Monday, August 31, 2009

Garden comparison...


We started with this idea of raised beds.





We modified it to this...


Two nice little beds.

And at the end of August
it looks like this...



In the left raised bed;
Three Brandywines, growing like mad with
lots of green tomatos hanging on for hotter weather.
A Doux de Espagne, with 4 green peppers waiting on hot sun to turn red.
A purple beauty pepper, dwarf in size - I don't know why - with one little purple pepper.
A banana pepper, half the size of the one in a self watering container -
also producing half the fruit as the taller one.

In the right raised bed;
Listada de Gandia eggplant, miscellaneous carrots, lime basil and nasturiums.

To the right, the tall rectangle is a re-purposed crib mattress frame
that holds a bush cucumber plant that got powdery mildew and just really did not do well.

There is a baby bush watermelon plant in the bottom right hand corner that has given us two very tiny little watermelons. One we have eaten, one is still on the vine - getting fatter?

There is still dwarf blue corn growing in a rubbermaid container. I need to pick the 3 ears left if the deer don't beat me to it.

There is also some Jacob's cattle growing with the corn.

There are two mesh shopping bags behind the corn, we will see later on if they did okay.

That's all for now!



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August 31st Tomato Update...


The Black Brandywines in an Earthbox
laden with green fruit.
These have a fabulous flavor in a classic heirloom fruit.
Will grow these again and again.


The Bloesser pink on the right
and the Bloesser Yellow (that yellow is accidental) on the left
in an Earthbox, also laden with green fruit.
Love, love the flavor of these.
Excellent Slicing tomato.
Will always grow these.


Aunt Ruby's german cherry
lots of fruit finally ripening.
This is not really a cherry, more plum sized with round fruit.
They taste like cherry tomatoes.
A lot of the fruit on these split, often.
Grown in an earthbox, not impressed with the plant itself.


Here is a closer shot of two Bloesser Pinks ripening.


The plant on the left is the banana peppers,
a lovely crop, this is the second load like that.
I will can them this week. mmm.
They grow well in the homemade self watering container.

The plant on the right is the only
Bi-Color cherry I got.
remember the mess when medium knocked over the seedling tray?
anyway...
This cherry tomato is FABULOUS.
Great Flavor, fun colors for the kids.
Definately will grow again,
Next year in an Earthbox!


Listada de Gandia in front
Growing and producing well in Earthbox,
though I have another in a homemade self watering container with
the same results.
I will grow them next year in the homemade self watering.
Very nice fruit, good grilled and in eggplant parmesan!

In the Middle of same earthbox,
two purple beauty peppers.
Not Impressed. Not sweet enough for me or hubby.
Okay flavor, just like a bell pepper.
Once we got it germinated, it grew okay in the earthbox, but did not do well in the raised bed.

In the back, against the rail, of same earthbox
YES,
RED DOUX DE ESPAGNE
Finally!

These have tasted fabulous green. I cannot wait to eat them red, I hope it sweetens them a bit.
I was hoping to have red peppers all summer, but it just has not gotten hot enough.
I will totally grow these again.
Next year they get their own earthbox and a support trellis system.


Aren't they gorgeous!
Yeah!



and just because I can...


small was so busy cruising around in his jammies,
he hardly noticed his drawers were droopy.

:)









Tomato, tomato...


Wherefore art thou tomato...



ah, in small's mouth!


what smiles they produce.


A happy boy
on a somewhat chilly August day.

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Our Zoo is Fabulous!


Just check out the stingray pool


the kids can "pet" them!


Medium liked it!


Pointing at them.


waiting on another to pass under his hand










What a cool thing!


tall waiting...


It's funny how they touch your hand as they glide past.
They are very smooth.




Tall wanted to stay, a long long time here.




Mommy helping small touch one

He thought it was kind of cool.




they kind of "rose up" in the water to meet his little hand.


I even got to play a little.




:)

There were two different types plus the black ones.



It was cool, when small realized the entire pool was full of them
and watched them moving around.


The boys were thrilled.


moving on...


laughing together!


It was hard to tear them away!


It was perfect weather and there were not
many other people.


They kept smiling
and waiting on the next one to swim by.


Small was ready to move on...

and medium was...


"I'm thinking"
I'm thinking...



"where's the train?!"


we opted for the walk...


and were rewarded with very active animal viewings.


can you see the zookeeper above right?

He had just thrown in some food
and the elephant was trying to get a treat out of him!

Just like the kids

"More?!!"


Taking a bath


wandering around...
generally being an elephant


then we stopped at a favorite...


and the kids played with the butterflies...


repeatedly!



Tall's favorite pastime.



catching, releasing.




This is a Jasmine tree
FABULOUS scent that wafted about the entire structure.

I want one, for inside. yeah!


They look happy !


They had a blast!

On a perfectly gorgeous day at the zoo.

































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