My usual routine on any Sunday is to attend the adult Bible Study Class, and visit the Nursery where we have a great lady who watches over any young children who come in. Next, I go into the worship service which affords me the opportunity to "recharge" my spiritual life.
After returning home and having lunch today I indulged myself by watching a Robert Downey Jr. movie. Then further indulged myself by reading a long email from my daughter. Next, having had no real exercise, I decided to have a walk about, to see how my tomatoes fared overnight in the cooler temperatures. Bonnie and Jim and some gardeners from church all thought my tomatoes would be just fine. My first task on this walk was to see if they were right. They all spoke the truth. My tomatoes all were just fine.
Down in the raised beds, the lettuce was up about two inches. This was my first attempt to grow lettuce.
Also the yellow squash plants in all three hills were up, about eight in all. I will have to do some thinning.
I am happy to report that the Navaho blackberries are in bloom. I have five of those plants. Just this morning I indulged myself with a biscuit and blackberry jelly. I had a discussion after church with a veteran gardener, who happens to be a retired Eastern Airline pilot. I told him that he always reminded me of blueberries, as he has some fine bushes which keep on producing year after year. Today he told me of when he was a youth. His father had around ten acres of blackberries, where he honed his skills as a blackberry gardener. He said that they cut down the dead stalks each year . To reward him for his gardening advise I told him I would bring him a jar of home made blackberry jelly. That brought a big smile to his face.
Back to growing things, some time ago I wrote about how Jim had used the chain saw to cut two enormous logs from a fallen oak tree. The logs had imprisoned a voluntary magnolia tree. Much to my delight I discovered that the tree will be rewarding us with blooms this year. I counted around twenty of them. The tree is about nine feet tall, and this is the first year for blooms to appear.
Another pleasant surprise was that two small Alpine Spruce are putting out new growth. They both were Christmas gifts from my children going back four years. They are not known to thrive in the south, but so far they are still where I planted them and still looking good.
The blueberries have lots of buds on them and this year the deer will not get them, as they are covered with netting. Also inside of the rabbit fencing around them, the strawberries are showing green berries. I have some slug bait which is safe to use around edibles, so one of my chores in the morning will be to use that inside the fence.
There were other surprises on this walk. I had forgotten that I planted Japanese Iris in the front beds. They are interesting as they grow in a circle. The buds on them were ready to open and show their white faces.
I promised to report back on the bulbs which took seven years to bloom. I got varying opinions, but I think my daughter gave the right answer. She said she thought it looked like Scilla. Then a light went off in my head which caused me to remember the word Scilla was on the label. I think it really is Blue Scilla. What I do not know is why it took seven years to bloom. I do have an idea however. I noticed that the places where it had been reported to grow, were all north of here. My thoughts are that I did not bury them deep enough for our warm climate. In the fall I plan to dig them up and replant them much deeper and see if they reward me for this act of kindness.
One thing was missing on this walk about, that one thing was someone to exclaim with me on each little discovery. Gardening surprises are best when served up with a friend.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
You Never Know
On the second Thursday of each month the William Candler Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution meet at the first Presbyterian church on Enota Street in our town. Someone is always responsible for bringing drinks and snacks. When everyone has settled in and are seated at some round tables, our Regent brings the meeting to order and we begin by going through our ritual. The ritual expresses our mission and all participate in a litany which reflects this goal. We have the pledge to the American flag, the Americans Creed, and the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America. It is always the same and one line I really like especially. It is a response, "Yea, I have a goodly heritage".
If we have a speaker that day, that is next on the agenda. Yesterday we had a lady come ,who had been there before. Her background is varied, but fashion design is one facet of her many talents. The last time she came she was dressed in period costume. This day, she was dressed in the style of the 1980's. She gave a history of clothing from the time of the Pilgrims up to the present. Also she had some vintage clothes which had belonged to her grandmother. She wore white gloves when she handled them. She touched them gingerly as she told about them. One tip for those who had old and delicate clothing was never to fold them, rather roll them for storage and once a month bring them out for a good airing.
We had been invited to bring to this meeting any vintage clothing that we had inherited. Some of the ladies did. The thing that impressed all of us was the very small waists of the dresses. They did wear corsets, skirt hoops, lace and ruffles too, which all seemed extreme in light of how simply we ladies dress today. The clothing which was brought in was for formal occasions mostly, like weddings. They were quite old and some had disintegrated in places, but still were impressive in their embroidery and hand work. In some cases they were made of silk. I think seeing these old styles made us appreciate our comfortable styles of today and also our many choices of fabrics.
