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| Glorious! |
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| Jalapeno |
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| Georgia Flame, nearly ready. |
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| Beautiful bells. |
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| Pumpkin bloom. |
Hello!
Friday, July 27, 2012
Just a little salt, please.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Diēs Caniculārēs
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| A basket full of dill and cucumbers, and our first ripe tomato! A Costoluto Genovese. These cucumbers will soon be bathing in brine and on their way to becoming garlic dill pickles. |
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| This Black Icicle tomato is nearly ready for our mouths. |
“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been
the two most beautiful words in the English language.”
-- Henry James
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| A mantis of a different kind. This wonderful garden stone was made by my pal Judy. |
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| Zinnia |
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| Cosmos |
“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine
was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.”
-- Maud Hart Lovelace, Betsy-Tacy and Tib
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| Muskmelon everywhere! |
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| The pumpkin vine is healthy and loaded with dozens of flowers. I can't wait to make pie and other various baked goods with these squash come fall. |
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| Butternut-ty goodness |
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| The first watermelon. It's so darn cute! |
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| Burgundy okra. |
"Everything that slows us down and forces patience,
everything that sets us back into the slow circles of nature, is a help.
Gardening is an instrument of grace."
-- May Sarton
Hopefully you're enjoying your summer as much as we are. Recipes for garlic dill pickles, salsa, and potato salad are coming soon to the recipe blog.
http://wrightgardenchronicles.blogspot.com
http://wrightgardenrecipes.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Luncheon with a praying mantis
Yesterday afternoon I spotted a praying mantis in one of the flower beds. Assuming this is the same mantid that's been seen in this general location before, it's about three inches in length now. It's eyes have taken on more of an amber color as well.
After spotting this leggy creature I dashed inside to grab the camera. By sheer luck I happened to take a picture of the mantid just after it caught a tiny caterpillar in its left forearm. Of course, I didn't realize this until after I uploaded the pictures to my laptop where I can really zoom in on small details.
I did, however, notice a nub of a tiny tube shaped object stuck to the tip of a leaf that the mantid took a bite out of. Enjoy this video of the praying mantis eating its catch. It's so Sci-Fi the way its jaws move sideways versus up and down.
Darn it! Why can't I upload videos?!
The Clearwing Hummingbird moths have been busy 'round the butterfly bush. I'm so glad that I learned about these creatures last summer. I no longer mistake them for bumble bees.
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| I love their shrimp-like bodies. |
The watering hole for the bees is always busy. I enjoy watching the bees land in the center of the cells and float on the surface of the water with their legs spread wide as they drink.
While I sit on the front porch creating this post, I'm in the company of Spencer and Chet. They're both happily napping and enjoying summer's warmth.
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| Pigs dangling everywhere. |
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| Chet laying in a typical sprawled fashion. |
Cheers!
http://wrightgardenchronicles.blogspot.com
http://wrightgardenrecipes.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Independence Day
These are the kind of summers I like. HOT. Today is the first day that I haven't been able to walk on the driveway without the bottoms of my feet cursing loudly at me. In fact, I knew better than to even try. Yesterday the driveway made my feet sting a little bit, so I knew that today even my hillbilly hooves would need protection.
I spent several hours outside earlier this afternoon puttering around in the garden and planting seeds in pots while sitting on the floor of the garage. (It's the heat I like, not sitting in direct sunlight, as evidenced by my fair complexion.) Now that the garlic is out of the ground, lots of garden real estate has been opened up and I intend to put that good Earth to use.
Being started in pots are Pasilla pepper, Serrano pepper, marigold, a Cardinal Climber Morning Glory, and two each of red, yellow, green and orange bell pepper. There are already bell pepper plants growing in the garden bed, but there's no reason not to grow a bazillion of 'em and stock our deep freeze with homegrown bell peppers.
Two of the transplanted hot peppers (Pasilla and Serrano) didn't make it in the garden bed. When I transplanted the seedlings at the end of April, the four hot pepper plants looked great and continued to look good for the next couple weeks. One day, I noticed the Serrano plant was gone. Another day, about two weeks later, the Pasilla plant was missing, too. Hopefully, with so much sun and warmth, these newly planted seeds will grow quickly, be healthy plants, and produce many delicious peppers.
While planting the seeds, it occurred to me to share the system I use to easily recall what seedlings are growing in flats and, ultimately, what is growing where in the garden bed. Seeds of more than one variety are planted alphabetically. For instance, the hot pepper seeds were planted in the flat (as well as in the garden) alphabetically - Georgia Flame, Jalapeno, Pasilla and Serrano. The tomatoes were planted alphabetically as well. The bell peppers were planted according to color: red, yellow, green and then orange. Like a traffic light, which is easy to remember. Yes, you can write down what you planted and where, but this system is easy to remember when everything is still small and all looks alike.
I spent several hours outside earlier this afternoon puttering around in the garden and planting seeds in pots while sitting on the floor of the garage. (It's the heat I like, not sitting in direct sunlight, as evidenced by my fair complexion.) Now that the garlic is out of the ground, lots of garden real estate has been opened up and I intend to put that good Earth to use.
