the poet in you

It's been a hellish couple of weeks weatherwise with temperatures steady at 105 or so. We were finally granted a reprieve today, temperatures hardly tipped 90. It felt really good for a change. There was even a good rain this morning, it got things wet enough to bring Frogger out from wherever he's been hiding. I was glad to see the little beast, I thought he'd withered and hopped away to the big pond in the sky. I was transplanting seedlings this evening and was startled when he jumped out of my way. His little amphibian body made a good thud! when it hit against the rain soaked containers. He may have been dining on rolly-pollies and was probably just as startled as I was when we came upon each other.

The best part of today's gardening was discovering our first tomato! We were getting blossom after blossom after blossom but never any fruit. If the temperatures are too high the pollen will lose its viability, wither and fall off the vine or so I've read. I was surprised to see a perfect little green tomato suspended from its leafy branch. It's just perfect. I hope that the peppers and ancho chilis will follow suit.  Everything looks so healthy and robust, they are just not producing yet. 

Last night I planted the seeds in our second raised bed. In a few short months we should have zucchini, squash, lots of cilantro, marjoram and white radishes. I was glad for the rain today because it gave those seeds a good soaking; they're probably already thinking about poking their little heads up out of the soil.  Next on our list is buying the soil for the third raised bed. I'm not in a big rush for that, I was thinking that I might save it for cooler weather so I can fill it with a variety of lettuces for Michael. He's pretty keen on the idea.

I told Michael that I almost wish he hadn't got me back into gardening, not because I don't enjoy it but because I become almost obsessed with it. I'm either out checking on everything which is hardly anything at this point, reading gardening books, haunting the gardening section at various bookstores (which leads to a discussion regarding the merits  and demerits of each store's selection of garden titles), buying seeds, starting seeds, drawing "maps" of our yard and how I see it. It's starting to take over. I've now even subscribed to Organic Gardening magazine which should arrive in a mere 6 - 10 weeks.

So yeah, my perfect life would be to make a living selling books and gardening the days away. Perhaps I'll specialize in gardening books. As for personal reading, I've put Michael Pollan's book Second Nature in my cart on Amazon. I am trying to show some measure of restraint by not buying it until after I have finished reading My Favorite Plant: Writer's And Gardeners On The Plants They Love. It's edited by Jamaica Kincaid. What a sweet little book, perfect backyard reading.

This is our resident frog. He found the one wet place in the whole yard, right next to the a/c unit. In the evening he hops into the garden and sits under the eggplant. I ask him daily, "Are you for good or for evil?"

Michael assures me that he is for good and probably eats the worms that want to eat my eggplant. I love this frog.

Cantaloupe babies. These are the neighbors of the eggplant hut that frogger enjoys. I grew them from seed and am excited to see what comes of them. I imagine they'll be too big for the tiny trellis I bought for them. They've done much, much better then the bush cucumbers that I planted in the very same soil. Luckily, I  also have some cucumbers in one of the raised beds and they are doing well.

I finally put together a very rudimentary compost bin. It took three hours, I started it at 6pm when the temperature had dropped a bit and it took me until 9pm. My advice to anyone about to do this is to have the right tools, don't try sinking posts posts with a 30 pound post driver in one hundred degree weather and mosquito repellent, mosquito repellent, mosquito repellent.

The only "right tool" that I had was the post driver and I was grateful for it. That mother is heavy and I am but a wee woman, a wee and mostly sedentary woman. It took all the strength that I had to lift it in place over a 4-foot high post. Once it was there dropping it on the post was easy breezy but repeatedly lifting it was a real workout. I had six posts to place. Lesson learned? Post-sinker good, heat bad. Should have done this in April when weather was cooler.

The wire cutters were really not up to the job, they'd be fine for a smaller gauge wire but not for the fencing wire that I was cutting. I very quickly developed blisters and bruises on both palms. The only blister that did not break open is the one right above my wedding band. I thought to myself that surely, this battle wound, this particular blister would elicit at least an iota of sympathy from Michael but no. I won't say he was giddy with delight but he could not hide his pleasure when I declared, "I can't even take off my wedding band now". He's so medieval. It's not as if I whip off my ring and try to grift free popsicles from the ice cream man or anything but I would like to take it off and breathe from time to time. Is that a crime? I think not. So yeah, use the best wire cutters you can find if you're gonna cut heavy wire, wear gloves, not jewelry.

