Hi Everyone! 😊
I have been meaning to post a garden update but honestly there isn't much to report sadly. Arun over at Jaipur Garden Blog has a weekly link party called Garden Affair. That motivated me to post something today! I'm also linking up with Angie's Mosaic Mondays link party. I'm really having fun blogging lately! Please check out those links if it interests you or if you want to join in! 😊
Bad news first? When Alex and I realized our well was dry at the end of June, we had to have a new well drilled. I'd already put in all of my raised beds and the well had to be drilled very close to half of them. All of those beds that were near the new well got covered in rock dust. All of the plants in those beds either died or have stunted growth. My Buttercrunch lettuce (that normally thrives) is the same size it was at the beginning of July and hasn't grown an inch. I lost all of my herbs, strawberries, spinach, Iceberg lettuce, beets and green onions to the rock dust contamination, sigh...okay onto some good news:
Spaghetti Squash: there are two of these growing, I love this squash! So far the deer haven't found my garden, and I'm hoping it stays that way!
Tomatoes: they are finally starting to pop up on all of the plants! I'm so excited about this! My potato bed is filled too, I'm looking forward to a great potato harvest!
I love the skies here in New Brunswick, I'm so blessed!
This is the trunk of a huge Douglas Fir tree by the river. I thought the colours were fantastic so I wanted to share that with you!
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| Marlene, Charlie and Jack |
Do you think Jack is fed up of me stopping to take photos? 😊 See you all on Thursday for our art date! The theme is Night Scene.
🎅🎅🎅 I will be adding this to my posts for a few weeks: Please contact me via my contact form on the right side bar of my blog if you want to be on my Christmas card list! And also please contact me if you have been previously so I can give you my new address! 🎅🎅🎅
love your veggies in the garden and the sky shots are amazing
ReplyDeleteYour garden is doing very well considering the shortness of time and the problems. And it will get better from year to year. Love the photos of the three dogs, Jack's face says it all! See you Thursday! Hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteYour plants looking very good and I hope that you can harvest a lot. The three dogs are really cute. I love dogs.
ReplyDeleteMany greetings
Wolfgang
An thank you for visiting my blog.
Thanks so much Carol :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Valerie :) I appreciate your encouragement! I know it'll take a few years to get everything up and going in the garden, I just wanted it sooner! :))
ReplyDeleteThanks Wolfgang :) If I could, I would get even more dogs!! :)
ReplyDeleteYour tomatoes are the same colour as mine! I hope you manage to harvest some squash. That's too bad about the other plants. Do you think being without water was a contributing factor as well? Lovely big old tree.I love big old trees! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteHello Rain ! Thank you for stopping by my blog and all your lovely comments.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate it ! ;-)
I am in a bit of a rush right now, so I haven't been able to explore all of your blog but it looks wonderful .. plus ? I am home sick for the east coast .. as I spent a great deal of my childhood in Lousibourg Cape Breton, and I was actually born in Cape Breton .. but my parents moved a great deal .. and I married a military man so we have lived from one end of the country to the next and 4 years in the Netherlands .. but that ache for the east coast never dies.
I am looking forward to exploring your blog !!
jack just made me burst out laughing...what a dog!!! he has such a great personality!
ReplyDeleteWohoo! You got your garden. Rock dust, huh. Gather as much as you can and mix it in your soil before you put your raised bed to bed for the winter. Rock dust has tons of essential nutrients that growing plants need. In the spring when you are prepping the beds for planting, just mix it in with additional compost. Use the rest of your saved rock dust for future garden beds. It will save you lots of money and your veges and fruits will love it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry so much of your garden got messed up. Hope you will still get a good harvest with the things that survived. Your sky shots are so pretty. Have a fantastic day :)
ReplyDeleteThe garden is looking good. I just hope the deer don't find out about it. Beautiful pictures of the clouds and you are so right about the colors on that fir tree. What kind of camera do you take pictures with. They are so crisp and clear and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about needing a new well. Your plants are looking good though. We planted tomatoes late, I am still waiting for one to ripen.
Your sky is beautiful. Lovely mosaics and images. Take care, enjoy your day!
