Then & Now

Here are some "Then & Now" pix.  April 5th & June 5th

Front Yard -- By Porch & Sidewalk -- April 5th

 

Front Yard -- By Porch & Sidewalk -- June 5th

Front Yard -- By Porch & Sidewalk:  The veggies growing in these two bales are doing very well...good size and strong.  Bales have Brandywine tomatoes, zucchini, and summer squash (all are blossoming at this point).  Dianthus and begonias on sides of bales for color.  Three "extra" tomatoes are planted in the small flowerbed in front of the bales.  They also have lots of blossoms, and a couple of pea-sized tomatoes.  All of the tomatoes are inside cages, and I've tied them to the cages a couple of times for added support as they grow.

Front Yard -- By Garage -- April 5th

Front Yard -- By Garage -- June 5th

Front Yard -- By Garage:  I have no idea why, but the veggies in these two bales are not doing well.  They seem to get plenty of sunlight, but perhaps not as much as the ones by the front porch.  There is a big lilac bush a few feet in front of them, but that doesn't seem to block any morning sun...then by mid-late afternoon, the sun is past the lilac bush.  The bales get daily watering and bi-weekly fertilizer (like all the other bales).  I have had to replace squash and zucchini in these bales (froze out or just too fragile), and the Early Girl tomato plants are still small, compared to those planted in my other bales.  The only things thriving are the dianthus and begonias planted on the side.

Front Yard -- In Large Flowerbed -- April 5th

Front Yard -- In Large Flowerbed -- June 5th

Front Yard -- In Large Flowerbed.  My four Salsa Bales!  Thriving, hot, going crazy!  Ay-yi-yi!!!  All the tomatoes (romas, grape, and cherry) are tall and strong, blossoming and bearing small tomatoes.  I have staked all these tomatoes...I used the metal cages with the tomatoes next to the house, because these green stakes next to my light brick would really stand out, and I didn't want that.  The peppers (banana, jalapeno, and cayenne) are hardy, all putting out small peppers.  The herbs in front are delicious: basil, dill, cilantro, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and stevia.  We have trimmed what we need for cooking frequently.  So good!  There are also two eggplants on the far edge of these bales...they've grown some, but are not starting to trail yet.  

Back Yard -- April 5th

Back Yard -- June 5th

Back Yard:  Veggies (and strawberries!!!) in these four bales are thriving.  We have enjoyed a few strawberries every day for over a week now (small but very sweet), peas have grown to the top of the netting and are blossoming, green beans have climbed about a foot (on ends, and the cucumber plants (started late from seed) are strong and about to climb.  Front-right bale has eight strawberry plants, and runners are starting to go to the other bales.  Next year, I will use all four of these bales for strawberries, and put 8-12 straw bales for veggies at the far back side of my yard (next to privacy fence) to get even more sun than this location.  Occupying the other bales (in addition to the peas, beans, and cucumbers) are red and green bell peppers, kale, leaf lettuce, eggplant, acorn squash, cilantro, oregano, and basil.  I'm not seeing much growth on the eggplant and acorn squash plants, but they're strong...so I'll just give them time.

Update on Gourds 

I have done a little gourd work since my last post.  I've been so busy at work (recital was last weekend and took most of Friday/Saturday/Sunday), so I haven't had much time.  But since I promised pictures, here are the first two I've finished...both are candle holders.

I engraved southwestern Indian petroglyphs on this gourd...a shaman and a deer.  It is rimmed with Colorado pine needles.  I didn't have the glass candle holder in the gourd for this photo.
 












This gourd doesn't have any engraving, but since it is also a candle holder (glass container and candle burning inside), I drilled holes around the gourd to let light from the candle come through.  A stone bear fetish is glued on the gourd.  It is rimmed with grapevine.  I turned the lights down for this shot.