Nl september15

20 15 R, BE M TE SE P

...for discerning weeders

Inside This Issue!

Communication Anniversary When is a grass a weed Can gardening be hazardous to your health?

And much, much more!

The Foundation for the Gator Nation.....

An equal opportunity institution.

HERE’S TO SUMMER! We have had a few tantalizing days of cooler weather and a couple of nights where the temperatures dipped into the official ‘Ahhhhhh’ territory. Hints of fall and the celebration of Labor Day means that a lot more activity will be happening in the garden and in our lives.

The kids are back in school, many organizations have returned from the summer break and the garden is calling for more time spent in our favorite past time.

C. Baker J. Gillis G. Speir

The new Master Gardener training class is in full swing. (If you haven’t attended any of these sessions—remember that they count towards your education hours!) Mentors, be sure to keep up to date with your mentees. They will be deciding on their final project topics and may need your assistance and encouragement.

We have a plethora of activities gearing up—Continuing Adult Education, Seminars, Plant Clinics—plenty to keep us all busy throughout the cooler weather!

Our State Conference will be next month and there’s still time to sign up and get the reduced rates for the conference and the accommodations. This year’s list of seminars looks very appealing.

34th Continued Training Conference October 18-21, 2015 Kissimmee, FL

We harp on getting your hours logged in on the VMS system.

If you haven’t done so, please get caught up to date. If you’re having a problem with getting on the system, please let us know!

http://www.conference.ifas.ufl.edu/ gardener/index.html

Many thanks to those who have submitted pictures and articles for this edition. We really could use a lot more. Even if you don’t like to write, if you have an idea of something that you’d like to learn more about—let us know!

This is YOUR publication and we want it to be the best that it can be.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Activity Calendar

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Number Please!

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Garden Glories

Plentiful Plantings

Sign in to VMS and log in your hours!

You may access the VMS site by clicking on the link below: https://florida.volunteersystem.org/ UniversalLogin.cfm An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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4-5

Wildlife Happenings

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Book Review

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Updates and Info

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Volunteer Opportunity

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Turf or Weed

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What a Stinker!

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Info graphics

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Gardening Can Kill!

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Recipe Roundup

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Gardening Holidays

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Last Word

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September, 2015

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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September, 2015

NUMBER PLEASE! A little-known day of recognition is upon us. Yes, September 1 is Emma M. Nutt Day. And if you’re thinking ‘who the heck is Emma M. Nutt’ you are not alone.

So, let’s spend a little time rediscovering and appreciating Emma because, as it turns out, back in the 19th century she was an important figure in laying the groundwork for women who wanted to work outside the home.

Emma M. Nutt was the first female telephone operator in America. She was hired by the Boston Telephone Dispatch on September 1, 1878 and she worked there for 33 years. She was hired by Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the first practical telephone. He apparently recruited her from a local telegraph office. Earlier in January of 1878, before Emma came on board, the Boston Telephone Dispatch company had started hiring boys as telephone operators. The first of these was George Willard Croy. Boys had been good as telegraph operators where they did not have to interact with customers but, alas, their tendency toward impatience, cursing and playing pranks made them not so well -suited to actual human interactions (hmmm).

So, the company (presumably Bell himself) came up with the idea of hiring women to replace those rude boys. Thus, on September 1, 1878, Emma was hired, starting a career that lasted more than three decades until she retired in 1915. Within a few hours after Emma started working her sister, Stella Nutt, became the world's second female telephone operator, although Stella only kept the job for a few years. The customer response to the ladies was very positive, so all the boys were soon replaced by women.

