Haley's Comet News and Views

The Garden Chronicles October 23, 2011 - Fall Harvest Spectacular!

2011-10-23T17:47:00.000-05:00

We have never had an October harvest like this! The variety of produce above (tomatoes, zucchini, delicata squash, eggplant, raspberries, potatoes, broccoli, and sweet potatoes) this late in the fall is unprecedented. This year's garden exceeded all expectations, and was a complete surprise given the late start due to bad weather during the spring and early summer.

The tomatoes grew everywhere, and we had 8 or 9 varieties, some of which we planted unintentionally by spreading composted vegetable scraps all over the vegetable beds this spring. We especially enjoyed the Tajikistan tomatoes that we started using seeds supplied by a friend who visited there last year.

Lettuce is still growing in the cold frame.

Our last harvest of rhubarb in October.

Pears from our second tree nearly overwhelmed us. They are very sweet and juicy.

We have harvested nearly all of the red raspberries by now. They were plentiful through October.

Fall flowers are showy and colorful, too.

The black raspberry bushes grew taller than six feet and have fully taken over the edge of our front yard to the sidewalk! We have high hopes for lots of black raspberries next summer.

The sunflowers finally bloomed, and I took this photo before the squirrels decimated all the large heads.

The Garden Chronicles August 28, 2011 - The BIG Harvests of 2011

2011-08-28T12:03:00.000-05:00

The improved weather of the last few weeks accounted for HUGE yields this week. These photos show just some of the incredible harvests of fruit and veggies, all from our backyard.

Yellow and green beans, yellow squash, three kinds of tomatoes, Swiss chard.

The garden bunnies didn't get any of the kale, chard, mint or basil.

Ready for the freezer: three gallons of kale, two gallons of chard, and one quart each of basil and mint.

A sampling of the pears this week.We did a better job of getting to them before the birds did.

One of the best grape harvests ever, and sweeter than last year's.

No shortage of zucchini. More than 30 lbs, and at least 20 of it went to Dorothy Day Center (homeless shelter and soup kitchen in downtown St. Paul) where they love receiving donations of fresh produce.

One day spent canning resulted in six pints of grape jelly, three half-pints champagne currant jelly, six half-pints red currant jelly, and four half-pints black currant jelly. The pears went into eight pints of pear-pineapple preserves, a packed one-gallon bag dehydrated pear slices, and a few quarts of pear sauce.

Lake Superior's North Shore

2011-08-06T20:52:00.001-05:00

This week we escaped city heat and humidity for a few days on the north shore of Lake Superior, staying in Lutsen/Tofte area and driving as far as Grand Marais, MN. We hiked the trails of Superior National Forest, enjoying views of the Great Lake from above. Our lodging was right at the shore, and we were able to walk along the rocky coast and look across the sea-like lake where water meets the sky along the horizon. We also visited some MN State Parks and hiked more trails there. David and I took the following photos.

Here is sunset on Lake Superior.

Views from the top of Pincushion Mountain, along the Gun Flint trail through Superior National Forest.

Kettle River and rapids at Banning State Park.

Bead Lily, a common wildflower of the forest floor, with blue berries in August.

A butterfly landed on David's arm while we were hiking the trail.

Cascade River State Park.

David climbing Eagle Mountain (highest peak in MN at 2,000 feet).

Dwarf dogwood, another wildflower of the forest floor, with red berries in August.

Lake Superior coastline.

Mountain Laurel.

Views along the trail to Oberg Mountain in Lutsen, my favorite hike of the vacation.

While hiking Oberg trail, we met the family of a beautiful Golden Retriever named Cedar, celebrating her eleventh birthday by leading them along the trail she has been hiking with them since she was a puppy.

Thimbleberries were ripe along the trails - We tried a few (very sweet), and also sampled some wild raspberries.

View of Lake Superior from the patio.

View from Eagle Mountain.

The Garden Chronicles August 6, 2011 - Zucchini Plus!

2011-08-06T20:13:00.000-05:00

We thought there were no more zucchini, but look what we found this morning.Whoppers all, and they are mostly now in the freezer for this winter's zucchini breads, as well as soups and stews. Our raspberries produced well this summer, despite an infestation of Japanese beetles that has attacked them. Many trees, shrubs, and rose bushes throughout the Twin Cities are affected by these beetles.

Our cherry tomatoes are a light orange variety and very tasty. We seem to be getting one or two cucumbers a week - just enough for salads.

The Garden Chronicles July 31, 2011 - Catching Up and Weeds Be Gone!

2011-07-31T13:58:00.000-05:00

Record-setting heat, humidity and rain this summer led to record-setting weed growth in the vegetable and flower beds. We can barely keep up with them all.

Our strawberry bed gave us small but sweet fruit, and the currant bushes were heavier with fruit than during our drought years.

An overview of the yard shows plants grown tall from rain, but they have been slow to produce edibles. Squash and zucchini have flowers but so far just one zucchini. Some squash bugs may be to blame. Cucumbers are now coming in slowly, as well.

All 15 of the seedling tomato plants have flowers and small tomatoes forming. Tomato plants have planted themselves all over the garden, including this one that is growing out of the compost heap.

Here are the squash and cucumber plants.

Tomatoes and beans.

In the front yard, the black-eyed susans are this week's show of our street.

The phlox is one of the last summery flowers to bloom.

The black raspberries planted last year are now as tall as the red raspberry bushes in the backyard. Both have produced very well this summer.

We are looking forward to pears in a few weeks. They look like they are almost ready, but they need to ripen and get a little larger before we will pick them.

Today's harvest was beans, asparagus that seems neverending this summer, one small carrot, and a cucumber.

The Garden Chronicles July 4, 2011 - A Prime Holiday Weekend

2011-07-04T07:47:00.000-05:00

Perfect weather makes a perfect holiday weekend. After many weeks of dreary rain, cool temperatures, and little sun, the garden grows slowly with few successes. Warmer, sunnier days in the last couple of weeks resulted in lush flowering yarrow, daisy, and day lily. The asparagus has been producing well for over 6 weeks, and a small harvest of cherries and honey berries resulted in this cobbler-for-two.

The 30-day lettuce is our spring-into-summer mainstay for salads, as is dill, mint, and chives. The Egyptian onions are also a nice enhancement to our salads.

The strawberries did poorly this June, and this afternoon we will clear out the plants entirely to make room for something more productive while there is time for growing: beans, for certain. Maybe rutabagas, too. Next year, we will re-plant strawberries.

Raspberries, black and red, and black currants are next up for harvesting in about a week.

