Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Hodgepodge in the Summertime

Yes, I do believe that summer has arrived!
It has been in the mid to upper 90s here the past few days and all I can say is...


So here's a little blast from the past to bring back a summer memory or two.


And my little garden must love it because it's going crazy.


I have my own personal little jungle growing on my deck!


They're all clumped together in the corner of my deck that gets the most sun.
So far they seem to be getting along pretty well and playing nice with each other.
I have heard that certain plants shouldn't be planted near others but I really don't know which ones...
...remember, this is still in it's experimental stage. 😉

Just look at my precious babies!
I have one eggplant but there are others in the process,



my tomatoes are still mostly green and you can bet I'll be pulling a few of those off the vine
for a mess of fried green tomatoes before they ripen!


And remember those male and female zucchini blossoms from a couple of posts ago?
Well, here's a look at the difference...the male blooms have skinny stems...



and the female blooms have fat ones that actually are what grows into the fruit, itself.



Yes, zucchini are actually a fruit, as I found out on our trusty Google.
Can you tell that I am excited about my little garden??
~
But right now, it's time to get to those Hodgepodge questions...
...where Joyce asks the questions on her blog and we answer them on ours.

1. Summer is upon us this week in the Northern hemisphere. Tell us three things on your summer bucket list.

When I think of a bucket list, I relate it to something I want to do before I die. To tell you the truth, there are many things I want (need) to accomplish this summer but I wouldn't necessarily classify them as bucket list items. As usual, one of my goals is to stay cool! It has been miserable here the past few days and summer hasn't even officially arrived yet...Lord help us by the time August gets here! As far as plans go, the only travel that has been nailed down is a trip to Ohio to visit the family and attend my brother's surprise retirement party. He has been Minister of Music at his church for 30 years and is finally turning over the reins to his assistant. We do plan to make another trip to TN next month as well and I would love to get to the beach. I also have tons to do to the house, some jobs no doubt will be put off until the fall when it gets cooler.

2. Something fun you used to do as a kid in the summertime?

Oh my, where to begin...so many fun memories. It could be something as simple as throwing an old blanket over the picnic table and benches to make a clubhouse and eating a picnic lunch in it. I also remember staying outside and playing with our neighborhood friends all day long until dark nearly everyday...games in the vacant lot next to the house that included Red Rover, kickball or softball, croquet, Red Light-Green Light, freeze tag or hide and seek. There were games of hopscotch and roller skating on the sidewalk, riding bikes on our dead-end street...only, and jump rope games (including some of the adults) right in the middle of that dead-end street. The summers that we could afford family passes to the swimming beach at Crystal Lake was always a special treat but only when the older siblings were able to drive us as well as stay with us. Dad was always working and Mom never drove a car. It was a wonderful time in my life and it saddens me a bit thinking that so many kids growing up in today's world, with all of their technical gadgets, social media and the like are missing out on so much fun...and what's it's truly like to be a kid.

3. Rooftop or backyard? Why?

Rooftop seems to be referring to the city life and that is just not for me. I've never lived in the city nor do I think I would be happy doing so. Give me a backyard any day and it's even better if there's a big ol' porch, shade trees with a hammock and a great fire pit. Oh, and throw in a mountain view as well and call me a happy camper!

4. Do you read food labels? Place importance on them? Make an effort to find out/care about where your food comes from?

Yes, yes and maybe. For years now, I have found myself reading the nutrition info on nearly everything I buy. It has surprised me how much sugar and/or sodium some products contain. I should surely be dead by now when I think about all of the years this information wasn't known to us consumers. Now, this is not to say that everything I put in my mouth is always super healthy...but I am very glad that the info is readily available. I have to admit that I am not as concerned about where it all actually comes from....maybe I should be.

5. A song you'll have on repeat this summer?

I can't think of one certain song I will actually have on repeat, simply because I would rather listen to the wind rustling in the trees and the birds singing. If this kind of heat stays with us all summer, there won't be much listening to those sounds either because I will be inside listening to the sound of the ceiling fans twirling and the A/C kicking on and off.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Wedding bells were ringing over the weekend at an impromptu ceremony in Gatlinburg, TN.



