The Experimental Farmer

Crayolas?

2011-03-19T23:01:00.002-04:00

Do you know what this is?

Or this…

How about this….

Now you get the idea.

This is what the Netherlands looks like in Spring!

Isn’t it awesome!

I think I need to update my bucket list to include a visit to the Netherlands in spring-time.

Happy & Sad–The Pug & I

2011-03-17T13:39:00.000-04:00

Spring has sprung! And that makes me ever so very very very very happy! We went from a few feet of snow to nada in no time. Lickety split! I am amazed.

Out most recent venture to the pond showed great promise.

The snow was 99% gone. That made for much easier walking.

A little color is starting to show.

Things are awakening.

What a wonderful time of year!

For anyone who has read any of my recent posts, you will know that I have posted about a pair of swans that we (the pug & I) see and feed at our favorite little spot. We have been there twice over the past two weeks, and sadly, each time only one swan is there. She (I think it's the female) seems very depressed.

Her head perked up when we arrived. (Sorry for the picture quality – she was at quite distance.)

We weren’t of much interest though.

It wasn’t her mate so she quickly recoiled. I am so sad. I wonder where her mate is yet in my heart I prefer not to know.

To GPS or not GPS....that is the question.

2011-02-22T23:28:00.000-05:00

When my oldest daughter was about 3 years old we were driving to a see a friend of mine and she was not familiar with the route. At one point she asked what street we were on. I said that I did not know. She asked if we were lost. I replied that we were not lost and that I just knew how to get there. She wasn't falling for that. She pondered it for a moment and asked "Mom – how do you spell 'I am lost'?" Ah from the mouths of babes!

That brings me to yesterday. Last year I got a car that has a built-in GPS. I haven't used it much because I actually have a great sense of direction not to mention that I can be quite impatient with technology. Yesterday I was taking a drive to an unfamiliar area so I decided to give the GPS a try. The area was mostly small winding streets and Madame GPS and her orders were grating on my nerves. "Left turn in ¼ of a mile."……"Slight right at 200 feet"…… A fight broke out and I turned her OFF. I went with my gut instinct. This is what I found….

Definitely a wrong turn somewhere!

Definitely a wrong turn. LOL!

At this point, with my proverbial tail between my legs, I admit defeat. This time. GPS to the rescue!

Snow Bugs?

2011-02-09T21:54:00.000-05:00

I took the Pug for our weekly outing to the pond on Sunday to visit these guys.

Amazingly, I actually remembered to bring something to feed them this time.

Someone else enjoyed the Cheerios.......

.....but the swans did not approve!

It was too hard to walk around the pond today because of all the snow so after the quick trip down to feed the swans we headed back out. I noticed that there were thousands of black dots all over the snow.

Upon closer inspection, I could see that the dots were hopping around. Huh? What are they? Snow bugs? I still don’t know but I am very curious. Anyone?

Oh Sunny Day – The Pug & I (Plus 1!)

2011-01-30T18:06:00.001-05:00

A beautiful sunny day and it’s about 40 degree. Now that’s something to take advantage of at this time of year! Time to get outside!

In addition to the pug and I, we were joined by my daughter, Olivia.

We were pleasantly surprised to see that someone had cleared a path around the pond. Strange…but good for us.

Elsa loves it here because she's free to run off leash.

You coming?

It was beautiful but the snow was soft and we were sinking every few feet. Good thing I picked up some cheapie boots yesterday. Thing is at this time of year, they only have really small sizes or really big sizes left. I opted for kayak size – 11!

We weren’t the only ones making footprints on this sunny afternoon.

We had company!

The swans came right up to us as they are used to being fed by people. Unfortunately we came in my daughter’s car today and my bread supply was back home in my car.

Hope you had a good day too!

Smart Kitty

2011-01-19T07:50:00.001-05:00

I have two cats. They are brother and sister yet incredibly different. Smudgie (boy) is the man about town – always on an adventure. His sister, Cally, is content to view the world from the bay window in my bedroom.

It’s a great vantage point to view the bird feeders. Plus warm and cozy. Smart kitty!

Out & About – The Colors of January

2011-01-17T23:48:00.000-05:00

When I started my blog a year or so ago my intention was to track my garden and outdoor shenanigans. Nothing of much interest to anyone else. Just for me. I was OK with that. The thing is that I am finding kindred spirits and find that I love to show what’s going on in my neck of the woods as much as I love seeing what’s going on everywhere else.

To the few who check in and read what I have to say and see my pictures, thank you but more importantly, thank you for sharing your world with me.

Without further ado, here’s what has happened in the last week in Massachusetts.

ANOTHER snow storm hit on January 12th and lasted all.day.long. About 20”.

20 or so inches later…..

The troops arrived in droves the next day for clean up….and food!

Bird by bird, peck by peck, the crew was here to dig out the seed.

Within two days between the work crew and the sunshine, the seed was uncovered.

Oh! Look! A bird party!

A woodpecker, goldfinch and a bunch of bluebirds.

I was thrilled to see bluebirds at this time of year. Today I went to the seed shop and I was told that I was indeed lucky. They do appear here and there in winter but not very frequently. If you have the good fortune to have bluebirds you will notice that they tend to be in groups of 6-10. That is their winter pattern. Once the warmer weather comes they will become territorial and will only be found in pairs. How lucky that they came upon my feeders!

When the winter doldrums hit, it is nice to see these flashes of color!

The Ups & Downs of W-I-N-T-E-R

2011-01-02T22:54:00.000-05:00

This past week has been a crazy ride weather-wise. This is what was outside my front door last week at this time….

It may have stopped us in our tracks but by the next day….

These troopers were lurking….with their sights on the feeders.

….and then she was alone but not for long.

A saucy little wren made an appearance.

r And took over the joint!

With very few food sources, that’s how it went for the rest of the day. In & out. Back & forth.

Here a Titmouse waits patiently for the Mourning Dove to finish. How polite!

Over the course of the next few days I cleared the deck to get access to the feeders to refill them. Now here’s the kicker…… exactly one week later, the temps have been hovering around 60 degrees for the past 3 days! When it comes to weather, New England is a crazy place.

Same view!

The birds don’t seem affected one way or another.

Even when the garden is not alive ‘n kicking, we are still blessed by nature.

I hope you are blessed with wonderful things in 2011!

Happy New Year!

Furry & Feathered Friends

2010-12-13T07:21:00.001-05:00

I haven’t posted lately ‘cuz the garden is hibernating. Yet life goes on.

I was pleasantly surprised when I looked out my kitchen window last Wednesday morning (on one of the coldest days of the season) to see one of my feathered friends.

A bluebird!

I don’t see them around much so I was surprised to see one on this chilly morning. Sitting atop the feeder pole. The feeder was empty so perhaps he was sending a message. Seed is not their food-of-choice but I have seen them eating it when meal worms, etc. are not available.

On another note, have you ever seen a Pug after Thanksgiving turkey consumption?

On a tryptophan high! Conked out and snoring to beat the band! Haha!

And then there’s silly Cally cat who randomly decides to play dead.

She just drops on her back and doesn’t move! It shocked me the first time she did it but I’ve gotten use to it.

A pleasant reminder.....as we al meander our way through the holidays, remember soon it will be time to check out the seed catalogs! Hurray!

Unchartered Territory – The Pug & I

2010-11-09T20:01:00.000-05:00

My butt has respectfully requested that I get off of it. It is annoyed with me. As am I, with it. Soooooo……. before I have to resort to the treadmill (and the dreaded shin splints that I get while using it), I am getting out in the great outdoors. So much more pleasurable.

So last week the Pug & I ventured over to the town reservoir. I was there a awhile ago and it was not a great place for walking but a couple of years ago the Town set up a parking area and unbeknown to me, now there is somewhat of a path.

Of course they are largely obscured by gazillions of leaves!

At this time of year any color on the forest floor POPS!

These little red berries, and I do mean little – the plants were only about 2 or 3 inches tall, just caught my eye amongst all of the brown.

Newborn evergreens I assume?

Mushrooms growing 20 (or so) feet up in the tree canopy. Isn’t nature amazing??

I was kind of surprised to see this. Probably a recent installation since the wood still looks kind of new.

One of God’s beautiful creatures….the swan.

They are curious creatures and approached us along the shoreline.

Probably hoping for food. The Pug (aka city dog) had a bark-fest – they were not bothered in any way.

Can we go home now? I’m thirsty……and pooped!

I have been down to the reservoir 4 or 5 times this past week and plan to do so until the snow comes. I will post more about my adventures – boring as they may be! Fun for me though. And Elsa. And my butt thanks me.

Brrrr……One Warm Coat

2010-11-02T13:56:00.000-04:00

It’s incredible how affected we are by the weather isn’t it? Here in New England we flip flopped from unseasonably warm temperatures last week, to unseasonably cold this week. Time to pull out the winter woollies!

The nip of cold sent me running for the coats, sweatshirts and socks! I am kind of anti-sock and each year I put off wearing them for as long as possible. Their appearance on my feet is a sure sign of things to come yet I feel fortunate to have what I need to keep me warm. Not everyone does.

Each year when we pull our coats out of summer storage, we downsize the collection. With three daughters, there are always a few to pass long. Last year I found an organization that collects coats for those in need. It is nationwide and you can donate a single coat or organize a drive.

How about you? Need to free some closet space? Want to help someone in need? Want to do a green “deed”?

I am joining Suzan of Old*Grey*Mare for the November edition of Project Genesis. Won't you?

