Saturday, 12 July 2008 - Strawberry dreams

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for strawberry dreams.

We love to eat fresh strawberries. This year, however, the organic ones are terribly expensive. I won't buy non-organic berries - the pesticide load is too high.

My solution: add strawberries to my perennial edible garden. At the annual plant sale, I was delighted to find alpine strawberry plants. I bought two and promptly planted them near the herbs and rhubarb.

Everyone told me not to expect any fruit the first year. So, I downgraded my expectations, shelved my strawberry dreams and repeated my default mantra, "Just wait until next year."

This morning, the plants surprise me with their display of white blossoms. And, as you know, blossoms are precursors to berries.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Friday, 11 July 2008 - Daylily gifts

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for daylily gifts.

Two years ago, a neighbor decided to thin his daylily beds. He asked me if I wanted the excess bulbs.

Although I am not an avid daylily fan, I said "Yes." Who can turn down free plants? Not me.

He promptly gave me over a dozen freshly-dug clumps. It was spring so I had to plant the daylilies right away.

I never planned to add daylilies to the landscape. And these were the hardy, common, everyday variety that thrives in drought conditions.

I decided to plant them throughout the backyard garden - wherever I could find space. A few by the house, a few on the slope, the remainder in the hot, dry and sunny north strip. My rationale: if they live, they live; if they die, they die.

No blossoms last year. No matter. My garden didn't miss them.

But this year, they are making a bold statement.

During the current lull in the summer flowering schedule, their lovely orange blossoms appear daily.

Every morning, they shout "Look at me!"

And I do. In fact, I can't take my eyes off of them.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Thursday, 10 July 2008 - Sunflowers

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for sunflowers.

My favorite Tour de France images show the peloton riding along a sunflower-lined road.

So, with the 2008 race in full swing, I'm not surprised that my garden's crop decided to bloom a month early.

July sunflowers
Wear familiar colors.
Sturdy green stalks
Support sun kissed blossoms,
Rich rust centers
Framed by bright yellow petals.
These early birds
Are two feet shorter
Than their August siblings,
But just as happy to see me.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Wednesday, 09 July 2008 - A sharp knife

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for a sharp knife.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

S and I laugh at T's antics, remarking that he is not always the "sharpest knife in the drawer." I'm not either. Especially after this morning's incident.

When I prep ingredients, I know the value of using sharp knives. So, I don't know why I continued to slice rhubarb stalks with a dull serrated knife.

The accident was inevitable, I suppose. The dull blade slipped against tough rhubarb skin. My left index finger was in the way. The blade was sharp enough to slice human tissue. Ouch!

My hard-learned lesson: Always sharpen the knife before chopping, mincing or slicing anything. Only takes a minute.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Tuesday, 08 July 2008 - Homegrown tomatoes

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for homegrown tomatoes.

Homegrown tomatoes homegrown tomatoes
What'd life be without homegrown tomatoes
Only two things that money can't buy
That's true love and homegrown tomatoes
~Clark Guy, lyrics from "Homegrown Tomatoes"

You know, when you get your first asparagus, or your first acorn squash, or your first really good tomato of the season, those are the moments that define the cook's year. I get more excited by that than anything else.
~Mario Batali

I will never tire of eating homegrown tomatoes. In my opinion, no store-bought variety will ever surpass the intense flavor and sweetness of the luscious red and orange globes that grow in my small edible garden.

We eat the first ripe tomato of the season, a deep red specimen from the "Fantastic" plant. I savor each nibble. Yes, this is how a tomato should taste.

One half of a small tomato just isn't enough. My appetite for another grows exponentially.

Unfortunately, I find only green fruit on the "Fantastic" plant and a score of yellow blossoms on the "Brandywine" vine. The Sungold cherry tomatoes are still too young to bear blossoms or fruit.

Although it's July, the outdoor growing season in Colorado is barely a month old. With luck, the plants will bear fruit through September. Or even October, if we don't get an early frost.

So, I will do what gardeners do best.

For the plants, I'll water daily and feed weekly.

For me, I'll work on patience and pray harder than ever for a bountiful harvest.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Monday, 07 July 2008 - Another photography lesson

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for another photography lesson.

Here is this season's key photography lesson: Do not inspect or tour the garden without the camera. Otherwise, I miss too many photo opportunities.

Today, I remember to heed my own advice.

With camera in hand, I catch a lovely Monarch butterfly feeding on lamb's ear blossoms. These photos make up for the one that got away - a delicate white butterfly sitting on a cluster of centranthus alba (white valerian) blossoms.

Note to self: always invite good luck, good timing and serendipity to join me in the garden.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Sunday, 06 July 2008 - Sunday sports

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for Sunday sports.

We'd rather be climbing. But, the weather doesn't cooperate.

So, on this cool and rainy Sunday, we settled in front of the television for a full slate of sports - Stage 2 of the Tour de France, Wimbledon men's singles final, and the final day of the US Olympic Trials in swimming and track and field.

Yes, I should have been more productive and worked on indoor projects. But just for today, I let my inner sportsfan rule my agenda. And, she didn't disappoint.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Saturday, 05 July 2008 - Yellow

Dear God:


Today, I am thankful for the color yellow.

