SEX IN THE CITY

Technically we live in the country, at least it was 25 years ago.  The city has moved to us.  It grew and encroached on the property across the road.  The town, at the intersection of the interstate, annexed a mile of road.  We are at the end of that acquisition.  One hundred and eighty acres of an old mountain across the street was bulldozed and blasted.  They removed the top of the hill and shoved it down into the valley.  Removing all the old forests with the rocks.   The only logging done was the removal of a few large walnut trees.  The oaks and other hardwoods were cut and put through a shredder.  No one was even allowed to come in and harvest them for firewood.  The chips were buried in with the land fill rock.

Our little bit of country sits overlooking the subdivision .  There is a 5 acre pasture which fronts the road.  Since we don't have grazing animals anymore it is no longer cut for hay.  It has been let grow up in native plant species.  We mow around them when we see them bloom hoping they will grow into a larger patch of flowers.  In the middle of our field we have a very large stand of milk weed.  We left it there because of the butterflies it brings.  We never realized how teeming with life it is.  It's its own little community, each life form competing for its own real estate.   

Asclepias syriaca L. common milkweed

We never realized it would also be an attractant for our arch nemesis the Japanese beetle.  They are such exhibitionists.  Actually though they do not seem to like the milk weed.  It is the weeds which grow in between the stalks they seem to be attracted to.  To possibly alleviate this problem we will mow the area when winter comes.  Next spring we will watch for the milk weed to sprout and when it does we will mulch with chips.  (I'm not sure what milk weed seeds requirements are, I don't want to mulch till I see them.  I would hate to suffocate them).  I have never seen milk weed growing around the chip piles, I think they may need light to sprout.

Japanese beetles procreating.



Species Popillia japonica - Japanese Beetle

They are native to East Asia, they were introduced in north america in 1916, with nursery stock. They hatch in June and July.  Larvae feed on roots of plants. Adults feed on foliage and flowers.  The Grubs feed on roots, then  hibernate when cool weather comes. 

Japanese beetles are always the scourge of our gardening.  They are around for an extremely long six weeks; devouring most all vegetation, especially flowers (roses seem to be a favorite).  It seems they hatched earlier this year. 

There is not much you can do about controlling Japanese beetles.  We have used the traps.  It is said they  attract the "bugs" to your area. I don't know if this is actual truth.  They do catch a lot.  I will say they are a very nasty proposition to get rid of.  One year we had so many beetles we were emptying them once each day.  We emptied them because to replace the bags was getting  expensive.  At the same time we hand pick the beetles. 

This is how we dispose of the beetles.  Use a 5 gallon bucket which has a lid; we use Kitty litter pails.  Fill it a fourth full of water, empty the bag into it and clamp the lid on fast (the reason you do it fast is the bugs in the bag are alive and they will fly out).  Shake the bucket around getting the beetles wet.   You can fill it 2/3 full before emptying but I warn you when the bugs die it is the most vile smell.  It takes approximately 3 days for all the bugs to die (3 days after the last addition.)  We empty it a long way from the house.

Hand picking the beetles: we use a plastic 2 cup measuring cup with a handle.  We put a couple of inches water in the bottom and hold the cup under where the beetles are and  tap or shake the branch and they fall into the cup. The year we were emptying the bags each day we were hand picking 3 times a day.  The two cup measure was filled each time.

If you are in a subdivision and have a small yard you can treat with "milky spore ".  The reason I say small lot, Milky spore is very expensive.  It's one plus is; you only have to do it one year.  It lives in the ground after that.  Milky spore attacks the grubs in the earth.  If your neighbors have the grubs then the beetles will also come to visit your garden too.  You need to ask the neighbors to treat their yards too.  We don't use it because we would have to treat 15 acres of pasture with it.  Grubs are the progeny of the beetles (they grow up to be Japanese beetles).

RED MILKWEED BEETLES

ASSURING US OF ANOTHER GENERATION

 Species Tetraopes tetrophthalmus - Red Milkweed Beetle

The larvae feed on  Common Milkweed (A. syriaca). They lay eggs on stems near ground or just below surface. Larvae bore into stems, overwinter in roots, and pupate in spring. Adults emerge in early summer.

