Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Farmer John





I'm up early but Richard is earlier, as usual. I'm still bleary-eyed as I shuffle out to the garden yard; my entourage trails me. The sun is warm as we check the mini pea patch - nothing new there - then off to raise the beach mats on the garden boat. Richard finds a delectable Gravenstien apple to munch and we discuss the idea of picking what we can as soon as we can before the bear decides to help.

It's a gorgeous morning and we soon get lost in the views of the mountain, our creek and a large flock of Canada Geese arrowing over us, honking their way to the sanctuary across the canal. I point out the Mortgage Lifter tomato that is ripening, a deep golden color you can almost taste. My attention is diverted by a sound in the sky and looking up we see 4 Turkey Vultures circling above us, riding the thermals. They are getting ready for their yearly flight to Beecher Bay down by Sooke where they congregate prior to flying south for the winter.

I wander back inside for my morning cappuccino and the news. Elections, elections, elections, hmph, what's Anna making this morning. Ohhhhh, yum, Apple Cranberry Crisp and Pot Roast With Dumplings! Maybe Richard will pick some of those apples from the tree and I'll make that crisp. With Vanilla ice cream. Oh and I could use some of my home made Vanilla sugar and throw in a Vanilla bean too.


I'm a Vanilla addict. I love the scent of it, the taste of it. Early in the spring, I found a site on line - The Organic Vanilla Bean Company - to order Vanilla Beans from quite inexpensively and told my friend Bente about it. She promptly ordered a bunch for me, bless her, and I have put them to good use. Vanilla sugar, vanilla cakes, vanilla muffins, oh and I made my own Vanilla Extract. I had about 6 ounces of Vodka sitting in a drawer left over from when I made Lavender Linen Water 4 years ago. Every time I had a spare used Vanilla Bean pod - probably used 4 or 5 in all - I put it in the bottle and 6 weeks later had the best ever Vanilla Extract. I have a recipe for Easy Vanilla Bean Ice Cream I want to try too.

Richard comes home with the tractor and sets about being a farmer, plowing up his garden patch across the drive. You know the garden patch I mean, don't you? Sure you do. The one where he plants his 18 Bean Soup Mix every year, it grows fast and lush, and the Cute Little Island Mule Deer come and eat it all? Yeah, that one. I take some shots of him with the tractor and plow, then check out the Italian Prune Plum tree. Yup, got some plums coming there, must remember to keep checking them.

In the afternoon we drive down to Victoria Quay and have lunch. We are parked beside one of the large colorful flower beds and after I eat, I wander around with my camera taking some photos. At the end of the bed is a tall, gorgeous, blue hibiscus that I am enamored with. I photograph it and wonder aloud if it is hardy. I would love one of those. Maybe I can sneak a slip of it. Surreptitiously looking around I realize there are too many people about. Oh come on, don't tell me you wouldn't do that. Just a small piece from low and inside and no one will notice. Honest.

We stop at Naesgaard's on the way home, and while looking in the greenhouse, I discover the same hibiscus in a pot. It is called Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus Blue Satin. I will check the internet for info when I get home. And I am still going back for a piece of the one in the flower bed.

In the evening we walk out earlier than usual to the garden yard and roll down the beach mats and shower curtain. It is the season opener of one of my favorite tv shows, Bones, tonight and I don't want to miss a second of it. Richard asks if I have had any more spiders show up for the dead one's funeral yet. I give him a triple scrunchy face. He snickers.

It is 9pm, I am sitting on my bed and am half way through the Bones two hour premiere when my "spidey senses" start tingling. Slowly I look around the room, in corners and under the computer desk. Nothing. Then I look up, above me and there it is, surfing it's way across my ceiling, a large, long-legged spider. Swiftly - ok, as swiftly as I can with only one good knee - I move into the bathroom, retrieving my broom. The dogs look at me curiously, wondering why I am going to sweep the ceiling. Leading him like any good hunter would, I jab him with the broom. He grabs it and shakes it and tries to wrench it out of my hand. Spider is strong, but I am stronger, and have waaaaaay more adrenalin coursing through my veins. Soon the battle is over and I emerge victorious, again...

...oh crap, does this mean more spiders will show up to avenge their fallen comrades? Sigh.

Well at least he had the decency to wait until the commercial to annoy me. Bloody decent of him.

Stupid, but bloody decent.

Oh, and the Bones Season Opener was great!

1 comment:

Kate VanDewark Plummer said...

snicker/I feel yer spidies! I am now all crawley, thank-you very flippin much! I check the chestnuts trees in the neighbahood daily to see if they've started dropping but so far, not yet, sigh. I was hoping to have some for you for when I come up. May have to resort to UPS or Purolator.