Simple Pleasures
...
This weekend was filled with simple pleasures. It was my birthday, and apparently I was in Deep Introvert Mode. Robb and I spent the weekend doing small things, rather than partying like the rock stars that we are not.
We baked a lovely birthday cake, made from a friend's venerable sourdough starter, and shared it with a few friends. Out kitty Smog took a chomp out of the cake, while it was sitting on the dining room table, but nevermind that.
Robb and I opened up our Magnolia beehive this weekend. I've been either too sick or too busy to attend to my beekeeping duties, of late. This inspection was long overdue.
Of the four hive boxes, the bottom two were in use, as was the top box. The third from the bottom was virtually empty. Strange.
I didn't take any photos, because I was trying to focus on my work, but I did manage to spot our queen, which is always exciting. We harvested one frame of honey, and left everything else for the bees. I need to look in all my hives before the weather turns colder.
We're still getting tomatoes from our compost-volunteer plants. It just kills me that I can't eat tomatoes any more. But they certainly are beautiful, and Robb tells me that they're delicious.
I guess when it comes to tomatoes, I'll have to enjoy my pleasures vicariously.
If you want to see what other folks are enjoying from their gardens, mosey on over to Daphne's blog.
This weekend was filled with simple pleasures. It was my birthday, and apparently I was in Deep Introvert Mode. Robb and I spent the weekend doing small things, rather than partying like the rock stars that we are not.
We baked a lovely birthday cake, made from a friend's venerable sourdough starter, and shared it with a few friends. Out kitty Smog took a chomp out of the cake, while it was sitting on the dining room table, but nevermind that.
It was a glorious weekend, full of sunshine. Autumn is in the air. We harvested our first persimmon, but have not eaten it yet.
I've taken very poor care of our fruit trees this year, mostly because I don't really know what I'm doing. We had an exceptional year for aphids, which in turn coated many of our leaves with a black sooty coating. I tired to wash aphids and soot off a few times, but I wasn't particularly successful. I wonder what my organic options are?
I also wonder how badly the aphids affected the health of our trees? As it is, the persimmon is weighted down with fruit, and the lemon (which just gave us the last fruit of the season) has a huge crop of young fruits coming along.
(While I'm on the subject of fruit and the garden, I want to note for my own records that we're at the end of our fig season. The fig tree that Brent and Nestor gave us produced a small but tasty crop of dark purple figs with pink interiors. Very nice. I also planted a whole lot of English peas, that I got from Ashley.)
Of the four hive boxes, the bottom two were in use, as was the top box. The third from the bottom was virtually empty. Strange.
I didn't take any photos, because I was trying to focus on my work, but I did manage to spot our queen, which is always exciting. We harvested one frame of honey, and left everything else for the bees. I need to look in all my hives before the weather turns colder.
We're still getting tomatoes from our compost-volunteer plants. It just kills me that I can't eat tomatoes any more. But they certainly are beautiful, and Robb tells me that they're delicious.
I guess when it comes to tomatoes, I'll have to enjoy my pleasures vicariously.
If you want to see what other folks are enjoying from their gardens, mosey on over to Daphne's blog.
Comments
I wonder if a persimmon tree would grow in my crappy soil, those trees seem to be nearly indestructible. If your aphid problem persists, you could try planting LOTS of plants that attract beneficial insects. I keep sweet alyssum growing year round in my vegetable garden and let lots of cilantro bloom also - those both attract a lot of good bugs whose offspring feed on aphids. It really seems to make a big difference. Basil blossoms also attract a lot of beneficials, I alway grow African Blue basil each summer because it is such a prolific bloomer and always seems to have a cloud of bees and beneficial wasps around it.
It would kill me too if I couldn't eat tomatoes. Do you think you will ever get over your inability to tolerate them?
I do try to grow plants that attract beneficial insects, but find it hard to keep up with the pests. We do seem to have a lot if the good guys. But maybe I'll grow more sweet allysum this winter....
Thanks for taking the time to keep all of us updated with what's going on in both of your lives as well as with the cats!
Dianna
Organic aphid options? Soapy water, lady bugs...spraying with a stream of water. Looks like the plants still did well!