From what I read when looking for the identification of this beetle, we will be raking up and cleaning the debris from the area in early fall.  Milk weed is a perrineal, we won't have to worry about removing too many of the seeds and not having a field next year.  This species seems to be only a threat to the milk weed family.  This is the first year we have seen it.

 ADULT GYPSY MOTH

I found this site when looking for the red milkweed beetle.  http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740  It seems to be a very in depth Identification site for insects.

The pictures on this and any of my blogs are my own.  If you would like to use them please contact me for permission.  (If I use a picture from a source not my own I will make note of it with the picture.). 

To see more of my blogs go to:

Check out my kittens at:

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

  blogs about My Courtship in 1963 and My most embarrassing moment.

Or my projects at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/

Sewing, Quilting, Cooking, Poetry and prose and a little gardening

new blog February 16, 2012 "5 Panel Boxer Shorts: tutorial"

CUCUMBERS: NOT JUST FOR SALADS

I know it's not time to plant cucumbers but I am always dreaming.  My dreams are fired by the seed catalogs.  This year we did not order fresh cucumber seeds.  Hopefully the ones we have will grow.  Even if they grow we have to plan a course of action against the "bugs".  Spotted cucumber beetles and Japanese beetles, and then there are the funguses and the powdery mildew.  Till then though I can plan what I am going to be doing with cucumbers picked fresh off the vine.  Yes, I am an optimist.

This winter I had a cucumber left over and it was a little over the hill and I wanted it out of the fridge.  I was cooking supper and I wondered how it would cook.  I sauteed a huge onion in a tablespoon of butter (it seems most recipes I do start with diced and sauteed onions.)  While they were cooking I peeled the cucumber and split it down the middle, scraped out the seeds.  I proceeded to cut the cucumber into 1/2 inch dice.  I put the diced cucumber in with the onions.  Kept the lid off the pan and increased the heat a little.  I cooked the cucumbers till they were fork tender.   At this point I put 2 rounded Tablespoons of flour in it and stirred  it through.  

The reason I put in the flour was to thicken the cup of chicken stock I was adding (have extra stock ready in case it is too thick).  I have a totally thawed 16 ounce pkg of frozen peas ready.  Before you add extra stock if it is too thick,  pour the package of thawed peas in with any liquid which melted off them.  Stir the peas through.  If your sauce is still to thick add some more Stock.

Adjust your seasonings and serve.  Any left overs re-warm well. 

You have just made a creamed dish with out adding too many fat calories because you only used a Tablespoon of butter for several servings.  The sauce stuck to the veggies instead of laying in the bottom of the bowl when you served yourself.  For us the dish was extremely enjoyable. 

What does a cooked cucmber taste like.  Start with the texture.  The texture is not like squash.  It didn't fall apart or get mushy when cooked.  It did not take on the flavor of the sauce or the other veggies.  It was a sweet taste like peas are sweet, but you knew you were eating a cucumber.  The cucumber takes on a translucent look when it is cooked.

A recipe from my garden to you.  I can't wait to try cucmbers 100's of ways.

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting, but cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening,

New blog tutorial on how to make 5 panel Boxer Shorts.

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

 

As always, any pictures or writings are my own, if not credit will be given to the contributor. Please do not use without permission.

CABBAGE AND BROCCOLI SEED STARTING

Published February 16

Notes at the bottom of the blog are color coded to the date they were observed.

Edits and additions February 18, 2012

Edits and additions February 20, 2012

Edits and additions February 22, 2012

Edits and additions February 28, 2012

If any thing will give you an adrenalin rush, seeing seeds sprout will (at least it gives me a rush).  Sunday afternoon we put cabbage seeds and broccoli seeds in a seed flat.  The flat has 242 cells in it.  It is Styrofoam so the soil temps stay even.  We use a soilless mix for starting seeds.  Using the soilless mix lessens the probability of damp off.

We planted this flat on Sunday February 12.  The soilless mix was warm when we put it in the cells.  It was gently packed and the seeds were dropped into holes poked by a chop stick.  Then they were covered with mix.  We covered the flat with Plastic wrap.  It was place in a room with a temperature of 63 degrees.  I have been checking them everyday and on February 16,  I was rewarded with sprouting.  We planted 7 varieties of seeds.  Some of them were old seeds.  


We numbered the edge of the tray (see the above photo).  We kept a row free between each variety.  We didn't want to have any mix up of seeds and plants when transplanted (this has happened before!).  I hate not knowing what we are planting.

