26 July 2012

OK, oops . . .

A kind friend phoned yesterday and said well happy birthday but what about an oh Happy Days deal for those of us who don't need shipping?  Yup, you're right, sorry about that.  Making amends - with a 25% discount in the online shop.  
Oh Happy Days indeed.
Just enter the code HD25 at checkout.

25 July 2012

Oh Happy Days!

We're celebrating 'cus it's somebody's birthday!
But instead of cake and ice cream (that's tomorrow), we're sending you on over 
 to the SHOP for FREE shipping until July 30th.
Enter the code word HAPPYDAY to receive the deal.
And, we are extra happy today because it rained overnight and into this morning.  The rain barrels and bird baths are once again full and the gardens have been watered.   
The incredible heat and sunshine are taking a wee break for a few days (hello good nights sleep) but will return just in time for the weekend.  

I'm loving the short scheduled break from the heat but today it's making me feel extra lazy. (Who knew that turning 29 was so damn exhausting!). You know, the kind of lazy that makes you want to curl up with a cozy blanket and a good book.  The kind of lazy that means nothing that should be done is getting done.  The kind of lazy that only a rainy day in summer can provide. 

Have a really happy, lazy summer day.

{all images:  the lazy urban farmchick}
  

24 July 2012

Bee Girl

My great niece Emma was here for a visit with her Grandma and Grandpa a few weeks ago.  She's 9.  She's beautiful.  She's a really great kid.  She's an amazing artist - she has always loved, and I mean LOVED to draw.  I have several of her drawings on my fridge.  She's in love with dance and recently took home a gold and silver medal at her first out of town dance competition.  While she was here we went to the Blues Festival, sort of danced and took a day trip across the border to Grand Marais, Minnesota.  If you have never been to Grand Marais you need to. The North shore is inspiring. The lake seems like an ocean.  On Saturday's they have a lovely arts & crafts market and she picked up some jewelry for herself and her cousins.  
Most importantly however, we spent time together.  
We hunted for frogs at the creek.  We did indeed find a frog. 
 It got away (darn)!  And then we did this . . .
We went to an afternoon of Bee Keeper learning arranged by the local Bee Keeper's Association of which I am a member.  
Emma donned my Bee suit and borrowed a veil (the netted hat).  Cuffs rolled up, tucked in, gloves on, in she went.  There were three hives in the bee yard, lots of bee activity and SOOOOOO much to see and learn.  She was able to pet, yup pet, a male (drone) honey bee  (they are unable to sting), see a Queen Bee, the eggs that she had laid and scoop honey right out of the hive with her finger.  It was an amazing afternoon.  
I think we have  a Bee Keeper in the making.  
  

19 July 2012

Ready, set . . .

OK, NOW!


Thank you for stopping by.  Please let us know if you have any questions or difficulties by e-mailing us:
urbanfarmchick@gmail.com

Lots of good stuff to come.  Over the next week we will be adding our soap line and continue adding new product weekly.  Yay!

Happy Shopping!

As you know too well by now, I'm technically challenged and it's entirely possible I've missed some detail.  Please let me know but be kind - lol!

Click on "Shop"

{image via Pinterest}

16 July 2012

Almost . . .

Getting really close.  As per my usually technically challenged self, just one final glitch to work out and we'll be up and running.  When I went to do the final "test" today before launching, there was, of course, a step I had missed in setting up my PayPal merchant account but my expectation is that by this time tomorrow you'll be shopping.  Yay!
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

15 July 2012

Ices Treats

It is going to be another scorcher.  With the humidity taking us to 38 degrees celcius today, finding ways to stay cool can be challenging.  Instead of processed sugar loaded iced treats try freezing grapes. They are not only naturally sweet but when frozen, instant mini chillers.  

'cus stayin' cool can be a tough job . . .
STAY COOL...
{images google}

12 July 2012

Tales of summer

It's been awhile.  It's not that I haven't been thinking of you and the empty blog screen calling me but it's been a crazy, busy, interesting, frustrating season in the gardens.
I had my first experience with my beehive swarming.  Not once, but twice, although there is question as to the original source of second swarm (they may not have come from my hive).  Luckily for me they landed just outside the bee yard just 22 feet up a spruce tree.  Luckily for me my husband was home and has a really tall ladder.  Luckily for me I was working in the garden when the swarm began.  I was not only able to experience the sights and sound of a beehive swarm but also able to watch where they landed.  That meant I had a chance to recover them.  
Let's just say that while I began the spring season with one hive, I now have four!  More on that another day.  Instead of blogging (and other things) I was rushing to build bee boxes, frames and wire foundation to support my new hives.  
The early summer garden produced lovely peonies, lupins, knautia, astilbe, grasses and the first flower bunches headed to market.

With the hot and humid temps we were experiencing, these beautiful buds burst forth into full bloom.
I just wish the peony season lasted all summer.
Like much of the country, we have experienced vast amounts of rain followed by heat and humidity causing the temps to rise to 38 degrees celcius.   The original downpour that 
caused severe flooding in our area, soaked the cutting field and put me at least a week behind in planting and seeding.  Beets and peas had to be resown.  The Nigella sputtered in germination.  I've sown more.
But, the cutting gardens have begun to flourish and while I would normally rejoice at the rain and heat combination, I have had several visitors, including the deer kind.  Groundhogs are appearing everywhere and have already caused many of the new seedlings to disappear, tops of bedding out plants sheered of their tops.  That is if they made it past the cutworm and army worms lurking in the soil, emerging in the cool of the night! 
The peas have been eaten off completely.  I'll try replanting those in the late summer to see if I reap an early, cool fall crop.   Sunflowers have been sown again.  
Those of you who garden, especially in the country, know that with the heat and the humidity come huge weeds, a never ending chore at the best of times. 
This week I hope to find some time to put down more mulch, stake and tie the rows of Salvia Claryssa, some varieties of Rudbekia and the tomatoes.


In between, I have been working on the online shop.  Seriously.  If all goes according to plan, you will be able to start shopping by Monday.  Yay!  Thanks for being sooooo patient. 

How is your summer going?  Your gardens growing?  Anything special happening in your patch?  I'd love to hear.  

Have a gooder and stay cool.

04 July 2012

4th of July

Blessings to my American friends.

Enjoy this day.