Between the Drops

It's still raining... just ask the sheep.


They stay inside to avoid shrinkage.


It seems these days are the ducks' favorites, however.
They can hardly wait to get outside and enjoy the puddles.


And so, it would seem that Pennsylvania has a monsoon season this year,
and we are in the midst of it.
The rain may continue til the end of this week...
and possibly into next week as well.
I am so thankful that our house sits on the top of a hill.

As you can see... there is no need to water the gardens.
Fortunately, with above-ground gardening, the garden boxes drain quite nicely
and keep me from getting water-logged vegetable plants.


We do need a little sun to balance out this rain and help things to ripen.
The tomatoes above are a new variety for me.
They are known as "Little Smurfs" and are a blue (purple) variety of cherry tomato.
Although tiny, they take forever to ripen.
When ripe, their base will be red and their shoulders will be purple.

I took a walk up through our upper orchard yesterday to check the trees.
It's been a funny summer for fruit... perfect for berries.
And, as you can see, we have peaches ripening...


and pears...


and billions of blueberries...


but not a single apple in our entire apple orchard.
It's weird.
We have no apples to press for cider this year.
No apple harvest festival.
Weird... and sad.

Since we are not outside enjoying the flower gardens,
I decided to bring the flowers inside to enjoy.


I also have to share this video with you for a chuckle.
Turn your volume the whole way up...


Hubbs took it the other morning and said,
"See... Ginger is your soulmate!"
You see, I have a tendency to hold my breath sometimes when I sleep.
When I finally decide to exhale, I then do it in a groan...
much like Ginger in this video.
I don't snore, I just groan like the walking dead.
Now you know one of my deep dark secrets.
Hubbs says I sound like a zombie.
Great.

Comments

Kathy said…
The ducks are so comical! You must get a chuckle every day. Will you eventually move them to the pond or will they remain where they are housed now?
Bee Haven Bev said…
These ducks are staying at the barn. They will join the guineas in insect control. Runners are not good pond ducks and prefer to be meadow ducks.
littlemancat said…
Love it all! What happy ducks!
Mary
littlemancat said…
Well, don't love the no apples bit! That is a mystery since other fruit is forming.
Mary
This N That said…
Love the ducks..Too funny..Your fruit trees look gorgeous..sorry about your apples..wonder what happened..
The farmers and gardeners here are crying for rain. We got just a little bit on Saturday and nothing since. The tomatoes aren't any good this year, city water just doesn't do the trick like good ol' rain.
jaz@octoberfarm said…
those are some happy ducks! the rain keeps missing us. we got a bit last night but are really in need of some good rain. i have no apples this year either. i just hope whomever grows my honey crisps isn't having this problem!
I'm curious if you get any bears or other wildlife eating the fruit in your orchards? They seem to get most of the fruit I plant, it's so frustrating! I don't have an orchard (wish I did!!) but I have currants, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries.....and they get it all. Every berry.
Bee Haven Bev said…
Debbie...we've not had problems with critters eating our fruit. The apple trees are safely fenced inside the sheep pen. As for the berries... we have plenty to share, and it seems that the critters would rather stand at the edge of the woods and watch as we humans spend hours and hours picking!! Silly humans!!
Lynne said…
Brings to mind . . .
They seem to know the word ‘flock’ . . .
chatter quack, chatter flock . . .

Interesting . . . what’s the theory . . . no apples?