My Growing Passions

2009-05-11T18:10:00.006-04:00

BUTTERFLY BOX

Crafting is another hobby of mine. Since I'm not doing as much gardening this year, I may feature more of my projects.

This item started as a plain paperboard box (similar to cardboard) with a raised butterfly design on the lid. Black and gold look wonderful together, and those are the only two paint colors I used. The gold is a metallic finish, and the black makes it more outstanding.

I painted the gold areas first. In case of a mistake, it's easier to cover gold with black than the other way around without bleed-through. Indentations on the butterfly are visible in the photo. Those near the middle of the butterfly's body I filled in with a line of gold paint, then sprinkled glitter on it before the paint dried. This added an extra sparkle to give the butterfly more definition.

On the bottom I blended black and gold in a marbling pattern.

This easy technique creates an attractive look. It only takes paper towels (or napkins) plus the paint. Crinkle one paper towel, dip a section in black and dab the entire piece (in this case the box bottom). Repeat this using another towel dipped in gold paint. Follow with a clean towel to blend the colors.

Allow it to dry a little, just until it's tacky. Repeat the paper towel "technique" until you get the effect you desire. It may take some practice, so try it first on items you won't be using or giving away.

Marbling can be done with more than two colors, but it can also be a little tricky. It's never a bad idea to try an idea on scraps first.

This has nothing to do with gardening or crafts (other than the fact that I often listen to music while I work on a craft) but I like listening to these Philly guys:

Everything Your Heart Desires

2009-05-02T12:58:00.002-04:00

ANTS IN MY PLANTS!

Surrendering my garden plot* meant that I had to dig out the flowering bulbs, blueberry and raspberry plants, and some herbs. They are now in containers on my porch and growing well. My blueberry plants have flowers on them. It takes five years or more for blueberry plants to grow to a stage where they produce abundantly.

Early March was still very cold during the day and freezing at night. Plants in the ground have natural insulation of the surrounding soil that containers do not provide. I used straw to insulate my containers. In order to keep it from scattering -- a very undesirable thing as I live around more pavement than grass and more parking lots than yards -- I placed it in plastic garbage bags. They molded snugly around the containers, which I grouped together in a protected corner of my porch for additional warmth retention.

I ran out of containers when I finished planting approximately 15 of the twenty or so bulbs. I took the leftovers indoors for protection. Wouldn't you know it, they were infested with ants, small brown ones. They subsequently took over my houseplants' soil. These ants do not create the sand-dunelike mounds we call anthills. They nest underground. Multiple times when I'd dig in one of my raised beds, hundreds of them would spill out, sometimes covering my foot and biting. Fortunately I had no reaction. Other times I turned over soil to find it filled with the white eggs. Thankfully, this region is too cold for dangerous fire ants and harvester ants.

I don't think they damaged the plants, and maybe they were even beneficial to the soil. However, I could not keep them inside. I joked with my sisters that I couldn't keep my ant farm going as a kid, but now I can't get rid of them.

One bit of information I have that may apply is that ants are drawn to the sticky substance known as "honeydew" created by aphids (see this link). So, if aphids are a problem it may draw ants. This did not apply to my houseplants. In my community garden plot, it may have been hard to eliminate aphids.

A book I recommend for general reference about garden and household insects is the Ortho Home Gardener Problem Solver. I grabbed it for a dollar at a book sale, but it is worth much more. This comprehensive reference provides multiple ways to identify and look up types of insects and animals that show up in the garden and home. Additionally, it describes the regions where the creatures are common, why they are present, and ways to deal with it.

* After being laid off last December, I don't know where I'll get a new job. So, I didn't know whether I'd be able to maintain my plot.

2008-11-30T14:20:00.004-05:00

If you like chili with vegetables and a little spiciness, you might like this. One of the nice things about chili, soups and stews is that the recipes can be easily adjusted. Perfect if you want to use what's available. More or no meat, fewer beans and other vegetables can be used. Light red kidney beans, black beans or a mix would probably taste as good as the dark red kidney beans.

I used a container of the *sun gold *tomatoes I grew in my garden. I had cooked them with garlic, green peppers and a little basil, then froze them, so they had a lot of liquid. I drained this to add later if needed.

If you want to use leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, skip step 1 then saute the onion and garlic together briefly (just to soften the onion) with a little of the creole seasoning (1/2 tsp) in water or oil. Then go to step 2, adding bite-size pieces of the leftover turkey.

Ingredients:
Tony Cachere's Creole Seasoning (other brands may work, too)
1/2 pound ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) dark red kidney beans
1 1/2 cups frozen (or fresh) corn (off the cob, of course)
1 can (15 ounces) sliced okra
1 can (2.5 ounces) tomato paste
5 cups of sungold tomatoes cooked (see * above)

(1) Cook the ground turkey in a skillet or slow cooker. Sprinkle the creole seasoning on it, then break it apart. (I use a good tablespoon of the seasoning.) Drain any fat. Add the onion and garlic, then sautee a little longer to soften the onion. You may want to add just a little water to do so.

(2) Add all of the other ingredients to the onions and garlic, draining liquid off the canned items before adding. (I rinse the canned beans multiple times.) Don't drain all of the fluid from the crushed tomatoes; save this in case you need it in step 4.

(3) Simmer the mixture for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes; if using a slow cooker, adjust time accordingly. If the chili is not spicy enough for your taste, add more of the Creole seasoning until satisfied.

(4) If the tomato "broth" is too thick, add some of the reserved liquid from the canned tomatoes. Heat a little longer then serve. A salad and pieces of pepper jack or other cheese would be good accompaniments.

H.O. SMITH BOTANIC GARDENS

2008-10-21T11:02:00.003-04:00

I believe that quite a while ago, I mentioned in a blog entry about the botanical gardens being built at Penn State University. There's not a lot to see yet -- just dirt, construction equipment -- but there are some foundations being placed. They are visible in this shot from the webcam across Park Avenue.

According to the site http://www.arboretum.psu.edu/index.html, this is what is happening now:

• October, 2008 – Work will begin on stone and stucco for the garden walls, masonry and steel for the pavilion’s portico and two wings, and plumbing for the fountain.

• November, 2008 –The rose arbor, a major structure, will be built and the fountain will be completed. Work will commence on the irrigation system and on the roof of overlook facilities.

Here's an interesting feature about a historical "prairie" in Pennsylvania:
http://www.arboretum.psu.edu/research/prairiepatch.html

2008-10-20T16:45:00.004-04:00

"STAY-CATION"

This is one of my favorite places to vacation. Atlantic water is warm in September and October because the sun heats it all summer. I won't be going there this year, but it's nice to think about.

One of my sisters and her husband spent a week in Cancun. So, thanks for the pictures, Nancy!

Hibiscus -- a beautiful flower.

Another sister and her hubby spent roughly a week motorcycling from central Nebraska into the mountains of northern Arkansas with a bunch of fellow bikers. (I have no pictures.)

I haven't been to the beach or anywhere in a while for vacation. This year is no different. I'll have to enjoy my garden, back porch, fall foliage and maybe a little hiking or a drive. So, I may have more pictures in a few weeks. (If I'm not just recovering from dental work, that is. Oh joy.) Leaves are changing color. There are a lot of reds and striking orange trees.

Sometimes relaxing at home with the pets, taking a few naps, reading, and spending time with friends and family when not rushed is a good vacation.

2008-10-15T14:21:00.002-04:00

A FEW PESTS AND WELCOMED GUESTS

Something sees your garden from this point of view. A well-tended and productive garden is an invitation to bugs.

True to their name, cabbage moths seek out cabbage; they like other plants in the same family such as broccoli. The moths lay eggs on the underside of the leaves. When the eggs turn to larva (worms), they eat holes in the leaves. They have smoky white wings with a black dot (or multiple dots) that some think looks like an eye.

On the underside of potato plant leaves, orange eggs indicate potato beetle infestation. Adults are large enough to hand pick and crush as are the egg bunches.

Store onions properly and grow them in loose, well-drained soil in the hopes of avoiding this as much as possible: Maggots aren't repulsed by onion odor.

When it comes to these, you usually (if not always) want to leave them "bee". Many are pollinators, besides being attractive photo subjects. They're not always obvious. When I took this portulaca photo, I didn't realize a tiny bee had landed in the flower on the left.

Even wasps, despite their reputation for being nasty, can be good. Some prey on garden pests.

If you see either of these "guys", don't worry.

Dragonflies are nice to have around.

This little fellow wheeks when I bring greens from my garden. He's very nice to have around!!

PLEASANT SURPRISES

2008-10-06T15:34:00.004-04:00

My container plants surprised me this year.

In late September, the morning glories slowed and moonflowers appeared. I did not think the seeds I planted would germinate. There's no dialog on the second video, but you might want to turn the volume down because of the wind noise.

The first and third videos have a little dialog. Taken last week, the day was quite windy, so that overpowers my voice a little.

Keep in mind that the wind was blowing (you'll hear it). I was the camera person, narrator, and demonstrator. I'm not a professional broadcaster. No special tools to reduce wind noise or stop the plants from trembling in the gusts. If you don't like the sound, just mute it.

One of my medium-size (8-10 inches in diameter) Tera cotta pots contained pennyroyal last year. I attempted to nurse the herb indoors through winter and almost made it. By mid-February it had died down and apparently returned twice with a good soaking. In March, I thought it revived once more until I realized the leaves were not the right shape. I allowed it to grow.

'Even if it's a weed,' I thought, 'It may be a pretty flower.' My curiosity played a roll, too. In previous seasons, I've had corn seedlings in containers, courtesy of the birds who visit and sometimes nest on my back porch.

Shortly afterward, I moved it outside. In the sun, the seedlings grew several inches quickly and were easily recognizable as tomato plants. They seemed to be happy there, and I don't mind this kind of freebie. So, I watered them, then transplanted some to a larger pot to grow. This video shows them as of last week.

Click on this to see more videos from my garden. It takes much less time to upload them there than on here.

If you would like to see still photos, click this.

2008-09-30T18:13:00.002-04:00

I get to play tag in my garden.

So I got tagged. Thank you R.W. Ley for the tag. Now it's my turn to share the fun. I'm IT!!!

Okay, these are the rules;
1. Link to the person who tagged you (I did that)
2. Post the rules on your blog (I'm doing that now)
3. Write six random thoughts about yourself (see below)
4. Tag six or so people at the end of your post (see below)
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged (I will do that)
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is posted (I'll do that, too.)

Random Thoughts About Me:

1. My Cavalier looks like I live in it most of the time.

2. Despite all of the years I've lived in central Pa after graduating from Penn State, I never got into football. I do like the highly charged atmosphere of downtown State College when there's a home game.

3. I can't pick a favorite color. There are too many beautiful ones!

4. I know how to ride a horse, play the piano, belly dance, garden (of course), ride a bike, and swim.

5. I sleep best in complete darkness.

6. My knowledge of miscellaneous facts sometimes impresses people.

Now, for those I'm tagging; be careful out there because YOU'RE IT!!

http://www.mychurch.org/fumcallen

http://queenspalace.multiply.com/

http://coyotedreams.multiply.com/

http://www.mychurch.org/debnjim

http://yjustbreathe.multiply.com/

http://incrediblyrotten.multiply.com/

Enjoy the tag game and let's share the fun!

HERBS

2008-09-22T18:25:00.002-04:00

I love herbs. They smell wonderful, add an attractive feature to a garden spot or a container, and are a great healthy way for flavoring meals and cold beverages, making soothing teas and so on.

Just yesterday, I used rosemary, cherry tomatoes, potatoes, a leek and two yellow peppers I had grown. Prostrate rosemary, the kind in my porch container, does not grow like a tree, but instead along the ground as you might guess from the name.

I roasted a small chicken. Springs of rosemary and cloves of garlic can be placed under the skin of the breast, the wings, and the legs. Also, place several sprigs and garlic inside the chicken.

In appearance and aroma, rosemary reminds me a great deal of pine trees. In colder climates, it can survive winter if brought inside in a container. However, it needs light and some humidity. I haven't been able to carry it through the dry indoor heat of February and low light of my apartment.

At least two types of rosemary exist: bush type (similar to a small tree), and prostrate.

Dill has long been one of my favorite. I think of pickles that are made pleasantly tart and tasty with dill, mustard (seeds or powder) and black peppercorn. Here are a couple of dill pickle recipes

http://www.bigoven.com/10486-Quick-Fresh-Pack-Dill-Pickles-recipe.html

http://www.bigoven.com/10464-Quick-Dill-Pickles-in-a-Crock-recipe.html

2008-09-15T15:49:00.002-04:00

I'd like to direct you to an article on a very interesting urban Chicago gardener named Carl Walton. Read about him here.

2008-09-15T12:56:00.002-04:00

SURPRISES ARE MANY

Much of the latter weeks of August into the first week of September was dry here. It looked as though my garden was finished. Amazing what a little rain -- well, we had a lot -- will do. Among the dry and dead plants, color appeared in spots I had given up on.

Bright fresh red raspberries welcomed me last week when I arrived at my plot.
(Thanks to Sharon and Mark for the plants!) I loved the Shasta daisies, too, when they bloomed. Are you surprised that I never got to my car with the berries? Sweet, fresh and ripe and rinsed just a little with the hose. A nice snack from the garden.

Daisy-like flowers of pink, blue and yellow appeared in the second bed. I don't remember planting them, but I was tickled. Perhaps they were from the unproductive seeds I planted last season.

More tomatoes, of course. I have pink medium-size tomatoes, and both red and orange cherry tomato plants.

2008-09-11T16:02:00.007-04:00

THE EXCESS AND ABUNDANCE OF HARVEST

Zucchini's reputation for proliferation is well-deserved. Even a bad year for the vegetable can provide enough to share with others. According to the book The Vegetable Gardener's Bible (Edward Smith, Storey Publishing), stories circulate in New England about gardeners so desperate to get rid of their excess "zukes" that neighbors find a zucchini-filled car when leaving the house to go to work in the morning.

It stands to reason that the vegetable has been incorporated into many meals and recipes. BigOven.com lists 250 results with a search for zucchini. Some recipes are really unbelievable -- Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies for instance.

Tomatoes are often equally prolific. Some years it seems like they'll never ripen, so recipes for green tomatoes pop up in women's magazines, cooking and gardening websites, and on morning TV shows.

My cherry tomatoes often become ripe in large numbers on the vine, split, and become fruit-fly food very quickly. Even if I discard these, the numbers still favor enough for tomatoes at every meal if I want.

I planned my garden for salsa this year. Some is in the freezer. I didn't plan well enough. My cilantro dried and "went to seed" before my tomatoes began to ripen. Cilantro seeds can be saved though if you want to start your own plants next year. The seeds from this plant, also known as coriander, are used in cooking.

Perhaps I should look into an earlier producer for tomatoes, and one that goes all season. Patchwork Farms used to sell Arkansas traveler, which is supposed to produce all season. Maybe I can find it or something similar.*

BigOven.com has some great ideas for storing tomatoes:

Store tomatoes away from sunlight and heat and at cool room temperatures.

Do not refrigerate tomatoes for any length of time (don’t buy them from refrigerated cases). Low temperatures destroy the flavor. One convenient method is this:

"Freeze tomatoes in slices, chunks, or even whole. These can be used for cooking. Double bag them and use within twelve months."

Onions did well this year. I grew a number of red and sweet white ones. Certain types are best-suited to storage, and conditions must be right. Sweet onions are more susceptible to damage when stored. All onions, in the ground and afterward, can be eaten by maggots, as I discovered. Thankfully, I only lost a few. It's not pleasant to cut through an onion that has rotted. Blah!

Here's another sample from my garden ... Sunflowers on the right. Lavender, oregano in flower (dried) and fresh basil from right to left.