Hi Jenn :) Are your tomatoes bigger? Mine are the size of cherries and they're supposed to be the "Big Beef" ones, I hope we have enough summer left for them to grow. It was 10C overnight!! During the time when we ran out of water, we had a few rainy days...but the garden did go without for a few days of drought, could have contributed.
ReplyDeleteHi CanadianGardenJoy! :) I mentioned in your comments that we moved here 3 months ago. I lived in Moncton as a teenager, spent lots of time on Cape Breton and also lived on PEI for a year. The Maritimes were always calling me back! :) Alex and I bought our forever home here and we're so happy. This is a great spot here, in the middle of the province right between Moncton and Saint John. We still have so much to explore! I remember the fort at Louisbourg! Actually my favourite spot on Cape Breton is Pleasant Bay. I spent a week there and loved it, that's where I saw whales for the first time too, lots of nice memories! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's true Joyce :) LOL...Jack was just fed up with me hee hee! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice Jo! :) Right now that rock dust is CEMENT...I have no idea how we will remove it. We may need Bill to come back with his backho and dig it all up for us.
ReplyDeleteThanks Martha :) Yeah, the garden...but we needed water, the well ran dry a month after we moved here (dishonest seller). I think if we have a late summer, we should be able to harvest well! Fingers crossed!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Leanna :) My fingers are crossed for a late summer! I miss having fresh lettuce! Sometimes I use my cell phone (Android) but for a lot of these photos, I've pulled out my Canon Powershot. That was a gift from Alex many years ago for my birthday! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Eileen :) It was a shocker needing a new well drilled just one month after moving here. We blew the budget but we have clear and abundant water now, so we're happy! :) Good luck with your tomatoes!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing those beautiful cloud formations! Hope you are having a good week!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain! Our garden is behind but hopefully we'll harvest more next month. Usually we're eating tomatoes this time of year by the gallon! Gorgeous skies!!!
ReplyDeleteIt was a pleasure reading about your gardening activities. I enjoyed your Post, Rain.
ReplyDeleteThank you too for stopping by and your opinion to my question. Interesting for me, hearing other meanings about our daily life, sorrows and of course some sunny spells... like our lovely pets - we have a cat - and our plants.
Have a good week. Stay healthy and well.
Heidrun xxx
...following you on Instagram with my alias EricaSta
I am always so impressed with anyone able to grow vegetables, so sorry you lost so many plants, but your squash looks happy :-) the sky looks amazing, I am in love with blue sky and white clouds. I'll have to check out our recipes, all your dishes look so delicious.
ReplyDeleteRain .. my dad was the administrator from '64 to '69 for the reconstruction of the fortress .. I was a just young kid who absolutely loved everything about the place ... fog included ! LOL I can't imagine living in Quebec .. here in Kingston it is nice , close to Lake Ontario and the Thousand Lake area .. but the Atlantic ocean always calls me back .. even after we lived on Vancouver Island , as gorgeous as that was .. it is the cold Atlantic that has me ? LOL
ReplyDeleteI love the cloud pics, and the photo of the dogs of course (even if two of them chose to face away from the camera). Fingers crossed that your vegetable garden comes through for you before the season ends despite the early setbacks.
ReplyDeleteThere's always one who won't say cheese for the camera. lol. Our Molly the Cat is like your Jack.
ReplyDeleteThis is the first year I intentionally planted a vegetable garden. A few things only, to see if the Husband and I have the patience and diligence to take care of it. We could be better. :-)
Oh I hate that you lost so much of your garden but what you do have is looking healthy. LOL the dogs are like let's walk woman.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by.
Dawn aka Spatulas On Parade
I always enjoy looking at garden photos.
ReplyDeleteYour dog cracked me up - the expression on his mug...he's definitely thinking something.
The garden is doing as well as it can, I’m sure. Everyone’s is sad in this years heat. The tree trunk colors are great, but I wonder if they mean it’s not a good sign of a healthy tree. I love those pups! Jack always gets my attention. 😁
ReplyDeleteThanks Lavender Dreamer :) So far, it's been a great week! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Nancy :) Last year I had a lot of tomatoes! I also had green and yellow beans and I had too much lettuce to eat...this year, boo hoo! But it's okay, I kind of knew that the first few years here would be more of a learning experience for the garden!
