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Sunday, June 09, 2019

Saturday in the Dirt!


Beautiful Iris surrounding the veggie garden!

“Many hands make light work!” is a phrase I heard often as a kid.

It wasn’t until I was “out in the world” and away from my family beginning my own family raising journey that I realized just what a wondrous thing had been instilled in me.

I know this doesn’t happen everywhere, and the opportunities and experiences life has given me I can never take for granted.

I am surrounded by strong and faithful women who will drop everything and dig in to help wherever it is needed.

It’s the old Mary Poppins’ song of “Just a Spoonful of Sugar Makes the Medicine Go Down…..” and in this case it was a burgeoning veggie garden that due to work schedules and weather had gone a bit to the weeds.  We worked through the morning "In the Most Delightful Way....."


Joy & Gail thinning radishes and carrots.

This family gardens.  A lot.  Everything.  My mom and her flower gardens are legendary in the Garden Valley Idaho area. Every year she sells carloads of perennials from her garden beds by the shovel full.

Joy and Gail are a wonder when it comes to knowing what to do and how to do i t and they take to it like I take to scrap quilting – they just know what to do and when to do it.

They know each plant from the time it is the tiniest sprout when I would be sure it was “just a weed” by mistake.

Steve and Kathryn plant a fabulous garden, and you can hear the excitement as the sibling group chatters on and on about this plant, that yield, this fertilizer (evidently the rabbit droppings from the rabbits are THE BEST green compost hands down!) and from the time things are ready to eat this family shares the benefits of healthy veggie eating all summer long into canning and preserving season.


Calling Uncle Steve over from his job as water boy!


Tiny little tree frog!

My job was to thin the pole beans – the plants were too close together.  It was a very satisfying job of carefully digging up every-other-one and transplanting them to another bed.  There will be a BUMPER crop of beans this year.


Mama, digging in the dirt!

“I’m so happy I wet my PLANTS!”

We needed to get this all done yesterday because today – as predicted – is rainy.  A light cool early summer rain, and the plants are receiving the benefit of everything we did yesterday, and the rain came right on time.  I can’t wait for pictures through the summer to see how this garden grows on the shore of Ringo Lake under the Minnesota  summer sun.

Kathryn also loves her flowers and her yard is coming alive as we go further into June.  It’s crazy to think of how much snow was still falling here – clear into May, and yesterday it reached nearly 90 degrees.  That’s Minnesota for you!


The iris are stunning!

There was a fabulous lunch – again – all hands in the kitchen making everything come together, and cleaning up afterwards.

There were naps to recover from the heat of the garden.

There was a 2 car run to Home Depot for more garden supplies (Of course, it’s very much like our own homing pigeon trips to Lowe’s!)

There was a 6-person stop to the grocery store to pick up what was needed for the next couple of meals ahead.

It’s like herding cats with this family!

Brats on the grill, kraut on the side.  Cole slaw, potato salad, watermelon – all the flavors of summer on a plate.


Hours of Mexican Train -
The Chicken Foot Variation -


Left to right around the table -

Gail, Steve, Kathryn, Mom, Joy -

And me behind the camera.

My family.

We finished the evening off with a long walk down country roads - the cooling air filled with the song of pond frogs as the moon rose high and the sky grew dark. 

We showed mom how to use the flash light feature on her “new to her” smart phone.  She is like a little kid with the BEST TOY EVER. (She also learned how to video chat to her other children yesterday!)

The memories of this trip will be with me a long long time.



Quiltville Quote of the Day

Vintage Churn Dash found in Kentucky.

Dreams aren't enough. Put some action behind them and make things happen!

If you want that garden, PLANT IT!

If you want that time with family – DO IT!

Have a wonderful Sunday, everyone!


17 comments:

  1. I am so happy you are having this time with your mom, aunts and uncle. Family time is priceless! I had a great day yesterday with my mom and 2 sisters which have gotten in to quilting because of my passion for it and YOU! Have a great rest of your visit with family!

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    1. It sounds like a wonderful day, Julie! Enjoy!

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  2. Great family times. Good for you

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  3. I loved hearing about your family day, those days are so special - we also had a wonderful family day - to celebrate my dad's 90th birthday! It was wonderful to have all of the grands and great grands there to help him celebrate. See you on Wednesday in Roch!! Very excited!

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  4. makes me more anxious than ever to visit my own family in july....

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  5. love those garden beds!

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  6. Your day was perfect! Mine was too -- spent with a quilting friend just becoming acquainted with "my friend Bonnie." Best of all, she saw the quilt on top of your blog, learned what your mystery quilt is about and asked if we could do the next together. Woo hoo!!

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  7. Nothing better than family time! Love your Iris and raised garden beds!

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  8. Not much is better than growing a garden while raising a family. You learned from the best. Beautiful irises are so cheery, waving in a breeze. Have a peaceful day, enjoying this family time. We play Mexican Train too.

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  9. What a wonderful day filled with such fun laughter and jo of just spending precious time together.
    Enjoy. Your family time you all deserve it so special.
    ..love and quilty hugs
    Anne xx

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  10. What a blessing to work alongside family and friends to get things accomplished; to enjoy the beautiful weather and fellowship - priceless!!

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  11. So wonderful to see you enjoying family time plus sharing it all with us. Just what you needed..a welcome respite before the hecticness of the coming months. Thanks again for all you do. Stay well and happy!

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  12. Bonnie- Very timely, the garden thing with family.
    We had our annual plant sale w/ the garden club yesterday. Now, I can start getting my garden in. I have asparagus coming up, slow this year. I gooseberries, horseradish, chives, daffodils that need transplanted this year, along with starting a new herb garden and strawberry bed. When I get to Oregon/Idaho in the summer, I garden w/ friends and little sisters. It is something I learned as a child growing up in Minnesota, 30 miles south of Wilar, in Olivia. So, you have been in my old stomping ground this week, too.

    Have a Great teaching week this next week, and I am so glad you have had this week to relax and rejuvenate w/family.

    Donna
    Kasilof, AK
    Where it started off gray, but turned out sunny this afternoon.

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  13. So glad to read about your wonderful time with family. Isn't it interesting how so many people who love quilting also love gardening? Minnesota is amazing; I just returned home to Kansas from a wonderful 50 year college reunion in St. Paul.

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  14. Here in Winston Salem, there have been heavy rains and flash flood warnings for this past weekend. Hopefully, skies will clear in a day or two.I have enjoyed your family time and was in wonder with the raised garden beds.How wonderful to have seedlings at such a good height for working and transplanting.We planted only three tomato plants, a basil plant and some zucchini this spring, along with several flowers.
    Continue to enjoy your family time, as it is the best!!

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  15. I love those raised garden beds, must investigate ;-)) Enjoy your time with your family, priceless. Looking forward to the MNQS this week. I'm taking your Talkin' Turkey class, sew excited.

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  16. Precious tiny froggies!!! Those women have YOUR smile... or is it the other way around?

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