And for godsake, don't forget the mosquito repellent. I can't spend time in the yard in the evening without some kind of protection, there are just too many blood-lusting mosquitoes about. I bought a new Off! Clip-On and it worked really well. I think that I would have been miserable without it.

We now have a very unremarkable compost bin in place. I no longer have to cringe when I toss out food scraps and in a few months time we will be able to give our first garden a little oomph. I'll be adding some Moonflowers around the outside to climb so that Blind Boy Slip will have an idea that it's there. Surely this is unnecessary since he already relies on smell-a-vision and will no doubt get a whiff of the good stuff but in my imagination it will be very pretty, at least as pretty as a bin of rotting organic matter can be.

All of the seeds that I planted on June 18th have emerged. The basil seeds being the quickest to sprout, they were up in less than 48 hours. The bush beans also came up quickly but one of the seedlings has already been EATEN ALIVE!!! The tomatoes took the longest, three days, but they are well on their way.

It's been so hot here that I had to wait until dusk to till the second of our raised beds. I went out at 8pm last night to till the 4x4 space and sift the soil. I had to stop only because it got too dark. This morning before it got too hot I went out and bought a bag of peat to add to the soil and compost that we eventually filled the bed with. The heat makes all of this not so enjoyable for me but I told Michael that I was afraid that he thought I was losing interest. Really though, I couldn't stand to see the beds sitting empty.

It has been 8 weeks since we started focusing on the yard. It's a big yard which makes this endeavor feel a little daunting. There are so many ways to go. We decided early on that we were going to have a small area of lawn but I question that choice everyday, especially after watching the clip of the family in Pasadena. We have so much room, we could put in so many more garden beds.

Tomorrow we are putting together a compost bin. I brought home a bag of used coffee grounds from Starbucks to throw in. We accumulate a lot of vegetable scraps, egg shells and plant clippings and after tomorrow we won't have to waste them by tossing them in the trash bin.

Michael at kitchen window sill: How's your African Violet doing?

Me: Great. The label on that African Violet food says to use it every time you water.

Michael: And what happened to this one? It's sticking straight up.

Me: Heh Heh. I know. I used some of the African Violet food on that one, too.

Michael: It's like it has an erection.

Me: I know. It's gonna replace Bob Dole in all those commercials

Michael reading plant label: I guess that makes sense, it's from Erotic Angels Nursery

Me: That's Exotic Angels. It came from Exotic Angels Nursery.

It's like a hot house here in Central Texas. I posted on the evening of the 18th that I planted basil seeds. I just went out to check on the containers, to make sure that  the dogs hadn't tipped them over and there are already tiny little basil heads poking out of the soil. It hasn't even been 48 hours. Heat and humidity have to be the key. It may also be the soil that I found at our grocery store of all places. The bag claims that it is organic soil, it seems very heavy on the peat moss. I'll get a few more started this afternoon.

To those of you who may remember a post from the not too distant past, I wrote a sad little tale of woe about our first bird feeder. About a week after that post, our feathered friends did a complete about face. It took a little while for them to discover the feeder but we've had a lot of visitors since, including the tiny tufted titmouse, Carolina chickadees, cardinals, doves and lots of finches. A lady cardinal even built her nest a mere three feet away from the feeder. We were thrilled, it was glorious. Eventually she came to her senses and abandoned the nest after a chickadee came too close and even dared to peek over the nest edge. We still get lots and  lots of action  at the feeder. So much so that we've  bought a second feeder.

The problem with the first feeder is that it was not really working for the doves. They're much larger than the other birds, a little like big fat first graders, all awkward and not quite knowing what to do, or how to play. They try to perch on top of the feeder but can't contort and balance with any grace. Inevitably, the feeder starts turning wildly, wings thrash and the dove slides off. It's a sad sight to see what is ordinarily a very graceful bird clawing and flapping desperately only to fall earthward.

