Maybelline's Garden

Good Bye Summer. FINALLY!

2012-01-23T19:18:00.001-08:00

It finally happened. Summer is done in the garden and it took until January for it to happen. A couple of freezes last week singed all the tomato plants so badly that the plants had to go. That included plants that produced all summer long and new volunteers.

The beds need to get ready for onions or maybe more broccoli and cauliflower. All those veggies get used easily in the kitchen.Can you believe it? It will be time to plant tomato seedlings in just 2 months! Since these little tomatoes will get turned under, there will probably be little sprouts struggling shortly OR the earthworms can help break them down.

Bugs

2012-01-22T16:57:00.001-08:00

Beets

Bugs bug me. Must they come into MY garden? Come on. My neighbors (one in particular) don’t give a “hoot” about their yard. I encourage all bugs to go there and enjoy whatever vegetation they want to munch on. Shoot. Termites even munch on the house to the east; but the residence don’t care.

It’s a constant battle that the bugs will eventually win. I will continue to pick, squash, smash, spray, and snip bugs. I suppose I should be encouraged to know that if the bugs can eat in my garden, the garden must be safe for me to eat too.

Guilty!

2012-01-19T20:25:00.001-08:00

A crime has been committed.

The identity of the suspect has been hidden to protect any innocence (There is none!). This afternoon, I discovered that damaged had occurred to the nectarine and apricot trees. Some beast had chewed on the dormant branches. In the case of the nectarine, a large chunk of a branch had been broken clean off!

EXHIBIT A:The Fantasia Nectarine has been struggling but was looking promising. A lower limb had been snapped off and munched. Note: Damage does not appear to be from a beaver as there is no body of water near.

EXHIBIT B:The Blenheim Apricot is a much more vigorous specimen. An apricot limb adjacent to the snapped nectarine limb sustained damage from some sharp toothed demon.

Evidence was collected from the surrounding area for analysis. Witnesses were interviewed with statements recorded. A round up of the “usual suspect(s)” was performed.Justice was swift. The perpetrator felt great remorse and was released on his own recognizance. He’s on probation and is on his best behavior.

Note: The dormant trees were dormant sprayed for the 2nd time this season after the damaged trees were lightly pruned.

Chillin’

2012-01-16T21:10:00.001-08:00

No. I do not talk like that; but it’s supposed be getting cold at nights. Finally. The lettuce bed is tucked in under a canopy of plastic sheeting that is supported by a frame. I take care not to let the plastic touch the leaves. If it freezes, then that contact could damage any vegetation touching the freezing plastic sheeting.

The citrus trees need to be covered as well. Some re-purposed sun umbrellas make this task easy. The base of the two part umbrella stays in the pot during the season when freeze damage can occur (December – March).Once the plastic sheeting has been initially secured with small clamps (paper clips or clothes pins), it stays on whether the umbrella is open or closed for storage.The underside of these umbrellas has reflective material that I believe helps the temperature stay a bit above freezing. I could be wrong. It’s happened before.

The ferns hanging under the pergola get covered with old sheets. Those are also secured with clothes pins.If anyone peeked over the garden wall they might think a Klan meeting was in progress. They would be incorrect.

Here’s to hoping for loads of cold, cold weather to kill any bugs that think they can hang out over the winter.

Let’s Go To Work

2012-01-15T15:48:00.001-08:00

The line of boysenberries (6 plants total, 5 bare root, 1 from pot) has been planted. They are located where azaleas failed. The loose soil was amended with acidic compost just like the azaleas. The six berries are along the curb. Failed camellias are closest to the wall. More on that later.

Note: Farmer MacGregor has part of the fence dismantled for maintenance. Of course, paint is involved.

Don’t know what led to the demise of the camellias. The planting location is in well drained soil that is in complete shade from the wall in the winter time and complete sun in the summer time. There was shade cloth erected during the summer to protect the plants but I’m done with babysitting. Now I’m trying to determine what will grow successfully there.

Something hardy that thrives with little attention is ideal. Large white flowers would “pop” against the backdrop of the brick wall. I thought a white hydrangea might be nice but the sun would be too brutal. I skimmed through my Sunset and thought a Viburnum – Chinese Snowball would work. When I went to the nursery today, they told me that shade was needed. What gives? Has anyone in the Central San Joaquin Valley had success with Hydrangea or Viburnum growing in full sun?

Instead, I purchased an Iceberg rose to try. It’s not an investment if it fails but I do hope it’s successful.I have had a wisteria that my father gave me years ago. When the yard was remodeled, it was transplanted. I thought we had killed it but it kept on going. Enter Ajax. That pup loves to teethe on the old vine. I’m not sure if it survived his last attack; so a bare root blue wisteria was planted along side just in case.Some shade cloth and metal posts are used to construct barriers around all of the wisterias. Now there are 3 growing under the pergola.

The lavender and chrysanthemums were pruned and vegetable beds hoed. If it ever gets cold and rains, I will look forward to a day of indoor lounging.

Dormant Spray

2012-01-14T12:26:00.001-08:00

Steve asked what kind of dormant oil is sprayed on the fruit trees in the garden. Farmer MacGregor uses a combination of Take Down and KOP-R. He uses a hand sprayer making sure to completely saturate the tree from the bottom and top.Take down is used year round to control insects. It’s primary ingredient is Pyrethrum. He combines the two and applies to the dormant fruit trees about 3 times in the winter. Since there has been no rain (not even fog), the 3 applications have not run into any scheduling problems. It can be applied to most any plant that doesn’t have fuzzy leaves. Read the label to be certain.

You can see the price but it’s concentrated and lasts for some time. Check with your local (not box store) nursery. They may have a better recommendation for your area.

Warning: The KOP-R will stain so make sure to cover any surrounding items you do not want to take on the patina of oxidized copper (blue-green).

Boysenberry Bare Roots & Support

2012-01-13T20:18:00.001-08:00

This weekend, Farmer MacGregor has 3 days at his disposal. It is my duty to help him be fulfilled; so the task of building support lines for boysenberries has been put before him. The bare root stock will be planted where azaleas once died. The spot is in complete shade in the winter and scorching sun in the summer. The soil is loose, fertile, and still a bit acidic. My gift certificate to a local nursery was put aside for bare root season with the intent of creating a garden fence of boysenberries.

I found some plans on line that mimic the espalier system we already have for the dwarf fruit trees.

A post and wire system is relatively easy to construct and is the best way to train blackberries or hybrid berries.

Drive 2.5m (8ft) long and 75mm (3in) diameter posts into the ground to a depth of 75cm (30in) at 5m (15ft) intervals
Stretch 12 gauge (3.5mm) galvanized wire between the posts at 30cm (1ft) vertical intervals
Plant the blackberries or hybrid berries 2.5-3.5m (8-11ft) apart along the fence

Maybe I’ll simply get the stock planted and see how it grows before Farmer MacGregor invests time, effort, and materials toward this project.

Here’s to high hopes of a bounty of berries in the coming years.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T10:54:00.001-08:00

Variegated Pink Lemon

Dang it. 2012 is here whether we like it or not. Using the new year as a marker, the trees were sprayed with pyrethrum and copper sulfate. This was the 1st of 3 sprays scheduled for the winter. In about 3 weeks, they will be hit a 2nd time. The final application must be scheduled before any of the buds break. This helps to control pests and fungus. Good. That was the final task of 2011.

Blenheim Apricot

Sadly, there hasn’t been much cold weather to speak of. That cold helps the dormant fruit – apricot, nectarine, pear, apple, peach, and plum. AND it’s been mighty dry.

Red Flame Grapes

Farmer MacGregor is in charge of the grapevine. The 1st task of the new year was to prune the vine with the hopes of a superior crop in 2012. The old dove nests and unwanted vines were removed. The arbor is clean and ready for the summer shade.

Volunteers from the summer continue to thrive. Sunflowers and tomatoes are going strong. In fact, fresh picked tomatoes were enjoyed on Christmas Day. Sheesh! At 9:30 this morning, it was already warm out in the garden.

This weather will give me plenty of opportunity to do chores in the garden to prepare for the spring and summer crops. I will be planting more beets, broccoli, and cauliflower with hopes they will do better than what is out there now.

Biggest Dud of 2011 in the Garden: Grafting. Not one success there.

Biggest Success of 2011 in the Garden: Golden Current Tomato. They’re still producing.

Recommendations for 2012: Heinz Tomato. Nice plant with beautiful fruit that is easy to harvest and preserve. Good for fresh eating or canning.

Goal for 2012: Incorporate more flowers into the garden.

Leaves

2011-12-30T17:39:00.001-08:00

If you’re in California, have you noticed that the leaves in the trees are sticking around longer than usual? Several people have observed this to me.

Sure. They’re coming down; but leaves are still up in the trees mocking Winter. Maybe that’s the problem. It hasn’t been cold enough. There hasn’t been any rain. How about a little wind? I can’t stand the wind – freezing rain will do nicely.

Meanwhile, we’ll just have to be patient and wait OR know that on Monday when the tree trimmer comes, our wait will be over.

Below are some images taken earlier this year of Ajax to use as a scale of growth.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T09:45:00.001-08:00

Seems like the geranium has a peppermint flare to it. Just in time for Christmas - which looks to be sunny, clear skies. Dang.

Hope everyone has a great Christmas. Enjoy relaxing and looking through all the seed catalogs.

Here’s mine:

Favorite Christmas movie: Christmas in Connecticut – It’s so hunky dunky!

Favorite Christmas song: Marshmallow World – Johnny Mathis (I still know where the skip was in my father’s LP.)

Favorite Christmas hymn: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

You can understand my choice by dedicating only 8:36 minutes. Worth it.

It’s difficult to pick. If you can, let me know your choices.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Frosted Scotch

2011-12-20T20:48:00.001-08:00

Frost formed on the Scotch Moss this morning. Thank goodness. More freezing weather is good for the fruit trees. Well, not so good for the citrus trees. Citrus is covered on super cold nights (in the 20s) using a beach umbrella draped in plastic. It’s easy up and easy down.

Now that the freezer door is open, California needs some moisture in the form of snow up in the high Sierras. Many are getting nervous that the hopes of another bountiful water year will be dashed. I’m hopeful but practical. The garden is equipped with water saving irrigation. Nothing radical – just practical. I’m ready either way.

You know I’m just happy to not be wearing swamp pants. And that’s the truth.

Christmas is Citrus

2011-12-18T20:05:00.001-08:00

Rio Red Grapefruit

At Christmas, all kinds of citrus is ripe around here. I remember as a kid going out to the shed at the citrus orchards and sampling all kinds of citrus that could be purchased and shipped as gifts. All the fruit was naturally cold, sweet, and juicy. This Christmas I only have 2 varieties ready (or real close) – grapefruit and lemons.

Variegated Pink Lemon

It’s a brain scratcher seeing the price of citrus in the grocery store then seeing loads of wasted fruit in yards with citrus trees. Fruit is left to rot on the ground until the gardener comes along and carts it off to the dump. What a lame waste.

Even though I’ve never experienced a White Christmas or anything that resembles a scene on a box of Rite Aid Russel Stover’s candy, I have enjoyed Christmases with fresh citrus fruit and blossoms. If I can’t have the snow, this is a fine trade.

Trimming Trees

2011-12-17T18:29:00.001-08:00

It’s pruning time in the garden. The shears are sharp and washed with hydrogen peroxide. The green waste can is read to receive the nubs of pruning waste. The worn out garden gloves are ready to be worn further and the good ol’ pruning guide book is there as a reference.

The Blenheim apricot tree is 1st in line for a good grooming. Once I’ve worked my way through all of the fruit trees, Farmer MacGregor will follow with dormant spray – more on that later.

The apricot was probably the heartiest of the fruit trees in 2011. Fruit production is progressing nicely with this 3 year old espalier. I pruned at the end of summer to allow for a little bit more growth since fruit production is supposed to develop on year old growth. This winter pruning will be to thin out branches, remove any dead growth (none here), and shape. I remove branches that grow downward from the laterals. It’s too hard for me to get down under there for constant pruning and harvesting. All the laterals have growth on the top only. This practice also helps shade the lateral branches from the harsh summer sun.

I’ll post images of the tree after it’s grooming after all the trees are finished. I hope to be able to finish everything tomorrow morning so Farmer MacGregor can work his magic. We don’t have a Christmas tree to trim; but we have 6 espalier fruit trees to trim. And not one partridge in sight. Good enough.

All the fruit trees were groomed by the end of December 18. All were clipped, raked, and soaked. It was a very warm day. Hope they aren’t tricked into an early bloom. Farmer MacGregor will dormant spray whenever he’s ready.

