After a hiatus

It's been a difficult summer. Work hours are long and the work is the most intense ever. Coming home, I'm often too exhausted to do more than water 'essentials' about every other night on hot days, less often if cooler. No time for more significant garden projects. I have also tried to get the bathroom project finished, but only about 1 day every other weekend.

What has happened in the garden?

1. Most of the plants continue to survive. The grapes (Venus here) are producing like crazy now. I've about finished off Interlaken and Venus, and Price is done. Price didnt have many anyway, but they are the most 'grapy', most flavorful and largest. They do have seeds, but I think I even like that.

2. Of course, the hummingbirds dont take much attention, and they have been the big treat of the summer. I read that they eat the nectar for energy, but get all of their protein from insects. No wonder this yard is doing so well wtihout insecticides.

3. Tomatoes are producing well now. I eat at least one large tomato daily, sometimes more. Principe Borghese makes for great 'tomato raisons' - slice in have and leave in the dehydrator for about 24 hours.

4. Figs have not done much yet. The containerized figs are barely limping by. Vancouver / Brunswick has lots of large figs and Petite Negri has many many small ones. Hardy Chicage has a few, I ate one yesterday - these are small, but so is the tree. next year?

5. Raspberries are bearing well. I think I do like the Fallgold better, and my just ust that one next year.

6. Roses are surviving, not much disease, and most bloom a little all summer. Nothing dramatic.

7. Brugmansia has had a few flowers but not as much as last year. Maybe the container is too small. It gets daily waterings.

8. Ning's Changchun beans actually did quite well. we are still getting more than we can eat.

9. Garlic did very well. It's almost time to plant again.

10. Cacti did well this year. A few blossoms as noted earlier. Most have grown guite a lot.

All for now. I dont know how to move back closer to work/life balance (I've NEVER been in balance) but seriously need to strive for it, lose the 20 "stress pounds" that piled on, and figure out how to find time and energy to bike again. Can I do it?

Bathroom Project

A few rows remaining for the Subway tile, and a couple of details, then the tile work is done. The color in the top photo is the closest to reality. That 'couple of details' - such as the window, will take a lot of tile cutting, so not quite done, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. No grout on these wall yet, obviously, since the tile work isn't finished.
The sink and shower wall is getting grouted first so that I can have the plumbers come in and hook up the faucets. The other walls can be done afterwards. I will feel muich better when the sink is installed.

Initially, I thought the tile was too uneven, both the tiles and my application, but with the grout in place I'm feeling better about it. These tiles are supposed to have a 'hand made' look, so are have uneven and wavy edges, which makes them difficult to line up. The nice part is that the final product LOOKS hand made, and the play of color variation in the tiled wall makes it more interesting compared to 'perfect' tiles.

veggies

At this time I've barely had time to keep them watered. Still, with large amounts of organic matter added to the soil over the past several years, and a compost mulch, they are producing pretty well. Lots of tomatoes now, plus zucchinis, cucumbers, some cayenne and hungarian peppers. Also, I've been eating about 1/2 pound of grapes daily for the past week, and they are just starting to ripen. First was Interlaken, quickly followed by Venus and Price. Price has the largest grapes, with a 'grapey' flavor, and I don't mind the seeds. Interlaken is the sweetest, but being seedless they are smaller than Price. Venus is interesting - I can't decide how much I like them, but they are not fully sweet yet and they are bigger than Interlaken. Canadice hasn't started to ripen yet. Looking forward to them.

Notocactus

Honey Babe Peaches, Agapanthus.Tomato patch

It's difficult to see tomatoes in this photo. The apple tree is Liberty. The grass is dormant, otherwise known as neglected.

Agapanthus manages to get by despite neglect.

Four peaches this year on Honey Babe. Curse of the peach leaf curl. Still, the tree recovered nicely, and the peaches were VERY sweet, peachy, and juicy.