I soon learned that doves require a platform feeder. They need a perch, not netting to latch on to. Now there are some very handsome platform feeders to be had and eventually we will find the perfect Audubon approved platform feeder to put somewhere on the property. But until then we have taken another route. Dove humiliation...

 

That's right, the beloved symbol of peace, the gentle dove now delights us not with quiet coos but by picking seed from the boot of a gnome. I know people were snickering at me when I was walking the aisle of Target, the gnome swinging gaily from my arm but hey, IT WAS THE LAST ONE! There was a demand for this item, people. A demand!

We filled up the feeder, found the perfect tree and raised it into the branches. We watched from the kitchen window. The doves took to it immediately. In fact, they took it upon themselves to humiliate the little man feeder. They had sexy all over that thing. They buffed the gnome cap, so to speak. Touchè, my little birdie friends, touchè.

A day later we were disappointed to see the doves still unable to feed.  A gnome-modification had to be made. I used a glue gun to fix twigs to the side of the plate so the doves could perch comfortably. "Honestly, Michael, you can do anything with a glue gun" is what I said, totally dismissing the warning a friend had given me earlier in the day that involved a gooey Virgin Mary sliding off his dashboard on a hot day. He (friend with Virgin) advised that I think twice about the glue gun adhesive in the Central Texas heat. But no, I had to fix the twigs post-haste. The twigs fell off three days later.

Modification number two was made today. Michael patiently drilled holes in the tray and fastened the branches in place with thin wire. It seems really solid now. I don't think the branches are going anywhere. The doves are back and a few chickadees have stopped by as well. They go through the seed really quickly. Eventually I will find a more dignified feeder but I have to say, I find this one very entertaining. And who knows, we might just find a dove nest one day soon.

Now that I have made some significant headway with my book selling, getting caught up with posting new titles and deleting the old, I I feel free to spend this weekend playing catch up with the gardening. I have three more beds that need to be tilled and filled with soil. I know I can get at least two on there way this weekend providing I don't keel over from heat exhaustion.

Yesterday I planted two different varieties of tomato seeds. I have a total of 18 little containers going, enough for myself and plenty to give away. I wasn't going to plant any tomatoes by seed this year but a co-worker said she heard that June is a good time to get going on it for a later harvest. I can hardly wait to see their little heads pop up out of the dirt.

I also planted more basil since the bugs have destroyed so many of the last set of seedlings I planted. They didn't get all of them though, the bigger ones are still intact. This time around I am going to give them a little longer before putting them in the ground. I think they'll have a better chance. And the bush beans, oh the bush beans! It really is a race with the bugs to see them through. I have to go out and pick bugs off several times a day until they are several inches tall. I put a few seeds in the dirt to replace the last two seedlings that were gobbled up. This time I added a seed amendment, a nitrogen fixing bacteria. I'm curious to see if that makes any difference at all. Will the plants be stronger? I don't know. It's a $3 experiment and I'm always curious about the stuff so I thought I'd try it.

To my meager little arsenal of bug deterrents I've added BT and insecticidal soap, both of which I've only used once. The BT seems pretty effective not necessarily on the vegetables but on the Texas Sage plants which always seemed to be plagued with bugs. I've noticed some improvement, at least enough to give the plants a foothold and gain some strength.

I can't believe how long I've been away from gardening. It was a life saver when I lived in San Diego. I had a little area in a community garden and it was always the most peaceful part of my day. The ground there was amazing and required much less work than my yard here. But I have to say, the work that this yard requires makes success feel that much sweeter.

My niece had the following video posted on her Facebook page. I remember seeing this broadcast years ago and I've been thinking about it so I was glad that she found it and shared. This family is remarkable and inspirational for me. It makes my mind fly and dream about what can be done with a very small space. Enjoy! And thank you, Leanna.

There really ought to be an index, something akin the the heat index or wind chill factor, that gauges our actual hours worked to how many hours it feels like we worked. My index would always run high. Emotionally, I work a 40+ work week when in actuality it is nowhere near that. Today for example, I worked a mere six hours which easily felt like eight. I came home, had lunch and slept for an hour and a half. I chalk that up to staying up very late the night before and intense job dissatisfaction. The hundred degree weather doesn't help either, I always feel a little zapped when it's this warm.