The seeds in the photo on the left are Early Jersey Wakefield from Bakers Creek.

Because the planting medium was very moist I did not water in the seeds.  Today when I uncovered the sprouting flat I watered all cells (I have found when the empty cells are not watered too, the cells seem to dry out faster.)  I found the best thing for watering the cells.  A spice jar with a lid which has holes in it.  I used one which also had the flap you close over the holes.  When I went to water them with it, it was so easy.  I just pushed on the flap and it let out a little water at a time.  Each cell was able to be watered without washing any of the contents of the cells out with too much water.  BTW..under the flat we have newspaper on plastic. 

The trays are designed for green house seed starting.  They are supposed to be set on runners exposing the bottom of the tray.  When the roots grow down to the drainage hole the air stops them from growing out, effectively root pruning them.)  It makes them set more roots for a stronger transplant.  We will put the trays up on a 1/2 inch board so we can get the same effect.

Why are we starting them so early?  The weather in the St. Louis area has been very mild.  If it continues we will be able to plant early.  If not and we get a bad streak of weather we have the cold frame/green house.  So far the rosemary plants and Devils backbone are still alive and the banana plants seem to still have plenty of life.

List of Seeds planted, the numbers correspond to the numbers on the tray pitured above:

The older seeds were planted 2 in each cell. There can be 44 seedlings of each variety.

The colored numbers are how many that sprouted.  I was thrilled to see sprouts after four days.

                                                                                                            FEB 16       18     20     22    28
1.  Gurney's 2007 "HYBRID PACKMAN BROCCOLI"             22 cells   0         0        0       1       2
     http://gurneys.com/

2.  Shumway 2007 "GREEN GOLIATH BROCCOLI"                22 cells   0         0        0       5       18
     http://www.rhshumway.com/

3.  Gurney's 2007  " HYBRID CORONADO CROWN"             22 cells    0         0        0       2        5
    http://gurneys.com/

4.  Henry fields 2009 "HYBRID PREMIUM CROP BROCCOLI"22 cells  2      32      41      43       42
     http://www.henryfields.com/

5.  Henry Fields 2007 "ARCADIA BROCCOLI"                       22 cells    11      35     36      37       36
     http://www.henryfields.com/

6.  Totally Tomatoes 2010 "RUBY PERFECTION CABBAGE"  22 cells   1      21     21      26       24
     http://www.totallytomato.com/

7  Baker Creek " EARLY JERSEY WAKEFIELD CABBAGE"   22 cells    7     16     16      16       17
    2012  http://rareseeds.com/  1 seed per cell

8  Baker Creek " EARLY JERSEY WAKEFIELD CABBAGE"   22 cells    6     17     19      21        21
    2012  http://rareseeds.com/  1 seed per cell
I received my order from Baker Creek in less than 5 days.   I was impressed with the lovely packaging.

February 18:  The number of sprouts showing includes the sprouts from the 16th.  I am disappointed the top 3 haven't shown any sign of growth yet.  The Green Goliath broccoli is quite productive in the garden with huge heads.  I will have to order new seed for fall production. 

February 20:  Yesterday It was one week since we planted the seeds.  The first three have shown no sign of germination. 

The picture on the right is the seedlings today.  The seed was planted on February 12.  The cells are 1 inch square.  The seedlings are 1 1/4 inches high. 

February 22:  I had a surprise when I went to count the seedlings.  The first three are showing some activity.  It is only a couple but it does show some hope.  The seeds packets say 6 to 10 days..and it was 10 days  today..maybe some more will sprout.

February 28:  The second set of leaves are showing on the sprouted seeds.  when I counted I seem to have come up with an under count on several varieites.  I didn't notice any dying so I could have miscounted before.  I will take a picture of them tomorrow before I transplant them (recounting them at the time.)  

The late growing sprouts will, of course, stay in the flat.  Those which have germinated don't look so "well".  some of them look stunted.  #2 seeds do have some healthy looking sprouts. 

Now to make plans to catch the ground hog who will be enjoying the fruits of our labors

if we don't catch him.

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting, but cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening,

New blog, tutorial on how to make 5 panel Boxer Shorts.

New Blog about dolls.

