Today I had my first tomato sandwich of the season made with a tomato from my backyard garden. My plan to keep the squirrels out of my tomatoes is a success! Ahhh, victory is sweet and tasty.
That’s Life in Raleigh.
The Governor’s Summer Garden Patch
N.C. Governor Bev Purdue is participating in the Plant a Row for the Hungry program again this summer. There’s a beautiful crop of corn, squash, and beans in the garden patch outside the gates of the governor’s mansion. All of the extra produce grown on the inside of the gates is also donated to the program. I hope to have enough tomatoes to participate along with the governor this summer!
That’s Life in Raleigh.
Squirrels and My Tomatoes – Round 3 – Game Over!
Enough is enough. I’m serious about keeping my tomatoes this year. All these hungry squirrels that are lining up are so out of luck.
The contraption that I’ve designed to protect my tomatoes is in place. If all goes according to plan, I should have bushels of tomatoes this year gracing my table and to share with friends and neighbors and Plant a Row for the Hungry. I don’t think we’ll even have to contend with those nasty little holes that the birds drill in the tomatoes, either.
Check this out. I have tomatoes ripening undisturbed. No way the squirrels are winning this round. But I’ll keep you posted.
That’s Life in Raleigh.
Squirrels and My Tomatoes – Round 2
I’ve concocted a plan to keep the squirrels out of my tomatoes this summer. I’ve started putting my contraption together, but since I don’t have any ripe fruit yet for them to steal, I haven’t been in any hurry to complete my brilliant project.
Today, however, the squirrels are mocking my efforts. Now the gloves are off.
That’s Life in Raleigh.
Inside the Gates at the Governor’s Mansion
I was lucky enough to go on a spring tour of the gardens at the N.C. Governor’s Mansion. This was a free event with knowledgeable docents leading groups around the grounds. And the gardens were quite a treat! They’re fanciful and beautiful, yet practical. Everything is beautifully laid out. There’s rose gardens and lawns and everything is perfectly trimmed and maintained. (True fact: The labor is provided by prison inmates.) There’s a koi pond and even play equipment for Governor Purdue’s grandchildren when they visit. Beehives were recently added that are expected to produce six gallons of honey per year. One of the most colorful spots on the grounds was the staging area where hundreds of plants were still in nursery containers waiting to be placed in their proper spot.
The very best part of the gardens to me, though, was the vegetable gardens. There is a very large vegetable garden producing food and herbs that are used in the kitchen of the Governor’s Mansion, with the excess donated to Urban Ministries. It’s the most beautiful vegetable garden I’ve ever seen and the variety is quite impressive. Not only are there plenty of the expected tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, but there’s rattlesnake beans, muscadine grapes, mushrooms, and artichokes. Vegetable crops are grown in the spring, summer, and fall. The head gardener was on hand to share information, advice, and samples of sugar snap beans and strawberries.
I left there inspired to work harder on my own gardens and grounds. But there are a few things I need. For one, I could use some pleasant helpers. When my kids work on our grounds, they don’t act as eager and nice about it as the prisoners at the governor’s place do. Secondly, I could use some of those bees to fly over here in my direction to help me out with my plants. And finally, I wonder if any of those armed security guys could help me out with these squirrels.
That’s Life in Raleigh.
Summer Has Arrived
Well, summer’s back already. Yeah, I know today is only May 2nd. But today’s forecast is a MUGGY 94 degrees, with the mercury dipping down into the low 70s overnight. Our house has been cold for months, so we’ve kept our windows closed over the last few days in an attempt to enjoy the chill for a change. Our efforts were in vain, I’m afraid. It’s hot in here today. But after experiencing the coldest winter on record around here, I am not complaining…….yet.
That’s Life in Raleigh.