(Set of 6 Forest Coasters)
(In Bloom Tote)
(Set of 6 Apple Coasters)
(Bye-Bye Birdie Handbag)
August came and went. Where does time go? All I know is that a considerable time was spent in the heat of the garden and then the heat of the kitchen. The photo above reflects some of my efforts with canning a few varieties of heirloom tomatoes. Many we froze in large quantities to make sauce with later. This year we conducted "the great tomato experiment." We have preliminary results in, but the final verdicts will have to be postponed until later this winter when we see how each variety preserved. So far Mr. Stripey gets a thumbs down.
{Mmm. Espresso!}
All summer long I have had a steady garden companion. However she likes to find the most shady spot and watch me work. And she never gets the weeding done like I ask her to either. :)
At any rate, I have been very pleased with the chamomile I started from seed this spring! And even though the bees have been feasting on its fragrant flowers, it was time for me to start the harvest. Harvesting is very simple. I pinched off each bud swatting away a bee from time to time and collected them in one of my favorite pottery bowls. 
It just so happens that the color of this bowl really pops with the chamomile flowers and made a good photo. A happy accident or was someone planning ahead? 
I left a few flowers in the plant. I felt a little greedy taking everything. To dry these I placed all the buds on cheese cloth, single layer and let them air dry for about 10 days. Just to keep things in perspective all those flowers only equals about 2 cups of tea. But the good news is that the plants haven't stopped blossoming! Chamomile is suppose to be a perennial, so hopefully more mature plants will produce more flowers for me next year. Or I can always plant a bigger patch next year. Which will probably be the case. Right next to the lavender.
I really don't think you can get enough blueberries. Over 4th of July break we went blueberry picking. Of course the berries weren't ready during the 75 degree days but were prime picking when it was over 95. 
The perfect sized box but it's damaged!
I needed something to disguise the damage on the card board box so I grabbed a piece of scrap fabric and some trusty double stick fusible webbing. I cut the strip about 2 inches wide and long enough to wrap back on the inside of the lid.
Fused one side to the fabric and peeled away the wax paper.
Used the iron to glue it to all side of the lid.
I fused the fabric on the top and bottom. Isn't this pacifier clip the cutest?
Close up on the button. I did not make this. I found it at a local fabric store.
Finished it with some ricrac and it's done! And I even had time to take the photos! Skillz. 
July 3rd I tore out all my lettuce. Most had already sent forth a tower of seeds but the red lettuce stayed full and beautiful. Too bad she's as bitter as a jilted bride. 
My golden beets are young and tender! I have discovered that this variety doesn't hold up well to refrigeration. I shook off the dirt, left the tops on them and put them in our mini 'root cellar' til tomorrow when these will be roasted up with some balsamic vinegar. Can't wait!
And our first red tomatoes. These are a roma variety. Part of our great tomato experiment this year. Over 11 varieties to see what we like best. These little buggers are like grape tomatoes on steroids. I hope the rest get a bit bigger. To celebrate the first red tomatoes of the season, and because they were so small, I made some garlic bread out of a french baguette and smeared the tomato into the bread. It was delicious.
Picked this lovely end table up during a First Saturday event in downtown Frederick, MD this weekend.
Solid wood with a midcentury modern feel. Dove tail inlays. Perfect condition.
Not a bad replacement to the old kitchen table chair we were using. Twenty three dollars and eighty five cents well invested I'd say!