Aaron and his Michelle have most definitely endured a lot during their 14 years together. She has been there right by his side during some very trying times. We love her very much and are so happy that she is finally officially our daughter-in-law!


Many of you have prayed for him and some of you still do...I appreciate it more than you know.
Please don't stop now! 😌

36 comments:

  1. Yes, your crops look wonderful.
    I can almost imagine you plucked that eggplant as soon as you took the picture :)

    Congrats to the bride and groom, and your dil!

    Have a great week :)

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  2. I would have been tempted to grab that eggplant! The heat has been turned up here this week, also. Congratulations to the bride and groom.

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  3. Awesome plants!! You have a great green thumb!! I think we had the same childhood - red light green light and playing outside all day!!! I am now following you - you can follow back if you like at Annster's Domain

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  4. Your garden is truly amazing! You are doing great with your experimenting! The tomatoes look wonderful. Your summertime as a kid sounds like mine and you listed things I had totally forgotten. We threw our blankets over the fence to make our tent and did most everything in your list of memories. I love it! Congratulations on the wedding and a new member of the family.

    It's been very hot here, too, however, we did get some rain.

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  5. Aw. I love that impromptu wedding...

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  6. Beautiful song on summer. Love your garden. You have many things to get harvested.All the best for the newly married couple:)

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  7. First of all, congratulations to Aaron and Michelle!!! What a beautiful setting for an impromptu wedding to take place.
    Your garden on the deck looks healthy and prolific, Debby. Many of your reflections on growing up, brought back memories for me, too.
    Thank you for your visit, and yes, one of those blue teacups came from special you!!

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  8. Growing up in rural America was the best and I wouldn't trade those childhood experiences for anything. It sounds like we had similar childhoods. Your garden is beautiful and everything looks so healthy. Of course, I always enjoy your pictures. Congratulations to the newlyweds.

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  9. Your garden is BEAUTIFUL! I just love it all and girlfriend, Oh yes....some fried green maters is on my list too. YES it has been so stinking hot and I just can't take it like I used too. Lord give me cooler weather. Granny used to say, "You can put on enough clothes to stay warm but you can't take off enough to be legal! LOL!
    We are getting lots of rain too but It isn't cooling things off neary a bit. Congratulations on your daughterinlove. How precious my friend. God is good and He is so faithful. Oh girl, no bucket list per say for summer but I am looking forward to a three day beach getaway with Marty beginning Friday morning bright and early. Much needed time. Then end of July will be our family week long beach trip which is always so much fun with the grands. Right now, that's about as far as I can think. Hoping you have a wonderful rest of the week my friend. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  10. It's been in the 90s all week here too; our feels like temp was 100 yesterday! I wasn't ready for it because it had been pretty temperate for a while there.

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  11. Congratulations to your Aaron and his Michelle on their wedding, so happy for you all. Your garden is blooming beautifully isn't it. I love the green and purple of egg plants and those tomatoes are multiplying as we speak. =) Oh to be enjoying Summer.....slightly pea green down here! Wasn't childhood back in the good ol' days wonderful, where we always found something to do with all the kids in the street...cricket, exploring creeks, riding bikes etc etc. Nobody seemed to have any money but we all seemed to have excellent imaginations and know how to make our own fun. Again....your photos are beautiful!

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  12. Your garden is lush! Love it. My mom never drove a car and summer from your youth sounds a lot like mine. Congratulations to your son and his bride. May God bless them and keep them.

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  13. Congrats on the wedding. Your garden is looking good. Before I knew about zucchini blossoms, I thought that the squirrels were breaking off those blossoms. LOL! Now those blossoms taste pretty good with batter and fried up.

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  14. Your garden looks great! We are experiencing heat and a crazy great growing season here as well. And I am already eating tomatoes!!! IT's wonderful.

    Enjoy the rest of your week,
    Andrea

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  15. Wow, your "garden" looks great, so healthy and vibrant and some mighty good eating. Yes, it is so very hot and humid here, just takes your breath away and it's just June. I could relate to so, so many of your childhood memories, and you are so right, kids today will have no idea of what Red Rover, Hop Scotch, etc is. Happy rest of the week!

