The fourth of July is always best if spent with family and that is what I did this year, up here on the lake. "My guys", (my son and his two boys), came up and we had the noon meal together. My youngest grandson, age 12, went to the lake with his dad and they checked out the dock to see if it needed to be brought in. It did not so they enjoyed a bit of time sitting on the benches and looking out at the boaters. It is very pleasant down there listening to the water lapping against the shore. It gives one a lazy, everything is right with the world feeling.
My older grandson is 17 and has just returned from Germany. He and four classmates took a trip with their German teacher who came here from Germany and still owns a home there. His guest host was an 18 year old boy and they had a great time. My grandson brought back a lot of pictures which he took with this digital camera. He was using my digital photo frame ( a birthday gift from my son) to display his pictures and it was a treat for me. I asked him what one thing stood out in his mind about his visit in Germany. Without hesitation he said "public transportation". Their bus and rail system made it very convenient to go anywhere they wanted to go. He spoke only German while there and I am sure that improved his German speaking skills.
The two dogs were very happy to get all of the back rubs and scratches from the boys. I can tell they miss their master and mistress, but at least they can go out whenever they want and run freely. At home they live in a condo on the second level and going out is controlled walking whereas here I just open the door and out they go !!
I sent green tomatoes home with my son and also instructions on preparing fried green tomatoes ! It was a quiet, restful fourth with no fireworks and that could be a good thing. I can say that because I have memories of one fourth in Maryland when my husband took us to the stadium at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. It was a special treat to be so close to the display, as we sat up in the bleachers, and took it all in. My son was four at the time and possibly it was his first time to be present at such an event. He was looking up toward the high spraying sparks and one little cinder landed on his eye. I already had an ophthalmologist in Baltimore so he was properly evaluated soon afterwards. No damage was done as the cinder missed the cornea by a small margin. I was thankful for that.
After they left for home I went down to the raised beds to do some watering since we have had no rain for three weeks. I saw the smaller lizard scampering over the concrete block lining the beds and I spied a very pink tomato on the Goliath vine. I could not resist picking it even though it could have stayed on a bit longer. Also one of the blackbery bushes had two big red berries on one branch. That surprised me as I thought it was all finished with that. I made several trips up to the house in my golf cart as I had not taken down a basket and I kept finding lots of cucumbers. I put the tomato on my kitchen diet scale and it weighed over one pound, as the indicator went past 16 ounces.
Whereas I saw no fireworks I certainly did hear them. Some neighbors to the west of me celebrate every holiday by firing off screamers and boomers and the colorful sprayers. Since I get up with the sun, I also go to bed with the sun so I heard all of this just as I was drifting off to sleep. A lovely fourth of July this year.
Showing posts with label tomatoes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tomatoes. Show all posts
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
tomaatoes
For the second time I discovered my big heavy tomato cages blown over. My son-in-law was with me today when we saw this disheartening sight. His analysis was that the strings I had put up to keep the branches from breaking was pulling them over. So, we set them straight and weighed down the cages with large bricks and then cut all of the strings holding the branches up. He thought that just letting the branches hang down might help to keep them from blowing over. He gave them a good watering and gathered 12 large green tomatoes from where they had fallen. Fried green tomatoes are a favorite of many southern gardeners.
Yesterday I happened upon a squirrel in one of my blueberry bushes. He must have heard the crunch of my golf cart tires on the gravel as he frantically ran back and forth until he must have remembered the fence and scampered up onto a post and was gone. Last year the squirrels got all of the pears in a large pear tree up near the main road. They were seen with pears in their mouths, coming down the tree and running away. I would never have thought that squirrels would eat pears, or perhaps they thought they had found the mother lode of nuts !! And did not even have to crack them.!
I have seen some strange things around this place. A number of years ago, possibly ten, we were having a rare snow fall. It had just begun to snow and I was watching out the front windows when I saw what at first appeared to be a dog. But it proved to be a red fox and he was romping and jumping and running around playing in the snow. He was just as excited as could be. I had to believe it was his first snow !
Foxes do not generally show themselves. I once saw one on my back, brick porch. He had the thinnest little legs. Another time I was coming home after dark . As I drove around to the back of my house my headlights fell on a fox which was standing at the top of a stone wall. I stopped my car about twenty feet from him. He stood still for about thirty seconds and then was gone.
I recall my first encounter with wildlife when I was around age five living in southeastern Kentucky, I was playing in the woods behind our home and came across some baby rabbits in their nest with their eyes still closed. I watched in wonder and then quietly slipped away. I was reminded of that experience a number of years ago. I have thirty windows across the front of my living room. They are covered with triple honeycomb shades. They face the south and I keep them closed in hot weather so my house is cooler. Ond day I raised one of them about twelve inches and walked away. Later I was looking out and saw a rabbit patiently sitting there under the branches of a cotoneaster bush. I carefully came closer and witnessed a mother rabbit crouched over her nest - a depression in the ground - patiently allowing her babies to nurse. I left the blinds in that same position in order to observe them. The next time my grandson came to see me they were still there but much larger. We went out to see them firsthand and just our presence a few feet away frightened them, as they scampered into the grass and on to the woods. Perhaps some of the brown bunnies I see around here from time to time are the descendants of those little babies we watched. At least I like to think so.
