The weather has been fairly typical for early June: cool at night, very little rain and some summery days.
However, the wildfire smoke situation is not any laughing matter. We’re talking downright alarming. Some of the forecasters are warning that we may have to get used to it. Yikes.
How I wish I could spend more time in my own vegetable garden. I can barely manage picking for supper.
I left some potatoes in the ground inadvertently last fall. They came up at the right time and I was able to harvest an entire large colander. Most of them were larger than tennis balls. That’s the good news.
The bad news is I found dozens of little eggs of the hideous Colorado potato beetle. I rubbed them until they died. I’m hesitant to use any sort of spray, even an organic one, as there are several hives of honey bees next to my garden.
My collards and eggplants had been attacked by flea beetles early on. I wet them and doused them with wood ash. They looked otherworldly but it did the trick. Flea beetles tend to be a problem early when the soil is still relatively cool.
For years I’ve noticed that no matter when peas are planted, they ripen around the Fourth of July. Now everything has changed and I’m already harvesting. The English variety has yet to fill out but both sugar snaps and snow peas are ready. Whoppie!
There are two beautiful white ornamentals everywhere now. One I love; the other, not so much.
My favorite is Kousa dogwood. I love how it holds its flowers on top of its branches. After the flower fades later in the season, an attractive red pod emerges.
Conversely, some roadsides and edges of fields are overrun with multi-flora roses. Granted, they are blooming nicely right now but we’re talking about seriously invasive. It may actually give bittersweet some competition.
I had a patch on the property the size of a small cottage that I was determined to tame. I came away bloodied and with torn clothing the loser.
There is a lovely yellow peony in the little garden to the right side in front of the North Tisbury Farm stand. You don’t see that color often. Peonies do not last but sure make a statement for their short duration.
The late Trudy Taylor once remarked at the sight of my tree peony, “Once the peonies go by, the honeymoon is over!” She was a remarkable woman. I miss her. Wonder what she would say about the latest Trump news.
I’ve noticed not one of his Republican supporters both in and out of public office can offer a single defense of his actions. Rather, they are sticking to the same old boring story, “But her emails?”
Two of DJT’s attorneys general, Sessions and Barr, could not find any convictable offense committed by her but say that Garland’s department of justice is purely partisan.
I would hate to try and defend such a compelling case. Pity his law team. For starters, he will not stop incriminating himself.
Remember how Spiro Agnew vowed he would never resign over his felony charges — but faced with time in the Greybar Hotel, Gerald Ford took his place as vice president.
It would serve Trump to plead and retire in peace out of the public eye, the White House and prison. Well, we know him. He will never say he’s wrong but will subject the rest of us to whiny victimhood endlessly. Have mercy.
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