by K. Harper This video from the AT&T Archives (yes, there is such a thing) will tell you all you never knew about telephone switchboards and how they used to work back in the day. It’s really a fascinating look at a system that grew in complexity as the use of the telephone spread from the late 19th century into the 20th century. At the 4:34 point in the video you’ll get an idea of just how rough and tumble those first male telephone operators were and why it was a good PR move to replace them with patient, mannerly, silky-voiced ladies, of who Emma Nutt was in the vanguard: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=xJ1fKFqt7qU In 1998, a company called Preferred Voice Inc. signed an agreement to market a program they called EMMA. Named after Emma Nutt, this was “the first central office based, remote access, automatic speech recognition attendant.” What I think all of that means is that Emma Nutt has been immortalized for all time as the first voice mail system. Here’s the story, as reported by Bloomberg in 1998: http:// www.bloomberg.com/article/1998-07-08/ a1k7UUBtoUDc.html So, raise a glass to Emma Nutt on September 1. She was a pioneer in many ways. However, if you’re like me, when you think of a telephone operator, Ernestine (Lily Tomlin) will always come to mind. How could we forget those hilarious, classic skits?

Here’s one in which we are reminded of the total monopoly once enjoyed by Ma Bell. Do you catch just a foreshadowing of some of the eventual NSA’s activities when you watch it?? https:// www.youtube.com/ watch? v=SvesMBkduQo

Reportedly, Emma’s husband was a telegraph operator although this does not match the job requirements which were that a woman had to be unmarried and between the ages of seventeen and twentysix. She also had to have a very proper appearance and (perhaps most importantly) she had to have arms long enough to reach the top of the tall telephone switchboard. Maybe Emma was granted an exception to the ‘must be unmarried’ rule. In any case, she did the job for 33 years and was paid a salary of $10 per month for a 54 hour work week. It was said that Emma could remember every number in the telephone directory of the New England Telephone Company, which I suppose could happen if you punched a switchboard with the same numbers on it for 33 years.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

The Jokester Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

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GARDEN GLORIES Butterfly on Patrick’s Fire. Butterfly is a Gray hairstreak Styron melinus.

Larva host plants include: partridge pea, bush clover, vetch and mallow to name a few. The hair streaks’ tails and bright eyespots make predators grab the wrong end and gives them a chance to escape!

Photo courtesy of D. Hickenbotham

Swamp Cloud (above) and Sweep Pink (left) Photos courtesy of D. Hickenbotham

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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September, 2015

MORE GARDEN GLORIES

Texas Red Swamp Mallow. Photo courtesy of D. Stever

Starfish cactus in bloom. Photo courtesy of C. Rose

Busy Bees pre-school program with S. Taylor and C. Rose

Do you have any end of summer or fall pictures?

Send them in!!!!!!!!!

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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September, 2015

WILDLIFE HAPPENINGS September brings the beginning of Fall, and the peak of the hurricane season, so we should be seeing some new species and activity as a result. Here are some interesting things to look for in September.

courtesy of www.wec.ufl.edu/extension “jubilee” begins along panhandle beaches.

BIRDS ™Get feeders ready for returning birds. ™Bald eagles return to nest sites and begin courtship.

MAMMALS ™Gray bats migrate to Alabama caves for winter hibernation. ™Start looking for manatees concentrated in rivers, bays, and near power plants.

AMPHIBIANS Start listening for Spadefoot toads after heavy rains.

FISH ™Atlantic sturgeon begin fall migration for the Suwannee and Apalachicola Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico.

INVERTEBRATES ™Blue crabs migrate from the shallow panhandle coast to the deeper water for the winter. This is also when blue crab

BOOK REVIEW

by E. Smith

Reading this award winning book will provide you with sevReading this book may encourage you to do your part in eral hours of pleasure and information to improve your knowl- “Bringing Home Nature.” edge of nature in your own yard. As one reviewer is quoted, “If you have a backyard, this book is for you.” It will soon become obvious that the author has the Pogo Philosophy, “WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE IS US.” The author, Douglas W. Tallamy is professor and chair of the Dept. of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware at Newark. In a recent communication from him I learned he has 40 years of experience in the field of entomology and he did his masters on the lacebug. It would seem he is well qualified in his chosen field.