Red in the Garden

2011-12-10T20:05:00.001-08:00

Red in the garden this time of year seems to be just as abundant now as in the summertime. Is the garden forecasting the results in November 2012? Don’t know.

Pansy – Crown Scarlet

Snapdragon – Chimes Red

Skeletons of summertime scaretape decorating the grape arbor.

Lettuce – Parris Island Romaine (green) & Marvielle of Four Seasons (red)

Geranium – No stinkin’ idea what variety. The nursery didn’t have an identifying tag. Thanks Bolles Nursery!

Asparagus Fern (Asparagus densiflorus)

Some sad bell peppers from hotter days.

Lemon - Variegated Pink blossoms show a blush of red on the buds.

Beans - Borlotto Solista

Ajax’s well worn Kong toy with a nod to Santa to please bring a couple of new ones to enjoy. He’s been pretty good if you don’t count terrorizing the wisteria and lilacs, destroying the Texas Ranger, and severely “pruning” the Bay Laurel.

Any suggestions for good “red” candidates for the garden?

Poinsettias need not apply.

Ajax the Garden Gnome

2011-12-06T19:34:00.001-08:00

2 months old – December 6, 2010

It’s been a year since we picked up our latest garden gnome. He was cold and wet and pooped in the car* 3 times on the way home. Yes, I could have barfed up my In & Out dinner; but prevailed by not adding to the aroma. This fella has grown into his paws but still acts like a puppy. His favorite gardening chore is attacking and subduing any dangerous garden tools such as rakes, brooms, or hoes. I feel safe. He also has a knack for pruning. Currently, he’s working on a lilac and a bay laurel tree. He has completely pruned (killed) a Texas Ranger. There is also a wisteria that I hope comes back in the spring.2 months old – December 7, 2010

One year old – November 4, 2011

Probably the most favorite thing that Ajax does in the garden is race around the Chinese Elm tree as if he was a race horse. He also likes to jump – jump high! Fortunately, his weight (185+ pounds) keeps him grounded most of the time. Digging hasn’t been much of a problem. The best thing to do is wear him out/down by playing Kong ball on the grass.

Right now, Ajax is sleeping at my feet after enjoying a neighborhood walk and his dinner. Life is good.

* A puppy litter box with cedar chips was made available to the pup to keep him comfortable and the Element clean.

Three Quarters White Trash & Wild Turkey

2011-11-26T18:07:00.001-08:00

I have a road trip buddy that is Louise to my Thelma. Louise - because I believe she is capable of shooting and killing a predator ala Susan Sarandon in Thelma and Louise. She would also be smashing in a chiffon scarf driving an old T Bird. Does that mean that I get Brad Pitt? Louise is always very proud of her California Indian heritage. It turns out that she is 1/4 Wukchumni Injun. Doing the math associated with her genealogy, I concluded that she was therefore three quarters white trash. I blessed her with this Indian name during our most incredibly unforgettable trip from Bakersfield, California to Custer’s Last Stand in Montana. Sure, they won the battle; but we won the war. (Note: Currently, casinos seem to be winning the war so it seems I was wrong. They are now winning again.) Today, we took off on a short road trip up to Glennville. What a nice drive. We ended up at the rodeo grounds at a craft faire. No good. We cruised on down the road visiting and laughing without any musical soundtrack.

A couple of years ago I went down Blue Mountain Road but didn’t go far enough. Today, we headed down the road to find where it led. The quail were thick, the cattle thicker. We went all the way down to the end of the pavement – probably a dozen cattle crossings. Just as I turned the car around and crossed the 1st cattle crossing going back toward the main road, there were a couple of wild turkeys perched up on the fence. Tremendous. Wild turkeys on Thanksgiving weekend.

I can’t tell if the turkeys are toms or hens. If they’re hens, I wonder which one is Thelma and which one is Louise.After that excitement, we headed back up to the Saddle Sore Café/Saloon for lunch. Delicious. It was a nice day to get out and enjoy a road trip.

When I returned, I transplanted more lettuce with plans to erect the make shift hot house tomorrow.

Hope everyone is enjoying these days of Thanksgiving.

Thanks in the Garden

2011-11-19T21:33:00.001-08:00

Moon Flower seed pod.

Thanksgiving is about the best time of the year. There’s so much to be thankful for and I have a list.

Boysenberry vines.

The sun is at a great angle where nothing is really burning up like it is in the summer – it only looks that way. Thanks.
I’m grateful to be able to grow, harvest, prepare, and preserve my own food. There are so many needy souls that have no clue how simple it is to live simply AND healthfully for so much less than it takes to live the processed food lifestyle.

~~I have no clue what this plant is called~~. ~~Harmony~~ Heavenly Bamboo? ~~If you know please let me know~~. Thanks to Dorothy for providing the answer.

Some plants thrive in this garden. Some plants don’t. I curse those that give up and grateful that those are few in number. Thanks for the hardy plants.
Plans are made but seldom do growing seasons go according to plan. I am grateful that I can be flexible.

Fantasia Nectarine.

The smell and feel of healthy soil is still one of the best smells I know. I’m grateful to have enough self discipline to not eat the stuff like I did as a kid.
Thank goodness I can still bend down and work in the garden even though some days it’s very, very questionable.

Red Flame Grapevine.

There are many that make fun of where I live – Bakersfield (Oildale to be precise.), California. I’m glad I live where I do and thankful that I can appreciate so many things about my home.
I’m real glad that I’m fortunate enough to have a super, duper camera and am able to capture images of the garden as it progresses. It’s a nice reference tool for me.

Jarrahdale Pumpkins waiting their Thanksgiving Day fate.

You know what? I’m really glad that I don’t have to post to this blog each and every day. This is a nice thing to have and I’m glad that it’s mostly on my terms. Thanks.
I’m thankful to the bloggers that are able to maintain a daily post. Those are truly inspired people.

Home grown, fresh picked, newly pickled beets.

The endurance to survive “swamp pants” season is something to truly be grateful for.
I am so very grateful that the despicable season known as “swamp pants” is over. I will enjoy this brief respite from perspiration.
RAIN! Don’t forget to be thankful for the sweet, sweet rain.

Hope everyone will enjoy a great Thanksgiving.

PS – I still haven’t bought a new salad spinner. Stay tuned.

Hop Along

2011-11-12T14:14:00.001-08:00

The Butter Bush Squash is coming along nicely since those pesky squash bugs left the garden. The recent rain helps to keep the beds nice and moist. But that danged moisture is very attractive to earwigs (aka earrywigs).See the little darling cradled in the munched on squash blossom? Jerk. There’s precisely one gagillion just like this pestoid trying to take over the garden. But…

…there seems to be a large crew of mourning doves hanging out on the ground of the garden. Most particularly, they enjoy the bed where the squash is growing. This morning there were about a dozen birds picking at the ground out in the garden. One particular dove has a bit of a handicap. It walks like it’s trying to start a motorcycle with its right foot. Regardless, these birds are helping to balance out the good guys vs the bad guys.

Take a look at the video of Hop Along if you have absolutely nothing better to do.

Hop Along helps to keep the garden bug free.

Hoppy says, “Eat your bugs to grow up big and strong.” That’s swell.

Salad Spinner Advice

2011-11-05T17:24:00.001-07:00

My current salad spinner is plastic. The lid broke some time ago so all that’s left is the colander bowl within the plastic bowl. Not much a spinner. Not much of a colander. I need to retire the beat up old system to the garden shed and purchase something new. There’s a bunch to choose from but there are a few characteristics I would like to have:

Dishwasher safe. Sure. I wash pots and pans by hand but I really would like to have the option to pop a spinner in the dishwasher.

The last spinner I had had the disgusting feature of holding moisture in the lid and forming spooge. Gross.

Easy to store.

I’ve seen collapsible types which would store fine but do those types have flaws?

Lid seals to bowl.

Being able to keep a salad fresh as long as possible will help me get the most bang for my buck for the $3.35 spent on seeds.

I’ve looked online but might want to throw some cash to a local retailer. Any suggestions are welcome.

Lettuce Give Thanks

2011-11-04T19:25:00.001-07:00

I am thankful for the lovely rain and cooler temperatures.

The recent sweet rain allowed me one morning without having to irrigate. Imagine. Having enough time in the morning to enjoy some buttermilk pancakes and sausages.

All the lettuce is coming in nice and thick and ready for thinning. Parris Island Romaine is sharing a row with Marville of Four Seasons. The Romaine is solid green with long, crisp leaves.The Marville is very similar in shape but it has a bronze tint at the tip of the leaves that aren’t quite as crisp as the Romaine. It’s a nice combination. Since it appears that most every seed has sprouted, I would like to try to transplant as well as thin the seedlings so that we can enjoy fresh lettuce all winter long.

If you’re looking to try to grow vegetables this winter (zone 8-9), lettuce might be an easy choice. There still might be a few warm days left to help germinate the seeds. Just keep the seeds moist in a sunny bed/location. If a frost/freeze is predicted, the tender plants will need protection. The Tule fog in the San Joaquin Valley will help to keep established lettuce moist from November – February. Sandwiches, salads, and wraps taste better with just picked lettuce.

Tip: Drown just picked leaves to reveal any hiding pests like earwigs. I’ll be shopping for a new salad spinner to help provide fresh salads.

Citrus Cafeteria

2011-11-02T20:23:00.001-07:00

The trees in the garden are fertilized about every 6 – 8 weeks from the time they start blooming until the end of October. However, the citrus continue to be fed (on a less regular basis) through the winter months. Over at Chiot’s Run, Suzy in Ohio only feeds her Meyer Lemon 3 times a year - Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. I was told that citrus trees were heavy feeders; so I looked up the recommendation at UC Davis. Sure enough, 3 – 4 times each year is a good fertilizing schedule. I must have been told by a fertilizer salesmen that a more rigorous schedule was needed.

All the trees were fertilized on October 29. 2012 will be the year that I save money on fertilizer.

Come On, Summer. Let Go.

2011-11-01T20:49:00.001-07:00

Summertime is hanging on by some very thin roots. Kind of like a guest that simply can’t take the hint to leave even when you turn out the lights.
The weather here has been like summer in most of the country…highs in the 70s with sunny skies. Volunteer tomatoes and watermelons are trying to make a go of it.The tomatoes are trying to reclaim the pea patch and the watermelon is trying to survive in the garlic bed. I suspect they would grow even with shorter supplies of sunlight.Even the remaining Gold Currant Tomatoes may find it harder to survive later this week. By Friday, those warm temperatures in the 70s will give way to a rainy day in the 50s. You can imagine my delight. I’m hoping for loads of frosty, freezing weather to help kill any bugs on/in the deciduous fruit trees. Farmer Fred has posted a nice checklist of things to do to get ready for winter.
The winter garden is beginning to mature. Radishes and beets have been harvested along with some stray green onions. This might be a good weekend to pick the last of the tiny tomatoes and peppers and make way for more onions.
Summertime will be showing up way before I’m ready for it – just like that guest that can’t take a hint.

What the Heck?!

2011-10-30T14:24:00.001-07:00

Our mailbox is the old fashioned kind. No community locked boxes. It’s out at the end of the driveway under a telephone/electric pole. Up at the top of that pole many different birds perch, eat, nest, and do their business. As a result, many different varieties of plants sprout as volunteers. Palm trees are the number one offender that get yanked out whenever I see them. Mulberry and pecan trees have also taken root only to be removed. Even peppers have been brought to this spot by my avian friends.A bushy type plant sprouted this summer and I’ve been letting it develop because I really don’t know it’s identification. Anyone have an idea? Here’s some clues:The berries form in clusters. They start out green on pink stems. As they develop they turn dark purple. A smashed berry stains the concrete below.Almond shaped leaves are abundant on this shrub.What the heck do I have here? Blueberries? And what should I do with whatever it is?

This just in: The mystery plant has been identified as Pokeweed. It turns out that Pokeweed is extremely dangerous/poisonous. I went out and yanked it from this good Earth and tossed it in the green waste to be picked up tomorrow.

And now I can’t get the song Poke Salad Annie out of my head. Thanks for the ID everyone.

Enjoy Tony Joe White AKA the Swamp Fox.

Mercy.

Who knew this mystery plant/weed could lead to so much entertainment.

Ah Sugar!