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

As always, any pictures or writings are my own, if not credit will be given to the contributor.
Please do not use without permission.

SPRING IS ON ITS WAY

Just a note, I have been away too long.  I need to start preparing for spring.  After this year of hiatus from the garden we need to do so much to get ready.  The main thing to do is find the seeds I put away.  Yes, I cannot remember where the safe hiding place is.  

The second thing "we " have to do is re-fence the garden.  The deer  and the elements have done a number on on the Hay bale netting we used.  It was very efficient for 3 years, I have no complaints.  We will make sure we put down weed barrier of some sort (for a 3 foot width).  The weeds are impossible to extract and mowing next to the fence was disaster (the netting would get caught in any implement).

The garden is going to be much smaller this year.  I am gearing down to only drive sales (mainly for my own use, but I will share the over production.) 

This year there will be special attention to the production of the "Spartan Arrow beans"  They seem to be falling out of favor, why I don't understand.  We will be saving seed as well as growing for our own use.  Our main battle in this endeavor will be fighting any resident ground hogs (We know we can keep the deer out with proper fencing).  BTW local deer hunters did us a big service this year.  Four deer, all females were harvested.  They were young deer who had never had "kids".  The day after deer season ended we had 5 deer browsing in the pasture.

We will also be growing "Chinese Long Beans".  I pulled a package from the freezer this past weekend.  They were from 2010.  I could detect no deterioration from the extended stay in the freezer, not in the texture or the flavor.

The first order of business is to grow lettuce.  We are so hungry for lettuce and it seems every time we eat store bought lettuce we get sick.  Our lettuce of choice is "Prizehead".  It is an old time leaf lettuce which goes from lime green in the center to a beautiful burgundy on the outside.  It is very flavorful and stays sweet longer into the heat than other lettuces.

Of course there are the tomatoes.  Definitely there will be "Juliets" in our garden and her yellow sister "Golden Rave" and at least a couple of plants of "Jelly Beans".  Others, well, that will be discussed when I find the seeds...LOL.

I need to start the hunt.  I promise I won't be gone long.  Have fun getting your garden laid out.

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting, but cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening,

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

As always, any pictures or writings are my own, if not credit will be given to the contributor. Please do not use without permission.

WAITING TO EXHALE

AN OOH OOOH OOOOH, AAAAHH MOMENT

Christmas has past and the New Year faces us.  In a couple of days we can all have a big sigh of relief we made it through the past year.  I will be exhaling when I return home on New Year's Eve.  I ran to Denver as a surprise. Christmas eve I showed up at my parents house.  No one knew I was coming.  In fact I didn't know for sure until 36 hours before.   I took a deep breath and threw everything in bags and into the Car.  Left at 7 in the morning and arrived at 7:30 in the evening. 

Since the weather had been so bad on the plains I took a different route when I entered Colorado.  I normally take 86 down through Kiowa to 25.  This is a narrow back highway that is like a roller coaster.  I knew it was probably snow packed and icy so I decided to take 70 all the way to Denver and south on 425.  I had never been that way and by the time I past familiar 86 it was pitch dark.  Since it was Christmas eve and everyone was at their destination I had the road to myself.  It is a very dark road with no one on it.  and there was a wind at times.  Needless to say I felt like I didn't let my breath out till I arrived at the end of my journey.

Hunny has been left home alone to feed and care for 12 cats (8 house cats, 2 shop cats, 2 wild barn cats), 2 African gray parrots, and one little abandoned dog named "Honey". (We also feed the wild birds and the neighborhood raccoons and possums.)  Everyday I get a report on our egg production.  The young layers are laying up a storm.  We've been getting (16) 2.5 ounce eggs from 17 chickens almost everyday.  The older layers are "laid" back now and have decided to give us eggs when they please.  They really should be stew but in our old age and with being so busy with the holidays the last two months we haven't gotten around to it.  Last night the hens who normally lay nice large eggs decided one of them would go all out.  One of our Americauna ladies laid the enormous egg in the picture.  The other eggs are considered extra large, I think this one ranks in the ginormous category. 

I think she definitely exhaled loudly, gasping for breath.

Have an eggseptional day!

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting, but cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening,

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

As always, any pictures or writings are my own, if not credit will be given to the contributor. Please do not use without permission.



