, but I also got a little carried away with other veggies and flowers. I also remembered that while I was at work a couple weeks ago Joey had gotten overzealous with the squash picking and plucked the only Hubbard squash growing in the yard (way too early to be picking those guys... they are supposed to get huge). C'est La Vie... there's always next year.

Delicata, Hubbard & Butternut Squash on the

Dining Room Table

I'm pretty happy with the way these photos turned out

inside the dining room... I wish it didn't take so long to download

them to the blog in a larger high quality format. Anyway, here is our

favorite squash, the Delicata. Michael and Sammy think it tastes

like pancakes. Ha!

There is one plant I probably won't get for the garden

next year... Summer Squash. This one summer squash is about

8' around (picture is taken from the deck about 15' above the

plant) and was the first thing in the yard to produce.

We have harvested dozens and dozens of squash already....

and the thing is still blooming like crazy.

I think I will start plucking the blossoms and make

stuffed squash blossoms for dinner next week--and then

we will say good-bye to Mr. Squash, I am getting sick

of Yellow Summer Squash!

We have so many tomatoes that need to ripen (I'm

sure like everyone else... this hasn't been the best

August for ripening tomatoes)

But we have enjoyed quite a few yellow cherry tomatoes

and a few red romas

Pattypan Squash

Beautiful Jack-be-Little Pumpkin

Echinacea Flower

Japanese Eggplant ready to pick.

A couple nice big green pumpkins that still have

55 days to turn orange!

Its just about time to say good-bye to the

blackberries. We let them grow in one section of the backyard so that we could

enjoy them, and I did make some delicious Blackberry preserves

last month and put them in a coffee cake that didn't quite get

cooked enough... I may try that one again.

Butternut squash that Joey did not pick. I'm sure

they will ripen before it freezes...

My two Cinderella pumpkin plants have only

produced one pumpkin so far

even though they are putting out blossoms like crazy...???

The cucumbers took forever to come on, but now

we have lots... I even made my first bread &

butter pickles this morning.

The Ancho Chiles are getting big... supposedly

they are going to turn red? This is my first

time growing them and I don't know what I will

use them for--where is Bobby Flay when you need him?

A little "Baby Boo" next to a big green monster.

Hey, I think I see some orange on that green...

The kids are back to school and summer is almost over...

Time to plant the winter crops!