Recycling Stumps

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A Pretty Robin Enjoying
our Garden Tree Stump Seating!

For days, I had driven by three abandoned stump segments at the side of the road. One the third occasion I started imagining them in my front garden.

On the forth trip, I stopped and rolled one of the stumps to the van, only to find that I couldn't lift it. Later that day, I returned with my 12-yr-old grand-daughter, Rachel, who helped me load all three stumps.

Even with two of us, the stumps were still very heavy; and, we returned home with scraped arms and pulled muscles. Lucky for us, though, three of Rachel's friends were waiting at the house when we returned, and were willing to help unload the stumps in the driveway.

The cracked and inconsistent appearance of our three stumps only serves to make them more appealing, to me. The stumps have graced our front pollinator potager all summer long, serving alternately as plant stands and extra seating for people and wildlife alike.

This week, I found a photo on Facebook illustrating a "stump table" for sale, and though the stump lacked the rustic charm of our garden gems, it was priced at an exorbitant $349.

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I find it hard to believe there are buyers out there willing to pay the store's asking price for what amounts to cast off segments of telephone pole, but then those same people might think I'm a little strange for rescuing and recycling stumps found by the side of the road - Each to their own, though, right?

Beauty is often said to be in the eye of the beholder: Usefulness and financial viability are more often relative to circumstance. Our free, practical and valued garden stumps could potentially provide us a financial reward, but only if I'm willing to part with them.

I might, some day ... but not now!

Cucumber Confusion

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Counter-Clockwise From Top Left
First Flower, First Cucumber,
Mutation, Harvested Fruit

Optimism soared when, in late August, our first pickling cucumber plants flowered and began to produce fruit. The elation didn't last long, though as cucumber confusion began turning our promising pickling crop into gourd-like mutations.

I asked several seasoned gardeners if they'd ever seen anything like my strange cucumbers; and, each response was a resounding, "No." One suggested there might have been something wrong with the seeds.

With genetic mutation the likely culprit, I realized there was no way we could risk eating the cucumbers; so, I photographed the imperfect harvest, inside and out, and then discarded them. Interestingly, when cut open, the cucs looked and smelled pretty much as they should.

The seeds from this year's failed cucumber crop came from a seed share table at the Seedy Saturday I attended in April. Next year, I'll be much more careful where I purchase the seeds I use to grow my vegetables and hope for a better outcome.

And, though I didn't get the cucumber crop I'd hoped would yield some home-grown dill pickles, my confused cucumbers have certainly gifted me an intriguing story to tell and some fascinating photos.

Simple Gifts

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Chinese Anemone
A Gift for our Garden, and Pollinators
from Miriam & Larry's Garden

My aunt Miriam recently remarried and moved from an apartment to the home of her new husband, Larry.

They now share a pretty bungalow near the lake-shore in Burlington; a charming little love nest; framed front, back and sides by garden, grass, porches and a lovely little private deck off the kitchen.

After Miriam was well and truly ensconced in her new home, my mom and I were invited out for a look-see; and, I was able to avail myself of some of their perennials that needed thinning out. Lucky me, I brought home some Chinese Anemone, Loosestrife, and ornamental grasses for our garden.

Miriam's always been generous with her time, sense of humour and her possessions; and, I'm grateful for her kindness to my mother. She once gave me a useful book about perennials, and this isn't even the first time she's bestowed plants for my garden.

Life is too short to be stingy with shareable items, inside or outside your home. Miriam's simple gifts are examples of how her generous spirit spreads beauty and caring from one person to another, and in our case, one garden to another.

We thank Miriam and Larry for keeping us in their thoughts, as they settle into their new life together. We'll be thinking of them often, too; especially, when our garden blooms again next year.

Potager Protegees

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My 84-yr-old & 5-yr-old
Pollinator Potager Protegees

Gardening is lovely therapeutic and fulfilling endeavour that provides the mind and body with exercise, vitamin D, connection to the natural environment & people in the neighbourhood, and home-grown nutrition for species of all kinds.

In my case, gardening has also been an opportunity to share time in the great outdoors with two of my main gardening buddies (as my daughter Chelsea suggested, "my Potager Protegees"), currently: my 84-yr-old mother, Olive; and, my 5-yr-old granddaughter, Mattie-Belle.