A Wonderful Autumn Day

2010-10-27T12:55:00.001-04:00

The garden may be over for the season but Autumn is still a wonderful time to be outdoors. Yesterday was one of those days!

And that was in the shade!

A perfect day for bedding on the clothesline.

Leaves are quickly covering the ground. Oh, and acorns too! I think there are approximately 3 trillion of them in my yard.

Smudgie sunning.

Elsa (aka City Dog) enjoys nature’s bounty of acorns as toys.

The brugs are enjoying the weather – no longer panting from excessive heat.

I don’t ever recalling having to water in October!

Geraniums really seem to enjoy cooler weather.

Last year I was in a little store where they bring in their geranium flower boxes and over winter them in a window. Even though it’s a drafty spot, they survive and actually thrive. I may try that this year.

I hope you are enjoying good weather too.

The First Miner Rescued in Chile

2010-10-13T00:40:00.000-04:00

The first of the Chilean miners was rescued from the San Jose mine about 1 1/2 hours ago. The thought of being contained 1/2 mile under the earth's surface for 69 days is much more than my mind can fathom.

Please pray that the other 32 are brought home safe and sound to their families.

Paper Pollution in your Mailbox - Project Genesis

2010-09-30T21:15:00.000-04:00

On the 1st day of each month Suzan aka Old*Grey*Mare hosts a meme where people are invited to share their tips for a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Aptly named “Project Genesis”.

One day at a time. One person at a time. One thing at a time.

The common mindset used to be that a single person could not possibly make a difference. I never agreed with that notion. In my mind, we can all make a difference. A “grassroots” effort. Each of us can make a difference. Like a cold, we can be contagious.

So let me get on my proverbial “high horse”. Paper pollution is not only wasteful but extremely annoying.    I used to get stacks of mail that were 1 to 2 inches thick.   There were days when I thought I might have to hire a mail handler! Opening my mailbox to 8+ credit card applications and 1,2, 3 or more catalogs was not unusual. That WAS then. Then I signed up with Catalog Choice.

It’s easy and it’s free!   And it really works!   Just add the names of the catalogs that you get but don’t want to receive.   Within a short time, the catalogs stop.   You can add more catalogs as needed. It made huge difference in the amount of junk mail that I get.

My other huge pet peeve is credit card offers but you can also stop receiving them here:

You should know that they will ask for your personal information (including SSN) so you should read it carefully and make your own decision.    It has reduced the credit card offers in my mailbox 98%.

Don’t forget to to visit Suzan aka Old*Grey*Mare to see and share more tips on living a more earth friendly lifestyle.

Fall is in the Air - Out & About – Fertilizer Friday

2010-09-16T23:03:00.000-04:00

Wow! Fall sure didn’t creep in this year! We went from 90 degrees and sweltering to a high of 70 and very cool nights in just a few days.

September 8th was the last time I had visitors at the Hummingbird feeder.

I figured it might be the last time. Boohoo - until next year.

The Morning Glories were in full swing just a few days ago…..

….and now they are fading.

The daturas are still blooming but…..

…..starting to put out seed pods for next year.

One of the prettiest weeds is showing up everywhere….

Pokeweed! I love those deep purple berries.

On a recent jaunt, my new roomy, a former city dwelling dog, is being introduced to the suburban life.

A few days ago on a trip to a pond a few minutes from here, Elsa met some new “beasts”. And much barking ensued.

“What is that!?!?!” she barked.

The beasts were very curious too.

There were every bit as interested in her as she was in them.

They followed us along the fence. And at one point even showed off by kicking up their heels and prancing around.

I would have loved to get a little closer but didn’t want to spook the horses. Maybe next time.

So what’s going on in your neck of the woods? A good place to see what 's going on elsewhere is to visit Tootsie’s Fertilizer Friday.

Waning Days of Summer

2010-09-09T07:23:00.001-04:00

It’s no secret, the days of summer are quickly shortening. From the 8:30 sunset of just a few weeks ago to the 7:08 sunset last night. Days are shorter, nights are cooler and good old Fall is creeping in. I love Fall. It’s that “other” season that follows it that I don’t like so much.

In past years this would be the time I would ponder putting the garden to bed. Not this year. The tomatoes are still doing well yet other things have been yanked out. Making room for a few experiments.

I planted these a couple of weeks ago…

Will they be ready before the frost? I dunno. But I would never know if I didn’t try! We shall see.

Today I added these…..

30 days to maturity. Maybe.

42 days. Maybe.

I’ve had a new helper in the garden this year. One of my daughters has moved back in (until further notice) and brought with her, her four legged friend. Ms. Elsa (aka: Salsa, Sausalito, Monkey, Bubby, and so and so on.).

It has become a daily ritual for her to check on the veggies with me. Oddball that she is, she has taken to eating a few things that I harvest.

She loves freshly cherry tomatoes and peas. Today I offered a sweet banana pepper.

Yup. She liked that too.

It is with mixed feelings that I say goodbye to summer (not yet, but soon!). I do welcome the cooler temperatures for sure. Enjoy the waning days!

Buy Local - Project Genesis

2010-09-01T00:50:00.000-04:00

I recently came across a blog that sparked my interest. It’s interesting, and fun, and sometimes more than just skin deep. Just the kind of thing that I like to read. It is hosted by Suzan aka Old*Grey*Mare.

Suzan is hosting a monthly (1st of each month) blog post where everyone can share tips for living a more socially responsible life. Aptly named “Project Genesis”. (Suzan, I hope you don't mind that I used your header. Just this once.)

I remember back to the earliest days of recycling. In my town, in Canada, that was more than 20 years ago. Back then, the consensus was kinda “what one person does, doesn’t make much of a difference”.   And the experts agreed. It had to be widespread.   Regardless, I didn't care who said I wasn’t making a difference, with just a little amount of conscious thinking, it quickly became habit in our house.   I can only imagine how much has been kept out of landfills from just our family.

Now, something else has been on my radar recently with the recent outbreak of salmonella in the egg industry .   The television coverage of these recent events has made me cringe, turn away, and change the channel.   And cry.    I suppose I have been functioning in “ignorance is bliss” mode. The way these poor creatures are forced to live is heartbreaking.

So next on my agenda is to become more diligent about buying local eggs.

I already buy whatever I can locally and this is just one more reason to support our local farms.    Fresher food and money spent in the local economy. Why not?

I think each and every one of us can make a difference.

Hallelujah!

2010-08-23T17:39:00.001-04:00

It worked!

My rain dance worked!

I have been longing for a good and proper rainy day. It's started raining yesterday and it's still going strong! I'm watching the news right now and it's predicted to go on for one or two more days.

Much needed relief! For me it's about balance. Relentless hot and dry weather makes me feel out of whack. My garden has repeated this sentiment. As a matter of fact, I just peaked out the window down to the veggie garden and I think I saw the tomatoes smiling!

A Splendid Day - Experimenting for Fall

2010-08-15T00:33:00.001-04:00

It never ceases to amaze me how affected we are by the weather. I love the outdoors but I would be the first to say that on stifling hot day, my garden is mostly neglected. Containers get watered and that’s about it. We all grumble and groan when it’s too hot, or too cold. Myself included. But today…..was picture perfect. Beautiful 80 degree weather with NO humidity! So my thoughts turned to Fall veggies. I have pondered planting cool weather crops for the past couple of years but a combination of weather and life in general have stopped me. Until today! Time to experiment.

The task involved pulling some veggies that were done for the year and turning the soil. It was fun playing in the dirt again!

So, for the 1st time ever I have planted cool weather crops! (It sounds so silly to say “crops” but…..) SO this is what was planted:

Beets and, um, black eyed peas maybe??

Peas and Spinach

It will be fun to see if this experiment works. Nothing like hands on experience to learn something new.

Oops….I took a while to put this post together so I actually planted on Saturday but posted on Sunday.

Veggie Garden Update

2010-08-14T01:13:00.000-04:00

Time to track the backyard garden happenings. It’s been an odd summer – relentless heat and high humidity yet very little rain. I thrive on balance and the garden agrees. Not nearly enough rain.

Ok so…let’s talk tomatoes.

TOMATOES
Last year they were a complete bust because Late Blight kicked them to the curb but things are better this year.

Love these! Thankfully they are plentiful!

Now for the other veggie garden inhabitants…..

Will it or won’t it? We shall see.

Dunno about this. Seems like it’s all male flowers.

Strawberry is making a second attempt. I don’t even know where I got these so I don’t know what type they are but I’m guessing '”Everlasting”.

It was looking good and then the squash bugs made an appearance. To the right in the pic is a decimated zucchini. I have gotten two nice zucchinis. Fingers are crossed.

Blooms are abundant but color is fading.

The white Datura is happily blooming but I am still waiting on the purple.

I am just growing these for the 1st time this year and can see that the white and purple can easily be identified by the color of their stems. See?

A favorite in it’s waning state.

Today I noticed activity in a tree by the creek. It looks like nesting is going on! About 20 feet from my deck. I hope I get to observe them for a while.

And that is today’s garden report!

That Darn Cat!

2010-08-13T07:46:00.001-04:00

I have had dogs all of my life. Then 5 or 6 years ago when my dachshund died I knew a dog wasn’t a good fit for our lifestyle so I got cats. Two of them. A sister (Cally) and brother (Smudgie) who were found huddled together with another sibling in a snow bank. It has been quite a learning experience to say the least. Cally is pretty much a slug – sleeping her days away. Smudgie is the cat about town. My intention was to have indoor cats but he would hear nothing of that. Once the windows are open in the springtime, he is relentless in his quest to get outside. I have had to replace window blinds countless times due to his escape efforts. And he pops up everywhere! Rumor has it he visits all of our neighbor's pets by peering in their basement windows.