ReplyDeleteThanks Heidrun :)) I just followed you back on IG! :) So glad you enjoyed my post! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Gone Tropical :)) I love the skies here. I lived in a different area before and the skies were never this amazing. The squash does look happy doesn't it? :) I just hope the deer don't find it!
ReplyDeleteHi CanadianGardenJoy :) I remember the fog by Louisbourg. I remember some kind of bread we ate too (I was young when I went there!). I can't believe I lived in Quebec for so long, honestly. I always had dreams of leaving but never found the right spot, so glad I have now! Oh the Thousand Lake area is nice! I've never been there, but I've seen photos. Actually I've never been west of Toronto. I thought about doing a cross-Canada road trip in an RV but I bought my house instead! No regrets! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Kris :) I do hope the garden has some kind of boost before the cold weather starts!
ReplyDeleteHi Su-siee! :)) Good for you for starting slowly! I did that my first year too, I concentrated on tomatoes. But I'm in a very new area in a different zone here and I should really have started slower...lesson learned! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Dawn :) Yes, the dogs keep sending me signals to keep walking lol! I hope what's left of the garden starts to really grow soon! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Debby :) Jack definitely has something in mind lol! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara :) That big tree looked in really good shape, all of that colour seemed to be sap leaking down and hardening. But then I don't really know about tree diseases! Jack's a character, and definitely a mamma's boy! :)
ReplyDeleteGardens are like that - particularly the plants you WANT to grow. I am pretty certain that any weeds covered in rock dust would continue to thrive.
ReplyDeleteI am excited with and for you about the plants which have decided to grow though.
As a chronic tree hugger I love that tree shot.
The animals we share our life with have either been complete photo bombers or (like me) have scuttled away when someone points a camera at them.
Hi Elephant's Child :) I agree with you about the weeds! I'm having no issues with them lol! :) I'm a tree hugger too and I really enjoy seeing the different species and shapes of them around here! :)
ReplyDeletehi,
ReplyDeleteglad to see you at Mosaic Monday. :)
I guess the first year with a new garden is quite an adventure. Next year will be better with not that much surprises. The water issue was something that you could not avoid.
Love the old tree trunk that is abstract art in nature :) And your skys are beautiful.
Take care!
Thank you for visiting my blog. I've only been to New Brunswick once (in 2008) and I've always wanted to go back. It's too bad you lost a lot of your plantings - that's always hard; hoping you have more success next year. Deer are a formmidlble gardening foe - they got almost all of our beans this year, and this is in a semi-urban community garden bed! Alana ramblinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteHi Monica :)) You're right, I really needed to deal with the water issue, I knew my raised beds were in the way...next year is right! :)) The skies here are very beautiful! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Alana :) NB is really a beautiful province...when you're outside of the cities that is! :) I'm not a city gal, I love the rural life. We have lots of deer here, so far they haven't found me!!! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is some lovely sky Rain.
ReplyDeleteI believe squash are akin to garlic in that it is almost impossible to not get a crop and then some...
So pleasant visiting you here!
ReplyDeleteI hope your right TB!! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Cloudia :))
ReplyDeleteThat little rascal Jack is absolutely precious! Great post, Nature Rain! And yes, that tree is gorgeous! That garden is looking good, too! Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteRain,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about the garden but next year things should be tons better. Maybe your tomatoes will do fabulous! The sky is gorgeously blue!! Off to bed now. Have a good evening!
You have a wonderful assortment of vegetables growing despite some setbacks early on. I do hope the deer don't find your garden --chicken wire around and over everything is the only way I can keep them from eating everything in my garden. It is so nice to see your pretty skies! Love your part of Canada
ReplyDeleteRain - welcome to Mosaic Monday - so glad to meet you and have you join our party! I am so sorry about your plant losses. I am also a gardener - more in the flower vein than vegetables - and I feel the loss of every plant very keenly. There is always hope for next year! I hope to see you again soon!
ReplyDeleteStunted. How sad. The poor lettuce. I've read that autumn veggies are often even better because they were planted in the heat of the summer and harvested when it's cool. I hope your growing season lasts through at least October, so you can have a good harvest.
ReplyDeleteI have to laugh because your tomatoes are doing better than mine, which I bought plants and planted them in a hay bale. Four plants, one survived and is just now getting a couple of flowers on them.