An arrangement from earlier in the season. (above and below)

The miniature decorative pumpkins grew in my garden, too. Last year, I bought some at a farmer's roadside stand. I decided to cut some and scoop out the seeds. Then I spread them on layers of paper towels on a cookie sheet to dry. I stored them in a plastic baggie over the winter. One vine produced the same type of fruit as the parent seeds. The other vine had larger squash in different shapes. Perhaps this was from cross-pollination. One was green, and somewhat round, when I picked it. One my living room table it has been turning pumpkin orange. (Perhaps I will have a photo of it to share soon.)

Enjoy the abundance of tomatoes, onions, potatoes and anything else you get throughout the growing season. It's better, I say, to be blessed with too much than to be disappointed by your garden's production. I have fantasies about storing greater amounts through canning and drying since I have a small freezer; however, I have come to realize that I must take it a few steps at a time. I'm only one person and I work full-time. In anticipation, I'll keep learning in the hopes that those skills grow, too.

Zucchini oatmeal cookies

tomato storage

*Here's the story behind the tomato, including its name. Arkansas Traveler tomato.

A little bit about onions

Article on seed saving with links to others

2008-08-25T12:51:00.002-04:00

WHATEVER THE NAME, THIS FLOWER KEEPS DELIGHTING ME

In appreciation for my patronage and for recycling their paper bags and plastic seedling trays, I occasionally get free plants from a local nursery. I became acquainted with lisianthus this way.

I have planted them each season since then. They are easy to grow, rather drought-tolerant and lovely as cut flowers. Full sun makes them thrive. Its beauty and variety of colors makes an outstanding individual plant, but grouping it with others is even more eye candy.

It may be possible to over water these, so, it pays to put them in well-drained soil. This I have found to be true because in my area there are long wet spells. The plant requires little space, grows upright and doesn't spread. When I remove the dead plants from the soil, I don't find the root ball to be much bigger than when I transplanted the seedlings in early summer. The purple bloom in the above photo is from a plant growing next to basil, one leaf of which is visible in the picture.

In my zone (6 and near the border of 5), they are annuals. They are native to warm areas of the U.S., Mexico, parts of South America and probably the Caribbean. In these warmer climates, they can be perennials.

For cut flowers, the dwarf version presents a challenge. I have found that the stem could not be cut long enough to make a good solo cut flower. It branches only an inch or two from the same section as unopened buds. Still, I have had a bud or two open in a vase if I do not cut too soon. The unopened buds look pretty, too, alongside open flowers.

The dwarf and the full-size versions are both nice in a container. I can imagine a row or small grouping of it front of taller, spikier plants that compliment whatever color the flowers will be. The pink and white lisianthus below shares close quarters with several other plants and has thrived. So, spacing may not be a problem.

And color is what keeps delighting me about them. Lisianthus -- I should be calling it Eustoma -- comes is a wonderful color selection. I have white blooms with a hint of yellow in a container on my porch. That same window box has this on the other end:

To grow them, it seems to be best to get seedlings from a local nursery or mail order. They can be difficult to grow from seed. Burpee has seedlings in a variety of colors available early in the year. (burpee)

How to grow lisianthus

2008-08-21T19:17:00.004-04:00

A TRIP INTO FAIRYLAND

A while back I blogged about Leucocoprinus birnbaumii, a lovely yellow mushroom that will grow in houseplant soil. It's not harmful to the plant, but don't eat it or allow pets to nibble it.

On a hike in Shingletown Gap with some friends, I felt like I had entered a fairy world in part because I saw so many colors and forms of fungi. Don't worry. We didn't eat any magic mushrooms, so all of the forest's magical qualities reflected in my photos are real.

Had a wedding party passed through here before we arrived? The trail littered with and surrounded by beautiful white blooms was inspiring.

Extraordinary life forms were everywhere.

Perhaps these "seahorses" transported the bride and groom.

I can't put all of my photos in this blog, so if you want to see more, click this.

2008-08-20T11:46:00.006-04:00

UPDATE

My croton produced "offspring" earlier this year. It's doing well. The picture above was taken just before I watered it. They wilt quickly.

Mine is in a self-watering container, which has been sufficient for quite a while; however, recently it has been harder to keep it watered. As you can see in the photo, the leaves are hanging downward on the parent stem. I need to start watering it more frequently and move it to a brighter spot.

Crotons come in a variety of forms and they can be very colorful. Mine has not had a lot of sun, so it has a lot of green. They are easy to grow, often available in places that sell plants, and they're quite attractive.

Once or twice a week, I place it in the shower alongside other houseplants. I use a tepid water spray for several minutes. Besides giving it a good soaking, this rinses dust from the leaves and keeps them glossy. The plant also benefits from the humidity.

In dry air, such as indoors in the winter, croton is suceptible to spider mites. These are very small, red bugs that resemble spiders. Once they infest a plant, it's not easy to get rid of them. So, it's best to rinse or mist the plant several times a week, and to do it year-round.

A page with some quick facts about the plant:
how to care for a croton

This web page recommends trimming leaves to make the plant bushy.

2008-08-01T15:37:00.006-04:00

ANIMALS AND PLANTS

I haven't mentioned this before, but it's good for gardeners and anyone with houseplants to know how to protect pets. Why? Some plants are poisonous. The ASPCA has an article on the increasingly popular sago palm, which is sickening and in some cases killing, pets.

Sago palm

They also have a long list of non-toxic alternatives; a link to it is in the article above.

I don't have animals in my garden plot, save for a few young rabbits. At home though, I have to make sure that no house plant drapes over my guinea pigs' pens, so all of my plants are on the other side of the room. I know that dangling "baby" spider plants or leaves of my spathiphyllum would be more temptation than my furry friends could resist. It would be something to play with and perhaps to eat.

Certain plants may be toxic to one type of animal and not another. I know that no part of the potato plant should be fed to guinea pigs. Mostly my little ones get spinach, parsley, a little cucumber, leaf lettuce, dandelion greens, broccoli and chard: all fresh green veggies (no mustard greens). They also get apple chunks, and seedless orange or watermelon pieces (the fruit, not the leaves or vines).
Poisonous plants for cats and dogs

2008-07-21T18:39:00.007-04:00

“The caterpillar does all the work but the butterfly gets all the publicity”

George Carlin (American stand-up Comedian, Actor, Author. 1937-2008)

I wonder if butter has anything to do with the common name for the lepidoptera. Many of them have noticeable yellow coloring. Perhaps this reminded observers of the color of butter. Whatever the reason, they are part of the wildlife that I would like to help thrive with what's planted in my garden.

Butterfly gardening is the practice of planting specifically to attract these delicate, fluttering insects. I don't have the space to create that kind of specialty garden, but that's not necessarily needed. This may be especially true for me since my plot is only one of about 45 in a community garden. Many other gardeners' plants attract them. It's nice to remind myself that the variety of plants growing there isn't strictly a smorgasbord for undesirable pests.

Along with the butterflies, I see hawks, robins, a young rabbit (I'm sure there's more than one), ladybugs, earthworms -- your basic soup to nuts of garden creatures. Last week, I got a kick out of seeing goldfinches darting from my sunflowers to a neighboring plot.

By reading P Allen Smith's article about his butterfly garden, I discovered that ideally you want to choose plants that allow the larva a place to grow and the adult a place to feed on nectar. I am growing both parsley and fennel, plants that a variety of the larva prefer. Sweeeeeet!

For the adults, it's ideal to have flowers blooming all summer. I live in Pennsylvania so I decided to seek more information, something that would help me know whether or not I'm choosing plants suitable for local varieties. The web page of Butterfly Haven is filled with information on butterfly gardening in Pennsylvania. It's located in New Ringold, which is not far from where I spent my childhood. Maybe I'll get to visit it; if I do, I'll be sure to share any pictures here.

Butterflies enjoy nasturtiums.

My final concern is that I must learn about what the most common local butterflies, both larvae and adults, look like. In removing pests by hand, I don't want to mistake beneficial or neutral insects.

So, check out those sites and do some more searching.

Side note: when it comes to pest control, my goal is to do as little as possible. Why?

1: less labor for me.

2: other plot owners spray, so part of the pest population is already eliminated.

3: once I get rid of my pests, they may move in from other plots because I've eliminated the competition.

4: chemicals, even organic, can harm beneficial insects. In his presentation to a group of us at the community garden, a Penn State entomologist recommended using a pesticide geared toward the specific bug that plagues your crops. Thus, you get rid of the bug you don't want and reduce the chances of poisoning desirable inhabitants.

5: I want minimum interruption of what "nature" already does. For example, there's some benefit to allowing pests to eat a little of your crop; it keeps their population going and thus provides food for good bugs that you want to prey on them. This feeds a natural cycle.

I don't have an equation for calculating how much damage to allow. My only guidelines are these:

--if the plants survive and produce enough fruit for my use, I don't think I'll spray.

--the pests must not foster or transmit plant diseases; ex., the bacteria that causes wilt may travel with cucumber beetles.

While enjoying summer's garden bounty, take a mental inventory of visitors to your garden. Maybe you can encourage some to take off the chrysalis and stay a while.

2008-07-18T18:08:00.001-04:00

FOOD "HYGIENE" IN THE GARDEN

There have been a lot of cases of food poisoning from fresh produce over the past few years. I've been glad that I grow my own vegetables in summer. In winter, I mostly use canned or frozen produce. I have always been concerned in winter about the greens I feed my guinea pigs; so far, none of us have been sick.

One can learn good gardening practices designed to avoid sickening yourself and anyone with whom you share your vegetables. This site has an article about what to do and not to do: garden food safety

2008-07-16T11:26:00.003-04:00

AGRARIAN POLAND

If you like classical music at all, especially Chopin, you might enjoy this video someone made for Chopin's Nocturne. Chopin was Polish. I think he'd have liked this visual poem accompanying his work. Late in the video, I believe that the slim hands shown picking up something from the ground is meant to be Chopin.

Besides the beauty, the video reminds me of some neighbors. When I was growing up, we had some neigbors, an older couple, who came from Poland. I don't know how long they had been in the states, but they still had accents that made it difficult for me to understand their speech.

Very nice couple, too. I never learned their first names because as a kid, I respectfully referred to them as Mr. and Mrs. Punda. When she gardened, Mrs. Punda looked just like those women in the video: large, in a long skirt, head scarf, bending over to pick cabbages or whatever. In contrast, Mr. Punda was quite skinny.

Sometimes they'd invite me into their house to give me some produce from their garden. So I'd take it back with me. They were nice people.

2008-07-14T16:11:00.004-04:00

HEALING FROM THE GARDEN

In my last post, I wrote about some potential irritants and dangers to your skin. For me, this same source has sometimes provided relief.

In June, I picked strawberries at a local farm in shorts and a tank top. I know I have an allergy to the plants (thankfully not to the delicious fruit), but I endure the cold months bundled up in bulky clothes. I have no desire to spend more time in long pants and sleeves than necessary. As the cliche goes, I threw caution to the wind.

Innocent-looking little berry plant, isn't it?

After picking berries, I suffered from a rash on my arms and legs. I compare my allergic rashes (eczema) to a break out from poison ivy. It itches. I shouldn't scratch, but it's very hard no to do so! Scratching can make the patch of irritated skin expand, bleed, and at worst, become infected.

I know people who wear gloves, long sleeves or some cover when eczema flares up simply to keep from scratching. This works for some. For me, even mild chafing of the clothing on the rash will irritate it, as will fabric softener used for laundering.

My dermatologist has prescribed creams, but these corticosteroid ointments can only be used in one thin layer in each application, and once a rash is inflamed I have not experienced much relief by using them. Over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams have little benefit, and in fact at times have worsened it.

Aveeno makes a product that contains 100% colloidal oatmeal, and that has helped me. It's available over the counter. You sprinkle the powder in bathwater and soak. I suppose one could add a little fresh lavender or mint for the nice aroma, not to mention the extra relief that both may supply.

I kept in mind that this was an allergic reaction and while oral anti-histamines can be beneficial, they would take a while to work. Moisturizer has little benefit. In fact, inflamed patches are often warm to hot; moisturizer, in my opinion **, seals in the heat, and adds to the problem. Cool water rinses help me. A cool compress will also slow the inflammatory reaction.

When my strawberry plant allergy occurred in June, I took antihistamine, then rinsed and scrubbed under cool water for a little relief that didn't inflame it. I followed this with a "tea" compress: paper towels soaked in a cooled tea of lavender and chamomile from my garden. The tea should be cooled to room temperature; it doesn't need to be chilled. In fact, a little warmth may add in the absorption by your skin of the relief-inducing substances. As it cooled on my skin, so did the rash.

If you have never done this before, keep the mix of lavender and chamomile at a weak concentration, just in case you are allergic to either one. In fact, you may want to test it first on an area that is not already irritated. Even better, test it before you need it.

When I used it, I felt a little sting in broken areas and on the welts. Healing soon followed. I also kept some of the lavender with me in my bag or purse; when the rash flared, I got immediate relief by rubbing the lavender on the area.

"That's my story," as some say, "and I'm stickin' to it!"

For more information that includes cures from the kitchen, click on this link:

how stuff works: itching

** Keep in mind, this is not a substitute for medical evaluation. I recommend a visit to a dermatologist for persistent skin problems. In fact, anyone who spends a lot of time in the sun, such as a gardener, would be wise to to have their skin examined by a dermatologist yearly.

What is eczema?

2008-07-14T15:57:00.003-04:00

GET COMFORTABLE IN YOUR GARDEN, BUT PROTECT YOUR SKIN AND EYES

Unless a resourceful inventor develops revolutionary technology for skin replacement, we get one skin for life. Even though new cells are made in the deepest layers (where you can't see), the outer "dead" layers of skin cells play a significant role in protection. So keeping it healthy is important. This includes not letting it become dry, irritated or overexposed to the sun, very hot shower or bath water, extremely cold air, and so on.

Besides aging the skin and causing burns that range from irritating to painful, solar radiation can cause skin cancer. It may also contribute to cataract formation.

Gardening, even on a cloudy day, can produce a sunburn, especially when one is unprotected. Don't overlook the value of including a wide-brimmed hat for protection. When tolerable, long sleeves and pants are a good idea. Coolibar.com sells some good sun-protective clothing, so you can dress a little more up-to-date than a traditional Chinese rice-paddy worker to tend your garden. My reversible bucket hat, which I purchased during the late-summer of 2007 clearance sale, gets worn daily. Besides the skin protection, it shades my eyes -- a definite plus for this migraine-prone person.

A full ounce of sun protection creme is recommended for each application to provide adequate coverage. The old saying about an ounce of prevention seems to apply here.

Many lotions designed for sun protection do an excellent job of moisturizing my skin, so I tend to wear them year-round. On my face, I use something with less oil to avoid blemishes that still happen even though I'm 40-something.

In midwinter, the aroma of exotic ingredients (coconut, cocoa butter, and others) is a welcome reminder of summer. Sun protection, or more precisely UV radiation blockage, is beneficial year-round. This includes the use of sunglasses. If you've ever stepped out of the midwinter darkness indoors into a sunny, snow-covered outdoors without protection for your eyes, you probably experienced snow blindness. When the sun reflects off snow, it's beautiful, but can be hard on the eyes. * Imagine the temporary blindness from a camera flash, but with pain, longer-lasting, and from a source much brighter than a flash bulb.

I'm usually itching to get into the garden. Getting outdoors relieves that, but can also generate a physical itch. "Don't scratch," is easy to say if you don't have a persistent itch from "hives" (a rash), inadequately moisturized skin, sunburn or any number of reasons. Like me, if you find that your skin is highly sensitive to plant materials and other triggers, I recommend seeing a dermatologist for an accurate diagnosis. The doctor will probably (and should) provide recommendations on how to avoid aggravating your skin.

I choose not to give up gardening, hiking and other outdoor activities in the process of avoiding triggers of my eczema (skin rashes). Gloves, long sleeves and pants are a good barrier. Taking anti-histamine before exposure can help prevent the problem, although I only do this when conditions are really bad.