At least he’s self sufficient….
That darn cat!

Apparently I’m a Hibiscus Farmer

2010-07-28T23:08:00.000-04:00

I am not a farmer. As a matter of fact, any legit farmer might be offended that I use the word “farmer” at all. To all farmers, my sincerest apologies. I think my only saving grace might be the inclusion of the word “experimental”.      And that’s what it’s all about.

I didn’t start off with a plan this summer. Over the past few years I’ve been breaking away from my desire to over-tend (aka: overkill in the garden) and just do my best and see what happens. More of a “you win some, lose some” attitude. Tomatoes are the staple.   Cucumbers are always planted but cucumber beetles are a constant battle Everything else is fair game.   Experiments abound.

Typically I have one or two Hibiscus on my deck. Last week I posted about a clearance sale at Walmart.    Initially I brought a couple home.   These poor things were parched.   Can you say '”bone dry”?   With a little TLC, in a few short days they were looking good.

And then…..

I had to go back! There were still some left but this time they were saturated. The pots sat in liners that had no holes! Not to be deterred, I bought ten more. Does that make it a farm? For me it does! They all have to fit on to my deck……and taken inside for the winter!

I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.

During the transportation of these babies I broke off a good size branch so it’s been dipped in rooting hormone and potted up.

Hopefully I’ll have another one for my ~~collection~~ farm.

Out & About – July 22 Edition - Fertilizer Friday

2010-07-23T02:00:00.000-04:00

I’m joining the weekly Fertilizer Friday meme hosted by the wonderful Tootsie. You can pay her a visit too!   By clicking here.

This week has proven to be a random happenings kind of week.

I pruned back the petunias in my hanging baskets and collected seeds for next year.

The last of the Leeks were pulled.   I love to let them bolt and have the papery scape burst open to reveal the inside. But that’s just me being silly (and experimental).

In my little neighborhood the backyards are kind of pie shaped and meet in the middle. Thankfully, we have been blessed with the greatest neighbors. Very “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”. This is a view of one part of my backyard. Looking right from the deck.
About 20 minutes before this picture was taken, I mentioned to my husband that a mammoth vine had climbed the tree overlooking my veggie patch and the tomatoes were not doing as well as they should because they needed more sun. Next thing I know, our neighbor is up the tree on a ladder roping the tree to take it down. Do you see the diagonal white line in the center of the picture?    Well hubby is on the end of that rope (behind our SHARED compost bins) pulling the tree while our neighbor is on the chainsaw. He is obscured by the overgrown grapevine and hydrangea. Poof! Done! My veggies should be happy!

From this vantage point if I were to look left (wish I had taken a picture), there is a small creek with a bridge and pretty much forest on the other side. I use it to store nursery pots and there is a compost bin there too. While I was walking the puppy a couple of days ago, I was startled (doesn’t take much to freak me out, critter-wise) to see this….
This guy has apparently taken up residence in an old kiddy pool. A quasi Club Med for frogs and friends. Knock yourself out buddy!

WARNING!
At the risk of boring you to death, be forewarned this is but yet another blurb about my daturas.    You may want to run off at this point and that’s cool. Run! Run! (This is the first year that I’ve grown them from seed and I just want to keep track.)

What a difference a day makes!

Have a wonderful week but first, head on over to see Tootsie and more garden aficionados!

The Experimental Farmer, Experiments – Fertilizer Friday

2010-07-16T20:58:00.000-04:00

I’m joining the weekly Fertilizer Friday meme hosted by the wonderful Tootsie. You can pay her a visit too! By clicking here.

Last summer while visiting my daughter in her city apartment I decided that she needed a little color on her mini balcony. I visited the wonderful Atwater Market and came home with a tomato plant and a couple of daturas. At the end of the summer when the plants produced seed pods I brought a few home to try my hand at starting my own this year.

I started them in peat pots on April 30th, 2010. Fortunately they “took” (hurray!) and have become quite lush. But as all of us know, leaves are nice but bring on the the blooms! A week ago today when I took a peak, this what they looked like…..

A bud! Yahoo!

One week later…

Five times the size in just one week!

Another of the little experiments that I recently decided to attempt was one that I came across on one of my absolute favorite blog “Chickens in the Road”. (If you haven’t been there before, you should run there right now. The blog’s author, Suzanne McMinn, describes life on a farm – the animals, making cheese and butter, recipes, etc. She has a phenomenal writing style with a great sense of humor.)

OK. Back to the experiment. I grew celery for the first time last year. I got teeny tiny celery starts (1 inch tall) from a local farm. I planted them and all went well. I harvested 4 or 5 celery and they looked pretty good. Not tight and chunky like the grocery store kind but still pretty good. A short while ago Suzanne posted that she was growing celery. But using a method that had never occurred to me. She cut the base off of her store bought celery and planted it! So that’s what I did on Monday.

This photo was taken today….

Just 5 days old! How cool is that?

One last quick thing. I can't speak for other areas but in my neck of the woods, Wal-Mart has hibiscus on clearance.

Just $3!

And that’s my story for today! Have a wonderful weekend!

Fertilizer Friday

Hot! Hot! Hot! – Fertilizer Friday

2010-07-09T02:40:00.000-04:00

Oy-vey! It’s been hotter than Hades in this neck of the woods.   Stifling, thick air. Buh!

Gardening has not been a pleasant activity.   Hubby has been kind enough to water the veggie bed and I’ve been tending to the potted plants.

I’m keeping my posts “short ‘n sweet”.    Lest I am consumed by the heat monster. Never to be seen again.

Concord grapes

Hydrangeas are acting very strange. The bloom puffs are small!

Peas have arrived. Purty, eh?

Zucchini is “working it”! My fingers are crossed. Curcurbits have been having a rough time the past few years.

Blanket flower.

Brugs are doing fine! The sticks from a few weeks ago are coming along quite well. Despite my reservations.

Remember this? Well we now know the color….

Tada! Perhaps not my favorite color but love that it’s a double.

(P.S. Walmart has the 6” pot marked down to 1/2 price right now. Just $3 here. So I bought 2 more today.)

Feathered friends.

Tufted Titmouse.

My little chickadees.

Alas, the silliest creature of all……

Smudgie. Settling down to "chill" in a pot. Kooky cat!

That’s it for this week. But there’s much, much more over at Tootsie’s blog. Check it out.

Happy 4th America

2010-07-04T12:37:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post to wish everyone a wonderful day of celebration.

Not quite red, white and blue but.....almost!

Enjoy and be safe!

Catching Up on Fertilizer Friday

2010-07-02T00:08:00.001-04:00

For the first time ever this post actually has something to do with fertilizer! Imagine that!

So… on May 21st I took this photo of my brugmansia. I didn’t have high hopes for it. The 3 that I have were mere twigs and just behind schedule IMHO.

So with the passage of a few weeks and lots of water and fertilizer…

I am hopeful!

A day or two ago I posted about my 2 newly acquired hibiscus plants. One is pink but the other was not tagged so the color is a mystery.

But the proverbial “cat will be out of the bag” in a couple of days. A flower is ready to pop!

And to everyone back home…..

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

I’m linking to Tootsie’s Fertilizer Friday. Pop on over for more garden beauties.

Hibiscus Love

2010-06-29T09:16:00.001-04:00

I have a confession. I am mad about hibiscus. They come in such beautiful colors and the blooms are just so magnificent. I can imagine myself in a tropical island brimming with them.   Now that would be a dream come true!

I recently had a beautiful coral colored hibiscus that I got from a local nursery.    My daughter Lindsay’s friend Brandi works at a florist/nursery and I popped in to say hello one day.    While chit-chatting I noticed a lonely hibiscus looking withered and worn in a spot under the stairs.    Naturally I asked about it. “Oh, it’s full of bugs.” Brandi said. “So you’re throwing it out?”, I asked. “Yup.”, she said. So it was MINE!

I took it home, set it out on my deck and gave it a work over.   I plucked off the dead leaves as well as some of the older ones. Over the course of last summer the “ugly duckling” grew from about 2 feet tall to about 3 1/2 feet tall and produced lots of beautiful blooms. Like this…

Then when the seasons began to change, I had to bring it inside to over winter it the best that I could. I don’t have any sunny rooms in my house so I knew for sure that there would be no more blooms.    So all of it’s energy went to getting taller.

In March, Ms. Brandi popped in for a visit and spotted the ugly duckling. Her jaw dropped. “Is that the one from the shop?”, she asked. Indeed it was. Now about 4 1/2 feet tall – lush and green but bloom-less. She offered to take it into the shop to put it in the greenhouse. I thought it would be a great opportunity to kick-start the blooming season since the proper weather for tropicals in the northeast was at least 2 months away. Apparently a lot of customers liked it too! Last month while Brandi was off for the day, one of her co-workers sold it. For……$65! C’est la vie I guess.

So I have been hibiscus-less so far this year. Until yesterday!   I was in my local super-market yesterday and I found this…

A variegated hibiscus! I didn’t know they existed!

It wasn’t in the greatest shape but it was a “Manager’s Special” and for $9.99 who could resist!

A pink one at that!

So after some plucking and watering, I’ll leave it alone for a few days. Don’t want to completely traumatize it! Then repot. And pluck again!

