cathyboettner

Strawberry patch and Herb Garden

We did a major thinning of the strawberries this spring and they are starting to produce some nice sized berries if we can get to them before the birds do. You can see where our gutter overflows ALL THE TIME. We have a new downspout coming and we’re going to have to route it alongContinue reading “Strawberry patch and Herb Garden”

Just when I thought I was finished…

I sprayed the outline for adding more river rock around our forsythia, but hadn’t considered that the wild bermuda hadn’t really started growing when we put the rock down…so…it’s popping up everywhere. I will have to stay after this all summer to ensure that I get rid of it completely. In other news, I prunedContinue reading “Just when I thought I was finished…”

Setting Sail for Supper

I’d been pondering a nautical theme for a table after I found the super fantastic nautical themed canape plates from Phillipe Deshoulieres while thrifting. They are great art deco looking designs and each plate is different. I used the coir runner again because it reminds me of ropes, plus a blue pitcher with white flowers,Continue reading “Setting Sail for Supper”

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

My rhubarb produced enough harvestable stalks for me to put some in the freezer, and to make some jam. I love strawberry and rhubarb together and it tastes like summer to me and reminds me of my grandmother. Here’s how I made it: Ingredients: 4 cups of crushed strawberries 2 cups of rhubarb cut intoContinue reading “Strawberry Rhubarb Jam”

Raised bed Gardening

I have already harvested arugula and radishes from our stock tank raised beds, but had to pull all of them up because they were bolting. I am behind on posting, so here’s where we are: Last year our raised beds were a LOT more successful because my husband added the little irrigation system that youContinue reading “Raised bed Gardening”

Accidental Perennial Bed

I must have thrown some lunaria stalks into the compost pile, because there are a BUNCH of lunaria (money plant) back there doing just great. We had these at our old house and they seemed to love growing in the woods, so it’s not surprising that they’re doing so well. This is such a greatContinue reading “Accidental Perennial Bed”

The Cutting Garden

I haven’t posted much about the gardens this year, so you have already missed peony season, but we’re getting ready for tons of blooms coming up. I need to put up some more plant supports for some of my late starting dahlias that are just now starting to come up. This bed is generally notContinue reading “The Cutting Garden”

Reaping what we sowed….

And happy about it! Last fall, I posted about planting blueberry bushes and rhubarb plants on the east and west sides of our garden shed. We have had a relatively mild and really rainy spring, so they have really done well. The blueberry bushes are really loaded for such young plants. I’m excited to haveContinue reading “Reaping what we sowed….”

Naturally Neutral Table

I found some really interesting rim soup bowls while on my big thrifting adventure. They are from Martha Stewart, and I had to get them at only $2/each. My friend had found me some pretty neutral colored dinner plates with an interesting rim. I bought a neat coir runner after Christmas this spring. I putContinue reading “Naturally Neutral Table”

The vegetable garden

As you might remember, we made the vegetable garden on the south side of the house bigger last year so that I could grow more tomatoes. I grew a ton of roma tomatoes, but still didn’t get enough at one time to do all my canning. So this year, I am growing primarily Cherokee PurpleContinue reading “The vegetable garden”