mudpies's Blog

Pickerel for dinner
Jun 22, 2009 | 4:53 PM PST
Tags: pickerel , cucumbers , cucumber beetles , herbicide , pesticide , Strawberries , pears , potato , Colorado potato beetle , carrots

C came home with several nice pickerel (walleye) from his fishing trip.  What a treat!

It's very warm here today - upwards of 80 degrees.  I know that's relatively mild to some of you southerners, but the sudden change in the weather from cool and wet to very warm  makes it seem even warmer.  I don't think I had a single mosquito bite today, but the horseflies were out in droves.  I think the change in the weather made them less alert than usual, because I was able to smack three of them - after they bit me, of course.

We went to the farm and discovered that our cukes are up.  Now if I can only keep those darned beetles at bay.  Ontario has strict new laws about pesticides and herbicides, so I can no longer buy Sevin or malathion.  There are a couple of pumpkins up, and a few buttercup squash, but no sign of my gourds yet.  C ate the first strawberry from our newly planted patch.  We had to till up the old patch last fall.  The weeds had taken over.   I'll have to wait till next year to get any quantity.  We've always had more strawberries than we could eat ourselves, so I resent having to buy them, but C and a couple of my sons-in-law plus a lot of grandkids can't be deprived of home made strawberry jam.  Pears are beginning to form on one of our trees.  The other tree, which is a year older (12) has never borne fruit.  I'm guessing it's because it takes the brunt of the wind and the blossoms get blown off, but that's just my best guess.  Most of our spuds are up and so far we've only found three potato bugs.  They're sneaky little devils, though.  We have to watch carefully.  C squishes them, but I'm too squeamish unless I have gloves on.  I drown them in a bucket of water.  We're going to have to replant carrots.  For the first time in 12 years, the soil *sandy loam) was too wet for the initial planting.

I spent most of the afternoon tidying up my shade bed and another area adjacent to our shed.  I turned the soil in that area last year so C wouldn't have to go at it with the whipper snipper.  I put in a few perennials, but for the most part I intend to fill it with self-seeding plants:  hollyhocks (or outhouse plants, as my mom calls them), bachelor buttons, forget-me-nots, etc.  There's still a lot of weed seed in that bed, especially stinging nettle, so my hands are sore this evening.  I was too impatient to put gloves on.  DUH!!  I was happy to note that plantain leaves crushed and rubbed on the affected area provide relief from the stinging, thanks to LynnChristo's blog.

While I was working on my shade bed, I came across a large paw print - way too large to be that of most dogs, but not as large as a bear print.  Besides we don't have bears in this area, anyway.  I showed it to C who was as puzzled as I was.   We considered and rejected coyotes.  The print was too large.  As I worked my way along the bed, I came upon a second print - a little larger than the first and not as well defined.  After working away all afternoon and upon closer inspection, the answer finally dawned on me!  I'm pretty sure it's a grandchild print!  If you remember, I created that bed using the lasagna method.  The soil's still very light and spongy. so a child's foot  would sink down into it and expand in size.  I expect my step-son took his brood to the farm to let off some steam, and in their exuberance, one of them ran into my garden.  I also expect that the little rascal got yelled at - hence, only two footprints.

I'm so glad I found this site - great members and great solutions ! ! !  Take care, all.

Gardening on hold because of rain
Jun 1, 2009 | 5:10 PM PST
Tags: Cleaning , pickerel , Asparagus , japanese painted fern

Five whole days since my last entry!  That's because I don't have much gardening news.  We've had either high winds or rain or both since then.  I WANT TO PLAY IN THE DIRT!!

Oh, well!  At least I put my 'down time' to good use.  I went at my van with a commercial vacuum cleaner and found that it was carpeted under an assortment of loose soil, empty pots, garden implements and just plain junk!    During the process I discovered a novel I began to read last year and enough coins to make my wallet very heavy.  Now, when I set out to drive, I have to double-check to make sure I'm in the right vehicle.

Then I tackled my basement, otherwise known as the dungeon.  It was even worse than my van.  Some people have lovely family rooms in their basements.  Not this family!  I'd like to say that the dungeon is strictly utilitarian, but that would be a gross over-statement, maybe even a big, fat lie.  What it is, is a repository for our local library's Santa Claus parade float decorations including an artificial tree, stuff we're storing for one of my daughters, toys for the grandkids, all kinds of gardening stuff - pots, various ornaments, potting soil, stakes, etc., an assortment of tools and parts for C's business, some life-sized manequins for Hallowe'en, leftover bits and pieces from building our house (lumber, siding, nails, etc.), C's fishing equipment, a dog crate filled with stuff our dog, Clyde, had gathered up here and there - toys, bones and whatnot,   two freezers, a washer, dryer and laundry sink, a washroom and a large furnace, among other things.  It's been a long time since I did a thorough cleaning down there and I'm afraid I'm not 'a place for everything and everything in its place' sort of person.    (Well, I seem to be 'a place for everything' kinda gal, but absolutely NOTHING had an appropriate place of its own. )  In fact, it was difficult to make my way from the bottom of the stairs to the door to the garage.

I've got a long way to go, but at least everything's sorted into some kind of logical order and the floor's been swept and scrubbed.  I still need to get a lot of laundry done and scrub the bathroom.  (I may get at that tomorrow.  It's raining as I write, so another 'no gardening' day.)  And, YES!!  I can actually walk in a straight line from the stairs to the garage!!  Wonders will never cease!

C had fun on his fishing trip and came home with some pickerel for tonight's dinner.  I made potato pancakes and steamed some fresh asparagus to go with it.  Mmm  mmm  mmm!

During one of the few breaks in the weather, I moved my Japanese painted fern down to the farm.  I hope that wasn't a mistake.  It was getting crowded out here, but the wind has taken its toll on it since I moved it.  I've been especially proud of that fern.  It was one of my 'foundlings' - an end-of-the-season bargain - broken and wilted when I bought it.  It was very beautiful before I moved it.  I can only hope that it will return to its normal, robust self when this darned wind finally decides to settle.