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  16. Awww...congrats to the newlyweds! They look happy. 👰🏻

    Your garden looks absolutely lush and amazing! I appreciated the sex education lesson for zucchinis, too. Everyone I know has great success growing them, except me.

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    1. I have never had success with zucchini, either. Thought that would be a crop that couldn't fail, since everyone always has more than they can use. Not for me! May have got a half dozen the last time we tried to grow it. Now I will just take the excess zucchini that others are looking to give away.

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  17. Wow your garden is wonderful. Everything looks great.
    Congratulations to Arron and Michelle. Prayers will continue for both.

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  18. You really do have a green thumb...lots of wonderful veggies and fruits on your plants. And I'm happy for this couple and will keep them in my prayers! Hugs!

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  19. Debby, your garden is simply amazing! It looks far better than any garden I have ever planted in the ground! Just beautiful.

    Fun Hodgepodge today -- I'm with you on the repeat song being wind in the trees and so on. Yesterday was a gloriously breezy summer day.

    Our childhood summers sound quite similar. Life was so much simpler back then!

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  20. Oh -- I forgot to add, congratulations to the newlyweds! What a blessing! And what a lovely setting for an impromptu wedding!

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  21. Love seeing your garden and the tiny eggplant. Nice!

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  22. Wow to your garden and yes to the heat!! Intense. I had forgotten about the male and female zucchini. I have to check ours as we have lots of flowers and no zuchs yet though plenty of cucumbers. Your childhood sounds so much like mine. Those were the days. Congratulations on the wedding, I hear your mama's heart!

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  23. Your little garden looks very healthy and happy.Makes me think I should try some veggies in containers again.Next year, maybe. Congratulations to Aaron and Michelle.

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  24. Hot Fun in the Summertime, by Sly & the Family Stone, was my song too! Love it! An oldie but a real goodie!
    Your crops look great. So jealous of your eggplant! Think I may run down to the store and get some for lunch! They're 99cents a pound this week!

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  25. Congratulations to Aaron and Michelle! And, your garden is just beautiful!

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  26. I'm testing it too so you receive from outsider.

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  27. Hi Debby thankyou for visiting my blog and i hope you are receiving your comments now in your emails.
    What a lovely blog you have my friend,love your home grown veggies cant get better than home grown,hope you have a lovely weekend,i am also your newest follower hope you will follow me also xx

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  28. Oh how exciting that Aaron and Michelle got married in such a sweet ceremony! Will definitely continue praying for them! Your garden is doing amazing, it is so exciting to see things growing and just about ready to eat! I hope you get to do some of the bucket things on your summer list, and I know you will enjoy your visit with your family and celebrating your brother's retirement, blessings and hugs to you sweet friend :)

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  29. Wow, your garden jungle looks amazing! Ours kind of "s--ks"....The Man has gotten the Pinterest Bug and did a bunch of things that were suggested for growing great tomatoes. Let's just say he won't be using those techniques again! We are to the point where we could have "fried green tomatoes on the vine"....111* yesterday and on its way up! Most of our days right now are in single digit humidity, which is why they call it a "dry heat!"

    Congrats to your son and new dil and to all the family. That is wonderful! Gotta love the overall-clad minister!

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  30. Oh my you left the best 'til last!
    So pleased that Aaron and Michelle got married, what a special day. I will keep them in my thoughts and prayers.

    Your garden is looking good.
    My good wishes

    All the best Jan

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  31. Your garden is coming along nicely. I smiled when I saw the egg plant, as my dad used to have a garden across the street from our house growing up, and he would bring home eggplant. My mom would fry it up and serve it for dinner that night. I sure do miss it. There's nothing like home grown tomatoes, is there? I bet you love looking out your deck and seeing all your plants.

    Enjoy these summer days, Debby, and Yes, I can comment today!

    ~Sheri

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  32. What beautiful gifts you have from the Lord...from your garden to family!
    oh, and for me....I read food labels. If I cannot pronounce or have any idea what an ingredient is...I put it back. :)
    I love being able to shop my own garden...going out in bare feet and getting just enough for the meal.

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Thank you for stopping by today! Your sweet comments are such an encouragement to me.

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