2011-10-27T19:16:00.001-07:00

The garden and the season have been memorialized in sugar.This evening Farmer MacGregor and I enjoyed some Mexican flavors down in the heart of Oildale. When we returned with the mail and some liver for Ajax, this cake was on the dining room table.Garden scarecrows, pumpkins, and apples decorated the two story cake. Rice Krispie treat straw bales were a cute touch as well. But who brought this sweet treat? I have my suspicions.

Now where will I put the beast?

May I See Your ID?

2011-10-24T19:20:00.001-07:00

Quite a few blossoms are thriving in the back garden now.
Are you feeling smart? I have photos of a dozen different blooms for you to identify. Today, I’m offering 6 for your identification. I’ll post the answers with as much name information that I know at the end of this post for you to grade your knowledge. No prizes---just the crown that you’re a garden smarty.
Ready? Set? Go!

Here come the answers…

Moonflower (Ipomoea alba)
Lantana (Verbenaceae)
Hawaiian Blue Eyes (Evolvulus glomeratas)
Bacopa (Jamesbrittenia Party Orange)
Chrysanthemum
Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa)

How many did you get right?

Preparing for Spring

2011-10-23T17:39:00.001-07:00

Just a little preparation now should bring sweet peas in early spring. The seeds from the previous crop were saved for this purpose. The seeds, pods and all, were kept on a shelf in the shed all summer.

Typically, the seeds would soak overnight before planting to soften them up and insure germination. Since volunteer sweet peas have sprouted in the old sweet pea bed, I’m skipping that step. Seems like the seeds will sprout easily. It will be enough work to separate the seeds from the pods. Next, into the ground followed by a nice soak.Farmer MacGregor was showing off his Eagle Scout knot tying skills this morning by re-stringing the support. The sweet peas will be growing at the head of the western bed where peas and carrots are growing. These plants usually don’t require much attention but they will provide loads of fragrant bouquets. It’s not too late to plant. Last year, I planted in December and enjoyed flowers in the spring.

Buttercup Squash

2011-10-22T17:18:00.001-07:00

Buttercup squash was planted on August 13, 2011 with the expectation that it would be ready mid to late November. So far, so good.

The squash bugs have been reduced to a manageable population (zero) and the only noticeable pests are earwigs. Everything looks to be on track to enjoy some warm recipes for the cooler weather.

In about a month the squash should be mature enough to resemble this… Now if I can only find my packet of seeds I bought at Floyd’s. I need to do some serious seed organizing.

Rye Grass

2011-10-21T15:58:00.001-07:00

A very few months of the year I can pretend that I have a lush, green lawn. The rest of the year, the cursed sod is more weeds than lawn and much more effort than it is worth. In October in the Central San Joaquin Valley, lawns are seeded with winter rye. When I was a kid the event meant the stench of steer manure; but that stench signaled that Trick or Treating was on its way. Now, most lawns are simply sown with some sort of rye and kept moist without the addition of steer manure by irrigating 3 times each day. The salts from the manure has made it less attractive – as if it could be any less attractive.

Once the seed is up and established, the weather cools and the fog rolls in. Nature takes care of the irrigation. Hip Hip!

Lettuce is Up!

2011-10-18T20:09:00.001-07:00

A couple of varieties of lettuce seeds were sown on October 8. Less than a week later the seeds had sprouted. Keeping the bed moist along with the very warm mid October weather has helped push almost every single seed up. I did not sow the seeds in a row. Rather, I sprinkled them “higglety pigglety”*. Now I need to watch for the freeloading bugs that want to munch on the tender Marvielle of Four Seasons & Parris Island Romaine.

I think all my winter seeds were purchased at Floyd’s. Maybe some were picked up at White Forrest. Nevertheless, I didn’t send away for anything this season. Here’s what the Lake Valley Seed packets say about each variety:

Marvielle of Four Seasons – Reliable butter head variety. This delightful butterhead-type lettuce is famous for its reliable production all season long. Ruby-tipped leaves with an icy-green heart make Marvel an exciting and flavorful addition to any salad.

Parris Island Romaine – Thick, crispy leaves. Fantastic flavor! Broad upright leaves with a crispy mid-rib. If you like Caesar salads, this is the lettuce to grow.

* Higglety pigglety: This way and that way without any order. A danged disarray.

Winter White

2011-10-16T15:44:00.001-07:00

I’ve been searching for a dainty white flower to help “pop” some light under the dark crimson mums and a deep burgundy Loropetalum Rubrum. Voilà! Violas at the local nursery would do the trick. A couple of flats of Penny White violas help to catch sun rays where before was deep darkness.These petite flowers are pretty tough though. They are heat and cold tolerant. They are also delicious to slugs and snails; so a good sprinkling of Sluggo was provided to all 72 transplants.I’m looking forward to enjoying these very low maintenance plants until “swamp pants” weather rolls around again. Until then, we’ll both be thriving in the garden.

Twitterpated!

2011-10-13T19:38:00.001-07:00

I can’t stand these wee beasties. They creep me out. Are they swarming currently? The past few evenings out in the garden, I’ve been getting bombarded by them. They seem to be attracted to my hair, neck, and t-shirt. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! They fly and latch on or drop down onto me from a tree, arbor, or ledge. Gross! Last night, one was clinging to the outside passenger window on the car as we cruised the streets of Oildale.

I believe the danged things are twitterpated. That’s right. Did you know that they start mating in the autumn, and can be found together in the autumn and winter? A lot of bug love going on in the garden.

“Management of earwigs requires an integrated program that takes advantage of their habitat preferences. As moisture-loving insects, earwigs would not normally thrive in California’s arid climate without the moisture and shade provided by the irrigated garden. Where earwigs are a problem, consider reducing hiding places and surface moisture levels. Initiate a regular trapping program. If these measures are followed, insecticide treatments should not be necessary,” recommends UC Davis.

Starting tomorrow, I’m going to do my best to disrupt their “make out” spots. It’ll be like going on a date with your Granny tagging along in the backseat.

Anybody else notice the increased activity?

Winter Garden Planting

2011-10-07T19:51:00.001-07:00

Planting is in full swing in the fall garden.

Winter garden fall 2010

Already planted in August are:

Beets – Early Wonder
Broccoli – Waltham 29
Cabbage – Copenhagen Market
Cauliflower – Early Snowball
Radishes – Sparkler

Planted the 1st weekend of October:

Carrots – Scarlet Nantes
Carrots – Tendersweet
Garlic
Oregano
Peas – Wando
Sage – Broad Leaf
Thyme – Common

To be planted 2nd weekend of October:

Beets – Early Wonder
Carrots – Royal Chantenay
Lettuce – Marvielle of Four Seasons
Lettuce – Parris Island Romaine
Onion – White Lisbon

The summer sweet peppers and Golden Currant tomatoes are still producing. Once those have given up, more onions will be planted.

That should be pretty good to live on through the winter. Soups – Basque, minestrone, broccoli cheese, cauliflower, garlic , squash – are all within reach of the garden. Salads should be plentiful too. Of course, peas and carrots go great with all that winter comfort food.

I just hope that I can beat down the bad bugs and get some great production. The squash bugs that were disturbed when the pumpkins came out tried to lock onto the Butter Bush squash vines. I’m picking them off as I see them plus the cooler weather might discourage them from doing much damage. Along with the cool weather came rain. It was great! It was fantastic! The garden is happy and so am I.

Bad Boy. Bad Boy.

2011-10-04T19:15:00.001-07:00

From this in December 2010…To this in October 2011…This big baby was a real terrorist on his 1st birthday. Somehow he got into the fenced garden and placed two of his very best “greeting cards” on the gravel path. Thank you. That wasn’t enough for him though. No. Somehow he busted one of the lateral branches on the nectarine tree.This was not good. This was bad.

Bad boy. Bad Birthday boy.

Spinosad2…Good or Bad?

2011-10-02T19:37:00.001-07:00

My local nursery GAVE me a bottle of Lawn & Garden Spray with Spinosad2 to try out on my squash bug infestation. I can’t determine if this is a safe/good thing to use in my vegetable garden. Just because something is marketed as “organic” doesn’t mean that I would like to use it on my food source.

I haven’t used it yet. The pumpkin vines were ripped out and bagged up to be hauled away. I’ve stomped on, hand picked/squashed, and smashed any squash bug I find. The survivors seem to migrate to the existing Butter Bush Squash. I’ve been checking morning, noon, and evening to remove any I find from the 4 vines. So far so good.

But I would like to know if anyone has ever used this product and can recommend its use. Until I learn more, I’ll just continue with my Squash Bug Stomp to control the wee beasties.

Pumpkin Eaters

2011-09-30T19:25:00.001-07:00

They have started their invasion. Squash bugs. Creeps. Pyrethrum can help control the buggers; but I simply ripped out the pumpkin vines and did the Garden Croc Stomp on as many of them as I could. Pyrethrum may need to be applied because you know that I had to have missed one or two – million! The garden continues to be overrun with pill bugs too. Diatomaceous Earth is supposed to be a great, natural way to control these cousins to shrimp. I’ve never used it and will learn more about it with a visit to my local nursery. I blame heavy seedling loss to pill bugs. They simply need to get under control to allow my lettuce to flourish this winter.These creeps have got to go.

Imagine my delight tomorrow when I say, “It’s October!”.

Don’t Bug Me

2011-09-25T14:58:00.001-07:00

The tomatoes vines were ripped from their summer bed today. 12 plants that grew about 9’ tall was quite a jungle to mow down. I started by hand; but Farmer MacGregor came to the rescue with a gasoline powered gizmo that made quick work to the labor. Not only were the vines dislodged but their parasites were hopping all over the place. Farmer MacGregor had them locked onto his T-shirt. One flew into my hair on my neck. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwww! That was it. War was in full swing. I used my hands, feet, pruners, and shovel to push these creepy creeps to the other side of life. Farmer MacGregor used one of his size 10 1/2 sneakers to smash the buggers into the wall they were clinging.There’s gobs more hanging out in the spent tomato vines. Once there is room in the green waste we will have another battle. Hopefully, the birds will swoop in and help themselves to a Sunday banquet. Hornworms, caterpillars, and grubs were cleaned out of the garden as well as the smashed hoppers.

Plans are to have the beds prepped and planted by Saturday, October 1 (or there abouts).

PS – Good news to anyone heading to Bakersfield. The high today is only expected to reach 79°! That won’t last long though. Mama Nature will probably keep testing us well into October.

Summer, I would like to introduce you to Autumn.

2011-09-23T20:00:00.001-07:00

This evening the garden tour revealed that most of the tomatoes and all the watermelons need to be ripped from the summer beds to make way for the winter garden. As I was picking the first of the pumpkins and the last of the tomatoes, the wind kicked up and the big, fat splashes of rain came down. Looking at the photo you could imagine that it was time to fly inside and get some warm, comfortable clothes on and hibernate. Negative. When I went back inside, I needed to crank up the AC. It was 102° today. With 100% humidity, it was gross. If this is what it’s like in the South, count me out.

Tomorrow, the ripping commences with hopes of getting some seeds and seedlings planted. Thank goodness Mama Nature is going to cool it down a bit this weekend. There’s lots to get done before the real autumn arrives.

PS – What’s going on in the blogosphere? Most blogs that I follow have slowed way down on posting…just like me. There must be lots of stuff to get done before the real autumn arrives everywhere.

Things I Learned This Week

2011-09-17T16:38:00.001-07:00

These dinky grape sized golden tomatoes are called Gold Current. Farmer MacGregor prefers these over the red cherry tomatoes. He claims they are more “tomatoey” flavored. Did you know that one plant can produce up to 100 tomatoes?Leaving the watermelon patch in place for the last few hot weeks of summer did, in fact, produce more melons. There’s at least a half dozen melons tucked in under the vines. The irrigation has been cut back in an effort to intensify the flavor. We’ll see. Did you know that watermelon contains about 92% water and 6% sugar? I have no clue what makes up the remaining 2%. Do you?Lemon-Cream Cheese Pound Cake continues to be the number 1 reason to grow lemons. Did you know that a basic pound cake is made up of a pound each of butter, flour, sugar, and eggs?I wanna go to the National Heirloom (seed) Exposition in 2012. Lisa Paul and Farmer Fred attended and gave a couple of nice posts. Geez. You would think something like that would be a smash hit in the gigantic San Joaquin Valley. Oh well. It will be a nice excuse for a little vacation.

I am the Lone Locust of the apocalypse. Think of me when you look to the night sky.

