Green Things

We have a tree frog who visits, but has not taken up permanent residence, on one of our living room windows. Early morning, late evening, he appears. Where does he go in the heat of the day?










This evening when I went out to water, I discovered this green thing: Tomato Hornworm. Luckily I caught him before he totally defoliated the plant.










My luck runs wild. This hornworm has rice grain size wasp eggs attached to its back. Had I not discovered it and applied the snips, death would surely have been imminent.










Not a good image from 8 p.m., but, you get the idea of the green things. Broccoli plants and mustard sprouts. Both went in on Saturday, August 22. I'm pleased the broccoli is thriving in our 90 degree heat, and I'm surprised at how quickly the mustard seeds sprouted.














Not a green thing, but a lovely purple utilitarian thing at the entrance to the vegetable garden. I always wear gloves and need a pair of snips when I visit the garden. With this storage addition, I can make impromptu visits--no worries.

Peppers

This has been a peppery, 90 degree, muggy day. Good for picking peppers, pickling peppers, roasting and stuffing peppers.
From the grill the Giant Marconis went into a lidded bowl for awhile, then we slipped the skins off, slit the tops and gently tugged the seeds out, made a small slit--unless the body fell apart and then it was more like putting a puzzle together--and LL stuffed half with a refried bean mixture and I married the other half with a pepper jack cheese concoction.










I pickled jalapenos, hot bananas, brother David's salsas, and 2 odd-shaped Giant Marconi using cider vinegar and water 2:1, sugar, garlic, bay leaves and ground coriander. Yes, the seasonings were experimental, but I'm the only one what eats 'em, so there.








Just to catch you up with the harvest. I picked about 10 pounds of figs this week, which magically turned into preserves after I washed, cut, macerated, cooked, and canned them.

I've groaned and moaned about my tomatoes--verticulum leaf mold, nematodes, deer munching, bird pecking, squirrel stealing--you name it, and it's more likely than not the reason I've lost 10 out of 20 plants. Plus, everything went in late so we got nothing until past mid-July. But, but, but, as my good neighbor Gherman says, I am picking a peck here and there of German Johnson, Cherokee purple, Anna Russian, Mortgage Lifter, and a small round red hard clustering fruit I can't remember the name of. So, the situation could be worse. With any luck the half dozen plants that I've got in large pots will produce before frost. Took a page out of brother David's book with that trick. I'll keep you posted.


By the way, the corn nubbins in the box were full and sweet--both yellow and white kernels. I had about a dozen hills which each produced 1 large ear and 1 nubbin. And, no worms. Next year, ah next year, there'll be a bigger crop. The gardener's hopeful heart runs wild with desire.