Gently washing any area that gets irritated as soon as possible after exposure helps. Sweating even irritates my skin if I don't shower or wipe it off soon enough.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/skin-care/SN00003

Eczema:

If you find that your skin develops something unusual, such as the rash in the photo, a raised area or mole, an area that won't heal or other change in appearance, don't hesitate to get to your doctor, or preferably a dermatologist.

Americanskincancer.org

* Snow blindness is not referring to the phenomenon of being lost in a snowstorm because all is white. That's called a whiteout.

2008-07-04T19:02:00.009-04:00

I'm sorry I haven't written an entry in a while. My plot in the community garden is going and so are the containers on my porch. Here's a tour in photos.

The rhubarb grew flower shoots. I removed them to redirect the plant's energy into the edible stems. It's best in cool weather.
The black speck in the middle is a gypsy moth caterpillar. The area was infested with them this spring. They prefer trees, but they will eat some other plants. They float on a thin web-like thread in air currents until they find a place to land. They have defoliated large areas of forest in the Northeast over the decades when their population is high. So, this year the borough did aerial spraying. Borough employees also wrapped burlap around tree trunks and folded it over to make a pocket, then secured it to the trunk. At night, the larvae crawl down the tree (I guess they feed on the leaves in the day and go into the ground at night). They are trapped in the burlap, which is removed each morning and the bugs are disposed of.

When the tulips were done, I captured what I take to be seeds on the plant. I had to hold the stem still because of the wind.

Portuluca: a groudcover with lovely, delicate flowers and a reputation for drought-tolerance; however, we have had a lot of rain, so they aren't growing really fast.

My first year growing potatoes here. Vigorous plants. Potato beetles thought they were wonderful, so they feasted, mated and grew their eggs on the leaves. I constantly picked them off -- the orange eggs, larvae (which are slimy and red with black spots), and the yellow and black adult beetles. I couldn't help but laugh when I thought that my first harvest was bugs.

Containers in midspring:

I may become known as the weird neighbor lady who wraps her plants in tin foil, but I stopped loosing so many seedlings to slugs, snails and cutworms after wrapping these collars around the plant base.

Cutworms are the larvae (young) form of flying adult insects. The worms live in the top inch or two of the soil; at night, they come out and climb the plants to get a meal. They may be best-known for their tomato plant destruction. However, they like my morning glory seedlings very, very much. Without the foil, the long green container toward the top of the photo would be nothing but stems. They have eaten my basil, lobelia and spinach, but thankfully have left my lettuce and cabbage alone.

I think I've heard a worm burp in the middle of the night. ;) But I have the last laugh. Here are two of my morning glory containers now! Maybe the nieghbor lady isn't so weird. :)

This is a 5-gallon container, although from this angle you might think it's a plate of greens with dirt. The plants are much bigger now. It contains lettuce, cabbage and fennel.

The people who rented a plot next to mine last year grew strawberries. A few plants crept into my plot and I won't complain.

My lilies have established themselves well. I can't wait until the pods open. I did not plant any sunflowers this year, but they came up anyway from seeds shed by previous plants. They're all over my plot; I've had to pull some out because they were shading items that need sun, like my pepper plants.

The flowers will be medium size (about 8") with burgundy, rust and dark orange leaves if they are like the parent plants.

2008-05-27T10:35:00.001-04:00

DAFFODILS AND OTHER SPRING BULBS

When I'm tired of dreary days at the end of winter, and long sunny days are still on my wish list, it's wonderful to see the beautiful colors of spring bulbs break the soil surface and bloom. Daffodils are very popular. They're easy to grow and have a reputation for being easy to force; that is, you can grown them indoors sooner than they would bloom outside.

I am new to growing spring bulbs. An excellent fact sheet can be found at this link.

Other fact sheets can be chosen here.

Last fall I bought a bag of tulip bulbs and planted them. They produced quite a variety:

2008-04-25T17:13:00.002-04:00

A LITTLE "FUN"GI

Mushrooms are very cool organisms. In my opinion. They grow in places we find quite undesirable (like manure). They also look alien.

Never did I know of a beautiful mushroom outside of Alice in Wonderland. Sometimes, over the last couple of decades since I have had houseplants, I discovered Leucocoprinus birnbaumii, also called lepiota lutea growing in the soil of some of my plants. The beautiful bright yellow fungi are small, and never last long. I shamelessly pilfered this photo from Wikipedia; I have none of my own for this shroom.

It doesn't harm the plants, but don't eat it. It's unknown whether it's poisonous. Jut enjoy its beauty. Oh, the common name is yellow houseplant mushroom. Here are a couple of links with more information about it:

http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/feb2002.html

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/leucocoprinus_birnbaumii.html

2008-04-24T12:11:00.012-04:00

WHAT A FUNNY NAME FOR A VEGETABLE!

My great aunt Mary had a garden. As kids, my younger sister and I played nearby, but tried to avoid trampling anything. Rhubarb, a very attractive plant with crimson stalks similar in shape to celery, grew there. If you've seen one, you know its green leaves are prehistorically large and broad, giving the plant an appearance similar to squash. Young stalks remind me of bright lights swiss chard, too.

I call it an old-fashioned vegetable. Why? Mostly older people seem to know of it. Grocery stores seldom carry it, and it's unheard of to many people I've met. But, serve it with strawberries in a pie, and they'll probably never forget it!!

Until it has become established with a good root system, harvesting should be spare. The first year nothing should be harvested. At all times, only the stalks can be eaten. The leaves contain a high amount of oxalic acid, which makes them toxic (slightly to extremely toxic, depending on the information source). Oxalic acid can contribute to the creation of kidney and/or bladder stones. So, just dispose of the leaves. Whether or not they are safe for the compost pile also depends on who one asks.

When something like this grows on your rhubarb:
it will probably become a seed-bearing stem. This should be removed so that the plant's energy can go into producing the stalks for harvest.

Another important thing I have learned. Fertilze, fertilize. It's a heavy feeder. My dad, who grew up in a semi-rural area outside of St. Louis with a neighbor grew the plant, told me, "If you want good rhubarb, put horse manure around the bottom of the plant." Thanks dad.

According to this web site, "rhubarb is as hardy as a weed." However, regular shallow cultivation to remove weeds is needed, as well as watching for Rhubarb curculio, an invasive beetle. The same web site has great detail about growing, harvesting, nutrition and use of rhubarb, as well as many other vegetables and some fruits. Check it out.

2008-04-01T12:09:00.004-04:00

I can't help but notice birds in my garden. Besides the potential fertilizer they may leave behind, birds can transport seeds in that same "fertilizer", both desirable and weed seeds. They eat some insect pests as well, plus beneficial bugs. In the balance of a garden's miniature ecosystem, attempting to destroy an entire population of destructive insects may chase away (and poison) the good guys.

I have seen gold finches quite a bit in the community garden. The beatiful yellow birds with black detailing, among others, are eye-candy as surely as the flowers that attract them. A nice video of deer and several types of birds was filmed in Murrysville, Pennsylvania. To watch it, click here.

I know that furry critters can run away with bulbs one has planted. I've wondered if birds abscond with recently sown seeds, too. Crows and small birds show up in the garden community where I rent my plot. If they do, it hasn't affected germination as far as I can tell. I will have to keep my eyes open.
My sunflowers attract birds. I will gladly grow them each season I can to provide food. In fact, sunflowers are one of the top 10 flowers for birds, according to Birdwatcher's Digest, Mexican sunflowers included.

Supporting sunflowers against strong winds is a challenge I have yet to meet, but so far only one windstorm totaled mine. That was at the end of the season in 2006; frequent heavy rainfall all summer had already washed away a great deal of soil, no doubt contributing to my sunflowers' literal downfall.

Our local newspaper featured an article on bluebirds last Sunday. I have learned that their numbers have declined quite a bit.Sparrows, among others birds, have taken their place, so some people have chosen to learn how to attract and host blue birds. Some advice? Well, they naturally nest in open areas rather than wooded spaces. More advice? Check out this article:
All About Bluebirds

Maybe if we bring them back, happiness will come, too. Why do I say this? Because of the phrase "bluebird of happiness". It reminds me of "Mister blue bird's on my shoulder", a line from the celebratory song Zip-a-dee-doo-dah .

Top ten flowers for birds, according to Bird Watcher's Digest:

1. Purple coneflower
2. Zinnia
3. Sunflower
4. Black-eyed susan
5. Buddleia or butterly bush
6. Bee balm
7. Larkspur and delphinuim
8. Fuschia
9. Salvia
10. Coral bells
Details on these flowers can be found at the link:
Bird Watcher's Digest

Bluebird Society of Pennsylvania

Freebies

2008-03-26T14:16:00.002-04:00

Here's something to grow on your desktop; suited to you and I, the garden lovers. The lovely peach dahalia in this photo is from this location. They are free:

desktop

Free gardening newsletters are available many places. Here's a sample of some I've found:

P Allen Smith's Garden Home

Backyard Gardener

Burpee seed company (subscribe in lower left corner of page)

The Garden Glove

A "Miracle" Liquid

2008-03-25T14:56:00.006-04:00

Every gardener knows that water is as essential to plants as it is to all of life. It seems ordinary probably only because it's so common. Yet it is able to absorb and dissolve many things into it. This makes it a great conduit for nutrients. It also changes form without significant loss of its essential charactertistics. It changes its state constantly in many cases, absorbing and releasing oxygen, nitrogen, minerals, nutrients and various other substances.

It's the only substance known that expands when frozen rather than contracting.

Want to see how much you know about water? Here's a quiz:

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/sc3.html

I'm happy that I got 9 out of 10 correct. Number 7 is the one I got wrong.

******************
I planted two types of onions, red and sweet white, last week. The week before last I put in daisy gold potatoes; according to the vendor (Burpee) they are nematode resistant.

A tip: put the seed potatoes or cut pieces in a paper bag with agricultural sulfur and coat them lightly. It can help to protect them against fungal diseases and perhaps other problems. I found gardening sulfur at Lowe's. Besides the application on potatoes, it can be added to soil that needs to be more acidic.

I need to put in my blueberry plants soon. They need acidic soil.

(Source of tip: The Vegetable Gardener's Bible)

Signs of Spring

2008-03-19T12:44:00.001-04:00

The people from New York set up their annual tent to sell Easter flowers. It's up every year in the mall parking lot. This means that Patchwork Farms' nursery stand is not far behind!

The days are longer and the snow doesn't lay on the ground very long. I saw a flock of geese flying northward a few days ago. Tomorrow (Thursday) is the first day of spring. This means the Earth will slowly begin tilting its Northern Hemisphere into the sun.

Clothing stores are selling colorful items made of lighter fabric. Garden departments of various stores began stocking seed packets, seed-starter kits and gardening tools in the last month in their displays.

You can't get out in the garden yet, perhaps. So, here's a little virtual fun to entertain you -- at least for a little while. Thanks to my friend Mary for sending it to me! That's her hand holding the flower in the picture below!! (tee hee)

Click on the link below. You will get a black page.

http://www.procreo.jp/labo/flower_garden.swf

Click your mouse anywhere (& everywhere) on the
page & see what happens! If you click repeatedly on the same spot you will get multiple blooms!
Better yet, click & drag
your mouse over the page... Enjoy!!

So The Plot Thaws

2008-03-15T18:01:00.003-04:00

I've been thinking of the smell of "fresh" soil since I visited my plot yesterday afternoon in the 51-degree, sunny conditions. By fresh soil I mean earth that has thawed after winter's coldest phase, with enough moisture to make it rather workable but not muddy. I only went to dig the remaining leeks out of the ground. I wish that on my day off tomorrow (Sunday), the weather would not just be barely above freezing as is forecast. That's probably too cold to do anything. Instead, I'll be indoors, starting plants from seed.

Many of the remaining leeks had "leaked" their innards and become mush. Still, I harvested one healthy root and two partially healthy ones. I intend to try a recipe for leek and potato soup I found here: curried potato and leek soup with spinach. I shall use soy milk, just as one of the people who commented mentions. This will elimate lactose intolerance issues for me.

They feature recipes for Irish Soda bread due to St Patrick's Day on Monday. I made it once, and it wasn't bad. I prefer scones.

Best graphics, layouts, and more for your profiles! Click Here!

Some Fun

2008-03-11T15:57:00.003-04:00

We're all waiting for the weather to change, seeds to sprout (if started indoors) and soil to soften -- that is those of us who are "growing" types. We've had some pleasant days between cold periods. If an uncharacteristically warm day in fall is Indian Summer, would an uncharacteristically cool day in spring be Eskimo Winter?

What Kind of Flower Are You?

I found this quiz at This Garden Is Illegal. What a great name for a blog, eh?

I am a
Canna

What Flower
Are You?

The options for some questions were not enough, and some others I could have chosen more than one option:

When you retire, what kind of house do you want to live in?

A nice cottage

Your indoor plants are:

Making babies and threatening to overwhelm my apartment

The number of late bill payments you had in the past 30 days is:
Bills? I knew I forgot something.

Your idea of a fun dinner is

Eating alone
Eating with a significant other
Eating with a few friends
Eating with your entire family (this is the option I chose for the quiz)
Inviting every person you know over for a barbeque

In your garden you:
Hired no one and did everything with your own two hands.

Your workspace (at home) looks like:

the paper volcano erupted

(at work, for the quiz) There is enough open space for your drinking cup and a few essentials

When you paint a room you:

paint a mural on the wall
Well, I'd like to.

When you have a headache, you:
Pretend you don’t feel it
(eventually, I take something if sleeping, resting or relaxtion doesn't get rid of it)

How many steps does it take for you to do your hair in a typical morning (including steps in the shower):
0-2

Your friend wants you to lie to their spouse about why they came home late the other night, you:

Ask why they need the alibi and then decide if you will lie.

Which kind of movie is your favorite
Science fiction or adventure
(but for the quiz I picked "something gets blown
up")

When you cook, your favorite cooking instrument is:

A good saucepan

When a friend needs help moving

You offer to help them move without them asking

When you need to talk to someone about something important, you

Call your best friend
Call a few good friends

How do you most often get from place to place?

A car
(I walk quite a bit, too)

When you are not gardening, which of these things would you prefer to do in your spare time?

Read a book
(or go for a walk)

Your best friend needs to borrow $100, you

Wish you could, but money is a little tight so you can’t

Your idea of a really good gift from your partner is:
Who needs a gift?
A bouquet of flowers
Your favorite CD
Something handmade
The most expensive thing they can find

(all are equal to me; I picked the flowers for the quiz)

Your favorite flavor of ice cream is

Peanut butter mocha chocolate swirl

Looking Forward to Spring

2008-03-04T14:17:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was in the 50s. It was sunny! I wanted to "popcorn" the way my guinea pigs do when they're happy. There's more winter to come, but I'm ready for spring!

While browsing Country Woman Magazine's site, I found some information that may be useful to gardeners. If you want to start selling items at the local farmers' market, they have some advice. You can find the article on their website:

To Market

There's also an interesting article about a flower farm here.

Links to help you sell used books (go to the header that reads "Page 50):

book resale

Here's a pretty scene to set you at ease.

Graphic from: http://www.glitter-graphics.com/graphics/111063

Reasons To Rejoice

2008-02-06T13:33:00.000-05:00

Everybody look up cause there's a reason to rejoice you see!
Everybody look up and let's commence to singing joyfully!

Can't You Feel A Brand New Day,
Can't You Feel A Brand New Day!

--from The Wiz (musical)

Hello! It has been a while since I wrote a blog entry here. Now that the winter holidays are over, I have more time. I have added a healthy spider plant and African rubber plant to my indoor "garden".

Spider plants (chlorophytum comosum) are easy to grow. It also reproduces quite well. I have transplanted the "babies" that grow on the end of long stalks in water and in soil.

Growing a rubber plant is new for me. This one is a little under two feet high with oval, glossy leaves that are green on top and reddish underneath. The underside of the leaves must be where the variety gets its name "burgundy".