The Garden Chronicles May 30, 2011 - The Garden Plot

2011-05-30T17:47:00.000-05:00

Memorial Day weekend, although wet and rainy, stayed dry enough for planting the garden. The Brussels sprouts, cabbages, and ground cherries are now in the ground after their 8-week start in the hot house. The tomato plants continue to thrive, and the squash and cucumber plants continue to struggle. I planted the rest of the seeds directly in the ground to ensure that something comes of the squash and cucumbers this summer. This plot now has been seeded with carrots, kale, kohlrabi, and leaf lettuce.

Tomatoes look great!

The lettuce planted a month ago is just about ready to harvest. This 30-day variety is perfect for starting the season early.

The rhubarb expanded this spring and is very early. I will harvest some tomorrow for a friend whose wife bakes pies.

Black currants are starting to form. All three currant bushes look great. We will have an abundance of currants in June/July (black, red, and champagne).

The lily of the valley is so fragrant. They expanded into areas of the garden where they are a potential lawn replacement, and we need to decide whether to let it go or beat it back.

These are tiny apricots starting to form. We will have an abundant harvest of apricots again this summer.

These onions are starting to look like Egyptian onions after all. Very easy to grow, and they are perennials.

This plot is now planted with bush beans, Swiss chard, dill, and cilantro. Left some space for the sweet potatoes that should be arriving by mail in the next few days. Behind the vegetable plot, the strawberries are flowering and forming fruit. They should be ready to eat in a few weeks.

In the front yard, a border of black raspberries is doing remarkably well. Planted last summer, these are now forming flower buds and starting to spread. We can just taste sweet black raspberry jam!

The pear trees, having finished flowering, are now starting to form pears.

We noticed today a volunteer cucumber plant in the middle of the flower bed. How did it get here?

The perennials in front of the house have truly benefited this rainy spring.

The asparagus keeps coming. This will be dinner tonight!

The Garden Chronicles May 22, 2011 - Wet Spring Continues, Every Living Thing Thrives

2011-05-22T07:58:00.001-05:00

Since last post, we had warmer, sunny days then more rain resulting in lush, green lawns and trees fully blooming. Below is our apple tree through my rain-streaked window yesterday morning. This apple tree is a reluctant fruit-bearer. It has not blossomed like this in a several years. Perhaps we will have apples this fall. This is a Honey Crisp tree.

Between the showers of yesterday, I planted the tomatoes, and earlier in the week, the squash and cucumber plants. These are the plants that we started indoors in the hot-house. The squash and cucumber plants were weakened by the time I planted them outdoors - too much indoor time, but most have flower buds. If they survive the heavy rains this weekend, they may form fruits. The tomatoes seem strong, and will need good sunshine to grow larger and form flowers. The eggplant (lower right) is a healthy plant that grew all winter in the hot-house. We have high hopes for it this summer!

The strawberry bed is a weedy mess, but between the grass you can see strawberry flowers. In another month, we will have mouth-watering strawberries, the joy of early summer.

My friend, Thuy, is graduating with a Masters' degree in computer science this weekend. I stitched for her this bookmark as a gift. Congratulations, Thuy!

The Garden Chronicles May 14, 2011 - This cool, wet Spring

2011-05-14T15:10:00.000-05:00

This morning it is 45 degrees, raining, windy - A perfect fall day, but not on May 14. The average temp this time of year is 65, but averages mean little where we live. It was nearly 85 degrees last weekend. You could say we're right at the average, mathematically speaking, but that is little consolation to the hot house full of tomatoes and squash plants that want to go in the ground. Too soon for them, but perhaps next weekend if the weather improves over the next several days.

Meanwhile, the pear, cherry, and plum trees are blooming above the tulips in the front yard. It looks like Spring, even if the temperature is variable.

The early lettuce is benefiting from lots of rain and doesn't mind cooler temps.

The asparagus are also larger and tastier than in previous years, likely because the rains have made up for years of drought that tortured our garden.

David planted another cold frame this week with Swiss chard, and we are looking forward to it weeks from now. This is the same heirloom variety we planted two seasons ago that fed us from early summer until frost.

This rainy morning we visited the Minneapolis Farmers' Market where vendors had bedding plants for sale (flowers, vegetables, and herbs), and also fresh fruits and vegetables grown far south of here. They also sold brats, French fries, plate-sized doughnuts and caramel buns, and hot dogs that were being consumed for breakfast.

The Garden Chronicles May 10, 2011 - Let the Season Begin!

2011-05-10T19:55:00.000-05:00

Following a dreadfully long and snowy winter, we doubted the start of gardening by May. But over Mothers' Day we discovered that our perennials returned early and strong, and some edibles have already made it to our dinner plates.

Here is David at work, planting one tomato plant and one squash plant in a cold frame. It is very early to set them in the ground, but if they stay warm in the frame, we may be eating tomatoes and squash by early July! It is worth taking a chance with just two plants.

These garlic plants were planted last fall and they wintered over very well in their cold frame.

This is 29-day lettuce, started in the cold frame the first week of May. We may be eating lettuce by Memorial Day week, if all goes well.

The little squash and tomato plants get a drink to set them on their way.

In the main vegetable garden, two kale plants survived under the winter snow. A nice surprise!

More surprises. Asparagus appeared the first week of May. We will be able to eat them at the end of this week.

In the herb garden, most have returned: chives (first ever harvest in April), summer sorrel, and organo. The French tarragon, a strong plant in previous years, does not seem to have survived this winter.

These are Egyptian onions, but so far they look like the ordinary onion variety. We will see what happens when/if they form a flower, for that is the part that makes them a curiosity in the garden.

These are apricot blossoms. The four trees are covered with flowers this year, setting us up for a phenomenal harvest again this summer.

Our tulips are the show of our street this week.

These are miniature daffodils, one of several varieties that returned this spring.

The rhododendron is also show-stopper on our street.

The cherries are now starting to bloom.

Spring bulbs brighten up the alley, too.

No shortage of rhubarb this spring. It has multiplied since last year. The black, red, and champagne currant bushes are full of flower buds.

The hot house is brimming with plants that are ready to go outside. If the warmer weather holds through the next couple of weeks, we will able to plant them in the ground. Tomatoes (4 types), squash (3 types), red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, ground cherries, celery leaf, and peppers.

And let's not forget that the eggplant that has been flowering all winter but needs to go outside to form fruits.

At busy gardening day's end, wouldn't we just love to stretch out on the couch and take a nap!

Fall Series 2010

2010-10-10T20:45:00.006-05:00

Views of Chippewa River at Brunet Island State Park, WI.

Fall colors on our property.

Our favorite egg farm

Beautiful Bay Lake Camp Retreat - August 2010

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To Keli, Brenda, Mel, and everyone who hosted us at Bay Lake Camp, thank you for a wonderful, relaxing, and insightful weekend of stitching, friendship, and fabulous meals. Here are some photos of the beautiful lake and island.

