On This Harvest Moon

The moon is enormous tonight, it's a beautiful harvest moon, I hope you didn't miss it.

I've been canning the past few days, I have zucchini pickles, banana peppers, pickled green beans (awesome in a bloody mary!), a bunch of escabeche - no cauliflower but it does have jalapenos, carrots, garlic and onions - some salsa and lastly, tomatoes. It's not a ton but a decent start, there is plenty yet to come out of the garden 
yet.......as long as it doesn't turn cold too soon!

I've got another 6 custom orders for books (I seem to run in 6's). I was sort of hoping to continue to add to my shops but I suppose this is even better considering they are SOLD!

I did get one using watercolor paper done today for the shops, I really love the fabric and the leaf skeletons I glazed over and added to the front jazzes it up nicely - it's one of my favorites.

Here is this weeks artisan from the On Fire For Handmade group

This weeks Featured Artisan is Sharri Powell - Moss and Mist! Gorgeous creations created with love.

You can find Moss and Mist on:

Etsy

Facebook

Twitter

The wirework rings are absolutely beautiful, normally I'd link to a favorite but no can do this time - there are too many! Have a look and see if you agree!

There's no better song for this lovely night but this one...

And the moon is climbing high.........at the Shores

Garden and Book Update

I've just finished another custom order, I have used the fabric once before on a large sketchbook but it looks just as gorgeous on a regular sized one...the colors are simply amazing. I use the straight stitch binding method so often because as a left handed artist (and writer) it has always been a pain to use books that may be bound otherwise, this allows the book to lie more flat when open and there is very little "gutter" for my hand to fight...I think a fellow lefty might know better about what I'm talking about!

Above is a picture of my veggie garden, it has been a month since I planted it and they are finally starting to take off (this is how it began). I have a ton of blossoms on my tomatoes, the yellow and green squash are looking verrry good (they are just in flower right now), the 6 different varieties of pepper plants are all set and my beans just may be ok but I had only one cucumber plant that survived the cucumber beetles, then as I was weeding the other night.........I stepped on it! Whaaa - how sad, it's gone, no cukes for me! My cantaloupe and watermelon are sort of straggling behind but may be ok. The bad thing about having my garden here is the only water source is a well and I've got to lug buckets from there to my plot. I've given up trying to keep the grass from growing between the rows!

So - I am still in second place in this contest, I'd love your vote for my PopTart if you haven't already (psst...vote from your computer AND phone if it is internet capable and recruit your friends too!) It would be wonderful to win a free online shop for life, I'd be so very grateful for your vote!
 

Lastly, this song choice is called "Shame" because that's how I feel after tossing 1/3 of a chocolate cake and 10 cupcakes leftover from a get together I had Saturday into the ...*gasp* trash :(

Shame, boatloads of shame.....at the Shores

Me -1 Weeds - 0

Since moving in to this house a year ago I've really done little in the yard. I decided yesterday that I'd try to tackle it one bed at a time. My first victim was riddled with weeds and huge clover clumps so I methodically started at one side and battled them to the other. The winner is now writing this post! I knew I wanted to go to the old house and dig up some of my perennials that have been with me for years now so I loaded up a tarp to protect the cargo area of my SUV and a shovel and headed 'round the corner. Upon looking at them I realized I was several weeks late in this task - the plants were huge. I set to dig......and dig........and grunt.....and dig some more (in the noonday sun I might add so I was sweating like crazy). The ginormous hosta must have weighed more than 50lbs. I only got 3 echinecea, 3 phlox and a couple delphinium and the monster hosta before I gave up but it's a start and looks lovely compared to what it did just yesterday! You can see how big that beast is, the statue is about 3 feet tall.

I've got a lot more to dig up at the old house and still have more room in this particular bed but I'm pleased. I also got some cucumbers and dill planted this afternoon too. 
I'm calling it a day, time to clean up and work on something inside - like the kitchen maybe? What a mess if I'm not on it diligently, I sometimes feel like I live with a teenager.
Another garden song for your listening pleasure from my favorite Van the Man, I couldn't find a good video but turn it up anyway!

No Guru, no method, no teacher just you and I and nature and the father in the garden...............at the Shores

Rain, Rain Go AWAY!

Pooh! It's raining again and I'm sick of it! But on the bright side look what the rain has helped bring me....

My Key limes I wrote about last night.

 And teeny bell peppers.

The the sun may not be shining but that ain't getting this happy little girl down!                             

Puddle splashin' ..................................at the Shores