My other housplants are doing quite well. The older croton has new growth at the bottom of its stalk. The younger one had growth on a tendril-like extension of one leaf, but I yanked it off by accident. The older croton has been with me for over a decade, so no matter how much work it requires -- which is next to nothing -- I'll do it. The large plant in the middle is a spathiphyllum, and the croton is sort of hidden to the left. The light green leaves in front are from my "devil's ivy" (pothos). In winter, I've found that keeping them in the bathroom is beneficial for the humidity they get when I shower.

Since spring is not far away, there's a little more happening. I've recently discovered some interesting urban gardener sites: moss in the city

Flower and gardening shows will be happening. In Pennsylvania, which is where I live, the Philadelphia Flower Show has existed annually for years. This year it will be from March 2-8. Last year, as I wrote about, some friends and I went to the Pennsylvania Garden Expo in Harrisburg, then watched the St. Patrick's Day Parade. The show isn't big, but attendees may get some landscaping ideas and advice.

A slightly bigger show will be in York, Pa., at the end of February. The mid-Atlantic Garden Show will feature three days of events. I'm sure there are many others.

At any time of year, one place I'd recommend visiting is Longwood Gardens outside of Philadelphia.

My mint and lemonbalm have survived winter indoors so far. I'm enjoying the idea of putting them back on my porch in the warm weather. I feel like I've achieved something by having two of my herbs last. In fact, just as days began to lengthen in midwinter, the lemonbalm perked up and grew quite well. Perhaps I will cut some to try as a tea.

P Allen Smith has his new website up and running, as well as his youtube page. You might want to check them out as soon as possible!

P Allen Smith's home page
Youtube

In fact, to tease us about spring upcoming, here he is with some daffodils:

(photo from internet search; I don't have the privilege of knowing him, despite sharing a last name)

A Perfect Day, Especially For January

2008-01-11T14:20:00.000-05:00

The macaroni and cheese with leeks is wonderful! Very rich, too. I used about twice as much pasta as the recipe calls for and I chose Cabot Vermont extra sharp cheddar. The milk was 2%, not full-fat. The butter was a light version, mixed with Canola oil. I don't make baked macaroni and cheese often. When I do, it's worth taking time on it to make it good.

Leeks are sweeter than most onions. They smell like onions though, as I discovered on the drive home. Even with the window down, I had to stop in a parking lot and move them to the trunk. My apartment smelled of leeks for a day or two. (I'll take that over cigarette smoke from the downstairs apartment.) I regret that I didn't take a photo before I cleaned them. Next time!

It was one of those "perfect" days to me. I got to play in the garden, take something home from it to cook, then relax -- in this case with my guinea pigs and a book. Really, I'm not much of a cook. I am doing it because I should: it's cheaper and usually healthier than eating out, and it's a habit I have to reestablish. I generally keep it simple. A couple of books of healthy recipes I have: slow cooking and one filled with Mexican recipes. I love Mexican because of the ingredients often used: black beans, corn, corn meal rice, tomatoes, chiles; however, it can be very unhealthy without alterations.

I'll have to work on streamlining my favorite cuisine more: Italian. Ciao!

Plants In The Air

2008-01-08T13:24:00.000-05:00

I live in an apartment. I've never smoked. I have asthma. The resident below me has ... several annoying habits. One of the worst is smoking. Smoke rises into my apartment. Short of moving into a building that won't allow smokers (do they exist?), I'm stuck -- And so are my guinea pigs -- opening windows in winter to ventilate my apartment. Apparently, this could be an excuse for more houseplants, spider plants being one of the best. It's also easy to grow in soil, water and somewhat in air ("babies" sprout on long stalks that grow from the center of the plant).

This article has some other options: Go To The Nursery

Make sure that if you have pets or little kids, the plants are safe. Here's a video with some information: Houseplants

When it comes to spider plants, buying one is enough. The "babies" transplant easily. It's even easier to start them in water before putting them in soil.

Secondhand Smoke Myths

Indian Fall?

2008-01-07T13:23:00.000-05:00

Not much is happening. On Saturday, I visited my garden plot. About an inch of snow covered the paths and the wind was blowing. And it was cold. I wanted to dig some leeks from the ground, but the soil was hard and the tool shed was locked.

Now we're having a very warm spell (60s F). It's not Indian Summer. More like fall or spring -- late spring. So tomorrow I will take advantage of the warmth, and return to the plot with my shovel.

What will I use my leeks for? Maybe some leek and potato soup. Also, here's a baked mac & cheese recipe I intend to try, thanks to P Allen Smith.

He also has a video on providing humidity for houseplants in winter. Check it out!
humidity

Gifts from the Garden and the Heart

2007-12-06T13:04:00.000-05:00

Not much is happening in the garden. The shovels and rakes, the buckets and hoes are nestled all snug in their sheds. Last week, I ventured out for some final clean-up and to secure my compost bin (tie it to keep the wind from pulling it apart -- I hope). Tulley and Oreo, the horses boarded in the nearby barn, were grazing. Tulley, being very friendly and always hoping for a treat, walked over to me. I don't give her a treat. Her stall door has a sign that requests visitors not do that; she already gets a good diet.

Her winter coat is so soft!! I loved stroking her. She put her nostrils right up to mine, exhaling warm breaths into my face. I've heard that horses like to "share breaths". Maybe that's what she was doing with me.

I will be potting some spring bulbs in the hopes that they will bloom into nice gifts (after the holidays for birthdays, just-because, etc.) A nice chaser of winter blues, especially for my mom and dad.

This time of year can be so beautiful and fun. And it usually is. A friend and I were discussing how to go about gift exchange so that no one in our (informal) singles group feels left out or expected to spend beyond their means. We're still brainstorming. Meanwhile, this video has a great idea for a potpourri gift that's not expensive if you collect things from your garden and the outdoors:

P Allen Smith potpourri

and holiday gifts for gardeners I've got two kneeling pads. They're great. I sit on them when I'm sorting through a harvest, such as when I cut fresh basil stems, then remove the leaves. I like to leave the stems in my compost bin.

Maybe sugar-glazed fruit would be an inexpensive gift for someone who likes to decorate. It would be quick to prepare, and would have to be done about 24 hours before giving.

(maybe more to come -- some of my own ideas, perhaps!)

Once Upon A Midnight Dreary

2007-11-16T11:50:00.000-05:00

It wasn't midnight, and I didn't wander, weak and weary, but it was dark and dreary.
Circumstances have not made it easy to get my garden cleaned for the winter. So much rain. Yesterday was warm and I had an early shift. So, after taking the newly instituted job proficiency test after my shift, then stopping to get hay for my guinea pigs, I went to the community garden plots. I changed from nice shoes to boots, pulled my hair up into a French twist secured with a c-curved clamp, slipped on my gardening gloves and walked to my plot.

The horses were still in the pasture. The Pinto watched me as I went to my plot. Bet she was hoping for some attention. Working in a muddy garden near dark isn't too hard when all one needs to do is pull out dead plants. Brittle dried sunflower plant stalks about 5 feet high looked so eery standing out dark against the little remaining light. Dead yellowish-white nasturtium vines webbed over about 2 feet at the end of one row.

Wow. What one sees even in the dark. Being a visually oriented person and very amateur photographer, it's interesting to see how the amount of light changes how things appear.

Broccoli plants are still producing. I pull off a handful for my guinea pigs.

Within 20 or 30 minutes, it was too dark to see. I gathered my plant supports, put the florets in my pocket, and walked to my car, wishing I could stay. It's nice to be out here.

At home in the light, I notice the broccoli florets are not too healthy. They have a lot of brown. Oh well.

I'll have to go back on the weekend. Will the broccoli still live? Will the lavender emote more fragrance from its spindly, beautiful stems topped with full purple seeds? Only time will tell.

Handtools Ready For Winter

2007-11-14T11:20:00.000-05:00

This video provides some of my favorite information from P Allen Smith:

Caring For Handtools

Here's something else with a lot of good advice on clean up. It includes good information on cleaning tools before storing:

Fall Garden Clean up

Sleepy Time For Plants

2007-11-12T13:29:00.000-05:00

This is autumn in rural Pennsylvania. Dried corn stalks scratching and rattling in the breeze, the sun low in the sky, colors changing.

Most of my potted herbs got a good soaking and rinsing in the shower yesterday. The smell of sage, rosemary and oregano mixed in the humid air afterward. So pleasant!

Since it is that time when many plants hibernate and garden tools are tucked away, there isn't a lot to share. Here's a thought from stand-up comedienne Rita Rudner:

I was a vegetarian until I started leaning towards sunlight.

Photo credit: Jenn Smith

Photos

2007-10-31T15:28:00.000-04:00

Here are a few garden photos. I plan to add more as I have time. These are the horses who reside in the barn next to the garden plots.

Basil:

Dill:

Nasturtium:

One of my sunflowers, held still for the camera by my friend Mary:

Flowers For Your Birthday!

2007-10-30T14:33:00.000-04:00

How often I have heard the phrase "hardy mums." November is almost here, with my birthday, and I just learned that mums are the flower corresponding to November birthdays. Apparently its full name (chrysanthemum) translates as "golden flower".

I never knew of birth-month flowers until today, only of birthstones. With this new knowledge, the next time I see yet another pot of mums displayed outside a store, maybe I won't mind so much. This is especially so since I've learned there are quite a few varieties beyond the ones I usually see.

A few quick facts:

-- A natural insecticide is extracted from the seeds as pyrethrins.
-- The Chinese cultivated the plants in the 15th century BC.
-- It provides food for some butterfly larva.

Too bad my mom doesn't have these photos. She loves butterflies.

What would be my family's birthday bouquet for a year? Mum's the word in my family -- couldn't resist a pun.

Mom: gladiolus.
Dad, and my brother: also mums
Nina: rose
Nancy: gladiolus or calendula?
Steph: aster
Me: mum

Want to find out your flower or the flower of someone you care about?
There's a list on flowerwower.com

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysanthemum

butterflies in bloom

October is nearly over and mums are everywhere.

Have A Good Weekend!

2007-10-26T14:00:00.000-04:00

In the mid-Atlantic the leaf color seems to be reaching its climax of beauty. When it's not raining and overcast, the colors are quite gorgeous.

A widespread frost is possible Sunday overnight from Maine through the mid-Atlantic, northern North Carolina, and over to southeastern Kansas. Still, my garden plot is mostly done. I planted several types and colors of tulip bulbs, so I hope they spring from the ground next year.

My containers on my porch are still quite productive with herbs. I've been putting the containers indoors at night. I look forward to their aroma and maybe to cooking with them over the winter (dried herbs mostly).

Garden Clean-Up

2007-10-19T13:17:00.000-04:00

This weekend is the Tudek Community Garden's cleaning. Since it's part of a public park, we want to leave a good impression, not an eyesore. It has been a good season for vegetables and flowers that like heat and can withstand dryness.

P Allen Smith has introduced his own page on youtube. Check it out for some interesting videos. The History of Halloween is interesting. Check out the black cat exploring behind Allen as he sits on his porch steps. Intentional, you think?

Some friends and I plan to visit Mt. Nittany Winery this weekend. They are having their annual Fall Harvest Wine Festival. It's free of charge. The hours are (I think):

Saturday: 10am-5pm
Sunday: noon-4pm

You may call them at 466-6373. Features of the festival are: tour of the winery/grounds, snacks, wine-tasting. I prefer sweet red wines, although slightly dry wines can be good, too. Their Raspberry and Montmorency Cherry wines sound good.

Salut!!

P Allen Smith on Youtube

Mt. Nittany Winery

Is This Really October?

2007-10-12T13:39:00.000-04:00

Our recent chill after a warm spell with some days over 80 degrees was pleasant. Who knew I'd be picking a peck of plump peppers from prolific plants over a weekend in October? Or teasing tomatoes off the tethering vines?

(Well, I misused tethering; it exists as a verb, but not an adjective. I think that's called poetic or literary license.)

A few days ago I picked 4 cups of basil. So, I made a lot of pesto, put it in small containers, labeled it and put it in the freezer. If you'd like to make pesto, or just want to know what it is, here's a link to the recipe I use:

Basil pesto

Although I wasn't sure I would do it again, I did grow black bean plants this year, and I plan to continue. The pods are stringy and slightly tough, so they are best dried and emptied of the seeds we know of as black beans. My scarlet runner beans did well, too. They're one of the most attractive beans I've ever seen, with their red and white flowers that produce long light green pods. Inside are white beans speckled with black and a few reddish-orange dots.

One of my mustard green plants have turned into a small bush about a foot and a half high and 12 inches wide. The peppery dark green leaves make a good addition to a salad. The plant's very attractive in the front of my plot.

A few more lisianthus buds have opened. I've really fallen for these lovely plants that are so easy to grow.

Flowers remind me that delicacy and gentleness can succeed in the natural world, just as the more aggressive vines do. On that note, I wish you a happy weekend! If I exercise my poetic license anymore today, I may get cited by the grammar police.

Wildlife Gardening

2007-10-01T12:45:00.000-04:00

Much cuter but not a lot smaller than a black cat, a chipmunk crossed my path a few mornings ago as I was about to descend my back stairs. I was impressed with its size, as it appeared to be about 8 inches long. It scampered away and hid from me. That little rodent is probably getting ready for winter.

An article from the Humane Society of the United States relates gardening and yard work to the winter welfare of local wildlife. The suggestions include keeping dead flowers on the plants, and letting leaves on the ground among others.

Here's one excerpt from the article:

Put yourself in an animal's position: Just when the going gets tough, potential winter food and cover sources are removed, leaving a bleak and uninviting landscape in which to survive the cold months.

Experience and some thought-through modifications of these suggestions are possible if you find dead plant matter intolerably unsightly or a nuisance. Here are a couple of my ideas:

*Make sure your compost materials are available to wildlife, not in a closed-in bin.
*Dead flower heads, petals, vines, dry corn husks, and so on have been made into attractive rustic-looking "sculptures" such as wreaths, swags, and other fall decorations. If placed outside, preferably where there is not frequent human activity to scare them away, wildlife can get to it. This means it won't disintegrate indoors leaving a mess and irritating allergies.

There's another article on the site on building and maintaining brush piles.

Wandering Through Ideas

2007-09-29T18:24:00.001-04:00

Working with meteorologists means I have a pretty good idea of local gardening conditions anytime. I also see conditions that I envy while others I'm glad I don't deal with at all.

I see worldwide forecasts and learn where terrible weather has occurred. When I first started this job, I was amazed at how often it happens. Looking at radar and satellite of tropical storms churning in the Pacific, I remind myself that the swirling white blur covering a few inches on the computer screen covers hundreds to thousands of miles in reality. The power in these systems is from hot water. Those beautiful tropical nights and warm sunny beaches in the Caribbean lead to this. Even paradise is raided by the most violent parts of nature.

With such massive power on the opposite end of the spectrum from the gentle breeze that moves through the delicate dill leaves in my quiet garden, a person might be excused for hyperbole and anthropomorphization, even a little excessively. I must say though that I don't understand how hurricanes were ever accepted with strictly feminine names. Maybe that's the result of growing up in a fairly free and, in most respects liberated, society. I have hit my head on a glass ceiling or two in my life though, and not because I own or worked in a greenhouse.

In pursuits that are traditionally feminine, (music, gardening, art), it is surprising that men are at the top of the field in notability and respect. The reverse, women in traditionally masculine pursuits (leadership, law enforcement, etc) , doesn't seem to be true so much.

Thankfully, that is changing. Please don't think that I lack appreciation for men at the top of traditionally feminine pursuits; I think it's great. I love P Allen Smith. I also love "Celtic Woman's" popularity. One day gender, like race and ethnicity, may not be an issue. Unfortunately, now sometimes it still is.

Considering the violence of nature and the violence men are capable of, the addition of masculine names for hurricanes was overdue.

Now for a total change, some humor:

Garden Work

Fall Is Here

2007-09-29T13:58:00.000-04:00

It's the time of year to plant bulbs that will produce flowers, garlic, shallots, and other plants in spring of next year. Burpee has a selection of these on their site. I haven't grown garlic for use in cooking. I don't have the patience to deal with tiny cloves and the papery sleeves. I buy diced garlic in a jar. It's good to grow throughout the garden for pest deterrence. I may try elephant garlic, which would be easier to prepare in cooking.