Visited New York City in March 2010

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The first set of photos is from the American Museum of Natural History showing artifacts from an Ojibwe tribe's maple sugar production.

Met Stacy for brunch in Park Slope.

Cafe window on Second Avenue in East Village of Manhattan. The coffee cups are little cakes!

The mural is inside Penn Station at 34th Street in Manhattan.

Visited with cousins Gladys and Annie in Queens.

This is the entrance to the Manhattan Bridge from lower Manhattan. Cross this bridge to Brooklyn.

Sunday morning scene in Columbus Park, Chinatown, in lower Manhattan.

First spring flowers blooming in Central Park.

Views of the NYC skyline from the Triborough Bridge.

Scenes of Winter 2009/2010

2010-02-19T19:34:00.008-06:00

The Garden Chronicles - Epilogue - November 1, 2009

2009-11-01T20:33:00.005-06:00

A green salad with carrots from the garden, and a fruit salad featuring the very last harvest of raspberries (plus summer fruit that was in the deep freezer) were part of our November 1 dinner. We can say that we ate fresh, harvested produce from our garden in November. If the greens, carrots, and a couple of the last cabbages can hang on through the end of the month, we will harvest them for Thanksgiving dinner.

It is time to assess this year’s garden’s produce. The fruit harvest far outweighed the vegetables. Except for the strawberries that suffered in the drought and that we supplemented with more new plants, all of the other fruits surpassed our expectations. The apricots were the stars of the summer, followed by raspberries and pears. Our currants produced well, as usual, the young cherry tree gave us a nice bowl of fruit, and the apple tree had its first showing of fruit (although largely inedible) for the first time in at least 10 years.

The vegetable beds produced more good performers than poor ones. Topping the list were Swiss chard (Luculllus) that we harvested from early summer through mid-October, and cucumbers (Bush Pickle) that resulted in three batches of relish, a batch of pickles, plus cucumbers for salads and giving away. The two varieties of carrots (Prodigy Hybrid and Scarlet Nantes) were numerous yet small. We may do better by thinning the carrots next summer so that they produce fewer, larger roots. We were fully satisfied with our bean production. All three varieties (Top Crop Green Bush Bean, Jung’s Tricolor Blend Bush Bean, and Golden Rod Yellow Bush Bean) kept us well-supplied with beans for eating for weeks and freezing for winter. Specialty Greens Oriental Salad mix and a lettuce variety were spring treats that lasted through mid-July.

Less impressive were kohlrabi (Early White Vienna) that was supposed to take just 55 days to harvest, but we had to leave them in the ground through September until they produced enough for eating and freezing. The cabbage (Savoy Express Hybrid) gave us one head, but may have been more productive had the tomatillo not crowded them. The tomatillo had hundreds of flowers but no fruit until about a week before the frost killed it. A trial packet of tomato seeds (Delicious) did no better than the tomato plants we purchased. The tomatoes were generally sparse but tasty. The basil (Jung’s Balcony Blend) was a trial packet that resulted in one plant that we have now moved into a windowsill pot for winter. Eggplants and peppers did not produce more than a few small ones, enough for a single serving each.

The poorest performers were Jung’s Summer Squash medley and Baby Blue Hubbard. Despite copious flowers, we harvested no more than a half dozen zucchini and no other squash. White Icicle Radish gave us just one radish, and Cajun Delight Hybrid Okra, a handful of okra.
Most of the flowers did well and attracted a hummingbird and butterflies (Salvia Bonfire Elite, Hollyhock Summer Carnival Mix, and Petunia Storm Hybrid Mix) except for the Cosmos. They reached seven feet tall and then the frost got them before they bloomed. The sunflowers (Moonwalker) were 11-feet tall but short-lived because the birds ate them just as they bloomed.

We note also the best harvest of asparagus in years, producing from May through July.
Why do some fare better than others in a garden that experienced the same conditions from spring through fall? We had a drought from early spring through mid-summer as well as a record-cold summer. The conditions that favored fruit production resulted in mixed results among the vegetables.

The season ends with some things still growing in the garden that we will harvest before long. Meanwhile, we look forward to next spring, always optimistic that we will have at least as good a garden as we had this year. We hope the rains of fall continue, that we get a good snow cover this winter to protect the perennials, and that spring warmth and rains come as needed to give us a good start to the growing season of 2010.

The Garden Chronicles - The End - October, 11, 2009

2009-10-11T17:42:00.004-05:00

The end of the gardening season 2009 is upon us. An early frost and snow blanketed the yard and vegetable garden on Friday night, and this is what it left by Saturday morning.

The snow melted by Sunday so I was able to harvest the carrots.

To my surprise, the Swiss Chard (the best performing vegetable we planted this season!) and raspberries survived the frost. Better to harvest them today before we get more snow tomorrow.

Next blog entry will be the evaluation of the summer garden and harvests.

The Garden Chronicles - October 4, 2009

2009-10-04T19:44:00.002-05:00

The garden is close to its end for the year. The only large-scale remaining items are more raspberries and carrots that have been growing since May and June. The kohlrabi are still producing, too, but are too small to harvest. Perhaps if there is more rain, they may get bigger. There is also another row of beans just beginning to flower now. It is risky now because we may get a frost soon.

This pot basil got a good start outside, growing in the middle of the flower plot, but now it is ready to produce indoors all winter for us in this neat clay pot.

This lettuce and beet greens look as thought they need more sun, and they do - We had five straight days of no sunshine last week. Perhaps tomorrow they will perk up if the sun is out.

David, here is the touched-up photo of moon over Budapest.

The Garden Chronicles - Sept. 24, 2009

2009-09-26T22:12:00.002-05:00

The pears and raspberries combine to make a naturally sweet fruit preserve.

The vegetable garden is beginning to wane. Today's harvest: zucchini, tomatoes, Swiss chard, and more raspberries.

This is one beautiful rose that truly enjoyed yesterday's rain showers.

Now here is a surprise: Some morning glories have been blooming in the strawberry bed.

The Garden Chronicles - Sept. 22, 2009

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The Garden Chronicles - Sept. 7, 2009

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Two crates of fruit today from the apple and pear trees. The pears are near-perfect; the apples not even close. But we never expected apples at all since this Honeycrisp tree has not produced fruit in years. They are lumpy but juicy, and a pie is in our future.

This Savoy cabbage seems to be the one and only that produced a head in the garden. It is a lone achievement given that it was started from seed in the Biodome in March and survived the drought this summer. It made a tasty cole slaw.

We have been underwhelmed by the squash production until we noticed this 12+ inch long pair hiding under the leaves.

On Labor Day, all is well in the vegetable garden.

