[gardeners] Sunday in the Garden
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sun, 11 Jun 2000 16:34:21 -0500
My ISP has been down all day so finally got on line to discover some 77 messages
stacked up in my mail box. Such largesse!
Hot and humid here today with a couple of minor rain showers. Did manage to get
out and pick a double handful of chiles, some tomatoes, and a bucket full of
eggplant. Looks like I make moussaka for freezing tomorrow, it's either that or
more caponata. As we like both it's a moot question.
The Swiss Chard has finally succumbed to heat and insects so will come out this
week and something else will be planted. The cukes and zukes I planted last week
are up and growing and the late tomatoes I started in the greenhouse are ready
to set out too. Looks like a busy week in the old garden.
If the number of green chiles I'm seeing out there ripen soon I will be able to
make a double batch of hot sauce. I've got Thai Hots, Large Cherry, Margaret's
Rista Red, Longhorn, and Long Thai (both my crosses), and a Christmas bulb plant
that came up volunteer and is loaded. The sweet bells aren't doing so good even
though I'm babying them. I may have to purchase red bells to moderate my sauce
as everything that is doing well ranges from very hot to Ay! Chihuahua! I'm
amazed at the large cherries, they're as big as golf balls and just starting to
turn red.
All of our fruit trees are growing good. We're finally getting enough rain to
make the trees perk up. Even the oaks are putting on new growth for the first
time in 3 years. I'm not going to say our drought is over because we're still
shy about 10-12 inches of rain from where we should be. Very many more of the 1
inch thunder storms like Fridays and we'll be caught up quickly though.
The flowers are doing okay as the cleome's and zinnias are kicking in and the
old roses are putting on their second batch of blooms. I just drew a brain blast
so can't remember the names of the non-flowering fancy leaf stuff Miz Anne has
planted out front but they are doing great, huge leaves of many colors and lots
of multi-colored stuff. Coleus, I believe that's what they are! Sheesh, my brain
finally kicked something up front where I could see it.
Taking the old Dodge in to get it painted tomorrow. Finally found someone who
could do the job without my having to take out a second mortgage on the house.
Said he wouldn't guarantee that it would last the life of the car and I started
laughing. He didn't know the car is already 10 years old and has over 150K miles
on it. Another one of those Chrysler Corp. peeling paint jobs that happen on
their white and/or silver cars and trucks. I would still buy another one though,
mechanically its the best car I've ever owned.
Think I'll go get some fish ready to cook. Miz Anne has gone off to an old
friends funeral and should be home in an hour or two. Hmmm, wonder how she would
like sauted perch, some eggplant, sliced tomatoes and cukes, and maybe a little
bit of NZ spinach. Shucks, no worry, my lady eats whatever I cook her and never
complains. Good thing, first one to complain has to cook next time.
Life is good.
George