In which the garden is a soothing place for me, and so: here's pictures!

There are big changes on the horizon at Haiku Farm, and I'm more than slightly freaked out.

I'll post details here after Sunday...but until then, I'm spending some time in the garden.

Last year's garden was pathetic, although it did, eventually, produce some vegetables(world's smallest giant pumpkin plant, July 30, 2009)

This year we've been plenty busy again, but the good work provided by our wonderful chickens (who lived in the garden's "Winter Palace" over the winter) has made a big difference in the garden!
(squash and pumpkin plants, August 2010) (baby pumpkins, August 2010)

Here's what's growing around the Farm:These are a medium-sweet variety, and turn a gorgeous shade of purple when they're ripe (late September). Last year I rescued these beauties from beneath 100 years growth of briers, and this year they have been growing like crazy.

Speaking of purple:(purple beans, August 2010)

We eat these beans almost every night. We could probably can some...but we enjoy eating them fresh so much that there's not really any left to put into storage!
(plums, August 2010)

Just starting to turn purple. Last year (when we had a long, hot spell) we had enough plums to feed the neighborhood and make 8 gallons of plum wine. This year, with a longer and cooler and wetter Spring, we don't have quite so many plums. Still, they're gonna be great.

(Yellow Transparent apples, August 2010)

Jim only had time to prune half the fruit trees in 2009, and there wasn't a big harvest. This year, he pruned all of the trees, and the trees that were helped last year are showing some gratitude. The transparents are Hana's favorites.

(Gravenstein-type apples, August 2010)

This apple tree bore NO fruit last year, but the pruning seems to have helped it. It has a moderate crop growing now.

(pears, August 2010)

As with the gravenstein apples, we got almost nothing from the pear trees last year, but this year they have set a moderate amount of beautiful fruit!

The weather this year hasn't been optimal for tomatoes, and ours got a late start (Jim planted them, of course--we see no reason to tempt the Tomato Curse).

(tomatoes, August 2010)

Cucumbers are a new crop for me. I was hoping to grow enough to make pickles, since I now know how to do it.

(cucumbers, August 2010)

In other news, we had visitors from the Dry Side recently.

(Jim, Gail, Madeline and Ryan--Jim and Mads are swamplanders, of course).

Puzzle the cat is pretty sure that Maddie's dog Amelia was brought to the house just to provide a new cat toy. Amelia was happy to play along.

Gail and Ryan took a quick roadtrip to the WetSide to pick up a few cool things for Ryan:I love this little trailer. Basic, sturdy, and well-cared for. Score!

And speaking of a score, check out this:

This is "Bailey" (she will get a new name, since Ryan already has a dog with that name!). She's an eleven-year-old standardbred mare, a distant cousin to Fiddle. She's been a brood mare mostly, but Ryan is going to teach her to wrangle tourists and cows, and maybe do a little endurance as well!

It's good.