2011-09-15T20:19:00.001-07:00

Time to start cleaning out the 2nd bed of 3 Sisters. Most of the corn stalks were yanked out some time ago; but I kept a few in to support beans that really weren’t worth keeping. As I cleared out the corn stalks and bean vines I kept finding more and more baby pumpkins (Jarrahdale). Before this evening, I thought that I had maybe 10 pumpkins. As I kept clearing, I kept finding more and more promising specimens. There are so many more producing that I’m sure to delight a couple of kids whose pumpkin patch was a dud this summer. I worked beyond sunset and had to use a flash for some of the final photos of the day. There was only a slight infestation of aphids this summer. A blast from the hose along with lady bugs gobbling up the beasts seemed to keep the aphids remarkably under control. I may have only seen 1 or 2 squash bugs. Now I know why.The more I cleared, the more I disturbed the population of my team of homeland security agents. There were so many fat, happy, and apparently expecting praying mantises. This one looked like Lamaze breathing would be necessary any moment.

Even though the 3 Sisters version of gardening was a bust this summer, one item did flourish – Jarrahdale Pumpkins (and praying mantises).

species: Zoranthian

Zorak: My favorite episode of The Golden Girls is the one where they all took contaminated Geritol and died.
Space Ghost: That was never an episode!
Zorak: Well, it should have been.

Mystery Tomato

2011-09-14T20:30:00.001-07:00

Never never trust yourself to remember something. I thought I could remember the variety of this little tomato that a work associate started this from seed. Probably underneath all of the massive canopy of the plant I may have a plant marker. It’s a tiny little grape sized fruit that is golden to orange in color. They take a mighty long time to mature. I suspect they were started in the early spring and transplanted anywhere from May to March. Heck. I really didn’t track these little jewels at all. They are a nice surprise in the the garden this summer.

Farmer MacGregor enjoys snacking of these little tomatoes; so that’s a good thing, Martha.

Give a Fig

2011-09-13T19:43:00.001-07:00

The volunteer fig is the first of the trees to surrender to summer’s exit (if you consider temperatures in the 90s an exit!). The leaves are moving from green to yellow to burnt orange.In mid March of this year, one fruit was produced. Success! Now whatever happened to that fig? Could the thief have been a stray possum? A terroristic bird? I don’t know. I never was able to enjoy that one piece of fruit. Currently, the young tree is in a pot. I think I would like to get it in the ground and train it to grow low. I just need a suitable spot.

My hope is high for next year.

National Heirloom Exposition–Santa Rosa, CA

2011-09-11T19:42:00.001-07:00

Anyone going to the National Heirloom (seed) Exposition in Santa Rosa this Tuesday through Thursday? I would love to go; but it’s too far to drive for this infant gathering. At $4/gallon, I would like to be sure this would be worth my money and time. Once I get reviews of the 1st exposition, I may consider heading up that way next year.

If you go, please let me know what you think.

Grape Lovin’ Caterpillars

2011-09-10T09:09:00.001-07:00

Look down.The water dish was seasoned with insect droppings this morning.

Look up.Grape leaves have been skeletonized. Note the grey sky? That’s right – it’s been raining! Come on October.

Look up further.Ah ha! Evidence of more damage along with bits of the culprit(s).

Look up still further.There they are – anchor babies on the grapevines. Now what? Do I squash them? Do I leave them for the birds? Do I spray the vines with some organic treatment? Are they doing enough damage to warrant any action? What kind of caterpillars are these anchor babies?

Thanks Pollinators

2011-09-04T13:27:00.001-07:00

Wow. Pollinators are bombarding the Texas Ranger early this morning. Bees, butterflies, and bumblebees were getting busy. The activity seemed to slow down as the sun got higher in the sky.The pollinators zoomed between the Texas Ranger, lantana, lavender, and pumpkin blossoms. Texas Rangers grow great in zone 8-9. Very low maintenance. Very low water needs once established. With the important work of pollinators in the garden I can enjoy harvests like the one I had this morning.Granny Smith apples for an apple cake needed to be harvested to remove a bit of weight from the lateral branches of the tree. I’ll spend some time after this post searching for a recipe.A “dinky donk”, softball sized watermelon was cut up for taste sampling later this afternoon. I’m guessing that it’s a Sugar Baby variety. There are a few more forming. I’ll keep the vines around for a few more weeks while the weather is screaming hot. Maybe I’ll get a few more melons. Winter crops (seeds) are waiting to be planted as soon as the melons get pulled.

Moon Flowers Celebrate Labor Day!

2011-09-03T20:34:00.001-07:00

Here they come! The Moon Flowers are starting to open. This is one planting I did not track. I didn’t keep the seed packet like I usually do and write down the date I planted the seeds, the date they germinated, and the date of harvest (if any). Dang. I do know that I didn’t buy the seeds any place fancy. Most likely Floyd’s Hardware Store or the Rite Aid Drug Store. I think I must have planted them sometime in July.

The perfume reminds me of soap – a very clean scent. Too bad it’s too danged hot to keep my bedroom windows open. These are growing up on a pergola off of my patio.

They are super simple to grow and just need something to climb up like a fence, arbor, trellis, or string. If you see a pack of seeds for about $1.50, pick them up and give them a try next summer. Sun and water each day seems to be all these needed. I’ll post more pictures and the blooms open fully.

Check out the list and see progress.

There looks to be a small aphid problem on the blossoms; but it really doesn’t matter much to a flower that only lasts one night.

Tools

2011-09-02T14:17:00.001-07:00

Today a variety of tools are being used to plow through the list. Early this morning all the irrigation was finished up to allow enough time to prune the fruit trees. There wasn’t enough fertilizer to feed them all; so that will get crossed off the list with the purchase of more fertilizer this afternoon. Loads of deadheading was accomplished too. Excellent.

Ajax had a great time of water sports by playing in the sprinklers until he was drenched. I took the cue and went to swim in the late morning. Excellent.

Now the scent of brownies with toasted pecans fills the kitchen. Excellent.

~~I’m off to cross more off my list. Going shopping at the nursery.~~ Farmer MacGregor cleaned up the boxwood clippings and washed the windows. Excellent.

Going to Seed

2011-09-01T20:22:00.001-07:00

Hello September!

The garden is transitioning into cool weather crops whenever the summer crops give up. There’s junk that needs to be done in the garden but I’ve been busy. I’ve been busy enjoying my new iPad, returning to lap swimming, working, and continuing to feed my addiction to ancestry.com. I have four days off in a row! Those days will have a big chunk of time dedicated to the garden. Here’s what needs to be done:

Harvest remaining tomatoes and determine if it’s worth keeping the plants or ripping them out to make way for garlic and onions.
~~Determine weather the watermelon is worth keeping. No fruit but now massive growth with loads of blooms~~. Keeping watermelon for the next few hot weeks. If no viable fruit is ready, the vines will be yanked to make way for fall crops.
~~Prune~~ and fertilize all the fruit trees.
~~Pick the apples~~.
~~Visit the nursery and go shopping~~ (oh dang – please read with sarcasm).
- Plants for side yard – Advised to wait a couple more weeks for cooler weather. Delighted. Thank you.
- ~~fertilizer~~ Advised to use a 3-7-4 for everything right now. Delighted. Thank you.
  - ~~fruit trees~~
  - ~~acid~~
  - ~~all purpose~~
Pull out spent zinnias and ~~deadhead viable plants~~.
~~Prune star jasmine before it eats the house~~. Thanks Farmer MacGregor
~~Clean up trimmings from boxwood pruning.~~ Thanks Farmer MacGregor.
~~Wash windows.~~ Thanks Farmer MacGregor.
~~Check camellias for signs of life~~. Some look viable while others look doubtful. Still others looked dead.

Since it’s supposed to be a scorcher this weekend, this list may only be partially completed so that I can enjoy my new iPad, swim, and mess around with my crazy genealogical puzzle.

Come on October!

You Are Out

2011-08-28T19:57:00.001-07:00

In the garden, one day your are “in” and the next day you are “out”. Most of the corn has been cleared out of the garden to make way for winter seeds – broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce, onions, and beets so far. Some stalks of corn remained to allow the beans to finish up and to provide a bit of shade to the pumpkins below. Fine.

Garden inspection this evening revealed an infestation of biblical proportions. Tassels resembled something that had been dipped in batter and deep fried like a Twinkie. The corn was covered in critters.

See?

The stalks were yanked and broken down into the green waste. This isn’t going into MY compost.

Wiedersehen!

Ginger or Maryann

2011-08-27T19:31:00.001-07:00

courtesy botanical.com

I’ve never grown ginger before and don’t really know if zone 9 in Bakersfield, California is a successful area to cultivate the stuff; but my brother gave me some rhizomes to try. They aren’t fat, full rhizomes either. The odds may be against me. I’ve looked at a few ways to try growing them and it looks fairly easy. My thought is to plant them out with a bed of daylilies. Sunny, warm/hot location in well drained soil that gets watered daily.

According to Botanical.com: Naturalized in America after the discovery of that country by the Spaniards. Francisco de Mendosa transplanted it from the East Indies into Spain, where Spanish-Americans cultivated it vigorously, so that in 1547 they exported 22,053 cwt. into Europe.

I’ll give it a shot and plant some tomorrow. In the meantime, if anyone has any words of advice please post them in the comments section. Thanks

Corn Dog

2011-08-25T18:45:00.001-07:00

Is eating corn bad for dogs? Not the cobs…the plant. Ajax enjoys shredding the leaves. I don’t think he actually eats the leaves. He shreds them.

Every dog I’ve ever had enjoys popcorn. Not the microwave junk. The real deal. Ajax is no exception. I don’t know why he’s attracted to the corn; but he is.

Is that bad for the dog? It can’t be good for the corn.

Moonflower

2011-08-23T18:36:00.001-07:00

There are sunflowers in the garden this summer. They have thrived in the summer sun and are now heavy with heads full of seeds. Moonflowers were planted too. The vines are growing from a hanging basket and in the ground. All are growing skyward. When are they going to bloom?I’ve never grown them before; but it looks like it could be any night now. Stay tuned. Now go sing Moonshadow to yourself just like me.

3 Sisters Review

2011-08-22T20:35:00.001-07:00

This summer, two beds were planted in the 3 Sisters method of gardening. Corn, squash, and beans are those three sisters. Golden Bantam Yellow Sweet Corn was planted in both beds…not all at once. The seeds were planted weeks apart to insure ears of corn throughout the summer. The first planting was in the east and gradually worked westward. Both beds were planted with Borlotto Solista beans. The eastern bed was planted with Lemon squash. The western bed was planted with Jarrahdale pumpkins.

Here’s the critique:

The corn sucked. No matter when I picked it, it had a doughy texture. The taste was fine. How can you go wrong with butter and salt? The texture was always bad. It could be the variety or it could be the gardener. This is my 1st year growing the stuff. Although the critique rates corn as bad…very bad, I consider this summer a success. My goal was to get at least one ear of corn. I surpassed that; but I will have to think carefully if I want to grow corn again. It does take a lot of water. Several rows were planted to insure pollination. Elvin Bishop plants his 3 Sisters garden in a circular pattern; but I’m completely satisfied picking up a few ears at the Farmers’ Market during future summers while humming a Bishop tune. Let the professionals mess with the mess.

The beans produced less than last summer when more seeds were sown this summer. Not good. Sure the plants climbed up the corn stalks just fine; but I would like a lot more beans to show for the effort. These beans are great dried and I’m disappointed that not many were produced. If you plan on using this method, make sure the corn has sprouted about 6” before planting the beans. Their growth catches up to the corn quickly; so giving corn a head start will provide a nice bean pole for the vines.

Lemon squash produced but not as vigorously as last summer. It could be that the seeds were left over from last summer. I would recommend using a squash that trails all over the place when considering the 3 Sisters method. Bush varieties do not serve the purpose of providing shade on the garden floor beneath the corn stalks. Aphids attacked the squash in this bed pretty badly this summer.

One success is the Jarrahdale pumpkin. They have produced quite a few blue-green squash and provided nice shade for the garden floor. Aphids were around for a brief time. A power blast from the garden hose seemed to clear things up with the help of ladybugs.

Right now, in the tail end of summer heat, I wouldn’t plant a 3 Sisters Garden again. Once I have the time of a cool winter to reflect, I may come to my senses and rise again to the challenge. Maybe I need to go all the way and put a dead fish in the planting bed like Indians did long ago. Nah. This pale (or pail) face steers clear of fish.

How Do You Roast Sunflower Seeds?

