August Garden

August is a busy month, I’ve been working on cleaning the backyard and hauling loads of woods and trash left by the previous owners to the landfill, and still have a few more loads to do. The backyard used to be the dumping ground for them and in time I’m sure it will break down and become part of the land but I certainly couldn’t sit and watch it happens.

The ducks and chicken love their new home.

The okras are doing very well this year, the plants are over 5 foot tall and bearing plenty of pods. They grow so fast and I have to harvest almost every other day. I only get to see the flowers open on the weekend, not that they don’t open on the weekday. The flowers open during the daytime while I’m at work, so by evening they already close.

When I visited the farmer’s market they harvested them very young, even smaller than the one below. I think this is a good size for me.

I missed several days of harvesting and the pods are too old, I’ll have to save these for next year’s seeds.

It’s at the end of the season for the cucumbers, it doesn’t look pretty now and the plants are drying out.

If Bo doesn’t take the ripe cucumbers for the ducks and chicken first, I’m saving them for next year seeds.

The Asian long string bean seems to be doing well in this area, Bo’s mom gave me 1 plant and it’s thriving. I will have to plant more next year and have a few seed pods left.

My watermelon is not doing well. I was looking forward to seeing this one grow and the end rotten several weeks back. I’m not sure if we had too much rain in our area. I have a few that’s a good size and they split open in the center. I will have to learn more about growing watermelons.

I have high hope for this one and hope to be able to harvest soon.

The peppers are doing well and have plenty. I will have to start harvesting them and freeze them for the winter.

I have a new addition to my garden, it’s called Duranta Erecta (sapphire Showers) and will grow 10 to 15 feet tall.

I stopped by the farmer’s market several weeks back and have never seen one like it before, the selling told me it was a butterfly bush and I paid $25 for it. The photo below was taken by my sister with her cell phone. It’s an evergreen plant with dark blue flowers edged in white and the yellow to orange fruit in summer and fall. The plant attracts hummingbirds. It’s fast growing, so can’t wait to see its beauty.

Camping Weekend

This was our first camping trip this year, the weather is cool during the day and cold at night.

My dad didn’t particular care for this lot since it sits on the hill, but Easter weekend was packed and we’re fortunate to get any spot at all. I told him it’s a good exercise, not sure if he bought it.

It’s early AM and most campers were still asleep.

It bugs me to see people taking picture of flowers, and the focus was on the dirt background.  I can assure you this is not my intention at all, I shot this with a wide angle lens and this is the best I could do.

This is much better.

I have been wanting to try long exposure shot of the water falls and never had the opportunity. It’s odd how I’m seeing this spot differently, I must have walked past this water falls at least 20 times in the past years, but never thought to shoot long exposure shot here until now. I’m glad I did, the cascades of the water falls look so much calmer and nicer.

I didn’t have my tripod with me, and used the bridge railing instead.  I think it did a good job.

Our meal was simple, I made spicy papaya salad (Tum Mak Houng) and my sister made grilled chicken.

We did lots of walking and hiking.

You either love camping or hate camping, but I think Lee hasn’t decide.

As for me it’s the life, it’s definitely a happy trail.

Spring Flowers

I didn’t take as many spring flowers this year, and the flower trees that bloomed at the nursing home last Fall also bloomed again last week, but I didn’t have a chance to stop by to take photo. These are the photos that I took at my dad’s house the last two weekends, I hope you will enjoy.