LIGHT AS AIR

It's cold and windy out today. I am not going to be out in it.  So I decided to go through papers, notes I had jotted down this past summer.   I came across this poem I wrote about an experience with a feathered friend who had ventured indoors.

Have you ever held air in your hand?

I have, the feeling is, oh so grand,

Today in my kitchen, it was a surprise,

On the floor, right before my eyes.

Was the smallest of earth's flying machines,

Of the prettiest colors found in dreams,

Its fragility, its fright, I was certain of,

I picked her up with gentle love.

She nestled in the warmth of my hand,

I rescued her from where she did land,

From the way she acted I think she was hit,

The ceiling fan knocked her around a bit.

After awhile she showed signs of flight,

I ran to release her while it was still light,

I opened my hand, her wings did spread,

With out a thank you, to the tree she fled.

To the feeder came one, was it the one who fled?

Is approaching the house something she dreads?

Or was it another, taking a sip of sweet,

Dining at our feeder filled with hummers treat.

She was not even as big as a joint and a half on my thumb and not as fat either.  It was an amazing and awesome experience for me.

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting, but cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening,

 

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

 

As always, any pictures or writings are my own,

if not credit will be given to the contributor.

Please do not use without permission.

CHICKEN EGGS

We keep chickens, or is it raise chickens.  It is technically just a "hobby".  It is for our own consumption and for a couple of people who drop by for a dozen or two.  We only have 16 young pullets (pullets are female chickens until they begin to lay, then they are called hens), and 13 older, past their prime, hens.  A hen becomes past her prime when she doesn't lay an egg every other day (at least in my opinion).  She is not profitable, because she eats more than she produces. 

We are small potatoes and have reached our "past our prime percentage", lol.  We have not had the energy to put them or their fellow roosters in our freezer.  The weather has finally cooled down and I expect after the Thanksgiving holiday we will have a going away party for them.  Our little pullets are now producing to their potential and the eggs are now approaching large status.  Which brings me to the purpose of this blog.

Regular size egg                        2 eggs from a pullet

(her friends are laying a small to medium egg)

Technically chickens are not garden/plant related, but at our "farm" they are.  They are a source of extremely high nitrogen fertilizer for us.  Albeit we have to wait a year to use it.  It is too "hot" to use without composting it.  At this time of year we spread it on the garden areas to break down through the winter.

I had to share these eggs gigantus with you.  This was definitely an oooh aaahhh situation for the little, almost a hen, chicken. 

The two eggs being fried for breakfast. Yes they were double yolked eggs. 

The skillet is a 10 inch iron pan.

Have an eggseptional day!

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting, but cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening,

"new" prose tribute to my mother on her birthday

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

As always, any pictures or writings are my own, if not credit will be given to the contributor.

Please do not use without permission.



SPARTAN ARROW BEANS

This row of beans is not Spartan Arrow beans.  It is probably Contender or Provider.  That was what we planted in 2010.  They were decent in taste but tended to be on the not tender side. I can't say enough for the Spartan Arrow beans.  We feel so fortunate to have found a distributor of the seed, for five years we have been looking for the seed.  This company is where we acquired the seed:

http://www.rispensseeds.com/

(Received our seeds November 8, 2011.  It was only 5 days after ordering.  They were packaged excellently.  
Thank you Rispen for your great customer service.)

Today we called the company and they have a few pounds left from this years inventory.  They will not be handling it in 2012.  I have not found any other source for the seed.

 We will be planting the seed spring 2012.  I have garden area reserved for seed, which is not organic (the seed is treated).  We will be planting rows for harvest fresh and rows that will be saved for seed.  The beans will be raised organic even though they are treated seed. We are fortunate to have plenty of garden spaces. 

Pluses we discovered about this incredible bean:

Productivity to the extreme; it produced under adverse conditions

(in the extreme heat and when the weather turned too cold)

It was not susceptible to any the diseases in our area. 

Storm damage was minimal, the plants are very strong.

The beans were held high on the plants in large bunches, not down at the base of the plant.

The flavor of the bean was superior to any bean we ever had, including the great long bean taste.

They stayed on the plant with out getting tough, longer than other beans we've tried.

Just like their name says they are very straight and seemed to stay straight during periods of uneven watering.

Right now I can't think of more accolades for the variety, but just remembering them is making me drool.  I can't wait to take pictures and share with you.  Saving this variety is at the top of our gardening agenda. 

