Garden Boat, Revisited

Garden Boat, June 2008

Garden Boat, July 2008

Garden Boat, August 2008

Garden Boat, September 2008

Another warm, sunny morning. We wander out to the garden yard, picking up windfall apples, rolling up beach mats and enjoying the gorgeous views around us. The dogs are lazing in the sun as I admire the succulent Tumbling Tom tomatoes ripening in the morning warmth.

I decide to take inventory on the boat, choosing what to grow again, what not to grow again, next year. I water the tomatoes, peeking and peering amongst the green jungle to see how they are doing. There is another Yellow Mortgage Lifter ripe, two Black Prince ripening and several Tumbling Toms again as well as a couple Brown Berry's. I will grow Heritage Tomatoes again next year for sure.

Richard has promised to move the round water tank we no longer use into the yard for me to garden in. I think it is 6 to 8 feet in diameter and may require the use of a step stool to reach the middle, but it would be worth it. Then there is the bathtub that I am still waiting to have moved into the yard. It is 6 feet by 3 feet. Lots of room to grow more things!

I wander around the boat, watering, and thinking. So, tomatoes, pole beans, bush beans as well as herbs, double petunias, mini roses, marigolds, gladiolas, bright red geraniums in the boat. No peas, no onions, no corn, no cucumbers, no watermelon, and maybe no Scarlet Runner Beans, although they would have done better if the Cute Little Island Mule Deer hadn't chewed them up.

I think some more about covering the Garden Boat with heavy plastic to prevent it from getting waterlogged in the winter rains, and to use as a mini greenhouse in February/March to start seeds in. I can run a string of Christmas Lights in it to keep away frost, should we have some. Hmmmm, bears thinking about some more.

I have my camera with me and take photos of my tomatoes from various angles, and one or two of the Scarlet Runner Bean blossoms, that have finally started. The Striped Cavern Tomatoes look just like little Green Peppers. I think those tomatoes are supposed to be bigger, but, they are a bit crowded by everything else that is growing. The Bull's Heart didn't get as big as they could, would have gotten bigger if I had judiciously pruned the plants, but I wanted to see what they could do. They can get to 3 pounds! Next year I will prune for fruit - quality as opposed to quantity.

I think about taking some cuttings from the tomato plants to pot up and see how they do over winter. Yes, I AM addicted to gardening. Yes, I DO hate to see plants die. Yes, I DO want to keep as many of my annual veg and flower plants over winter as possible. No, I have NO idea where I am going to keep them all. No, I DON'T need a 12-step program. Well, ok, maybe. So?!

Richard left me a note this morning, before he went to work. A note about Mole People. A tiny Mole Person, as he puts it, in my kitchen sink. Tiny Mole Person in my kitchen sink that I won't have to worry about anymore - unless its relatives come for its funeral...oh dear, never thought of that! I make a scrunchy face, and sanitize the kitchen sink.

Twice.

With Comet Cleanser.

Eeeeww!

Rosie doesn't understand what the big deal is. She loves mousesicles, she says.

I make a triple scrunchie face.