I Will Grow Eggplants

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Great White

We found another ripe Great White tomato today.

Rose Mallow (Lavatera)

Saj resting on the step.

Opalka paste tomatoes

If you can see it, this is one of the many robins hopping around the yard this weekend.

A small patch of the Anasazi beans I planted have produced some pods.

Speckled Algonquin bush beans (rare)

Yellow cherry tomatoes

Saj in the shade. (The camera decided it was more important to highlight the details of the weeds than the details of my little cat!)

Friday, September 6, 2013

It is a cool, dewy morning with robins hopping around everywhere. I went out to take a picture of the Great White tomato plant near the fence. Of the bunch, it looks the roughest, but these were among the first Great Whites to ripen. They taste tangy and lemony. A fun novelty, but I don't think I will grow these again.

Neighbour kitty, Butters, appeared from the shadows and decided to join me on my walkabout.

While most of my other flowers are dying and going to seed, the gomphrena continues to grow and develop.

Wooly thyme

Droopy Sunflower

My Anasazi beans are just now flowering in earnest. These need at least another month of hot weather. I planted more of these than anything else!

In the kale bed.

A new sunflower and his older, more distinguished neighbour.

To reiterate: NEVER use Palmolive soap in bug spray. *sigh*

Ripening pumpkin

A new melon...

...more new melons!

I picked a few Black Krim tomatoes. Did I mention Butters is extremely curious?

Sees a bug...

Discovers the spider plant runners...

...finally, Black Krim tomatoes!

While arranging the tomatoes, I heard a sound like stirring pebbles in a bucket. To my right, Butters was trooping with delight through the cardboard tray of dried peas and bean pods! She resisted being picked up and moved, but I was worried she'd pee in the tray. It sounded like kitty litter and I didn't want to risk the possibility that it felt like that to her!

Monday, September 2, 2013

Tearing Out The Bathroom Floor

This has nothing to do with gardening or heirloom seeds.

Earlier today, R. undertook the unenviable task of tearing out the layers of ancient, shoddy, patch-and-splice flooring in our bathroom so it can be resurfaced next weekend. He counted 5 layers in some places, 6 in others, including plywood, gaudy linoleum, plaster, cardboard (???), and tile, all stuck together with various forms of glue and what looked like tar. The equally old plumbing leading to the sink sprung a slow, quiet leak under the cabinet a few weeks ago and by the time we discovered it, it had sunk through the various layers and soaked much of it.

Doesn't this look like fun? Four hours of it!

The first section popped out easily...

Then we started hitting garbage.

About to remove the sink stand.

Tools of destruction: crowbar, hammer, and at times, a skil saw!

Karl on the sofa, having no trouble ignoring the noise.

Saj taking refuge in her "apartment" - in the bedroom, on top of the armoire.

Part of the lino and plywood went *under* the wall. Fun.

Done for now.

Fan to dry out the floor.

Update Sept 11th - Ta daa! Floor resurfaced last weekend.

Karl & Saj

Karl in the shade, between the green onions and a cluster of nasturtiums.

Karl on my lap for a brief cuddle.

Saj on the front step by the pansies. Poor little thing doesn't venture much past the steps these days.

Score: Aphids 0 - Eggplants...0???

Note to self: Palmolive is one of the dish soaps NOT to use in aphid spray. Sadly, I learned this the hard way. No more aphids, but the eggplants are on their way out along with them. When I noticed the leaves crinkling up the next day, I did an online search and found that others had experienced the same damage after using Dawn dish soap. I guess next year I'll stick to the clear, coconut oil based soaps available at the health food store. Or neem oil.

Poop.