Sunday, August 1, 2010

gnome homes and star moss and august


Half way through this summer season. Our world so full of color, we can feel ourselves heading towards the golden time. I am embracing it. I am happy to be here right in the middle of summer.

I cannot believe though that here we are at the beginning of August and I have yet to do a real gardening post.


How grateful I am for our garden this year. As I am every year. We are grateful for the food of course, but also for the time spent among the beds, in the dirt, under the sun.


This is what dinner has looked like so many nights this summer. Thank goodness we were able to get through most of the hottest afternoons without cooking! Bread baked very early in the morning, beans in the crockpot, easy grains like quinoa, lots of cold grain/bean salads. And then a big bunch of these wonderful greens, chopped up and piled on top, almost always raw. Almost every night. Yummy. Thank you garden!

I am often enjoying the view of the garden from up above. Standing on the back deck that is off of our kitchen.


Giant hollyhock leaves down below! (That is a 10 inch pot beside it!) No blooming hollyhocks this year though. (Sad.) But new cosmos have been greeting us each morning and soon the calendula will be shining it's bright face up to the sun. Happy!

And the gnomes have been making us happy too.

Last weeks storytelling and gnome crafting was inspired by an exciting discovery in the forest.

A gnome cave. With star moss! (Some kind of special fairy/gnome moss perhaps? I'm not exactly sure, but Chloe was so excited to discover it!)

We discovered lots of other neat things that day out in the forest.


A tree trunk smashed up by a bear, to get at the ants inside. Look closely on the right and you can see scratch marks from it's paws! (You would have to click to make the picture bigger...)

Tall trees.

Little trees.

Aspen leaves singing in the treetops.

Thistle stalk for snack. Peeled of course! She harvested it herself.

Ripe service berries.



Isn't that neat! A bit of love in the stump of an old Ponderosa.

And the magical gnome talk continued all week long.


Oh my, blogger is being funky with pictures. Glad I got through that. There has been so much that I have been wanting to share here, wishing to write about, but goodness how quickly the time passes!

Speaking of which, I am coming very close to my 100th post! Perhaps later this week. And I have a nice little giveaway planned too!
So see you soon :)


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21 comments:

Linda said...

I always enjoy my visits here, such wonderful photos:) You live in an amazing place. Love the trunk that the bear got hold of, Wow, we don't see that here in South Africa. Those little gnomes are beautiful!

Marina said...

What a happy, lovely post...*sigh* soothing to my soul :). Those gnomes are so very sweet and your garden makes me wish I had spent more time tending to ours this year. Thank you so much for all the loveliness you share

xoxo, Marina

Tonya Gunn said...

I love the magic, beauty, and simplicity in your life Renee. The needlefelted gnomes are so cute and your gardens look gorgeous. It is amazing isn't it? I marvel each and every year at the goodness.
Warm wishes, Tonya

tree said...

Beautiful pictures and great post! i love the garden photo with the rock wall, how enchanting!! What type of thistle stalks are you snacking on? Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Wow what a beautiful day !!! I love your gnomes and your garden is wonderful. We have been so blessed ourself with this years harvest, grew things we didn't even plant.

Blessings

Sara said...

What a beautiful nature table! And such sweet, sweet gnomes. :)

saraelise said...

Oh... I do LOVE those gnomes!! What a great addition to a sweet nature table. It sounds like we have been having quite similar dinner menus. Our house is very hot in the afternoon, so if we don't bake first thing then... no bread! I do wish I had some of those beautiful greens from your garden! How yummy. :) peace to you~

Mama Ash Grove said...

Oh my, I have so much to say that I cannot say it all! I love this whole post- what a lovely life you have!
I know what you mean about summer food- your meals are much like we've been having too. I love the simple fresh raw food of summer.
Ollie Winter would be so excited to see that log torn up by a bear. He wishes we had bears here! We do have coyote though, and we've seen plenty of them! He'd love to live where you do, he is always telling me he wished we lived in "mountain wilderness" not "Island wilderness."
<3

Nicola said...

I LOVE the rocks in your garden! Your gnomes are so cute! We didn't have fairy/gnome love here until recently. Fairies are in favor now. I wonder if gnomes will follow.
Nicola

Wild Maple Wool said...

Hooray for gnome goodness!!!!!

Looks like you have a very beautiful and enchanted life ;)

~Samantha

gardenmama said...

Your garden is lovely Renee! I love the rocks!
And the sweet gnomes are wonderful! xoxo

6512 and growing said...

Forest Lakes serviceberries are my FAVORITE! Enjoy!

momma rae said...

your gnomes are lovely! so are your girls. and that forest. and your garden. 100th post already? wowsers. a giveaway, eh? that sounds fun! ;) miss you!

Bending Birches said...

such a beautiful post...I love every photo:) as always...

Tahara said...

Great garden post!...We do not have a garden this year...We joined a CSA, as we couldn't get it going this year...But like you, we have many many tasty green and not so greens this summer so far...Post the calendula when it comes up :-)

Hugs...

FrontierDreams said...

I am loving EVERYTHING about this post. Those gnomes are so cute, and your nature table is perfect. Seeing your garden makes me so happy. We didn't get to plant ours this year so I'll live through you ;) Love the forest pics, too. See I told you I loved everything! XOXO

Unknown said...

Hello Renee, so lovely to come across you blog. Your daughters seem to be very happy outdoors in nature... a wonderful place to be. I would love to know where you are, it's so pretty. I love the little gnomes they are precious. A wonderful blog.

Amanda said...

Those gnomes are so so pretty!!!

Heather said...

Your rock wall by your garden is beautiful. We are also enjoying the abundance of our gardens.

moment to Moment said...

what a lovely post, I love the little rock wall by your garden, and the little gnomes are so sweet, looks a little like the hazelnut gnomes we make
:) Christina

Unknown said...

what yummy summer photos! I am getting tired of winter down here. I am not sure I would trade though....the thought of bears freaks me out. I am inspired to cook more beans now...and am so envious of your lovely vege garden