Settling In

Another week of work begins for Attila. The adjustment to getting back to work is going well. When we ordered the 1000 liter rain tank Attila was home after being laid off work, so he had ample time to work on fixing the fascia on the house, installing rain gutters, and the rain tank. But when the call suddenly came to go back to work, his discretionary time shrank to the weekends. This disjunction between the water collection system project, and available time, has been a significant bottleneck in adjusting to the return to work. Thank goodness for weekends.

This past weekend Attila went into overdrive on the garden and water collection system. The heat wave meant that he was completely soaked with sweat from early Saturday morning, till dusk Saturday night, and the same on Sunday. It was a real push, but he did get the evestrough and 1000 liter tank installed and ready for rain, when it comes. And he did get all but a few small plants from his greenhouse planted in the ground. And he kept up with watering all the plants, by hand, with a watering can. At some distant date I hope he will install a drip water system using water from the 1000 liter tank, which would save him hours and hours of work daily watering the garden.

The garden is a manageable project for Attila when he works full time. The rain tank was an extra project we thought he had time for, but that time evaporated when he was called back to work, so that getting the water collection system working became a high pressure project. I am so glad he got it all accomplished this past weekend, and can now concentrate on what he enjoys most, his garden. We can now move forward with projects that fit the new time regime.

I putter a bit in the garden, but it is only puttering. My two raised beds are planted with a variety of Sweet and Jalapeno Peppers, and one row of climbing edible pod Peas. I weed these beds every few days, and occasionally use the swing hoe to weed the Potatoes, Zucchini, Tomatoes, Rhubarb, Garlic, Melons, and Squash that are planted in the ground. I also keep an eye on our new shrubs, the High Bush Cranberry and the Red Currant, spraying with insecticidal soap to slow down the aphid infestations that they came with, from the nursery where we purchased them. I have been using insecticidal soap on a lot of the garden, including my Granny’s Rose, to keep the little critters-that-kill under control.

The Heliopsis I got from my Granny’s garden is higher than the fence now. Granny’s Rose is showing rosebuds this year for the first time, and they will soon bloom.

The Gladioli bulbs planted last year suffered from mildew, and were not expected to survive the winter. But there they are, five of them. Hopefully the insecticidal soap will control the mildew.

The Chamomile self-seeded and is already blooming. The Catnip and Lemon Balm are doing well, they self-seed every year. Another plant that self-seeded was the ground cherries. Some are coming up in my raised bed, so I think that those were actually squirrel, chipmunk, and bird seeded.

The birds are amazing this summer! The Blue Jays have a nest in our back yard Ash tree, which they protect from all comers, from Crows to Grackles, to Robins. The Grackles and Robins all have nests in our evergreen trees. There are Doves, Chickadees, Warblers, and Cardinals. Geese, Crows, and Turkey Vultures fly over us every day.

There is a bird bath in the back yard, the water is emptied and replaced every morning by Attila. Last summer it was hardly used. This summer it is in constant use by all of the bird species. I love to stand at the kitchen sink looking out at the backyard through the window, or sit on the back porch, and watch them land for a sip. The species do not mix at the bird bath, it is a one at a time activity. I am learning that there is a real politic to bird life!

We see many Squirrels, Chipmunks, and Rabbits. Our yard is very popular, they love to eat our garden plants, dig up our garden plants, and raid our strawberry and tomato harvest. There is a lot of competition for our food supply!

This is Attila’s busiest time of year, putting the garden in. My busy time of year arrives later in the summer, when the bounty from the garden begins to come into the house. Food preservation is a big part of my life from mid-July into November.

The emptied jars from last years bounty are waiting to see what this year’s harvest season will bring.

Stay safe dear friends!

Worldly

Weather

HEAT WARNING
Mainly sunny. High 30. Humidex 37. UV index 9 or very high.
23°C
Date: 8:00 AM EDT Monday 22 June 2020
Condition: Partly Cloudy
Pressure: 101.3 kPa
Tendency: Rising
Temperature: 22.5°C
Dew point: 20.1°C
Humidity: 86%
Wind: S 16 km/h
Humidex: 30
Visibility: 24 km

Quote

“Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside.”
Albert Schweitzer
1875 – 1965