My Goodbye Garden

For posterity,  I am posting these pictures of the vegetable garden of 2015.  It actually produced/ is producing far more than I ever expected!!   Early in the process,  there was loss due to a killing frost.

Then there were other multiple losses due to animal invasions.  But somehow, surprisingly,  the garden prevailed!

Tomatoes, to the left are taller than I am!

Zucchini recovered from too much rain!  Unusual variety with white spotted leaves and zucchini with stripes!

The pole at the far end there is a weather station which records record data, which is then read on the computer inside!  (Thanks to V & M) :)

Last Vegetable Garden

I feel like I should record for posterity my last vegetable garden.   It is my last one because next year, I am going to turn that garden into a garden of annual flowers.  There is a reason for that, but that is another story altogether!!

Despite all the being discouraged when the rabbit and groundhog and deer came and ate the kale, and lettuce, etc.,  I actually have ended up with quite a "haul" of garden produce!

This is what I picked just on one day.  There have certainly been lots of other beets, and zucchini.  The cucumbers suddenly started producing lots of cukes all at once.

Obviously,  I cannot eat that many fresh cucumbers, so I decided that it must be time to make some pickles. After looking at recipes,  it became clear to me that my favorite pickles are of the "bread and butter" kind.

So I just finished making a batch of bread and butter pickles, and they are indeed delicious!

I would never have thought to make pickles had it not been for my abundance of cucumbers!   One just cannot waste good garden produce!!

There will also soon be a bunch of tomatoes that ripen at the same time.  However, those are the "snacking kind".....small sweet yellow tomatoes that are good right off the vine.

I seriously doubt there will be more than we can eat,  but I suppose that remains to be seen.

Perhaps there is tomato jam or sauce or relish in my future.  Who knows?

Survivors' Lap

For some reason, Gerry signed up for the Relay for Life event, to walk in the "Survivors Lap". We had no idea exactly what to expect.  I had often donated to this event, and we always knew people who walked to raise money for the American Society Event, but we had never actually attended.

What we found was so surprising and amazing! There was an air of "festival" all around.  There were tents set up where obviously people planned to stay the night.  There were many vendors selling related articles, presumably to raise money.  There was a  concession stand. Inside there was a spaghetti dinner going on, and people doing Zumba of the field.  In fact, activities were planned every half hour throughout the night, from midnight to 6 a.m.

At first, we had no idea where to go or what to do.  Then finally, when the Opening Ceremonies began, it began t take shape.   In the picture above, the survivors group are gathered to begin the event.   Picture a rectangle  (football field) with people standing inside that rectangle all the way around, facing outward.  When the survivors do their lap,  the spectators and teams all applaud!  Imagine getting a standing ovation for surviving!  But that is exactly what happened.

I have often seen pictures in the newspaper of people walking in that, with comments about how meaningful it was.  But until I had experienced it personally,  I could not have imagined how that felt. It was actually for survivors and caregivers, which is why I was there walking with Gerry.  Quite a few of the survivors were in wheel chairs and a companion pushed them.  At one point, being applauded along the way, Gerry had a very emotional response, which surprised him.   It is difficult to express how it felt to walk around that field to a constant barrage of applause for beating cancer!

In Gerry's case,  he is a double survivor.  We have always been very very grateful for that,  but never thought about it as a public gathering and celebration.

Survivors unite!

Earth Is Our Home

Inspired by the theme of this year's Community Arts Challenge,  I have written a poem, or more accurately, lyrics which will become a song.  I trust that the talented composer Fry will do her part and a lovely piece of music will emerge.   It begins with this:

Beautiful Home

  Earth is our home,

Beautiful home,

Like no other place,

  we’ve ever found

in outer space.

Earth is our home, beautiful home.

She is spotted with mountains,

how high they rise,

blanketed with oceans

that dance with the tides.

Adorned with valleys

And dressed up with trees.

Creatures and flowers,

Play their part, come and go;

Rise in the spring,

Die with the snow.

They take what they need,

but nothing more,

as it should be, as it should be.

Blessed by the sunlight,

clean and pure;

caressed by the wind,

may Earth endure.

Without poisoning the atmosphere,

wind and sun could sustain us here,

if only we dare; if only we care,

for our mother earth, who gave us birth.

Earth is our mother

Who nurtures and feeds

Who gives us seeds and

 fish and corn.

How we deface her,

unmindful of species,

of life yet unborn.

Earth is our home;

 Our fragile home;

By Nancy Rehkugler                         How fragile our home.                             5.25.15