My gardens exclaim that yellow is the color du jour. In fact, several flowers proudly display their unique versions of le maillot jaune ... just in time for Stage 1 of le Tour de France.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Photos:

- prickly pear
- gaillaridia aristata (blanket flower)
- eschscholzia californica (California poppy)
- erigonum umbellatum (sulphur flower)
- achillea millefolium (yarrow)

Friday, 04 July 2008 - Declaration of Independence

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for the Declaration of Independence.

On the Fourth of July, we forgo some popular traditions like fireworks (T hates the noise) and large community gatherings (T can't attend because the organizers ban pets). We do, however, look forward to the reading of the Declaration of Independence on NPR's Morning Edition.

NPR's rendition used to feature voices of past and present personalities including former anchor, Bob Edwards, and the late Red Barber. They've updated the recording to include only voices of current reporters and personalities. A mistake, I think. Like so many things, the original version is always better than the update.

Thomas Jefferson's words, however, endure. And, sadly, they comment unfavorably on American politics and politicians in the 21st century. I think we're long overdue for a new American Revolution.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Photo: prickly pear blossom

Thursday, 03 July 2008 - Garden gates

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for garden gates.

Closed,
they prevent others from entering our private enclave, protecting my secret garden from foreign eyes, keeping all miracles within the fenced yard.

Opened,
they give outsiders a glimpse of our home's outer landscape, allowing others to inhale the special air that insulates the structure and breathes precious life into the rooms.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Wednesday, 02 July 2008 - One blushing tomato

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for one blushing tomato.

I'm delighted that my garden's first tomato has begun to ripen. The fruit is on the "Fantastic" plant, an early producer.

When the tomato's vine-ripened - probably in another 3-5 days, I will pick it and eat it (sharing, of course, with S and T). I'm hopeful that its flavor and texture will live up to its name.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Tuesday, 01 July 2008 - Mulch

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for mulch.

My desperation grows daily. With summer turning up the heat to near-intolerable levels and teasing my garden with rainless thunderstorms, I need mulch - lots and lots of mulch.

Yes, I am obsessed with mulch. Many years ago, when I became a serious outdoor gardener, I read about a New Mexico woman who heavily mulched her gardens. Despite the hot, dry weather, she only watered her plants once a month. Yet, her gardens thrived. I decided right then and there to mulch my gardens regularly.

Finding the right "thickness" took a few seasons. I've since learned to spread enough mulch to preserve moisture and protect roots but not smother the plants.

In the fall, I prepare my gardens for winter by applying pine mulch and tree leaves (donated by teens who rake neighborhod yards) around the base of each plant. In the summer, I apply a thick layer of pine mulch around plants and on bare spots.

The mulch works well for my gardens and me. Even during the hottest and driest months, I deep water established plants and shrubs every 10-14 days and spot water new plantings as needed. A few of my xeric plants have very deep taproots and need virtually no supplemental water. Most, however, need a periodic drink, preferring rainfall to the hose. My edible garden, also heavily mulched, still requires daily watering.

Late this afternoon, S takes me to the Slash-Mulch Program site. The Program, a local wildfire mitigation and recycling program, is a major collection site for landscape slash. Donors include homeowners and landscapers.

A towering industrial chipper turns the slash into mulch. Several times a week, the public can stop by for a supply. Although the mulch is free (with a non-perishable donation to the local food bank), you must supply the tools and energy required to shovel the material into bags, truck beds or trailers.

During today's trip, S and I collect enough mulch for Round One. Y watches from the truck cab as I hold open the trash bags and S dumps in shovelfuls of fragrant pine and fir mulch.

When we return home, I spend the rest of our daylight hours applying the 8-39 gallon bags of mulch to the garden. To my dismay, I quickly run out. Thankfully, S promises to take me back on Thursday evening for one more load.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Monday, 30 June 2008 - One healthy canine

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for one healthy canine.

This afternoon, T aced his annual checkup, extending his streak to 11 straight years.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.

Sunday, 29 June 2008 - Clotheslines

Dear God:

Today, I am thankful for clotheslines.

I remember the ubiquitous outdoor clothesline. On the day we moved into the West Covina house, my older sister and I giggled and laughed as we swung merrily around the poles. The year, 1957. I was nearly 3.5 years old.

Of course, drying clothes outside was a risky business. From late fall through early spring, rain, fog and cold postponed many laundry days. On blustery days when the hot Santa Ana winds swept through the Los Angeles basin, my mother worried about sheets and towels and diapers flying off the line and sailing into a neighbor's yard.

By the mid-1960s, our clothesline gave way to a gas dryer. My dad, proud to own a modern convenience, dug up the poles for good. During subsequent summers, the clothesline's erstwhile home housed an above ground swimming pool, and much later, a vegetable garden.

This morning, I study an article that discusses a consumer movement seeking new favor for the lowly clothesline. These days, I'm interested in anything that will reduce my reliance on electricity. Most US suburbs ban clotheslines, calling them eyesores that reduce property values. I would like to have one in my backyard. Solar energy is free for the taking when it comes to drying clothes.

Until I can live in a place that accepts clotheslines, I do what I can to reduce dryer usage. I take many of my clothes straight from the washing machine and hang them on a rack. I use the dryer frugally, drying heavy items like towels and t-shirts until they're barely damp. Then, I'll hang them on a rack where they'll finish drying - shouldn't take long in Colorado's low humidity.

For this blessing, I am grateful.

Amen.