Sigh, welcome back?

Alas, it has been a while. What can I say?

It was a tough year for the garden. Many a times I took photos to document the actions of what was going on, yet I found myself too busy for a blog entry to happen. There's where dormant lies. A few select plants carried on through the summer. The tomatoes and peppers were rock stars and a few of their plants are still producing on a smaller scale. And the herbs are a plenty: thyme, parsley, sage, rosemary, lavender, and oregano act as though they are going to try and take on the winter. But after this weekend's freezing-like temperatures, I doubt they will rock much longer. But, in looking towards the future garden, kale and chard have been planted to hopefully provide greens during the winter. Chard was amazing last winter, I can't wait to have kale this year as an addition.

I traveled a bit in the summer for work, hitting up the Grand Canyon and Glacier, what gems we have in the National Park System. I was also preoccupied with artistic endeavors that made it that much easier on me when the plants continued to have things happening. If it wasn't the heat, it was the super bug bringing rain. They didn't stand a chance.

Found on a hike in GNP

I added a couple of items to the dia de los muertos wall on bark park. Multiple artists participated.

Placed my first wheat paste piece in public. Meet Koby. (SLee photo)

Although the plants didn't do as well as I had grandeurly imagined, they did produce yummy foods grown at home. And when that home is situated on a rock and is the upper desert, arid, mountainous land, anything grown and eaten is good fortune. I shall try again next year.

Coffee view from my little piece (rented) on a rock.

Hummers at the House.

Migration is bringing so many hummers to the feeders. I was lucky enough to have a camera next to me to catch the close to 20 at one time. Enjoy!

The Garden of August

I fully believe the rains of July and August are the reward of suffering through the crazy month of June. It is a bitter sweet reward, we have received lots of rain, and the rain brings bugs. There is a little pest that will probably be the end of the tomatoes. They are still cranking out fruits, but it is only time until they are overtaken. I thought it was just my luck, but come to find out bugs have taken most tomatoes on the hill. The poor plants look so sad, wilting in displeasure, I can't even take a photo of them in this state.

A recent rainbow over B mountain follows a rain.

I can't hate on the rains too much, because the other plants are really happy. The lettuce bed didn't do so swell this year in the heat and many things either went to seed really early, or they didn't pop up at all. A whole section of New Zealand spinach and one rogue green onion came up and is tasting pretty yummy. It topped a homemade pizza a couple of weeks ago, mmm.

Its better to show up late than never at all.

And speaking of plants doing their own thing; bundling sage. I couldn't get a plant to sprout last year, and was a little upset. I really wanted to grow my own. Well this year, all over the place, I have found plants. And in the oddest of places too. One coming out of the bricks of the planter, one by the compost, one under the huge prickly pear, and many more just random. I dried some and bundled it to give it a try. Not quite ready to burn, but soon.

"I do what I want!"

Having a dog that likes to hide their findings, and having little places available to dig, the box that is now carrots was once full of cabbage. I saved one sickly looking plant months ago, and saved I did! This healthy looking plant will soon be roasted on my plate, and I can't wait! And of course the jalapeno and serrano peppers are killing it and producing more than I can eat. I am still looking for people to share with. The blackberry I bought at the Douglas Farmer's Market is climbing so high. I can't wait to pluck a berry off the vine.

A head to be.

So fresh and yummy tasting.

Climbing to the sky.

While I had thoughts of grandeur early on, and easily disappointed at the beginning, I look at the garden now and am grateful for the bounty I have received. The variety is still there, just not as varietal as I was dreaming of.  But its not too bad for gardening in the desert on a hill.

Summer Sangria

Summer time, and the livin's easy...

My absolute favorite drink during the summer is the sweet and spicy homemade sangria.  No matter what is on hand, it turns out great. Since a couple of people have been asking for my recipe (I must talk about it alot?) I thought I would share. This little drink really only needs a few staples and you can make it which ever way fits the needs of your taste buds. This evening I went with a cheap Shiraz, let the games begin.

This recipe is really just the beginning of combinations.

Partial sangridients.

Ingredients:
1 bottle of red wine-  Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz
1 lemon cut into wedges
1 orange cut into wedges
1 lime cut into wedges
2 Tbsp of sugar
1 shot of brandy (a nice pour)
1 bottle of ginger brew
1/4 cup of orange juice

Spices:
1/8 tsp of clove
1/8 tsp of nutmeg
1/8 tsp of cardamon
1/4 tsp of fresh grated ginger
1 tsp of cinnamon

Pour wine and orange juice in the pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon, lime, and orange into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and add sugar and the shot of brandy (one Mississippi...). Sprinkle in the  spices and give it a stir. If you are not in a hurry, let the mixture sit overnight. If you are like me and want to drink it once its chilled, add the ginger brew, stir, and refrigerate. The flavors will become stronger as they sit.

Serve over ice. If making a double batch you might mix wines, possibly a Cab and Shiraz.

Sangria cooling over ice.

Variations: Sometimes you are caught without all the ingredients on hand, I know I have multiple times. By using what you have you can create many variations, possibly lemonade or pear juice in place of orange juice. A little twist of fresh black pepper and mint?

Looking good and producing tons

Now that the rains are here, and the deadly month of July is gone, the plants are doing great! Enough production to keep up with without feeling overwhelmed. Well, except for the serrano peppers, and I think folks are tired of me asking if they want the excess. I was gone for work a little over a week, and before I left to traverse the state I made up a fried green tomato sandwich with boiled squash from the garden. One helluva a culinary send off. A few shots of random things on my trip.

Didn't get to taste, but will the next time I am there.

Still searching for awesome signs.

Sunset Crater

Wupatki, a powerful place.

Leaving Sedona

Grand Canyon

Had to hit up Tovar before leaving my week at the canyon.

