it's that time of year

it's that time of year

a middle tennessee garden blog


finding beauty in the natural things around us makes for one happy self and a lovely life. ~marmee

dash home farm, leiper's fork, tennessee

Saturday, August 30, 2008

THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!

hey gigi here I am! it's me maggie, maggs, magita, magpie. you name they call me it. it is so undignified. but being the loyal companion i am i answer. although my latest trick is to act like i am hard of hearing. don't tell MARMEE i told you.
marmee had to shut the door to get these pictures as i have a dreaded fear of the camera flash. i think it is lightning which is my worst fear. usually you can find me in abbey's bathtub during stormy weather.

i am already hunching over with excitement at my picture being made, NOT!
OF COURSE BUSTER BROWN DIDN'T WANT TO BE THE ONLY DOG LEFT OFF. SO HE GOT PUSHY AND PUT HIS FACE RIGHT IN MARMEE LENS.
THESE YOUNGEN'S AROUND HERE URK ME TO NO END. BUT AS YOU KNOW MARMEE HAS A WEAKNESS WHEN IT COMES TO DOGS, CATS, BIRDS, BUNNIES, ETC...

i overheard (still pretending not to hear so well) about a trip to the fair and how the pigmy goats were sooooo cute.
oh bother, before you know it they will be here, too!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

my haven

welcome to my sunroom! come in and sit with me a while. this is an antique door you must venture through.


this is where you will find me with my new laptop!
yes that is a lavender couch, purple is my favourite colour!

bronte' jane is one of blogging buddies.


she will find me no matter where i am. then plunk down,
just to sit with me and keep me company. she is a chesapeake bay retriever, 6 months old and mischief maker extrordinaire.







i feel compelled to surround myself with things of beauty and sentiment.



















this is a very large birdhouse. until recently it had 5 finches in it. and one canary. i love seashells! having been born and raised in florida i find i am drawn to them.
of course, being the garden soul that i am i have to have greenery!
botanicals are a must!
comfy seating for guests!



this is where i let things happen.

things in my imagination, from my garden, photos of people i love, and things in my life that mean the most to me!
all this and i have 6 windows that let the sun shine in and give me spectacular views of birds feeding & bathing.



also, i can keep an eye on my wildflowers and the hummingbirds!
it is a retreat, a haven, the place i love to sit, read, write and let my imagination play.
i love being in my sunroom and i have enjoyed sharing it with you!

Monday, August 25, 2008

early pumpkins

we have actually planted pumpkins but these came from our compost pile.

we (abbey & i) are very happy with our premature pumpkins and therefore they are already on display. even in the midst of our summer drought.
this is our favourite one. but we will see once we have harvested the ones we planted in our wheel barrow.
we are in anticipation!
and will let you know when the new ones arrive.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

summer bounty

all of these either came from our garden or the farmers market. i do love summer bounty.
these cantalopes and berries are very delicious.

parmesan baked bread from farmer's market yummy baked by our local farmer.
pickled okra!
i am not sure what this bean was but it sure is different and pretty. yellow with purple striations.

now to my surprise, this beauty blooming on my fence out front.
mind you i have only done demolition there not planting yet. just getting it ready for next spring. maybe my sis, meems will have a chance to come up and help me with a gardening plan for the fenced in area.


but i love these. what are they? maybe morning glories?

Thursday, August 21, 2008

sunset capture

my nine year old daughter, abbey often grabs my camera and runs around photographing everthing in sight. and i do mean everything, she captured the sky over DASH HOME FARM and to my surprise she got these shots. my little entrepreneurial photographer.







this one with the hay is my favourite!

i'm proud of you , abbey!

sweet dreams are made of these

DASH HOME FARM


my husband and i have always dreamed of living in the country, in a victorian farm house. i think we talked about it literally on our first date in july of 1986. well fast forward 23 years later and we finally made it. albeit, 22 years of marriage, 4 houses later, after 6 children arrived, moving to tennessee, and 4 grandchildren thus far, we are living that dream. of course on that same date, we said we would love to have a log cabin as a second home, on a lake, in canada (this is still a dream). yes i am a dreamer! but dreams do come true.
so we talked many times over the years what we would name this place-everything has to have a name, right? this is how dash home farm was born:


da-david (my husband)
sh-sharon (me)
home - the place we always want to rush to from the world and have sanctuary!
farm- we live on 7.24 acres - it's a small farm but we love it!

a few years ago we went to a celtic celebration and we had this sign made and hung it on our barn.
the wildflower garden is adjacent to the barn. it is doing quite well in spite of the drought we are having. my coneflowers haven't faired well at all but i am leaving them to hopefully feed the goldfinches come fall.








we are still having plenty of wild life visit here but it is a daily process of filling the many bird baths and watering containers to keep them all happy.


my garden angel is intently watching over my wildflowers and she seems to have an eye for this yellow bloom.



this stick bug is trying to stay out of the sun on a shady post.

the drought has most definitely hampered my garden enthusiasm. it is dry, ugly and effecting so many of our plants.
this is our very dead grass. i usually enjoy getting on the tractor and cutting but haven't had to in weeks.
our corn is done and looking very wilty. it was good while it lasted.
the gigantic sunflowers are all spent and turning there heads down. i harvested some but wanted to leave some to feed the birds. they have become the breeding ground for this bug. anybody know what it is. we have sprayed with an oily substance, shaken them off, sprayed with water to get them off. there are so many of them and nothing we have tried works.

also our raspberry bushes are still producing but are in desperate need of rain.
an antique urn on the front porch. the ivy is the only thing that has survived the heat.
last of the sunflowers. they are planted on one side of veggie garden.
our first watermelon that has made it. several have rotted on the ground side.
we are still harvesting our heirloom tomatoes. these are been a pleasure and so good to eat.

last of the corn.
even in the midst of this drought i have made a trip to our local garden center and brought home these(2) crepe myrtles. i love the fiery red blossoms. the ground is so hard and crusty i haven't planted them yet so they need a daily dose of good watering.
i found these lantana for 50 cents so i brought them home and put them in my chocolate pots.
i went ahead and planted some pumpkins in this wheel barrow next to the barn. i have a few leaves poking thru the dirt. yippee!


even though my periwinkles aren't doing so well i do have a few gorgeous blooms. i love anything white!

here's to anticipating the rain! what a relief it will be.