Sunday, June 23, 2013

A Day Off

I gave myself a day off today!  No outside work....well, I did turn on the sprinkler for a  small bed with new plants in it and I took Sugar for a 6:30 am walk.  This was a pretty short walk but better than no walk at all!

I took one picture as I headed back to the compound.  This is from the far northeast boundary of the 20 acre hay field,
view fromfar in east 20 photo P1200213_zpsf0fc9b03.jpg

By the way, they finished with the hay.  We have 374 bales which should be enough!  It is a nice feeling to have it done and dry.

I told DH I didn't want  to milk and he said "well, don't".  That was all the permission I needed.  I just want to stay inside.

I made bread.  To some this might be work but to me it is not!  I look forward to needing to bake again.
This time I went back to one of the first recipes I used from Hodgson Mills bread book.  It uses oat bran hot cereal.  I did reduce the amount of whole wheat flour and used bread flour instead, hoping to please the helpmeet who likes a very soft bread.

It rose so quickly that, of course, one side split  again.....I didn't photograph that side..............

Nell, over on her blog was discussing self seeders....I couldn't garden without them! I am not fussy about what goes where.

Here is a rampant self seeder here:

Nicotiana sylvestris, supposed to be fragrant in the evening.....maybe I should try to stay up until dark and check that out....or not.

and rose campion with white and blue salvia farinacea ( all from a variety calledVictoria and  maybe Blue bedder).  I now have a blended white  and blue and a pure white,

This is a bad shot in full sun, sorry,



Nell also gave me a good idea for a combo here.  I finally, afer years of pining for, planted a pot of  Laura Bush petunias.  They are about ready to be planted out.  They will go wonderfully with the rose campion.

A better picture showing the blended salvia with the rose campion,


These are just more of what is now blooming,

Annabelle hydrangea that has become three separate bushes from underground runners but isn't as full as previous years.  I love her anyway!,



More daylilies,  I love the blooms but the foliage on mine is always unsightly.  I don't know why.


This is on the garden side of the fence,always the best for the clematis,
Harlow Carr with a lily,

and my favorite, Huldine,
please note I have now cut the weeds beneath her and  mulched it with straw!
and the two scrambling up into the dead apple tree.,


This awaits me Monday.





16 comments:

  1. I LOVE the sight of those big ol' bales of hay in the field. And even more in the barn!

    Do you know what large rounds are going for up around your area? Paul may actually make a trip up there if they hay prices are better than here. We're looking at $55 for "ok" hay, not sure what the bermuda is going for yet as it hasn't been baled yet.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carolyn, do a search on Craigs list for our area.

    http://springfield.craigslist.org/gra/
    I see from $40 for straight grass up to $55 for better quality.

    Do a search for hay once on the site to speed things up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Duh! Why do I ALWAYS forget about craigslist?! Thanks for the reminder.

      Delete
  3. Looks from all those straw bales you've got a job ahead of you. Hope the temps aren't too hot to work in. Been near 90s past couple days here so I'm only out in the early a.m. then back indoors where it's cooler. Can't seem to hack the heat anymore... Glad you got all the hay you'll need this year. Way better than buying, no? Gorgeous flowers, as usual.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do you think you'll get a 2nd cutting of hay later in the season? Maybe you'll have enough excess to sell...?

      Delete
    2. Fescue only grows well in cooler weather so it is rare to get a second cutting. For us it is better to let the cows harvest it.

      Delete
  4. Oh that photo of your bread makes me hungry. I think I can smell it from here.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hurray ~ you got the dry hay baled and in.

    Your flowers are oh so pretty and your bread looks delicious.

    I'm feeling really dragged out today. A summer cold, 4th day, plan to make a pot of Navy pea bean soup, and to sit in the jacuzzi for awhile. I'm drinking LOTS of water, taking vitamins and herbs too. No errands today they can wait until tomorrow.

    Love and hugs to you dear Glenda ~ FlowerLady

    ReplyDelete
  6. You have such beautiful flowers. A true old-fashioned flower garden which is the very best in my book!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am an old, old-fashioned gardener! The garden style just came naturally. My sis who is two years older has what I call a 'city' style garden with mulch between each plant.......

      Delete
  7. My nephew wanted to know what kind of oil you use in making bread, or other shortning?

    Those Clematis are just too beautiful!

    It is the nature of Daylilies to have ugly aging foliage. Just cut off that which offends you. I've seen people cut all the foliage back after they bloom, but I don't do that. I do yank off the uglies and either cut off the spent stems or wait until they're dry enough to pull out esily.

    Do you ever get proliferations? Sometimes little plantlets form on the stems where the daylily blooms were. They'll send out tentative roots and are easily rooted. The ones that do that here I rooted so many of I don't want more (Salmon Sheen).

    ReplyDelete
  8. My choice is always butter! KA flour, saf yeast, butter, eggs. That about takes care of it unless I made a grain type bread.

    I have had proliferations in the past but not for years. I am glad to hear I am not the only one with sorry foliage. I just 'neatened' up one this morning that was at the edge of a bed. I have been thinking about some shorter pretty plant to put in front of daylilies. I have a friend from the internet that is a very serious daylily grower with open houses, etc.at her garden. I need to check with her. Mums come to mind.

    I saw Japanese Beetles this morning. Now I am worried about the blackberries.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The Daylilies and Clematis are beautiful. Both are flowers that have really grown on me over the years. For some reason, I didn't like them much even a few years ago, and now I enjoy seeing them in photos and in peoples' gardens when I'm out walking around. 'Funny how our tastes change. Anyway, your flowers are lovely, Glenda.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Glenda, I enjoyed seeing your hay, blooms, and bread. I see you haven't posted in awhile. I hope things are OK your way. It's hot here, so I'm only gardening in the mornings and a little in the evenings.

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a lovely blog you have going here. I love the pictures...seriously that bread looks delicious! I moved to the Ozarks from Kansas City about a year ago and decided to start a blog about my life on the Finley River. I'm http://noplacelikehomeinoz.blogspot.com/ if you have the time to stop by! I'll be back to read more from you for sure! ~ Leanne Jernigan

    ReplyDelete