The Garden Thread - July, 2025

July, 1, 2025 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[Pollard]

evapotranspiring

For whatever reason, boredom I guess, after staying in the AC all day, I decided to go out at 3:30 so I think I did a little of that myself. An hour was enough but I need to either go out this evening or tomorrow morning and fill a tank of water. Plants are looking a little wilty today.

I've been running the AC in the truck on the way to work lately. Near 80 degrees and 100% humidity in the mornings. Not really hot but sticky.

[FamiliarFace]

***God works in mysterious and amazing ways! Loved your line about, ‘I held on to him for Dear Life!’ *HEART***

Diana and Beau, I’ll bet you’ve heard this song before. It always gets me. ❤️

Bless the Broken Road
Rascal Flatts

I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn’t see how every sign pointed straight to you

That every long-lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like Northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
Yes, He did

I think about the years I spent just passin’ through
I’d like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You’ve been there, you understand
It’s all part of a grander plan that is coming true

Every long-lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart, they were like Northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
Yeah

And now I’m just a-rollin’ home
Into my lover’s arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you

That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, mm, mm.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8-vZlrBYLSU

[FamiliarFace]

I think you may be more dedicated than I might be. I’m having a hard time waiting to see if there are any baby red potatoes to dig up in September or October!

[FamiliarFace]

Go for it! We have several Rose of Sharons here, all different colors. The hummingbirds love them! We have two right off of our deck, where two of the hummie feeders are, so they love to go through the shrubs/trees and hit the nectar feeder, too.

It may be the one tree we have, besides the redbuds, that seem to sprout all over our yard. I keep my eye out for where some are growing but I might need to transplant them, since they get rather large.

[FamiliarFace]

Really enjoyed your story. You’re a good dad, making sure to stop for a shirt for your daughter. I hope she appreciates what you’ve done!

[Liz]

Those smoothies are very pretty, and would be great on a hot afternoon!

---

Love serving them in milk bottles.........if you can get them.

[Liz]

Summer gardens’ bounty of fresh vegetables can be incorporated into delicious
casserole recipes. Pioneer Woman has some great recipes. Here are a few ideas:

1. Zucchini Parmesan casserole
This recipe utilizes an abundance of summer zucchini by layering it with cheese and a savory breadcrumb toppi ng. You can roast the eggplant until tender before layering it with a homemade tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.

2. Summer vegetable and rice casserole with chicken
This healthy and flavorful casserole combines summer vegetables like zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers with cooked brown rice and shredded chicken. The casserole is bound by a creamy sauce made with eggs, Dijon mustard, cottage cheese, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.

3. Vegetarian enchilada casserole
This is a vegetable-packed Mexican-inspired lasagna that uses corn tortillas in place of noodles. If you like some heat, you can add spicy pico de gallo to the recipe.

4. Creamy corn casserole with lime, chiles, and cilantro
This casserole is a fresh take on classic corn pudding, bursting with the flavors of sweet corn, lime, serrano chiles, and cotija cheese. The sweetness of the corn and the tang of the lime are balanced by the spice of the chiles and the salty cotija cheese.

5. Roasted summer vegetable casserole
This simple vegan casserole is layered with seasonal vegetables like courgettes, red onion, aubergine, tomatoes, and new potatoes. It is seasoned with olive oil and garlic, according to Good Food.

These are just a few websites w/ examples of the many summer casserole recipes available.

Allrecipes
https://www.allrecipes.com

Simply Recipes
https://www.simplyrecipes.com

The Pioneer Woman
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com

[Qiviut]

One of my favorite songs. Totally the story of my niece who traveled that ‘broken road’, endured some serious heartbreak, finally found the ‘right’ guy, & her dreams of being happily married, children (they have 2 little boys) & living on a small farm, have all come true. I can’t listen to that song without thinking of her - makes me cry (happy tears).

[FamiliarFace]

Very sweet! Thanks for sharing that.

[Pollard]

Another rabbit hole that I did not think would be such an impossible thing. A ring binder in A5, A6 or A7 size with the rings on the short edge so it's like a pad of paper or clipboard where you flip the pages up. Unobtainium.

Gonna have to make one. I can buy just the ring mechanism. Sheets of A sized paper all have the long edge as the same dimension of the short edge of the next larger and size and visa versa. I don't need a front cover or even a bound edge. It can be a flat panel with the ring mechanism which is something I also thought I could buy. I guess phones have negated the need for a lot of things.

An A7 mechanism used with the short edge of A6 card stock, printed, laminated and holes punched will give me what I want. Cheat sheets and check lists for the CNC machines and other programs and procedures at work. Tabs to group them is easy enough. Glue a magnet to it and stick it right on a machine.

Only thing bound on the short edge is 4x6 photo albums but they're all so pretty.

[Qiviut]

We have hummingbirds here! I had hummer feeders out at the old house & loved sitting on the porch watching them. Just before dusk, the feeders got really busy when they would come in and ‘tank up’ for the night.

I have not put feeders out here - mom doesn’t want them where I want them & I’ve been too busy to resolve that issue, unpack & dust off the feeders, etc. I’ve seen the hummers around so if I put feeders out or had a Rose of Sharon Bush, I know we’d have hummer visitors. Maybe next year I can get the hummer feeders out.

[MomwithHope]

I used to tell people that when God handed out patience I stood in line 3 times. It is really all about patience and God’s timing in everything.

[Pollard]

Ok not the best pic but hopefully someone can tell me what these little bugs are. About the size of a gnat.

Looking at pics of flea beetles and some are this color. They're on the squash and celery leaves but don't seem to be eating them or at least I'm not seeing any damage yet.

Gonna have to go back out and look harder for damage, see if I can get a better picture and also check the squash flowers and see if I can find any females. I've had a ton of flowers for a couple of weeks but no signs of fruit. Just read that plants have both male and female flowers but males come out first so that's probably the case.

10x for the pics was a bit much. Just put the camera on macro to see if that helps. Couldn't find the option when I was out there but it's a new phone and I'm still learning it.