Category Archives: Tomato

October 27, 2019 · 6:44 pm

FREEZE WARNING…AGAIN

Our friends at the National Weather Service

Are predicting a freeze…again.

I think they really mean it this time.

So I’ve spent this weekend.

Picking what is left of my garden.

That’s my ritual as the end of the season

Draws near.

Make sure I’ve got plenty of pesto

In the freezer.

Pick all the green tomatoes

Spread them out on newspaper

In the cool garden house

To ripen.

Pull the pots of Sego Palms

Out of their big pots

And move them into the garden house.

Pick Cockscomb

And Hydrangea

For flower arrangements

And hope they hold until

The Loaves & Fishes fundraiser in November.

This year the fundraiser is a week later

And the freeze is coming a few days early.

Do you think it will hold for almost

3 weeks?

We’ll see.

That’s one of the things I love about gardening

The mystery

The experimenting

The challenge.

And if the Cockscomb doesn’t make it,

We’ll just find another way.

Rosemary maybe

Pots and pots of cut rosemary.

That would make the place smell amazing

And what could be more appropriate

For a food bank fundraiser?

So my garden house if full

Of the rituals

Of the season.

I’m lucky to have a place

To play

All year long.

In June I was honored to be visited

by Oklahoma Gardening.

They came to film my garden house.

It aired yesterday.

Click here if you want to take a peak.

The place is filling up

And the tulip bulbs

Haven’t even arrived yet!

More fun to come.

Thanks, John

For giving me such a wonderful

Place to play.

Gail

Here is literally the last rose of summer.

4 Comments

Filed under cockscomb, End of Season Rituals, Fall, Garden House, Hydrangea, Oklahoma Gardening, Tomato, Uncategorized

May 28, 2017 · 4:27 pm

PUTTERING AROUND

You can tell that spring is winding down.

The temperature is rising slightly.

There are fewer rainy days.

And the big garden jobs are done.

The few pots I have are planted.

Tulips have been pulled.

And the plants I couldn’t resist

Have nestled into their new home.

Now comes the weekend

When there is time

To putter.

You know

Doing the little things

That you’ve been walking past

And ignoring

Till the time was right.

Digging and thinning the Iris.

Hanging the sticky traps for those nasty thrip.

FullSizeRender (11)

Spreading the crushed egg shells around the Hosta

Hoping to discourage the slugs and snails.

FullSizeRender (10)

Planting the first Zinnias in the bare spots.

FullSizeRender (12)

Staking, trimming and caging the tomatoes.

It’s going to be a good tomato year

Since I’m all ready seeing blooms and tomatoes

And finding time to see the world

Through my macro lens

Discovering a pollen laden bee

Inside a Hollyhock bloom.

I so enjoy puttering.

Gail

P.S. In my last blog I said that there was not a farmer in my generation.

I stand corrected and apologize.

My sister Ann took delivery on her new tractor this week.

FullSizeRender (9)

She’ll use it as she tends her 40 acre pecan grove.

Planted by our father.

Which she inherited

And is improving.

So she can pass it on

To the next generation.

1 Comment

Filed under Bees, Generations, hollyhocks, Hosta, Nature, spring, Tomato, Uncategorized, Zinnia

October 16, 2016 · 2:12 am

BACK IN THE GARDEN

I’ve been gone the last two weekends

Which meant

No time in the garden.

It takes a lot to get me out of the garden

Two fall weekends in a row.

But a visit with Harper & Henry

And the out-of-state wedding

Of a dear friend’s son.

Collided

Leaving me out of the garden.

While we were gone

We got a big rain

Six inches of rain

To be exact.

So the ground is just right

For fall rituals.

Moving things

Pulling up spent Cockscomb

And just generally puttering around.

This is the time of year

Where the present

And the future meet.

In the garden.

Spring flowering bulbs

Have started to arrive.

Though the soil isn’t quite cool enough

To bury them yet.

My potting bench is covered with

Little containers of seeds.

Glimpses of things to come.

And the Dahlias hit their stride.

But the action isn’t all outside

Normally this time of the year I’m making pesto.

But our hot summer

Combined with my negligence in keeping the basil from bolting

Landed me with tons of bitter basil.

So there’s no pesto this year.

Instead I’m planning to freeze

Cubes of herb butter

For winter cooking.

And the kitchen windowsill is filled with

Tomatoes in different stages of ripening.

It’s a defensive move

Against whatever four-legged devil

Is dining on my almost ripe tomatoes

Every night.

They get them just before they ripen on the vine.

So I’ve figured out just how long I can leave them

Then pick them before they are stolen.

Now I don’t mind sharing a few

But they are taking more than their fair share.

