Yard Neglect

Yard neglect. I am guilty as charged. You remember the post on wildflower gardening by default, right? Well I can no longer turn my head or pretend I adore wildflowers (which I do) or make excuses. I have to get out there and take care of business. So loppers in hand I started in on the worst bed down by the driveway. I was just going to trim the variegated Japanese Willow away from the the other shrubs, flowers and the weeping Norway Spruce. But you know how that goes, I whacked a little off over here and a little over there. As the light flooded in I swear there was a collective sigh and rustling of leaves (but that may have been the breeze). Four hours later I leaned back to ease my aching back and I had made a serious dent. But that was in just trimming shrubs, pulling lemon balm, chocolate mint and garden loosestrife by the fistful and cutting off the old yucca flower stalks. I was in serious need of a drink of water. Heading to the house, I pulled out scissors to cut the seed heads off the out-of-control perennials on the way in. There is loads more to do, maybe by fall I'll have it back under control.

Oh, I wouldn't sit on the bench if I were you.

BYOB-Bring your Own Bag

Murmuring guest from the flatland


Last week in the flatland, we got two inches of rain in thirty-six hours.
The entire garden is doing the happy dance and the green beans have taken off.

Now, when I say green beans that is a generalization. My beans are green, purple, yellow, green with rose streaks and ivory with purple streaks. And, I am growing for the first time--yard-long beans. They seem to come in 2 colors, green and red. I am, of course, growing the most unusual kind. The red yard-long beans are not a yard long, but closer to 2 feet. I was disappointed in the beginning. I kept waiting for them to grow longer, and instead ended up with thick fat lumpy beans.

What was I thinking? What am I to do with them? It looks like one bean can feed a family of four. Kidding…but not by much. It is way too hot in the house to can them.

Coming in from the garden last night I noticed some of my neighbors sitting out on their porch, so over I went with bag-o-beans in hand. I was thoughtful enough to supply empty grocery bag for them to each fill with as many as they wanted. They only took a few.

I broke down and brought another plastic grocery bag stuffed full of beans to work. I shunned the zucchini traitors and just set the bag in the break room. Everyone could fend for them selves. They all know just by looking who brought the beans.

This is a bushel of beans. When they are cooked they keep their color. How fun is this. Want some? I got plenty.