June Block of the Month and a Bunny

The June block of the month is the baskets on the left. The top block is a completer my mom had to finish for me because I had a fit and fell in it. I was threatening to quit making the completer blocks. She felt bad for getting me into this mess and is trying to help me. On the right is the first block (actually circle) for my niece's wedding quilt. The colors are too dark in this picture. The fabrics are burgundy and plum prints in the dark rings with gold and plum floral prints in the light ring.

Here is a gratuitous "aw look at the baby bunny picture." Isn't she cute, I mean the rabbit, but the girl cousin is cute too.

On a Lighter Note

The very sweet Cindy at Cinj's Chat Room honored me with the Arte y Pico award. Below is the explanation I copied from her post, because you know I am too lazy to rewrite it and I would probably get it wrong anyway.

"Ana explains the thought behind her award. “This prize has arisen from the daily visits that I dedicate to many blogs which nourish me and enrich me with creativity. In them I see dedication, creativity, care, comradeship, but mainly, art, much art.”

I am very pleased and a bit confused. I never thought this blog qualified as art, unless "crazy middle aged woman tries to herd monkeys" counts as art. Maybe it is a craft. Is it a craft?

Anyway, here are the rules and instructions.

Please be so kind to accept this award. You can keep it to yourself or pass it on, that's up to you of course. But there are some rules if you decide to pass on the award to remarkable blogs you feel are worthy of the award.

1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award through creativity, design, interesting material and also contributes to the blogger community no matter of language.

2. Each award should have the name of the author with a link to their blog.

3. Award winners have to post the award with the name and link to the blog of the person who gave them the award.

4.Please include a link to the Arte Y Pico blog so that everyone will know where the award came from.

5. Show these rules.

Here are the blogs I picked and why

My sister at In Stitches because I love to watch and see her spread her creative wings.

Weed Whackin Wenches because their photos are beautiful and sometimes they crack me up.

Garden Life a beautiful Japanese garden blog. Can't read what he is writing, but the pictures are awesome.

Ourfriendben, Silence, and Poor Richard at Poor Richard's Almanac for great writing and good recipes

Finally, Givinya De Elba at Killing a Fly with a Ukulele is Probably the Wrong Thing To Do because she is seriously funny and her brother wrote me a poem.

Okay, I wasn't finished and I am going to cheat. Actually, I am going to swipe a nominee from my sister. Sorry Sis, you only get four. I also want to pick Dee at Red Dirt Ramblings. Her blog is beautiful and she can actually focus on gardening. She also gave me blogging advice in the beginning. I am still open to your mentoring Dee.

Thanks again Cindy. You are the best.

WARNING

I was not going to do this, but on further thought, it seems important.

My youngest was taking a reading course this summer. It is not exactly summer school. In summer school, I assume there is a goal. In summer reading camp, we all stay the same and don't get dumber. Sorry, I am a little unhappy with summer reading camp.

This morning, was the last day of "Summer Reading Camp." I was folding laundry and putting away dishes while I waited for the boy to walk home. The school is right across the street from our home. I can see the front door from my back deck.

We have a German shepherd dog. You may know Abby. If not, don't get in our yard or she will eat you. I hear her go crazy at about 11:45 am and go to check it out.

We have a solar blocking flim on some of our windows. The windows outside my kitchen are treated this way. During the day, we can see out, but you cannot see in.

As I look outside, with the door closed, I see an young white male. He is clean cut, wearing slacks and a white shirt. Next to him is my nine-year-old son. I have never seen this man in my life. I will the German shepherd to jump over the fence and eat the stranger. The dog does not do her job because the boy is friendly to the stanger.

It turns out this is a teacher at our school. When I opened the door he did not introduce himself. He said something to the effect of, "teacherschoolrainbarrel." Apparently, he talked my youngest son into showing him our new rain barrel.

We live in a little town. DO NOT EVER LET YOUR GAURD DOWN. I don't know this man and he crossed the line. Why didn't he knock on the door. Why didn't he introduce himself. What the hell was he doing on my deck. My kids are overprotected and need to have a lesson in stranger danger.

PAY ATTENTION. I ALMOST DIDN'T

A New Low: I Have Resorted to Sprinklers

It is hot. Very very hot. There has been no rain. I put in a rain barrel and the rain stopped the next day.

We have broken all of the watering rules. Do not water at midday: Had to, the plants were keeling over. Water deep not shallow: Did not have enough time, somebody needed to go to a soccer game. Mulch to retain moisture: I can't find time to do the dishes and laundry much less spread more mulch.

I love to water my garden by hand. Today I gave up. I set up the sprinkler, set the timer, and went back inside to finish some insane quilt project I committed to back in January.

Would someone like to come babysit the Monkey's so I can try to catch up?

Cricket chirps!!!!!!!!

Durn.

Trouble Maker

This plant is a trouble maker. It got me questioned by the police. I have had to explain over and over that I am not growing anything that someone might want to toke. Our Meme and her man called me wanting to know why I planted weed in their flower bed. I have had to tell several black sheep type family members not to try to smoke it. Finally, it bloomed and I have proof of the real purpose of this monster. Meet my Texas Star Hibiscus.

Here is a more well behaved cousin. I am happy to introduce our Southern Belle. Isn't she pretty?

This gentleman is a little worse for wear. Looks a bit tattered and torn. Presenting Lord Baltimore.

Plant Water Bottles and Three Sisters

My plants are spoiled. I like to make plant water bottles using plastic water and sports drink bottles with the bottom cut out. I stick the neck of the bottle into the ground and put a stick through the hole to keep the bottle from blowing away. I then put a cup or so of earthworm castings or compost into the bottle. I water through this. The compost/earthworm castings slow the water down and the plant gets a shot of compost/worm casting tea. The water is delivered directly to the roots and there is no run off. The roots also seem to stay moist longer.

Here is a tomato plant with it's own personal water bottle.

My three sisters row has taken off. Planted together are squash, popcorn, and red noodle beans. The beans grow up the corn and the squash grows low and shades everything. I went ahead and put large tripod made of bamboo in to help support everything. In the picture above, the tripod fell over. This has turned into yet another lush jungle in my backyard. It very effectively hides me from the monkeys.

I was thinking this kind of planting wasn't' going to work. Last week I gave everything some earthworm castings and they just took off. All of my veggies get a weekly foliar feeding with a diluted organic liquid plant food. A close look revealed that the squash is putting on fruit. The varieties so far are round and striped zucchini.

Buggin You

I hope this works. A friend sent this to me tonight and it is darling