Just Hope
@hopesteader.bsky.social
Rural living with progressive ideals. Amateur cat whisperer, beekeeper, garden enthusiast & new veggie farmgirl. E. Washington 6A. My garden is my sanctuary. 🫘
My poor hen. Egg so big it will not fit into the egg cup and there's no way the lid will close on the carton. Weighed in at 108 g which is more than double the size of a large egg. I feel like I need to take her something as a goodie cuz damn that was some work!
October 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
My poor hen. Egg so big it will not fit into the egg cup and there's no way the lid will close on the carton. Weighed in at 108 g which is more than double the size of a large egg. I feel like I need to take her something as a goodie cuz damn that was some work!
Here's a goodish view of the border patrol uniform he's wearing.
October 5, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Here's a goodish view of the border patrol uniform he's wearing.
Saving the blooms that I could before the eminent freeze. Hopefully I've cataloged them better than I did last year. I had 85 ft of dahlias. Hopefully I can double that with division.🌱 #spokanegardener
#gardensky
#gardensky
October 5, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Saving the blooms that I could before the eminent freeze. Hopefully I've cataloged them better than I did last year. I had 85 ft of dahlias. Hopefully I can double that with division.🌱 #spokanegardener
#gardensky
#gardensky
We are slated to get a freeze sometime this weekend. Managed to get one 90 ft row of cherry tomatoes and half of the pepper row. 2morrow I'll harvest chilies, eggplants & 2 other rows of tomatoes. I probably still have 500 lbs of tomatoes to pick. Running out of time...and space #spokanegardener 🌱
October 2, 2025 at 11:00 PM
We are slated to get a freeze sometime this weekend. Managed to get one 90 ft row of cherry tomatoes and half of the pepper row. 2morrow I'll harvest chilies, eggplants & 2 other rows of tomatoes. I probably still have 500 lbs of tomatoes to pick. Running out of time...and space #spokanegardener 🌱
Today's haul from the garden. Also harvested cantaloupe, French melon, and sugar baby watermelon as well as Anaheim Chiles that are processing right now in a triple batch of salsa Verde in the canner. #spokanegardener
🌱
🌱
September 15, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Today's haul from the garden. Also harvested cantaloupe, French melon, and sugar baby watermelon as well as Anaheim Chiles that are processing right now in a triple batch of salsa Verde in the canner. #spokanegardener
🌱
🌱
We rescued this pretty little baby from my water meter box. I found it, and hubby was able to retrieve it and set it free. Yes I know what kind of snake it is. Yes we set it free. It didn't want anything to do with us it just wanted out and to slither away.🌱 🐍#spokanegarden
August 20, 2025 at 9:20 PM
We rescued this pretty little baby from my water meter box. I found it, and hubby was able to retrieve it and set it free. Yes I know what kind of snake it is. Yes we set it free. It didn't want anything to do with us it just wanted out and to slither away.🌱 🐍#spokanegarden
My harvest for the day
#spokanegardener🌱
#spokanegardener🌱
August 16, 2025 at 12:53 AM
My harvest for the day
#spokanegardener🌱
#spokanegardener🌱
Sweet Fern has perched with her whole self on top of what was a squeaky nosed squeaky hooked dog toy from the sweet girl we lost in 2020. Didn't have the heart to get rid of it and now she has adopted it.🐈
August 6, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Sweet Fern has perched with her whole self on top of what was a squeaky nosed squeaky hooked dog toy from the sweet girl we lost in 2020. Didn't have the heart to get rid of it and now she has adopted it.🐈
I don't care what any recipe author has to say. If it calls for citrus juice, use all of the citrus zest first in your recipe. All of it! You will not regret it! It also prevents waste of a valuable aromatic seasoning.
August 4, 2025 at 2:30 AM
I don't care what any recipe author has to say. If it calls for citrus juice, use all of the citrus zest first in your recipe. All of it! You will not regret it! It also prevents waste of a valuable aromatic seasoning.
Costco. Im having problems w/them though. That is a "less than complete picture" of its current success... I only took a picture of the ones that looked good. I have a lot of blister beetles chewing off petas.lHere's another picture from the same plant. Way more pink & some the petals are streaked.
August 3, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Costco. Im having problems w/them though. That is a "less than complete picture" of its current success... I only took a picture of the ones that looked good. I have a lot of blister beetles chewing off petas.lHere's another picture from the same plant. Way more pink & some the petals are streaked.
My tomatoes are loaded but not ripe yet. one eggplant determined not to get longer than it's current 5". Garlic harvested and hung for curing. Shallots and pink onions really looking promising. Not going to think about all of the weeds out there. Oh and DAHLIAS #spokanegardening🌱
August 3, 2025 at 12:46 AM
My tomatoes are loaded but not ripe yet. one eggplant determined not to get longer than it's current 5". Garlic harvested and hung for curing. Shallots and pink onions really looking promising. Not going to think about all of the weeds out there. Oh and DAHLIAS #spokanegardening🌱
My girl assisted in raking, lawn mowing vegetable harvesting AND snow shoveling. She was also fantastic for propagation work. Here she is patiently waiting for hubby to toss her frisbee(this was her wage). We lost her just a few months later.