The Garden Chronicles - Focus on Flowers - August 24, 2009

2009-08-24T20:25:00.005-05:00

Backyard zinnias highlight the south end of the vegetable garden this month.

In the front yard, these newly planted mums are a preview of fall collors due soon.

My carpool buddy gave me a half dozen black-eyed susans from plants that he thinned in his garden this spring. Now they are blooming profusely in my yard, too.

I love tall sunflowers in the summertime. These 11-foot high Moonwalker variety are a treat for goldfinches and bees.

Next up in the garden harvest - Honeycrisp apples are approaching ripeness in another month or so. This will be the first harvest of apples from this tree in many, many years.

A modest harvest of vegetables this weekend. We seem to be a little bit between bumper crops at this time.

Later in the season we will have another round of pears from the other tree. Not as plentiful as the first pear tree, but these will be welcome when they are ready for picking.

The Garden Chronicles - August 21, 2009

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The first of two pear trees yielded this much fruit in just one harvest, and we had as many each day for a week. Fruit size was larger than last year's, with fewer imperfections. Our only challenge was to harvest them before a new generation of baby birds pecked at them.

Surprisingly, the grape vines produced enough grapes to make something, either jelly or jam, this weekend. Last year, the birds ate them all before we could harvest them.

The rabbits are still around, but the vegetables are secured behind a fence. I photographed this one eating tall grass in the strawberry bed. They seem to dislike the strawberries, which are now filling in the bed after a few days of good rain.

Late August harvests have been good, helped by five inches of rain in the last week. New bean plants have sprouted, as well as lettuce. Flowers are finally blooming from the seedlings I started in the house last winter. The raspberries are already setting their fall fruit.

The Garden Chronicles - August 9, 2009

2009-08-09T16:47:00.002-05:00

This is the last blog entry featuring apricots this season! The phenomenal performance of our trees yielded 20 pints of apricot preserves, a gallon of dried apricots, fresh apricots daily that we ate for three weeks straight off the trees, and this delicious apricot-raspberry pie. Not to mention the shopping bag and a half that we delivered fresh to our local homeless shelter when we ran out of time to preserve more apricots. Alas, apricot production is now curtailed, with just one tree continuing to produce somewhat sour and worm-ridden fruits. Nevertheless, this was one of our most astounding harvests of summer fruit.

I don't how to replicate this pie since I made it without a recipe from leftover apricot preserves and fresh raspberries picked the same morning. It could have been a contender at the fair, but we ate it all ourselves and enjoyed every bite!

We had a nice and reasonable harvest recently, enough to keep us fed this week, of string beans, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, and pears. And one super-hot pepper that we are afraid to eat. It may go into a large batch of salsa.

It was a lovely day today which we enjoyed completely by taking a 10-mile run through our city and taking a dip at Lake Josephine.

What a wonderful summer we have had! The last few days brought us 4 inches of desperately needed rain, so no sprinkling of the garden today. The rain barrel overflowed, and we drained some of it into another barrel in case more rains come before we can use all the rainwater we have saved.

The Garden Chronicles - July 25, 2009

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Today's harvest features the ever-productive apricots, raspberries, and beets. These are cylinder beets, the first time we have grown this variety. The raspberries are plentiful for July, and more are coming.

The aerial shot of the garden shows everything doing remarkably well. Some small rainfalls in July helped, but we have been watering heavily for most of this season. We are still several inches below average in rain, and this after drought conditions during the last seven years. The harvest so far is a surprise, since our expectations are always low during drought years. We are very satisfied with all our produce this month.

The Garden Chronicles - July 23, 2009 - The Year of Apricots

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We proclaim 2009 the year of apricots. The harvest continues without pause. Everyday we fill the counter with apricots that we eat, freeze, can, dehydrate, bake into breads, muffins, cobblers, cakes, add to salads... If there is a way to prepare apricots, we will try it. We have given away almost as many as we have eaten.

Curiously, when we offer apricots to people we know, about a third accepts them with eagerness, a third rejects them with a sour face, and a third have never tried them before. Apricots are my favorite fruit, so I never would have guessed that such strong feelings against apricots exist. Either you love them or hate them, it seems. As much as I love them, I fear that even I will discover my limit of apricots. For now, I look forward to apricots for breakfast everyday for this entire year, as they continue to fill my freezer and pantry.

I read an article today in the Dining section of the New York Times about currants and how unknown they are in the United States. A small market has started for them in just a few states where they are now permitted to grow. They were banned for many years because they harbored a parasite that killed pine trees. We have grown red and black currants in our backyard for years adjacent to an evergreen without any issues. The currants have been consistent performers in our garden, producing abundantly each summer regardless of drought or flood, or of bitterly cold or mild winters. We make jellies and sorbets from them. Red currants used to be used in bakery's fingerprint cookies: red currant jam made the red center of the cookie. The bushes are easy to grow, maintenance-free, and very easy to harvest. So no reason to avoid growing currants anywhere they are permitted to grow.

The Garden Chronicles - July 19, 2009 - The Harvest Begins

2009-07-19T19:58:00.006-05:00

This week marks the beginning of the season's summer harvest, and the star this week is apricots! Our four apricot trees are producing like crazy, and we are dehydrating, canning, and preserving them as quickly as they are falling from the trees. Below is just one day's harvest of apricots, and the trees are still loaded with more. Our local food shelf may benefit from this bumper crop. And to think that just eight months ago, I asked our tree specialist to take down the apricot trees because they were too large and produced low-volume, poor quality, worm-infested fruit. He suggested pruning the trees instead, so I gave them another chance. What a difference the tree pruning made.

Just one tree would have been enough fruit for us, and we have three others that are as heavy with apricots as this one.

Other harvests this week included Swiss chard, beans, raspberries, black currants, and red currants. The red currants made a fine sorbet; the black currants yielded seven jars of jelly, and the raspberries are producing as heavily as the apricots. Perhaps an apricot-raspberry sorbet or smoothie is in our future.

The Garden Chronicles - July 11, 2009

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Catching up on photos of the garden. We have been busy with weeding, watering, and general yard work during the last few weeks. This flower garden looks better this summer than it has in years.

The vegetable garden is thriving. We have kept up with weeding and watering, and our hard work has paid off.

Although the radishes produced lots of leaves and flowers, we harvested just one radish. But the lettuce, Swiss chard, and mixed greens are plentiful. The kohlrabi and beets are also growing nicely.

Tomatoes, peppers, squash, cabbage, and tomatillo are all flowering and forming fruit. A few weeks more, and this section of the garden will be ready to harvest. The yellow wax beans will be ready to harvest tomorrow!

The strawberry bed was surprisingly weak this spring. We planted them last fall during a drought, so they got a poor start. The continued drought this spring made it tough for them to thrive, despite our sprinkling. They are just starting to spread throughout the bed. We have ordered more strawberries to fill in the empty spots this fall.

