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Autumn Aliens

~ McArtor ~ Leave a comment

We visited a farm in wp-image-1536863450jpg.jpgPennsylvania to pick some pumpkins and gourds to bring home.   My son was intrigued by their funny shapes and bright colors.  They reminded me of the silly monsters he draws – cute alien creatures with round or oval bodies filled in by swirls or dots and topped with one to three eyes; each creature has a name like,  Dingle, Yugi, Ygug, Hithy, Hicamawiks, Hallywak and Dotty-Spot.  They make us laugh.

These alien-like squashes make us smile, too.  Any names come to mind for them?  I will ask my son, he will have some ideas.

Can you guess which ones he named, Backhoe, Emerald,  and Pouty?

answers: (no peeking!)

Backhoe is the creamy, white gourd with the curved neck on the very top of the hay bale. Emerald is the bright green one in between the bumpy faint, pastel blue pumpkin and the orange pumpkin. It’s underneath Backhoe, a little to the right. Pouty is the crazy, pale blue pumpkin with the frown next to the green and the white gourds. He’s the closest to you!    😉

Hens and Chicks 

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The Hens and Chicks in clay pots on our front steps are flourishing in the cool fall weather. Each day I see new tiny chicks emerging. Close and cozy, growing in a tight space. It is counter-intuitive for a gardener.  I want to re-pot and give more space, but these succulents actually grow better in crowded conditions.

When my townhouse seems too small, traffic congested, time limited and life crowded with responsibilities and demands, I will think of these plants. They grow under the pressure of limited space.  Too often my thoughts are rooted in the “not enoughs.”  I need more time. I can’t. I need to pull out. What if I snuggled into the pressure and my limitations, stayed grounded and calm?  I might be surprised by unexpected space and new growth.

Tomatoes gone wild

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Tomatoes (left) and Peppers (right)

Plants with branches slumped and sticky hold plump cherry and grape tomatoes in our kitchen garden.  The full sunny days and shower refreshed evenings kept all growing. Over four feet in two months!  Our tomato plants grew beyond their cages and almost touched the deck before they toppled on themselves as vines will do.  We gave string and stake support a little late.  We did not anticipate such rapid growth so they kind of went a little wild beyond their cages.  They needed a supported space – a ring of rope to grow up into.

A reminder for me to anticipate growth as I seek to provide an effective supportive space for my preteen son. He is growing fast, almost as tall as me now.  How will I support him as he looks beyond our home to friends and middle school?  What kind of support can a give to him as he reaches beyond?

A prayer:  Lord, I need your wisdom and guidance to show me how to provide structure and support suitable to the unique talents You gave my son.  May He reach His full potential and grow into a courageous, kind, faithful, loving and fruitful young man. 

Never underestimate the potential for growth in all that you nurture and care for.  You will be amazed!

Our Garden Plot Comes Home

~ McArtor ~ 1 Comment

wpid-img_20150912_141352563_hdr.jpgFirst year of new backyard garden gives our family veggies, flowers, joy,  and humble pride.  My 10 year old son announced a few days ago, “We have the biggest and most beautiful garden in our neighborhood!” Next he said, “I want to sweep the stones and weed.”  Really.  My “working in the garden is boring,” son volunteers to work in our garden?

When our garden plot was in Howard County Conservancy Community garden, we produced more veggies.  Now that our garden plot is at home,  more inspiration grows.   A salad or veggie stir fry for dinner – pick some grape tomatoes, kale, zucchini and peppers.  Science project ideas – check on those kitchen scraps added to compost yesterday.  A break from stress and high tech stuff – pull some weeds, empty rain barrel water into a watering can and sprinkle the dry ground. Stillness – watch the rain soak the garden and revive its thirsty roots.  Welcome home our garden plot!

Fall plantings include:  beets, spinach, lettuce, an assortment of kale and two blueberry bushes in pots on our deck.

Steppables

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A photo of our front yard at start of growing season.  My goal is no weed or grass spots and no brown mulch, only green steppable plants. There are five different ground covers growing – Stonecrop at front right, Alban Reptans, blue flowers at back right, Vinca around the tree, Wooly Thyme behind the tree and Sedum to left of Wooly.  There are Alban transplants growing between stones (can’t see in this photo).  More stepping stones will be added to the left.  I remain hopeful that one day  we will be able to walk across a living green carpet.  My bare feet are ready!

A New Garden Plot

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This fall we transformed a 12 foot by 20 foot soil patch in the backyard of our townhouse into a new garden plot.  Most of the day, one side of the plot is in shade and the other is in sunlight. We wanted a natural and clean looking flower and kitchen garden, but did not know where to begin so we consulted a landscape designer from Sun Nurseries. She inspired us to make these changes…stone path, drainage system, new plants and two raised beds.   My husband built two beautiful cedar structures to contain our kitchen garden. What a great milestone birthday present!

new plot

My husband is putting a wire mesh on bottom of one raised bed. This will prevent moles and other ground digging critters from tunneling through our kitchen gardens. There is a lot of work to do, but we persevere with thoughts of watching our new garden come to life in Spring.

Garden Additions –
Plants:
Schip Cherry Laurel
Autumn Fern
Japanese Painted Fern
Astilbe Sprite (Pink)
Bleeding Heart
Brass Buttons (ground cover)

Bulbs:
Chionodoxa Blue Giant (Glory of the Snow)
Tulips (Lilac Wonder)

In another spot about 15 feet away from the flower and kitchen garden we planted two new trees:
Eastern Redbud
Semi-Dwarf Peach

Harvest Monday – July 23, 2012

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Eggplants and peppers are abundant in our garden plot. We have plans for all these veggies. The eggplants: stuff and roll up – slice, dip in egg and bread crumbs, broil, spread with mixture of egg, ricotta and parmesan cheese, roll up, place in baking dish, cover with tomato sauce and bake; transform into spaghetti – slice and sprinkle with olive oil, broil, cool and cut into strips, top with sauce; pickle and spread onto bread or crackers, roast, grill and saute . The peppers: chop and freeze, pickle and preserve in jars, stuff and bake and slice in salads. Some of the peppers and eggplants will be donated to our local Food Bank. But I must admit my favorite plan for the peppers is … slice and give to my son. He eats the sweet crispy cubanelle and bell peppers like a sliced apple. I am thrilled! They are loaded with vitamin C.

Harvest totals for this week:
Cubanelle Peppers 4.5 pounds
Bell Peppers 2.25 pounds
Eggplant 7.0 pounds
Zucchini 8.5 pounds

To see amazing harvests from gardens around the world, stop by Daphne’s Dandelions, the host of Harvest Monday.