Shhh.. Don't tell the deer!

Please don't tell the deer that chickpeas are legumes! Those darn darn deer have been in the garden again. A few of the tomatoes have been topped and the pole beans decimated. ARGH! So frustrating.. Of course, it's my own fault for continuing to use deer netting instead of finally investing in an actual electric deer fence. But, I was busy this spring and hoped that this year would be different. NOT! 

Happily, the chickpeas - which remarkably, are outside of the (pathetic excuse for a) deer fence - are thriving.. They have loved this heat and dry weather and the plants are super bushy and about 15 inches tall. They're a black variety from Afghanistan that I bought from Bakers Creek. So excited about this as homemade hummus is one of my favourite treats.. 

A delightful tangle of chickpeas!

Yesterday we finally had a deep rain. Hours and hours of solid, steady moisture with another shower just a few minutes ago. I just spent a 1/2 hour in the garden pulling weeds, clearing a large area, as well as spent peas, chamomile, poppies and salad greens. Time to enrich the beds and replant - one last planting of potatoes for a fall harvest, daikon radishes and also plenty of carrots for fall and winter (mulched). You know it's been a good weeding session when it's not just your hands that are dirty, but also your arms, shoulders and entire outfit! Oh yes, and it was just pointed out to me that my face is also streaked with dirt. So, to sum up:

Deer 1
Niki 0

Weeds 0
Niki 1

Guess I'm breaking even?? :)

Love this fine foliage

Tomorrow is the Chester Garden Tour - Come say hi!

What are you doing tomorrow? I'll be taking part in the Chester Garden Tour, sitting my butt in Lordly Park, enjoying the summer sun from beneath the shelter of the gazebo (or perhaps a towering tree??) and talking to garden-lovers participating in the tour. 

As always, there will be plenty to see and for those who buy their tickets in advance, there is a free light  lunch. I've seen most of the gardens and can assure you that this will be a lovely way to spend a summer afternoon.

Hope to see you there!

Details:

CHESTER GARDEN TOUR IS BACK

• SATURDAY, JULY 20TH, 2013 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• RAIN OR SHINE! TICKETS = $30 (includes picnic lunch) for those purchased in advance.
• FOR MORE INFORMATION – CONTACT VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE: 275-4616
• EMAIL: info@ChesterAreaNS.ca

The Chester Municipal Chamber of Commerce has brought back the Chester Garden Tour! This fundraising event is to be held on Saturday, July 20, 2013. Rain or Shine. The event will kick off at 11:00 am and end at 4:00 pm. Participants will pick up their information packages at the Chester Visitor Information Centre before starting the garden tour.

 The self-guided tour features the outstanding gardens of:

• Ted & Joan Cleather - garden
• Sally Dawson - garden
• Dolly Hancock - garden
• Elena Heard - garden
• Lisa LaFrance & Nicholas Lewin - Hackmatack property
• Carl & Raye Potter - Haddon Hall garden
• John & Judy Risley - greenhouse tour

 The gardens are located from East Chester to Marriott's Cove.

 In addition to the spectacular gardens, the Chester Municipal Chamber of Commerce is including tours at the Lordly House and Zoe Valley Memorial Library and a question & answer period with Niki Jabbour.

 Lordly House is an 1806 Georgian residence featuring displays that perfectly reflect Chester's municipal heritage and culture. The recently restored property is one of Chester's precious gems located on the luscious grounds of Lordly Park.

At the gazebo in Lordly Park, Niki Jabbour, author of the award winning book, The Year Round Vegetable Gardener (2012 Book Award, American Horticultural Society) is offering a "Question & Answer" period from noon – 2:00 pm. Participants can enjoy their picnic lunch in the beautiful Lordly Park while chatting with Jabbour.

 On the Zoe Valley Memorial Library grounds, little remains of the original gardens of the early 1930s except a hedge that is now a row of tall trees. In 2005, the librarian and his wife, aided by generous donations of plants, established a formal garden opposite the Library and a more open space opposite the Lightfoot Tower for social functions.

 Please join the Chester Municipal Chamber of Commerce to stroll through these spectacular gardens on Saturday, July 20, 2013. Tickets - $30 in advance/ $35 day of event. TICKET PRICE INCLUDES A PICNIC LUNCH FOR ALL TICKETS PURCHASED IN ADVANCE.

 For information and to purchase tickets: Contact the Chester Visitor Information Centre. Phone: 902-275-4616 or Email: info@ChesterAreaNS.ca

 UPDATED Chester Garden Tour 2013 POSTER

Designer Whey Sustained Energy winners!