October

You just can’t beat it

For perfect days in the garden

For relishing in a season well spent

And planning for the future

Gail

2 Comments

Filed under Bees, cockscomb, Dahlias, Fall, Herbs, Seeds, Tomato, Uncategorized, Zinnia

September 4, 2016 · 7:27 pm

FLUTTERBYS

For weeks now

I’ve been seeing the signs

Orb spiders have arrived

Praying Mantis are hanging around

As are Locust.

Dahlias have made their debut

I can hear the band practice

At the high school football field.

Cockscomb is everywhere

And Flutterbys

Are here.

Somewhere along the way

Butterflies became flutterbys

At our house.

Elliott loved them as a child.

Even bringing them into the house

To live…briefly!

When you think about it

Flutterby is a more accurate description

Of these late summer visitors.

The Monarchs are on their way

To Mexico.

And a few are stopping by

For a snack in my garden.

They brought along their friend

The Tiger Swallowtail

Which has been impossible

To get on camera.

I can’t say enough about this season

Especially in a year

That brought such heat.

In some ways I find it

As much a source of renewal

As spring.

It’s cooler days

Are refreshing

Even though I know

My least favorite season

Is close behind.

For now

I’ll pick peppers

And tomatoes…finally

Transplant roses

And make extravagant flower arrangements.

Because fall is the season of bounty

In my garden

For that I am grateful.

Gail

Surely this is the last Easter egg out there!

3 Comments

Filed under Bugs, Butterflies, cockscomb, Dahlias, Fall, Gardening, Gratitude, late summer garden, Orb Spider, Peppers, Tomato, Uncategorized

August 25, 2015 · 7:47 pm

LIVING ON THE EDGE

Planting home vegetable gardens

Is experiencing a resurgence in popularity.

I think it’s great.

Especially if home gardeners

Share their abundance with a local food pantry.

But for some reason

I haven’t been able to convert even a section

Of my perennial border

Solely to vegetables.

I convince myself this is OK

Since my abundance of flowers

Supply the nectar

For hundreds of bees.

I’m thinking they are pollinating

Vegetable plants all around town.

I also consider flowers

“Food for the soul.”

But the truth is I’m not that great at growing veggies.

This season alone

I’ve gotten a total of 5 tomatoes from 3 plants

One of which has now been eaten

By a tomato hornworm

May he rest in peace.

And something ate my three brussel sprouts plants

I am good at leafy greens.

Leaf lettuce and arugula are my favorites.

I can also grow radishes galore.

So I’m doing my bit for the local food movement

Planting the edges of my garden.

And a pot here and there.

I have a hard time remembering

When it’s time to plant things.

So last winter I took the local Extension Service calendar

And input it into my personal google calendar.

Which means when it’s time to plant something.

It pops up on my calendar.

Now I remember it’s OK to plant my fall garden

In August.

Last weekend I cleaned out the spaces

Where there were weeds

And sprinkled seeds for

Carrots, radishes, arugula and lettuce.

They I planted peas around the dahlia cages.

It’s not the vegetable garden of my parents

With neat rows and room for towering corn plants.

But it works for me.

Fitting in things along the edges.

Finding the time and place to grow the things

I really want.

And not trying to force myself

To fit it into a standard mold.

Life changes with time

Finding the time and place

For those changes

Can be challenging.

When we figure out how to do it.

It’s wonderful.

Gail

1 Comment

Filed under Arugula, Bees, Brussels Sprouts, Bugs, Carrots, Fall Vegetables, Gardening, Gardening;Perennials, late summer garden, Lettuce, Radishes, Seeds, sugar snap peas, Tomato, Uncategorized, Vegetables

Tagged as Fall Garden, Gardening, Vegetables

November 3, 2014 · 12:55 am

THE BASIL RITUAL

There’s a rhythm about fall that seems to be well, common.

At least among my friends.

With our first freeze predicted for Halloween

I began cutting basil on Thursday

And again on Friday.

Buckets of basil.

I always plant too much

Which means I have basil to spare

For months on end.

I use it during the growing season.

But by October it’s giant and going to seed everywhere.

Yet I feel that none of it can go to waste.

I either have to dry it

Or make pesto

Or find it a home.

Pesto is my first plan of attack.

So on Friday

When the weather men were issuing their threatening forecast.

My sister Ann called and said.

“So I’m guessing you’re making pesto.”

And I was.

She’s in the same place I am.

With way too much basil.

But she has the advantage of being able to feed her extra.

To her bunnies.

I on the other hand

Do not have hungry bunnies living at my house.

So when a friend dropped by with a cape for Coco to wear for Halloween.