Oh, and I got another one today. It will be given the royal treatment tomorrow, weather permitting!

Roadtrips, Roomies and the Case of the Missing Blogger

2010-06-13T22:04:00.000-04:00

I did it again! I went missing! I’ve been neglecting my blog but at least I’ve been doing a pretty good job of keeping up with everyone else’s.

First I took a road trip at the end of May. I went to Montreal to help my daughter sell off her things and pack up her apartment. She’s moving back home for a bit so now I have a roomie! Oh…and she brought her roomie too……

Miss Elsa is a 13 month old big, old baby. She’s adjusting well but the other 4-legged inhabitants are not quite so sure about her.

Face-off in the catnip patch!

I posted about these a few weeks ago. They were mere twigs and I didn’t have high hopes. That’s the nice thing about going away. If things manage to survive, the growth is a pleasant surprise!

Fingers are crossed! Please no cucumber beetles this year! Pretty please?

Almost done! Unless I am graced with a second bloom!

Coming soon!

Coming along….

Where did this come from?

And what’s with all the yellow? I don’t even like yellow!

So that’s what’s been going on in my neck of the woods. I haven’t been out in the garden very much because of the rain but hopefully that will change this week. I have a few more veggies to throw in the garden and well, with rain comes weeds…..lots of ‘em!

Garden Happenings - Fertilizer Friday

2010-05-22T01:57:00.000-04:00

Just a quick post to see what’s happening in my little slice of heaven.

The last of the Azaleas. This one is a little wayward – much later than the others.

I have my doubts about this. Waaaay behind.

Chives – well what can I say. These have been in a pot for years. No fuss – no muss. They always come back.

First of the Clematis blooms. Nelly Moser I think.

This one is in it’s second summer. I bought it at a farm with no tags for $5. I love the color but I was kind of disappointed to see that it was more of a field peony. More tulip like than nice and frilly.

The color of the mystery Iris has been revealed….

Lamium running rampant!

Popping!

Sprouted!

Yawwwwn! The Rhododendron is slowing waking up.

Now…for anyone who read my blog a couple of weeks ago….this is what catnip does….

Silly Smudgie!

Have a wonderful weekend! And don't forget to visit Tootsie & friends for Fertilizer Friday.

Out & About – Week 6 – Fertilizer Friday

2010-05-13T23:52:00.000-04:00

Here in Zone 6, things are definitely growing but there is a lull in the color. Spring blooms are all done and not quite time for annuals yet. But there’s plenty of green. A world better than the browns and grays of a short time ago.

It looks like the Rhododendron will supply the next pop of color. I only have the one but it is huge – about 15 feet tall.

They’re baaaaack! This was my first sighting two days ago.

You need to be careful with this one. It is prolific! The seeds blow everywhere! Even over the roof. The original planting in the front yard no longer exists but you can find this growing randomly all over the yard. It’s not a spectacular flower but the slightly fuzzy leaves emit a licorice smell when you rub them.

Coming along! Even without flowers, Foxglove is beautiful.

I love this foliage. It makes for nice contrast amongst the greens.

The poppies are coming, the poppies are coming! These have huge red blooms with black centers.

Now this little guy is a saucy one! I watched his antics for a few minutes and I’m pretty sure he was checking out how to get in a window that was cracked open a few inches. Which I promptly closed!

So that’s my weekly post for Fertilizer Friday. Head over to Tootsie’s blog to see what’s going on in everyone’s garden.

Raking in 90 Degree Weather? Is That Necessary? - Fertilizer Friday

2010-05-04T09:55:00.071-04:00

Holy cow! It was a hot, humid, sticky, yucky weekend last week! And what did I choose to do?   Work in the yard. In the beating sun.    The plan was laid out earlier in the week as part of the grander plan to get ready for the annual Memorial Day garden kick off! I was so not ready for this! 90 degrees and humid! In May? Really?

The raking part would have been OK if it didn’t entail picking up tons of acorns. They are heavy!    The squirrels haven’t even considered digging up any of my flower bulbs.   Why should they? They have a veritable buffet of about 20,000 sq.ft. Right there, sitting on the ground, no digging.   The digging was left to me. The hundreds of acorns that had planted themselves and taken root everywhere.   And let me tell you, they don’t give up easy.

So after a few of hours of that nonsense, I decided to hide from the sun on my deck and get some seeds going.   A little late but it kept me in garden mode. Boy do I have a lot of seeds! Some of which were getting old.    Time to experiment. Throw caution to the wind and let nature take it’s course. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

The seeds that were started a mere 4 days ago, looked like this today!

Are you laughing yet Tootsie?

Updates:

The grapevine is coming along.

The hydrangea is growing vigorously.

A large part of my yard is woodland. I haven't gotten to clearing this area yet but here are a few things that are going on.

The hosta is looking good growing in front of the tin man in a rotted out old tree.

(Obviously, I haven't gotten around to cleaning this area.)

Forget-Me-Nots

Lily of the Valley. Love the smell!

Volunteer potatoes in the raised bed. Must be some that I missed last fall.

This is leftover brussel sprouts. It seems to have bolted so I'll let it occupy space until I have something else to put in.

All things considered, it was a productive weekend. It helped that I had some pleasant company.

Oh, and I hear the hummingbirds are here. Time to make some sugar water. You can find the migration map here.

Have a wonderful week and don't forget to visit Tootsie's Fertilizer Friday for more garden views.

Oh Babies!

2010-05-03T12:56:00.000-04:00

I was out doing errands one rainy day last week with my trusty camera in tow. As I was driving, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted this…

Three little glowing balls.

A whole family of Canada Geese!

How cute are they!

“Reproduction

Courting
During the second year of their lives, Canada Geese find a mate. They are monogamous, and most couples stay together all of their lives.^[5] If one is killed, the other may find a new mate. The female lays 3–8 eggs and both parents protect the nest while the eggs incubate, but the female spends more time at the nest than the male. Known egg predators include Arctic Foxes, Northern Raccoons, Red Foxes, large gulls, Common Raven, American Crows and bears. During this incubation period, the adults lose their flight feathers, so they cannot fly until their eggs hatch after 25–28 days.

Adult geese are often seen leading their goslings in a line, usually with one parent at the front, and the other at the back. While protecting their goslings, parents often violently chase away nearby creatures, from small blackbirds to humans that approach, after warning them by giving off a hissing sound. Most of the species that prey on eggs will also take a gosling. Although parents are hostile to unfamiliar geese, they may form groups of a number of goslings and a few adults, called crèches. The offspring enter the fledging stage any time from 6 to 9 weeks of age. They do not leave their parents until after the spring migration, when they return to their birthplace. Once they reach adulthood, Canada Geese are rarely preyed on, but (beyond humans) can be taken by Coyotes, Red Foxes, Gray Wolves, Snowy Owls, Great Horned Owls, Golden Eagles and, most often, Bald Eagles.”

Excerpted from Wikipedia

I found it interesting that the adults lose their flight feathers during the incubation period.

If you are interested, you can read more here.

Then it was time to go!

What a privilege to spend a few minutes with this little family.

I had seen a few families before but never with my camera so when I spotted them, I had to “pull a U-ee”. Safely, of course!

Out & About – Week 4 – Fertilizer Friday

2010-04-30T22:19:00.000-04:00

It’s Tootsie’s weekly Fertilizer Friday and I’m a little late on getting this posted this week because most of the week was drizzly and yucky. Not a great picture taking venue. But I caught up today cuz it was back to sunshine and 70+ degrees. Yahoo!

I found some Datura seeds that I forgot I had taken from my daughter last summer so they went into peat pellets.

From this……

To this…..

To, hopefully, this….

So here’s a peek at what is growing in my yard right now.

The Cyclamen is in a pot and is being taken out in the morning, and in at night. Night temperatures are still a little unpredictable.

When I hopped in my car to go to the bird supply store today, I grabbed my camera. Just in case. I’m so glad I did! Look what I saw for the first time ever!

How cool is that! I’ll post a few more pictures in my next post because I saw something even more awesome that I would like to share.

If you want to see what’s going on in other gardens around this great earth, pop over to Tootsie’s Fertilizer Friday.

P.S. Guess what? It’s May!

Earth Day & The Story of Stuff

2010-04-23T14:42:00.011-04:00

Do you ever become so involved in your life that it’s almost like you live in a bubble? I don’t know about you but I know it happens to me. That’s what happened yesterday. So I’m “outing” myself. I neglected to post on Earth Day! As I sit here with my head hung low, I choose to lift my head up and hold it high and get on with it today. Because if just one person reads this post and checks out the video and ponders “Hmmmm…..”, it will have been worth it! Food for thought. And you don’t have to be a tree hugger.

The Story of Stuff

Pardon my blunder and have a great weekend.

Out & About – Week 3 & Fertilizer Friday

2010-04-22T23:11:00.000-04:00

It’s been a very odd spring here in New England. Unseasonably warm and periods of heavy rain seem to have sent all things with roots into high gear. The bloom schedule is way out of whack!

As we say good bye to these….

We say hello to….

Flowering Almond is so pretty. I feel like this is a bit on the early side.

Leopard’s Bane is a true work horse in the garden. It often blooms twice in the garden. With this early start it may go for 3!

Grapevines are budding! I really need to get this wild thing under control.

Coming around nicely………

Foxglove

Hydrangeas

Lupines

Peony

Oriental Poppy – one of my faves!

Pulmonaria

Lamium & Sweet Woodruff

Catnip – is looking good! For now! Soon the kitties will be rolling in it with wreckless abandon like a hippy in the 60’s! And acting just as funky!

