I plan on planting a few things, but so far I only have 8 tubs ready to plant.

I have a lot of work to do, here is one project I will have to hire done.

This tree blew down, it may be easier to cut another road into the south east corner of the place, daughter wants a house where there is no road. I may just kill two birds with one stone.

Made 3 pints, 13 half pints of applesauce and 7 half pints of apple jelly. One wouldn’t fit in the canner so I’ll take that to work and share with coworkers.

Here’s another beauty I brought home from the fling.

Open and the grasshoppers are already enjoying it.

That's great, Kim. I've only sliced and frozen my apples.

That is a beautiful flower. Grasshoppers LOVE my hibiscus!

Larry, are you okay?

Jennifer, I am okay. Madge and I have medical issues that take up too much time. Last week we had a lot of appoints, and we are still trying to get caught up on the small amount of chores that take too long to do.

Madge use to make some wonderful apple butter, she knows some people that have a large truck, and they would take orders from people around northwest Arkansas, that would drive to Idaho and bring back a large load of fruit. The fruit that they would bring back was much better than what you could buy around here. Madge had a lady that she would buy nuts from also. It is sad, but a lot of the people that we knew, and could count on are too old to supply the fruit and nuts that we liked to get. I would like to think that we could buy great quality fruits and nuts around here, but you really need to know someone that is in the business, or has the connections to get top quality. Madge will buy a few pounds of something from Walmart if she finds something that is really good, but that does not happen often.

Madge and I went to Ft. Smith to buy some supplies, and to eat out today. We had a great time. When we got back home I picked about a half bag of okra and called my cousin, and she and husband came over to get the okra and a good supply of peppers to freeze. It seems strange, but now that I am old I love to see friends and family more than ever.

Thanks Jennifer. Not sure where that plant came from. I’ll look and see in my notes. I planted so many things together in water jugs when I winter sowed.

I really want to plant some things in the garden, but I am concerned that my large population of grasshoppers would eat any young plants that I have. I have large amount of plants that the grasshoppers are eating, and If I knew that they would stay there I would feel better about planting. Times like these make me wish that I had a hoop house or a greenhouse.

This is my day to water,so I need to get started. I cant be out long at a time, so I water in areas, rest a while and move to another area. I like it when I have peas or beans to shell, that is something I can do while I am cooling and resting. I think that maybe today I will chop onions to freeze while I am resting. It is 78 degrees now, that is a nice temp to be working outside.

When Madge and I went to Ft. Smith Co-op yesterday I checked on the seed supply, I was surprised at how few seeds they had, I did not buy anything, and when I got back to the car I told Madge that maybe I should offer to sell them some of my seeds, of the seeds I wanted, I have a better supply than they did. As bad as I have been feeling lately, I don't want to have to be replanting, and I thought that fresh seed might have a better chance of coming up quickly. The co-op had no garlic, and very few onion sets, I think they were the same as I planted last fall, but I have plenty of those ready to go back into the ground. I am in pretty good shape in the onion department, but I would like to heve some type of red onion seeds, and some 1015Y, or something like that. I still want to plant some potato onions, but I will have to order those, as far as I know, I have never seen a potato onion.

Glad to see you Larry. I told Jennifer I was going to text Madge today if I hadn’t seen you on the web. If something bad ever happens to me, my son is informed to message y’all. That won’t be for a few years, but just in case. Larry, I was looking for some more onion seeds myself. But the closest feed store is the one where I got bugs in my seeds last time so I’m not really interested in going there. There’s a good feed store in and I’ll have to try them and see what they have. These little packages I buy, even though they’re super cheap, there’s only 250 seeds. And I know I could buy a quarter pound and do a lot better.

Kim, I got my Jalapeno pepper seed from the Farmers Co-op, those are the first seeds I have been really disappointed in, but I am not sure it was the seeds fault because of the unhealthy seed, it could be a disease, because all of the plants don't look bad. One problems I am having this year I think is made worse because I have everything planted very closely together. I don't have as high of expectations out of the co-op seed, but in the past I could over plant, and just thin the seedlings to suit.

Glad you're okay, Larry.

How's everyone else who hasn't posted in awhile? Jen? Glenda?

