Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 87
Hi there!
I hope you had a great week!
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Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms
What a week it was!
Chris and I spent some time in Vermont for the July 4th weekend while the girls hung back at home working and hitting the beach.
We had such a good time on the lake, at the antique flea market, hiking, and dining out.
I found some cool stuff thrifting at the market.
Every year, we experience some mini-calamity on the boat.

This weekend, one of the boat plugs got loose and allowed some water into the hull. It slowed us down a bit while we were out on the lake.
But all is good, the boat is fine, and we still enjoyed the weekend.
This happens like once a summer and this weekend, was the weekend.
Does that happen to you too?
A few years back, my husband and I came up early on a Thursday and he had to take a work call so we knew we had limited time on the lake and we were rushing to get out there.
We brought the boat to the launch, got it in the water, he parked the truck, came back to rev it up and what do you know?
The boat keys were not with us. So he ran to the truck while I stayed with the boat, went back to the house, grabbed the keys, and came back.
I’m telling you…every summer there is always that one time. LOL!

In the Garden
Since we are starting to add fish to the larger pond, we invited some new residents to help keep the predators at bay.
While I know they are not foolproof, every little bit helps right?
You’ve met Bob the blue heron decoy before. But today, I’d like for you to meet Fred!

Fred is our floating alligator decoy who moves around on the pond surface and will hopefully scare predators away.
We also plan to net the pond, but have not gotten around to doing it just yet.
For now, Fred floats around and seems to be enjoying pond life while protecting the fish.
And he’s better company than the snake I met last week, am I right???

What’s Happening at Bricks ‘n Blooms
It was a fun week on the blog!
We kicked the week off with my easy-to-make pesto recipe. I’ve made a few batches so far this summer and put it on almost everything!
I also brought you around all of the gardens to show you all the plants that are coming up and blooming. Some of which, I’ve never grown before.
It’s like Christmas morning for the gardener here. Wait until you see my early summer garden tour.

If you started a vegetable garden this year, I shared a post about growing, caring for, and harvesting cucumbers, as well as some of my favorite summertime cucumber recipes.
In the spirit of making easy summer meals, I shared a real crowd-pleaser that is easy to make without the mess. My family loves this dish and it’s SO GOOD.
Wait until you try this easy summer dinner idea.

If you are heading out on vacation this summer, keep your plants alive with my tips and tricks to keep your garden and houseplants happy and healthy while you get some rest and relaxation.
With summer in full swing, it’s not too late to add some cottage charm to your flower gardens. Follow these tips to create a cozy cottage garden.
And finally, I shared a backyard garden tour in my latest YouTube video where I shared what’s blooming in the zen garden.
Gah! It looks so pretty back there!
Wait until you see how pretty it looks.

Amazing Inspiration from Around the Web
I love finding cool inspiration from around the web and wanted to share some of what I’m loving right now.
These amazing zucchini recipes.
Learn everything you need to know about growing dahlias.
This coastal Maine patriotic decor.
These geranium flowers.
This New England garden tour.
These DIY summer party lights.
I’m loving these July 4th table decorations.
This triple berry crisp recipe.
This keto-friendly fruit pizza mixed with berries.
I love what she did with this trash to treasure.
This easy to make decadent dessert.
And these furniture painting tips.

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