My brugmansias arrived from Florida and were potted up yesterday. Fingers are crossed!

Now these are the most unwelcome guests of all! Japanese Beetles are very early and I was shocked to find them yesterday.

Nasty bugs doing nasty things. It’s going to be a long summer with these guys!

Well that’s it for this week. Can’t wait to see what’s going on in your neck of the woods. Head on over to Fertilizer Friday at Tootsie’s blog.

Out & About – Week 2 – Fertilizer Friday

2010-04-14T17:34:00.000-04:00

I love to keep a timeline of what is going on in the great outdoors. Which plants are blooming as well as the wildlife that emerges or migrates back to the area.

Last week I was out & about and here are a few of the pics.

In my own yard….

Brussel sprouts! I was shocked to see this is growing from the last year. It was the first time I grew it so that was one of my experiments.

Leftover garlic.

And leeks. And acorns, of course!

This beautiful tree blooms for a very short time every Spring. Such a pretty addition to the landscape. I wish it lasted longer!

Hydrangeas are budding.

Tulips & Hyacinths…..no garden is complete without them.

Nor these, unfortunately.

Neighboring towns….

I love this place. It’s a house on a corner so it’s easy to see the pond from the side street. It was quiet on this day. Usually it’s brimming with geese and ducks.

Only one lonely duck on this day.

Then just down the road, this beautiful pair.

I hadn’t been to this pond in quite some time and was delighted to see this beautiful swan.

Her partner was across the pond when I started feeding her but not for long.

What beautiful creatures!

We’ve had a very wet spring in the northeast and it hasn’t been very much fun.

But there is a bright side.

Flowering trees have all exploded at the same time. I’m happy to enjoy the beautiful sight even if just for a short time.

So that’s what’s been going on in my area over the last week. I hope you are enjoying the bounty of Mother Earth’s wand too! I look forward to seeing everyone’s posts on Tootsie’s Fertilizer Friday.

Out & About – Week 1 - Fertilizer Friday

2010-04-03T23:37:00.001-04:00

Spring is such a welcome time of year for me. I love being outdoors. The first true sign is seeing the crocuses pop through the soil. But there are others……

Right around the time the crocuses appear, these guys show up.

This year, after the snow melted away, a long forgotten issue resurfaced.Acorns! Last year was a banner year for acorns. They.are.everywhere!

Next to appear in my yard……

Daffodils

Hyacinths

Foxglove

***********************

Beyond my own yard, I also like to grab my camera, hop in the car and get out & about! I just need to see what’s going on in the ‘hood!

Forsythia

This one I do not know. It’s pretty though!

Over by the pond….Weeping Willow?

Trees are budding!

Geese are swimming!

Ducks are nesting!

A horse enjoying a day in the sun!

Today was a glorious day here in New England. About 76 degrees!

The kind of day that makes me count my blessings.

Ain’t Spring grand? These are just a few of the reasons that I like to be out & about!

Now pop on over to visit Tootsie's Fertilizer Friday post. She has a visitor!

The Trees Are Alive…With the Sound of…. – It’s Fertilizer Friday

2010-03-25T23:23:00.000-04:00

When we moved south of the border on a steamy August day in 1999, we quickly made a discovery. When night would fall, the trees seemed to come alive…..with the sound of music! Well, not real music but an awfully loud racket. Upon inquiry, I learned that the nightly din was tree frogs.

As the years went by, the nighttime ritual on hot and humid nights became a regular part of life. Yet the tree frogs remained elusive. Just hanging out in the tree in the dark of the night practicing their vocals.

Until last summer that is. I heard that familiar sound. In the middle of the day. On my deck.

Come out, come out wherever you are!

Oh! There you are! And there it was! Live in person! 10 feet away. Scared the beejezus out of me! And then….

He stared me down in a most threatening way! Look at those ET fingers!

Luckily it was a short visit!

Off he went!

Now that I’ve seen one, I hope just to hear them! I'm such a weenie!

Well that’s it for this week. Please join Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday!

Silly Sheep! They Fertilize! Fertilizer Friday

2010-03-16T16:31:00.028-04:00

When I wrote this post it was not intentionally written for Fertilizer Friday. As I was trying to think of what I would write about this week, I had a “DUH!” moment. A few days ago, I wrote a post about sheep and thought “Sheep are natural fertilizers!”. (If you have access to their poop!) So without further ado….

From time to time I come across things that I simply must share. I’ve been following a blog called “Chickens in the Road” by Suzanne McMinn. Suzanne lives on a remote farm with a barnyard full of animals. She has an interesting life, writes well and it is always amusing to read. Click on the picture to visit her blog.

Recently she included a 1 minute video of funny farm activity. If you need a belly laugh, check it out. You deserve it!

Don't forget to pop over to visit Tootsie and her Fertilizer Friday friends!

Birds ‘n Bees - Fertilizer Friday

2010-03-12T15:09:00.001-05:00

Most of us are not lucky enough to garden all year long but it is that time of year when we start planning. If you want to get back in the swing of things, visit Fertilizer Fridays over at Tootsie’s blog.

As I anxiously wait for my garden to come to life, I realize that it’s about more than the flowers. Beyond the sights and scents, it’s the sounds too.

Soon bees will be buzzing…….

On lupins

On rhododendrons

On squash flowers

Birds will be nesting…..

Mr. Cardinal doesn’t leave but I’m not outside to enjoy his company.

Hummingbirds are such amusing little creatures.

They appear out of nowhere - swooping and swooning – so fun to watch.

The migration map shows that they are making appearances in Florida now. Still almost 2 months away for this neck of the woods.

Visit Fertilizer Fridays over at Tootsie’s blog. The greenhouse is up and and running!

A Small Problem...in the Grand Scheme of Life

2010-02-22T21:33:00.001-05:00

If you take a peak at my sidebar, I have a little problem. I am my own follower! What a dork! I have no idea how I managed that and have no idea how to stop it. Anyone?

Must be because Spring is in the air.!

Atwater Market - Fertilizer Friday

2010-02-12T01:13:00.000-05:00

I am working with very scant means today. My laptop is in the “hospital” for a few days so I am using the photos that I have on my old desktop. Not a very co-operative creature. C’est la vie.

I did discover some pictures that I took last year while visiting Montreal (aka: Home Sweet Home) just before planting season. It was kind of a treat to revisit these pictures. I hope you think so too.

This is the entrance to the Atwater Market. It is a stone’s throw from downtown Montreal. It opened in 1933. Were it not such a landmark, it would not occupy such a prime piece of real estate.

Beautiful art deco building

With row after row of farm stalls. Farmers from surrounding areas set up shop for the warmer months (April to November’ish)

All filled with gorgeous plants. An absolute riot of colour.

This is the outdoor corridor that runs between the outdoor farmer stalls and the indoor market.

The indoor corridor has markets with fabulous foods. Boulangerie (bread), charcuterie (meats), fromagerie (cheese), poisonnerie (fish), and the outdoor cremerie (ice cream & sorbet) etc.

It is a wonderful place to visit, particularly after a long winter.

I am linking up and getting in the Spring groove with Ms. Tootsie and Fertilizer Friday. Please visit, it will lift your gardening soul.

Sunny Days Ahead – Fertilizer Friday

2010-02-05T13:53:00.000-05:00

I don’t know if it’s just me or not but when October ends, my mind seems to shut off from thoughts of gardening. Not to give it much more thought until January is behind us.

Then like a bear coming out of hibernation my thoughts slowly turn to seeds ‘n soil.    What will I grow this year? There are always the tried and true. Things I plant every year.   But I like to play around too. You know, experiment. Thus the name of this blog.

In recent years I have concentrated on food gardening.    Last year some of the experiments were……..

Peas

Even if you despise peas, try these. I never even bothered to cook them. Popped them straight out of the pods.

Garlic

Potatoes

Snake gourds

to name a few.

Oh, and one last one. Dill’s Atlantic Giant Pumpkin. You know, the ones that they grow for competitions? They weight hundreds and sometimes over a thousand pounds. I grew one.

It weighed about 15 pounds. Haha! That worked well!

It’s time for me to hunker down with the seed catalogs. What are your plans for this year? Any experiments?

I am joining Tootsie’s Fertilizer Friday because if anyone can inspire, Tootsie would be your gal.

Squirrels – I Beg to Differ

2010-01-17T11:37:00.000-05:00

From personal experience I have found that most people think of squirrels as a nuisance. Granted I don’t particularly like it when they dig up my bulbs. But there’s a quick fix – cayenne pepper! No biggie!

Now this might be hard for some to believe but I kind of admire them. I look at it this way. They are some of the hardest working critters around. Constantly preparing for tomorrow. An honorable trait in a person. So why is it not so with a squirrel?

And when the odd black or white squirrel comes along, well people love them. So in defense of l’il ole grey squirrels I will say that I like having them around. They add interest and livelihood to the great outdoors. At least they do in my outdoor life.

A Taste of Spring - Vintage Seed Catalog

2010-01-15T11:53:00.000-05:00

The Original Victory Gardens

I love old seed catalogs. This is one of my favorites. A Salzer Seed Catalog from 1941!

The pictures have that beautiful vintage look but more interesting is that this catalog is dated January 2, 1941 putting it at a very important time in history - the midst of WW 2. The era of the original Victory Garden. Within the pages there is a letter from the president of Salzer Seeds, Mr. Kenneth E. Salzer, encouraging Americans to plant gardens to help their country. You should read it. It's really cool. (Click on the images to enlarge for reading / viewing.)

