It's good to be home

I'm back from holidays. No matter how much fun I have when I'm away, it always feels good to come home.  I've got a ton of laundry to do.  I should have done it today, but they were calling for rain.   I'm sure it rained someplace, but not actually here.    There are bins of camping gear to tidy up and put away.  I can't believe that I took my camera, but didn't drag it out, even once.   It seemed out of place to haul a camera bag and a dslr around at a medieval reenactment!  I brought my spinning wheel and even got to spend an afternoon spinning.  I'm not sure I spun enough though, to actually warrant the space it took in the truck.  I'll rethink bringing it along next year.

All in all, it was a good holiday though.  I had fun, spent time with friends, learned some new things, and learned a few things about myself in the process. 

I came home to find that the boys were fine, the chooks were happy and the Rhode Island Red crosses had bright red combs, which they didn't have before I left.   This means that we should be getting more eggs in a few weeks.

Garden Update ...
The garden is rather overgrown with weeds.  I don't think there is enough time this year left to put it back to rights though.   The Kolrabi is ready to harvest, but something has eaten all the leaves. The bulbs are tender and delicious though.   The lush patch of beets I had before I went away, is almost gone.  Nobody here has eaten them, so some animal has had a good meal or two.

The volunteer sunflower, is very pretty.  It's growing in the middle of the peppers, so looks totally out of place.  The peppers are giving the best harvest we've ever had.
The first tomatoes have been harvested.  We'll not get enough to freeze or can, but there should be eating tomatoes.

There won't be any pumpkins to harvest this year.   The plants have finally started growing, but there are only male flowers.  On the other hand, there are a few Kabocha squash, a new variety for me and of all things, there are watermelons growing.   There are two which are the size of large grapefruits and several more smaller ones!  I shall be watching them grow with great anticipation.  I've tried to grow watermelons several times before but never before actually had anything to harvest!

There are garden Phlox growing.  In the totally wrong place, they'll need to be moved next year, if I remember.  

This plant has small flowers which look similar to Foxglove, with both the colour and the spots inside the flower cones.  They aren't nearly as large though.  I've no idea what it is, but it's pretty enough.  There are a few other flowers blooming as well.  One black hollyhock, which decided to bloom the first year. It's a bit of a sad looking plant as well, which may need staking next year.   Not enough to dye with though, with only a few blossoms on it.