She was rewarded with bonus basil.

Others who dropped by were also given the chance

But most declined.

I thought of bagging it up in little bags and giving it out

To the 400+ kids who came trick or treating.

But there might be potential for misunderstanding there!

I’ve now made 3 batches of regular pesto

3 C. packed fresh basil leaves

1/3 C. grated parmesan cheese

6 cloves chopped garlic

6 T toasted Pine nuts

4 T olive oil

Put all ingredients into food processor.

Pulse till well chopped but not a puree.

Spray ice-cube tray with non-stick cooking spray.

Freeze. Then store cubes in plastic bag.

It’s about a tablespoon or 2 of pesto.

And a couple of roasted red pepper and sun-dried tomato pesto.

3 medium red bell peppers 0r 1 jar .

12 sun-dried tomatoes – soaked and drained

1 clove garlic chopped

3 T roasted pine nuts.

a handful of fresh basil leaves.

A handful of fresh Italian parsley

Juice of 1 lemon

2 T grated parmesan cheese.

Prepare like basil pesto

I’ve also been roasting and freezing the last of the ripe tomatoes.

All of which is giving our house

A rather Italian aroma.

Now…what to do with all those

Peppers and green tomatoes.

And in the end

It didn’t even freeze!

Gail

The other fall ritual I love

Is sharing plants with friends

Kay and Tori came by on Saturday morning.

To dig the last of the ferns.

New plans for this area

Come spring.

If you count the days between
The last freeze of winter
And the first freeze of fall
You will find that we are at half time
Of the gardening year
Here in zone 7
So is the season half over?
Do we just maintain from here on in?
Cup half empty.
Or do we revel in the days to come?
Cup half full.
If you look closely
You’ll find that some things
Are just beginning
Or beginning again.
For instance.
I don’t plant my Zinnias
Until the Larkspur and Poppies
Have died and made room for them
So they are just beginning to bud out.

The Arugula on the other hand.
Has gone to seed
Giving me a second crop.

Which is great
Since I’m a fan of Arugula
Tomatoes are ripening on the vine
Except for the ones my nighttime visitors
Have dined on.
But volunteer tomatoes
Are just beginning to bloom and set fruit.
And because we are having a great summer
Eight inches of rain in July!
The roses are budding and blooming.

Dahlias are equally happy

And Cleome has re-seeded itself

After those dastardly harlequin shield bugs a few years back.
Earlier in the spring I cut the tall garden phlox back
And it has paid me back with lush blooms.

They came a little later
But it was worth the wait.
And of course the Cockscomb
Is beginning its takeover of the garden.

And Peg spends endless hours in the garden

Doing what we have dubbed

“Bugging”

She loves the hunt.

So here we are at half time
Enjoying the view.
Yes, there is much that can be done.
Much that actually needs to be done.
But for now I’m just taking it in
Knowing that there is much more to come
Much more to give.
Gail

PS. If you have extra garden produce please drop it by Loaves & Fishes Monday, Wednesday or Friday 9 – 12 or call for special drop off times. With kids out of school we are seeing more and more people in need of food. And what’s better than fresh garden produce shared.

DAYS OF GRACE

We are having some splendid days this fall.

Granted, a few days are warmer than usual.

But overall this is one of the reasons

I love life on the Great Plains.

Indian Summer.

The cool crisp days

Filled with sunshine

And hope.

Many here are putting in fall vegetable gardens.

Our summers have gotten a little “toasty” for tomatoes.

So now we often get as many if not more in the fall than summer.

That has certainly been the case at my house.

Because I have ridiculously over committed myself this fall

I’m finding little to no time to spend in my garden.

I have managed to get some transplanting done.

Ferns, Hostas and Hydrangeas have all been relocated

To a happier home – hopefully.

I’ve pulled fallen plants out of the ground where they block my path.

Beyond that I’m afraid time in the garden just isn’t happening.

These are the days that my garden teaches me grace.

That unrelenting giving that God and gardens are known for.

It’s as if they are saying to me

You can ignore my but…

I’m still here.

I’m not going anywhere.

I will be here for you

When you take a minute to slow down

And let me in.

I’m not only here

I have much to give

To teach you

And to share.

Gail

4 Comments

Filed under Basil, Bouquets, cockscomb, Dahlias, Fall, Fall Vegetables, Gardening, Tomato, Uncategorized

August 19, 2012 · 7:58 pm

VISION

Three years ago Elliott & Kristina bought their first home.

To say they had “vision” is an understatement.

Their timing was incredible.

The house had been on the market for sometime.

The front had a mammoth awning.

I’m thinking it distracted couples with lesser vision.

Then there was the backyard.

