Garden Bounty

   First some beauty......first row of the garden beds with glads and mini zinnias.

Tall zinnias on the back of the calf shed.

A 4"x4" Yukon Gold already! An early Girl tomato and a Walla Walla sweet.

Harvest is in full swing; the past week included Quickie sweet corn, yellow squash, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and loads of blackberries.

The back garden; setting on lots of Butternut squash, cantaloupe and Honeydew measuring several inches. Just planted the rest of the bed in the foreground to the last planting of  Kandy Korn sweet corn and Connecticut field pumpkins. 

This picture is too distant, but l to r, flower row, then Annihilator bush beans, then onions and potatoes, all of which are maturing rapidly, then first and second plantings of sweet corn. We'll have Cloud Nine corn maturing next week, followed by Kandy Korn and Peaches and Cream.

Even a bunny shaped tomato!

Medical Update

   Pretty much "same old...same old".  Finished month 4 of chemo last Wednesday. Next week is an off week and then start month 5 of the same. Will have the next cancer marker test in less than 2 weeks....we pray for another decline in the number.

   The cumulative effects of the chemo are catching up to me a bit, but it's nothing I can't bear. It is working and that is the main thing.

   I thank those of you who continue to remember me and pray for me. It means so much.

Garden Harvest Begins

  Harvest begins...here I'm digging under the most mature potato vine to "steal" a few Yukon Golds.

Took a Walla Walla, sweet too!

Breakfast featured fresh boysenberries on Bran Flakes. We had some yesterday over ice cream when family was here.

Cucumbers and Fortex pole beans are climbing; we are working hard to protect the pole beans from the pesky wabbits! Bush beans are behind me and will bear soon. (That's Uncle Charlie the scarecrow in the picture, not me!!!)

First planting of sweet corn looks great! Corn-on-the-cob within 2 weeks.

We have been picking the first tomatoes for a week now. Yumm!

This is the "back" garden. Yellow squash being picked now, butternut, cantaloupe, honeydew melons, watermelon, more cukes and pole beans, and late corn, with 1 more planting of corn plus pumpkins next week.

My 2 favorite modes of transportation: John Deere and the golf cart.

Medical Update

  Great news on the Pet scan last week. All normal! We are praising God for this. Started the chemo again last Wednesday after an extra week off. I was beginning to feel more "normal" but the chemo really knocked me back. I have trouble with fatigue and weak legs. Hard to walk very far at a time. Also had a pretty good bout of nausea. But we persevere, knowing the chemo is working and God has a plan. Pray that we stay faithful to Him...His plan...His timing.

Blossoms and Berries

   We had a very dry May but received a welcome 1.25" of rain the past 2 days. The weather is unsettled and we'll likely receive more rain.
   The Knock Out roses and day lilies are blooming profusely and the garden is jumping.

On the right are the first 2 plantings of sweet corn. 5 varieties that should ripen in sequence, the first in about 3 weeks.The Walla Walla onions are rounding nicely, the Yukon Gold potatoes are blooming and falling over....new potatoes soon! Bush beans, Fortex pole beans and cucumbers on the left.

Boysenberries are ripe. Tart but sweet! Blackberries are very late but we should have a good harvest soon.

   Blueberries still promising a nice harvest.

   Not shown is the "back garden" where cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, summer squash, butternut squash and more sweet corn plus pumpkins are doing well.

   We actually harvested one tomato and one summer squash already!

Medical Update

   Prayer needed!  I had a CT at Vanderbilt last week and Dr Gian sees some "suspicious" areas on my liver that need further attention. So rather than start the 4th month of chemo Wednesday, I will have a PET scan next Tuesday and we'll go from there when it is determined what is going on, if anything, on the liver. Thank you for your prayers.