summer
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The gutters overflowed with water in a recent rain storm. During the following heat and humidity I climbed the ladder to have a look. Sure enough both sides were plugged with leaves and maple tree seeds. It took less than a minute per side to clean them. While up there I inspected the roof. The… Read more
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Signs of summer’s end are everywhere. We knew fall was arriving last week when someone published the school bus pickup and delivery times on our community Facebook page. K-12 schools start tomorrow in our district. The Iowa legislature and governor expressed an interest in dictating how schools would approach the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. They issued… Read more
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Thunderstorms are forecast until 7 p.m. Between showers I hope to accomplish some gardening tasks yet most of the day will be spent indoors: in the kitchen, garage, and at my work desk. There’s always something to do. The Washington Post reported the White House is preparing for a fall resurgence of the coronavirus. My… Read more
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This year has been an amazing year for garden tomatoes. 21 varieties with a total of 47 plantings produced beyond expectations and our household’s ability to use them. There are so many I took two crates to the orchard for folks to can, freeze, eat and share. I took flats of them to meet ups… Read more
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I had planned gumbo for a few weeks. Yesterday was the day. Gumbo is a natural dish for our kitchen in late summer. There are plenty of onions, celery stalks, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic and okra available from the garden. It is an easy dish to prepare after learning how to make a roux. Ingredient… Read more
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I want to write a nice summary of this year’s garden including successes, failures and lessons learned. Instead of crafting something usable, I visited two of the farms where I work. Knowledge lives within us more than in written words. Life doesn’t always proceed in a linear manner despite predictable changes in season. Yesterday was… Read more
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If August was a tough month, this summer has been one of the best in recent years. Moderate local temperatures with reasonable relative humidity, rain enough to help the garden grow, and friends meeting the challenge of growing flowers and vegetables in a changing climate, all helped us feel comfortable. July was notable for being… Read more
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A main feature of the vacant lot we bought in 1993 was its proximity to Lake Macbride State Park. When we need exercise, or just want to get away from the house, it’s a short walk to the trail that runs five miles from our nearby city to the main park entrance. In August the… Read more
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With late planting and heavy spring rain the garden has been a mixed bag. A highlight of every year is arrival of tomato season and planning the use of what I expect will be a good crop. The first tomatoes have ripened, and now we wait for the slicers and plums. We eat them fresh,… Read more
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