2011-08-21T11:32:00.001-07:00

The sunflowers are now so heavy their heads are hanging down all day long. It seems they are also bowing to the power of the sun. The strongest of us must cry “Uncle” at this time of year. Enough is enough. Summer is the price I pay for having a 365 day growing season; but come on already. I’ve only grown sunflowers before for decoration then for bird seed. This season, I think I may try roasting and salting them for Farmer MacGregor to enjoy. These are supposed to be the Teddy Bear variety; but I think I got gipped. Are they edible? If so, how do you prepare them? There’s a bunch this summer. Any suggestions?

oooooo! Super Scary Tape

2011-08-18T20:34:00.001-07:00

She’s baaaaack. I will believe that this is the same mama dove that built a lame nest on the other side of the beams a few weeks ago. Why? Because that lame nest she built fell down causing the death of her two newly hatched chicks. So. She went out on the town and got knocked up again. Come on girl. Don’t you know that Dove Season is less than two weeks away? Nonetheless, I don’t believe that the manufacturers of scare tape will be contacting me for a testimonial even though it works pretty good against the other breeds of birds around here.Can’t blame the old girl though. The wisteria is still blooming and provides some relief from the summer sun. I hope she knows that Dove Season starts on September 1 outside of the garden; but it’s Dove Season all year long inside of the garden.

Here Comes Fall!!!

2011-08-15T21:04:00.001-07:00

Well, here comes fall planting. It’s still hot enough for swamp pants. It’ll be that way through October. The seeds need to get in now that the first 3 Sisters bed has been pulled. There’s a few beans that remain on the west end of this east end bed.

The photo is oriented north and each drip line has something planted (or soon will have planted) on either side. It looks pretty pitiful now but so would you if you spent an endless summer under blistering sun. Here’s what’s planted from west to east. (That’s from left to right). I’ve noted the dates the seeds were planted and the days to maturity.

Lettuce – Merlot (8/15/11, 50-60 days) – loose leaf, dark burgundy. It grew well last winter.
Onions – White Lisbon (8/15/11, 60 days)– bunching. These grow fast and will give immediate gratification.
Beets – Early Wonder (8/15/11, 50 days)– dark, round, and delicious pickled. It’s the seeds I had on hand. I ran out on this row and need to grab more seeds.
Cabbage – Copenhagen Market – Planting is pending acquisition of seeds. This variety has grown well in the garden a couple of years ago.
Beets – Early Wonder (8/15/11, 50 days) – Do I like beets?
Cauliflower – Early Snowball (8/13/11 & 8/15/11, 65 days)- tight and white. Does great in this garden.
Beets – Early Wonder (8/15/11, 50 days) – What the heck? I plan on canning pickled beets. Sue me.
Broccoli – Waltham 29 (8/13/11, 80 days) – A proven variety in this garden. Tender, tight, easy to grow.

At the top of each irrigation line are planted Buttercup squash(8/13/11, 95 days). It’s a winter squash I’ve never tried; but Floyd’s had the seeds and I was game. Sparkler radishes (8/13/11, 25 days) are sprinkled throughout.

This bed is about one month ahead of planting last year. My goal is to harvest by Thanksgiving. It’s nice to have goals. Another goal is to survive swamp pants season and enjoy a cool – cold and wet winter. Come on October!

The garden was pumping along nicely at Thanksgiving 2010. Come on October!

Aunt Vera

2011-08-14T14:20:00.001-07:00

I think that Aunt Bea from the Andy Griffith Show is a great role model on how to age comfortably. She was not fussy really. No hair dye. No make up. Comfortable clothes. But Aunt Bea could not can. Remember the episode when everyone had to try to spare her feelings because her pickles were awful? With that, I need to replace Aunt Bea with my Aunt Vera. Vera could can anything in any kind of jar – shampoo, mayonnaise, recycled pickle jar. If it was glass, she could use it. I remember her specialty was Chow Chow. Fig jam was one of my brother’s favorites, if I remember right. I liked her pickled watermelon rind. This weekend I canned salsa. I hope I did Vera proud. I would like to think so.

Vera had flare too. She was always tanned. I got you covered there, Vera. This is where I will stray from being like Vera. She always wore makeup. Green mascara and Ponds face cream were on her vanity along with a jar of bobby pins. If her hair wasn’t styled or in the process of being styled, she threw on a wig to make her appearance presentable. Another way I will not follow Vera is having a cigarette lit in every ashtray of every room of the house. I wonder if she ever inhaled those cancer sticks or simply used them as incense.Vera’s been gone since 1999; but she was in my thoughts this weekend. Thanks for the inspiration, Vera.

Bean Eater!

2011-08-11T21:04:00.001-07:00

Settle down.

Take it easy.

It’s not what you think.

Honestly.

Did you think…

Never mind.

There’s some real, live bean eaters in the garden. I can’t spot them to squash them and control the problem. I’ve looked for grasshoppers and caterpillars. I can’t find anything. Yet.These stealth like terrorists are not only eating the leaves on the vines, they are eating through the pods to the beans. Crickey! The search continues or I won’t have enough beans to make a decent pot of beans.

What to Plant. Your Help is Welcome.

2011-08-10T20:49:00.001-07:00

The packets of zinnia seeds from the drug store have really grown well this summer. The native soil in the garden is pure junk. Even though it’s been amended over the years to help grow stuff; some plants simply can’t take the heat.

These seeds seem to thrive. They’ve been fed a few times and get adequate water but no special pruning or primping. They’re out in the front yard so they’re exposed to cats, dogs, and miscellaneous children.

There was a problem with snails when the seeds were sprouting. It only took a few early mornings of garden clogs stomping their ambitions and the snail problem was eliminated. The crows seemed to enjoy the escargot that was pitched out in the street too.

The ~~lawn~~ weeds on the sideyard were removed by Farmer MacGregor to make way for a temporary flowerbed. He even trimmed back the surrounding hedges to give me a little elbow room to maneuver. This spot will, most likely, be paved over when a new driveway is installed. Now here’s the problem:

What should be planted in this space?The space is about 15’ X 5’. It’s in full sun for the most part of the day. As the picture shows, garbage traffic is heavy (The bins are stored on the other side of the gate.) so fragrance would be nice. I’m looking for low growing plants along the driveway moving up to taller plants in the back. The tallest should be no taller than 4’. I don’t want to see the neighbor’s weed bed but I don’t want to be overwhelmed. The soil will be amended to insure sturdy growth starting now. I’m open to annuals or perennials for this temporary bed. Here’s a checklist:

Hardy plants in Sunset zone 8 – 9.
Full sun - up to 10 hours a day.
Fragrance is desired.
Drought tolerant is important.
All colors will be considered but lavender compliments Farmer MacGregor’s house paint work.
Nothing edible. Remember – cats, dogs, and miscellaneous children?

Any suggestions are welcome.

Make It Work!

2011-08-08T21:32:00.001-07:00

Project Runway meets Maybelline’s Garden. Tasteful scarecrow attire this season is all natural cotton fabric in pink tones. Pink is complimentary to every complexion. Since my scarecrow doesn’t have a complexion, the palette is lost. Don’t forget accessories. Using scare tape in two tones of silver and red metallic give just the right amount of “bling”.

The scarecrows were put to work this evening due to the fact that birds had pecked a peach off the tree and knocked down 4 apples. They do a great job. Ajax thought 2 strangers were in the garden and barked his disapproval. Nevertheless. He couldn’t deny that they were smarty dressed.

Fierce!

Progress

2011-08-04T20:32:00.001-07:00

I sometimes keep a small ruler with me in the garden to track the progress of a few things of interest. Here’s how things are moving along this summer.

Jarrahdale Pumpkin in the second 3 Sisters bed. This one settled on the ground.

This pumpkin climbed up the bean support for a better view of the garden. It’s getting to be a fat, happy baby.

The Variegated Pink Lemon is producing a few fruit and currently blooming. The scent is great.

the Good Guys

2011-08-03T20:49:00.001-07:00

The sunflowers are really attracting the “good guys”.

As a result, this bounty is enjoyed about every other day.

The oblong tomatoes are Cour Di Bue – ox heart type tomatoes. That nice round one is a Heinz.

3 Sisters Review

2011-08-02T20:48:00.001-07:00

This summer, 2 beds of 3 Sisters are growing. The first bed was planted with Golden Bantam Yellow Sweet Corn. Dud. Oh I grew corn. Some of the cobs even matured fully. The result was a chewy one. Maybe I waited too long to harvest. I’m hopeful that the second bed will produce better results.A lot of the cobs didn’t mature fully and sometimes there were simply freaks in the garden like these kernels that were forming on the tassels. The Borlotto Solista beans did fine and continue to produce. The squash was Lemon Squash. It produced fine until the aphids showed their muscle. That’s fine. Four squash planets can help feed the planet.

Today, the first of the 3 Sisters beds is getting cleaned out to make way for winter – and I’m glad. Seeds for broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, carrots, beets, and lettuce are waiting their turn.

I can’t give a full review of the 3 Sisters form of gardening yet because the second bed is flourishing. Hopefully it will help change my thumbs down to a sideways review.

Harvest Interrupted

2011-07-31T15:15:00.001-07:00

This morning, the skies were overcast as I plucked tomatoes and twisted squash for harvest. I didn’t get a chance to grab some corn or peppers before the clouds started to spritzel. Since I think of myself as a little sugar cube, I darted inside before I melted with the splash of a drop. Really, my biggest concern was my camera. To celebrate the harvest, we headed to Floyd’s for some canning supplies and seeds for the winter (broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, Buttercup squash) before we had lunch out at the air park. French fries and ketchup is most likely a perfect food. This afternoon will be spent canning salsa and dreaming of cooler fall days with the rain drops won’t mean swamp pants.

Bird’s Eye

2011-07-28T19:50:00.001-07:00

Early in 2009, a pergola was constructed to create shade. There was shade before; but the ratty trees that were in this area had to go. And they did. Back then there was an unorganized mess surrounding the structure with a pile of bird’s eye gravel to be spread beneath.Wisteria was planted to make the shade more dense during the hot summer. Family heirloom ferns were transplanted into baskets. Now over two years later, the bird’s eye gravel is a pain in the Croc; but most everything else is moving right along.A basket of mixed plants thrives in the late afternoon sun. Moon flower vines are creeping up to the top of the pergola. I’ve never grown moon flowers before and am anxious to experience the perfume they are said to emit at night.All the ferns are as tough as they should be. Their survival was nothing to worry about.And the wisteria is creating a bunch of thick shade. The only thing that’s bothersome about the pergola is the bird’s eye. Not the gravel bird’s eye.The mourning dove’s bird eye is bothersome. I can’t keep these flying rats out of the stuff. Scare tape didn’t do the trick. I can’t blame them though. It’s a cushy pad.

Can’t Judge a Flower by its Bud

2011-07-27T16:49:00.001-07:00

Isn’t it interesting that something so bright and cheerful can come from something that seems completely creepy?

Has anyone in the Central San Joaquin Valley planted their winter crops yet? Butternut squash? Broccoli? Anything?

Mother’s Little Helper(s)

2011-07-24T13:23:00.001-07:00

Even though I’m out numbered by the bad bugs something like 592 gajillion to one, I still have my friends the predators and pollinators to help in my continuous war in the garden. Yeah. I know I’ll never win. Just think of me as the gardening Alamo.

Here’s some insects on my team this morning.

The Jarrahdale pumpkin from yesterday has it’s flower fully opened today. Little bees are doing their thing early in the morning along with bumble bees and butterflies. I’m not clear on where the Jarrahdale originates. Maybe New Zealand. There must be some powerful attractant in that pollen. Bumble bees seem to get drunk on the stuff. Maybe the weight of the pollen stuck to them affects their ability to fly with precision.

A big, fat praying (more like preying) mantis is gorging on the aphids in the watermelon patch along with the lady bugs. This big gal just experienced a morning blast to the patch in a feeble attempt to knock down some of the aphids.

Birds do their thing by gobbling up the worms and caterpillars. Wasps and spiders do their part as well. And I believe the absence of rodents in the garden can be credited to good ol’ Pumpkin and an occasional owl.

Do not rest easy bad things in my garden. My team is hungry.

Pumpkins, Time Machine, and Etiquette. Huh?

2011-07-23T21:28:00.001-07:00

Know what pumpkins remind me of?

Halloween?

Nope. Well. Kinda.

Thanksgiving?

Nope.

Here’s a hint.That’s right, old timer. The Jarrahdale pumkins that are thriving in the second 3 Sisters bed remind me of an old telephone cord. This variety is growing so well that it is starting to climb up the green bean support.Remember how the cord on that avocado green phone would get all tangled up? Looks just like the tendrils on the pumpkin. Want to stay in the Way Back Machine a bit longer? Remember these handy things?That’s right. A phone booth where you could see how many people could get stuffed into the thing OR change into your Superman clothes OR have a private telephone conversation without bothering others or being bothered by others. Ah, telephone etiquette. Those were the days. Before I return you to the current day of continuous telephone bad manners, let me share a fun phone moment.

