No Gnomes Here

I haven't spent the time I should have doing yard work this summer.  Fact is, I had more important things to keep me busy and the heat has been unbearable.  Also, I have been waiting for Dad to call the cement jackers to fix the sidewalk before I spruce up that area.  And then, one of our big beautiful red rocks out front has turned to mud.  So sad and flummoxed as to how to remedy the situation.

Yes, those are weeds above the rocks.  Like I said, I have been pretty lazy about getting out there.

On a happy note - Dad finished the steps to the higher deck today.  YEA!

You can see some of the new cement work here also.  I can now go barefoot from the house to the driveway and back to the shed. 
It is wonderful.









The hazelnuts are starting to drop already.  The almonds, although plentiful, look dehydrated.  I have to water with a hose so it hasn't gotten all the water it needs, I'm sure.  By next year we should have the sprinklers done.
Back in the garden the raspberries are just now starting to come off.  The beans are all dry and crinkly and ready to be pulled up. Alas, the zucchini and yellow squash have succumbed to the squash bugs so I dug them up today.  The only tomato plant that is producing is the Roma, and the bush seems stunted.  I don't know what is going on with the tomatoes this year.  Even the grape tomatoes that usually overrun the garden are spindly and very sickly looking.  On a brighter note, the peppers are doing very well.  I picked 4 of the jalapenos today to make some poppers for dinner, stuffed with some chive and onion cream cheese.  YUM
Today I went to the store for a water filter for the drip line, and came home with a pot of gazanias.  It took me all summer but I finally got flowers in the porch pot, only, it isn't on the porch.  These flowers need sun.  But I love gazanias.

 Dinner time, so I will have to share more later on.
kisses