A good portion of this book is based on his first hand experience with converting his modern landscape back to a more natural condition.

The interrelationships between native plants, insects and the natural animal population are presented without excessive scientific jargon but it is replete with great photographs and numerous citations for your perusal.

His observations on our use of alien species, including lawn grasses, shrubs, trees etc., will provide a better understanding of the damage done by humans in our attempt to improve on “Mother Nature.” A monoculture lawn is not natural and in the attempt to maintain them we pour millions into disruptive and dangerous practices of over fertilization, indiscriminate pesticide use and mowing.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, by Douglas W. Tallamy ISBN 13: 978 0 88192 992 8 6

September, 2015

UPDATES AND INFO  Lutzomyia longipalpis (Sand Fly) - 6 page fact sheet http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1091

staff  Biology and Management of Long-Stalked Phyllanthus in Ornamental Crop Production—5 page fact sheet http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep518

 Euwallacea fornicates (Tea Shot-Hole Borer) - 4 page fact  Biology and Management of Fatoua villosa (mulberry sheet http://edis.ifs.ufl.edu/in1090 weed) in Ornamental Crop Production—r page fact sheet  Spondias growing in the Florida home landscape—8 page http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep517 fact sheet http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg059  Imrpoving weed control in landscape planting beds—6  Canna flaccida (Canna) - 4 page fact page fact sheet http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep523 http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fp102

The Jokester Law of Random Numbers If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal; someone always answers

TURF OR WEED? Bahiagrass Paspalum notatum Flüggé is a warm season grass used extensively in erosion control areas and is suitable for low -maintenance lawns and public areas. It is more shade tolerant than bermudagrass. This deep-rooted perennial is adapted to a wide range of soils. It is low-growing and spreads with stolons and stout, scaly rhizomes. This plant may become weedy or invasive in some regions or habitats and may displace desirable vegetation if not properly managed. Caution! Seed heads of the cultivar ‘Argentine’ are often infected by ergot (Claviceps paspali). Pregnant mares can experience abortion problems if they eat large quantities of infected seed heads.

Also, ingestion of infected seeds can produce toxic effects in cattle.

by L. Morris rotary mower blade is needed to cut bahiagrass. Cutting through the tough stems and seed heads will dull a mower blade relatively quickly.

Watering is best done on an as needed basis. Mole crickets can be a pest in bahiagrass and there are some issues with dollar spot. Iron deficiency in high pH soils is likely.

Proper mowing practices are necessary to keep bahiagrass from becoming unsightly and weedy. Mowing should be done every 7-14 days at a height of 3-4 inches. A sharp, heavy-duty An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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September, 2015

WHAT A STINKER! Skunk vine (Paederia foetida) is a plant that is native to temperate, and tropical Asia; and has become naturalized in other parts of the world including Florida.

by D. Stever Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council’s List of Invasive Species. In 1999, it was placed on the Florida Noxious Weed List. Currently skunk vine is found in at least 17 counties in central and north central Florida.

Skunk vine is known for the strong, sulphur like odor released when its leaves or stems are crushed or bruised; this is because More Information: the oil responsible for the smell is found primarily in the http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/303 leaves. http://www.fleppc.org/ID_book/paederia%20foetida.pdf It is considered to be fast-growing, with a wide-ranging adaptability to different light, soil, and salt conditions. It is able to establish and grow above the frost line. The plant flowers and fruits mostly in summer and fall and the seeds may be dispersed by birds.

It is interesting in researching that skunk vine is another one of the plants that seemed like a good idea at the time of its introduction into North America. Sometime before 1897 at a USDA Field Station, skunk vine, was introduced from Asia to Hernando County, Florida as a potential fiber crop. Skunk vine was reported as a troublesome weed very early in its introduction, escaping into native areas throughout Florida. It was soon recognized as an economically important invasive weed.