What was the name of the telephone operator on the Andy Griffith Show?

Everybody Love Watermelon

2011-07-21T19:56:00.001-07:00

Two varieties of watermelon were planted this season, Malali and Sugar Baby. I have absolutely no idea what I have growing in the watermelon patch except for a nagging aphid problem.Pests have descended upon the watermelon patch. Each morning, I spray the foliage with a powerful stream of water to knock off the aphids. All day long the lady bugs feast. Aphids can annihilate a crop so persistence is key. They pierce through and suck out the sap. Buggers. Aphids aren’t the only pest grazing on the watermelon vines.I really don’t know what the grasshoppers purpose on this planet but to make my “squashing” skills more keen.

Promise of Winter

2011-07-20T19:33:00.001-07:00

Just think, six months from now I may be enjoying the cool weather without swamp pants and some lemons. This spring, the lemon tree had an explosion of blossoms. Scads of miniature lemons started to develop; but bit by bit they fell. Erased from existence. The little potted tree can only support so much fruit. Fortunately, quite a few lemons remain.

Six months from now I hope to be harvesting lemons, oranges, grapefruit, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, peas, and carrots. Until then, I’ll keep my swamp pants on and not get them in a knot trying to enjoy with summer has to offer.

‘Mater Stringin’

2011-07-19T21:37:00.001-07:00

Summertime is in full swing and harvest time is getting under way. All varieties of tomatoes are maturing and the bell peppers keep on giving. The bell peppers grow upright without any support needed. The tomatoes are a different story.The most important support for the tomatoes is a nice, big roll of natural twine. No. Having a strong frame is probably most important followed by a generous amount of twine.Start out with metal stakes driven into the soil. Screw on the vertical wooden stakes to the metal stakes. Attach a horizontal wooden stake (beam) across the top of the vertical stakes. There’s some eye screws at the bottom of each wooden stake that has the first row of twine threaded. Twine is run vertically from the top horizontal wooden beam down to the horizontal string. As the tomatoes grow, a row of twine is added. This helps keep the vines upright and off the ground for the most part. It makes detecting varmints and harvesting much easier.When the vines have played out, simply cut the string and haul everything to the compost pile.

Tootie Fruitie

2011-07-18T20:56:00.001-07:00

Fruit in the garden comes in waves. Boysenberries, apricots, and plums ripen earliest. Those are all finished for the summer. Strawberries sustain me until the next wave ripens. Watermelons, grapes, peaches, and apples are in various states of maturity.

This could be one of two varieties planted – Malali or Sugar Baby. Malali was planted first; but the pill bugs were getting the better of the sprouts. Sugar Babies were planted with hopes of filling in wherever Malali failed. Currently, there is an aphid problem. The leaves are blasted each morning and that seems to be bringing in more ladybugs to do their thing. It looks like I have made a friend with a pesky fly. Geez, I need to file my nails.The grape arbor is bustin’ with loads of Red Flame grapes this summer. The bunches are in various stages of “redness”. There was an initial problem of having mourning doves nesting on the top of the arbor; but once the first birds flew the nest the scare tape has helped to keep all other birds away.O’Henry peaches are due to mature sometime in August. There were many more earlier this season; but the tree has naturally thinned itself down to the size of crop it can hold. These really are tasty peaches.Granny Smith apples should be ready after the peaches are done. The tag from Dave Wilson lists maturity “very late” in October or November but our local nurseryman said that we should have harvested in August. This one will be played by ear (mouth).

There’s citrus to look forward to during the winter – lemons, oranges, and grapefruit. The mandarin lost all of its fruit for this season.

I know tomatoes are fruit; but like most people, I think of them as a vegetable so they’ll be featured separately.

Mother-In-Law’s Tongue

2011-07-17T21:36:00.001-07:00

Dang it. My week long vacation in the garden has come to a screaming end. I will be heading back inside to a nice office during the bulk of the hot summer hours. It’s not like I have a depressing cubicle or share a workspace with an annoying associate. My office is pretty nice. My big window looks out to native landscaping and a large pond with a variety of wildlife. Everyone I work with really is great to work with; but it’s still not vacation where I can putter around the garden in my “jammies” until I need to dress for work in the front yard. And the weather this past week has been terrific. It was so terrific that my planned activity of canning tomatoes was postponed until there is enough heat to ripen all the fruit on the vines. I can wait if it means enjoying cooler weather.

To ease me back into the rhythm of work, I decided to fill an empty pot with a plant to take back with me. Sansevieria trifasciata (per Sunset Western Garden Book) also known as Bowstring Hemp, Snake Plant, or Mother-In-Law’s Tongue is what I selected. The first names comes from the use of the tough leaf fibers as bowstrings. The second name comes from the mottled banding on the leaves resembling a snake. The third names comes from the toughness of the leaves and the plant in general. This plant is ideal for the filtered light location I have in mind. It’s perfect for the empty vertical spot in desperate need of something.

The ceramic pot is filled about half way with large gravel to add some weight to balance the top heavy planting. There’s a drain hole in the bottom so the 6” plastic pot that the plant is in is set in a thin, plastic saucer on top of the gravel. A little moss was soaked and added to the top to help keep moisture in and make the whole planting look a little nicer.

There will still be mornings and evenings to work in the garden; but I’ll sure miss my “jammies”.

Pumpkin Center

2011-07-16T18:33:00.001-07:00

South of the garden, about 7 miles, is a little community called Pumpkin Center (pronounced: Punkin Cenner). If one pumpkin has ever been grown there in that farming community, I’ll be surprised. Alfalfa, corn, and cotton are the main crops of this burg. To my knowledge no pumpkin celebrations or festivals have ever taken place.

I’ve grown pumpkins in the past – some seasons successfully and some seasons were a complete flop. This summer Jarradale pumpkins are winding their way under the corn and Borlotto Solista beans. On June 1, seeds were sown with hopes of a bounty of blue grey squash to use to bake the Thanksgiving pie and decorate the table. So far, so good. Above is an image chronicling the progress to date. Quite a few more pumpkins are developing under the shade of those huge leaves. There has been a mild infestation of aphids that has been kept under control by spraying the underside of the leaves in the morning and letting the ladybugs do their thing during the day.

If things continue as they are, the center of Pumpkin Center may be relocated to OIldale.

Heinz Harvest

2011-07-15T19:47:00.001-07:00

It took about 1 week for my perfect Heinz green tomato to ripen to a red tomato. It probably would have been quicker if the temperatures this week had been hotter. I can be patient whenever July temperatures dip into the frosty 80s. Tonight, we enjoyed sampling this beauty with our dinner salad. “Very tomatoey”, raved Farmer MacGregor.

Here’s what Tomato Fest has to say about this variety:

One out of four heirloom tomato varieties sent to me by Kees Groenewegen, Manager of Operations for HeinzSeed for TomatoFest to grow out and share. This open-pollinated tomato variety was developed in Bowling Green Ohio and Leamington Ontario when Heinz had breeding stations there many years ago. This variety was developed primarily for Eastern Canada and the Northeast U.S.. Plant produces very hearty, leafy plants in our Central California fields that yield huge crops of 3â€, bright-red, round, tomatoes. Sweet-acid balance and complex flavors. Uniform fruit appeared to be slightly larger than other Heinz tomato varieties. A great canning tomato, salad tomato, and sauce tomato.

This tomato is doing well in the garden. So far, so good. Ketchup making is out. There’s no way I can improve on what Heinz has created. These will be treated like all the other tomatoes in the garden – fresh, frozen, or canned.

Duranta

2011-07-12T07:33:00.001-07:00

Not everything in the garden is edible and I’m making an effort to incorporate more ornamental flowers. Duranta has been around for a few years. It’s part of the verbena family. The one I have is a tree growing in a pot facing west against a wall. That’s hot. Blooming continues summer through fall. Once the flowers are finished, yellow berries come in. The deciduous plant takes a break in the winter.

Duranta is a perfect choice in zone 9.

3 Sisters Update

2011-07-10T12:30:00.001-07:00

This summer I’m trying out the 3 Sisters method in two beds. 3 Sisters means corn, beans, and squash grown together to benefit each other. The corn in both beds is Golden Bantam Yellow Sweet corn. The beans in both beds is Borlotto Solista beans. The types of squash is different in each bed because I ran out of some seeds AND I wanted to grow pumpkins for the fall. With that, one bed has Lemon squash and the other has Jarrahdale pumpkins. The Lemon squash, planted on April 2, has been producing for some time providing fresh squash for the BBQ, casseroles, and pasta salads. This bush variety of squash doesn’t meander as much below the corn to help shade the ground; but they are producing shade.

Jarrahdale pumpkin leaf. Size 9 Crocs used for scale reference.

Planted on June 1, the pumpkins should be ready in mid to late September. Jarrahdales really wind through the bed and are providing exceptional shade for this 3 Sisters bed. Hopes of blue-grey pumpkins in the fall make the temperatures of hell a bit more bearable. Next stop is the local, tiny hardware store to pick up some nastursium seeds. They’re suppose to ward off squash bugs. Last summer the garden was overrun by the buggers.

My size 9 crocs can only stomp on so many bugs to help them on their way to an eternal garden.

Anticipation

2011-07-07T21:15:00.001-07:00

Tomatoes are really ramping up in the garden with the summer heat pouring down. Heinz looks like it may be in the lead for my favorite/perfect tomato. It’s looking good. I picked up a plant from the Tomato Lady at the local farmers’ market a few months ago happy to find the variety that I thought I wouldn’t grow until next season. This is definitely a determinate variety. All the fruit should be ripe at the same time.

Next week is set aside for canning tomatoes with the hopes that everything ripens. Now I’m going to search for a recipe for Heinz ketchup. Ketchup is my favorite condiment and the Heinz variety will be reserved to make ketchup - if I can find the recipe. Any references to the Heinz recipe will be appreciated.

Gold in the Garden & Podcast Update

2011-07-06T17:47:00.001-07:00

How much does a pirate pay for corn?

A buccaneer! (A buck an ear. Get it?)

Harvest time is in full swing in the garden. The apricots were a success. That little tree produced about 4 dozen pieces of fruit. The Santa Rosa plum gave a bounty too. Excellent. I don’t measure and weigh the harvest; so those details simply aren’t tracked and recorded. The tomatoes (Tigerella and Cour Di Bue pictured) are starting to ripen and carrots are mature enough for pulling. BUT the big news is that I’m a successful corn producer. Not a farmer; but, dang it, I was able to harvest my 1st cob last night. GOAL! All I wanted was to sample one cob that I had grown. Now that I’ve met that demand, I need to learn the finer points of freezing corn. Golden Bantam Yellow Sweet Corn was planted in waves with the hopes of having fresh corn all summer long.

I’ll consider growing pop corn if I learn that it tastes as good or better than my preferred brand – Orville Redenbacher.

Podcast Update

Sadly, this “podcast” has come to a sudden end. The fruit on the Split Leaf Philodendron broke off from the plant on June 29. The pod-like fruit looks like an elf’s slipper.

Curiosity got to me; so I split the thing open to learn what was going on inside. Kinda looks like a weird banana.

I’ll be watching for this next June.

Operation Hornworm–Battle Plan

2011-07-05T21:24:00.001-07:00

You can do it. American loves a winner. We’re here to destroy those that want to destroy us – or, at least, destroy my tomatoes and peppers. That’s right. Hornworms. If you have tomatoes or peppers you probably have hornworms.They are the stealthiest bastards in the garden; but you can do it. You’re a winner. And American loves a winner. First you need to locate the bugger. Oh they leave their mark. They’re pigs.The enemy leaves signs of their destruction right where you can see it. Look on the leaves, on the fruit, on the ground. Now look up.Hornworms will strip the leaves, stems, and even chew on the fruit. Bastards! Keep looking up beyond this destruction. Look from the ground up. It’s easier to see their camouflaged bodies.There’s the culprit. They move fairly slow and have suction cup like feet. All you need to do is peel it from the plant. You can do it. You’re a winner and America loves a winner. The first time is the roughest; but once you’ve made that successful accomplishment you’ll be able to peel these terrorists out of your garden with precision. After you’ve removed the enemy you can squash it beneath your garden feet. Until you can bring yourself to that level of annihilation, try placing the enemy in an open space where you can monitor their movement. Your local air force (scrub jays and mockingbirds in my garden) should move in quickly to remove the terrorists and put them to better use (bird food).