The herb garden has done fairly well so far. Parsley, basil, thyme, tarragon, chives, sorrel, and oregano have been bonuses to our salads and soups.

This bed has a tall row of Moonwalker sunflowers that are expected to grow ten feet tall. The beans next to them did not fill in well and must be replanted. A few plants are producing flowers. The cucumbers now have flowers.

The raspberries are just a week away from a large summer harvest. They look better than they did the last few years.

The grape vine also has made a strong comeback this year. We have harvested the leaves and stuffed them with rice, beans, and herbs for two meals now.

We have high hopes this summer and fall for big harvests of pears. The fruit is thick on this tree, and the other is equally full.

Our one surviving apple tree has produced fruit for the first time in several years. We owe its plenitude this summer to a winter pruning of its branches, as well as of the apricot trees that were shading it.

And here are some of the apricots that are ripening.

The Garden Chronicles - May 30, 2009 - The Plot

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By end of May the garden is fully planted with seeds, purchased plants, and plants started from seeds in the Bio-Dome. The plot below shows the layout of the vegetable garden.

Peppers and Tomatoes

Beans and Carrots

Lettuce, Kohlrabi, and Swiss Chard

A Showy Lilac Bush

Gallardia Daisies

Dutchman's Breeches and Ferns

A Showy Bridal Wreath

Tremendous Peony

Herb garden is thriving

Lucy and Ricky are close to full-grown now. Lucy is a very big girl!

Back in Wisconsin, the trillium were on display along the forest floor over Memorial Day weekend.

Over the holiday weekend, we took a hike/run along the Red Cedar State Trail.

This bend along the Red Cedar State Trail is the Dunville Wildlife Area where heron are often seen feeding on fish. We did not see herons, but the river was scenic nonetheless.

The Garden Chronicles - May 17, 2009

2009-05-17T13:41:00.008-05:00

By mid-May, it feels like spring has come to stay for a while. The apricot and pear trees have finished blooming, and the apple tree is pollinating this week. The strawberries have flowers, too.

We planted seeds in the house in early March, which are now close to planting size. We started them in a Bio-Dome planter from Park Seed Company. After years of starting seeds in peat pots with starter mix, and having moderately good results, we decided to try this new system for starting seeds. The Bio-Dome comes with a tray and a clear lid that protects the plants from drafts and keeps the planting medium evenly moist. The planting medium is a set of little cone-shaped sponges of peat and other material that fit into a styrofoam mold. Our Bio-Dome holds sixty little sponges. We started hollyhocks, petunias, salvia, Savoy cabbage, tomatoes, and basil in the house, and all germinated! Most have survived to now, and we are beginning to harden them this week.

This is a better photo of one of the garden bunnies. We expect to see more of them in the weeks to come. The neighbor's cat got a baby bunny this week, and we suspect that there are more in our yard. We believe the rabbit's den is behind the compost heap next to the garage. Perhaps we have not seen the other bunny in a few days because she is caring for young ones. The garden is ready for them this this year: We have wrapped chicken wire fencing around everthing.

What's doing in the cold frames? The cold frame plantings are getting bigger each day. Radishes will be ready to harvest within another month, and the carrots will remain until almost the end of the summer.

Lettuce, Oriental mixed greens, beets, kohlrabi, and Swiss chard were among the early plantings in the cold frames.

We have had a lovely show of tulips throughout the neighborhood, including these in front of our house. The warm days and cool nights have kept them fresh for a couple of weeks now.

The Garden Chronicles - May 4, 2009

2009-05-04T20:11:00.002-05:00

Some rains, some warmer weather, a little sunshine, and spring gardening has improved immensely. Under the watchful eye of a garden bunny, the apricot trees' profuse blossoms were last week's feature.

Another harbinger of spring is our early asparagus, so welcome after a winter of frozen vegetables.

There is more to come from spring, and perhaps more rain this week will help the cold frame seedlings grow large enough to photograph next weekend.

The Garden Chronicles - April 14, 2009

2009-04-14T20:19:00.006-05:00

If placing a catalog order for seeds marks the most optimistic day of the year, then the first day of yard work marks new beginnings. Our first day in the backyard was full of the typical tasks: raking out the remains of last fall's leaves, removing dead plants and fallen branches, tilling the recently warmed soil, and looking for earth worms and other signs that we start the season with fertile soil.

After an hour or two of work, a contented gardener enjoys a few moments of sunshine overlooking the prepared beds. Four cold frames are helping the soil to stay warm over the next few weeks when the temperature is still cool at night. We want to start planting cool weather lettuce and other greens next week, if conditions are good to get started.

At the south end, we found some tulips starting in a place where there were none last spring. They seem to move around and reproduce, and they surprise us each season with new colors, too. We also moved the blueberry bushes to a place beneath the evergreen with the hope that they will perform better in soil made acidic by the fallen needles.

Our last important gardening spot is the herb garden where the only returning herb so far is the chive plant. Our first harvest of the season of chives on April 12 went into a lunchtime salad. It was a very good beginning to spring. Now we just need some rain to get the resting growing.

The Longest Winter

2009-02-22T15:11:00.005-06:00

A long winter has taken hold and won't let go. The warmest of clothing to fight bitter cold winds and deep freeze seems hardly enough some days. A fresh cover of snow this weekend has hidden the drab, gray remains of some earlier snows and ice storms. And with days now growing longer, we are reminded that spring is just weeks away now.

It has been a good winter for finishing some stitching projects, including this small gift quilt with its spring theme and bold colors.

I prefer the back of the quilt, though. The Asian print, and its medley of white egrets, is worthy to be a quilt front.

What better thing to do on a cold winter afternoon than snuggle in the middle of a down comforter. Lucy and Ricky, the eight month old kittens, have a snooze date here every afternoon.

Until spring arrives...

Photos of Fall

2008-10-07T21:15:00.002-05:00

Summer Vacation

2008-08-19T21:29:00.006-05:00

A long weekend was too short for exploring two state parks: Copper Falls State Park in Wisconsin, and Porcupine Mountains State Park in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. David took these pictures of some beautiful views.

We first hiked some trails in Copper Falls State Park, enjoyed a beautiful day, and took in the sight of the falls.

Next day we visited the Porkies and took many photos of scenic Lake of the Clouds from elevation 1,500 feet.

The view opposite the lake was just as stunning.

And back at our hotel on Lake Superior, the sunset was a show in itself. Who would have guessed that southwestern colors would paint the sky in the northwoods of Michigan?

And back at our place in Wisconsin, we were treated to a show of wildflowers featuring these black-eyed susans.