In 1993, skunk vine was labeled a Category 1 species on the

Info graphics courtesy of www.gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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September, 2015

GARDENING CAN KILL YOU

by M. Stewart

After a marathon session in the garden/landscape, we all complain of sore muscles or being tired. Heck, we might have an insect bite (or three) not to mention a thorn or scrape. But did you know that gardening can indeed kill you?

tached to them. Trust me—you can’t prune an azalea and text at the same time. It’s just an accident waiting to happen.

Another opinion is that the skill level in gardening has deteriorated over the years. The folks getting into gardening now didn’t have role models—older folks who gardened/farmed. Therefore, they didn’t learn the skills to fix a fence or prune a tree. What happens is they get information from the internet or their weird neighbor on how to do something, run out and buy tools (probably the wrong ones) and then go for it. Cue the oversized chainsaw and an ambulance.

 Avoid products with form-fitting handles. Many tools

There is also the idea that modern technology also plays a role in garden injuries. First, there is the availability of very cheap garden tools. That $2 shovel is great until it snaps off, impaling your bicep. Second, there is the demand on our attention. Most people can’t live without having their Smartphone permanently at-

I’ll add to leave the electronics in the house, be aware of your surroundings and take your time. With any luck, we’ll survive our gardening adventures without loss of life and the only limbs we’ll lose are the ones we prune off the crape myrtle.

The last theory on the rise of garden injuries is in the reporting/ cultural practices have a lot to do with it. We have become a litiThat’s right, gardening is dangerous! According to data collected gious society and the likelihood that an injury was caused by our from 1997-2014 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission own actions isn’t the first thing people tend to think about. No, it discovered that there is an average of 83 deaths caused by garwas the manufacturer’s fault (seriously—have you ever read the dening tools each year—not including lawn mowers. They also caution labels????) found an annual average of injuries caused by garden tools to be What is a gardener to do? How can we avoid an untimely demise 122,951! Gardening was #18 on their list—right between ATVs beneath the Sycamore tree? There is hope according to the (#19) and ladders (#17). Makes you start to appreciate that the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (AASH) to at least only thing you got in the garden this time was a splinter! protect part of our bodies during gardening.

In 1997 there were 102,828 annual injuries and a spike in 2000 to 130,132 injuries. According to the collected data, annual inju-  Wear gloves. Common sense right? Proper gloves, ones ries dropped back down to 113,370 in 2006 and then began a that actually fit and provide some protection are a must. steady increase until 2014 with annual injuries being reported as This will not only reduce blistering but will protect your skin being 134,306. from chemicals as well as bacteria and fungus which live in the soil. You have a much less chance of getting a major Men were 65% more likely to be injured than women. (Hmmm, hand infection by wearing gloves. perhaps this explains the low ratio of male Master Gardeners.)

The largest age group was 41-60 year olds with 37,233 injuries  Avoid prolonged repetitive motions. Activities such as annually. Over 60 year olds had 24% of the annual injury total. It digging, trimming, planting bulbs may cause skin, tendon or really is a jungle out there! nerve irritation. Make sure your gardening tasks are varied and you rotate activities every 15 minutes with a brief rest in So why this sudden upswing in injuries? In all my digging -between. around (pun intended) there are as many schools of thought on this matter as there are ways to remove parts (or chunks) of your  Watch for buried objects. Unless you are a super hero, anatomy with a pair of hedge trimyou don’t have x-ray vision. Use a mers. shovel or rake instead of your hand for digging.

