Diary 6/7/13

When I arrived at the greenhouse this morning, Felicity was already there hunting. Hopefully she will stick to gophers as there are also mother birds with fledglings in the bushes here and there. I did see her pounce once, but the rodent slipped under the framework of the greenhouse wall. She didn't pursue it further as if she knew it had reached safety, with more options for escape than she could control. I know she has been a successful gopher hunter by the prizes she brings. She always announces the gift with a particular mew. She receives kudos for gophers and mice. She isn't much of a bird hunter, thank goodness. Miles, aka. Gopher Getter also mews when he brings in his trophies, just as he did at 5:00 AM this morning... He is basically ornamental and hunts rarely, but occasionally he brings in a treasure with that special mew. I think he was worried as she continuously

 

shows him up.

Diary 6/6/13

These sunny days have been delightful.  The yard is drying up some now and if we weed eat areas, they will be goners. It is too dry to come back until first fall rains.  Some berry bushes are trying to sneak in along the edges of the flower beds, while the flowers are doing well if not in full bloom yet.  Seems like quite a few plums have set and we have eaten a few cherries though I expect the birds to find them soon. The strawberries are finishing their first crop and blooming to make another. Lots of plans for the greenhouses tomorrow.  Garden Girl had gone for awhile and I look forward to accomplishing more.

Diary 6/4/13

Planted a couple sweet peppers today, a red and a green. That should do it on peppers.  I have a variety of hot peppers in already and I hope to have enough of them to make some pickled jars as they turned out very useful during the winter.  I also have a second planting of melons to put in including some Crimson Sweets that grow to enormous plants and require lots of room to spread.  I will put them out after I figure out how to keep deer from sampling them.

 Looks like there is going to be more early figs than usual.  That's good because if we have a cool September they stop ripening and just sit on the tree green and then brown through the winter. 

Diary 6/3/13

Today was the first day of fire season which means no more open burning, so yesterday we worked on burning up the rest of our slash piles from logging.  When I went back out midday to check to see if the fires needed to be thrown back in on themselves to burn the last bits, this young doe was bedded there by the pile of ashes.  She appeared to be waiting to ask

                                                       "Where are the marshmallows?"

Diary 6/2/13

Today was a glorious SUN day!

New Blog!

I know, I know, not more time on the computer, but I had to do it.  I am hoping to publish some writing someday, so this seems to be the way to start getting the word out.  It is not going to have daily posts, and the posts it does have may not be about gardening at all. They will, however , hopefully make you curious about what I have written. In the meanwhile, I will give background to what I am writing. Things that I have learned. Helpful hints, maybe, to anyone else working through the process of writing, and in general introduce any works I have finished.  Then at some point when I get to a self publishing stage if it comes to that, the curtains will open and ta-da! there will be a book to read and you will want to read it.

Diary 6/1/13

Went hiking with Cheryl on the Upper Rogue River Trail on one of my favorite sections.  We are planning a picnic and hike with our gal pals and this place will work with a nice riverside area to hang out and the trail for hikers and an outhouse. There were a few hikers and a couple people fishing, but even if that was all going on while we were there it would be nice.  There should be more sand and a little less water in another three weeks. Planted some butternut squash plants that I bought.  Still waiting for the Delicatas to emerge.  Hope the seed is still good.  I have the few plants I started that I transplanted that are just getting over transplant shock.  Also bought a second eggplant, a different kind.  Still, two eggplants may be too much.  Ah well, I will have them to trade...