Here is a picture of a leaf on a jalapeno, but I have the same problem on other peppers. These peppers are looking a little better now, I think that it is caused by the okra blowing down next to it allowing more light and air flow.

Here is a picture of some jalapenos in the north garden. These peppers are in the shade a good part of the day, and look pretty good, but they are not as productive as they should be. At this point I am saying fungal disease, partly caused by not enough air flow,and staying too wet for too long, but I still expect to have plenty peppers.

I still plan on getting new pepper seeds.

I might add that Madge cooked 3 of the smaller sweet potatoes that I dug about a week ago, they had not been cured, but they were great, maybe a little smoother texture.

Hi. Thanks for sharing Kim and Larry. I always enjoy reading your posts.

I'm trying to get used to the 6-day work week and there's not been a lot of time to type up posts.

Also, I've not felt my best over the past few days. A nasty canker sore in a horrible spot and a few other things. BUT, I'm off the fruit/veg "diet" and feel a lot better. I guess our bodies change. At one time, I could rock that diet for 10 days and feel great. Not so much now.

Looks like the rain may miss us after all. SUPER disappointing. Watering at this point is becoming an unpleasant chore. It's tempting to just let it all go other than the Vego, Greenstalk, and seedlings in the hoop house. I've been watering the kitchen garden the lazy way with a sprinkler. It's keeping it mostly alive at least.

I didn't have much time outside after work and cooking dinner. But, got a few things watered. I haven't even looked at the SG in a few days.

The three fall Sungolds are getting big. I guess they'll need to be trellised. lol

I'm still in love with the root crops in the Vego. They're coming right along.

The back garden that I used to call Charlotte's Garden needs to be reworked next year--hopefully late winter/early spring. It's a great place to plant garlic, but I won't do that this year because of its issues. I'm trying to figure out where to put in.

Other than needing a long winter's nap, I'm doing fine.

How's everyone else?

Great here. Got a sprinkling of rain. Not enough but it watered my seed beds for me. Everything I planted so far is coming up nicely except the pkgs of old herbs, dill, cilantro, parsley. Press patch is looking so pretty. There is one surviving sweet potato hiding in there. Looks to be purple. The hibiscus blooms a new one every day. I looked in my notes and never found where I planted it. It might possibly be from the Texas variety I had. When it comes back it’s always different because it was a hybrid. Well just thankful it is there it makes a lovely backdrop for videos.

It is a pretty flower, Kim.

We had some sprinkles too. Nothing that would register, tho.

I had an hour a couple of nights ago and started cleaning up the native garden behind the shop. I've gotta be strong and not let ALL the gaillardia stay next year. There's still some work to do back there. My goal is to finish it by October. I like to put down a layer of woodchips on the perennial side each year. Once we get it chipped, we can tarp the rest of the woodchips and let them break down. There's grass/weeds growing in it at the point. That spot should have great soil honestly. I wonder what could be planted there.....hmmm....

Maybe some type of berry or fruit. Artichoke?

Oh well, that's on down the road a bit.

I'm feeling like a real loser. Everyone is pumped up about OU and wearing all the Sooner clothes and jewelry. They are fired up.

I've just been complaining about how I can't go into Norman tonight because of the game.

LOL.

I'm just not that interested in football. Someone offered us tickets for several games this year. There's so many other things I would rather do than watch football.

At one time Ethan was considering going to OU and getting involved with the marching band. For that, I would have gone to the games. Even when he was in high school, I just watched the band play. I sat near them.

We'll be doing our errands in Moore tonight rather than Norman.

Larry this is my okra. I’m 5’4” tall so I have to bend it way over to pick every night, however it is making like crazy. Next year I will try topping some to keep them shorter-right now I dont want to lose a single piece by cutting part of it off. I thought we would wake up to rain this morning but not here. Not a drop.

Today I’m watering all the plants I let go last couple of days so they could have rainwater. The ”cool” temps honestly don't feel much cooler today.

Jennifer, I am not a sports fan either, my husband used to watch football and basketball, now only thing he watches is Nascar. I honestly prefer working outside and sweating to sitting to watch sports - thought I was the only one who felt that way! Nice to know I’m not the only one.