A Midsummer Day Dream

2008-08-09T21:20:00.006-05:00

I dreamed of a midsummer day, starting with fresh fruit pies and sweet squash breads baking in the oven, their fragrances riding through the house on a warm morning breeze.

Then I dreamed of an afternoon spent swimming in a cool river, washing away the cares of the work week.

And then I took a walk through a field of knee-high grass and flowers, listening to birds and buzzing cicadas.

But it was no dream. It was a real day in August, when summer was half-done with more lazy days yet to come.

The Year of the Fern

2008-05-26T07:46:00.004-05:00

Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of gardening season. With local nursery plants planted and catalog seeds sown, we have officially started our Summer of 2008 Garden.

The fern garden is already underway, with ferns having spread across much of the garden to places where there were none last year. This corner was covered with sunflowers last year, which may have provided enough shade for the ferns to take cover. We will see whether they thrive through summer's sunshine or give way to other perennials.

The vegetable bed shows signs of our harvested asparagus, the treat of May, and an early crop of greens that were hidden in a cold frame until this weekend. (Shortly after taking this photo, our backyard rabbit started to make a meal of lettuce, calling for the frame again until we fence in the garden. The new strawberry bed is fenced behind the vegetable bed.)

The rhubarb (foreground) seems plentiful so far, while the black currants are already flowering. Although the red currant bush needed pruning this year, a deer did the job for us but left us with a foot-high bush. No red currants this year.

These flowering crab apples in my neighbor's yard are just a few of the flowering trees we have been enjoying this spring.

These three are ample pollinators for our Sweet Sixteen apple tree that is also flowering this week.
So we have had a good start to gardening this weekend, and as always, we start the season optimistic about our future harvest. We do see, though, that two rabbits in the yard will present the greatest challenge for us near-term.

Trillium along the forest floor

2008-05-19T20:47:00.004-05:00

A lovely weekend in north central Wisconsin for showing off early spring wildflowers, such as trillium. They last for just a week or two but are a treat to see them decorate the floor of the forests while we wait for the trees to leaf out.

Another sign of spring: One of my parakeets laid two eggs this past week. The other female parakeet might do the same after watching her friend next door.

Spring is a State of Mind

2008-05-03T21:08:00.003-05:00

Our change of seasons is long and slow this year, and even those who relish snow sports are weary of the longest winter in recent history. Global warming seems to have nothing on us this spring. We have been snow-free for barely a week, and the tight buds on our trees are just waiting for a good week of 50+ degrees and sunshine.

What to do when you crave outdoor colors other than gray, brown, and white? Take a trip to the Como Park Conservatory, where it is always green, with flowers blooming, and refreshingly warm. A visit from brother Edgar during last weekend's wintry mix was just in time for a visit to Como Park Conservatory with Mom.

Spring Arrives with Snow!

2008-03-23T09:32:00.004-05:00

Winter's hold on us continues with a snowy Easter weekend. A brief thaw gave us hope in mid-March for warmer days, melting our earlier snows to nearly nothing. At least 10 inches have fallen since last Friday, but with temps flirting above 32 degrees, it melts quickly.

At Richardson Nature Center, the maple syrup season is getting a late start, but if the temperatures go above freezing this week through next weekend, we may have some good days for demonstrating the maple syrup process to visitors. During the first weekend of March, we demo'ed how to tap the trees and hang the buckets, but it was too cold for the sap to flow. And we had water boiling in the evaporator. A little disappointing for the guests, but we should have a better demonstration next weekend, if spring would finally arrive.

Winter reading continues while the weather provides incentive to stay inside. I highly recommend this book: Babylon's Ark by Lawrence Anthony. Anthony staged the rescue of the Baghdad Zoo while war was raging throughout the city in 2003. His story is one of courage, leadership, hope, and compassion. He set out to achieve a near miracle despite dire conditions and extreme danger. His vision for the zoo and single-minded determination help him and all who work on the project toward their eventual success. The animals he and his team save are symbols of strong will and the power of positive thinking. It is a very inspiring story with mostly happy endings.

Last Gasp of Winter

2008-03-02T19:47:00.003-06:00

The sound of melting snow and glisten of ice puddles are welcome signs of winter's end. The plot in Wisconsin slowly transforms into spring. Not a bird or deer in sight this weekend, and only a couple of new animal tracks in the snow by the house. A few snowmobilers took advantage of the snow cover and warmer weather, though. Within a few weeks the ground will be very wet and our outings to the beaver den will need to wait again until next winter.

This weekend we were glued to the radio for news of the state of emergency declared in Armenia following their Presidential elections. Allegations of election fraud and lack of legitimacy of the winning candidate brought 15,000 people into the capital Yerevan for demonstrations and protests, leading to a police action, imprisonment, and unfortunately, some deaths of demonstrators.

In contrast, our own Presidential campaigns continue as we anticipate outcomes of the prolonged race between Democratic primary contenders Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. In our city, the Republican National Convention this September is scheduled during the same week as our State Fair. Elected officials and local police are already planning for crowd control and limiting demonstrations to a specific part of the city.

Ambassadors of Peace and Hope

2008-02-25T19:47:00.005-06:00

Last Saturday night I experienced a concert extraordinaire by three brothers who play the oud, with their accompanist on percussion. The Joubran Trio performed at Sundin Hall at Hamline University, part of a multi-city tour through the U.S. and Canada. As extraordinary as their performance, is their origin: The performers are all from Palestine. Their music is impeccable, and the performance uniquely their own. Each brother plays an oud, designed and constructed by the middle brother. They come from a family that has been in the oud playing and building business for generations. Their original compositions are highly moving and incredibly energetic. And they also played a sing-along version of a traditional folk song, which several audience members knew and sang with the oldest of the brothers.

Nothing about the performance was political; it was all about the music, and also about the pride these musicians have for their culture and their family's history. While listening to the concert I could not help but wonder how they had overcome the odds of getting caught up in the battleground of their homeland to pursue their passion. And so they portray a side of Palestinian life that is little known to those of us who have been reading news for far too many years of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Joubran Trio demonstrate through their music a humanity and highly developed skill that all the world can appreciate and understand. Their performance was a gift of hope. Regardless of the oppression characterizing their homeland, their music flourishes and thrives.

If you have an opportunity to see them in concert, by all means, go! If not, you can learn more about their music and listen a while at their website:
http://www.letriojoubran.com/en

Cabin Fever

2008-01-24T20:11:00.000-06:00

Finishing the statistically coldest week of the year in Minnesota is like release time from school. It seems to take longer when you know the end is near. The only positive to come from global warming is that the coldest Minnesota has to offer is much warmer than it used to be. A few days of low temperatures hovering at 15 or 20 below zero may seem insane to live with, but we used to have -15 or -20 as the high for days on end.

