Finally, we’ve got a little of rain and our peppers of all types have perked up. None so much as these prolific little Thai peppers. We’ve got a few in pots so we can bring them in as the temps drop and continue to enjoy them in stir fries and stews.

Our garden was limited this year. Just a couple beds and a bunch of pots. Still want to start some fall greens. Have a new bed I’ve been mulching just for that purpose. Making stops at regional Starbucks as I pass for waste coffee grounds. It will be an experiment in “lasagne gardening”. It’s all rotten straw, coffee waste, cardboard and a bit of sawdust. Some pumpkins are nearly ready to come off the vine. I may just get impatient and try one this weekend.

I found this praying mantis egg sac on the fence this week. Flashing back to childhood I remember at age 9 or so, living in southern Florida. We lived on the very edge of some suburbs. At our backyard was trackless orange groves and swampy jungle. I spent much of my time outside of oppressive religious school in those groves and woods. Checking the ‘coon traps for an elderly man who owned the fruit trees. In this age before internet and even cable TV, the Gurney’s seed catalog was serious entertainment. Late one winter it arrived and had a new section featuring “beneficial insects”. You could actually order praying mantis egg sacs and hatch them at home!! I promptly ordered 3. When they arrived, I hung them in jars. When it warmed enough they hatched, coming out through little horizontal slits along the back. There must’ve been 300 in a jar. I let them loose in the garden and in our little hydro greenhouse. I think it was the high point of my year.

I had decided to give the caterpillars a rest…and this is really the last one for a while, unless I just happen to see the Loch Ness Monster of caterpillars or something. The Monarchs were out this morning and they’re so striking, I couldn’t restrain myself.

My first attempt at a 4-hole clay ocarina. It doesn’t sound terrible, but I can see some changes I’ll make in the next one. Took it to get bisque-fired tonight.

Persimmon Roulette

We have a very tall persimmon tree that grows by our gate. Every fall it showers us with ripe persimmons. There would be no way to pick them as they are at least 30 ft off the ground. The tricky thing is knowing when you should try and eat one. Get it at the right stage of ripeness and it is the most delectable of fruit. Tastes like the finest orange marmalade! Try it just a little too early and it’s sort of like someone has poured a can of alum on your tongue. They must be super-ripe. Almost bordering on rotten. I’m not ready to test them just yet.

The bionic cherry tree

When we were making this place a bit more fit for permanent habitation last fall, I had to use a chain-saw type excavator to scribe some trenches for water and power conduits. At one point on the back embankment it got a little out of control on the incline and hit a cherry tree I’d planted here a few years back. It split it pretty badly in a couple places. I felt bad about it and figured it was destined to die of it’s injuries. One evening a couple weeks later the wind started kicking up and threatened to completely split the tree. Out of desperation I drilled a couple holes completely through it and reinforced it with carriage bolts and washers. To my surprise, it has thrived this year and even produced a huge number of cherries. It appears to have completely fused back together. Maybe a lot of things can heal if you just give them the right kind of help?

Last year we got comfrey going at the new homestead. We contained it in some tires so it didn’t take the place. If you don’t know comfrey, it is an awesome medicinal plant. Really does close wounds quickly (careful with a puncture wound where you might seal up infection in there). Contains allantoin, a cell proliferant. It’s also a great generator of compost material and happens to have attractive blossoms.