Category Archives: Garden

Tomato

Posted on by

It makes no difference if you call it toe-MAY-toe or toe-MAH-toe, it is a major staple in our veggie garden.  We love it fresh, sliced and raw.  Sylvia might add a bit of sugar.  I’ll give it a bit of salt and hit it with pepper.  Refreshing, clean taste.

Best of all it is BLT time.  I don’t like store-bought tomatoes for this treat.  Only our own, fresh from the garden will do.  Accept no substitutes.

Oh tomato, how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.

  1. Raw and eaten while standing in the garden with juicing dripping from the chin
  2. Raw and sliced on a plate or in a BLT
  3. Juice (Sylvia has put up several jars of this and the following too)
  4. Diced
  5. Tomato sauce
  6. Spaghetti sauce
  7. and my very favorite . . . SALSA!

150917a

Those may look like some mild jalapeños in that jar of salsa.  Don’t be fooled.  Those are Serrano peppers, which are about five times as hot as jalapeños and about ten times cooler than habaneros.  This year’s salsa is a big hit for us.  We’d rank it about medium to medium-hot.  Perfect!  The proof is in how fast the first batch disappeared–never made it into the jar.

Our jalapeños didn’t fare so well this year.  It must have been all the rain.  We even had to buy some to enjoy Sylvia’s poppers.

Anyone for nachos?

Healthy Harvest

Posted on by

Yesterday, after a late lunch, Sylvia said she was going out to “check on the garden.”

When she returned, this was only part of her haul.

There was more

There was more

This is only part of the tomatoes.  Last evening we had our version of taco salad.  For greens, we had red romaine, Swiss chard and New Zealand spinach.

As I write this, Sylvia is processing tomatoes.  None of those are pictured here.

The neighbor that I hired to mow our lawn while I’m recovering from foot surgery, was at work while Sylvia was harvesting garden goodies.  He stopped to speak with her and to tell her that her garden looks great.  (It does!)

September Morning

September Morning

Dramatic Sky

Posted on by

On Saturday, I went out to check the garden.  The peas were ready for picking.  Everything else was looking good.  That’s when I realized that there was something different about the light.  A glance at the sky sent me back to the house to fetch the camera.

Here’s what I had seen:

We don't often see shelf clouds like this

We don’t often see shelf clouds like this

On the front deck I capture more images.

This looked ominous

This looked ominous

Peas can wait.  I’m taking pictures.

The front kept moving toward me

The front kept moving toward me

A couple of seconds later, I could see an interesting boundary passing over head.

Does it make you feel uncomfortable?

Does it make you feel uncomfortable?

There would be no more images of interest in this system.  I turned and walked back in the house.

Shortly after the door closed the rain began.  Heavy rain.  Very heavy rain.

Zucchini and butternut squash are not appreciating all this rain.  I don’t like to see their yellow leaves.  However, it was fun to watch this front approaching.

Observations

Posted on by

Recently, I sat here at this computer as I surfed the Internet.  The bright sunlight coming through the window seemed to be blinking . . .  What?

In one glance, I could see that swallows were feasting on insects flying near the house.  Could I capture an image?

I stood and then I saw the spectator bleaches at the air show were full.  I slowly lifted the blinds, but the audience remained calm.

Perhaps they like the warm pavement

Perhaps they like the warm pavement

I particularly enjoy watching these fellows in flight.  They are so graceful–maneuverable too.  They are frequently there to keep me company as I mow.

Rabbits

A few weeks ago I looked out a window at the garden.  I detected movement.  Oh no!  Two rabbits were checking our romaine.  I stepped outside and started to talk to them as I waked toward the rabbits.  They watched, not twitching a muscle.

Then I clapped my hands . . . loudly.  The rabbits panicked.  And started to run to the opposite side.  The first one leaped and made it through a hole in the fence.  As that one ran away, the second one followed.  Leap and stuck at the hips, he was left hanging in the fence.  Feet flailing air.  He managed to back out.

A second try met with the same result.  I continued to approach talking and clapping.  The poor bunny was terrified.  He ran to another end where the path is blocked with chicken wire fence.  No wriggling through that.

He turned hard left running beside the fence and into more fence.  Spin around and run as fast as you can, he seemed to be thinking.  Then as he sped toward the end, he gave on tremendous leap and cleared the 24″ fence.

I laughed as I watched him run out of sight.  Do you suppose that rabbits tell their grandchildren about their great adventures?  Hhmmm . . .

It is Finished!

Posted on by

The title comes from Sylvia’s words when she came in from weeding the veggie garden.  It had started in the flower gardens.

Granny's Garden has some begonias now.

Granny’s Garden has some begonias now.

Upper walk-out flower garden

Upper walk-out flower garden

Lower walk-out flower garden

Lower walk-out flower garden

The veggie garden -- here unfinished

The veggie garden — here unfinished

After pulling the last of the weeds in the veggie garden, Sylvia planted a row of green beans.  The first planting usually comes to maturity while she is with her family at the lake.  I pick some and recruit some help with the rest.  #arthritis-stinks

What’s For Lunch?

