A Morning Stroll

On the weekends once the chores are done, I like to take a walk around the garden and yard and make a mental note of things that need to be done.  Not only that, I just like to take it all in and enjoy the sights and sounds.  I don't get to do that on the weekdays since I'm rushing off to work.  I find that the morning light filtering through the tree line on the eastern side of the property casts the perfect light on plants growing and you get to see some neat sights that you might otherwise miss.

Take for instance the young cucumber plants just popping up.  This year I'm trying a fall crop of cucumbers.  I planted them within the prescribed fall planting times and we'll have to see if I can harvest some cukes before the first frost hits.  While we canned some pints of dill pickles, we didn't make any tzatziki, and I have a hankering for some of that.

These are Boston Pickling Cucumbers that I saved last year and they seem to be coming up nicely, pushing the clods of dirt up and out of the way as they stretch out reaching for the sun.

The morning dew not only covers your boots as you walk across the grass, but the dewdrops decorate the outer edges of the cucumber cotyledons.

Dewdrop Artistry

Just a few rows over, a lavender flower catches my eye.  It is an eggplant flower. These eggplants were planted from seed back in early January.  A full nine months later, and after numerous blooms, we've harvested exactly ZERO eggplants.  Very disappointing.  Tricia actually purchased an eggplant this weekend and made caponata, a delicious dish containing eggplant, black olives, tomatoes, among other things.  What a shame when we have 5 huge eggplant plants taking up space on row 5 in the garden.  I guess I'll be patient.  Perhaps we'll harvest some yet this year.

I read that blossom drop is caused by one of two things.  One is a lack of water and the other is a lack of pollination.  It has been dry, but I have watered the garden. Still no eggplants.

Pretty eggplant blossom

As far as pollination, as if on cue, while I was looking at the huge eggplant foliage, a honeybee, presumably from the colony of bees that live in the column by our side door, flew by and landed on the eggplant leaf.  

Please pollinate our eggplants

We have no shortage of bees in the garden, so I'm pretty sure pollination is not the problem, but I watched the bee as he seemed to enjoy the cool morning as much as I.  He posed while I snapped this shot on the tip of the eggplant leaf.

Honeybee on an Eggplant Leaf

On the very next row, the Asian Cabbage (Bok Choy) is growing nicely.  It appears that we achieved a near 100% germination rate and some of these are ready for harvest now as tender, baby greens.  I like to allow them to get bigger, though.  The mid-90 degree heat we're still experiencing takes its toll on them.  In the evenings when I get home, they look exhausted, leaves drooping to the ground.  In the early morning, they are refreshed and healthy looking though.

Young Bok Choy

I hear a loud noise in the distance and see Penelope the peahen flying down from her roost, landing on the top of the barn.  She flies to the top of an oak tree to sleep each night, safe from predators.

Penelope the Peahen

She is rested and refreshed and ready to start her day and so am I!