Sunday, July 29, 2012

Looking good and producing tons

Now that the rains are here, and the deadly month of July is gone, the plants are doing great! Enough production to keep up with without feeling overwhelmed. Well, except for the serrano peppers, and I think folks are tired of me asking if they want the excess. I was gone for work a little over a week, and before I left to traverse the state I made up a fried green tomato sandwich with boiled squash from the garden. One helluva a culinary send off. A few shots of random things on my trip.

Didn't get to taste, but will the next time I am there.
Still searching for awesome signs.
Sunset Crater
Wupatki, a powerful place.
Leaving Sedona

Grand Canyon
Had to hit up Tovar before leaving my week at the canyon.
 A black crim tomato was ripe for the eating this weekend, and oh my heavens, it was AH-mazing.


When one buys from the local farmers and also grows their own food, it is really hard to set out to travel. The veggie options were slim, and what little veggies I could find were not grown locally. Boy, am I spoiled when it comes to great tasting local foods. It is hard to beat fresh cherry tomatoes off the vine.

Cherry tomatoes ripening.
Hall of tomatoes

 I learned a lesson this year of planting too early for some things, so I am going another round. What can hurt tossing a few more seeds around in empty, lonely spaces? Right before my trip I moved the tomato from the tire and planted calendula. It has already sprouted and will definitely an additional amount of color to the already killer tire flowers. I also tossed a patty pas squash and an eating pumpkin, both sprouting too. Today I added butternut squash. If all produce, this will be one killer fall. Just in case the later seeds do well, I planted additional basils, cinnamon and genovese, along with echinacea, shallot,  and fern leaf dill. I am hoping the free rain of the monsoons will boost the growing.

Tires con flowers
Squash or pumpkin?
Sneaky radish and un-thinned leeks.

Kale coming back strong after a pesky pest.

Lemon balm, rosemary, and lavender.

Jalapeno, squash, and tomato. 

Fungus amongus.

Pulled all the paste toms due to bottom rot. Very sad day.
Another addition to the compound is 1-year old Banjo. About a year and a half ago I had to put down my Stoke dog, and ever since I have been feeling a large dog hole. I saw Banjo at the farmer's market with Border Animal Rescue, heard her story and decided to foster her to see if she would get along with the other two. She fits in perfect, and they all three love each other most of the time.

Banjo.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

A blog fulla nuggets

As I log in and take a look at my blog entries I am greeting by so very many with the orange 'draft' beside them. Entries promised to be published, then life takes a hold and they are created, yet only seen by me. Since this has been the practice as of late, today will be a blog fulla nuggets.

Life is going by pretty fast these days, but not too fast to snap a few photos. Its the words that accompany...

Sunset on the way to Riggs Flat Lake, Mt. Graham, Az

Jim, me, and Arlo
 The garden has had some rock stars and some not so rock stars. This year has been tough, but now that we are out of that damn month we call June, I think things are headed for an upswing. The tomatoes are rocking out and producing like no other. I had the first squash of the year this past week, and it was AH-mazing. The potatoes bit the dust, but the carrots are rocking out.  Trade off?

Mmm, Black crim

Blackberry climbing

The only surviving Harlequin marigold

The mystery plant flowers, waiting for the fruit to identify

Johhny Cash flower pot a bloomin'

Tried to go camping last night, but turned into a day trip, an adventurous one at that. Headed up the Chiricahuas by way of Portal, but the campsites open were lower than the elevation I live. Makes for a warm time, so back to the safety of the Mule Mountains for slumber. 

Tree pose, Barfoot, Chiricahua Mountains
Rounding the storm

My tarantula friend found at work