Itsy-Bitsy Potato Harvest

    This is the sum and total of our potato harvest. Pretty funny, huh?

     Actually these Lilliputian spuds are the result of an experiment in gardening. Early in the summer, we had a short length of wire fencing in the garage and some hay left over from lawn seeding - just the necessary accouterments for a potato tower (that seemed to be a popular topic among Pinterest gardeners.)  So we fashioned a tube out of the fencing and anchored it against the side fence, next to the herb garden. Then, against good gardening wisdom, we cut up a couple of Idaho potatoes from the grocery store and layered them in the tower with some good potting soil.

     Several strong stems emerged and grew vigorously, for a while. As summer progressed and a drought ensued, we watered the tower religiously but the plants became leggy and spindly. The problems were obvious - hot, dry weather and not enough direct sunlight. 

     Next year we may try this again, but earlier in the growing season and in another location and thankfully, we won't have to live off our harvest this winter!

Leafy Kitty

     My ordinarily indoor MollyAnna loves autumn. She becomes much more affectionate in October and returns to lap sitting (if the dog is not in sight). The sunny back porch is transformed into a playground and she abandons her basement litter box for the back lawn - we laugh at the little piles of leaves that mark her business. And she is happiest when one of her humans joins her in the sun, and will strike a pretty pose for the camera that shows off the "M" above her eyes.

Halloween Cutout Cookies

     Sister, Mae, gave me these cookie cutters a couple of years ago and I treasure them as much as my Christmas ones. However I will admit that I don't use the cat because it reminds me more of  the fictional character, Hello Kitty, than of a frightful Halloween feline.

     I mixed up the dough on Friday evening and refrigerated it, then rolled, cut and baked the cookies after breakfast on Saturday morning. Since I made about six dozen cookies (part of the batch was going to Mom and friends at her assisted living home, part to the grand kids, and part for us), I kept the decoration simple - orange frosting on some of the pumpkins, and orange features applied to the bats and the remaining pumpkins. A homemade piping bag (ziplock sandwich bag with a corner snipped off) makes this sort of task even simpler because it's disposable. 

     Below are a few of the finished products - a pre-Halloween project that has become a tradition, although the results vary from year to year!

Homemade Beef Jerky

     Because of the price of beef jerky, it is a rare treat in our house. We absolutely love it, the kids love it, and of course, the dog adores it. This summer while shopping for fishing tackle and camping accessories at the local outdoor recreation store, I saw a package of jerky cure and seasoning mix for making the treat at home. Later at the grocery I bought a London Broil steak (a lean cut of meat was recommended) and froze it partially to make cutting the thin strips easier. The strips were sprinkled liberally with the mix, placed in a bag, and refrigerated overnight. In the morning, I arranged the beef on racks placed over foil-covered pans (to prevent any juices from dripping onto the oven floor) and then set the oven on a low temp. A few hours later the jerky was dried and ready to eat. It was flavorful and just the right texture - chewy but not tough. We were please to have a large batch of  tasty, protein-filled snack without the large expense. However I think next time I think I would like to make my own marinade instead of a pre-packaged mix full of salts and preservatives.

Hello Praying Mantis

     The delightful October weather has lured us onto the screened porch to watch our beloved Cardinals participate in the National League Division Series. At least two other close neighbors do the same, so it is fun to share the (sometimes loud) cheers and the jeers. Saturday afternoon we were joined by a praying mantis who seemed to be watching through the screen, but by the time I had retrieved my camera from inside the house, he had taken flight and disappeared. Sunday afternoon, however, he showed up again, same place, same time, presumably to "prey" on our fun. This time I was able to photograph him and capture him in a jar for a short while, so I could show him to my littlest neighbors, who delight in discovering and studying the smaller members of the wildlife community in our backyards.

     Later in the day, I uploaded the photos into my computer and when I zoomed in and cropped this particular shot, found it somewhat eerie. The mantis's alien-like head was angled towards the camera and his compound eyes seemed to be staring right at me!

Herby Buckets (for a Couple of Bucks)

     A good friend has a penchant for mutilating the English language (which, to this word nerd, is funny the first time but grating when repeated). She takes "pitchers" with her camera, an approaching storm promises "inclimate" weather, and "dotsun" denotes a short-legged, long-bodied little dog. Therefore she would call this planting arrangement, "Herby" (like the nickname for Herbert) buckets.

     Mispronunciations aside, I was happy to find these metal buckets for a buck apiece at a flea market, (now the word nerd is using slang for alliterative effect!) With a large nail, I poked several holes in the bottom of both for drainage. A couple of bricks were used to elevate the upper bucket and then they were filled with potting soil. Three parsley starters were placed in the large bucket and a globe basil in the small one, (before photo above and after below). The plants thrived in the sun-warmed environment although they demanded a bit more care than those directly in the ground - watering was necessary nearly every other day in the dog days of summer - not a time to be "laxt" in my garden responsibilities!

Grandparents' Grand Rapids House

     Recently I wrote about my paternal grandfather and while searching for photos,  I found this darling Kodak portraiture of me, five of my siblings, Dad and Grandpa. The year was 1963 and this was probably the last vacation the family took to visit relatives in our hometown of Grand Rapids, traveling from our newer home in the St. Louis area. It must have been a Sunday because we were in dresses and never missed Sunday Mass in those days. However I find the photo interesting for other reasons as well. It is off-center but not awkwardly so because Grandpa stands, not with the family, but up on the porch behind, (perhaps the photographer felt the patriarch was the main subject!) 

     Anyway my attention was drawn to the house and consequently the number, 254. My memory of the house was vague and it bothered me that I could not remember the street name. Older sister, Carol, remembered only that it was close to our maternal grandmother's original home. Mom's memory could not serve her at all so I contacted my Dad's sister, who still lives in the area. She supplied me with the street name and the fact that the house was not in very good shape anymore. I found the residence on GoogleMaps and was able to zoom in pretty close. Aunt T's assessment was fitting. The bricks are chalky and discolored, the siding features mismatched colors, and the lawn is barren of any landscaping.  It made me sad...I prefer to remember the sunny image above.