Yesterday I happened upon a squirrel in one of my blueberry bushes. He must have heard the crunch of my golf cart tires on the gravel as he frantically ran back and forth until he must have remembered the fence and scampered up onto a post and was gone. Last year the squirrels got all of the pears in a large pear tree up near the main road. They were seen with pears in their mouths, coming down the tree and running away. I would never have thought that squirrels would eat pears, or perhaps they thought they had found the mother lode of nuts !! And did not even have to crack them.!
I have seen some strange things around this place. A number of years ago, possibly ten, we were having a rare snow fall. It had just begun to snow and I was watching out the front windows when I saw what at first appeared to be a dog. But it proved to be a red fox and he was romping and jumping and running around playing in the snow. He was just as excited as could be. I had to believe it was his first snow !
Foxes do not generally show themselves. I once saw one on my back, brick porch. He had the thinnest little legs. Another time I was coming home after dark . As I drove around to the back of my house my headlights fell on a fox which was standing at the top of a stone wall. I stopped my car about twenty feet from him. He stood still for about thirty seconds and then was gone.
I recall my first encounter with wildlife when I was around age five living in southeastern Kentucky, I was playing in the woods behind our home and came across some baby rabbits in their nest with their eyes still closed. I watched in wonder and then quietly slipped away. I was reminded of that experience a number of years ago. I have thirty windows across the front of my living room. They are covered with triple honeycomb shades. They face the south and I keep them closed in hot weather so my house is cooler. Ond day I raised one of them about twelve inches and walked away. Later I was looking out and saw a rabbit patiently sitting there under the branches of a cotoneaster bush. I carefully came closer and witnessed a mother rabbit crouched over her nest - a depression in the ground - patiently allowing her babies to nurse. I left the blinds in that same position in order to observe them. The next time my grandson came to see me they were still there but much larger. We went out to see them firsthand and just our presence a few feet away frightened them, as they scampered into the grass and on to the woods. Perhaps some of the brown bunnies I see around here from time to time are the descendants of those little babies we watched. At least I like to think so.
Friday, June 26, 2009
garden surprises
Yesterday I noticed that more water was needed in part of my raised beds so early this morning I turned on the water and headed down. When I moved the hose to where it was needed I noticed a cucumber that I had misssed before. Of course I did not have a basket or plastic bag to put it in so my pocket received this one, as I walked around I noticed another one and then another and by the time I finished I had nine cucumbers. Now, if I had gone down with a basket I would have found nothing to put in it !
Last week I picked two green tomatoes as they were crowding out the others on that branch. At this same spot I had to pick two more today as they are growing so fast there is not room for them in between the stalks. These measured 3.5 inches across and still growing. This is from the plant (properly ) named Goliath. The plum tomatoes are funny little things, as they look deformed, almost pear shaped. It will be interesting to see how they look at maturity. This plant is determinate, so all of the fruit will ripen at once.
I planted four "hills" of squash. Two yellow crookneck and two zucchini, black beauty. Only the yellow squash have produced. Usually zucchini is a heavy producer but so far nothing ! Either something is eating the blooms or the whole bunch is male. I need to consult the agent at the extension service. This is one service that is free and I use these folks all the time.
I do not understand how one row of beans comes up and the other does not. Either the soil is better in one spot or it gets more water. These blue lake beans are great for freezing and are really tender and tasty for fresh eating. I plan to keep planting them in spots where spring veggies have run their course. Snow peas are fading out now but the kale is still going gangbusters. Jim , my son-in-law learned about kale this spring. He had never tasted it and did not even want to try , but we finally convinced him to give it a try. He was more surprised than Bonnie and I were that he liked it !!!! He began buying it at the market where he shops and he is the reason I planted it this year. Since he prepared the soil I thought he should have some rewards from his labor (he does not like tomatoes) , poor soul. !
Does anyone know how lizards fit into the garden scene? This is the second year I have had them at the raised beds. I hope they are just there to eat bugs and I have seen two so I believe that there may be more as time goes by!!
Last week I picked two green tomatoes as they were crowding out the others on that branch. At this same spot I had to pick two more today as they are growing so fast there is not room for them in between the stalks. These measured 3.5 inches across and still growing. This is from the plant (properly ) named Goliath. The plum tomatoes are funny little things, as they look deformed, almost pear shaped. It will be interesting to see how they look at maturity. This plant is determinate, so all of the fruit will ripen at once.
I planted four "hills" of squash. Two yellow crookneck and two zucchini, black beauty. Only the yellow squash have produced. Usually zucchini is a heavy producer but so far nothing ! Either something is eating the blooms or the whole bunch is male. I need to consult the agent at the extension service. This is one service that is free and I use these folks all the time.
I do not understand how one row of beans comes up and the other does not. Either the soil is better in one spot or it gets more water. These blue lake beans are great for freezing and are really tender and tasty for fresh eating. I plan to keep planting them in spots where spring veggies have run their course. Snow peas are fading out now but the kale is still going gangbusters. Jim , my son-in-law learned about kale this spring. He had never tasted it and did not even want to try , but we finally convinced him to give it a try. He was more surprised than Bonnie and I were that he liked it !!!! He began buying it at the market where he shops and he is the reason I planted it this year. Since he prepared the soil I thought he should have some rewards from his labor (he does not like tomatoes) , poor soul. !
Does anyone know how lizards fit into the garden scene? This is the second year I have had them at the raised beds. I hope they are just there to eat bugs and I have seen two so I believe that there may be more as time goes by!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)