Reveille and taps is the prime time for successful hunting. Now go out there and give ‘em hell.

That is all.

Happy Birthday, America!

2011-07-04T13:29:00.001-07:00

Ajax – 9 months old

What a coincidence. Ajax is 9 months old on the 235th birthday of our country. Let’s celebrate!

It’s hotter than a firecracker out in the garden. Today will be a balmy 104°. Yee Haw! The extent of our celebrating will be finishing all outdoor work before 10am. Check.

Now we will be hibernating until the chill of the evening arrives when yours truly will crank up the bbq for some Hebrew Nationals. Sure swamp pants will be involved. But there will also be Ruffles and baked beans. We’ve been snacking on homegrown plums and apricots; but dessert will be special for this birthday celebration. Apricots from my baby espalier trees provide all the fruit. Here’s what it looks like.

It was inspired by Miri Leigh but helped along with advise from Julia Child. Thanks Julia. If you’re allergic to dairy products find something else. This baby is loaded with cow fat!

Happy Birthday, America.

Magical Fruit

2011-06-27T21:29:00.001-07:00

Organic Garden Bean Blue Lake FM-1 (Pole Type) from Park Seed Co. was finally planted on June 19, 2011 after the sweet peas were cleared from the support. The beans germinated a short 6 days later on June 25th. Here’s what Park Seed Co. uses for a description:

Extra Early Pods are Stringless and Fiberless!
White seeds are tender and delicious!
60 days. A classic choice for early beans of highest quality eating, Blue Lake FM-1 sets pods that remain stringless and fiberless at all stages of growth! The dark green pods are tender and rich, filled with white seeds and an incomparable flavor.
Many gardeners prefer pole beans for their distinctive "beany" flavor. Because they use vertical space, they free up the horizontal rows in the vegetable garden for other varieties while bearing abundant harvests. They're easier than bush beans to harvest as well. Direct-sow after all danger of frost, and for best harvest, keep sowing at 3-week intervals until late spring. For fall crops, begin in late summer and continue until a month or so before first frost date. Support the 5- to 8-foot vines on a trellis, tower, or poles spaced 3 feet apart. Pkt is 2 ounces (about 100 seeds).

More seeds will be planted this week and the following week to insure a bunch of beans for the freezer.University of Illinois Extension

Podcast

2011-06-26T14:40:00.001-07:00

Maybelline’s Garden will be having regular podcasts for a short time. Not those “techy” kind of podcasts. Nope. I’ll be chronicling the progress of a special pod in the garden.

Remember last June when my split leaf philodendron produced a very unusual flower that morphed into a very unusual fruit? Well, it’s doing it again except about 3 weeks later this year.

Updates will be made as this thing progresses. In the meantime, I would like ideas on how to use the fruit. This is a strange one to me and if it’s edible, I would like to give it a try (if it’s good). Research commences.

Radio Nuts

2011-06-24T21:20:00.001-07:00

An “elegantly mature” neighbor up the road likes to sit out in his driveway with his garage door open and listen to the radio broadcasts of the Dodgers’ ball games. He likes to sit out in his driveway shirtless. Fine. At least when I stroll by he will relay the score and his opinion of the game so far. I listen to all kinds of things on the radio but I do not like to listen to baseball.

I prefer to listen to opinionated talk shows, fun game shows, oldies rock, or old country music. Country music and Bakersfield have been paired together for sometime. There used to be great live broadcasts. Now there are only broadcasts on KCWR Friday and Saturday nights from Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace. Fine. Old country music is great to sing along and dance to…and I do. Sure the neighbors probably think I’m nuts; but at least I’m not sitting out on the driveway shirtless.

It’s always nice to have goals.

Note: Dang it. The link to listen doesn’t work. Seems the only way you can enjoy a live broadcast from the Crystal Palace is to either be there or in Bakersfield listening to the radio.

HARSH

2011-06-23T21:52:00.001-07:00

It’s too hot to go work out in the garden until the sun sets. Even then, butter melts and so do I. Taking photos require the use of the flash and that means harsher images like this.

Blenheim Apricot

I had my first taste of a garden fresh apricot this morning. Rather, it’s the first taste I’ve had from this apricot tree. The sun wasn’t over the Sierras yet while I enjoyed the deliciousness of a juicy, just picked apricot. Dang it.Golden Bantam Yellow Sweet Corn

Okay the lens is kinda dirty; but that is giving a twinkling effect caused by the street light on the other side of the wall. There are some ears of corn in there (the garden bed – not the lens) and quite a few bean pods. Everything in the garden is enjoying the heat (103 today – gross).

These flash pictures may be harsh; but I’ll tell you what harsh is in the garden. Harsh is how I deal with grasshoppers gnashing on my tomatoes.

Goodbye, turkey. My attorney will be in touch.

Can you name what classic Jerry Reed song that line is derived?

Note: Listening to Jerry Reed in the garden helps the work more enjoyable especially if you’re dancing with your dog.

Hot-Hot-Hot!

2011-06-20T20:36:00.001-07:00

Oh yes. The heat is here. Thank you very much. Most everything in the garden is responding to the heat positively with fruit ripening on the trees and vines, beans climbing the tall corn stalks, and tomatoes popping on every single plant. There is one group that is not enjoying the heat – the garden crew. Some of the staff has taken to the notion that it’s hibernating time.

Hiding behind the curtains is the best Ajax can do in trying to hide. Our 8 month old prefers naps on the cool stone floor in front of a fan with the air conditioning doing what it’s supposed to do.

I’m with you, boy.

Thanks Guys

2011-06-19T00:05:00.000-07:00

It’s time to honor all those dads and granddads that contributed in so many ways besides in the garden. Happy Fathers’ Day to all great dads.I never new my grandfather, Clark. Neither did my father; so much of Clark’s life is romanticized by those left to carry on. Me? It doesn’t matter if I’m right or not. This is how I see it. I fancy him in the role Brad Pitt played as Tristan in Legends of the Fall. Clark was more than a handsome farmer/rancher in Wyoming in the early 1900s. He was a bootlegger. So was Tristan. I have heard that he (Clark) was one of the best between our two borders. He died in 1931 of rabbit fever leaving 10 children and a tough woman to raise them.I only met my Grandpa, Jimmy, twice. Once when I went to visit him in Scotland and once when he came to visit me in America. His quick banter in a very thick brogue is one thing I remember. He was excellent in the garden and had a high pitched laugh. I know. Those reel-to-reel tapes need to get converted so I can share his conversations. Reels were exchanged over the Atlantic to avoid the steep charges for a telephone call. I have a bunch that need conversion but need a trustworthy source.Farmer MacGregor has an incredible knack with tools and paint brushes. It showed at a very early age. Honestly. He’s a great painter. Not like Dali and Monet. More like Dutch Boy and Benjamin Moore. The man takes great pride in his ability.

One of the fellas that encouraged Farmer MacGregor in so many ways was his grandpa, Lee. Sure. He’s pictured with fists full of carrots; but I don’t believe he was ever noted to be a gardener. A kind, sweet man – yes. An Angels fan – yes. A gardener – no. He also passed on incredibly blue eyes.Farmer MacGregor’s father was a character. He had one skill that I would like to obtain. The man knew the Latin names of plants. Dang. For you, Jerry, Marco Polo If You Can.

Itzzy is Farmer MacGregor’s other grandpa. His family’s business was produce. I would like to have been able to pick his brain a bit. One day I will know the end of the ping pong table story, Itzzy. Count on it.Maybelline’s Garden blog was started so my father could enjoy what was going on the in the garden from the comfort of his computer chair. He enjoyed most everything out in the garden. He enjoyed reading. He enjoyed listening to and playing music. He enjoyed laughing. Looks like he just told a funny one. Genealogical addiction has brought me to discover many stories about many relatives. Not one story is bad about my father. EVERYONE has something nice to say about him. Remarkable but not surprising.

Our fathers have such an influence on us. Thanks guys.

I Don’t Know Nothin’ ’Bout Lemon Verbena

2011-06-18T13:08:00.001-07:00

Went to the farmers’ market first thing this morning. The list was pretty long today because Farmer MacGregor wants a special Fathers’ Day meal. Things aren’t mature enough in the garden to fulfill his wishes. Eggs, beets, cherries, green beans, onions, zucchini, red potatoes, and a small pot of herbs – Lemon Verbena. The Lemon Verbena was one of those items that really isn’t needed; but, dang it, I wanted it. They didn’t have any horehound that I need to use as a repellent to grasshoppers. I was won over by the Lemon Verbena.

I’ve never grown this herb before and figure it grows like most all herbs – full sun, well drained soil, more dry than wet conditions – perfect for my garden. If I’m wrong, please let me know. There are all kinds of uses for the clean, sharp lemon scented leaves. My plan is to add the dried leaves to dried lavender buds to make potpourris. However, I’ve noticed some interesting recipes using this herb. Both of my garden gnomes LOVE lemon curd and I think they might enjoy this lemon custard recipe:

Lemon Custard with Lemon Verbena

14 2- to 2 1/2-inch-long fresh or dried lemon verbena leaves (optional)
10 2 x 1/2-inch strips lemon peel (yellow part only)
6 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine first 3 ingredients in medium saucepan. Boil until mixture is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes. Add sugar; simmer until mixture is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream. Whisk yolks to blend in medium bowl. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture. Whisk in lemon juice. Strain custard through sieve into 4-cup measuring cup. Divide among six 2-cup ramekins or soufflé dishes. Cover ramekins with foil. Place ramekins in 13 x 9 x 2-inch metal baking pan. Add enough hot water to pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake custards until just set, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven; let custards cool in water in pan. Transfer ramekins to refrigerator. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.

Serves 6

Did you know that In Gone with the Wind, lemon verbena is mentioned as Scarlet O'Hara's mother's favorite plant? Feeling smart? Do you know the name of Scarlet O’Hara’s mother?

There entered with her the faint fragrance of lemon verbena sachet, which seemed always to creep from the folds of her dresses, a fragrance that was always linked in Scarlett’s mind with her mother. – Margaret Mitchell

Danged good writing, Ms. Mitchell.

Teddy Bear Dud

2011-06-15T23:13:00.001-07:00

Teddy Bear sunflowers were planted to enjoy in the garden this summer. They are described by Lake Valley Seed as Giant six inch puffballs of sunny golden-yellow flowers. These dwarf plants make a stunning show even when planted alone. Flowers begin in mid-summer. Very easy to grow and great for kids. The surviving seeds I planted are dwarf alright; but puffballs they are not.

They look nothing like the images I’ve seen. Check out the seed packet at Lake Valley Seed. Nothing puffy about what I’m growing.

Do you suppose the seeds are wrong OR am I doing something wrong?

Purple Solution

2011-06-12T14:17:00.001-07:00

I’ve determined that photographing purple is usually best in the shade. There are some exceptions like the sweet peas featured above. The sun seems to wash out the intensity of the color. I need to learn a lot more about photography (some day) to conquer the purple dilemma. Until then, I’ll try to provide a bit of shade.Here’s a package of Giant Violet Queen Zinnia seeds in the shade of the garden shed. The purple really punches out there doesn’t it? These were planted in the front yard yesterday. They were half price down at the Rite Aid. It’s an easy gamble.See. The Santa Rosa plums are getting ripe. Underneath that haze on the skin of the plum is a beautiful reddish-purple, delicious piece of summer taste explosion. How do I know? Cuz. I had one yesterday. It had dropped. I picked it up, wiped it off and enjoyed a surprise treat. Delicious gamble.

Yesterday I picked the winner of the Belmont Stakes – Ruler On Ice. Love the colors (pink/orange). I won $2,400! It was a fantasy gamble. Dang it.

The Color Purple

2011-06-10T21:18:00.001-07:00

How can I capture purple a lot more realistically? In the garden I have several plants that are various shades of purple. Lobelia? Forget it. It always gets so washed out. I just can’t figure out what the problem could be. A Nikon D90 is being used with no flash. The sun is setting in the examples provided below. Settings for each photo are provided.

Black Knight Butterfly Bush is practically black. Whenever I take a photo, the color seems to fade or brighten. It’s just not the blackish-purple that you can see in person.

F stop	f/56
Exposure time	1/50 sec
ISO speed	ISO-3200
Exposure bias	0 step
Focal length	55 mm
Maximum aperture	5

Although my butterfly bush photo is similar to others I’ve seen while researching the topic, that doesn’t make me feel any better. It simply means I have company with this problem. (Note: Farmer MacGregor is not posing for The Nursery at Ty Ty.)

