How does our garden grow?

Not well, that's how.

The herbs and flowers are doing great but vegetables... not so much, not so much at all. Although the onions look to be doing well.

Backyard herb garden

Backyard herb garden behind the tall plants

Grass looks great and the hanging baskets have held up fantastic

Strawberries are doing well and the grape is growing but no fruit yet (1st year didn't expect any)

The largest 1 of our 3 Paste tomatoes

8 paste tomato plants and nothing, these 3 won't do anything before 1st frost in a couple of weeks.

Slicing tomatoes have a dozen or so fruits but again, not before 1st frost. Carrots seem small but who knows what lies below.

Kale was pulled ages ago and replanted with spinach... 3 spinach have cracked the surface.

My 1 lone pepper on my Thai hot pepper plants

1 lone bell pepper too and its dinky

This years garlic harvest didn't produce much of anything

Potato plants were moved into the shed to allow for drying as we've had so much damn rain.

Celery and Parsley are doing great! and my 11 sunflowers have been whittled down to 4 but they are growing well.

3 are here and...

Sunflower #4

Kidney beans don't seem to be doing much, peas and red scarlet runner beans aren't so hot either.

All in all, given the work we put in to building the gardens this year, it is a massive disappointment. We console ourselves with the knowledge that it is the same for farmers and growers everywhere this year.

We will have to go to the big city for some organic produce so that I can at least get enough ferments made for the year.

I will update after onion harvest and by then I will have the potato count also. Some people have grown potatoes in bags as I did and got diddly squat out of it, so I'm not getting my hopes up.

Next year: Greenhouse 10' x 20'+

Out of the bubble

So I drove from Nova Scotia to Kingston yesterday. 

When leaving the Atlantic bubble, there were no Covid checks at all. Not a one.

In fairness, because of my harsh comparison of our New Brunswick experience, I must note that the entry to New Brunswick from Quebec yesterday (as I looked over on the way past) was a vast difference to what we experienced going in.  

So perhaps something had happened that caused such a force to be there when we drive in, there was but 2 police vehicles when I drove by on my way out yesterday.

This am I drove from Kingston to Windsor, through pouring rain, arriving at noon.

Because of my extensive travels I stopped in London and had another rapid Covid test done before coming down to Dads. Negative.

 My step-mother has a nice little herb garden going on her deck too.

As my brother likely doesn’t want his pic posted online and he’s on a run for fish & chips at the moment so I can’t ask him- I have not posted any of the family pics we took today.

Anyway, I am here - finally. 

I was unable to stop for coffee with friends in Ottawa due to timing but I do intend to call some bloggers ( you know who you are) during my time here, as and when I can.

Watch, Forage & Thyroid

Not a lot happening here this week. 

Stacey and her husband are away for a few days so we are keeping an eye on their boat.

On the right.

Look closely at this pic and you will see a guy walking his goats along the beach.... I have no explanation for this, it just is.

We've been busy picking daisies and dandelions to feed Betty* for use throughout the winter in teas as well as tinctures. Yes, I'm becoming quite the herbalist I know. Who is this woman?... No one knows. ;)

Dinner for Betty*

I put up a post on FaceBook asking where to find stinging nettles and a few people have responded with 'come and get em', so that's great and we shall be doing that in the coming days. (replacement for thyroid medication which is effective for Hypo AND Hyper - BUT, I am not a doctor, do your own research! )

However, I did do a test..... and, not expecting any noticeable difference....

I will tell you that I had 1 cup of stinging nettle tea on June 4,5,6,7 and I was full of energy - kicked butt on the Pickleball courts and didn't have a nap at all. However, because I have my next bloodwork at the end of the month, I decided to stop drinking the tea so my Doctor can get a true idea of where I am at before I go rogue on him -- and I will go rogue, if he doesn't cooperate. 

It wasn't until the 11th (4 days later) that I started to feel like I was dragging again. Back to napping by the 11th and 12th.... so tempted to just drink the damn tea but I'm going to attempt to do this under doctor supervision and I can't get a call with him until the 24th, so.... struggling through. (too much medication can cause fatigue which is what I'm feeling which dissipates with every reduction in medication - for a short while, anyway).

The weatherman said it was going to be torrential rain on Saturday and sporadic rain on Sunday so I cancelled out of the Saturday market only to wake to a bright blue sky which lasted until bedtime. This morning.... full cloud and tons of rain... 

The thing with the Sunday market is there is music, so more people come out just for that and the picnic tables with umbrellas allow for mingling so there is a much more vibrant energy about the place which makes sitting there for 4 hours far more pleasant - like going to a free concert and making a few bucks at the same time.

* Betty is our Freeze Dryer for any new readers.

Preserving and Paddleboarding again

My basil plant had become huge once again, so I trimmed it and...

Washed and dried

Packed and vacuum sealed

Found a use for that large container all my plastic storage containers came in. Fits perfectly across. I will try to fill this with fresh herbs.

My Dill, the tall one was also getting top heavy

Washed, vacuumed and sealed also

After doing some running around on the island we stopped to get the mail, expecting my patio heater which I purchased with AirMiles to arrive any day. No delivery tag in the box but we did have 2 cheques from ICBC for the cancellation of the RV Insurance, nice.

Pulling up to the house we notice a box against the front door - must be the patio heater. Yup it was.

Brad and Robbie went for a walk along the waterfront while I put the heater together...

Seems a decent quality one too.

Once that was done, I headed down to the waterfront to catch up with the guys. I took the Jeep down as sometimes Robbie has trouble with his left paw. As I was getting out of the car I hear " Hi Katie"... Stacey was sitting there enjoying the view. Well, I could see Brad and Robbie in the distance and got his attention as he got up to leave and he joined us. 

We decided it was calm enough to do some paddleboarding and Brad & I ran home to get the truck, we then stopped to pick up Stacey and headed to her house to collect the boards.

Robbie is not sure what to make of this. He is not fond of water.

Attaching the ankle chain

All aboard

And she's on

And up

Stacey's turn

And away we go, around the point - past the pub and return...

Brad & Robbie walked along the shoreline 

Clearly, I'm a professional.... Not.

Absolutely beautiful as the sun begins to go down

Enjoying the scenery

On our way back, Brad didn't get any pics of us as we sat down in the bay relaxing for a few minutes. Here we are on our way back.

Watching Mum on the water

Which one is the mother? Me or the dog? He's such a worrier.

Stacey overtaking me

Beautiful sunsets which this island is known for, pictures don't do it justice.

Otters swimming in the water

After paddleboarding, we decided to grab chairs and a few drinks and join Stacey on the shore and enjoy the sunset as we haven't done this yet and its a thing here.... 3 months and never seen the sunset from the shore yet.

BC Ferry going to Vancouver

Ferry

Another distant ferry

Beautiful

This guy we call 'thumper' as he makes a thumping noise that we have been hearing at the house for months now... but we had never seen him up close like this.