The Bellefonte Garden Club does a lot to beautify its hometown. Do I have time to join them? Hmm. This time of year they are planting daffodil bulbs. I wonder if my landlord/rental manager would allow me to plant them around my apartment building. Daffodil Project

P Allen Smith has a page on his site titled "10 Spring Bulb Questions"

Frost Alert!

2007-09-15T12:32:00.000-04:00

The chilly weather and frost that has already reached the Midwest will probably give the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast a chill with frost overnight tonight (Saturday). So, it starts again!

Clear skies make frost more likely. The reason is that clouds act as barriers to the loss of heat. Clear skies let heat go.

My containers are on my second-floor porch, so that will help protect my herbs and flowers there. Heat rises, and frost usually forms closer to the ground. I may still cover them.

My garden plot doesn't have the same protection. The wind or breeze can carry heat away horizontally with little interuption. Clear skies also allow heat to escape vertically.

Numerous types of frost can form: Heavy, light, scattered, killing, and so on. Even hoar frost that Robert Frost wrote of in verse. It's still early, so in most of the mid-Atlantic the frost will probably not be severe.

The susceptibility of plants should also be taken into consideration. This year was dry, making the plants more fragile. Some types of plants cannot handle a chill, let alone a mild frost.

I just reviewed a forecast for Sebring, Florida (at my job). Sebring's high Sunday will be 91, then a low of 71. Bellefonte's will be 67 for the high Sunday (not too bad). What follows is the undesirable part: a cold low of 41.

Frost Protection Advice:
P Allen Smith
HGTV
Organic Gardening.com

Colors Always Change

2007-09-13T19:28:00.000-04:00

Thursday early evening.

Mid-September usually isn't in the 70s here, but the sun is out and it's not bad unless the wind blows. Overnight the temperature has dropped to the 50s. I prefer summer, although the beauty of fall generates warmth of its own. I think of it as a time of orange, yellow and red; cinnamon, brown sugar, apples and allspice; hot cereal, steaming soup, corn bread, muffins and tea; brittle brown corn fields and grass after killing frost; glorious gold warmth and boldness becomes dark evergreens, gray days here and there, and eventually glassy silver and white of winter.

Bulbs snuggled in the ground will bear winter and spite it in the spring. Gourds, squash and tomatoes come from the harvest. Broccoli, spinach, peas and greens get a second chance. Mason and Ball jars are filled with preserved summer. The air is fresh and clean. The beach is cold and the surf is finally warm. Mountain hikes follow trails buried in colorful leaves, sometimes wet and slippery, other times dry and crunchy.

The simple freedom of shorts, sandals and sunshine cannot be overcome by bulky sweatshirts, closed-in shoes, thick socks, and perpetually cold hands stuffed in warm pockets. Without its beauty, autumn would be only a temporary end that must be endured.

Sun arrives later, leaves sooner, and gives up without attaining the glorious zenith it reached in June. It is as though it wants us to hibernate like a lot of nature does. How tempting!

Photo of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon from city data

Visual Presentation

2007-09-07T14:36:00.000-04:00

I started moonflowers in a container. They germinated rapidly afer I had soaked them overnight. Last year when I tried to grow them, I only nicked the seed coat, and it didn't help much. So, I prefer soaking. It would have been better to put the seeds directly in the ground; the tiny seedlings aren't very sturdy and didn't survive transplantation.

Some of my lisianthus blooms in a vase.

The community garden is too large to get in one photo. My plot is on the right side of the path, starting after the rows of corn. The tall stalk with the dark bloom on top is one of my sunflowers.
The color is a blend of burgundy and rust. Some other sunflowers were yellow with rust or burgundy from the bottom of the petal to about halfway toward the tip. I hope to photograph some before the season ends.

These sunflowers are prolific, too. I've had stalks with so many blooms that the plant was bowing. They germinate quickly, attract a lot of bees and withstand a lot of dryness and heat. I think this link to Burpee is the type of seed I used, or at least is very similiar; however, mine are not pollen-free. I like to feed the bees and birds. When I work in the garden on sunny afternoons, I can often hear buzzing -- no humming -- of bees in the sunflowers. They also like the dill weed flowers.

So, I don't recommend growing only pollen-free varieties unless you don't won't to hear "busy" bees.

2007-09-06T15:24:00.000-04:00

In an earlier entry this season, I wrote about the attack on my tender broccoli seedlings by cutworms. Flea beetles and Japanese beetles followed, but the plants that survived the cutworms were big enough to not be destroyed. However, most bolted because of the heat. What amazed me yesterday is that there is one very healthy plant and it's producing side shoots. The broccoli florets are a nice bluish-green that makes them so appetizing.

Some things I will and others I won't repeat next season. I will grown black beans, like I did last year. I will not plant them on the side of my raised beds (a slight incline). They grow quickly, need a little support. Those I planted on the side of a raised bed fell over and the main stem snapped near the ground. This photo shows the supports I have successfully used.

I will put lighter plants on the sides of raised beds. For instance, this year, I grew leeks. The book The Vegetable Gardener's Bible recommends growing them in a trench, so I did. Since leeks don't take up much space, I split the seedlings into 3 different plantings, each one slightly later and in a different place. I transplanted my lisianthus on the side of one planting. This worked well.

The benefit of this is run-off from the plant on the level area (leeks) goes to another desirable plant (lisianthus) instead of a weed. Since conditions were dry more than wet this summer and hand-watering is the only option in our community gardens, doubling the benefits of my watering efforts saves energy (my energy) and adds to efficiency of water use.

My garden had all of the lisianthus colors in the photo, plus dark blue that, like periwinkle, looks purple to me. My favorite is the peach with pink edges.

Growing Well

2007-09-06T13:36:00.000-04:00

This aerial photo of the gardens was taken in mid-August. The barn in the upper right is now boarding horses. The current residents, two mares, are seen as one little white and one brown "dot" in the bottom right.

Below you see the result of my attempt to crop and sharpen the area where my plot is.

Here's an even tighter crop. Cropping really cuts the resolution and sharpness.

2007-08-26T14:48:00.000-04:00

Hi, I'm Snickers. I live with Jen and am a guinea pig.

She has been busy catching up on house chores in between visits to her mom and dad, plus feeding myself and the other two guinea pigs who live here. So, I'm writing a gardening update for her. prrrr titter titter

It rained Monday through Thursday last week, so Jen couldn't really do anything. Friday and Saturday were hot, humid and sunny -- a good time for drying the soil. Jen expects that when she goes tonight (Sunday) after work to harvest, many tomatoes will have burst because of the sudden excessive rain.

Sadly for Shaggy, Scooby and me, the greens have all bolted. Jen keeps talking about seeding for a fall harvest, but she is a little overwhelmed right now and may not get to it. She has given us some yummy organic greens from the store. I appreciate that she grows veggies for us. They are soooo good!

Oh, Jen has a blog entry about puppy mills and schoolroom critters. As a guinea pig, I find the idea of being stuck in a classroom bad. Kids should be supervised; they can be mean to small animals and not realize it. It would also be lonely. In a home, there is a lot going on. Jen cuddles us, chats and listens to us. Sometimes I whimpered when I was lonely after my buddy Pumpkin died. Jen heard me and snuggled me so I'd feel better. That kind of attention wouldn't happen in a lonely classroom. You can read this blog at her 360 site.

And she says that I make her feel better. I try to.

Well, that's about it. It was fun chattering with you! Have a good "wheek" and God bless you all!

Jungle or Jumble?

2007-08-06T15:58:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, my plants were small, but I had confidence that they would grow. I upped my hand-watering a little. And we have had soaking rain once a week. I fed them, too. Now the plants are quite large.

Only after watering (or rainfall) do I feed the plants. The first water should just be that -- water; this gets the plant's vascular (water/nutrient uptake) system going and hydrates the cells. Then I do a light watering with the food mixed into it. I suppose the watering is like an appetite stimulant for the plants. Plus, it provides water in the plant cells so the follow-up nutrients are circulated into the places that need it.

My plantings are mixed up, so to speak, this year. Instead of one section for each type of plant, I inter-planted. I think the corn is the only item I kept to one spot, which was half-planning and the rest circumstance. I'd have planted a second, later crop, but my personal schedule got in the way of sequential plantings. The planned part was that I seeded the corn in a recessed area of a raised bed. In The Vegetable Gardener's Bible, the author recommends this so that the bed stays better hydrated. It catches water and rainfall and holds it longer. We certainly have had the kind of sun and heat that corn seems to like. Mine's looking good, I think.

Overall, all of the plants have grown really well. I can no longer see over them into the adjoining plot as I could a few weeks ago.

Saturday morning I hand-watered. I transplanted a few basil plants that were small. Sunflowers were shading them, so I moved the herb to sunny spots.

My herbs in containers on my porch are growing extremely well. I hope to have photos soon. Meanwhile, here's some aerial photos.

Update: the Alzheimer's is more advanced than the doctor originally thought. Now my 3 sisters and I are trying to get her the help she needs, but the insurance is not making it easy. She needs a full evaluation that Geisinger health insurance will not cover.

Thanks And Garden Update

2007-08-01T13:29:00.000-04:00

Thank you to all who read and responded to my entry to all praying believers. I want to explain now that more is known to my family. My mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. This has made the last couple of weeks quite difficult, especially for her and my dad. One of my sisters and I have taken turns staying with her. She still functions well; just needs a little help and most of all companionship in dealing with the emotional repercussions of this.

So, thanks to all for your continued prayers.

Meanwhile the weeds are getting a little ahead of me in my garden plot. Yes, we've had some decent rain! I've picked plenty of sweet pea pods, lettuce, basil and mint. The broccoli did better than I thought. Nights have been cool, and that may have prevented bolting and blooming of lettuce and broccoli respectively. Soon the tomatoes should be ready. Plenty of tomato plant "volunteers" have grown. Some I left in.

A Garden Joke

2007-07-23T16:22:00.000-04:00

I can use a little humor. How about you? It's a necessity for sanity.

The Tomato Garden

An older man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig his tomato
garden, but it was very hard work as the ground was hard. His only son,
Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.

Dear Vincent,

I am feeling pretty badly because it looks like I will not be able to plant
my tomato garden this year. I am just getting too old to be digging up a
garden plot. I know if you were here, my troubles would be over. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me.

Love,
Dad

A few days later he received a letter from his son...

Dear Dad,
Do not dig up that garden. That is where I buried the bodies.

Love,
Vinnie

At 4 the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son...

Dear Dad,

Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That is the best I could do under the circumstances.

Love you,
Vinnie

Request to Praying Believers

2007-07-21T17:22:00.000-04:00

My immediate family is going through a difficult time right now. Please pray for a healthy resolution, clear thoughts and guidance from God, peace and healing. I won't go into details. It would take too long. Thank you.

Saturday

2007-07-07T16:55:00.000-04:00

If my family wasn't sending off my sister next weekend, I'd go to this workshop. P Allen Smith will have a container workshop in Egg Harbor, NJ, on July 14. Spending a few hours "playing" in the dirt under the tutelage of a successful garden designer would be fun. If I'd had more advance notice, I might have made it part of a beach weekend. Bummer.

What I saw yesterday while weeding in my plot reinforced yesterday's entry. It's dry. It dried quickly after recent rain. Most things are doing well, but I will have to increase my hand-watering. The tomato plants that have red plastic under them are doing the best. Penn State research showed that colored plastics affect plant growth. Red is good for tomatoes and strawberries. I don't plan to use a lot of plastics as I guess they are not organic. And some shred. This year, it will be useful due to the lack of moisture. The straw has proven inadequate, and no more compost is available. Here's a little history of plasticulture.

I added some herbs to my porch containers: pennyroyal, fennel, lemon balm, rosemary, sage, a scented geranium, and I think that's all. My porch smells wonderful.

This is the color of the sage I bought:

Growth

2007-07-05T17:17:00.000-04:00

One of the gardeners has been providing aerial photographs of the community garden plots. I've put them in past entries. In this entry, I have put all three to show the progression.

This one was in 2006.

(It was post-gardening season, I believe, but not yet winter.)

This is June 10, 2007.

This is July 1, 2007. If one goes about one-half way up the photo, from the left, my plot is the one with the red spots.

Greenery is not the only fluctuation in the photos. Last year, especially with June floods in the mid-Atlantic, the soil was wetter. This year's photos show light soil; we've have much less rain.

My garden's not as green as some of the others. I spent more time working on the soil this year. And I'm solo. Many of the other plot-renters are couples. I don't plant numerous plants of any one kind. I intend to add as I keep this plot. Were I to add too much at once, I would be overwhelmed. It will look much greener in a few days, after the rain from July 4.

This year I added cutting flowers: mixed colors of nasturtiums, asters and larkspur in addition to the sunflowers and lisianthus I planted in previous years. Woodring's Flower Shop, a short walk from my home, has a Bellefonte shop and a greenhouse. That's where I got the newest seeds from. I also bought something elsewhere, seeds for lagurus, or "bunny tail"; no germination in over a month. Still, my spinach finally came up long after I planted seeds. I think the dry conditions have contributed to this, but that's just my opinion.

Romance of Country Life

2007-06-29T13:13:00.000-04:00

When I was growing up, my younger sister and I often accompanied our parents on visits to my great aunt and uncle's home in Benton, Pennsylvania. It was "out in the country" compared to where we lived. Much of Pennsylvania is rural or forested land. Where I grew up was not a metropolis, but a small town. Still, my great aunt and uncle's home had a lot a of green space, a farmer neighbor on one side, and a creek next to the side yard that we played in.

My great uncle died when I was still pretty young, so I don't remember him as well as his wife. Uncle Claude Moore was a tall, thin man with silver hair and glasses. He was a brother of my mom's father. His wife Mary (born a McHenry) was shorter, plump (by the time I knew her) and wore her silver hair pinned up by bobby pins. Both of them were much like the traditional grandparent image.

It was easy to romanticize country life for me. And I still do. I do enjoy the conveniences of "town" life. The attractions of large cities do not elude me. I've been to NYC close to 20 times.

I think I'd enjoy living on a small farm. While scanning the hobby and crafts section of a magazine display recently, I discovered Hobby Farming, which does put beautiful fantasies in my head. In my aunt and uncle's youth, many people were trying to leave the family farm for the "big city." Now there are people going the other way.

It reminds me of the film Baby Boom with Diane Keaton. Her character is a New York City business woman who "inherits" an infant. Eventually she moves into rural New England, and falls in love the country lifestyle, and an attractive veterinarian.

(Before her transition, she tells a physician how country life is driving her crazy, putting her into the poor house, and that it has been way too long since she had sex. To her humiliation, she learns that he's a vet, not a people doctor.)

These hobby farmers choose to live an agrarian life. To learn more, check out the website and/or the magazine if you find it. The site has a wonderful gallery of photos submitted by hobby farmers.

Lost A Few Battles ...

2007-06-20T11:21:00.000-04:00

... But It Looks Like I Won the War

Foil wraps and cardboard collars on plants in my plot and in containers on my porch have defeated the cutworms. I also removed grubs and squashed them as I worked the soil. So, my tomatoes, basil, and remaining brocolli seedlings are fine.

The next strategy will be implemented against the ubiquitous flea beetles.

They are on my mustard.

My black bean seedlings are also tasty to them.

They like my green and runner bean seedlings. Rapid sprouting and growth has kept them ahead of the damage so far.

You might think that more plants appeal to flea beetles than discourage them. I would agree, based solely on their love of our community garden plantings. We've grown a smorgasbord for them.

Leaf lettuce is left alone, so far. Onions and garlic chives surround my lettuce beds, which may be detering them.

I prefer organic. It is important to remember that organic methods have less effect on the environment, but are not always without hazards. Follow instructions carefully, especially with chemicals applied to the plants or soil. Wash all vegetables before consuming them.