This was beauty shop day for Madge, and she had made me an appointment also, so now I am beautiful. The shop Madge likes is between Mansfield and Hartford Arkansas, so when we finished I ask Madge to drive to Poteau Oklahoma for me to buy some potting soil and have lunch at the Boomarang diner. I bought a few ounces of fall seed and 10 bags of Top Notch potting soil. I was hoping to find some Giant Georgia collard seeds, but I was out of luck, I have looked at the Greenwood, Ft. Smith, and Poteau Farmers Co-op, and they all appear to be out, but I have plenty of greens seeds anyway, and I think that I still have a few collard seeds. I keep more seeds than I can use, when they start getting old I will bust up a spot in the pasture and plant the seeds for the deer to eat or place them in the bird feeder.

I am about out of Daikon radish seeds, they are one of the seeds I like to keep on hand, more for erosion control than anything else. Late in the year seeds can be bought a little cheaper. The 1 oz. packs range from $.39 to $.99 a pack. I like to go into the Co-op anyway to just shoot the bull with the employees and customers.

Glenda, your okra looks better than mine. I did not thin my okra as much as I normally do, which may have helped it to blow down in the last storm we had. The shorter row, which is the younger row did not get as much damage. At this time I am leaving the okra down hoping that the extra light will help the jalapenos between the 2 okra rows produce before fall. Madge and I have taken about all the produce we have room for. All Madge and I need is just some fresh produce for the table, and some seed to save, which there is more than enough seed already dried on the okra for next year.

I had Jerry to drive in some Tee post, which I was going to tie a 20' piece of rebar to tie the okra back up, but the peppers are looking better now that the okra has blown down.I expect that some of the limbs will turn toward the sun and start producing pods, if not, we are still okay. There is not much clean up I can do without damaging other plants. The trellis on the left is worse back behind me, there is a tall tomato plant on the end that caught a lot of wind and pulled the trellis to the south.

Here I placed the camera on top of a Tee post, and pointed it to the west, you can see that even the short okra is about to get too tall. I cant really complain, the short okra was blown over against the pepper trellis, but is still producing fine, and the peppers are getting sun from the south side. I will try to clean this mess up when fall gets here.

Jennifer, I am wearing down some also.

I hope y'all don't get tired of seeing my pictures, I don't know how to make a fill to keep pictures, so sorta just post them so I can see the progress of my garden as the year goes on.

I love seeing everyones pictures, Larry your pictures are overwhelming - it looks like my gardens in my younger days, but now I do good just to keep up with a few raised beds - no way could I keep up with your garden. I enjoy sharing with others, especially those who used to but just arent able anymore. However I have learned that a lot of people are just too lazy and will let you work for them and actually expect it. Kim, I was happy to see your picture and YouTube - its always nice to have a face to go with a name. I am disappointed in the missed rain and the ”cool front” - I was hoping for more. We have hay to cut but was hoping for one more rain to freshen it up before cutting again. My new zuchinni was beautiful and had been standing up to the heat and south winds, but the north winds today almost broke it off. My old tomatoes are blooming again, and the new ones are surviving. If I was smart I would call it a season and just quit but I havent given up yet. I dont intend to plant greens or lettuce for a couple of weeks yet, the new beans that came up look scalded. If you have plans for the long weekend stay safe

Larry, growing up we had the 'shrimp guy'. He was a long time friend of my parents, and once a month or so he'd go down to Louisiana and get a refrigerator truck of seafod, then go door-to-door selling it. He'd stop by and mom would buy about $200 worth of "real seafood", as she called it.

HJ, I'm right there with you on sports. Olympics are about the only sport I care for, and I seem to have lost interest in that the last few years.

Several years ago, my brother had an extra ticket to an OU game. And since I've never been to a "real football game", he insisted I go. I was more interested in the guy driving the wagon in the end zone and the pictures on the jumbotron than I was the game. Then halftime came and my brother tried to convince me to go get food for everyone. "I can't go now, the band is about to perform." He didn't understand why I wanted to watch that nonsense any more than I understand why he wanted to watch overgrown boys run up and down the field.

Larry, please don't stop posting photos! I love seeing everyone's gardens, especially since mine is so dismal looking right now.

Nothing of importance to report from my corner. Been busy getting the house ready to go back on the market. Our first contract expired and that realtor didn't really seem interested in signing again, so we found a new one who has already done more than the other ones did in 6 months. Here's hoping that all this effort pays off this go round.