It is easy to feel trapped indoors when January's worst arrives. My best intentions to take an after-dinner walk around the block last as long as carrying a bag of trash to the can by the garage. I am generally tolerant of weather's whims, but enough of the cold! I hope that the prediction is true for 35 degrees this weekend, and that is above zero.

This is good weather for stitching, reading, and writing:

Stitching a wool sweater now that will be finished after this winter season ends, but will be ready in due time for next year.

Reading a novel right now called Someone Knows My Name http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/103-5725978-2756629?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Someone+Knows+my+name&x=15&y=15, by Lawrence Hill, about a woman from West Africa who is captured and sold as a slave to a plantation in North Carolina. The book recounts her whole life as a memoir, and it is beautifully written. My previous good read was The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002-5872736-6760814?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=The+lost&x=12&y=13, by Daniel Mendelsohn, about his search for his family's history and especially how he learned the fate of six family members who perished during the Holocaust.

Writing my own memoirs while I still have the mind and memory to do so, but they will remain a private writing for now.

The truly adventurous have been taking part in this week's Winter Carnival http://www.winter-carnival.com/, but I am not even intrigued by the 5K race. The treadmill is good enough until we at least get into the 20 degree range.

And so, when I next post to my blog I may have some outdoor photos to share if the weather situation improves.

Winter Wonderland and Happy New Year

2007-12-24T14:40:00.000-06:00

A cold weekend in Wisconsin is made for staying indoors but we could not resist a hike through the forest and frozen wetland around our cabin. Winter is the only time of year that we can hike across the entire property, since it is wet and deep along the creek. In December we were able to hike across the frozen creek and beaver pond. This year's beaver den is the largest we have ever seen, and so is the pond.

Holidays came early this year, with Hanukkah beginning the first week of December. The challah turned out perfectly, and so did the quick breads that were shipped to our friends and family.

December's cold and snow also inspired the knitting of warm hat, mittens and gloves for a gift recipient on our list.

And our Haley, our happy and lucky cat, enjoys all the warmth and comfort of home year-round, and especially on winter's coldest days.

Our Tunisian Feast and Ornament Exchange

2007-11-11T08:49:00.000-06:00

Here's to Neila and Chuck for hosting our annual ornament exchange and preparing a veritable feast of freshly-cooked Tunisian foods. The fragrant cooking aromas carried me away from all things midwestern to a family feast in Chuck's homeland. Many thanks for a wonderful day!

Let the festivities begin! And first, let's see the beautifully hand-stitched ornaments we exchanged:

And now, for the party!

In October Summer becomes Fall

2007-10-27T17:24:00.000-05:00

Between the mostly wet October we have had, some days were summer-like. Leaves on our trees stayed green for most of this month. Our backyard garden looks the best it did all summer in this Oct. 13 photo.

A mid-October visit to Interstate Park, where the St. Croix River flows between Minnesota and Wisconsin was perfect for a morning hike to see the colors.

Time for Change is Now

2007-10-05T20:09:00.000-05:00

We live in our world blind to its needs for sustainability, as though another generation or two in the future will take care or get by as we have. Perhaps that will be so, but I wonder what our world would be like for our present generation if we took more care in how we live and in the traces we leave behind.

Then I wonder will there ever be in our world a time of complete and lasting peace? Of long forgotten animosities and buried weapons? Of restored rain forests and glaciers, reforested acreage, and healthy farmlands that provide for all species?

These thoughts came to mind while reading Presence – Human Purpose and the Field of the Future, by Peter Senge, et. al. The book is about fundamental change and how to forge it, but it is also about seeing our world through a new lens. It is a book that has led me away from being satisfied with incremental change for the better and feeling reticent among prospects for change that have led nowhere. It has made me feel emboldened to confront any political position and say, if its premise does not propose fundamental change in how we grow food and choose to feed ourselves, and does not acknowledge that our health care and educational systems are completely broken and need to be rebuilt from scratch, then I am not interested in participating in these politics.

What is the switch that must be turned on to produce the groundswell for changing our hearts? If Hurricane Katrina did not convince us to respect the force of nature, and to take care first of those most in need, then what will? For how many more years must we instigate and fight wars in lands far from our borders, of losing human lives, without plans for rebuilding societies we have destroyed? What stops us from seeing the truth and realizing how unsustainable our behavior is?

There is no time better than right now to look at our world, question why, and move our hearts to another way of knowing and behaving. Put aside what you have always known to be true and see another way. We are each a tiny organism in a vast world and universe. What hurts one hurts all because we are all connected. What does it take for each of us to feel the responsibility of stewardship for our world and each other?

Urban Gardens

2007-09-28T19:53:00.000-05:00

What is it about gardens in transition from summer to fall? The colors are most vibrant as the days get shorter and the plants prepare their seeds for harvest or set their roots for hibernating. Summer has its glory days but when cooler days start returning, I think nothing beats a garden in early fall. And what joy to stroll through my neighborhood and enjoy all the gardens around me

Starting in my front yard, the asters and sedum complement each other so well.

The backyard never looked this good all summer. The salvia and alyssum have finally filled in the flower box, the marigolds are golden and spilling over the border, and a lone tomato is left for harvesting.

Anticipating colder days ahead, lettuce and arugula have gotten a great start in the new cold frame while we wait for a late fall harvest of delicata squash from plants that have been growing since spring.

My neighbor's front yard has been blooming all summer with red and purple salvia, then I saw that one of my sunflowers jumped across to her garden.

This neighbor's apple tree is the envy of my garden. All our fruit trees perform well except for our apple trees. This one seems to be ignored by its owner yet produces abundantly.

What is fall without colorful mums? This arrangement dominates the patio in front of this home with an eye-catching arrangement.

This curbside garden is one of several in my neighborhood where neighbors have planted flowers and small shrubs between the curb and sidewalk. The long red flowers of the Love-Lies-A-Weeping plants dramatically border the street.

Another curbside garden of zinnias and coleus, two hardy plants that help the neighborhood look alive from spring through fall.

Urban gardens at end of summer and all summer long provide a comforting habitat for birds, butterflies, and all the residents of our neighborhood.

Weekend in Wisconsin

2007-09-16T17:17:00.001-05:00

For a perfect fall-like weekend in Wisconsin, I recommend a visit to Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area where fall colors are just starting to show. This is from the Prairie Trail that leads to a wetland.

Here is a view of the wetland at Hoffman Hills.

At the cabin, three deer families stopped by to graze on clover and wildflowers that we have been seeding for the last two years. It was a treat to see them so close, just outside our windows and by the door.

We were encouraged also to see a honey bee at work on our wildflowers. There must be a honeycomb somewhere nearby.

Later we saw this young snake slither across the road.

The wetland at the south end of the property is filling in nicely with trees and brush, as the creek reclaims its banks and the beaver dam creates a pond in its center.