Diatomaceous earth, etc.
"Diatomaceous earth is one of the more effective repellents, applied as a dry powder to the plants. Horticultural oils and some neem insecticides also have some repellent effect on this insect."

Garlic spray

Flea beetle photo from this web page, which has a long list of beetles:

What's Growing? What's Knawing?

2007-06-19T12:31:00.000-04:00

I planted broccoli, concerned that they would develop heads right about the time that heat would make them bloom. So far, only a few survived cutworms and flea beetles. This is one of them in the photo. It's now much bigger (about a week later).

It's hard not to love perennials, especially tasty herbs like these chives. The pretty purple flowers taste better than the leaves.

This photo of last year (probably late July) shows that the chive bed was not as thick.

Grubs of cutworms and Japanese Beetles turned up in many shovels of soil while I worked in the compost. The curled white one is the Japanese Beetle. The fat gray grub is a cut worm.

I took this photo as an experiment. The camera is sitting on the ground in my lettuce bed.

One could say this is a bug's perspective.

Summer Again -- Almost

2007-06-13T15:59:00.000-04:00

Above is another aerial photo of the community gardens, courtesy of one of the gardeners. This was taken on June 10.

Sun protection while gardening is important. This time of year, the UV rays are strongest because they are most direct. I found a quiz to test sun protection knowledge on the American Academy of Dermatology's website: quiz

Generally, I get no color and I do not burn, despite being pretty fair-skinned. I still use liquid SPF. The time of day when the sun is strongest is between 10 a.m. and 3 or 4 p.m. (It is also when pollen is most concentrated.) The importance of a sunblock that protects skin from both UVA and UVB rays is emphasized more than it used to be; such a sunblock helps protect against burn, and the skin (DNA) damage that can result in cancer and aging.

If you should get a sunburn, here's some advice from health central's website:

First Aid

* Try taking a cool bath or shower. Or place wet, cold wash cloths on the burn for 10 to 15 minutes, several times a day. You can mix baking soda in the water to help relieve the pain. (Small children may become easily chilled, so keep the water tepid.)
* Apply a soothing lotion to the skin.
* Aloe gel is a common household remedy for sunburns. Aloe contains active compounds that help stop pain and inflammation of the skin.
* An over-the-counter pain medication, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen may be helpful. DO NOT give aspirin to children.

Do Not

* DO NOT apply petroleum jelly, benzocaine, lidocaine, or butter to the sunburn. They make the symptoms worse and can prevent healing.
* DO NOT wash burned skin with harsh soap.

My! What Colorful Stems You Have!

2007-06-05T17:55:00.000-04:00

No matter how many years I garden, I'm sure there will be new things to learn. I earned a new insight yesterday.

First a little background: my brocolli seedlings have been disappearing seemingly from above and below ground. On some, healthy leaves are dropped or gone; on others, only a hole remains as though a mysterious underground creeper pulled the fresh seedling into its dark lair.

As of yesterday morning, two beautiful Sun Gold tomato seedlings, which were hardening off on my porch, were merely stems about 4-5 inches high. Self-seeded morning glories have also disappeared from my containers this year and previous summers. My first thought was to blame the pigeons that spend their days on the roof of my apartment building.

(this photo is not mine.)

Later in the day the likely answer occured: cutworms. On my porch!

Cutworms chew holes in leaves, just as flea beetles do. This explains why my first suspect in damage to my mustard was not visible. (I did not see the beetles on the plants.) They are better known for their ability to rapidly destroy tomato seedlings, as my Sun Golds exemplify. So, I never suspected them at first. I will have to do some prevention. It is time to declare war on cutworms.

Black cutworm corn damage

I'm growing corn this year, too, for the first time.

Advice on Growing Tomatoes from P Allen Smith's site

Here Comes The Sun

2007-05-31T14:39:00.000-04:00

Too much of even a good thing is still too much, it has been said. Sun's a good thing.
Too much is not good. Doesn't it look searing? I think that's a solar flare shooting off to the right. Solar flares affect communication signals all over the Earth, and simultaneously can affect the very magnetic field in a way that intensifies the display of the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis.

My garden has full sun: great for many plants, but tough on human skin. I was never a big sun lover, so I'm new to serious protection. Although I use liquid SPF, gloves and a straw hat, my dermatologist also recommends a specific (and expensive) hat. There's a lot of false claims about sun protection products.

There's a distinct difference between the effects of UVA and UVB radiation, but both cause problems.

A Good Day To Garden

2007-05-29T08:46:00.000-04:00

Today will be a good day to work in the garden. Humidity is lower, and the temperature is cooler.

The Vegetable Gardener's Bible (Ed Smith) taught me a lot about vegetable gardening. I have not incorporated quite all of the techniques, but have the major ones, with an emphasis on raised bed and organic methods.

To grow corn, which can be finicky about moisture and temperature, he recommends using a slightly recessed area within the raised bed -- like a well -- to capture as much rain water as possible. So, I'll try that.

What else is new? Leeks. Yellow and Stuttgarten onions. Mustard greens, which I'm eating for the first time and love them; so do the flea beetles. Sweet peas.

Because of the flea beetles at the community plot, I will try to grow cucumbers (bush type) in a container on my porch. I will grow oregano in a container on my porch and in-ground at my plot.

I'll put chocolate mint on my plot to avoid the ravenous aphids that appear en masse everytime I've had mint on my porch. I won't put it in the ground, but in a container, because I understand that its runners allow it to quickly spread throughout the garden.

And for something completely different (from this site):

What else? Here's quick list of what I hope to have in my garden:

Runner Beans "Painted Lady" -- pretty bi-color flowers on vine with edible beans. A plant with an interesting history.

Bunny Tails (Lagurus) -- for cutting garden

Nasturtium
Larkspur
Aster "Grego" Giant Mix

2007-05-28T15:36:00.001-04:00

I remember them.

A Little More

2007-05-22T13:39:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday evening I toiled in the garden after work, with only an hour and a half of daylight. I was wearing sweat pants and my favorite comfy shirt (Centre County Law Enforcement Camp Cadet shirt I got as a volunteer "target". That's another story for another blog).

Anyway, the shirt has short sleeves, and the wind was quite strong. The temperature must have been in the 50s. Everyone else had long-sleeve jackets. I'm pushing the season. Come on summer!

I try to be prepared with supplies for gardening, but I'm not always. Since the plot is in State College, not far from where I work, and I live 17 miles away, I can't make a quick trip indoors to get something and go right back. I didn't have a jacket with me, but I didn't freeze.

Added to my supplies this year is a really nice gardening tote with some "primo" hand tools. Thank you to my sister Nina (pronounced with a long "I", different from the Spanish) and my niece Rachel. It has plenty of pockets for seed packets, cell phone, car keys, sun protection, etc.

Speaking of seeds, it finally occurred to me last year that I should buy seed packets for cold weather crops ahead of time for next growing season. So, I did. And I'm glad.

The Spinach Dilemna

2007-05-22T13:09:00.000-04:00

Ugh. I did not get to see my parents or work in the garden last weekend as I thought I would. Ugh. 'Gotta' cold. It hit me Friday night. It's not fun rolling straight from allergies into a cold.

Yesterday, I put in peas and some more greens. The mustard is showing up, as is the lettuce I originally planted. The spinach is nowhere to be seen; someone else who rents a plot told me that spinach doesn't seem to grow well there. I like fresh spinach. Spinach salad with black olives, feta, rasberry vinaigrette and red onions. Slivered almonds would be good, too. I'm making myself hungry.

Maybe I need more sand. Or more of something else. Or less of something. Maybe a container on my porch would work better. Off to the internet.

Hmmm. tapping chin with index finger. What is this?

"Check the soils(sic) PH and if necessary add lime." Hmmm. Lime increases alkalinity (sort of the opposite of acidity).

"You can plant spinach in early spring. To stagger your crop over summer you can plant part rows every few weeks. The last planting should be about 50-60 days before the first frosts." Yikes! That would be March-April. Maybe I'll shoot for a fall crop.

Wait! This sounds better because it doesn't require me to stand out in the cold and/or snow digging. Totally excellent.
"If the soil was prepared in the fall, seeds can be broadcast over frozen ground or snow cover in late winter and they will germinate as the soil thaws."

"Spinach doesn't like acidic soils, a good PH is around 6.3-6.8. Add the appropriate amount of lime to the soil if necessary." The soil test showed that the pH is "below optimum".

Well, there are some possible answers. So, when could I start a fall crop?

"Seed spinach again in late summer for fall and early winter harvest. Chill seeds for summer or fall plantings in the refrigerator for 1 or 2 weeks before planting." That's according to Watch Your Garden Grow, a site I've used quite a bit for information on vegetable growing.

Au Revoir

2007-05-18T19:07:00.000-04:00

It's time to go home for the weekend. I hope you enjoy it, wherever you are and whatever you do. I have no PC at home, so I only post from work.I will be visiting my parents, I hope, and working in my garden.

This is the time of year that the garden requires the most physical labor: preparing/amending the soil, weeding, seeding, transplanting, and so on. I always lose a little fat and gain some muscle. No workout I do at home all winter completely prepares me for the demands of gardening.
So ...

Goodbye ... until Monday! That is what the words in the photo mean, if my French is reliable. (It's from cinema passion. It just happens that the image works for this blog entry.)

If you want to watch a movie, I found The Painted Veil to be enjoyable. Bittersweet, too. For a gardening-related movie, here's a few:

Greenfingers
Bed of Roses
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

And then there's always the really bad Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Although it's not really garden-related, it's amusing how bad this movie is.

Digging

2007-05-15T15:03:00.000-04:00

In spite of all the rain we have had, the soil is hard to work with as it is dry. It reminds me of a cookie that is so hard that is must be dunked. Last month, we had so much rain the soil was muddy. It was quite cold, too, so gardening days were limited.

One of the ways people have tested soil type is by mixing some of it with water in a glass jar and letting it settle. I've never done this, but it must work for a very basic determination of soil type.

On the bright side, my lettuce seedlings are growing, right alongside seedlings that I believe are the India mustard, but may be spinach.

I will be planting more greens seeds for successive harvests. Plus peas, broccoli seedlings, etc.

Now we have compost. Until yesterday, only small amounts were delivered, and on no apparent schedule.

Soil texture analysis

A Poetic Rose

2007-05-15T13:27:00.000-04:00

The red rose whispers of passion,
And the white rose breathes of love;
O, the red rose is a falcon,
And the white rose is a dove.
But I send you a cream-white- rosebud
With a flush on its petal tips;
For the love that is purest and sweetest
Has a kiss of desire on the lips.

--John Boyle O'Reilly

Useful Article

2007-05-03T12:37:00.000-04:00

Womans Day magazine has a pretty extensive gardening feature on their web site. P Allen Smith covers a lot of basics, and provides advice on getting the garden started, both outdoors and in (houseplants).

It's at: womans day

Is That An Anti-Depressant Growing in Your Garden?

2007-05-01T12:49:00.000-04:00

Gardening has so many known benefits: fresh vegetables and/or flowers, visual appeal, excellent exercise, fresh air, great for the bees, butterflies and birds, etc.

Even houseplants apparently filter indoor air, cutting down on inhaled irritants. Doctors recommended them for asthma patients (provided their asthma is not triggered by any flowers or other parts of the plant.)

And I just learned something else, which is interesting to me as a gardener, a sufferer of SAD, and as a one-time microbiology major. This is only one study, but it provides one possibility as to why gardening -- maybe even just with indoor houseplants -- can cheer up a person.

Other Benefits of Bacteria in The Dirt

I would like to know what the researchers consider to be an immune system imbalance. My allergies, asthma and eczema result from a hyperactive immune system and I'd say that's an imbalance. I have an older sister with SLE or lupus, which is an autoimmune disorder (the body's immune system attacks the body). A definite and debilitating imbalance.

Just for interest to those of us who like gardening, here's the soil test results for the community gardens where I rent my plot:

Summer 2006 Soil Test Results. Recommendations by Professor Pete Feretti (Penn State).

(1) Magnesium (Mgo): Below optimum. Apply epsom salts (mg504). 3lbs./100 square feet. This can be applied now. Garden center retailers sell 3 lb. for about $2. Magnesium is the hub of the photosynthesis molecule.

(2) Soil ph: Below optimum. Apply 5 lbs./100 square feet ground limestone at the end of the gardening season, if you plan to keep your garden next year. It is best to use ground limestone that contains some magnesium (i.e. Dolomitic limestone).

(3) Phosphate (P2O5); Potash (K2O); and Calcium (CaO) were "optimum".

(4) Nitrogen was not tested; general recommendations: Apply 0.5 lbs./100 square feet of UREA, or equivalent amount of another nitrogen provider.

This soil test was from samples taken in the paths of the garden area. So it provides a general analysis. Perhaps gardeners will want to test their own plots next season.

Thanks to Marion R. Deppen of the Tudek Community Garden Coordinating Committee

Lightning strikes also add nitrogen to the soil. Just a little fact. Interesting to know, but not practical.

Here's an aerial photo of the plots, taken in late winter 2006-2007:

My plot is the second row from the right. It's a little more than halfway up the row from bottom of photo; the ridges are my raised beds. The dot in the upper left corner must be my compost bin. This shows it closer:

Keeping In Touch

2007-04-27T14:47:00.000-04:00

My opportunities to work in the garden have been intermittent due to work and weather. 'Kinda funny considering that I work with weather forecasters. Earthworms have been surfacing everywhere because of all the rain we get. We seem to get long rainy periods of 3-4 days to as much as a week. Depressing but it's good for the soil.

During last Tuesday and Saturday's garden outings, I weeded and shoveled. Plenty of earthworms show up in my soil, and they do a great job, so I'm trying to make their work a little easier by adding sand. Gardening is a much more enjoyable context to see earthworms than watching another kid dare to swallow one (which even as a kid I thought it was childish and cruel), or destroying one in biology class disections. What was I supposed to see? Why does it have to be alive when we pin it down?

It seems like the soil has a lot of clay. It clumps more now than it did earlier (see March 2 entry). It came up as large wedges that require me to break them up with the shovel or garden fork. So, that's one more reason for adding sand. And maybe some kind of loamy "stuff" to lighten it.

A dandelion clump I dug to take home for my guinea pigs held a lot of dirt. An earthworm fell to the ground as I was shaking off the dirt -- again -- at my car. I picked up the earthworm and walked back to my plot where I set it on loosened soil and covered it with a thin layer.

I found the earthworm remarkably cold. Maybe that's the temp of the soil right now. It chilled me. So glad am I to not be an earthworm. So glad am I that they like my dirt.

Digging

2007-04-02T13:05:00.000-04:00

Saturday, March 31, 2007, was warm (high 50s) and sunny. I dug, weeded, turned soil and raked about 1/3 of my garden plot. Then I planted seeds for spinach, mustard (India), gourmet lettuce, red leaf and one or two other kinds of lettuce. Nearly every shovel of soil contained three or four visible earthworms. I suspect they weren't thrilled at being disturbed, after all they worked hard to get the soil in good shape and they deserve any rest they can get.

The soil was in great condition, that is, loose and still moist, but not so moist that it would stick to the shovel or clump. It was friable.

I want to start potatoes, too, but hadn't ordered any seed potatoes. On the way home from my garden, I stopped at a local co-op market, which was hosting an Oriental dance show, to see what tickets would cost. I mentioned my morning gardening. The clerk offered me certified organic (red) seed potatoes for nothing. So, thank you to her (and thanks to God).

So often when I'm out in the garden, I "feel" like it's where I'm supposed to be. I don't have any detailed explanation for this. I just enjoy it. Even my allergies aren't keeping me away.

Pennsylvania Garden Expo

2007-03-27T15:17:00.000-04:00

Some friends and I went to the Pennsylvania Garden Expo on March 10. Our original plan to go to the Philadelphia Flower Show fell through. Still, we had fun at much less expense and half the distance of travel.