If you read this letter from the president you have to get the sense that life is coming full circle. Moving back to eating local.

Purty, huh? Spring is in the air! OK - so I'm exaggerating. Let's just call it a burst of color on a drabby winter day.

I am joining Tootsie’s Fertilizer Friday so check it out. There’s always lots of pretties!

Unexpected Pretties - Fertilizer Friday

2010-01-08T20:31:00.001-05:00

I read (and love) Tootsie’s blog but I’ve never participated in Fertilizer Friday before so I’m the new (albeit old) kid in town. I am not fortunate enough to live in a sunny house so I have to dig into my photos from last season.

Do you recognize this?

Notice on the lower right that a second bloom is bursting from it’s papery covering.

They were cut from these.Leeks!

I now know why leeks are so expensive. These were planted in the spring of 2008 and over wintered in the garden into 2009. I had no idea they would take so long to grow! Oy....patience is a virtue.

So in addition to the scrumptious Potato Leek Soup that was made, a bouquet was born! Waste not, want not.

That is my contribution to Fertilizer Friday for this week. I would love to be contributing something that is “live ‘n kicking” but that is still months away. Visit Tootsie’s blog where there are sure to be plenty.

P.S. I am renovating my blog so please bear with me.

A White Christmas It Is…..

2009-12-21T10:45:00.000-05:00

A lot of people dream of them. Even Bing Crosby. Me, not so much. I’ve seen more than my fair share of snow and the novelty wore off ~~decades~~ years ago. After all I grew up in Canada and only migrated south in midlife. To New England no less. Bright move, huh?

So without further ado, for those of you who long for snow at Christmas, this is for you.

Down at the creek. (I am so grateful for zoom lenses!)

This next little guy is one of my favorites. Talk about troopers. They don’t even show up until the weather turns cold! Dark-Eyed Juncos are ground feeders and hop around under the feeders to pick up seeds. In case you’re interested, you can learn more about Juncos here.

With a friend.

Rummaging for seed.

Busy, busy feeders.

My neighbor’s roof!

And that was Mother Nature’s gift to us! Thanks Mom!

P.S. I double posted this to both blogs. I figured this had more to do with my outdoor blog and I wanted to keep track of the outdoors in the “off season”.

Fall at the Mill – Out and About

2009-11-12T10:34:00.000-05:00

Not much to say. Just a few pretty pictures from a lovely Fall day. (Taken Nov 12, 2009)

Milkweed

Kreativ Blogger - The Good, The Bad and The Silly

2009-11-11T17:34:00.000-05:00

I would like to thank Lori E. of Family Trees May Contain Nuts (Don't you just love that name! What a hoot!) for passing this award along to me. This is the second time that I have received an award (the first was in my other blog) and I have to say it was a surprise both times. I'm still not quite sure why but I don't mind playing.

I became a mother for the first time on my birthday.
I am very quiet and I'm fairly certain that I am incapable of yelling. Just don't have it in me.
Contrary to #2, when I get together with a good friend, I am quite the chatterbox.
One day I hope to swim with dolphins. That would be an absolute thrill.
If I wet one hand, I have to wet the other. I know! So Silly! A tad OCD perhaps. And it doesn't end there. The daughter mentioned is #1 is the same!
I used to be extremely shy. But that was then, and this is now. Not so shy anymore.
Karma is a powerful thing. I firmly believe that "you get what you give" in life.

Now I'm supposed to pass this along to seven other bloggers. Thing is, I did this last week in my other blog and I don't want to inundate anyone so I will wait a little bit to do it. I hope the blogger bogey man doesn't haul me off to jail!

Exploring My Neighboring Towns - Wrentham

2009-11-06T00:06:00.000-05:00

Last week I was out and about enjoying the colors of the season and came upon a little farm in the neighboring town of Wrentham. Several times I had been tempted to buy my pumpkins from the grocery store (chain) but repeatedly resisted. It means far more to a local farmer that I buy from them. So in a very haphazard way I found Adams Farm. As a matter of fact, I am assuming that I was in Wrentham MA. Actually factually, I may have been in Cumberland RI. Either way my intention was well meaning and mission accomplished. So here are a few pictures from my meandering trip.

Pretty New England Barn

Perhaps the farm guard? He looks like he means business.

These were some good looking goats. Look! A Dalmatian!

These guys were just traipsing along the side of the road.

A horse in the field. Just doing her thing.

What a beauty! If I am not mistaken, she is getting her winter coat.

The waning days of Fall.

My Snake Gourd

2009-11-01T01:39:00.000-05:00

I may not have had one single tomato sandwich from my garden this summer but I did have this.....

Isn't he sweet? Just in time for Halloween!

Grown from seed too!

A Bloom in the Nick of Time - Brugmansia

2009-10-29T12:25:00.000-04:00

It has been a long wait! My brugmansias (aka: Angel Trumpets) were put out in April. All rooted and potted and looking fine. And finally, for the first time this year, I have a bloom! Woo-hoo. Only about 3 months later than expected.

Isn’t it beautiful!! I really didn’t think that I was going to see one at all this year – with the arrival of the cool weather it wasn’t looking good. But this baby pulled through and I am just delighted!

Final Harvest - Tongue In Cheek !

2009-10-28T19:23:00.000-04:00

Harvest? How dare I use that word! I have been gardening for years but none compare to this year. From the end of May until mid-July it rained. And rained. And rained. Which would be great - if I were growing moss and mushrooms. But that was not the case. And I'm over it. So in the interest of putting the garden to rest for this year.

Here is the final hu-hum harvest:

1 Snake Gourd - 8 1/4 lbs
1 Eggplant - 7 oz
1 Atlantic GIANT Pumpkin - 15 1/6 lbs (I kid you not!)
Banana and Jalapeno Peppers - 6 oz
And a whole helluva lot of acorns

And not one.single.zucchini! Now that's a statement!

Duck.Duck.Goose - Fall in a Pond

2009-10-25T20:14:00.001-04:00

I love the outdoors. Mother Nature paints the most beautiful pictures. In all seasons. Last week I came upon this pond of ducks and geese in a neighboring town. What a blessing to enjoy animals in their natural habitat.

Pictures from Norfolk MA….

Ain't life grand. Reminds me to “stop and smell the roses”.

Mother Nature’s Magic - Fabulous Fall!

2009-10-25T13:17:00.000-04:00

Fall is in full swing in New England. What a treat to get out and enjoy the riot of color. The pictures I took in my yard this week are awesome.

The summer weather may not have pleased the garden but the trees must have loved the deep watering. Pine cones and acorns are abundant!

The pine cones pose no threat. But these……

…..are downright dangerous! Oy! It has been snowing acorns non-stop for the last 4-5 weeks. The assault is relentless! If not dinging us on the head then they are under foot. Having to watch where you step while taking cover from the air assault can cause quite the contortions. Which might be funny. If it didn’t hurt so much!

Chicken Goes Dutch

2009-09-28T12:33:00.059-04:00

Since the newly purchased dutch oven needs to earn it's keep, it was put into service again. This go around was chicken.

The recipe that I chose to experiment with was one that I found on one of my favorite blogs - 66 square feet. I love this blog. It chronicles life and times in THE big city - New York of course! It intrigues me that a city dweller can produce food on a rooftop garden. I would love to do it. So that was the initial interest but beyond that it is diverse, informative and well written. I sense a woman of character.

So, here we go.....no, first let's discuss vermouth. This recipe called for a bunch of it. Obviously I have heard of it before but had no idea - zero - of what exactly it is. So since "Goodsearch" is my friend (Google's cousin but it donates money to worthy causes for your searches and shopping) I found out that it is a quasi-wine with herbs added. K.

So here is what it looked like.....

The recipe called for whole chicken but I chose split breasts. Legs will never be eaten in this house.

Chicken with potatoes, grapes, tarragon and other aromatics.

At the last minute I had some patty pan squash that needed to be used so I threw that in too.

De.light.ful! Check out the recipe here.

Got Harvest?

2009-09-27T23:36:00.001-04:00

After a rather dismal summer, weather wise and thus garden wise, I am finally reaping the fruits of my labor. For what it's worth, yesterday I harvested my first.ever.celery. Woo-hoo! It grew very slowly but with very little attention. I picked just this one and have four more to go.

This is what it looked like after plucking off the small outer celery stalks.

All chopped and cleaned and ready to munch on.

First up.......the Barefoot Contessa's "Company Pot Roast". Time for an experiment.

While I was out picking the celery my neighbor was lurking in his backyard. We chit chatted about this 'n that and I told him that I was attempting a pot roast in my spanky new dutch oven. With that, he ceremoniously bent over and pulled a bunch of carrots from his garden. Cool!!! I am not much of a roast lover but hubby is so....this one's for you Mr.

With all the ingredients in place, today was the day.

Sweat those veggies.

Brown that beef.

Add those herbs.

....and we're off!

Suffice it to say that by the time it was ready I forgot to take a picture of the final dish. I was hungry and anxious to taste it. It was...mmmm....mmm.....good!

If you want the recipe you can find it on the Food Network website.....Ina Garten...The Barefoot Contessa.....click here. You won't regret it.

My New "Toy"

2009-09-27T21:32:00.003-04:00

With the arrival of cooler weather my thoughts have turned to cooking. Like clockwork. Most of the summer consists of steaks on the BBQ, tomato salads and other foods that keep me away from the stove. Yesterday the urge to cook kicked in. So I turned on the Food Network and read through blogs to see if I might come upon something enticing. And I did! But there was a downside.....both called for a dutch oven. Shopping I must go.