A large portion of the opinions point to over-doing it in the garden.  Use the right tool for the We have busy lives and we aren’t job. I’m changing this one a bit to able to attend to gardening chores use the right tool and the best one as frequently as we’d like. What you can afford. Practice normal happens? We have a nice weekend safety precautions with all tools. with no errands to run so out we go Don’t leave a rake lying around with the sunrise! We are deterand close those pruners! mined to get the hedges trimmed, the sidewalk edged and rid the per Use proper ergonomic ennial border of all the weeds. The posture. Postures refer not only result is that (a) our bodies aren’t to your whole body position but prepared for this much physical also to such things as the angle of stress all at once (b) we’re in a hurry your wrist while using a hand tool. because, by-golly, we’re going to cross those things off our to-do Grip strength is highest when the wrist is in a neutral posilist and (c) we start getting tired and not paying attention. Cue tion. When your wrist is bent you lose up to 25% of your grip the sirens. strength (source: Fiskars™)

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

today are made with ‘finger grooves’ to provide better slip resistance. Unless you were the model they used to make the mold, chances are those grooves won’t fit your hand. Folks with larger hands will overlap the ridges and that will cause pain, soreness, and calluses. Smaller hands will have to spread their fingers wider to match the groves and will require more pressure to control the tool.

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RECIPE ROUND-UP If you manage to get to the Beautyberries before the birds do, you can make jelly!

BEAUTYBERRY JELLY 1 1/2 quarts of beautyberries 2 quarts of water 4 1/2 cups of sugar 1 box commercial pectin Boil the beautyberries and water for 20 minutes and hang up in a jelly bag to drip. Then, using 3 cups of resulting juice and sugar to make jelly.

1. Wash your jars and sterilize them. Keep your lids in hot water until time to use.

2. In a large pot, add the 3 cups of juice. Bring to a boil and stir in the pectin. Return the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constant.

3. Add the sugar and bring mixture to a hard boil again and boil for one minute, stirring constantly.

4. Remove pan from heat and skim off any foam. Ladle the juice mixture into your hot jars and process in a water canner per the canner instructions.

The Jokester Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?

by Staff GRANOLA WITH HONEY-SCENTED YOGURT AND FIGS 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1/3 cup chopped pecans 1 large egg white 1 1/8 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar 3/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 tablespoons maple syrup Cooking spray 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons honey, divided 9 firm, fresh dark-skinned figs, stemmed and quartered 3 cups plain fat-free Greek yogurt 1. Preheat oven to 300°F. 2. Combine oats and pecans in a small bowl. Combine egg white and 1/8 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl; beat egg mixture with a mixer at medium speed until foamy. Fold oat mixture into egg white mixture. Combine brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and nutmeg; fold the sugar mixture into oat mixture. Fold in maple syrup.

3. Spread granola evenly on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 300°F. for 25 minutes, stirring once. Remove granola from oven; stir to loosen granola from foil. Cool on a wire rack.

4. Increase the oven temperature to 350°F. 5. Combine 2 teaspoons honey and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl and add figs, stirring gently to coat the fruit. Arrange the figs, cut sides up, in a single layer on a foillined baking sheet. Sprinkle figs evenly with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt.

6. Bake at 350°F. for 10 minutes or until the fig juices begin to bubble. Remove from oven, and cool completely. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons honey and yogurt in a small bowl.

Spoon 1/2 cup yogurt mixture into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons granola and 6 fig quarters.

Recipe courtesy of www.myrecipes.com

GARDENING (AND OTHER) HOLIDAYS All American Breakfast Month Be Kind to Editors Month National Fruit and Veggies Month National Honey Month National Indoor Plant Week 20th—26th National Wildlife Day 4th National Guacamole Day 16th Autumnal Equinox 23rd (4:21 am) An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

If your birthday is this month: Your trees are: pine, weeping willow, lime, olive, and hazelnut.

Flowers are aster and morning glory. Birthstones are sapphire, agate, moonstone, lapis lazuli, diamond, and chrysolite. Colors are brown and deep blue.

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M. Stewart —Editor S. Farrell , K. Harper and S. Berry—co-editors

Have pictures or an idea for an article?

Send it in!

Articles and pictures are always welcome.

Mission To assist Extension Agents in providing research-based horticultural education to Florida residents.

Vision To be the most trusted resource for horticultural education in Florida.