Labor Day Weekend 2007

2007-09-05T20:37:00.000-05:00

This is the time for big harvests in our garden, but sometimes this summer it just felt as if the bunnies were quicker to harvest things (such as our beans) before they even started growing.

This bunny print sewed up nicely as a new apron! So appropos for this season.

Between our garden harvest and a visit to the farmers market, we cooked up a large supply of tomato sauce that will last quite a while. Fresh tomatoes, peppers, basil, oregano, and thyme leaves - this is what we live for all year long.

A trip to Minnehaha Falls on Labor Day presented the perfect photo opp. The falls were glorious on this day, with recent rains restoring the flow from a trickle earlier in the summer.

This statue of Minnehaha carried by Hiawatha is so sweet and stands in the creek leading to Minnehaha Falls.

2007-08-30T16:01:00.000-05:00

These late August days require being outdoors, and I am lucky to have had time available to enjoy our bright, clear, comfortable weather. What better place to enjoy it than at a nature center? I visited Richardson Nature Center in Bloomington, MN today. Everyone was having a great day outdoors: the naturalists, the visiting families, the birds, raptors, turtles, and other critters.

My first stop was the viewing area that overlooks a feeding station for the wild birds. In total there were five wild turkeys, the largest of the visiting birds. Shortly after taking this photo, a naturalist threw a bunch of corn cobs behind the bushes and the turkeys immediately left the viewing area for their treat. (Perhaps they are more domesticated than wild.)

Additionally, I viewed a couple of downy woodpeckers, some goldfinches, hummingbirds, chickadees, nuthatches, crows, and cardinals at the bird feeders. I am not proficient or quick enough with my camera to get their photos, though.

On this beautiful day I hiked the Oak Trail that weaves around a pond, including a little bridge that takes you out onto the water and back to the trail. From the bridge I saw a lone egret and at the other side of the water a heron, both fishing for lunch.

Back on the trail, I came to a clearing where the earliest touch of autumn color already appeared. This sumac is starting to turn its signature deep red color, reminding us that summer is coming to a close as the change of seasons is about to begin.

At another clearing I found late summer wild flowers glistening in the sun. Considered weeds in the garden, these wild ones in the field match the beauty of any cultivated flower. Wild aster juxtaposed against goldenrod have a brilliance that could stand the test of any flower arrangement.

I also came upon a thistle with bee busy at work collecting its nectar while pollinating the flower. Richardson has an active honey bee colony where you can view the formation of the honeycomb in progress.

At the end of the trail I noticed this brilliant yellow flower, similar to the goldenrod in the background but of a very different shape. Then I saw a sign warning not to touch this plant, called Wild Parsnip, because it exudes a chemical that makes your skin more sensitive to sunburn.

Gardening and Winter Gardening

2007-08-27T10:53:00.000-05:00

Although it is only August with several more weeks of warm weather for gardening, I am thinking ahead to winter when local and home-grown fresh produce are no longer available. One of the hardest things to do without in winter is fresh salad. In a previous year, I have grown Salad Bowl lettuce in my kitchen window. This winter I am planning to grow pots of fresh herbs. I started them in peat pots. They are a couple of weeks away from being large enough to be transplanted into flower pots. These were started from seeds that I received as a gift: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme. Fresh herbs greatly improve winter salads of store-bought greens and other vegetables.

I am now reading a book about the seasons on a community supported organic farm on Long Island. It is very inspiring, and even my own small-scale organic gardening experience will be enhanced next year from its lessons about coping with weeds and insects, and crop rotation. This book is highly recommended to anyone who manages a garden without chemicals: This Common Ground - Seasons on an Organic Farm by Scott Chaskey.

Some additional recently read books on hobby farming and subsistence farming:

The Rural Life by Verlyn Klinkenborg, essays from NY Times writer on his experiences in upstate NY and also out west and midwest country life.

Loving and Leaving the Good Life by Helen Nearing, a memoir of her unusual life and the 50 years she spent with Scott Nearing on their self-sufficient teaching homesteads in New England.

More August 2007 Photos: Around Town

2007-08-25T15:27:00.000-05:00

I took more photos during a walk along Summit Avenue, a long and wide street with historical significance in St. Paul, MN. The railroad barrons who settled and prospered from early commerce along the Mississippi River built mansions along Summit Avenue. At its eastern edge, Summit Avenue overlooks the downtown district of St. Paul. In addition to the historic mansions, Summit Hill is also dotted with majestic churches with art and architectural features.

This bronze statue stands in front of House of Hope Presbyterian Church. The angel is holding an anchor.

St. Luke's Catholic Church is an architectural delight in this neighborhood. Its stone facade is ornately decorated and has an imposing presence on Summit Avenue.

Some additional tree sculptures on Summit Avenue, this first is a woman holding an urn; the second shows a woman with a parasol.

On this August day the weather was perfect for a late summer picnic at Harriet Island in Minneapolis. Adjacent to the lake is a rose garden where all the roses were in full bloom and full fragrance. The landscape below shows just one section of this lovely garden.

With a little photo editing, I am able to show some great detail on some of the garden's best roses and flowers.

One section of the rose garden is devoted to wild and native flowers featuring several varieties of Black-eyed Susan.

We also see these Green-eyed Susan, although they are not as popular as the black-eyed variety.

There are two fountains in the rose garden, here is one of them. At least three bridal parties were having photo shoots around the fountains today.

August 2007 Photos

2007-08-22T14:22:00.000-05:00

Panda Bear is a tree sculpture. When large, old shade trees in the neighborhood get damaged in storms, the residents often contract with a tree sculptor for a work of art.

Here is another tree sculpture of the Statue of Liberty.

And another one of Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Christopher Robin.

In our backyard, the sunflowers have attracted goldfinches, cardinals, and squirrels all summer.

This summer our vegetable garden produced well despite severe heat and drought through July and part of August. David kept it well-watered, then rain in the last week have made it thrive. In this view you see our plum tree and an apricot tree, grape vine, raspberry bushes, asparagus, squash, eggplants, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers. We also enjoyed beans and lettuce this summer.

Our kitchen features finished wood surfaces and an antique baker's table decorated with hand-embroidered pieces in the cabinet windows.

Front porch also features finished wood and is a haven for us during spring, summer, and fall.

Helene has had a productive year for stitching. Three recent finishes: From left, four hardanger motifs stitched on a pillow, needlepoint flowers on a pillow, and finished counted embroidery "Garden Recipe" waiting to be framed.

Haley rests in a usual place on the couch.

A picture of David and Helene during the Hamline University faculty awards banquet in May 2007. David was honored for receiving a Fulbright Senior Scholarship at American University Armenia during the spring semester.