One lady brought in a book which had pictures of her families from the past. Seeing them reminded me of my mother in her wedding attire. I am guessing that it was her wedding attire as she wore an elaborate blouse with many tucks and turns with blousing sleeves and of course the tiny waist. The picture of my father of that same year shows a hat worn at a jaunty angle and him seated in a casual pose. His white shirt had a very high collar, stylish at that time. No one was smiling, and I notice the same thing in other vintage family pictures. It was just not in vogue to smile for your portrait. It makes one wonder, if the folks of that time ( around 1900) had good dentistry services available. The pictures which I have of my fraternal grandmother and my maternal grandmother shows the same straight look, no smiling. In their portraits they wore dark clothing and were probably in their seventies. Perhaps these ladies were not smiling as they led austere lives in a time when the living was hard for most people, especially women. The dressy attire. lace and ruffles were reserved for special occasions and youth. I am still guessing, but I wonder if they had to sit very still for the cameras of their day.
Regarding the hair styles, I remember when my mother had her hair "bobbed". It was a big step. In her youth she had long hair but it was pulled over a round, rolled form, around her face. This form was called a "rat". Someone told me that they were now called "bumps" and were coming back into style. They are worn in back at the top of the head, maybe they replace wigs, for some women do have balding there, later in life. For whatever reason, we adapt to the present , according to what is available to us. We are now living in an age of rapid change. Hopefully the changes will be better for ourselves , our children, and grandchildren. It can be fun to look back, but looking forward can be more productive.
If we have a speaker that day, that is next on the agenda. Yesterday we had a lady come ,who had been there before. Her background is varied, but fashion design is one facet of her many talents. The last time she came she was dressed in period costume. This day, she was dressed in the style of the 1980's. She gave a history of clothing from the time of the Pilgrims up to the present. Also she had some vintage clothes which had belonged to her grandmother. She wore white gloves when she handled them. She touched them gingerly as she told about them. One tip for those who had old and delicate clothing was never to fold them, rather roll them for storage and once a month bring them out for a good airing.
We had been invited to bring to this meeting any vintage clothing that we had inherited. Some of the ladies did. The thing that impressed all of us was the very small waists of the dresses. They did wear corsets, skirt hoops, lace and ruffles too, which all seemed extreme in light of how simply we ladies dress today. The clothing which was brought in was for formal occasions mostly, like weddings. They were quite old and some had disintegrated in places, but still were impressive in their embroidery and hand work. In some cases they were made of silk. I think seeing these old styles made us appreciate our comfortable styles of today and also our many choices of fabrics.
One lady brought in a book which had pictures of her families from the past. Seeing them reminded me of my mother in her wedding attire. I am guessing that it was her wedding attire as she wore an elaborate blouse with many tucks and turns with blousing sleeves and of course the tiny waist. The picture of my father of that same year shows a hat worn at a jaunty angle and him seated in a casual pose. His white shirt had a very high collar, stylish at that time. No one was smiling, and I notice the same thing in other vintage family pictures. It was just not in vogue to smile for your portrait. It makes one wonder, if the folks of that time ( around 1900) had good dentistry services available. The pictures which I have of my fraternal grandmother and my maternal grandmother shows the same straight look, no smiling. In their portraits they wore dark clothing and were probably in their seventies. Perhaps these ladies were not smiling as they led austere lives in a time when the living was hard for most people, especially women. The dressy attire. lace and ruffles were reserved for special occasions and youth. I am still guessing, but I wonder if they had to sit very still for the cameras of their day.
Regarding the hair styles, I remember when my mother had her hair "bobbed". It was a big step. In her youth she had long hair but it was pulled over a round, rolled form, around her face. This form was called a "rat". Someone told me that they were now called "bumps" and were coming back into style. They are worn in back at the top of the head, maybe they replace wigs, for some women do have balding there, later in life. For whatever reason, we adapt to the present , according to what is available to us. We are now living in an age of rapid change. Hopefully the changes will be better for ourselves , our children, and grandchildren. It can be fun to look back, but looking forward can be more productive.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Things I Learned Today
First off, I learned that there is something called brake dust. This came to light when I was out helping Jim wash my car. He had it well underway when I went out to join him. When I asked what I could do, he showed me how to use a degreaser on the hub caps. He remarked that a spray for brake dust was recommended but this spray did just as good a job. As usual, I challenge any new idea he brings up, and I though he was teasing again. But he was not and went to the computer (source for quick affirmation) and printed out the definition of brake dust, and how it is produced. You can look it up too, if you are interested.
Next, I learned why I was not succeeding at repairing a leaky toilet. Who would have thought that there is a male and female part that must mesh perfectly in order for the tank to fill up with water, awaiting the next flush. Leaning over the tank and watching the repair job, I learned more than I wanted to know, but in the end I understand now what keeps the water in the tank.
I learned that I do not particularly like Goudam cheese melted on bread with sauerkraut and grilled into a sandwich. Jim took one bite and declared emphatically that he did not like it at all. I ate it anyway, and survived. I do not plan on trying it again however.