 A black crim tomato was ripe for the eating this weekend, and oh my heavens, it was AH-mazing.

When one buys from the local farmers and also grows their own food, it is really hard to set out to travel. The veggie options were slim, and what little veggies I could find were not grown locally. Boy, am I spoiled when it comes to great tasting local foods. It is hard to beat fresh cherry tomatoes off the vine.

Cherry tomatoes ripening.

Hall of tomatoes

 I learned a lesson this year of planting too early for some things, so I am going another round. What can hurt tossing a few more seeds around in empty, lonely spaces? Right before my trip I moved the tomato from the tire and planted calendula. It has already sprouted and will definitely an additional amount of color to the already killer tire flowers. I also tossed a patty pas squash and an eating pumpkin, both sprouting too. Today I added butternut squash. If all produce, this will be one killer fall. Just in case the later seeds do well, I planted additional basils, cinnamon and genovese, along with echinacea, shallot,  and fern leaf dill. I am hoping the free rain of the monsoons will boost the growing.

Tires con flowers

Squash or pumpkin?

Sneaky radish and un-thinned leeks.

Kale coming back strong after a pesky pest.

Lemon balm, rosemary, and lavender.

Jalapeno, squash, and tomato. 

Fungus amongus.

Pulled all the paste toms due to bottom rot. Very sad day.

Another addition to the compound is 1-year old Banjo. About a year and a half ago I had to put down my Stoke dog, and ever since I have been feeling a large dog hole. I saw Banjo at the farmer's market with Border Animal Rescue, heard her story and decided to foster her to see if she would get along with the other two. She fits in perfect, and they all three love each other most of the time.

Banjo.

A blog fulla nuggets

As I log in and take a look at my blog entries I am greeting by so very many with the orange 'draft' beside them. Entries promised to be published, then life takes a hold and they are created, yet only seen by me. Since this has been the practice as of late, today will be a blog fulla nuggets.

Life is going by pretty fast these days, but not too fast to snap a few photos. Its the words that accompany...

Sunset on the way to Riggs Flat Lake, Mt. Graham, Az

Jim, me, and Arlo

 The garden has had some rock stars and some not so rock stars. This year has been tough, but now that we are out of that damn month we call June, I think things are headed for an upswing. The tomatoes are rocking out and producing like no other. I had the first squash of the year this past week, and it was AH-mazing. The potatoes bit the dust, but the carrots are rocking out.  Trade off?

Mmm, Black crim

Blackberry climbing

The only surviving Harlequin marigold

The mystery plant flowers, waiting for the fruit to identify

Johhny Cash flower pot a bloomin'

Tried to go camping last night, but turned into a day trip, an adventurous one at that. Headed up the Chiricahuas by way of Portal, but the campsites open were lower than the elevation I live. Makes for a warm time, so back to the safety of the Mule Mountains for slumber. 

Tree pose, Barfoot, Chiricahua Mountains

Rounding the storm

My tarantula friend found at work

Huzzah for Crops that Make Yummy Drinks

The Peacevine cherry tomatoes are serious rock stars right now. They have found their way into many dishes and still have plenty to spare for the next creation. There are 4 of these guys, and they really deserve an A+ for their reproductive acts. I picked a ton today and still there are double amounts that are green or pinkish yellow, ready to be picked in a day or two.

I have been nursing a thrown out back, and chiropractic and homeopathy advice has gotten me through. What better of a healing power to partake in than to drink a bit of veggies accompanied by a lil vodka. Yes, a Maria de mierda made of local ingredients. I used many of the cherry tomatoes from the vine as well as things I picked up from the Farmer's Market. I started out using The Chubby Vegetarian's recipe since it holds goodness in each item used, but I did not have everything on hand, so I used what I had available to me this time of year.

I do not have Roma tomatoes yet, so I picked up 3 large tomatoes from the Co-op and substituted the cherry toms for the remainder. Yumm! Also, I did not have a cucumber, so I added beets and a mixture of radish I had left over from lunch. I upped the garlic to two, but will probably add more next time since I love it so very much. I also added sweet onion I bought from my garlic guy, ridiculous flavor and hope to never not put onion in. I used one drop of liquid smoke, might double that next time as well. What I would like to add to a future batch is a bit of grated horseradish and will wait to crack fresh pepper in the drink instead of the mix, while squeezing fresh lime.

Vitamins abound!

And if you can wait about 15-30 minutes for the tastes to kick it together, I suggest the extra time. It was crazy better on the second drink once all the veggies became pals. Add the juice, the vodka, then the grate horseradish, cracked pepper, lime,  and sit back and enjoy the yummy to the tummy drink.

Frieda dog and I are doing just that. I have my Ruta on hand to kill the back pain, icing the hurt area, and drinking the yummy libation while watching the B.R.A.T.S. run down the gulch. They switched from July 4th to Pride weekend, so the entertainment is a few weeks early. Each and every piece is outstanding, and I constantly think of cars I could possibly build, but have yet to settle on an idea to craft. To top it off, an early monsoon is threatening the area. The breeze feels amazing and the heat has been whisked away. It is a gorgeous day to sit on the porch, not one that comes along too often in June.

Keeping an eye on things

 Heather Green, from Heather Green Studios, and her students created this for B.R.A.T.S., cool, huh?

Folks from Shady Dell, cool place to stay

The Mouse Trap

Joseph and Co. before leading the lingerie parade for Pride

C Sharp

Hanging in Goar Park

And one little nugget thrown in is the Bougainvillea. I have not had much luck in the past for this beaut to flower, but persistence pays off and the rewards reaped. It is flowering, which hasn't happened in a long time...It is a nice addition to the loveliness of the front porch.

I wish I would have gained the skills of growing this from my Grandmother like I did of my Skip-Bo skills