August 30, 2017
The continuous smoke from the surrounding wildfires is significantly impacting my garden. Corn growth has slowed to a crawl. I have four patches at various stages of development and they may not make it to maturity if this continues. The forest service says the fires won't be out until the rains come, so the smoke is bringing us an early close to the growing season. The tomatoes are not ripening as quickly but that's alright because the salsa making lady is on vacation..
The beans are slow to grow also. These are hot weather crops so it may be the lowered temperature that is slowing them down. The broccoli starts, on the other hand, are tall and spindly as if they aren't getting enough light. They look like they are going to fall over before I transplant them as well as after..
August 31, 2017
I've wondered for years, at this time of year, what the burgundy colored skins in the scat along the trails behind us were, because the rose hips aren't ripe yet, and the madrone berries are gone. It turns out they are from our apple trees. It's raccoon scat..
Small scat with blackberry seeds in it I assume are from skunks, medium size are foxes, raccoons and possums, and the bodachious behemoths are from bear. Scat with brown hair in it is probably from the coyotes eating ground squirrel's, but scat with black hair is more likely from the bobcats eating gray squirrel's, because they can chase them up a tree, whereas coyotes are grounded..
September 01, 2017
The sweet aroma of ripening grapes is in the garden today reminding me that wine making time is soon upon us. Everyone should try making wine at least once because it's fun and easy and will surely add a few giggles to the road of life. Blackberries are plentiful and free this time of year or you can just use a can of Welch's frozen grape juice. In fact my first batch tasted like I had just added vodka to grape juice, except it was murky and smelled like old dirty sweat socks. Don't let me discourage you though because some of you will be successful and may become the vinters of the future..
Also the crows are back in the cottonwood trees overlooking the garden after a summers haitus. I don't know where they go but the insolence of their "caw caw" is a welcome sound. I think we know each other after all these years so sometimes I "caw caw" back. I think if they could face palm they would..
