A Bumper Crop

This has been a summer unlike many.


We've had breathtakingly beautiful, sunny days
and just the right amount of rain.

As a result, we have several bumper crops.
Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes....
so many tomatoes!


Actually, everything in the garden came in well this summer...
and just kept on producing.

With all of this sunshine...
we have been able to bank a lot of solar power as well...
always meeting our own needs...
as well as producing more than we need.


This "extra" energy feeds into the grid and counts as a credit
in our energy account.
That way, when winter comes and the sun shines fewer hours,
we will have solar credits left over from summer to power our house.
I am predicting we will have enough solar power to meet all of our needs for the entire year...
and then some!
Any credits left over at the end of the year will come back to us via check.

Perhaps the biggest bumper crop of the summer has been the hummingbirds.


We have more hummingbirds than ever!


It seemed, at the beginning of the summer, that we had the usual few.
However, now, since the babies are now out of the nest,
we have too many to count.


Every morning, we fill our three feeders.


By mid afternoon, they look like this:
(the closest is empty, the other is half full)


I can stand at the feeders and take photos,
while a dozen or more hummers buzz around my head.
It's absolutely magical!


Turn your sound up for this video!!
Link to video, if needed.

PS... thanks for all of the care and concern regarding Hubbs' hornet reaction.
He is doing great... back to his normal daily activities of golf and bike-riding.
We've ordered replacement medications so we are prepared in case this happens again,
and yes, he carries a kit when he rides as well as when he golfs.
I might have to make him a man-purse!

 A bumper crop of bags!
So, while we are on the subject...
I finished these bags and started two more...
You might notice that I used a hot hairdryer on the brown canvas bag
to remove the distress lines (easily added back if preferred).
The grey bag below was left as is...with the distress lines that occurred during construction.


lined with....


lined with....

A 16 X 16 wool and waxed canvas tote with leather straps...


lined with...


I am planning on getting some of these up for sale in my marketplace as soon
as I have a few more made.
I will let you know when that happens, as I have gotten requests for quite a few of them.

Comments

colleen said…
I would love to see more than the usual one at a time at our feeders. I keep putting the feeders up so maybe one year I will get lucky.
Your purses are gorgeous!!! I like them all.
Glad to hear Jack is back to his normal routine.
jaz@octoberfarm said…
the hummingbirds heard about the fairy gardens and decided they want to live there! the bags are wonderful and the mushroom ones are swoon worthy. you are SO talented!
The JR said…
I'd love to do solar like y'all are. But, really don't know how to get started and how expensive it is to do it.

Our tomatoes have stunk last year and this year. Don't know what is up with them.
Anonymous said…
Tomatoes and hummingbirds! Perfect things to have bumper crops of!
Anonymous said…
My cat, Meebers, LOVED the hummingbird video. I remember visiting a place, which had 6 hummingbird feeders hanging from the eaves and 2 birds vying for the same place at one of the feeders. They were aggressive toward each other-little buggers.
We have 24 solar panels, approx 300 sunny days/yr and received our first, full-year solar 'rebate' (payment from selling power back to the electric comp.)-$4300. We were told we would be able to make back the $ spent ($22K) within 4 yrs. Looks like, with the rebates and tax credit, this will ring true.
Mick
I love hummers! It's been years since I saw one in real life.
littlemancat said…
Love the bumper crops! It was neat listening to the hummers twittering and the whir of their wings.
The bags are great - love that mushroom lining!
Mary
Leanna said…
Awesome hummer video. I think I almost counted nine of them. I love the little squeaks they make. They are so territorial about their feeders too.
I love the bags. The distressed look on the grey one. So cool. Do you make them not as deep? Deep enough to carry a book and a bottle of water but not too deep. I love that grey one. Will you be accepting AmerExpress?
This N That said…
OMG..I am so jealous of your "bumper crop"..What a wonderful video..I took my feeder down for lack of interest..I would see a hummer once a week or so..I actually saw one in my garden yesterday checking out the bird feeder..Love your bags..My favorite was the green wax canvas combo..I think it may have found a home...As for rain..we are very , very dry,,Todays predicted rain is headed to Virginia..I've been watering for 2 weeks or more..I'm glad you have gotten enough!! Happy that your solar power is doing its job..That's great..Enjoy the rest of your week..Hugs