Posted on by

It’s damp and chilly today.  Let’s check the garden.

Swiss chard

Swiss chard

My parents always grew this in their garden–Sylvia’s too.  We continue the tradition.  My mom liked hers lightly boiled with vinegar and a touch of salt.  That’s okay, but the tender leaves also add nice color and flavor to a garden salad.  Gotta love this versatile vegetable.

I looked to see if the zucchini would be fruiting in the near future.  It’s mostly male blossoms, and they don’t produce that delightful summer staple.

Dreaming of zucchini

Dreaming of zucchini

I did see one female blossom.  The first harvest can’t be far away.  Shortly after that, the great give-away begins.  You know how it is with zucchini.

Surprised

Posted on by

Saturday, and Sylvia was working in the flower gardens.  I was splitting my attention between the Bible study prep and a NASCAR race on TV (turned it on with the sound off).  The heating pad on my back didn’t require my attention.

I heard the back door open.  I looked up expecting to see Sylvia.  It was our son, Bryant.

“Hi,” I said, “What are you doing here?”

The answer he gave, “We were in the area and decided to drop off an early Father’s Day gift.”

I realized I had to follow him.  I did.

Stepping out of the back door, I saw . . .

Now mulched

Now mulched

Bryant and Barbara who worked so hard cleaning up this area a week earlier, had returned and put down bark mulch to control weeds.  Wow!

Doesn't it look great?

Doesn’t it look great?

That was such a huge help and I’ll think of them every time I come in or go out the door.

I love it

I love it

Thanks Bryant and Barbara.  Your gift is very much appreciated, and all the more so because you put yourselves into it.

Sylvia and I are so greatly blessed.  So this week starts well and looks even better.

Family to the Rescue

Posted on by

I won’t show you a “before” picture of the area along the foundation wall of our house.  It is the area we call “Granny’s Garden.”  It got that name when Briana (our granddaughter) gave Sylvia a sign to post there.  The sign said, “Granny’s Garden.”

We had the veggie garden planted and that was the next item on the TO DO list.  Our son, Bryant, and wife, Barbara, volunteered to help us on a Saturday morning.  We gratefully accepted the offer, and they showed up on time.

Soon, Sylvia, Bryant and Barbara were cleaning up Granny’s Garden.  It was a lot of work.  While they did that, I used the tractor and chain to pull out some unwanted mulberry trees in the walk-out area.  With Bryant’s help, I even pulled out an overgrown shrub.

Barbara cleaned up the holly bushes (one male, one female)

Barbara cleaned up the holly bushes (one male, one female)

A couple steps back to reveal more.

Gone is the chaotic jumble that ruled this region

Gone is the chaotic jumble that ruled this region

Turn and see the other half of Granny’s Garden.

Hollyhocks and roses hold forth in this side

Hollyhocks and roses hold forth in this side.  Can you see the garlic?

There’s still a lot left to do.  We expect to make slower progress on that front.

Therapy

Sylvia’s therapy is going well.  Mobility is rapidly returning to her wrist as she faithfully does her prescribed exercises.  Her goal is to be finished with therapy by month’s end.  I believe she’ll do it.

Spring Goodness

Posted on by

After planting the garden, Sylvia came into the house picked up a knife and three plastic bags.  I dropped what I was doing, picked up a knife and followed.  She was already in full attack mode on the rhubarb patch.  I stood outside the fence and took the stalks she harvested, cut off the leaves and bagged the rhubarb stalks.   Later, I dropped them in neat piles.  We were in the rhythm and soon the cutting was done.  It only took a few minutes to dispose of the cut leaves and gather the harvest.

That will make a lot of pie

That will make a lot of pie

That, my friend, is what 26 pounds of rhubarb looks like.  Earlier, we took 14 pounds from the patch.  We are happy and so are a lot of our friends.

Speaking of friends, we think of Rosey and Dale C every time we see the patch and speak a word of thanks with each serving of this wonderful perennial vegetable.

Yesterday’s asparagus harvest went to our neighbor.  When Sylvia mentioned that we had some cedar trees she wanted removed, he volunteered to help.  Within minutes he was on the scene, chainsaw in hand.  Thanks, Hubert.

Planting Before the Rain

Posted on by

Yesterday, I left a hint that Sylvia was at work in the garden.  What had she started?

Popping in the potatoes

Popping in the potatoes

The “trench” on our left was planted to green beans.  Onions have been placed along the fence.  Sylvia is planting potatoes.  Perhaps we can go another year plus without bringing home potatoes from the store.  The ones we grow are much better!

Just cut them up so that each piece has at least one eye

Just cut them up so that each piece has at least one eye

Each piece is dropped in a hole and covered.  Then you wait . . .

Still going . . .

Still going . . .

Butternut squash behind her and jalapeños at her feet, Sylvia keeps going.

She’ll sleep well come night.