Like Wisteria, Except Cucumbers

The green room is framed in and the shape reminds me of a gemstone. I can see why people sit under pyramids. This structure has the same affect on me. I want to hang a crystal from one of the beams, but I have to consider that it might have the same affect as the sun that bounces off the upstairs window that has burnt the chard leaves like a magnifying glass. I don't really know what happened to the chard, it's just that at a certain time of day the sun glare off of the window will force you to relocate, coffee and all. So when a few of the neighboring chard leaves became unexplainably white, I just figured it was the sun glare that flash fried the chard and that seemed reasonable at the time. I suppose I could hang a crystal or two and see if the plant leaves go unscathed? Bands of prism colors are so tempting!

This is a great arbor for armenian cucumbers that could hang down from overhead like wisteria, except cucumbers. I could also envision it covered with screen and filled with finches but someone, somewhere else would have to run with that one because birds are out of the picture.

Here is a mesclun lettuce update. I tell you I love this stuff. There is one variety of lettuce in the forefront pot located at about 3:17 that is entirely magenta! It is the only one, and it is the favorite. Another lettuce that I am unfamiliar with has leaves that resemble a hand print. They are delicious! Does anyone know what they are called?

This is the first harvested turnip.

An mid-morning snack before heading back out to the garden or better yet, take them on the walkabout and save the greens for another day.

Thanks for visiting! To all of my gardening friends, carry on and hurry back!

Three Down

Here's the front wall. The top and the slanted side are on the to do list for tomorrow. I'm looking into a louvered vent that I understand self closes which sounds pretty cool. More on that as it developes.

Thanks for visiting! To all of my gardening friends, carry on and hurry back!

David J. West's Photography

Michael and I met a remarkable photographer in Springdale, UT just outside of Zion National Park and his name is David J. West. For three years we have been following his work and we look forward to visiting him when we travel there.

The pieces in his gallery take your breath away, and it is a very popular gallery with people waiting to buy things when you arrive, and then of course we did too. When we left, the people before us were headed back in, and of course we couldn't decide so we walked out with two prints, so I totally get them. He has a website and also sells his fine art photography online. There you will see the splendor, but it is in having the large pieces before you that you can really feel the magic. Here is the link to his website http://www.davidjwest.com/. The website is interactive and it's kind of fun to try to choose the photos you would like to view. It made me laugh because it is unpredictable. We also signed up for David's newsletter.

David and his wife also have a blog http://davidjwest.blogspot.com/, so please enjoy the sites and let him know you appreciate fine art and his spectacular pieces!

Thanks for visiting! To all of my gardening friends, carry on and hurry back!

On the Other Side

Here is the update on the green room. The other side wall is stood and the concrete poured.

Nine feet isn't very long, but interior roof supports will be required.

The transplanted green beans and lettuce are taking hold with just a few casualties.

Green beans are forming in the other pots.

The chard is lightly being harvested.

The New Zealand Spinach has what resembles seeds (a sepaled nondescript flower?) forming where side leaves have been harvested. I will take more photos in a day or two to see what develops.

Thanks for visiting! To all of my gardening friends, carry on and hurry back!

Green Room

I've been toying around with the idea of building a greenhouse. It started out as desire for a greenhouse "someday", to the need for a hotbed over the lettuces in the newly constructed raised bed. Now I envision a greenhouse instead, and off we go. I have decided to use recycled tree stakes for the framing material.

Paint is a great program to throw around ideas and work out the design. The idea is to construct it so that it can receive plastic but also looks good without plastic, and would look great with vining vegetables growing all over it, hence the green room. That was the criteria. Today I bought some incidentals, drill bits, screws, and they ran about $20.00. (Excuse me, that stuff was supposed to fall from the sky.) I'll have to purchase 5 -10 foot posts and they'll run about $35.00. (Apparently they were to fall from the sky too.) No problem, if I can't get plastic right away, I'll be closer to the goal, and there is no pressure. It's all about having leeway and enjoying the process.

With the design on paper, I needed to map out the existing items into the scheme of things. I rigged this set up so that I could determine the placement and width of the door. The height of the structure will equal the block wall, the doorway is to the left of the black pot, and the right side of the structure will just exceed the barrels.

Another element that came into play is that the site is sloped. This required a little more engineering, as the posts are different lengths. I'm setting the posts in cement to strenghten the wall and to ward off the strong winds. The design for the greenhouse is the one on the upper right of the Paint program. The construction should go alot faster now, as this part seemed to take forever. Tomorrow I will take down the braces, and it will be a door with a side wall.

Thanks for visiting! To all of my gardening friends, carry on and hurry back!

Hold On

We headed out to Zion National Park in southern Utah in time to see the fall foliage.

The Pioneer Lodge is great place to stay in the center of Springdale, the town located at the entrance to the park.

The town is overflowing with shops filled with beautiful Zion inspired artwork.

The following morning we headed out to conquer Angel's Landing which is what I consider to be a phenomenal feat as you will soon see.

The scenery is breathtaking as the elevation continues to rise on our ascent.

The change in vegetation evokes different senses. Take note, you will see this again.

Is it just around the corner?

There are about 5 or 6 switchbacks in this photo that take you a great vertical distance.

We reached Scouts Landing, where you can see the line of people ascend the ridge of Angels Landing. (The light dot in the center of the photo is a person, and they are headed up to that higher tree, and to the top ridge.)

This crevice allows a view of the height and the shear face of the mountain.

Here is Scout's Landing again. The line of hikers to Angel's point are hidden behind the pine tree located above the hikers in this photo.

We headed atop Scout's Landing to another ridge and could see the trail to Angel's Landing, and the valley down below.

Here is a view from the top.

Michael takes in the view from over the side.

A bonsai moment.

A fellow hiker offered to take our picture.

It is best not to think too much ahead, but to concentrate on what is at foot.(Least you need to be talked down from high places.)

Remember the green vegetation from before?

Back at the entrance to the park.

Springdale is a lovely place surrounded by all of the mountains.

And seated outside at a restaurant there is beauty all around you.

As evening falls, the landscape changes, and all of the mountains take on new appearances.

Fall in Zion is spectacular. We visited a local photographer, David J. West at his gallery, and his work is stellar. I will share a few of his pieces with you in an upcoming post.

Thanks for visiting! To all of my gardening friends, carry on and hurry back!