All right, it has been quite a while since the last update.

Here's the scoop.  The summer has turned out to be a lot more busy than I had originally planned.  Work, work, and other stuff.  I just got back from North Dakota where I spent a week seeing friends.  From everything I see, the garden is just the same, just needing water.

On July 4 we took the last cutting of asparagus.  This was a great year as we were able to share with friends and neighbors, put about 10 #'s in the freezer, and still eat more than most people do in a year.  The 10 weeks we are able to have fresh asparagus are probably the best time of the year for the garden.  We did take 7 #'s to my nephew's wedding over the Memorial Day weekend.  It was truely appreciated by all.  Right now we are watering and weeding the 4 beds, and will put down lots of compost, probably tomorrow.

On the sugar snap pea front, we have finished 3 of the 4 first plantings.  Only thing that I didn't do enough of was to offer good support for the 6' vines.  We still have the 4th planting to go and expect to be picking in another week.  The 5th planting of Sugar Snap is already up in a 8' row.  The 6th planting just went in the row next to it this afternoon between rain showers.  Given enough time, we should have some great final pickings.  And yes, I did put in cattle panels for the vines to grow on.

I dug the garlic on July 11.  It is all tied up in the attic drying.  Great crop!.  Harvested almost 200 heads.  I think everyone that I planted grew.  The beds were turned under and 1 went to peas, and the other went to fall broccoli.  Probably will cut back next year to only 1 bed.  That will be the bed that goes to late peas.

The broccoli has been great.  We are harvesting lots of side shoots right now.  The Premium Crop was nice, but it is too small for what we really need (and want).  Next year I will go back to the more heirloom varieties.  The fall broccoli looks great.  Transplated 14 plants on 12 July and they are growing to beat the band.  Should be some really nice fall produce.

Cauliflower - tried it for the last time.  It is too sensitive and I am not willing to invest the time, resources and space to be disappointed.

Brussel Sprouts are great.  I just started taking off some of the lower leaves.  Now is the time to keep it watered good.  Will mulch tomorrow.

Lettuce, beets, and swiss chard continue to be our greens.  Eberythng that we like and need.  Will harest some beets for cooking in the next few days.  They are from the left over thinnings.  I will plant some more where #3 peas came out. 

Beans are just flowering and will plant the third planting tomorrow.  I know it is late, but better late than NOT.

The currants are great this year.  Took almost 5#'s of red to the freezer already.  Need to pick more tomorrow if time permits.

The raspberries are in full picking right now.  Have froze over a gallon and will most likely freeze another gallon tomorrow.  Freezer space will be a premium as we have 25#'s of strawberries in there already.

Will try and get some pictures but right now am spending my time keeping the weeds at bay.

Again, I apologize for the lateness, but...

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

You might think this is going to be about snow. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Just got back from Hawaii. Thought I would tantalize you with a little shot of heaven. This is the sunset from the north shore of Oahu. We saw a great day of surfing at the Bonzai Pipeline and spent the time watching the sun go down. What a sight to see.

To put this in perspective, the temps were in the 80's with a heavy dose of sunshine. If it did rain, it was not for more than 5 minutes and then the sun came right back out.

We left the cold and the snow in Wisconsin. The change of weather was great, but as the week wore on, it was a good thing to remember that home was where it was and Hawaii was vacation. The airlines ran great, O'Hare was tolerable, and we did see 3 deer playing in the snow in the front yard when we drove in the driveway on Friday morning at 0315.

Welcome home.