Some photos from the Garden Expo:

A winning lad in a kilt directed the St. Patrick's Day parade participants. We watched this Saturday afternoon after going to the garden expo.

The weather was wonderful! Quite a contrast to the conditions a month earlier after the "Valentine's Day" storm. This is what I deal with on my back stairs after a storm:

"A Little Bird Told Me"

2007-03-21T11:59:00.000-04:00

Birds play a role in the garden. I probably don't have to tell that to anyone reading this post. Still, maybe I don't pay enough attention to birds, outside of the ubiquitous ducks in Bellefonte, especially in and around Talleyrand Park. (Watch where you step.) I say this because I'm always thrilled to hear birds in late winter and early spring. That's when I realize how much I miss them.

I usually notice migrating geese because of the squawk-like honks. In summer, a quack draws my attention to a duck, who seems happy to discover a newly formed swimming spot. After heavy rain, small temporary ponds appear, several of them outside the building where I work. Some form so regularly that water plants grow. I'm often amazed at how quickly the "aquatic quackers" get there. I'm disappointed if there are none.

It's always a pleasure to me to see urban wildlife. I've seen plenty of squirrels, some very aggressive, but they still fascinate me with their rapid movements and bouncing.

With the benefits birds are to a garden, it's nice to know I can do a little more for them. A couple of wrens seem to be enjoying the wooden ledge above the door to my back porch, indicated by the frantic flapping of wings when I open the door and by the tiny droppings I sweep away almost daily. When I got home yesterday, I found one of the dried sunflower seed heads from my garden displaced, seeds that I honestly didn't think were in it, and shells scattered on the porch. Good for them! They can have all they want. I'll have to make sure the other dried flower heads are accessible.

(Note to self: I must prepare those dried gourds to provide a house for these little birds.)

Reality Check

2007-03-18T11:28:00.000-04:00

Animals are as much a part of creation as plants and humans. This isn't my usual topic for this blog, but it's important for this information to be out.

This video is just one example of how cruel the fur industry is. This fur is put on coats and sold in the U.S. as fake fur.

Here's the graphic video:

Racoon Dog Skinned -- Alive

Informative Video: Humane Society Link

What to do? Link

Eager to Start

2007-03-05T14:06:00.000-05:00

Spring's promise approaches, energy slowly uncurls in the shoots from a seed, tender embyonic tendrils pushing up toward the dangers of wind and cold to be fed by the sun. The season yields to fluctuations that drive its identity, then surrenders to the warmth that brings summer.

I'll be starting my brocolli and some other cold weather veggies from seed this week.

Winter was like a see-saw this year in Pennsylvania. December was cold, January was unusually warm and enjoyable, then February turned frigid with a lot of snow. Although the duration of extreme winter weather was short for us, the promise looks good when warmer days strip away laced-up boots, gloves, hat, heavy coat and penguin-like plodding on slippery surfaces. Again.

Reminds me of a symbol of promise. The rainbow. We had a lot of them late last year. One Sunday afternoon, I saw a double one, and photographed it in State College. I could not fit it all in frame, so here it is in halves:

They can also be found on my flickr page.

Will The World End?

2007-02-27T12:26:00.000-05:00

Many people believe that the world will end someday, but our human tendency is to prevent it. To have control. My garden would be really incredible if I could take control of the weather. What would that do to my neighbors though? Would there be an inevitable butterfly effect and would it be bad or good? How could I possibly know? Would my manipulation eventually create a backlash that would hurt my garden?

I work with meteorogists, climatologists and earth scientists at a privately owned forecasting company. (My preferred science is biology, but sometimes you take what you get.) When I discuss my job with people locally, sometimes I'm asked if I can write a beautiful forecast since I'm an editor; if I could do that, I'd write myself onto a tropical island that never gets hurricanes. If I had that much power, like the character John Murdoch develops in Dark City, I don't know how I would chose what to do. If I could re-create a garden paradise, and keep literal and metaphorical hurricanes from destroying it, does that mean I should? (Note: These are rhetorical questions.) Comic book superheroes experience this conflict, don't they, ie, how to use their special powers?

Anyway, back to the end of the world.

Robert Frost wrote:

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire.
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire,
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate to
say that for destruction ice
is also great
and would suffice.

--Robert Frost

Opinions about global warming vary among the people who work here. I share the view of at least one forecaster, stepping away from all the politicizing that some on both sides carry out: whether it's natural, human-induced or human accelerated, I will try to do what I can. And other things I do that help the environment in general I will do. Beyond that (Kyoto Accord, etc.,) it becomes difficult to ascertain. Hmm. At my age, I'm getting use to not having all the answers. Hmm.

Carbon footprint? check out:
Mr. Smith Says happy New Year

What else can you do?

An Early St. Patrick's Day

2007-02-23T17:34:00.000-05:00

Philadelphia Flower Show 2007

On March 10, my friend Heather and I hope to get to the Philadelphia Flower Show. This year, the theme is Legends of Ireland, so it really appeals to me. Besides the beautiful floral displays, I anticipate some energetic and colorful dance, music and shopping. I went to an Irish fest years ago in Wilkes-Barre, and it was very enjoyable.

I will pray that there are no snow storms!

A Book

2007-02-15T15:26:00.000-05:00

I am reading It Started in Eden by Bertha S. Dodge. I borrowed it from the library and its publication date is 1979. A little old, but kind of interesting. The author writes about how important plants (ex, food crops) have been to human history. It has a lot of history of the competition for control of various valuable plant products. She goes into great detail about the "wars" between the Spanish, English, and others over various trade routes. These trade routes transported chocolate, tea, coffee and spices from the East.

As a tea drinker, I found it interesting that many attempts to grow the plant in the U.S. failed. The plant, Camellia sinensis, is grown commercially in Charleston, South Carolina. It also grows in Hawaii and on the East Coast of the U.S.

An interesting fact: spices that make so much food tasty were originally used to cover the taste of bad food. This potentially explains why so many "hot" areas of the world have some of the spiciest foods.

Garden Fantasy

2007-01-03T15:03:00.000-05:00

The catalogues I requested have arrived. I only requested two: Burpee and Jung. I'm not sure where I learned of Jung, but it's in Wisconsin and I try to stick with companies located in areas with similar growing conditions to mine.

My other garden shopping is done locally. Many local stores carry seed packets. I also go to Patchwork Farm in Aaronsburg, PA. From April until June I buy most of my seedlings at their temporary stand by the Nittany Mall. They're very helpful, they sell a variety of plants, and the plants are reasonably priced and healthy. Last summer when I was taking the scenic route home from visiting family, I spied a sign for Patchwork Farms and went there (their home location). So many plants. So little time.

Burpee is in southeastern Pennsylvania. I've never visited it, although I've been in nearby areas. For example, Longwood Gardens, not a vendor but a display garden, is beautiful.

I'm hoping to go to the Philadelphia Flower Show, and visit a college friend in Lincoln University, Pa., while there. I've never been to that show, but have wanted to go since I started gardening and since P Allen Smith has been giving presentations. I'm hoping that P Allen Smith will appear there again.

According to the flower show website, Legends of Ireland is the theme, which really appeals to me, not to mention how timely it is with St. Patrick's Day following it. This page of the website gives more details. I've been to Irish festivals before, but this one will probably outdo them all.

There's a phrase the luck of the Irish, which I gather to be bad, knowing their history, and their sometimes sardonic and/or dark humor.

Most people have heard the legend that (St.) Patrick used the three lobes of the shamrock to explain the trinity. An equally interesting legend is that of (St.) Brigid. She is said to have woven a cross from straw she picked up off the floor.

So much is ancient history with Ireland that it can be difficult to distinguish myth from truth. Plus, it's a large geographical area so legends may be subject to regional variations. It's still interesting to learn. Some of this, such as the "Black Irish", I heard of growing up. From my own reading, I know that the ideal Irish person was a poet and a warrior, something that many other cultures view as a dichotomy.

Some links to help infuse Irish lore into one's mind if one desires:

Iris Legends

Brigid's Cross

Map of Irish Immigration in US

Claddagh (pronounced clah-dah + soft "g")

And a book I own, which is slightly laborious in writing style but I find it covers many areas of Irish life and history is The Story of the Irish Race by Seamus Macmanus. There is plenty about pre-Christian and contemporary Ireland's spirituality, government, and the place of women in Ireland. It has helped me understand more about the British government's treatment -- genocide -- of the native Irish that resulted in oppression, extreme poverty and religious division, and that resulted in terrorism; some of these problems are shared by Native Americans in the U.S. and Canada due to government's treatment of them.

Some Warm And Furry Thoughts

2006-12-11T14:35:00.000-05:00

A few posts ago, I wrote about white and red squirrels. I included a link to an article about protecting in-ground bulbs from hungry squirrels, which includes the idea of leaving a few to them free for the taking. Now it's cold and the bouncing furry creatures await the worst of winter.

A researcher in Chicago is studying them to determine how the rodents survive in an urban setting. The article is where the picture is taken from. His/her tail is curled against the body and front paws are tucked inward to stay warm. I'd love to provide some little mittens. And a warm place to stay.

Community Closing

2006-11-01T13:50:00.000-05:00

Last week was the first snow. It didn't lay (stick).

The community gardens had official clean-up this weekend and it was chilly. Saturday rained, and I had to work; however, I went on Sunday. Most of the work was done, so I harvested a few herbs from my plot, removed the Sun Gold vines and tried to remove strings from the wooden posts supporting vines. The latter was quite difficult; usually I keep scissors in my car for gardening, but I had removed them. The high wind from a passing storm drained every bit of heat from me and all of the moisture from my hands. The skin was cracking between some of my fingers. Euh.

The now mostly barren fenced-in area looks nothing like it did during summer. Such a contrast. One could look at it as a time of rest. Yet, underneath earthworms and microorganisms are working hard. At home, most of the gardeners are probably preparing for the holidays, soon to be dreaming of next year. I know I am!

One of my back porch containers still has some persistant and pretty purple pansies. I am pleased every morning when I see them.

Bonjour

2006-10-31T12:24:00.000-05:00

On on MSN page, I took several quizes. They're fun, although perhaps the only gardening-related one would be the "Creepy Crawly Quiz".

I did ok on that one; it was a learning experience. The French and germ quizes proved to be much more ego-boosters. The French quiz triggered my search in the blogger pages for gardening pages in French. So, if this is of interest, here are two sites I found when looking up jardin, the word for garden.

Le Calendrier du Jardin

Le jardin de Sophie

Sophie has beautiful photos of her flowers. Whether one can read French or not (I need my French dictionary), the photos are worth viewing!

This site has both English and French in a lot of it. Beautiful photos from a location in the south of Portugal.

Lugar de Olhar Feliz

So, enjoy.

Just a Short Update

2006-10-24T10:17:00.000-04:00

The Lipizzaners were wonderful, as they were the last time I saw them. There are now a number of female equestrians. Excellent! There seems to at one time have been a notion that women couldn't handle stallions (male horses). The women in the show proved that idea wrong.

I have no photos; the arena was quite dark. The photos at their site do them more justice than I could with my disposable camera: Lipizzaners

The horticulture show was interesting, too. I bought some spring bulbs to use in planters, so if they work, I'll be quite happy in spring!

Showing Sunday

2006-10-10T11:39:00.000-04:00

On Sunday, I plan to go to "From Backyard to Back Woods", a horticultural show put together by the Penn State Horticultural Club. I may take photos. There are photos from previous shows at the link above.

After that, I'm going to see the "World Famous" Lipizzaner Stallions. I saw them the last time they were here. I sat close enough I could have touched them. When I was a child, I read a book about a boy who dreamed of going to the famous Spanish riding school in Vienna, Austria, where riders are trained to work with these beautiful animals. The boy succeeded. I don't remember the name of the book.

If you go to their site using the highlighted link, you'll find plenty of history and photos.

'Never Tried Her Dandelion Wine

2006-10-06T12:04:00.000-04:00

More information on composting can be found at this website link to P Allen Smith's site.

One of the first serious gardeners I knew was my great aunt Mary Moore. She grew up on a farm. One of the things she grew that I don't see too much of is rhubarb. It has an awful name and looks like red celery, but tastes so wonderful when cooked. Strawberries cooked with it make it even better.

Her pies, and cooking in general, were really good. Rhubarb pie and cooked rhubarb, for example. Yum. Maybe her cooking wouldn't have the American Heart Association's approval, but it was probably more nutritious than a lot of fast food considering the variety of veggies she served. I am glad to be blessed with a fast metabolism. Of course, I'm active, too.

She made dandelion wine. Even as an adult, I don't think I'd want to try it. I do like wine, especially red. The bitterness I don't like in dandelions. I pick dandelion greens from my garden (I work organically) for my appreciative guinea pigs.

I often think of her garden and remember checking it out. I probably stepped a few places I shouldn't have, not knowing any better. I also remember the first time my great aunt Mary used a Japanese Beetle trap; she learned the hard way that if you don't know where to place it, every beetle in the area will flock to your trap and your garden. I wonder if her neighbors appreciated it.

She and my uncle lived in Benton. It was a lovely rural area. (When I first wrote this blog, I thought Benton shared its name with the headquarters of Wal-Mart in Arkansas, but that's Bentonville. Oops!)

A creek ran past their house. My younger sister and I were advised not to go into the field too much on the other side of the creek. The farmer who owned the land apparently had a bull, so, you can guess what might happen.

Sometimes I'd look across the field backward through my Kodak pocket instamatic, which turned it into a telephoto lens. I don't recall that I ever spotted the animal, so he remains almost mythical today.

Cows I do like. In highschool, I did an internship with a vet clinic and cows were some of the gentlest creatures. It was fun, except for my allergies (which ruined my career hopes of working with animals full time). I also saw a lamb. She was pure white, very sweet and adorable.

I had a little help with my plot.

Completing the Cycle

2006-09-26T14:10:00.000-04:00

Here's a site with information on composting. It's the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's page.

composting

I'm still learning. I got a bin, free, from a free worshop at Penn State a couple of years ago. It's not an ideal bin, but there is that old saying, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." It looks much more appropriate in my plot than on my back porch (which is where it was for at least one year).

I did not, technically, compost this summer since I'm unsure if I'll have the same plot next year. I hope I do. I did compost casually by piling some plant material in the back of my plot. In addition, getting the soil in my plot ready (which is twice the square footage of my previous garden) took a lot of time. (on top of a full-time job and all.) Some of my garden plot neighbors were impressed by how well I managed a plot of the size that they thought required two people.

Bits and Pieces

2006-09-25T16:46:00.000-04:00

I'm learning about storing veggies, or in some cases refreshing my memory. Freezing is easy. Clean the veggies, chop them, blanche and cool them, put in clean containers. Label with name and date. Use within a year. The difficulty is my small freezer.

I have tomatoes on my kitchen and livingroom windowsills, livingroom table, in my fridge. A month ago, it was yellow squash. Some of the tomatoes I'll cook with basil and other seasoning then freeze to use in soup. Some I hope to can.

I dry dill and oregano. That works really well. I couldn't find oregano at any nurseries this year, but I grew and dried enough in 2005 to carry some over.

I won't dry the chives this year; they end up being tasteless with a texture like toothpicks. I'll freeze them in icecubes. Maybe I'll use dill, chives, basil and garlic to make flavored oil and/or vinegar using a canning recipe I found in a book from the library.

Most of the basil will go into pesto. The recipe I use can be found here:

http://www.pallensmith.com/index.php?option=com_recipes&Itemid=113&func=detail&id=296

In case you're wondering, blanching is dropping a measured amount of the fresh vegetable into boiling water and leaving it boil for a prescribed amount of time, often it is four minutes. In the "wild", enzymes cause the fruit to slowly decay, drop to the ground and dry, releasing seeds for the next generation of plants. Boiling (heat) denatures the enzymes (and maybe other substances) that cause the vegetable's gradual degradation even when frozen. It doesn't cook them, unless you blanche too long. This turns them to mush (cooking), and you obviously don't want that. A site I use for information on growing, cooking and storing each vegetable is:

http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/

I didn't get photos of my lily or dahlia in time. Some of my other flowers:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/happydancer4

White + Red = Pink?

