Summer is winding down and so is our garden. Our straw bale raised beds did well this year and we got lots of tomatoes, melon and cucumbers.
This funky looking tomato is a Zaptoec - it is a ribbed variety that tastes delicious. Our butterfly bush still has blooms on it and lots of butterflies hover over it on bright sunny days.
We also have Brandywine tomatoes, a dark one called Black from Tula along with a yellow variety called Moon Glow.
I caught this large praying mantis resting on one of our plants - kind of surreal looking isn't he?
Our melon is called Moon and Star - the leaves are dotted like the stars with larger spots here and there resembling the moon. I am waiting to see what the fruit looks like inside - it may have been too hot for them to grow very large but the vine is looking great. If we dont' get real cool nights soon, we may still grow them bigger.
And finally our Black Eyed Susans are bursting with color. We have put in two raised beds for lettuces and other cooler weather crops. We will keep you posted on what we harvest from those!
We are playing Camera Critters, Scenic Sunday and Today's Flowers so be sure to visit them too! Have a safe and fun holiday weekend to those of you in the States! Hopefully Hurricane Earl will not dampen the fun.
35 comments:
My goodness your veg and fruit are gorgeous!! Wow!!!!! Oh I'm getting hungry just looking at them - and all these different types of tomatoes - my goodness!! WEll DONE you!!!! Yay!!!
The praying mantis is beautiful too!! And you have HUGE butterflies!!
How lovely - summer may be winding down now but looking at your pics of flowers still say summer's gonna go out with a bang of colours!!
Take care
x
Oh what divine looking tomatoes and melon, Cheri. I love the butterfly and yes the praying mantis looks surreal. Have a wonderful long weekend. Greetings from Jo (North Africa)
Very good photography and your veggies are beautiful along with your friends the butterflys and Mr. Mantis. Whatever you are doing, keep on doing the same thing. You've found the secret for sure.
Odie
breathtaking sight!
Guess I saw you at the BBQ. I don't remember now I'm getting so tired. All I know is I saw the name of your blog and figured I needed a dose of what you got. I moved to Los Angeles from East Tennesse, just across the mountains from where you are.
I'm following your blog now so I can see how things are in one of the truly beautiful parts of the U.S. Feel free to visit me as well.
Lee
Tossing It Out
Beautiful pictures, thank you for sharing.
Mmmmmmm. What beautiful tomatoes!
Mmm, your garden veggies look delicious! (I miss gardening.) :(
That praying mantis is so neat. I think it would initially startle me to find such a critter, but then I'd sit and watch it for as long as possible.
Love the praying mantis! I haven't seen any this year around here.
What a beautiful garden! That tomatoe does look pretty funky, doesn't it?! :)
The praying mantis is really creepy! great shot! :)
Mine is here : Beauty of Nature
What succulent vegetables.. and a cool-looking mantis!
Hi Cheri, So nice to meet you! Your garden and your photos are beautiful and your blog is like a breath of fresh air! Thanks so much for visiting! (I think that Blogger ate my comment) lol
Wow, what a wonderful array of beautiful photos capturing nature and all of it's wonder. Those rudbeckia are stunning to say the least. Great shots.
The praying mantis looks very alien to me. Interesting critter though and a great shot of it.
Congratulations... your garden is looking very good.
It took awhile for your pics to load so I only got to see a few, but it's enough to give me a dose of peace and calm. So far my tomatoes are all green. Labor Day weekend and green tomatoes!? Unheard of. Last year at this time I was canning dozens.
Hello - I'm here from Karen's blog BBQ. We bonded over your spicy salsa. :)
I'm from the UK (London), so your post is like a window to a whole different world, and I love it so much. The praying mantis looks like he is made of origami. And your garden looks like it is getting ready to deliver some wonderful things to your table!
oh yum, gorgeous and delicious!
Your late summer garden world is a fascinating place! I am enchanted with that butterfly bush and I'm still amazed at the variety of tomatoes you have! Wonderful shots!
Your garden photos are wonderful, love that yellow one my mouth is watering. I tried growing them here in Florida in pots, but too much rain did them in. Will try again next year. Straw bale raised beds, what a good idea. I had wood ones at my last home in California and grew so many good veges there. What is the river in your header photo? Looks beautiful
Hiya! Just popped in from Karen's BBQ - you have a beautiful blog! Now am following :)
http://damselinadirtydress.blogspot.com
What great photos! Glad I stopped by and am now following on your networks. (The blog bbq thing was such a great idea.)
I saw down at the bottom the NC books. My best friend and co-editor/publisher of Rose & Thorn Journal lives there near Maggie Valley. She's @KatMagendie, and has some awesome books out! Tender Graces, and now Secret Graces. I'd be glad to send you one if you'd like to read another local author. :)
what a beautiful garden you have! love your tomatoes... looks like they're ready for harvest :D
You have a wonderful garden with such beautiful flowers.
Lovely shots!!
Lovely shots and great looking produce. I haven't seen many praying mantis here this year...very unusual. Or maybe I've just gotten so used to them I haven't noticed them.
Seems you've had a great summer growing season! Black Eyed Susan.....my ultimate garden flower!! Your veggies look delicious!
Have a fabulous day!
What lovely photos. I do love yellow tomatoes but haven't had one in a while.
Great photos! We tried Branywine tomatoes last year and they didn't do well. For some reason the flowers just fell off and we got very little fruit. We did the yellow ones this year, along with cherry tomatoes and a beef steak and we got tons. The yellow ones are so sweet. I notce that as the days are getting shorter the frui tis getting smaller, but they are still flowering.
This is nature. How can u not love nature. It's simpley a great thing!
Hi found your blog while browsing enjoyed it and loved the photos. Kev UK
Hello. I found you thru http://mollyscountrycolorshomeplace.blogspot.com/ via Scenic Sunday. I just have to say that I grew up in Black Mtn, & I really miss the mountains & my family still there. Thank you for making me homesick today!!! I really do mean that! I am thinking about participatung in one or two of these photo "muses?". It would be a good thing for me to do. I am enjoying your blog, thank you.
What delightful images!
I sure wish I still had tomatoes. :)
The praying mantis is an awesome shot!
Thanks for visiting my Guest Friend post for Today's Flowers. :)
Wonderful photos, all of them. Thanks for sharing :)
An English Girl Rambles
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