TJ Maxx here I come. Just 5 minutes from my house. Bingo! A beautiful red enamel, cast iron dutch oven.

Cuisinart Dutch Oven - Purty, huh?

Let me say, they don't give these things away! $60 at a discount store! The "Compare at" price was $110! Oh well if it is well used it will be worth it. Tomorrow it goes to work! Let the experiments roll.

To be continued.......

The Forgotten Harvest

2009-09-22T16:29:00.001-04:00

Not sure how this happened but I forgot to post a picture from my largest (only, really) harvest this year. Here it is…..teehee.

Taken September 4th.

How could I have forgotten!

An Annual August Concert

2009-09-21T16:07:00.003-04:00

Every year when August rolls in and the humidity is kickin' butt there is a very strange occurrence. The sun sets and the trees begin to sing. Like a symphony or choir. Legend has it that it is a chorus of tree frogs. I've been living here for 10 years and ~~have~~ had never seen one. Until today.

I really didn't need to see another frog because I had just come running from my veggie garden. Chased away by resident toads, frogs, whatever they are. I don't stick around for long enough to look. They hop - I run. These damn critters have been hanging out in my garden for most of the summer. I am living in a state of paranoia. I thought I was "safe" on my deck. Maybe I am meant to be gardening on a city rooftop. If I ever stepped on one I think I would need to be institutionalized. Seriously.

First I saw this....

This would be a tree frog's ass.

Very bold don't ya think!

He then got even bolder, almost challenging.

Dude! Leave me alone! This is MY deck!

You are on my brugmansia!

Crossing the escape bridge..

Leaping over to the rhody.

Off and running.

I would have preferred to believe in the "legend". I really didn't need to see one. I really need to rethink my outdoor life.

P.S. After posting, I googled treefrogs and just in case you are interested, here is a link. I don't care what their story is - they are grosse.

The Garden That Wasn't

2009-09-21T00:06:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying that I am am thankful that I was not relying on a harvest this year. Cuz it didn't happen. I am also thankful that I didn't count myself in for the Monday Harvest Tally over at Daphne's Dandelions cuz I would have been run out of dodge! After 40+ straight days of rain in June and July the truth was quickly becoming apparent. You can't beat Mother Nature.

So rather than cry over what didn't happen, I choose to laugh at what did. This is the grape "crop". In it's entirety!

I may taste one but otherwise I'm leaving them for the birds. This vine is about 4 years old and these are the first grapes ever so at least I know it can produce. See that....looking on the bright side.

Then there is the snake gourd vine. This one was new in the garden this year. The vine went berserk. During the rainy, rainy days the vine escaped it's "enclosure" and went to visit the grapes. It climbed up the trellis and intertwined itself amongst the grape vines. There are several small snakes growing but with the weather being much cooler, I would be very surprised if anything comes of them. There is just one worthy of mention - about 3 feet long...here it is.

I am almost tempted to OCD on this bugger - make it the object of my affection. Wrangling and tying it so that it ends up in a more interesting shape. Hmmm....

Now on to my most successful bounty of the year. Eggplant. I picked one and made a nice eggplant parm - mmmm...good. This was another newbie for me. Very pretty plant. In addition the one already picked, this one might make it too. I emphasize might.

All of the tomato plants were yanked yesterday and put in blight bags for my trash man tomorrow. Not one darn tomato sandwich for me this summer. Boo-hoo.

Between the rain, and the critters and other nonsense this summer, the garden and I were not exactly BFF's. Oh and my absence of more than 30 days over the growing season didn't help either. Whatever. There's always next year. Maybe. Stay tuned.

D.I.S.G.U.S.T.I.N.G

2009-09-04T15:51:00.001-04:00

Ewwwwwwwww! I headed down to the garden earlier for what I thought would be the end of tomatoes for this year. T’was not to be. I was not alone. There were critters out there today. Frogs a ‘hoppin’ here and there, and this disgusting creature. A tomato hornworm I think. I’ve never seen one before (except in pictures). It sent me screaming like a little school girl. Once I regained my composure I was able to snap a few pics. Of course during the photo session I had imaginary things crawling up my legs and was happy that the macro feature on my camera let me take the pics from a distance. I’m starting to wonder if I am really cut out for this gardening business. Silly as it sounds, I’m not sure if this is one of the fears that I want to conquer.

Quite the athlete, huh?

Back Home

2009-09-02T16:18:00.011-04:00

Been on the road again. Once again my 4 day road trip to Montreal turned into a 9 day trip. Thankfully my husband is fine with it. It's the 3rd time that I've done it this summer.

FARMER'S MARKET
My trip to the Laprairie farmer's market was a quick one this time. I sidetracked from the direct route home to make a pit stop to pick up some delicioso curd cheese (cheese curd??). It's one of the things from home that my family misses. Eaten as is or in the fabulous Quebec staple "poutine". French fries with BBQ gravy and curds.....mmmmm....mmmm. It's not available here in Massachusetts - at least not that I am aware of. It's available in grocery stores back home but nothing compares to the the fresh from the market version.

With the dismal condition of my garden, I wish I could have picked up some fruits and veggies. They had 10 lb bags of beets for $3.50! Pickling onions too. Alas the powers that be do not allow the transportation of fruits, veggies, meat or plants. Doesn't leave much choice at a farmer's market.

SEEDPODS
Sometimes ignorance is bliss. That is the case with the datura seed pods that I scooped up at my daughter's house this past week. These are some gnarly monsters. They bite! Prickly as porcupines! My daughter didn't know what to do with the spent flowers (deadheading) and just let them be. I happily pinched the pods and rid her of those nasty, seed-filled pods! I shall try my hand at daturas this winter. We shall see, we shall see.

Maine Seacoast

2009-08-20T14:21:00.013-04:00

This may have been the worst, or best, thing to do with the garden under attack from blight. I took a little road trip. I felt that I could do no more to protect my tomatoes and decided to let nature take its course.

So on Monday I drove to Vermont to pick up my daughter who bussed it from Montreal. And headed for the Maine coast for 2 days. What better to do than head for the ocean during a heat wave of stifling, humid days. The sea breeze was just what the doctor might suggest when the air is so thick. I love how it cools as you approach the beach from the parking lot - the return trip at the end of the day when you are salty and sandy, not so much.

We drove Route 1 from Kittery (outlet shops galore) through York, Ogunquit, Wells and Kennebunk. Antique shops, thrift stores and consignment were EVERYWHERE and it killed me to drive by but we were only there for 2 days and with the weather what it was, the beach was more important. We did do the outlets (yuck!) because my daughter hadn't been before. It's close enough that I can take a day trip any time.....probably September or October.

Potato, Pa-tot-ow

2009-08-16T16:42:00.003-04:00

As one of my experiments this year, I grew potatoes for the 1st time. Not only that but instead of planting them directly in the ground I bought some "Smart Pots" and gave those a whirl. All were planted in pure homemade compost. So yesterday I pulled the potatoes from 2 of the 3 sacks. Success? Failure? Somewhere in between. Most of the few potatoes that I did get were small but they were nice and firm with no rot. This is a good thing cuz this summer's weather was not co-operative. A resounding success? No. But everything is relevant isn't it...

Tomato Blight Rampage

2009-08-10T13:24:00.005-04:00

It's for real now. In the 10 years that I have lived in my town there is a tomato garden that I have always admired. It is a beautiful little garden on a corner lot and always perfectly maintained. Nothing out of control. Several rows that probably add up to 100+ tomato plants. Just yesterday I drove by and saw that things were looking dry and the leaves were curled and dried out - late blight. On one hand I feel comforted to know that I am not alone. On the other hand, I feel for the tomato grower. Mother Nature can be a......bitch.

To Compost or Not to Compost...That is the Question

2009-08-09T01:39:00.011-04:00

Any gardener who has jumped on the composting bandwagon knows that it is awesome stuff. When it is ready...mmmm.....the earthy smell. For weenies like me, getting there is a little more challenging. But I did it. And if I can do it, anyone can.

In case you're on the fence about it. Check out your options on the Compost Guy. There has never been an issue with odor or critters. The only critters I encounter are those wild wiggling worms. And that's a good thing.

2008 "Newborn" picture

Just Peachy

2009-08-07T23:22:00.009-04:00

In my quest to support local farms, I took a little trip to a farm in the next town Cook's Valley Farm. I try to make the rounds of local farms to "share the wealth". This farm has been worked for over 300 years!

While there I bought peaches. In my absolute ignorance I was unaware that peaches grew in this neck of the country. Who knew! These peaches had major fuzzies - very very hairy. They need a shave! The mottled colors are beautiful.

So time to make some peach preserves. I was flying by the seat of my pants because I am not the "preserving" kind of gal. I have issues with sterilization. Not sure why but it freaks me out. Sooo...I found some plastic "Ball" jars that do not require sterilization! Woo-hoo! I'm in.

So I chopped up my bounty of peaches and threw them in a pot just long enough to break the chunks down a little. Added a little sugar and freezer jam pectin. Voila! Lovely topping for cottage cheese, waffles, etc. And not too sweet! Mmmmmmm!

Then into the handy dandy little Ball containers and then into the freezer. What's not to love?

Beautiful Butterfly

2009-08-07T02:05:00.002-04:00

No words...just a pic of a "purty" butterfly.

Pretty Blooms - Peegees?

