charming companions

This pattypan squash plant has two companions close by,

a marigold and a calendula, 

to help deter destructive insects.

This cauliflower plant has a similar team of associates.

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I am going all out this year.

Fingers crossed.

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ragbag

Just a quick ragbag sort of post, because time is getting away from me and even though a lot of my pictures look blurry lately (why is that? Time to read the manual, I suppose) I'd like to share a few.
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We've had a lot of hot, muggy weather and rain lately.  Piper got really fed up with it.

This is Piper, expressing fed-up-edness:

It is always easier to express dissatisfaction if one is crammed into a chair just slightly smaller than one's body.

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In a very welcome change in the weather, yesterday was just about as perfect as a day in early June can be, and this surprise was waiting in the garden:

If I could only see one flower, ever, I think it would be an iris.

And look! Just four days after planting, the first of my lazy beans has appeared.  I was so happy to see it. 

Even the bean looks happy, doesn't it?

Like it's singing to the sun.

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This morning I was about to step out the back door with Piper when I noticed this beautifully-patterned garter snake, in the leaves by the doorstep.  The snake was suddenly between a rock and a hard place, with Piper and me on one side and two big hens on the other side, considering their snake-for-lunch options.  I don't know if the snake could have escaped multiple hens (hens have a gang mentality that can be quite a shock the first time you see a flock go after something), and I don't usually interfere in their hunting and gathering endeavors.  But since this good-sized snake was quite close to the house, my first thought was the many, many mice one healthy garter snake could prevent from getting into my foundation and walls.  Thank you, garter snake!  Shoo, hens!

Roughly two seconds after the hens moved away, the snake zipped away into the ferns.  She was gone in the blink of an eye, but to my surprise, I think this (blurry) picture is a just-barely full-length portrait:

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When it isn't raining, the goats are hard at work on the vegetation modification plan.  This is Betula, enjoying a huge patch of asiatic bittersweet with a little native veg on the side:

He ate the attached sugar maple sprout, too.

Bet is an equal-opportunity vegetation control goat.

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Hope all is well where ever you are.  I am having issues with Feedly (which was working so well for me! And now it is NOT!) and can no longer tell when there are new posts on the blogs I am following.  I have an uneasy feeling that there are a couple hundred blog posts out there that I want to read, which is a bit daunting!  But my curiosity about what is happening in your corner of the world will certainly win out, so I will be visiting soon.

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the perfect bean for me

Tipper at Blind Pig and the Acorn recently invited me to participate in a Sow True Seeds bean planting project.  It simply involves planting some lovely organic heirloom beans in my garden, taking some pictures and reporting back.
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By the way, I use the expression "my garden" loosely. Very loosely.  I live in a woodsy spot, and although the goats have been working very hard in recent years to create a clearing, I still spend a lot of time in April and May squinting up, looking for little gaps in the canopy that may allow enough light through to support vegetable plants.

Then I dig a little hole between the rocks, making a spot for for a few seeds and plants.  I try to do this without breaking another shovel handle.

So, it's a little spot here, and a little spot there. And everywhere there are countless insects and critters just rubbing their little feet and paws together in anticipation every time they see me out there with a shovel, a water jug, and a look of optimistic determination.
~~~

Naturally (because of that optimistic thing), when Tipper kindly invited me to join in on the bean project, I was delighted!

And Tipper found just exactly the right beans for me:

I opened the package at the letterbox, and started laughing while standing right there on the road.

I am still laughing!

My standards for seed have expanded. Now it's not just "organic" I want to see on the seed packet...it's organic and lazy!

And now that the sun is shining at last, I will be puttering away in my patch.  It was 34F when I got up this morning, but I hope for better things from now on.

Fingers crossed.

Except when I'm swatting at the clouds of blackflies.  Can't do that with crossed fingers.  It makes the blackflies laugh while they are biting me.
~~~

And here are a few of my first lazy beans, having a soak before planting, to give them a little headstart.

Because the way I garden, seeds and plants need every little bit of an advantage they can possibly get.  Good luck, little beans!

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By the way, in case you aren't familiar with "greasy beans" - the name refers to the way the bean pods look shiny, due to a lack of the fuzz typical of other green beans. Here is a fuzzy bean:

And  one day I hope to have a greasy bean comparison shot!

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There are apparently many, many, many varieties of greasy beans from the Appalachian region and thereabouts, where families have grown their own special favorites year after year.

For generations.

Sometimes, for hundreds of years.

If you google "greasy beans" it will be a fun adventure!

What are your favorite green beans?

Have you ever grown greasy beans?

If so, can you please send some bean-growing good thoughts my way?

My beans and I thank you!

~~~~~

Rain, Day 4

Welcome to my saturated world.

Since Tuesday night, it has been raining off and on.  

Mostly "on."

During a brief lull this morning, I grabbed my camera and hurried outside to take a few snaps to share with you.

I hope you like the color "wet."

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A dark and stormy random drawing

A still-saturated world on a morning walk

At midnight I was awoken by a massive rainstorm, with thunder that just went on and on and on.  It seemed unlikely that sleep would be returning anytime soon, so I fluffed up the pillows, downloaded a couple of free audiobooks from my regional library, and enjoyed some P.G. Wodehouse while the storm provided background drama.

Oh, and while the books were downloading I did one other thing: I went through the comments on the May Giveaway post, deleted any accidental duplicates, and tallied up 57 entries.

Fifty-seven readers who like colorful sock yarn...I am delighted!

I used the random.org generator to turn the numbers 1 through 57 into a random sequence.  The top number was 43, so I counted down the comment list to the 43rd.

The winner is:  Nicole!

Nicole wrote: I would love to win! I am not a sock knitter, so I would make some awesome, colourful hexipuffs out of it :)

That sounds entirely awesome, and I will be looking forward to seeing your results, Nicole.  Please send a picture?  :)

(And who knows...if you aren't happy with the patterning on the hexis, this yarn may inspire you to join the legions of addicted sock knitters.  Mwah hah hah....)

Thank you, one and all who entered.  It was hard not to reply, but I thought having just your comments under that post would make it simpler to count them and do the drawing. And it did.  But I loved your comments, especially the ones that made me laugh, and the one from LindaVK on rav who liked the Postcard from the Paddock post enough to email it to other people...thank you, Linda! That comment really made my day!

~~~~~