The drop in humidity last weekend was a much-needed and welcome change. It made me long for the crisp air of fall. I was so happy on Saturday that I prepared and planted a small bed of lettuce and radishes. I think it is definitely time to get the fall crops into the ground. I should have planted cucumbers, squash and beans a few weeks ago. They take two months and I think the end of October may be a bit late. I’ve been planting several areas with field peas. Hopefully, I will turn them under in the beginning of November and plant those beds with garlic.
I made a batch of dill pickles. I mixed a solution of three cups water, one cup apple cider vinegar and two tablespoons of Kosher salt. I boiled it with several cloves of garlic. After removing from the heat, I added dill and the cukes. I just store them in the refrigerator rather than processing in a water bath canner. I’ve never enjoyed my pickles in the years past when they are cooked. They become too mushy for my taste. If we don’t eat them immediately they will last several weeks in the fridge. By the way, this same vinegar mixture works for dilly beans.
On the job sites, the spirea are blooming for the second time. How I wish I had the foresight to prune my own after the first bloom. They are looking sorely neglected.
The honeymoon is over for me with the buddleia. They are behaving in a weedy fashion — re-seeding all over the place and in serious need of dead- heading. They require too much maintenance in the busiest time of the year. I’m going to hack mine within an inch of their lives this coming spring. I am particularly fond of the Santana cultivar. It has yellow and green variegated leaves, blooms a rich purple and behaves itself in its growth habit.
A few years ago, I seeded some mountain mint. It has a wonderful smell. The top several leaves turn white with tiny nondescript flowers in the center. It is quite vigorous but a wonderful fill-in. The deer hate it, which is a huge plus. Yesterday, I noticed a patch simply awash with hundreds of honeybees. It’s worth planting for that reason alone.
I’m trying to become one with some of my weeds. The tall yellow evening primrose is becoming a favorite. I think it would do well in the meadows to follow fleabane and before the tiny wild asters.
Never take bicyclists seriously. One waved me past him recently. Had I believed him I would have had a head-on with a big dump truck on a blind corner. I will follow one to Aquinnah at five miles per hour rather than attempt to pass.
Once again, I’m waiting for a repairman. The generator that runs the water pump at my vegetable garden is not working again. I only mention this to remind everyone to be thankful when they turn a faucet and get hot, cold and safe water. So many people in our world do not have this luxury.
The GOP has managed to pick an attractive guy to mask harsh policies with a smiling face. He is not going to feign the “compassionate conservative” policies of George W. He is heading the fight between individualism versus collectivism. His long-time mentor Ayn Rand would, however, disapprove of his co-sponsoring the Sanctity of Life Act, which gives a fertilized egg “personhood.” The democrats nicknamed this bill, the “Let Women Die” act. It would have allowed hospitals which receive federal money to deny an abortion even if it meant saving a woman’s life.
Rand would have approved, however, that under Ryan’s budget plan, Mitt Romney could go from paying shamefully low taxes to none at all. Rand makes narcissism a virtue.
The Romney vice-presidential pick proves he cannot get over his anxiety about not being conservative enough. He outsourced his political identity. I wish I could take credit for my choice of words, but I had to echo Maureen Dowd, New York Times columnist.
Oh! One more thing. For all the griping and complaining the Republicans did about both the Clintons and the Obamas vacationing here on the Vineyard, they had no problem with Romney coming here the past weekend to raise more money — as if he needs more.
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