LAST WORD Fall is on its way. The soothsayers in front of the weather maps assure me that Autumn will arrive as scheduled. Of course, around here, that will probably mean 89 degrees instead of 95 degrees but cooler weather is indeed just around the corner.

This will be greatly appreciated since I decided to re-do the backyard. All the raised beds are moved closer to the patio.

This will allow for easier care during the seasons since this is where the vegetables will be planted. Beyond those will be the herb beds. Herbs are forgiving. Well, unless you are a certain Master Gardener who has issues with spider mites and thyme...but that’s another story. Beyond the herbs will be the orchard.

Okay orchard is a stretch but fruit trees will be installed in that area. All the flowers from the back will be relocated along the fence. Tools and other not-so-pretty items will be moved closer to the far corner so they aren’t as visible.

Sounds like a plan to me. Except for the fact I decided to do this over the past few months with temperatures in the 90’s. I also used my head (for a change) and the hired help (aka teenagers) are doing most of the heavy lifting.

All in all, it’s a good deal. They need cash (what teenager doesn’t) and I need soil moved from one location to the other.

They’re good kids so it works to both of our advantages.

During the course of this renovation soil had to be removed from the raised beds.

Can’t move a full planter now can we?

Fact is—even when empty those suckers weighed a ton! Leveling in place required the use of a car jack. Add to it, I discovered that the ‘top soil’ that was originally supposed to be in those beds was more like...hmmmm…..shall we just say the removal of this content involved an axe.

Yes, an axe. I’m not sure on what planet this stuff was considered top soil but around here we call it concrete.

The yard is getting there. But it’s hit the point that I want it done NOW! I’m tired of things being out of place. I want plants in the beds and a patio that is devoid of dirt clods. I want to be GARDENING not demolishing!

I know when all this is done it will look good and be easier to take care of. But right now it’s a depressing sight. Reminds me more of an elephant graveyard with all the bones sticking out of it rather than a garden.

But it is a good reminder of a lot of things. Sometimes it is best to just rip out the old and start over. Don’t mess around

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

By M. Stewart with trying to make things work that just aren’t going to. Removal of the poor soil means the next batch of plants in those beds will grow so much better. Having the high maintenance areas closer to the water source means less hose hauling during the hot weather. So, that’s a good thing.

Making room for more herbs has always been a goal so that will happen. Expanding the herb garden is now a reality instead of a piece meal operation. Room will be available for the fruit trees that I’ve wanted for a long time.

So, the yard looks pitiful and I just have to remind myself that it will get better.

The final push to get the majority of the work done will occur over the next couple of weeks. I know that I’ll have to wait on installing some of the plants but most of infrastructure will be in place.

I’m sure that it will be a productive garden once all the sweating is done and the bruises have healed. Happy Hubby makes sure that everyone stay hydrated and wisely vacates the area. Very dirty and tired people are not to be trusted and he knows that. Smart man, he visits the work-site later in the day and nods sagely. See that? I married a very smart man.

Oh but I do wish the hard stuff was over with. I want the spinach and broccoli to be growing. I want the peas to be climbing and the fruit trees to be fruiting.

I’ve also been reminded of all the neat things about a garden. The lizard that you uncover or the toad—well they are pretty cool. Likewise, the kitchen scraps, shredded paper and leaves that you put into the tumbler faithfully have been magically transformed into something usable for the garden.

Now is when all the aggravating parts of the yard can be altered or disguised.

Dreams of exotic vegetables can be entertained. Notice I said dreams, Happy Hubby is, in spite of all his good qualities, a picky eater—purple carrots aren’t going to make it to our table. But still, a girl can dream. Dreams of future canning sessions from the fresh fruit picked right out of the yard (provided I get to it before the demon mockingbird has his way).

Take a deep breath. Smell that? It’s the promise of change for the better and Fall!

Plentiful Plantings

September, 2015