Garden-wise, it's mostly dead. I still have a few peppers hanging on, but the tomatoes are burnt to a crisp. I'm thinking of spending the weekend tearing it all out and just laying a thick layer of wood chips over everything. Make it look nice for the next owner. The big circle bed is half full of partridge pea, which are bright and cheery mixed in with a few zinnia. I might have to pull all of it too, though, it's looking a bit worn.

Jen, this one is for you. You said your tomatoes were toast. This is one of the two Chocolate Pear tomatoes I have. I planted these in my north garden, which was planted later than the south garden. I hope you can see how loaded this plant is. I can not see the screen on my camera in the sun, so I did not get the plant located in the shot like I should have, and the plant is very " wind blown" from the storm, but considering everything that has happened it is a pretty nice looking plant.

Glenda, I have a hard time sitting still in general until dark. I think that's one reason I like winter. I'm forced to come inside and sit a bit more.

I do enjoy watching a good series in the evenings during the darker part of the year.

Your okra is amazing. And the flowers in front of it, beautiful.

Larry, I had a hair appointment yesterday too. Just a 2 inch trim. I missed my June appointment. The woman who does my hair is BFFs with my friend who I work with. They were sorta in a fight and I didn't know what my obligation was in all of that. Anyway, they're good again...and I got my hair trimmed. My natural hair color (when I was younger) is auburn (or a darker red). My natural color now is confusing. LOL It's sort of a combination of grayish-brown, and strands of auburn along with silvery-white stands. I've been coloring it a medium brown because red is hard. It rarely looks natural. BUT, my natural auburn still comes out after a few washes. I thought it would be easier to go with brown, but it's not. I probably should spend the money and have a professional do it, but it's SO expensive.

My sister has an easier time. She got the lighter red color. (My mom was a strawberry blonde and my dad had the same hair color as I do....or did). Anyway, her lighter red seems to be easier to color and looks more natural.

I did 23 and Me a long time ago. You can look up your "raw data" with it. I looked at the "red hair" SNPs. I received a T allele from each parent on rs1805008. T is considered the risk allele because it's associated with a higher risk of melanoma and a likelihood of having red hair. I just read something the other day about UVs and that SNP. Probably why I'm so sensitive to sunlight.

So, when I look like a dork in the garden--all covered up when it's 100 outside, that's why. I wanna look cute in a tank top and flipflops---but nope.

Anyway....that was a lot of rambling geek talk. But, it is interesting that the darkness or lightness of one's hair is a separate thing. 23 and Me says I'm more likely to have dark hair. It also says I'm more likely to have red hair. Which explains the auburn, which is a darker red color.

Anyway again....

Looks like we'll miss out on the rain this time. We had a few sprinkles this morning.

We've been running errands in Norman this morning, but I'm about to head outside to water a few things.

I got in at 8 last night. Did get the okra picked. It had been 5 days so a lot of it is too big but ran out of daylight.

I want to plant my cabbages and greens, but also don't want to get too dirty because Tom and I are going to babysit this evening. I'll get them planted tomorrow.

There's really not much new in the garden to talk about. Things look as good as can be expected without adequate rain.

Jen, I'm with you. The marching band is so much more interesting! Did you get some good rain? It looked like your area had a good soaker.

Larry, I enjoy your pictures.

So much to catch up on. The only time I watch sports is if I have someone in the game. Thank you farm gardener for watching me. Is a very new channel and I am still trying to get things figured out. Today I made a whole video with no sound. By the time I got in the house and figured it out. I was too hot and sick to go back out. I did do a video through the garden watering and noticed several places that nothing is coming up, so I need to take inventory and replant. Some of my seeds are old and not germinating well. I do have cauliflower, broccoli and cabbages and bunging onions doing very well and my peas sugar snap are up as well as a few carrots and some dill. as far as pictures I love them. I love seeing all the things growing and doing well or not so well. Either way it encourages me. I’ll pop some pictures up. Southern peas,roselle, sugar snap and carrots

We are getting a rain, if any of you have forgotten what it looks like, and want me to take a picture of you had better holler quick, because I don't expect it to last long.

My post disappeared again. So you'll have to use your imagination.

Robert, my imagination says that you got rain and everything is great, at least I hope it is.