Being started in pots are Pasilla pepper, Serrano pepper, marigold, a Cardinal Climber Morning Glory, and two each of red, yellow, green and orange bell pepper. There are already bell pepper plants growing in the garden bed, but there's no reason not to grow a bazillion of 'em and stock our deep freeze with homegrown bell peppers.
Two of the transplanted hot peppers (Pasilla and Serrano) didn't make it in the garden bed. When I transplanted the seedlings at the end of April, the four hot pepper plants looked great and continued to look good for the next couple weeks. One day, I noticed the Serrano plant was gone. Another day, about two weeks later, the Pasilla plant was missing, too. Hopefully, with so much sun and warmth, these newly planted seeds will grow quickly, be healthy plants, and produce many delicious peppers.
While planting the seeds, it occurred to me to share the system I use to easily recall what seedlings are growing in flats and, ultimately, what is growing where in the garden bed. Seeds of more than one variety are planted alphabetically. For instance, the hot pepper seeds were planted in the flat (as well as in the garden) alphabetically - Georgia Flame, Jalapeno, Pasilla and Serrano. The tomatoes were planted alphabetically as well. The bell peppers were planted according to color: red, yellow, green and then orange. Like a traffic light, which is easy to remember. Yes, you can write down what you planted and where, but this system is easy to remember when everything is still small and all looks alike.
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| Mama Leone tomato just starting to blush. |
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| Yellow cipollini onions |
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| Strawberries are growing strong. The main plants have sent several runners in all directions. |
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| The herb bed includes sage, dill, thyme, marjoram, basil, tarragon, chives, oregano, rosemary, bay laurel and bergamot. |
“Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don't they should,
for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers.”
-- Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine
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| The Eastern Redbud is growing nicely. |
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| The latest addition to the backyard is a tiny Blue Spruce, given to us by two nature-loving friends. This little tree smells like Christmas. |
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| A spent flower gives way to fruit. This odd looking bit will soon be a black raspberry! |
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| Both black raspberry plants are doing excellent. They've literally gone from being sticks to plants that are a lush green with many broad healthy leaves and additional branches. The newest growth on the plants are thorns. The thorns are a sure sign of the plant's good health. |
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| Beetastic! Harvested today. Tomorrow they'll be supper: Beet, Dried Cherry and Red Wine Risotto |
"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer's day,
listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky,
is by no means a waste of time." -- John Lubbock
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| Queen Anne's Lace |
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| Queen Anne's Lace silhouetted against the late afternoon sky. Cheers! |
http://wrightgardenchronicles.blogspot.com
http://wrightgardenrecipes.blogspot.com
Monday, July 2, 2012
A beautiful day in the neighborhood
It's 7:07 p.m. and I'm sitting in the backyard. It's lovely out here. A gentle breeze is blowing while the sun sets, a few of summer's first cicadas are playing their music, birds are chirping, and a dozen or so bumble bees are busy gliding from flower to flower in the patch of fuchsia colored bergamot next to me. The sprinkler rocks back and forth giving the garden bed and blueberry bushes a much needed drink, too. It's such a relaxing way to end the day.
Yesterday afternoon the garlic was harvested. It now hangs in bunches from the rafters in the basement to dry (or cure) for the next two weeks. The harvest was bountiful and yielded eighteen bulbs of Chet's Italian Red, nineteen bulbs of Georgian Fire, and eighteen bulbs of Chesnok Red. Yes, that's fifty-five bulbs of garlic! The basement reeks of the sweet and slightly spicy perfume of garlic right now. Once there were about 10 bulbs of garlic resting on the lawn, the scent of garlic hung in the air in the backyard. The aroma grew more pungent as more bulbs emerged from the ground.
Garlic recipes will soon be added to Wright Garden Recipes, so stay tuned. If you're not already on that mailing list to receive an email when new posts are made, visit the blog and sign up.
A storm rolled through town yesterday. For the most part, it consisted of high blasts of wind and produced some pretty amazing, if not ought-to-be-on-alert, looking clouds. I snapped several photos of the clouds and although they have nothing to do with Wright Gardens or gardening, I'm including a few here anyway.
Yesterday afternoon the garlic was harvested. It now hangs in bunches from the rafters in the basement to dry (or cure) for the next two weeks. The harvest was bountiful and yielded eighteen bulbs of Chet's Italian Red, nineteen bulbs of Georgian Fire, and eighteen bulbs of Chesnok Red. Yes, that's fifty-five bulbs of garlic! The basement reeks of the sweet and slightly spicy perfume of garlic right now. Once there were about 10 bulbs of garlic resting on the lawn, the scent of garlic hung in the air in the backyard. The aroma grew more pungent as more bulbs emerged from the ground.
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| Chet's Italian Red |
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| Georgian Fire |
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| Chesnok Red |
Garlic recipes will soon be added to Wright Garden Recipes, so stay tuned. If you're not already on that mailing list to receive an email when new posts are made, visit the blog and sign up.
A storm rolled through town yesterday. For the most part, it consisted of high blasts of wind and produced some pretty amazing, if not ought-to-be-on-alert, looking clouds. I snapped several photos of the clouds and although they have nothing to do with Wright Gardens or gardening, I'm including a few here anyway.
Happy days. Sweaty pits. Dirty feet. Bountiful garden.
http://wrightgardenchronicles.blogspot.com
http://wrightgardenrecipes.blogspot.com
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