While downing this strange concoction, I was reading a short story by William Saroyan, written around 1952. Wanting to know more about him I went to the quick source of all knowledge and read up on this interesting, prolific writer who would not accept the Pulitzer Prize for his play The Time of Your Life. He said, "Commerce should not patronize Art," and added, "it is no more great or good than anything else I have written." I was bemused by the many quotes from him and found myself agreeing with the wisdom of most of them. I think I dig this man, who must have felt himself a citizen of the world. One quote from The Time of Your Life, sums it up "Be the inferior of no man, nor of any man be the superior."
Today I also made an exciting discovery. About seven years ago I planted some spring blooming bulbs which had never bloomed in all those years. I do not remember
the name of them but the name "Snowdrops" comes to mind. As I was polishing away on my car my eyes fell on the green blades from this bulb. Imagine my delight when I saw some blooms. They looked like nothing I had ever seen before and they were not white like a Snowdrop bloom. I took a picture, right then, and sent it to the extension office in Cumming. About three weeks ago l had talked to the agent there, asking if he could help me with these bulbs which had never bloomed. He told me to send a picture. I had not gotten around to doing that, but did so right then. I will report back when I know more, but I felt like I had won the lottery. May I wish for you as exciting as day as mine has been.
Next, I learned why I was not succeeding at repairing a leaky toilet. Who would have thought that there is a male and female part that must mesh perfectly in order for the tank to fill up with water, awaiting the next flush. Leaning over the tank and watching the repair job, I learned more than I wanted to know, but in the end I understand now what keeps the water in the tank.
I learned that I do not particularly like Goudam cheese melted on bread with sauerkraut and grilled into a sandwich. Jim took one bite and declared emphatically that he did not like it at all. I ate it anyway, and survived. I do not plan on trying it again however.
While downing this strange concoction, I was reading a short story by William Saroyan, written around 1952. Wanting to know more about him I went to the quick source of all knowledge and read up on this interesting, prolific writer who would not accept the Pulitzer Prize for his play The Time of Your Life. He said, "Commerce should not patronize Art," and added, "it is no more great or good than anything else I have written." I was bemused by the many quotes from him and found myself agreeing with the wisdom of most of them. I think I dig this man, who must have felt himself a citizen of the world. One quote from The Time of Your Life, sums it up "Be the inferior of no man, nor of any man be the superior."
Today I also made an exciting discovery. About seven years ago I planted some spring blooming bulbs which had never bloomed in all those years. I do not remember
the name of them but the name "Snowdrops" comes to mind. As I was polishing away on my car my eyes fell on the green blades from this bulb. Imagine my delight when I saw some blooms. They looked like nothing I had ever seen before and they were not white like a Snowdrop bloom. I took a picture, right then, and sent it to the extension office in Cumming. About three weeks ago l had talked to the agent there, asking if he could help me with these bulbs which had never bloomed. He told me to send a picture. I had not gotten around to doing that, but did so right then. I will report back when I know more, but I felt like I had won the lottery. May I wish for you as exciting as day as mine has been.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Spreading the Word
About fifty years ago, when I lived in Salisbury, Maryland, I joined a group called The homemakers Club. It operated under the auspices of the Agricultural Department of Maryland. My daughter was around three years old and my son was an infant. I took my young daughter (who was very well behaved and enjoyed the adventure) and my young son with me to these meetings. I carried him in a basket made for just such a trip. I thoroughly enjoyed these meetings as it was an opportunity to learn new things in terms of home making. We always had a speaker who was in the business of teaching helpful things to home makers.
One memorable day was spent at the home of a farmer in the area. His wife took us into her garden and we saw peanuts growing. This was a first for me and my daughter remembers the trip to this day. It inspired me years later, when I had a garden, to plant Virginia peanuts. They were large and easy to grow and so much fun. On that outing we also saw a huge cherry tree full of cherries ripening. This gracious lady allowed us to pick all the cherries we wanted - and could reach. On that day she served a dessert which was like a custard with graham cracker crust and crushed graham crackers on top. I kept the recipe for decades. Recently I made it and did enjoy it very much. She called it Crumb Tart. It was a favorite of my children.
These happy experiences have led me to look for this governmental agency,
each time I moved to a new area. It is found in the Extension Service which every town has available to them. Anything you need to know about gardening, and also any other issues you need help with, you can find, with the folks who work there. A couple of years ago, I invited the lady agent who works in the town near me, to come and pick grapes. I have taken her kiwi and have taken my extra Iris bulbs to the Ag Agent there ( he grows all types of Iris). They are as happy to receive as they are to give.
When I was a child my father had a hobby which helped supplement his income as a bookkeeper. He raised cows and became good friends with Mr. Rudine, the county agent. My mother was good friends with his wife and they benefited from their friendship.