I really aim at making this a very bookcentric blog but all I seem to want to write about is gardening and life in general. There is only so much a person can conjure up about book buying and selling. Michael did give me a financial goal to meet with the books. If I can meet this figure he would feel comfortable with me leaving my day job. The number is too high and I feel way overwhelmed by it. When I feel this way about anything I freeze up, do nothing to move forward. Then eventually I surge forward.

Last night was the surge. I made a pot of coffee after Michael went to work, had three cups of coffee and worked until midnight. I did get a lot done. I tallied up my sales sheets, made sure all of my sold books were in fact deleted from all sales venues. I had a problem there for a while where I was selling books that had already sold months previous. That had to stop. I really focused on  my inventory count and it's made a difference. Also, I've been buying lots of books but not posting them. Tsk, Tsk. I'll never get anywhere doing that. I posted a lot of newly acquired books last night. So last night sacrifices were made. As much as I wanted to go to the Austin Shambhala Meditation Center, I worked hard at the books in hope that someday in the near future I will be able to provide for myself with the bookselling as my main source of income.

More on the Shambhala Center in a week or two. I haven't been there yet and was looking forward to visiting. There is an open house coming up so I may pop in for a visit then.

The man I married is a master of constancy. His routine is much admired in this house. I admit to being biased, to being easily impressed with anyone who rises by nine, exercises, employs a neti pot and tends to animals on a daily basis. It doesn't take much to thrill me, I suppose.

In appreciation of his virtue I announced to The Husband, "I am going to buy you a double spigot for the backyard. That way you can attach a long hose that will reach to the front of the house and you can attach a second, shorter hose for the side of the house." As you can see, my gifts are modest and I married a modest man so he was grateful and looking forward to this double spigot. We are a simple people. And selfishly I admit, what could be easier than removing a single spigot and replacing it with a double spigot? I've done it before  and the entire process takes less than 60 seconds if no complications arise.

I purchased a very handsome double brass spigot the day following my generous pronouncement. This was in the middle of the week. Saturday I worked a half day at the clinic and by the time I got home the anticipation got the better of Dear Husband who announced to me that the old spigot could not be removed. A voice in my head silently countered, "I bet I can do it". There were tears, there was laughter and by the end of the debacle, resignation. We stripped that bastard clean with no good results. The old spigot could not be removed.

The old spigot is very advanced. The last decade has seen a surge in spigot technology that has left me by the wayside. Our Austin spigot was sporting something called a vacuum breaker which, we were informed at the hardware emporium, was code. It also had a pin that can be broken off so that removal is extraordinarily difficult/impossible and  has powers that can produce involuntary fantasies of mariticide. So we weren't completely crazy. Michael did say that he had a hunch that there was something preventing the spigot from turning. It was hard to hear him over my whacking the whole number with a hammer axially (as was recommended on Car Talk by the way) and seriously, how could I not try wrapping the spigot in a towel soaked with scalding hot water in hopes of expanding the metal, re-whacking and choking the thing once again with vice grips. I could hardly even hear Michael over the spraying - SHHH, SHHH, SHHH- of WD40. When I finally came out of my hypnotic frenzy, glistening in the afternoon heat, hair falling into my face and all the while, swatting away mosquitoes, finally I was ready to hear him. We had to go further back on the pipe to remove the thing.

By evening, we had a beautiful new spigot with a bright red turning deelie-bob on top. Seeing it protrude from the side of the house gives me an inordinate amount of satisfaction. When I see it, my memory flashes to being crouched in the gravel with a hot towel wrapped around the thing and hearing Michael's voice seemingly out of nowhere asking, "Roberta, where are you?" "I'm at the spigot waiting for your help, where the hell are you?" Silence. "Under the house trying to find the pipe." I laughed so hard I cried.

That's our red spigot. I bought it for my best friend and we spent a Saturday afternoon installing it together. Here, here friend and let the water flow.