08-09-2013 ...it's still hot out there!

Spending a few days in Charlottesville Va made me appreciate cooler temperatures, cooler by 10 to 15 degrees, allowing you to eat outdoors morning and night.

Coming back to the 90s has felt very uncomfortable, not that I stay inside since the garden always needs some attention! I also noticed that that warmer sun has dried up the dirt, including some major cracks in some beds. This meant doing something I haven't done much this year: watering. And watering in long pants and long sleeves to avoid feeding too many mosquitoes that, apparently, eagerly waited for my return.

My tomatoes and cucumbers are producing enough for the family and a little more but not the large crops I have seen in the past. Some of those Roma tomatoes are great roasted. The gherkins I had every intention of pickling are coming in such small quantity that I just eat them raw. I must say that those old varieties are prehistoric looking with their almost thorny skins but, once you wash those away, you have a feast of really tasty treats. Other plus: even when getting larger, their seeds remain small and easily edible.

Happy Basil!

I like Banana peppers more than Bell peppers; they have more of a citrussy flavor I really like.

Asian pears

What else is going on? I am in the middle of enjoying my Asian pears; one variety has a skin as tough as leather but the juiciest, firm flesh. Two other varieties have a much more civilized skin; one of them may not look great for the market but the taste is something else.



The other near happening is the first few signs of my figs waking up. By sometimes next week they should start producing in earnest. Once they do, I will be very happy to share with any one of my friends in the Triangle who want to come on get quantities of the fresh fruit. If you're interested, contact me through "Message" on F B with ideas of dates and quantities requested. I'll try to keep everybody happy.

When I was at Monroe's house, this little guy thought he recognized me.

Banana field!

Excuse the quality of the following pictures but I decided tp post them anyway for what they show: a Sphinx Moth. Since they come out at night, most of us never see them. My neighbor Tom S. took the pictures.

Notice the length of the proboscis allowing the moth to draw nectar from the yellow flower (Four o'clock) on the top of the picture.