WOW on those clouds. Love the shots. And the colors of that tree trunk are wonderful. They scream autumn to me.
I'm so glad to be back online after nine days. Now I can read what I've missed.
Your canine crew looks so patient! I think your garden is looking pretty good in spite of the whole well fiasco. Next year will be better!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure, you will have a great garden and lots of veggies next year. :) Better to have new well and water. Have great day!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you lost so many plants, but the ones that are growing look great! Beautiful skies and Jack, "hang in there buddy!"
ReplyDeleteGlad some of the garden survived!
ReplyDeleteOi Vey, Rain! Cement dust is bad news because it's toxic to inhale the dust and it drastically raises the pH in the soil. My advice is to scrape as much as you can off and plant acid loving plants there like blueberries, raspberries, or gardenias. Otherwise, it will leach out calcium carbonate for years. You could have Bill scrape off the top couple inches of top soil add lots of lime and compost to back fill the area, and pray.
ReplyDeleteYour little veggies are so very cute. I hope you have time enough for them to grow big enough to eat. You've got a great attitude, Rain. Next spring and summer will, hopefully, be much easier in all respects.
ReplyDeleteI wish you all the best for your garden!
ReplyDeleteMine is a bit of a mess, but I'm happy to look at yours!
I love old, gnarled trees.
ReplyDeleteYum, I could enjoy all those pretty veggies Rain - some grilled, some in salads.
ReplyDeleteThe dogs are adorable and seem to have in their new home well.
I declare I have a purple thumb because plants rarely live wherever I am(lol). I'm sorry that you've had some trouble, but glad that the potatoes and tomatoes are coming around. Those pictures of the skies are absolutely stunning! Hugs, RO
ReplyDeleteHi Rain. I am so behind in comments. Sorry about your garden. Your tomatoes look great and hey potatoes, how can you go wrong. Next year will be better. Yes, you are blessed to live in the place you do.
ReplyDelete"Hope springs eternal". There is always next year! Love the dogs, especially Jack, but I am partial to hounds! The sky does seem bluer and the clouds whiter this summer. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dino :) Jack is very precious (and I think he might know it!) I love that you call me Nature Rain! :))
ReplyDeleteThanks Cathy :) I hope so! The tomatoes are there, but SO tiny! We are having such cold nights, I don't have much hope!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pat :) I used to put chicken wire around everything in my last garden. I just haven't had the time since the move! But so far so good, I'm still hidden from the deer! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Angie :)) And thanks for the welcome! :) I'm thinking of trying my hand at flowers next year. I'll never give up the veggies...but I would love to have beautiful flowers to look at every day in the nice weather! So nice to be a part of your Mosaic Mondays. I've met so many new people! I love it! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Elizabeth :) Yeah, stunted. It's the oddest thing. They look healthy. They look like miniature heads of lettuce, but they won't get any bigger! Weird huh? I have a friend who tried hay bale gardening and she didn't have much success. Glad you're back online too! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Leigh :) I hope you're right! I had envisioned a great harvest this year, but realistically, I planted too late...then the well dust! Aack. Next year! :) Chin up right? :)
ReplyDeleteVery true Kokopelli :) Water is much more important!! :)
ReplyDeleteLol Karen :) Jack is the most patient hound in the world!
ReplyDeleteThanks Christine :) Just a little! :)
ReplyDeleteOi vey is right Jo! Thanks so much for your advice. I had no clue about cement leeching out the calcium carbonate...I have to much to think about and so little time. I need Bill to come back here and get rid of that awful cement dust.
ReplyDeleteThanks Becki :) I'm trying to keep my chin up, it's hard though because my container garden did so well the last few years. I have to rethink everything for next spring!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jenn :) Oh my garden is a big mess, trust me! ;)
ReplyDeleteThey're really pretty aren't they Stefanie? :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary :) The dogs are SO happy here. We have a wonderful place to walk and they love it! :)
ReplyDeleteLol RO! A purple thumb! The skies here are so beautiful! I can't wait to harvest my taters, I hope they are BIG!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Nicole :) I'm just as behind on my comments as well! :) Next year will be a better year for the garden for sure, I'm counting on it! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Rosalea :) You're right, there is always next year! I am VERY partial to hounds! I didn't know I was until we got Jack! :)
ReplyDelete