2006-09-22T16:16:00.000-04:00

Planting bulbs right now? If so, these guys might be very happy about it. I think the one on the left is saying, "Hmm. Nummy."

But ...

aren't they cute?

Why squirrels in my blog today?

Friends and family know of my affection for furry rodents. Plus a forecaster at work blogged about folklore involving squirrels and the upcoming winter (more below if you care).

This is the time to plant spring-blooming bulbs, which squirrels love.

'Must be all the anti-oxidants.

One source of advice:

http://www.pallensmith.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=965

He's not paying me for this and doesn't have to. P Allen Smith has a lot of interesting and useful stuff on his site. He's cute -- in a different way from the squirrels. Even if he wasn't, he knows his stuff.

(chitter, chitter, cheeeeep) They always sound like they're scolding a "young 'un". Or maybe their anger's directed at me. A pelting of acorns sometimes accompanies the noise. Ouch.

The site for the White Squirrel Festival, which I know you are all going to flock to, is: http://www.brevardnc.org/whitesquirrel.php

So, what does a white squirrel who mates a red squirrel give birth to?

They aren't cute, yet.

Happy autumn eve. Or if you're in a central, mountain or western time zone, happy autumn today!

******************** **************************
Today's one of the days I edit the website at work. In his blog, one of the forecasters asked for reader observations about the squirrels in their respective regions so he can decide whether observing them can actually predict how much snow we'll get. I suspect it is toungue in cheek (or nuts in cheek).

Should I send him the photo above and suggest a link between white squirrels and a snowy winter?

Plot Summary

2006-09-12T12:11:00.000-04:00

I've been busy with the really fun part of gardening, which is harvest.

My favorite tomato is Sun Gold. One plant produces enough abundance of the small fruits for me to share. I enjoy them most after warming them on a sunny windowsill. Hmm. They make a very rich tomato soup, too. The photo shows ripe Sun Gold tomatoes.

Ernesto's windy remains knocked down my sunflowers. They had grown about 8-10 feet tall with beautiful flowers. The smaller, more delicate Lisianthus survived because I had staked them against wind earlier this summer. A lot of the sunflower blooms had this gorgeous color:

Something I still have trouble doing successfully is staking tomatoes. It's good that the plants' vigor has them spreading, but management is challenging. I'll keep trying.

My yellow butter squash is done, also due to Ernesto. They produced quite abundantly; 8-12 fruits came from each of the five plants. I gave quite a few to my parents who in turn shared some with their friends. A neighbor of theirs gave some to this mother, who served them in her restaurant in Millville.

And plenty of sweet peppers: green, orange with a little red. They were quite good. Still getting them, too.

The garlic chives, dill and basil are doing quite well. I'm always pleased with how easily most herbs grow. This year, I added purple-leaf basil alongside the sweet basil. Its pungent aroma reminds me of allspice.

Most of my lavender plants are in a container on my back porch and grew well, as usual. Dwarf lavender didn't grow well in containers (in 2005), strangely. So, I went back to a mix of "angustifolia" and "lady" this year. In-ground lavender has not thrived for me. I tested one seedling in my community plot this year, just to try it in a new place. It's not doing badly, but isn't very big.

Stevia is thriving next to my tropical houseplants in the bathroom. I had to bring it off my porch to keep aphids from eating it alive. Mint attracts aphids on my porch, too, and I didn't grow it this year.

Stevia is an import from South America and its leaves contain a substance that is used as a sweetener. I have no clue about how to use it. Wikipedia to the rescue, perhaps? If you read the wikipedia entry, you'll see that it mentions the Guarani.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia

As a side note, a good movie based on the interactions of 18th-century Spanish and Portugese with the Guarani is "The Mission" with Robert de Niro and Jeremy Irons. Breathtaking cinemetography. I have had a copy of it in my DVD colletion for several years.

The red onions have quite a bite to them. The Kentucky Wonder pole beans have been yummy.

I don't think I'll grow black beans again, but you never know. See, the beans are inside the pod, just like peas, and they are quite small. The pod has a tough string, which makes eating it whole undesirable, even after cooking. Shelling them is a lot like eating a small crab; a lot of work with minimal yield. It may be most beneficial as a green manure crop.

My peas did really well, too. I intend to get a fall crop of those in with some gourmet lettuce. They'll be easy to take care of and good companions for my "bright lights" Swiss Chard, which grows from frost to frost (spring to autumn). Swiss chard photo below is "Bright lights".

===========================================================================
Trek-geek alert: I wish I could say I discovered this website, but I have to credit a coworker. It's really funny -- if you know Star Trek, especially the classic series from the '60s.

http://echosphere.net/star_trek_insp/star_trek_insp.html

No Studying For This Quiz

2006-08-31T13:19:00.000-04:00

Are you a cartoon character?

This little quiz is fun. I had hoped that Powerpuff Girls were part of the list. Oh well.

'Wanna know something funny? One consistent result of this quiz among my friends and family is that they don't like the character they come up with. Then they admit the description fits them, and I admit I had the same reaction to being equated with Elmo.

Here's the quiz:

WHICH CARTOON CHARACTER ARE YOU?
Have you ever asked yourself what cartoon character you most resemble? A group of investigators got together and analyzed the personalities of well-known and modern cartoon characters. The information that was gathered was made into this test: answer all the questions with what describes you best, add up all your points (which are next to the answer that you choose) at the end and look for your results. Do not cheat by looking at the end before you are done.

1. Which one of the following describes the perfect date?
a) Candlelight dinner (4 pts.)
b) Fun/Theme Park (2 pts.)
c) Painting in the park (5 pts.)
d) Rock concert (1 pt.)
e) Going to the movies (3 pts.)

2. What is your favourite type of music?
a) Rock and Roll (2 pts.)
b) Alternative (1 pt.)
c) Soft Rock (4 pts.)
d) Country (5 pts.)
e) Pop (3 pts.)

3. What type of movies do you prefer?
a) Comedy (2 pts.)
b) Horror (1 pt.)
c) Musical (3 pts.)
d) Romance (4 pts.)
e) Documentary (5 pts.)

4. Which one of these occupations would you choose if you only could
choose one of these?
a) Waiter (4 pts.)
b) Professional Sports Player (1 pts.)
c) Teacher (5 pts.)
d) Police (2 pts.)
e) Cashier (3 pt)

5. What do you do with your spare time?
a) Exercise (5 pts.)
b) Read (4 pts.)
c) Watch television (2 pts.)
d) Listen to music (1 pt.)

6. Which one of the following colors do you like best?
a) Yellow (1 pt.)
b) White (5 pts.)
c) Sky Blue (3 pts.)
d) Dark Blue (2 pts.)
e) Red (4 pts.)

7. What do you prefer to eat right now?
a) Snow (3 pts.)
b) Pizza (2 pts.)
c) Sushi (1 pt.)
d) Pasta (4 pts.)
e) Salad (5 pts.)

8. What is your favourite holiday?
a) Halloween (1 pt.)
b) Christmas (3 pts.)
c) New Year (2 pts.)
d) Valentine's Day (4 pts.)
e) Thanksgiving (5 pts.)

9. If you could go to one of these places which one would it be?
a) Paris (4 pts)
b) Spain (5 pts.)
c) Las Vegas (1 pt.)
d) Hawaii (2 pts.)
e) Hollywood (3 pts)

10. With which of the following would you prefer to spend time with?
a) Someone smart (5 pts.)
b) Someone attractive (2 pts.)
c) Someone who likes to party (1 pt.)
d) Someone who always has fun (3 pts.)
e) Someone very sentimental (4 pts.)

Now add up your points and find out the answer you have been waiting
for.

(10-16 points) You are Garfield: You are very comfortable, easy
going, and you definitely know how to have fun but sometimes you take it
to an extreme. You always know what you are doing and you are always in
control of your life. Others may not see things as you do, but that
doesn't mean that you always have to do what is right. Try to remember
your happy spirit may hurt you or others.

(17-23 points) You are Snoopy: You are fun you are very cool and
popular. You always know what is in and you never are out of style. You
are good at knowing how to satisfy everyone else. You have probably disappeared
for a few days more than once but you always come home with the family
values that you learned. Being married and having children are
important to you, but only after you have had your share of fun times.

(24-28 points) You are Elmo: You have lots of friends and you are also
popular, always willing to give advice and help out a person in need.
You are very optimistic and you always see the bright side of things.
Some good advice: try not to be too much of a dreamer, if not you will
have many conflicts with life.

(29-35 points) You are Sponge Bob Square Pants: You are the classic
person that everyone loves. You are the best friend that anyone could
ever have and never want to lose. You never cause harm to anyone and they would
never not understand your feelings. Life is a journey, it's funny and
calm for the most part. Stay away from traitors and jealous people,
then you will be stress free.

(36-43 points) You are Charlie Brown: You are tender, you fall in love
quickly but you are also very serious about all relationships. You are
a family person. You call your mom every Sunday. You have many friends
and may occasionally forget a few Birthdays. Don't let your passion
confuse you with reality.

(44-50 points) You are Dexter: You are smart and definitely a thinker.
Every situation is fronted with a plan. You have a brilliant mind. You
demonstrate very strong family principles. Maintain a stable routine
but never ignore a bad situation when it comes.

It's me (Jen) again. Or maybe it's Elmo. (I'm not that much of an optimist, by the way.) Heee Heee Heee! I must say that question 1 was hard. I like all of those kinds of dates.

Must Be Tough On the Survivors

2006-08-17T11:48:00.000-04:00

Most of you who read this know me personally and know of my interest in reading true crime. The authors I read are the ones who care about the victims and do not glamorize the seedier aspects of the cases. Nor do they make heroes of the criminals.

Yesterday, an American schoolteacher was arrested in Thailand and he confessed to killing JonBenet Ramsey 10 years ago. One radio news account stated that investigators had been close to finding him for at least the last two months. I'm not surprised. That could be why he gave in; he knew he was trapped. And one investigator whose books I've read says that these "guys" (pedophiles) are cowards.

Ah, the killer claims JonBenet's death was accidental. In how many cases has the perpetrator claimed that falsely? A lot. Of course, he may be telling the truth. But it's hard to imagine a tiny six-year old having the strength to put up much of a fight that would lead to her accidental death. We'll see.

It must be tough on the family of the little girl. While on the one hand this may resolve the case, it doesn't bring the little girl back. And her mother died this summer of cancer. It does bring back memories of the night, possibly. A variety of emotions are felt, I imagine.

There's a memorial web site for her at: http://hometown.aol.com/summergirls0323/jonbenetramseypageindex.html

On a slightly lighter note:
I will say, I don't get the whole beauty contest thing, most of all with little girls. I'm not saying her parents did anything wrong with JonBenet. It's a world that has never captured my interest, and I wouldn't qualify anyway! Unless they have contests for "petite" (I'm 5' 4.25"), Irish, Bavarian, Native Americans who look mostly Caucasian. Oh, and must be over 40. In a contest like that, I might place. Might. Especially if I did a bellydance choreography. Hmm.

A Shorty Sortie Through Images

2006-08-14T17:07:00.000-04:00

There's a neat site with beautiful photos of plants. It's at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54107366@N00/

Heating, Sweating, Wilting

2006-07-25T13:24:00.000-04:00

The Northeast heat wave ended last week. Heat will return. This is summer. I'll take it, especially now that I have an air conditioner. The nice thing is that it is still early enough in the season for cool nights. In evening, turning off the AC and running fans in open windows cools well enough for a light blanket, and brings fresh air. In my mid-Atlantic home, middle to high 90s constitutes a heat wave. My younger sister currently lives in Hastings, Nebraska, with temperatures well over 100 degrees.

Becoming a gardener has made me appreciate cool weather, too. Broccoli and peas are two of my favorites, and both grow best in the cool seasons of spring and fall. Another favorite is beans. My black bean bushes are on schedule; at a little over 80s days since I planted the seeds, some of the pretty purple flowers have been replaced by long skinny pods! I can't wait until they fatten. The green pole beans have flowered, so I hope soon they will have pods.

A lot of the cucurbits seem to prefer heat. My yellow squash produced a prolific 13 fruits in the heat wave.

Both of my cucumber plants and one of my squash plants have wilted, most assuredly not from the heat. The ubiquitous cucumber beetles infested our community garden plants with bacterial wilt, which is common to cucurbits. A good site for photos and information, including a photo with the cucumber beetles, is:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3121.html

Cucumber beetles can have spots or stripes. Flea beetles, another pest, are small, black and hop like fleas when disturbed; my eggplant plant is infested with them. Amazingly, it's trying to produce a fruit.

Fortunately, I've harvested a number of yellow squash already, but I won't have any cucumbers in my first year growing them. My organic approach has helped so far, though, to reduce the number of cucumber and flea beetles...just in time for the Japanese beetles' descent onto the gardens! What have I used? Safer brand insecticidal soap and Neem concentrate, both available from Lowes and other places. In addition, I handpick beetles.

In case you're wondering what cucurbits are, it's not what Noah used to build the ark. That was "cubits". Sorry, bad pun. (I'm thinking of one of Bill Cosby's stand-up routines from the 1970s where Noah, after receiving specific instructions on how to build the ark, asks God, "God? Um, what's a cubit?")

Cucurbits, whose scientific name is cucurbitaceae, includes plants such as: cucumbers, squash, gourd, melon, pumpkin, etc. Want to learn more? Well, believe it or not, there's a site...

www. cucurbit.org

...dedicated to this popular plant family with the funny name. Cool, eh? Or maybe I should say, "Phat and hot!"

Early Bookworm Days

2006-07-12T15:33:00.000-04:00

Do you, reader, remember any books you read while growing up, books that really touched you? Perhaps a story stoked your imagination. Or a book on a certain subject fueled your knowledge that became a career or serious hobby.

I read adventures, mysteries, animal stories and science fiction novels. This was in addition to the books on dinosaurs, information I have mostly forgotten.

A small collection of Nancy Drew books that I read now sit on top of my livingroom bookshelf. Some actually were my mom's, then read by my older sisters before I got them.

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell; of course I read this as a horse lover. In my teens, I actually got to take riding lessons, although never could afford a horse. Another genre classic for slightly older kids is The Black Stallion by Walter Farley. Francis Ford Coppola made a very good film from the book.

Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards (Sound of Music star) captured my imagination and heart. The book was a present from my mother. It is the story of a young girl who explores the grounds of her orphanage and discovers a small cottage. She cleans it, decorates it and starts a garden. I loved it. I particularly remember her excitement when gathering her change to buy seeds, then watching them grow into flowers. Even when she becomes sick, Mandy goes to the cottage, but passes out there. Little did she know that a concerned someone had been watching.

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. It's science fiction. Children of missing scientists follow their parents' tracks. They discover what the author calls "tesseracting", a method of time travel, that leads them through some discoveries of their own while locating their parents.

In my late teens I read The Valley of Horses by Jean Auel, because it involved horses. I liked it so much that I read the preceding book The Clan of the Cave Bear. Ayla, a child orphaned by earthquake in pre-historic Europe, wanders until she is adopted by a clan of prehistoric humans: slanted forehead, copious body hair, hand signals instead of verbal communication, etc. She looks like contemporary humans from what I guess, and experiences rejection, but also a lot of love and learning from the clan's healer, Iza, and from its spiritual leader, Creb. I like the character of Ayla, a strong and intelligent female who must deal with a lot of difficulty.

I also read the other books, which don't carry the appeal of the first two. But it's escapist for some, although Auel uses too much repetition. The process, in detail, of flint-knapping, for instance, was written over and over and over. Ayla is also a little too great, too. This becomes obvious in the other books. She has no imperfections.

I also read War of the Worlds and The Time Machine as well as various short stories by H.G. Wells. Those don't really need an explanation. I liked The Time Machine best of the two novels.