September is the month when Monarch Butterflies migrate out of NYS. The iconic Monarch Butterfly has been loving my butterfly garden. The Monarch is now considered an endangered species due to its population having declined 90% since 1992 from habitat loss so I am very excited to see so many in my garden.
My tomatoes did very well this year, and we've been enjoying caprese salads, pasta salads, roasted tomato sauce, BLT sandwiches, omelettes and whatever else we can put a tomato on.
My friend just gave me some Jack Be Little baby pumpkins so I made a centerpiece at camp. She found 100 of them growing in her compost pile :-)
I taught our four year old grandson Quinn how to fish at our lake this summer. He needs a few more lessons but was pretty excited to try it and get the fishing line tangled.
Our sweet granddaughter Claire turned two last week so we took her and her parents to lunch. She was born during the pandemic, and no one came to her birthday party last August. Well just a few, so this year they decided to skip the party and we had a lovely lunch.
My friend Donna and I are like sisters and have just about everything in common. We recently visited a local nature santuary where they only grow native plants and we were in awe of the flowers blooming. Joe and my brother volunteered there and built them a greenhouse, so I was invited to pick any plants I would like. I am in plant heaven! I showed photos of some of the ones I chose. This makes me very excited for Spring and Summer 2023.
I am trying not to buy any more cookbooks, but I really enjoy making cheese plates so I posted a photo of a book I recently read at a Bed and Breakfast we stayed at in Vermont. Very fitting for Vermont since there is cheese for sale every 10 miles.
Have you enjoyed a Snackcuterie this summer? Joe found the plastic fishing tackle box at Walmart, and he is in charge of setting it up for us. He likes making them, and brings it on our road trips.
Hope you are having a good summer.
xo
Deb
Is that you with Quinn?:) Adorb..and with the purple coneflower? We have enjoyed charcuterie boards but at my daughters..I only entertained once for 13 our family for combined bdays..outdoors..and had fun.. dinner so it was dark lol and late when it ended..last summer bday is Oli 13..the youngest we had at last lunch out and shopping day with him.I missed those outings.Gaura I forgot!! Next yr for sure as I missed it!Love the heart!
ReplyDeleteThat is me with Quinn :-) We are sitting on our dock at camp. That is my friend Donna with the purple coneflower. Glad your tomatoes are finally doing well!
DeleteHi Deb! Looks like you've had a wonderful summer! Love the tiered tray with your garden bounty! Aren't you lucky to have a hubby that makes snackcuterie boxes! Such a cute and tasty picnic idea~ your grands are adorable, on to September!
ReplyDeleteJenna
Debbie, I always enjoy your This and That posts. You and Joe lead such an active life, always on the go doing something involving nature. I admire that lifestyle. The Monarch butterflies migrate though Austin too, though I don't see them here in our garden. Love that you teach your grands to embrace the natural world around them. They are growing up with the best of best role models with you and Joe as involved and hands on grandparents. I predict you are going to enjoy having gaura in your garden. I added some a year ago. It is very happy! I love the way the wispy stems with sweet blooms sways in the breeze. I have it in both white and deep pink.
ReplyDeleteHappy days ahead.
Oh Deb, you have such a beautiful and plentiful garden. The tomatoes are wonderful and love the tiered selection. Looks like you enjoyed the summer and are ready for fall.
ReplyDeleteHappy last week of summer........
Your littles are adorable! I love the shot of you and Quinn fishing. My mom and I would sit for hours teaching my girls to fish at that age. Lots of tangled fish lines - LOL. What a gorgeous butterfly garden! I've only seen a few monachs this summer. How sad that they've become endangered. I'm sure that development has reduced the native milkweed plants population that they rely on to lay their eggs. Gorgeous tomatoes and recipes!
ReplyDeleteYour bounty of produce is awesome, Debbie! How fun to teach Quinn to fish. Your flowers that you chose are beautiful and something to look forward to in the Spring. I think it’s so sweet of Joe to make the portable charcuterie in the tackle box. You two have the best time. Enjoy your cookbook!
ReplyDeleteGreat photo journal, Debbie! The pictures of the grands are cute, the heart shaped grass sweet, and I love the plants. I grew guara in our former landscape. It looks great with the others you chose. Happy end of meteorological summer!
ReplyDelete