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8.15.2010

around here

My grandfather is an amazing gardener. Born into a farmer's family, it runs in his genes. He has several large gardens. Understatement. His operation is more like a mini farm. Despite the fact that by trade he was a surgeon, my grandfather has quite a green thumb. I'm pretty sure he could have grown a bumper crop of [enter any living thing here] during The Great Dust Bowl of 1930.

Perhaps it is because I grew up picking his fresh strawberries, eating raspberries off of my fingertips and munching on rhubarb that I am insistent on planting my own garden each season. Here's how it's going this season




Blame it on the hot Texas temperatures... Or the two weeks this summer that we were away in Wisconsin and the garden went unwatered in said temps... Or the fact that when we did this experiment to test the quality of our soil which should ideally be equal parts clay, soil, and silt, ours was more like 80% sand, 1% silt and 19% clay.



But we are a stubborn bunch, so despite our lack of success, we decided to throw down some compost and plant our fallish vegetables, in hopes that cooler temperatures and more faithful watering would result in a better outcome. And hey, my herbs are makin it. That's something, right?!



I've been trying to use up some of my fabric scraps so I sewed this "bunting" as it's called, for the kids. This project is really easy and a great scrap buster. I chose to make different sized flags to be able to use more of my scraps.


I also made this skirt for Indigo and appliqued a tank to match. She's been asking me to make her something with this fabric since before Evie came home and I am just now getting around to it.




I used this free Oliver and S pattern. This project is sooo easy. The whole thing probably took about 1.5 hours. This was the first time that I had finished a skirt with a ribbon hem. It was simple and I was happy with how it turned out. I will store that finishing tip away for future use!

My friend Lauryssa is staying with us and she took some family photos of us before church this morning. My goodness is it difficult (nay, impossible!) to get a good pic with a 1,3,and 5 year old. But I realized after she took the photos that all of us girls, myself included, were wearing handmade.


Case in point on getting a good photo

3 comments:

  1. Ah Texas gardening... The only thing we've grown successfully is rosemary--and it's taken over our whole garden... We've got some ideas for improvement for next year. (Tip from my boss: if you want tomatoes around here, you have to already have seedlings and plant them before the end of Feb.)

    The family photo cracks me up. I suppose it depends on your definition of "good". With three kids under age 10, it's not going to look like a magazine cover smile-fest, but I think the one you showed is pretty fantastic. Especially the way you and Dan seem to be laughing a little at Jude's look. That's real (fun) life. ;)

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  2. oh girl you should see what is left of our garden(let's just say it all needs to be cut down and to start all over again in a month or two)
    LOVE the picture of the fam....I think it is just perfect!!!

    Cute handmade stuff. I am getting ready to make a birthday bunting for Miss H!! yours is adorable.

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  3. I love your persistance in the face of said heat! Ack!! Its been steamy up here too, so I can well imagine what its been like for you guys! AND for us its so intriguing to hear of a Fall garden, when we are more limited to Mums and maybe a few pumpkins! :)

    I can't wait to see the garden yet to come and enjoyed the retrospect on your Grandpa!

    Sweet family pic too.....I think it says it all about a family with 3 kiddos of ANY age!

    Hugs!

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