July 23, 2025 at 1:47 AM
My girl assisted in raking, lawn mowing vegetable harvesting AND snow shoveling. She was also fantastic for propagation work. Here she is patiently waiting for hubby to toss her frisbee(this was her wage). We lost her just a few months later.
We call that kitty face "smug monkey"
July 3, 2025 at 12:46 AM
We call that kitty face "smug monkey"
#lavender🌱 I'm planting large quantity of lavender in a field from cuttin ga off parent stock I bought 20+ years ago. Searching plant/height online info of 12-18" makes me doubt my varieties! My Munstead is a giant almost 6' in diameter & dwarfs a kids swimming pool. Same with my Provence & Grosso.
June 19, 2025 at 3:33 AM
#lavender🌱 I'm planting large quantity of lavender in a field from cuttin ga off parent stock I bought 20+ years ago. Searching plant/height online info of 12-18" makes me doubt my varieties! My Munstead is a giant almost 6' in diameter & dwarfs a kids swimming pool. Same with my Provence & Grosso.
My favorite board game currently. Enjoying it on the patio overlooking my flower garden is peak summer for me🌱
June 9, 2025 at 3:23 AM
My favorite board game currently. Enjoying it on the patio overlooking my flower garden is peak summer for me🌱
Here's my current babies. Still waiting for the others to bloom.
June 3, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Here's my current babies. Still waiting for the others to bloom.
Usually orb weavers. I'm not sure entirely though. Last year they staged themselves in my garden boots. I left them and found other shoes for the day
May 28, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Usually orb weavers. I'm not sure entirely though. Last year they staged themselves in my garden boots. I left them and found other shoes for the day
Weather turning rapidly hot quick so I'm anticipating collecting swarms soon. So I gave my bee jacket a wash up. Hanging outside to dry and then rain came. So I brought it in very quickly. This casual cat decided it was the perfect place to lounge. I love this giant boy!
May 28, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Weather turning rapidly hot quick so I'm anticipating collecting swarms soon. So I gave my bee jacket a wash up. Hanging outside to dry and then rain came. So I brought it in very quickly. This casual cat decided it was the perfect place to lounge. I love this giant boy!
Orb weaver family "Cat-faced" spider. This lady has raised generations of fly killers on my patio and outside the kitchen window.🕷️🌱
May 16, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Orb weaver family "Cat-faced" spider. This lady has raised generations of fly killers on my patio and outside the kitchen window.🕷️🌱
Babies!!! Arachnababies!!🌱🕷️
May 16, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Babies!!! Arachnababies!!🌱🕷️
If you've never smoked the cabbage for your slaw, you're missing out. Just in time for barbecue season. Smoked cabbage slaw with a buttermilk bacon dressing.
May 15, 2025 at 11:20 PM
If you've never smoked the cabbage for your slaw, you're missing out. Just in time for barbecue season. Smoked cabbage slaw with a buttermilk bacon dressing.
We call that "sweetheart paws" in our house. When they hold them that way, it looks like a little heart. And also because they ARE sweethearts. She's gone now but she would do it to get belly rubs. (It's not always a trap)
May 15, 2025 at 3:06 AM
We call that "sweetheart paws" in our house. When they hold them that way, it looks like a little heart. And also because they ARE sweethearts. She's gone now but she would do it to get belly rubs. (It's not always a trap)
It's a little early, but not too early to make your shopping list for this fabulous drink. It's my spin on a French 75 & my signature Mother's Day cocktail. I use Esme which is a floral gin vs a woody gin. Homemade rhubarb syrup replaces simple syrup and lemon with pink champagne. 🌱🍸 #cocktails
May 6, 2025 at 10:44 PM
It's a little early, but not too early to make your shopping list for this fabulous drink. It's my spin on a French 75 & my signature Mother's Day cocktail. I use Esme which is a floral gin vs a woody gin. Homemade rhubarb syrup replaces simple syrup and lemon with pink champagne. 🌱🍸 #cocktails
🌱I took this from a cutting of Julia Child, my main plant last summer as a "just in case" since I had to move the rose to a new location. Bloom opened just this morning. In the last 2 seasons I've successfully rooted 8 to maturity. Also rooted 4 Jeannie Lajoie mini pink climbers and got them planted
May 3, 2025 at 3:52 PM
🌱I took this from a cutting of Julia Child, my main plant last summer as a "just in case" since I had to move the rose to a new location. Bloom opened just this morning. In the last 2 seasons I've successfully rooted 8 to maturity. Also rooted 4 Jeannie Lajoie mini pink climbers and got them planted