February 1, 2013 Update addition

I found these articles which adds more pluses to the pluses for Spartan Arrow Bush Beans:

http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/schenectady/new/pdf/ag%20fact%20sheets/vegetables/Seed%20Maggots.pdf

Under the "management" section of the article they specify spartan Arrow Beans. 

 http://ipm-dd.orst.edu/potato/wcucumbeetle.pdf
Resistant to the adult cucumber beetle damage

Spartan Arrow (MSU 303) - Breeder: Michigan Agric. Expt. Sta., East Lansing. Vendor: Northrup, King and Co., Minneapolis, Joseph Harris, Rochester, New York and others. Parentage: selection of a cross Tenderbest x Contender. Characteristics: concentrated pod set, good holding quality; pods heavy, straight, separate easily from plant, slow seed and fiber development. Resistance: common mosaic virus strains 1 and 15. Similar: Bountiful, Contender. Michigan Quart. Bulletin 45, 608, 1963.

The above info is from  an article Edited by James Nienhuis and Michell E. Sass,  Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 and James R. Myers, Department of Horticulture, 

Oregon State University. 

Corvallis, OR 97331-7304

This Seed deserves to have a place in our gardens.
I hope I have encouraged you to save seed.

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting, but cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening

 blog about the making of a Ninja Halloween costume

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

As always, any pictures or writings are my own, if not credit will be given to the contributor.

Please do not use without permission.

http://pitbulladog.blogspot.com/

Chronicling our adventures with a dumped Pit Bull Pup,

 who has become a hidden treasure.

All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.

I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .

Please do not copy without permission

SEARCHING FOR SPARTAN ARROW GREEN BEANS

Over the years we have found varieties of vegetables we love to grow.  Vegetables which are full flavored,  prolific, disease resistant, quick to harvest, excellent to either freeze or can; rise to the top of the list.  They do not have to be heirloom varieties. 

The very top of our list is a bean called "Spartan Arrow".  Our garden was never without this bean.  I became ill and we did not have a garden for 5 years.  When we began gardening again, we determined the company we would order most of our seeds from would be the one with "Spartan Arrow" seed..  For two years we have been searching for the seed.  Originally we ordered the seed from "Harris Seeds".  They said they weren't handling it any more and suggested we use "Espada" (I think is the spelling).  It was a comparable bean.  NOT!

Spartan Arrow is just what it's name implies. Straight as an arrow, no matter what the conditions.  If conditions were right you had to pick beans twice a day.  Another plus with the plant, It stuck its beans right up on the top of the plant, not camouflaging  the beans under the leaves (making picking a breeze).  They were the "greenest" tasting bean we've ever had.  Freezing, there was no loss of flavor and they seemed to be not as susceptible to freezer burn.  The bean seemed to be impervious to rust and other bean diseases.  It produced in hot weather as well as in the extreme cold.  We religiously covered the bean rows when there was frost.  We knew we would be rewarded with beans till cold became a daily thing.

If you know of where we can procure this seed please let us know. 

We have googled but have not found a source.

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting, but cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

 

As always, any pictures or writings are my own, if not credit will be given to the contributor.

Please do not use without permission.

 

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH

I haven't written all summer, I have been visiting the grands and last week I made the trip to Colorado to visit my parents.  I haven't driven for several years because of the steep gas prices.  They dropped to the point it was cheaper to drive than to fly.  I also had access to my son's new car.  It gets very good gas mileage. I will have to preface this by saying, I love to drive.  (it also lets me take with me things I wouldn't be allowed to take on a plane.  Like an Apple pie for my father, made the evening before.)

I was very lax in taking pictures.  I wish I was younger and could drive long distances with leisure, but alas I can't.  I had to zoom out there before my driving stamina ran out.  I left St. Louis at 6:30 AM and arrived in the Western Denver Area at 8:00 PM St. Louis time. 

I have no idea why people say they get bored driving across Kansas.  When I make the drive I see the familiar, the sites I saw when I was 12 on my first trip west.  I find myself wondering what happened to the neat little motels and homes I saw on old highway 40.  It is surprising how much you can remember when you were young. 