Thanks to everyone who entered my giveaway. I'm super late getting the winners posted -- holiday, lack of computer . . . So, let's get to it! The winners of the Designer Whey Sustained Energy powder are:




Andrea

Realia Mazing

Britton

Noelle

Mike and Leslie

Amy Lauren


Congratulations!!! Please send me your mailing address with your flavor choice (chocolate or vanilla) to felicehalf [at] yahoo [dot] com.

The Up's & Down's of Being a Gardener!

Not a veggie, but I just love the lupin-like blooms
of baptisia.

So it's been raining for a whole week. 7 days and 7 nights. Of rain. Often heavy downpours that just pound everything into the ground. The basil and peppers are on 'pause' in terms of their growth.. and I think I saw a little 'on strike' sign tucked amongst the basil leaves. Not good! But, there is a glimmer of hope as tomorrow and later on into the week, the forecast looks a bit better with warmer temp's and more sunshine. Fingers crossed! At this point, the slugs are almost bigger than me, so we really need some of that summer heat.

I haven't actually been up to the garden in about 3 days, and it amazes me how some plants embrace the rain - greens, tomatoes, perennials, pole beans.. while others (the above-mentioned basil and peppers) languish.

But in my neglect of the garden, I have made a few boo boo's and the slugs have gone crazy in the new carrot patch.. check out my pole bean blunder below! Happily, the chickpeas are thriving (knock on wood)..

Chickpeas - putting on new growth even with NO
sunshine.. 

Hark! Is that a chickpea flower I see?? Plants
are about 1-foot tall and well branched. Only
about 20 plants (from 24 seeds in the packet)
Mental note: next year order 2 packets

Whoa - potato flowers! Does that mean I should
dig for some baby spuds?? Yum!

My giant kossak kohrabi is getting big! The
bulbing stem is about 3 inches across now.

Ok, I have 1 deer fence up now.. but before that
happened, the deer nibbled on my pole beans last
week. So, I used old pea netting to surround
the base of my pole bean teepee.. But.. now
the plants have grown through the netting!
Agh! I guess I'm stuck with the netting for the
season.. 

Lovely lettuce.. more salad tonight.

Hmmm.. can you see the tiny half-eaten
stub of a carrot plant in the middle??
darn slugs!! must stick more seed in.
And thin the remaining carrots. 

Designer Whey Sustained Energy -- review and giveaway.

I wrote recently about Designer Whey when I tried the protein powder and bars for the first time. I enjoyed the protein powder for my shakes and for whipping up high-protein snacks (like those awesome pistachio white chocolate energy bites that I made).

This month, I was invited to try out Designer Whey's new product: Designer Whey Sustained Energy. I tried the Chocolate Velvet and Vanilla Bean and tried -- very, very hard -- to like them as much as I liked the regular, 100% whey powder.

Unfortunately, I couldn't. What I really liked about the regular Designer Whey powder was that it made my smoothies extra smooth, creamy and filling. The Sustained Energy powder definitely made my smoothies more filling, it just didn't make them any smoother or creamier. It is probably just a consistency thing with me, but I felt like the powder was a little bit gritty. This might not be an issue for anyone else but, for me, it was.

On the plus side, the protein powder delivers on its promise of sustained energy.  Designer Whey Sustained Energy is formulated to "provide balanaced, stimulant-free energy" and a smoothie or energy bite made with it kept me filled longer than expected. That's a good thing. One scoop of the powder provides 16 grams of protein and 19 essential vitamins and minerals.

Another plus is that the flavors -- vanilla bean and chocolate velvet -- were tasty and enjoyable.

Would you like to try out Designer Whey Sustained Energy for yourself?

Yes? Well, keep reading, friends!

The giveaway:

This giveaway will have SIX winners (open to US residents only) and the winners can choose to try out vanilla or chocolate. To enter, just leave me a comment letting me know that you'd like to try out this protein powder.

Additional entries:

As always, you can gain extra entries. Remember, though, you must complete the required entry first! And, yes, I'll check. (Leave one comment per entry for the additional ones to count.) So, here's what to do:

• Follow me on Pinterest, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)
• Pin the image from this post to share the giveaway on Pinterest (leave a comment)
• Follow me on Twitter, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)

• Follow me on Instagram, or let me know that you already do (leave a comment)

• Link to this giveaway from your blog (leave a comment)

This giveaway will run through Tuesday, July 2nd at 11:59pm EST and the winner -- chosen at random from all eligible entries -- will be announced on Wednesday. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or I'll choose another winner.

Good luck!

 

 

Review disclaimer: I was sent product for review through Fitfluential. I was not otherwise compensated and the opinions expressed are entirely my own.