It was….well…frightening!

But this is no prima donna couple.

They are after all, both descended from gardeners, farmers & ranchers.

They could see what it could become.

Vision.

Not everyone has it.

But they possess it.

And they weren’t afraid of work.

So they began.

I guess you would call the first stage demolition.

Thankfully, I’m a state or so away so I missed this stage.

There was not a lot to save.

The decision was made to take out even the Aspen trees.

Since, though they are lovely

They actually are a bit of a nuisance.

A single wispy tree will turn into a grove of Aspen

Right before your eyes.

Great for mountainsides.

Not so much for backyards.

The giant deck

Was replaced with a lovely flagstone patio.

Carefully layed by Elliott with help from friends.

My parents used Colorado Red flagstone

Inside and outside the “new house” at the farm.

So there was symmetry here.

Meanwhile in my garden.

I was potting up babies from all over my garden

And buying a few.

By June my friend Vivi and I loaded it all up

And drove this garden to its new home.

The humidity in my car was stifling.

Kristina and I spent a long weekend planting away.

Adding roses and hydrangea from a local nursery.

There’s a saying about perennial gardens

The first year they sleep

The second they creep

And the third they leap!

Welcome to year three

We visited again a few weeks ago

What a transformation.

Perennials are oozing onto the grass.

Morning glories dance along the fence

Greeting each new day

Thyme suns itself on the flagstone.

Cleome spills over the edge of the narrow bed

And little juicy golden tomatoes grow practically wild.

Elliott seems to enjoy puttering around the yard.

Growing not only flowers,

But vegetables as well.

Kristina never misses a chance to make a flower arrangement.

Taking them to friends, her office

And sending guests home with a freshly cut bouquet.

They both enjoy foraging dinner from the garden

And entertaining as well.

This year the Kentucky Derby fell on Cinco de Mayo

Calling, of course, for a Cinco de Derby party.

It’s reported that a good time was had by all.

And…the creeping thyme can handle a lot of foot traffic.

Vision.

It brings sunshine to the world.

Enjoy this glorious week

Gail

Peg at the Morning Glory Gate

3 Comments

Filed under cleome, Flower Arrangements, Garden Planning, Gardening, Gardening Friends, Gardening Mentors, Gardening;Perennials, Herbs, Hydrangea, late summer garden, Lupine, Morning Glories, Perennials, roses, Sunflowers, Tomato, Uncategorized, Vegetables

July 28, 2012 · 6:10 pm

FARMER’S MARKET

Growing up on a farm in the 50’s

Meant that we always had a garden.

Something was growing all the time.

Seed wheat on a saucer and paper towel

In the kitchen window.

Mother’s roses

And vegetables.

Even when we moved to the city

For a few years.

We had a garden.

Daddy’s job came with a house

And a huge yard.

Mother planted tomato plants

All the way around the edge of it.

By mid summer

There would be 5 gallon buckets of cherry tomatoes

Every day or so.

Last fall’s green tomatoes

And cucumbers.

Endless cucumbers.

Summer’s bounty sampling

Now there are only so many times a week

That you can work cucmbers into the menu

So we made pickles.

Lots of pickles!

Recently I ran across mother’s pickle recipe

In her own handwriting.

A treasure.

I copied it for my friend Laura

And she began the tradition all over again.

But what if you want to make pickles

And have no cucumbers.

Luckily Farmer’s Markets have come into their own.

If you don’t have a Farmer’s Market habit

Develop one.

They are popping up everywhere.

So hopefully you can go once or twice a week.

There you’ll find

Wisdom

In the form of wise gardeners

Who know how to make things thrive.

And baker’s

To tempt you.

Blackberry & Blueberry Pie

And natural products.

Who’ll even make wonderful goat’s milk soap

Unscented for me.

And friends.

Mary at this morning’s market

And last month

These amazing blackberries

Grown by a young couple who have planted

An acre

That’s right I said an acre of blackberry bushes

And 2 acres of blueberries.

Can’t wait for next June.

But most of all

You’ll find people commited to providing

Fresh, local food to their neighbors.

Next week is Dog Days at our Farmer’s Market.

Aptly named for the first Saturday in August.

That means that even your 4-legged friends

Can enjoy the fun.

So… dig into the heart of summer

At the Farmer’s Market.

Enjoy,

Gail

Category Archives: Tomato

FREEZE WARNING…AGAIN

PUTTERING AROUND

BACK IN THE GARDEN

FLUTTERBYS

LIVING ON THE EDGE

THE BASIL RITUAL

HALF TIME

DAYS OF GRACE

VISION

FARMER’S MARKET

Archives

Email Subscription