Going Squirrelly!

Yes, the little critters are running around like crazy trying to build some nice comfy nests to make more little critters. We let them be of course,..after all we are pretty well surrounded by trees, and the squirrels were here before us. They provide many laughing moments, and so thought I would share these two photos from today. The Yucca is one of the few plants we protect from winter snow, and it pays off usually with it's lovely blooms. However, the wrapping is pretty well done for after a few years of squirrel ravaging. It's nesting time for all our garden friends))).

Building on the Tomato Vision

Well, ..the two beds are built, ready and waiting for soil. The cost was about sixty dollars each but they should last for a good few years. We plan to staple screen on the inside along the bottom to keep soil from seeping out, as well as line the raised beds with either landscape fabric or plastic. The floor of the beds will be thickly layered with newspaper; the grass beneath should rot away. I have Sarah Raven's Chilli Jam recipe at the ready and Mrs. Rama Charkavarty's Tomato Chutney recipe from Madhur Jaffrey's "Taste of India". Oh, can't you just smell those sweet, luscious tomatoes,.. ginger, garlic and chillies.. their fragrance filling the kitchen! Hope springs eternal!!!

Visions of Tomatoes

It has been many years since we have had a bumper crop of tomatoes. Blight seems to be the problem but who can say. So this year, we are building two raised beds in hopes that more sunlight, more air circulation and fresh clean new soil, will help those "tomato babies" we are nurturing reach full adulthood. Can you feel our enthusiasm? Let's hope it isn't a bust! The building of beds has begun! Recommended reading: "The $64 Tomato" by William Alexander))))

Molly Girl..

Like butter would melt in her mouth! She is the most delightful and spirited beautiful Golden retriever we are related to and born on the sunny South Shore!

The goldfish survived!

Well the girls made it through (and presumably the boys). Our pond is quite small, and just three feet deep in one spot, so it's always kind of iffy..will they make it or not? Our winter was rather mild, and now with a mild spring, I guess they are raring to go. Any local folks reading this, there should be babies to give away. The pond looks rather green and poorly right now, but it usually sorts itself out before long. The thing is, I wonder if the goldfish would still be asleep if it had not be for a certain Molly girl who, retriever that she is, had to take a cooling dip on our last sunny day. The ice rimming the pond at the time didn't stop her. Molly has a mind of her own!