Blue Morning Glory and Zinnas

Bee Ready!

This is Hive #4 early in the morning getting ready

for another day of work, work, work!

Tomatoes and Squash or Squash and Tomatoes

We used to say when we were growing up, we'd have potatoes and peas at lunch and peas and potatoes for supper. Well this summer, I'm having tomatoes and squash and squash and tomatoes. I've had a bumper crop of both.

This is one of the unknown tomatoes from my brother-in-law. They are huge, simply huge, and delicious.

I believe my squash are at the end of their time - squash borers or worms (as some say). Even though they have some blossoms, the worms are getting the squash and who wants to eat wormy squash!

National Dog Day - August 26

Hurray it’s National Dog Day! Ruff! What is National Dog Day you ask? It is exactly what you think it is, a day that you celebrate your beloved dogs and more importantly to rescue those dogs that are homeless or abused. This day is always celebrated on August 26th. Think of this day as your dog’s Independence Day.

National Dog Day was founded by author and pet expert Colleen Paige. She wanted to honor dogs much more than we do now and give them a day because they deserved it for all the numerous things that they do. In addition to giving love and companionship, she wanted us to appreciate the dogs that put their lives on the line every day - such as guide dogs, bomb sniffing dogs, and many others. Dogs also need our help to save them from homelessness and abuse. The goal of the National Dog Day foundation is to rescue at least 10,000 dogs a year. If you can adopt a dog, that would help them reach their goal. If you think owning a dog is too much to handle there are many other ways to contribute. You can help out by donating money or even donating supplies to a local shelter, rescue group or animal food bank. If you cannot donate money or supplies because of the economy, you can volunteer for one day at those places. There’s always an opportunity to be involved in a great cause.

I've had so many wonderful dogs over the years - I can't imagine my life without a dog. My girls both have dogs and they are such a part of our family. So Lily will probably get an extra hug today and treat just for being my dog!

Patriotic Quilting Bee

Saturday was our annual "making quilts for veterans" quilting bee. We always spend one day working on quilts for the Veteran's Hospital in Durham. I don't know the final total but here's a bunch (about 7, I think) ready to go.

This is one of my quilts.I had two ready this year. I'm trying to work on next year's quilts this year and be ahead of myself. I'm slow as Moses and that's about the only way I can have any ready.

Pat B. put this quilt together at the Bee - it's a quick pattern and I really like the colors - all from her stash.

Of course, we had lunch and lots of fun. It rained so hard in the afternoon - a good day to be inside quilting with friends.

House Cat

Buddy seems to think he can be an inside cat! He's hiding under the cabinet. I have a dog/cat door and he's figured out inside is the place to be.

We'll see how long before he's in and out all the time.

Missy seems perfectly content outside - she has manners unlike her brother.

And, of course, Lily has to make sure he's alright once inside. So we go through the process of picking him up, putting him outside - then wait a few minutes and he's back again!

Tacuinum Sanitatis

14th Century

The Tacuinum Sanitatis is a medieval handbook on wellness, based on the "Tables of Health", an eleventh-century Arab medical treatise by Ibn Butlan of Baghdad.

Beautifully illustrated.

It sets forth the six essential elements for well-being:

-sufficient food and drink in moderation,

-fresh air,

-alternations of activity and rest,

-alternations of sleep and wakefulness,

-secretions and excretions of humours and finally,

-the effects of states of mind.

Illnesses result from imbalance of these elements, therefore a healthy life is lived in harmony.

Water Lilies

These are in the ponds in my garden - my first water lilies.
I had the lilies sitting to high in the water - they needed to be deeper to bloom.

I learned a lot from going on the Water Lily Tour at the Duke Gardens. Just like the fish, the lilies will overwinter.

Maybe next year, I'll get a dark pink - they are so pretty!

To Be A Bee

Q: How fast can honeybees fly?

A: A honeybee can fly up to about 15 miles per hour when searching for food. When it is returning to the hive and is laden with nectar, its speed is only about 12 miles per hour. It beats its four wings at a constant rate of about 240 beats per second.

To Be a Bee from The Old Farmer's Almanac 2009 Gardening Calendar August

Wake County Chapter of the Year - 2008

www.wakecountybeekeepers.org/

Our beekeeping group, the Wake County Beekeepers Association was chosen the Chapter of the Year for 2008 at the NC Beekeepers Summer meeting.

We competed against all the chapters in the state - points were given for member attendance at meetings, volunteering at schools, and a whole list of other things.

Danny Jaynes, our chapter president, and his wife Mary worked tirelessly to make this happen as did many other members of our group.

Danny's already talking about winning the award next year.

FYI - I'm not in the photo.

Fever

We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout,

We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went out.

I'm goin' to Jackson, I'm gonna mess around,

Yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson,

Look out Jackson town.

It's about as hot as a pepper sprout! I think we'll hit 3 digits today and possibly tomorrow!

PBS had a special on Johnny Cash a week or so ago. It was his early years and it was a great program. Of course, they sang this song and Folsom Prison Blues plus many, many others.

Kitties in a Box

What is it about a box?

Sheer entertainment!

Buddy and Missy are growing like weeds and Lily plays

with them everyday. She and Buddy are best friends.

Scarecrow

This fine fellow is now gracing the garden. He's had a makeover - new jacket, pants, etc.

I haven't had a problem with the birds - just the chickens sticking their heads thru the fence if a tomato is close enough.

But every garden needs a scarecrow!

Completed Pond

A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about digging the pond. Well, it's almost complete now. I got some little fish from one of those big pet stores - about half have survived. The pond plants I had, the rocks were around here and there and the dead tree was in the mulch pile.
I've got some more to do before it'll be finished but it turned out better than I expected.

http://townbees.blogspot.com/2009/07/new-pond.html

Full Sturgeon Moon

The fishing tribes are given credit for the naming of this month's moon, since sturgeon, a large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water, were most readily caught during this month.

A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because, as the moon rises, it appears reddish through any sultry haze. It was also called the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon.

Beeyard - August 2009

Ducks in the Parking Lot

One of the ducks that greet you at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens - they were very friendly.

There were other ducks in the garden but nothing to compare with this guy or gal!

Flowers at the Duke Gardens

Borders filled with Brown Eyed Susans, Shasta Daisy, Joe Pye Weed, Cardinal Flower (almost a burgundy color) and a Banana Tree. There were so many flowers - just beautiful.

Duke Gardens - Waterlily Walk

Thursday I went to the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham for the Waterlily Walk. Tamara Kilbane, horticulturist of aquatic plants, did a wonderful job and I'd recommend the tour - it's free and you get a free parking pass if you pre-register for the walk.


These are the Amazon water platters - they are about half grown and they have thorns on the edge of the leaves - quite sharp - and a platter will hold up to 200 pounds.

Lots of information about growing lilies in your pond at home too.

She talked about the soil to use, the pots and the stands the pots sit on, and the height or depth the lily need to be in the pond.









This is a new bog and was just started last year.

The Amazon water platters were amazing - I'm going back in late August when the water platters will be bigger than big!