Neither of these two people have great muscular strength or extensive gardening knowledge; however, mom and Mattie-Belle both come to the garden with great heart and strength of conviction.

When it came time, this week, to do a major trimming of the Butterfly Bushes and Cotoneasters in our pollinator patch, old and young eagerly participated in sweeping and tidying our neighbour's driveway.

Sometimes I like to be out in the garden alone, particularly if I need to think about what I'm doing; but; other times, I enjoy the company and the fresh perspective my protegees bring to the job at hand.

Mom and Mattie-Belle not only offer practical assistance, but also provide me the opportunity to learn through their questions and unique thought processes. In many ways, my gardening project is an ongoing educational experiment where I am alternately the perpetual student or teacher.

I know mom's protegee days will eventually be hampered by age, and Mattie-Belle's interests may change as she gets older (as happened with granddaughter, Rachel). That said, I'll take the enthusiasm and assistance offered by these fine ladies for as long as they are willing and able to provide both.

Goldenrod

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A Welcome Pollinator
Visiting our Zig Zag Goldenrod

Last autumn, I found a treasure trove of Canada goldenrod in my backyard, likely transported there by visiting birds. I transplanted it to my side yard pollinator patch, only to be chastised for the growing of the plant that causes hay-fever.

Though, goldenrod (long falsely believed to be the cause of the allergic rhinitis know as hay-fever) and rag-weed (the actual cause of hay-fever) are not even similar in looks or mode of pollen transmission; the misconception has continued for far too long.

Rag-weed's tiny powdery grains are, in fact, easily transmitted through the air, so their nondescript green flowers do not need to attract insect pollinators. Goldenrod, on the other hand, requires insect conveyance of their heavier pollen, necessitating its bright golden floral display for insect attraction.

This week, our two goldenrod varieties - Canada provided by the birds and Zig Zag purchased at a native plant sale - began a fabulous show in our pollinator patch; and, the lovely bright colour and abundant pollen proved attractive to humans and insects, alike.

I'm happy I welcomed goldenrod to our pollinator patch; and more importantly, the pollinating insect in the photo above seems happy about it, too.

Finally

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1st Tomato Sandwiches
from My Home-Growns

After months of seeding and tending four varieties of tomato plants, in my house and on my front porch, ripe tomatoes have finally arrived.

And, while harvesting ripe edible fruit is very fulfilling, I'm more excited at the prospect of making the first home-grown tomato sandwich of the season.

Coring, pealing (I always peal the tough skins of summer tomatoes), gently slicing and layering the juicy red tomato slices with lettuce and whipped dressing between slices of soft fresh bread (rather than toasted), is reward for my considerable labour.

Sinking my teeth into the most delicious sandwich of the season, as I did today, makes having dealt with hornworms, predators and watering issues over the summer seem like nothing at all.

My mom always said that as a child I could often be found in the tomato patch, eating fruit straight off the vine; and even to this day, for me there is no tastier treat than a tomato sandwich made with farm-fresh or home-grown tomatoes.

I'm looking forward to enjoying more delicious tomato sandwiches while my small crop is still producing fruit. The memory of the magic will have to sustain me until next year.

The Ripening

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Our Four Varieties of Tomatoes

This past spring, I planted 4 different varieties of tomato plants - one of each - grown in my kitchen window from seed. I placed them in large food-grade plastic pots on my front porch and encouraged the plants to grow.

I've written before about the deep watering spikes I employed to keep the plants from developing bottom end rot, having to replace a seedling stolen by a bird with a store bought-plant, and the troubles I had with tomato horn worms eating away at my healthy crop.

I'm excited, now, to be able to report that the tomatoes have started to ripen - All four plants; and, in no time at all, I expect to have dozens of delicious juicy tomatoes, and not just the garden sweetheart miniatures.

It takes a tremendous amount of optimism to survive a season of growing tomatoes ... so much can go wrong; however, barring a cold snap or another unforeseen garden tragedy, I hope the ripening will continue until all this year's fruit can be picked and eaten.

If not, though, I'm determined to keep a positive attitude, imagining the chance to finally try fried green tomatoes - I hear it's a delicacy.