2009-08-06T23:20:00.007-04:00

Picked some pretty blooms in the field at Tangerini's again. They have cut flowers in the farm stand but I just love wandering around the fields and cutting my own flowers or picking my own fruits and veggies.

This is what they looked like when I brought them home......awesome!

Outside bunch

Inside bunch

Rain - Proof!

2009-08-06T23:05:00.004-04:00

No doubt about it, rain has been an issue this summer and I have proof. This is a picture from this past weekend.

Today's Babble - Zucchini

2009-08-02T16:55:00.020-04:00

It appears that I have time on my hands 'cuz there's nothing doin' in the garden. Time to blog but nothing to blog about! A double edged sword.

Sooo I thought I would highlight a post by someone who does have things to talk about and I wanted to share it. I can't quite remember how I found it. It would be safe to say that I took the usual route....the circuitous one. Basically sheer luck. It's about life on the other side of the pond. You can find it here Thyme for Cooking.

Here she offers some solutions for "that" time of year. When people become zucchiniphobic. Neighbors hide when they see you coming. They run away screaming when you round the corner with an armful of green baseball bats...... "Noooooooo mooooore!" Ya, that's not going to happen to me this year but just in case......I will be ready. There's always next year. But for those of you with a bountiful harvest, here are some ideas in her blog.

Random Nonsense

2009-08-01T20:20:00.006-04:00

I don't like posts without pictures. This is one.

I hadn't realized how long it's been since I checked in. I wish I could say it was due to my whirlwind lifestyle but alas that would be a bold-faced lie. I also wish it was because my prolific garden and the harvest thereof was taking up all of my time but that would be another lie. Not! Not! Not! I don't want to sound like a broken record so I will only say one word. Rain.

No pictures in this post. Because, well, everything is ugly. I went out to do some gardening a couple of days ago and it turned into a rodeo. Tomato wrangling. A horse and lasso would have been helpful. Some tomato plants are 7' tall with the beginnings of flower clusters and a few microscopic tomatoes. Not good. I am pondering the possibility that my greatest hope now for garden fresh tomatoes this year is my good old local farm. Being more of a "half full" kind of girl, I am OK with that. Mother Nature is a powerful chick, huh!

Oh, and P.S. It's August!

Pretty Blooms - Snapdragons

2009-07-27T13:59:00.006-04:00

I just wanted to add one more pic from Tangerini's - pretty flowers picked from the field. I have never been a huge fan of Snapdragons but these were just so pretty out in the field. All pretty and obedient standing in a row.

Butterfly - How Beautiful!

Tangerini's Farm

2009-07-27T12:45:00.017-04:00

One of the fields

Yesterday, like today, was a hot and hazy day and the air was thick with humidity. What an odd summer. Rain, rain, rain. We'll be rolling into August soon and it feels like summer hasn't even begun. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the garden. Lot's of lush green foliage but that's about it. I will be pleasantly surprised if I get any harvest by the end of August. Time will tell. On the bright side, I picked a good year to be an experimental farmer. Experiments are "tests" and tests sometimes fail. Oh well.

This is the current shining star in the garden. And I do mean the only one. Sad but true.

So back to the hot and humid day...... I wanted to see how other local harvests were doing so I hopped in my car to go to a local favorite, Tangerini's Spring Street Farm. It's a great place - especially for kids. There are goats and chickens and cats wandering around which kind of baffles me because given the opportunity, my cats would not leave those darn chickens alone. The city girl side of me thinks that felines and foul just don't mix. Obviously that is not true on a farm.

So here is what was available tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, beans, zucchini, yellow squash and U-pick raspberries and blueberries. I guess real farmers are just that, real.

The farm stand and ice cream shop.

One of the residents.

The greenhouse wall. Pretty.

Piggy pottery. Very cute.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2009-07-25T21:28:00.011-04:00

The Good

The "good" requires few words. A pretty Hydrangea bouquet with.......guess what? Leek scapes! Who knew they would add such great contrast!

The scapes are so cool! These are the same scapes that were cut a couple of weeks ago and are not showing any signs of dying off anytime soon. Awesome!

The Bad & The Ugly

In this case they are one and the same and I have no clue what it is.

I discovered this creature on my deck today. From a distance, I thought it was a turd! It was fat and fuzzy'ish and very very dead. It looks like it's part fish, part bird, part I dunno????

Then along came Mr. Ant hoping to bring home dinner for what surely would provide meals for the "next month of Sundays". He moved left, right and over but alas this monster was just too much for one little ant. But you must give him A+ for effort.

Damn Marigolds

2009-07-23T11:32:00.005-04:00

There are not too many flowers that I don't like although I do tend to prefer those that stand tall and strong. Some I like for their foliage, some for their flowers and others for their uniqueness.

Then there are Marigolds. Yuck! They have no redeeming qualities. They smell gross. Even bugs hate them apparently. That's why I have them in my veggie bed. Rumor has it that they are supposed to keep the bugs at bay but someone forgot to tell the bugs in my neck of the woods because they have been decimated. Just straggly little skeletons at the feet of the tomatoes, etc. Not a success in my experiments.

Huggy Bug

2009-07-21T23:57:00.006-04:00

A good bug post happens from time to time with a picture of something that does not freak me out. This is one of those.

Look at this guy! He seems completely enamored with the squash flower. Perhaps drunkenly in love with the sweet pollen. It certainly looks like love!

Veggies - Keeping Track

2009-07-21T23:13:00.008-04:00

Finally a little progress in the garden - not what it should be but c'est la vie.

Zucchini Babies

Purty Pumpkins

I was very pleasantly surprised with these. I pulled my leeks more than a week ago and decided to put the scapes in a vase with water. What a beautiful sight! They make an excellent bouquet and last really long. Very very interesting.

My cauliflower is showing it's first bud. The brassicas sure have to put up with a lot around here. The critters are brutal. Last year was my first year growing any and in absolute frustration over the constant attacks, I yanked most of them. I left a few to see how they would do and surprisingly they recovered quite well.

Although they are under siege again this year, I will be patient and let nature take it's course.

I try to keep organic and that makes it more difficult but I am committed. Go cauliflower!

Cape Cod Mystery Shrub

2009-07-21T16:27:00.006-04:00

I was down on Cape Cod a few days ago and the old Cape standard, Hydrangeas, was making it's annual appearance. Profusions of blue blooms were enjoying the salty air. Just gorgeous.

This year I noticed another shrub that was blooming blue'ish and didn't recognize. Perhaps another type of Hydrangea? Here's a pic:

I must do my homework on this one......

Time in the Trenches

2009-07-19T11:06:00.022-04:00

Yesterday afternoon was spent catching up in the garden and checking out how my experiments were doing.

Les Pois
Peas were one of the NKTB's (aka New Kids on the Block). Must say, love them! The peas that is. My daughters were the ones who loved NKTB. They were pretty much pest-free, grew like the dickens and were very very yummy. I never even bothered to cook them - just pop 'em open and pop 'em in.

Today the last bunch was picked and I learned something new. Young sweet peas really are better. This bunch had gotten pretty big and were not as sweet as the ones picked earlier. (Note to self.) So today was the day to pull those babies. All in all I was very impressed and plan to have peas in the garden always.

Garlic (or as Emeril would say "Gaaah-Lic")
The garlic was planted last fall from kitchen garlic 'cuz the seed store was out of it. It was looking all shabby out in the garden today so out it came. I was happy with the outcome. Rather small but it's hard to be disappointed when you have no expectations. Haven't tasted it yet but it grew.........and that's what matters.

Les Tomates
This years tomatoes are rather obnoxious if you ask me. Just behaving very badly. Growth is all over the place. Some are huge and skinny - some are short and fat. And only a few itsy bitsy tomatoes. June was a bust with relentless rain so I guess I should cut them some slack. I have to remind myself that it is only mid-July and there is still time but I. am. so. damn. IMPATIENT! Hmmmmf.

More Grossies in the Garden!

2009-07-12T22:44:00.013-04:00

It is abundantly clear that I hate creepy crawlies. I wish I were not such a woos. But I am.

Through the wonder of the web, you "meet" all kinds of people. One such person is EG. He has no issues whatsoever with bugs. He keeps a running total of squished squash bugs (whew that's a mouthful - say that fast 3 times!). He also likes to include videos in his blog which is kind of cool because you get to see what's going on in other parts of the country. And mostly feel twangs of envy 'cuz his garden is miles ahead of mine. Come to think of it, he hasn't posted in over two weeks and that's not like him. I hope he's on vacation. Check it out at Engineered Garden.

Back to my creepy crawlies. I'm not quite sure why I am including this picture. Perhaps to face my fear. Cue music - theme from "Jaws" please.

Ewwwwwwwwwwww. Can't wait until this post is archived.

Ugg...Bugs...

2009-07-12T02:50:00.010-04:00

I HATE BUGS! I really go all psycho-girly when it comes to creepy crawlies in the garden. You would think that after 20+ years of gardening I would get over it - nope. I am not a girly girl in any other way - except when it comes to bugs. I wish I would get over it but I don't think it's even a remote possibility.

Today was a particularly "buggy" day. Squash bugs, cucumber beetles, worms galore and this big bugger who has pinchers. Ewwwwwww. I was kind of getting into pyscho mode - a tomato branch brushed me and I almost jumped out of my skin. This is not right. Get a grip girlfriend - get a grip.

To date I have never come across a snake - thank you God - cuz that might just be the end of my gardening days. In all likelihood Iwould become the girl in the bubble.