I am telling about this as I have found so many people who have no idea that help is available to them from this free source. I have been passing this information along for years. If you have not yet consulted the Extension Service for your county, try them the next time you have a knotty problem. It could be gardening, termites or any problem you have. You can say I sent you.
One memorable day was spent at the home of a farmer in the area. His wife took us into her garden and we saw peanuts growing. This was a first for me and my daughter remembers the trip to this day. It inspired me years later, when I had a garden, to plant Virginia peanuts. They were large and easy to grow and so much fun. On that outing we also saw a huge cherry tree full of cherries ripening. This gracious lady allowed us to pick all the cherries we wanted - and could reach. On that day she served a dessert which was like a custard with graham cracker crust and crushed graham crackers on top. I kept the recipe for decades. Recently I made it and did enjoy it very much. She called it Crumb Tart. It was a favorite of my children.
These happy experiences have led me to look for this governmental agency,
each time I moved to a new area. It is found in the Extension Service which every town has available to them. Anything you need to know about gardening, and also any other issues you need help with, you can find, with the folks who work there. A couple of years ago, I invited the lady agent who works in the town near me, to come and pick grapes. I have taken her kiwi and have taken my extra Iris bulbs to the Ag Agent there ( he grows all types of Iris). They are as happy to receive as they are to give.
When I was a child my father had a hobby which helped supplement his income as a bookkeeper. He raised cows and became good friends with Mr. Rudine, the county agent. My mother was good friends with his wife and they benefited from their friendship.
I am telling about this as I have found so many people who have no idea that help is available to them from this free source. I have been passing this information along for years. If you have not yet consulted the Extension Service for your county, try them the next time you have a knotty problem. It could be gardening, termites or any problem you have. You can say I sent you.
Spring Inspiration
Saturday afternoon, on my way home from a birthday party for the youngest member of our church, I stopped at my mail box. Just as I opened my car door, my neighbor's car pulled up behind me. I had not seen her for a while. She stays busy and so do I. She asked me to come over and see what they were doing to their patio. I told her I would put some things in my house, and meander on over. And I did.
She has a wide gray concrete drive up to her house, a distance of about 20 yards. Her husband met me at the door with his usual banter. Then we went through their house to the back where the patio was undergoing major change. The outline of what the patio was to become was discernible by the curving forms,piles of sand, and stacks of pavers. They had found some talented yard men and brick layers who were in the process of transforming their back into an inviting site for entertaining in the future. She wanted me to see the "before" so I could appreciate the "after".
The grounds around their home is already a dream of flowering shrubs, bulbs and various trees. That in itself, is enough to get my gardening juices flowing. She had been planning this whole new "playground" over the winter, and had just made some final decisions. So, she was still on cloud nine and it was casting it's spell on me. My version of transformation was more utilitarian, in terms of harvest. I am looking to put my energy and resources into vegetables, fruits and preserving what I do not use fresh.
But just seeing her plans come to life was inspiration enough to make me want to speed up the process. In my case we will buy a new heaver, riding mower to use in the vineyard and on the yard. Our's caught on fire, possibly from the friction of the fan belt below the deck. That incident was the catalyst to research a new mower. A dealer is sending someone out tomorrow to see if Jim's vision of what we need will match the dealer's machine which he is bringing out for a test run.
Old timers used to say, in the spring tour blood thinned. Well, whatever you call it, the urge to dig in the dirt does hit about this time. At least it does for all of us gardening enthusiasts. Good luck with your spring adventure and let us know how it turns out.
She has a wide gray concrete drive up to her house, a distance of about 20 yards. Her husband met me at the door with his usual banter. Then we went through their house to the back where the patio was undergoing major change. The outline of what the patio was to become was discernible by the curving forms,piles of sand, and stacks of pavers. They had found some talented yard men and brick layers who were in the process of transforming their back into an inviting site for entertaining in the future. She wanted me to see the "before" so I could appreciate the "after".
The grounds around their home is already a dream of flowering shrubs, bulbs and various trees. That in itself, is enough to get my gardening juices flowing. She had been planning this whole new "playground" over the winter, and had just made some final decisions. So, she was still on cloud nine and it was casting it's spell on me. My version of transformation was more utilitarian, in terms of harvest. I am looking to put my energy and resources into vegetables, fruits and preserving what I do not use fresh.
But just seeing her plans come to life was inspiration enough to make me want to speed up the process. In my case we will buy a new heaver, riding mower to use in the vineyard and on the yard. Our's caught on fire, possibly from the friction of the fan belt below the deck. That incident was the catalyst to research a new mower. A dealer is sending someone out tomorrow to see if Jim's vision of what we need will match the dealer's machine which he is bringing out for a test run.
Old timers used to say, in the spring tour blood thinned. Well, whatever you call it, the urge to dig in the dirt does hit about this time. At least it does for all of us gardening enthusiasts. Good luck with your spring adventure and let us know how it turns out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)