Lavender is really stumping me. It completely washes out no matter what time of day the photo is taken. Too blue. It’s as if the images are Photo Shopped too heavily. Too processed. None of my photos are touched up but what you see is a bit different than what you get.

F stop	f/56
Exposure time	1/15 sec
ISO speed	ISO-3200
Exposure bias	0 step
Focal length	55 mm
Maximum aperture	5

Not only do I want to conquer this hurdle to correctly capture the color purple in the garden, I want to conquer this hurdle before the plums and grapes ripen. The Santa Rosa plums are more red than purple – so are the Red Flame grapes. Purple zinnias will be planted soon.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

3 Sisters Update

2011-06-08T19:16:00.001-07:00

Planting a 3 Sisters garden is supposed to be one way of growing plants that benefit each other. The corn (Golden Bantam Yellow Sweet) is supposed to be the oldest of the three sisters growing the tallest. The squash (Lemon) is the next sister growing over the garden bed to create a shade that keeps the soil cool and moist while preventing the growth of weeds. Beans (Borlotto Solista) grow through the squash and up the corn to complete the trio. Those beans add nitrogen to the soil helping to fertilize the garden. Pretty cool.Farmer MacGregor’s support

Corn has been planted in waves along with beans. The squash was planted at the head of the drip lines to enjoy extra irrigation. Now that I’ve just planted the final wave of corn (Planted June 1. Germinated June 7), I’m going to do things a bit differently. Waiting for the corn to grow about 6” before the beans are planted will help the corn keep pace with the superior growth rate of the beans. This last planting has pumpkins (Jarrahdale) planted for their melons. There is a row of corn that is way too short for the aggressive beans. Farmer MacGregor had to erect a bean support so the vines could stretch over and grow while the corn catches up. I planted additional beans on the other side of the support with hopes it will be filled with beans.Borlotto Solista showing off.

Corn has never been grown in the garden before so my hope is to at least get one ear of corn to try and determine if it’s worth growing in the future. So far, the corn seems to be growing very well. Tassels have started to form and it’s not even hot yet. Mother Nature is getting a helping hand from me as I’m out there shaking the stalks to encourage the pollen from the tassels to fall down to the silks and form kernels of corn. I’m encouraged.Tassels on Golden Bantam Yellow Sweet Corn

Yes. Silks are starting to form. Is anyone impressed with my Midwestern corn speak? Dang. I’m a Californian and feel like I’m out in tornado country successfully growing a crop of corn. Sure. I know the stuff grows here. It grows here big time; but I’m out there whistling songs from the Wizard of Oz or Oklahoma when I’m working in the corn.Silks on the Golden Bantam Yellow Sweet Corn waiting for pollen.

The Lemon squash has really started to grow with vigor and the pumpkins are just beginning to break through the soil. Jarrahdales were planted on June 1 along with some radishes. Remember my theory that world hunger would end if every person had just 2 squash seeds? Sure there’s the additional problem of fertile soil and a source of water to consider.Lemon Squash starting to spread on the floor of the 3 Sisters garden.

The rest of the country is supposed to be experiencing gross, hot weather this week while I feel like I’m at the Pacific coast enjoying the cool breezes and warm sun. Oh. My time is coming. Until then. Ahhhh!

Espalier Growth

2011-06-05T22:27:00.001-07:00

Most the fruit trees in the garden are espalier trained. Sorry if the word “espalier” is misused. Though the trees grow two dimensionally along the XY axes sometimes they need to get their Z clipped too. Since the weather has been so incredibly tolerable, gardeners are out in force to doing what chores they can before someone opens the furnace door. This evening a few of the trees got trimmed a bit.

Here’s some before and after shots:

Plum – Santa Rosa: Still growing strong, Santa Rosa is an excellent variety for this climate. This is the first year that a harvest is expected. There is still loads of fruit tucked up under that thick, green canopy. Early June is the expected time to harvest. This year things are going slower because of the cooler weather; but Santa Rosa should be the first of the fruits to harvest.

Peach – O’Henry: This tree has produced fruit before but this season is a bit heavier. The leaves only grow on the tips of the branches but this season they are growing denser. This should help filter out the sun and prevent sun scald. Umbrellas will be planted next to the trunk and opened when the sun gets more intense. The fruit may be harvested starting in mid August.

Nectarine – Fantasia: The peach and nectarine are similar in growth with the leaves growing at the tips of the branches. The nectarine is doing a great job producing leaves. This tree almost fell to pruning shears to make way for another tree. I really thought this tree wasn’t going to work out. An umbrella is set up already for this tree and has been opened to help shade the exposed trunk and branches and prevent sun scald. Sadly, the one fruit that formed failed. An future harvest should be from mid July to mid August. I’m hopeful.

Apricot – Bleinheim: The apricot produces an abundance of leaves. It’s more productive than the successful plum tree. No fruit has been harvested yet but it’s hanging under the cool shade getting plumper and more delicious with each day. Harvest is expected in late June.

A couple of the trees didn’t warrant a pruning.

Apple – Granny Smith: These should be ready in August or October sometime. There are conflicting opinions. Regular sampling will be needed to determine harvest time.

Pear – Warren: No fruit this year. I have no idea when to expect a harvest; but this tree takes well to being trained espalier.

I Love Global Warming!

2011-06-04T18:23:00.001-07:00

Sweet peas continue to bloom in the garden. Sure. They’re starting to go to seed but there are still sweet peas blooming in the garden and it’s June 4th! Once they have petered out, the green beans will be planted. Shoot. Green beans probably won’t be ready until Labor Day.

Typically I’m whining about the hellish heat by the time the calendar pages have been torn down to show June. I’ve been in a long sleeve t-shirt and jeans all day long. Right now I have some comfy slippers on keeping my cold feet a bit warmer. What the heck?! I love it. Please hear my gratitude. I hope it’s as loud or even louder than my whining.

Sure. There are some around here complaining that it’s not hot yet. I only smile at them and nod hoping not to trigger anything in their obvious mental unbalance. Rather than me rant about the foolishness of “global warming” or “climate change” or whatever else it’s called now, the bees and I are deliriously happy with things the way they are now and will enjoy buzzing around the garden as long as this weather holds. It’s good to be content.

Mother Nature Continues to be a Mutha

2011-06-02T21:37:00.001-07:00

Apricot – Blenheim

Okay. It’s difficult for me and many like me to thin vegetation in the garden. Things like onions are much easier as the baby onions are harvested to use as green onions. Items like apricots are something I leave completely to Mother Nature. The outcome seems to be the same whether it’s me or nature doing the work. The strong survive. The only fruit on the nectarine dropped recently. It was a sad piece of fruit that was destined to wither.

This evening I was clipping the parsley, thyme, and chives when my pruning shears demonstrated exactly how sharp they really are. Slash! The drip line was clipped clean through. Luckily Farmer MacGregor has extra line in the shed and the repairs were made. While cleaning up the clippings (along with the black widows and earwigs) I noticed that Mother Nature was again having her way in the garden. A few more apricots will not reach maturity. They rested on the gravel almost as helpless as a young mourning dove.

The trees are due for another trimming/fertilizing session. No threat of sunscald yet with the wonderfully cool weather that is lulling most of us into a very false sense of security. July is on the way.

Garden Note:

Radishes planted as beneficials amongst the pumpkins.
Parsley and green onions planted as beneficials to the tomatoes.
Coneflowers, nasturtiums, zinnias, and some other flower seeds I picked up at the Rite Aid were planted in the front yard flower beds.
The 1st tomato set on a plant mislabeled as Al Kuffa. This is a mystery variety. It looks to be a tall, lanky variety. Maybe as time goes on I’ll be able to determine what variety it is.

Tomato – Variety unknown

Pumpkin Planting Time

2011-06-01T21:54:00.001-07:00

Planting pumpkins in June should allow enough time to develop some nice squash to enjoy starting in September. Today, I planted 4 hills (3 seeds each) of Jarrahdale Pumpkins. Peat moss, sand, and soil amendment was added to help fluff up the raised bed. Terroir Seeds description on the package lists 95 – 100 days should be allowed to produce 12 – 20 pound blue-grey fruits with stringless, thick, medium-sweet flesh. The vines are known to give high yields of pumpkins that are good keepers. I hope to eat the pumpkins as well as use them for decorations. Aphids, pill bugs, earwigs, and beetles are expected pests. Yes. I’m still looking for toads.

In addition to the pumpkins, 2 more rows of Golden Bantam Corn were planted. When my new order of Borlotto Solista Beans arrive, they will be planted amongst the corn to help establish a second 3 Sisters bed. A few more Sugar Baby Watermelons seeds were sown in the melon bed.

Now everything is planted and ready for the summer heat although this weekend there is a chance of rain down here in the valley and snow up in the mountains.

Summer’s Cast of Characters:

Corn - Golden Bantam
Squash - Lemon
Beans - Borlotto Solista
Pumpkins -Jarrahdale
Bell Peppers – Red Beauty, Red Marconi, Super Heavyweight
Watermelon – Malali, Sugar Baby
Tomatoes – Al Kuffa, Beefsteak, Brown’s Yellow Giant, Heinz, Rutgers, Santa Clara, Tigerella,

There will be onions, carrots, radishes, and French marigolds planted whenever the seeds arrive to act as beneficials for the main crops.

Mutha Nature

2011-05-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

Mourning doves in the garden have been a thorn to me this season. The trash they dragged in to try to construct so many feeble nests. Their poop they let fly with abandon. And most recently, two chicks – Tisket and Tasket – were determined to meet an early end a la Charles Darwin. This afternoon, I needed some onions for some salsa so I headed out to the garden to grab a few. GASP! A collection of small feathers that looked to be those of a mourning dove were on the lawn in the shade of the Chinese Elm tree. Pumpkin! What have you done? The basket in the grape arbor was empty. No way would Pumpkin take the initiative to climb up and grab a snack. Once upon a time Pumpkin was known to sit under the bird feeder then spring at least 5 feet up to snag a dove. Not now. Time has passed. The chicks must have made another lame attempt at flight and fell right on top of Pumpkin. The old gal may not be as limber as she once was but with time she has gained wisdom and patience.

I continued on into the garden to pull some onions. Up in the grape arbor rested an empty basket that briefly held Tisket, Tasket, and their mama. C'est la vie. While pulling onions I spotted Tasket tucked amongst the onions. I snagged her and put her back up in the basket. At sunset, the basket was empty. Let’s simply believe that Tasket made a successful flight to the neighbor’s dilapidated orchard and is resting comfortably in a dying lemon tree.

Some creatures believe that you can’t fool Mutha Nature…

…while other creatures have no opinion.

I am Grateful.

2011-05-30T13:58:00.001-07:00

Recent wisdom gleaned from the internet told me that the reason I sleep like a log is because I am grateful and content with what I have and don’t have any unfulfilled desire to have more. Ain’t it the truth? Memorial Day seems like a fine day to show gratitude in the garden.

Strawberries continue to keep on giving. The bugs still get a few of them but I get my share. I am grateful.

The bumblebees and honeybees are enjoying the bounty of lavender. Even after a Hidden Valley box full of lavender was harvested there was still plenty to buzz about. In fact, I couldn’t even tell that the blossoms had been thinned. I am grateful.

Everyone of the 19 tomato plants look to be headed to a productive summer. This one is Rutgers that I purchased from the Tomato Lady at the local farmers’ market for $2. I am grateful.

Teddy Bear sunflowers are almost ready to open. This one survived the bug mowing that all the others fell prey to. I have since replanted and am hopeful. I am grateful.

Look! The corn is almost as high as an elephant’s eye AND the tassels are forming. Oh what a beautiful morning. I am grateful.

Smelling just as sweet as candy, the Butterfly Bush is starting to pop. This should lure some beneficial insects to the garden. I am grateful.

I’m a fan of fruit chewy candy like gummy bears or Sour Patch Kids or jelly beans or DOTS. With boysenberries ripening each day there isn’t any desire to wander down to the local Rite Aid and pick up a chewy treat. I am grateful.

The Memorial Day weekend started with a phone call to Farmer MacGregor’s great uncle. He shared his Purple Heart earning story with me relaying his horror on Okinawa. Genealogical details were sprinkled in but he kept returning to his experience during March/April 1945. Memories of an event that happened almost 70 years ago were shared with vivid detail. I am grateful.

Furthermore, I may celebrate my gratitude with a nap on my patio swing. I am grateful.