Then I see new things.  The delight I felt seeing the wind farms west of Salina.  In Missouri there have been arguments windmills destroy the environment, polluting the visual.  All I could see was the energy being

 saved and the happy feeling it gave me seeing them turning in the breezes.  They looked like a giant had plopped pinwheels all over the prairie.  It was more like a modern art sculpture not an abomination to the senses.  It certainly wasn't like the visual assault of the power lines.

Several years ago when crossing Kansas I went under an overpass on the highway, when I came out on the other side, a field covered, for what seemed miles, with sunflowers in peek bloom.  I had no camera at that time.  It was an awesome sight stretching to the horizon. Other trips out have not rewarded me with the view.

This year the sun flowers were past their prime, seeing them brought back the Van Gogh moment.

The Flint Hills in Kansas.  If I could take an ideal road trip it would take me a week to get to Denver.  I would want to stop in the Flint Hills area and see the homes and fences, everything, even the museums.  I am not a lover of museums, but would love to see everything the area has to offer. Maybe it is because I was so enamored with the Laura Engals Wilder books when I was little.  I anxiously look forward to seeing the first Fence Post  I can spy on the trip.  The thoughts of how hard the people worked to survive, how they made a life for themselves, entertain me while I am driving.  Boredom has no room to invade.

Then there is Hays, Kansas.  It is a dusty cow town sitting in the middle of the prairie, but I found little treasures there.  First I fill up with gas, going to the Mc Donalds across the street.  For some reason The double Cheese Burgers there are better than any other Mc Donalds in the Nation.  Maybe it is because I am so tired at that point.  Then (and only once) did I take time to run a mile down the main street to a little strip mall.  In that strip mall was the most fabulous quilt/fabric store.  I know the people in the area must cherish her.  She was stuffed to the rafters with fabric.  There was the most fabulous collection of flannel fabrics. 

As you are getting close to the western border of Kansas there is a town where they have collected old buildings and reconstructed them.  You can see the display from the highway.  I have always wanted to stop there and see them. 

Another disappointment I have when I travel by car is I can't take time to stop and visit cemeteries. I am not a morbid person, but I love to see and read head stones.  I wish I could have photographed some of the wonderful stones I have seen.

Kansas has a wealth of unusual old farm houses which can be seen from the road.  Some have now fallen to disrepair to the point they will eventually be torn down, but there is one which fascinates me.  It is boarded up now.  It is perfectly square and two stories.  It is made of perfectly square blocks.  I can't tell if it is limestone or sandstone or flint rock.  It sits lonely in the middle of a field with it's out buildings.

I think it is when entering Colorado there is a touristy thing that I always wanted to do.  There is a "light house" type of building which advertises you can see 7 states from their windows.  I first saw it when I was 12 from the highway 40 side.  It is still there.  I wonder each time if I were to stop if it would be open.  It is very downtrodden looking.

After arriving in Denver I headed up the mountains to a "little village" called Evergreen.  I can remember 47 years ago when my husband and I toured the west, Highway 40 was only two lanes.  Your mind raced with the fantasies of what it was like to be a pioneer.  The area was still uninhabited, except for the occasional mine poking its head out from the side of the mountain.  The roads barely scared the surface and the trees and rocks were so close you could touch them.

Now Evergreen is a budding metropolis for tourist.  My sister lives on the hills above it.  she has a cabin with hardwood floors and a stone fireplace.  It is about 900 square feet.  she has electric and gas, but there is no plumbing.  The following pictures were taken the evening I visited.

I have no idea the flowers names, and I had no way to edit the pictures while I was there to make sure I had decent ones, and re-take them if necessary.

A small purple ASTER past it's prime.

A yellow daisy type

An unknown white flower

These I would know anywhere.  They are a wild snap dragon.  They could easily become my favorite flower.  The were so delicate.  The blossoms were only as big as the nail on my baby finger.

Last but not least, just as I was leaving, This pair popped up outside the back door next to the snap dragons.

I wish I had more to share and I should have taken time to literally smell the roses.  I need to plan an extra day each trip so I can take pictures of the sights I see.  Memories I can share with you.

If anyone knows the names of the flowers, please share.

Thank you for visiting.  I hope to be posting more often with pictures of fall in Missouri. (Maybe even pictures of a garden being reclaimed.)

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting, but cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

 

As always, any pictures or writings are my own, if not credit will be given to the contributor.

Please do not use without permission.