Living in Season

Beetberries

I used to say iceberg lettuce is the polyester of the salad world, but I think I'm going to have to extend the statement to a good amount of the greens we use every day. Lettuce is lovely, but I'm learning there are many more varieties that offer greater nutrition and interest to a daily bowl of veggies.

One of my new favorites is beetberry, also called strawberry spinach. It looks a little weedy with it's pointed, serrated leaves and sprawling habit, but is a dual purpose green that offers leaves as well as bright red berries. The leaves can be braised or used raw in salads, and the berries are great to throw in cold dishes. They're a bit bland, but are pretty.

I started  beetberry in the house this spring, but the plants that are doing the best are the ones that came up from last year. I don't remember them ever going to see last year, so I assume they overwintered. Either way, they've added a lot to my salads, and I'm looking forward to adding more greens to my menu.

What's Eating your Garden?

On "Cafe Mom" in one of the gardening groups, a lady thinks rabbits are eating her tomatoes, but I have a feeling it's most likely raccoons or skunks. Many times the first step in figuring out what you're dealing with before you put together a plan of action. This is the topic for this week's blog entry on PlantersPlace.com.

http://www.plantersplace.com/Community/ViewBlog.aspx?BlogId=4

Independence Day Festivities

Independence Day is one of those ideal holidays that involves food and family, plus the added bonus of explosives. Growing up in Ohio fireworks were illegal, so I'm still making up for lost time. I love the smell and delight in the mini light shows. Of course, since I've been busy with babies these past couple of years (and we were back in Ohio last year at this time) I haven't set off fireworks since we left Kalispell. Thankfully, my thoughtful hubby picked up a package of artillery shells, my favorites, so I could light and run until my heart's content.

Grant's brother, Marc, brought up a package of steaks for dinner. We made those as well as a delicious antipasto salad, marinated and grilled zucchini from the garden, rustic bread and homemade strawberry ice cream. After dinner, we set off some fireworks, played a little basketball and talked. Chris, brother #2, rode up on his Harley just before an impressive storm came through dousing everything before the serious pyros hit the street. I think a good time was had by all!

Paris Gibson Square Art Museum's 16th Annual Garden Walk

I'm a week late in this post, but last Friday Karen and I took Sam to three of the four gardens on the annual Garden Walk here in Great Falls. Normally, it would be a time to enjoy without the toddler, but since Grant was preparing for the garage sale Sam had to come with me. Thankfully, Karen is an extraordinarily patient person who never once suggested we leave him at a garden despite witnessing the creaming hissy fit when he couldn't play in the ponds. (Bad Mommy - I know.)

The gardens were lovely this year. Our first one was the home of a lady who frequently competes in the Montana State Fair. She turned her veggie garden into an awesome place for annuals and perennials. She has over 30 different roses and hundreds of other flower varieties. When I spoke to her the prior week for a preview article for the Great Falls Tribune, she said many plants weren't blooming, but I thought it looked fantastic. Unfortunately, they had two water features - one a little fountain and a pond. If I could've left Sam there all evening, there would've been peace, but we had to take him with us. He wasn't happy and let everyone in the neighborhood know it.

The next garden was created by a couple who started with nothing but dead grass and a couple of pathetic pine trees, but turned this blank slate a patchwork of themed beds. I love their garden shed with petunias planted in the gutters! That's a great idea. I realize it wouldn't work in many parts of the country since it would look more like a hydroponic experiment, or would completely wash out, but it's a great way to spruce up a garden shed in our area. These folks had a pond, which drew in Sam like a magnet, but thankfully also had an interesting water feature on the porch. We were able to distract him with that and iced tea, and made a successful exit.

The final garden was the "Americana" garden. This talented lady decorated her backyard with red geraniums, white allysum and blue lobelia, as well as primitive artwork and her handmade quilts. (There is no way I'd let a quilt I made set outside all summer, but of course, my making a quilt is as much of a possibility as me knitting a sweater.) It was a great backyard space, and perfect for the upcoming Independence Day holiday. Thankfully, she also had cookies. Now there's the ultimate child behavior system!

Bring in the Good Bugs

One of the most frequently asked questions I am asked concerning keeping control of pests is what to spray. Spraying something is the equivalent of taking an aspirin for a headache, but it can cause more problems than it helps. When you spray - even insecticidial soap - you're killing any beneficial insects as well as the bad ones. This week in my "Pest Patrol" blog on PlantersPlace I touched on a few of the good bugs to have in your garden and how to keep them happy.

http://www.plantersplace.com/Community/ViewBlog.aspx?BlogId=4

Ice Cream Hounds

Last night Grant went with Blaine and his brothers to the local Voyageurs baseball game. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to make ice cream with Sam since we could scoop it right out of the cannister as it was spinning, and not worry about sharing our cooties with anyone else! (Okay, or sharing at all!)

I put together a half batch of chocolate, and we took turns using the spatula scraping along the insides of the cannister as it spun. By the time we were finished we didn't have much left for ice cream, but there's no doubt we had more than enough... and no bowls to wash.

Granny's Peonies

Well over a decade ago, I went back to Ohio in June and dug a few of the peony plants my great-grandmother grew in her backyard garden. I never met Granny Ripp because she passed away a couple of years before I was born, but I understand we share the same passion for gardening.

Coming from Hungary they grew a garden for survival, and carried on the practice once the went to American in 1921. She was a wonderful cook - one of those ladies who could create a fantastic meal from the most simple ingredients - and worked hard all of her much too short life.

I'm delighted to have this small connection to Granny Ripp by keeping some of her peonies. Since I've moved five times in the last ten years, it's been no small feat to keep them going. The trickiest move was when I was pregnant with Sam and anticipated a mid-winter move. Thankfully, despite feeling awful, I managed to dig and pot up the tubers before the ground froze. I planted them at the house we rented, then dug them mid-summer when we bought our current house. Hopefully this will be the last one, and by the look of them blooming this summer, they like we're they're planted.

Sliming Slugs

This week my artcle on PlantersPlace is concerning slugs in the garden. We don't have as much of a problem with them in Great Falls since our climate is similar to a convection oven - hot temperatures with high winds. Slugs resemble raisins over here. But in other parts of the country, they're a big problem.

http://www.plantersplace.com/Community/ViewBlog.aspx?BlogId=4

Sentimental Journey

My husband's Father's Day request was to see the B-17, Sentimental Journey, that was making a stop at Great Falls International Airport this weekend. Since we are practically within walking distance, it was an easy outing.

We've seen this particularly plane before, but it's impressive every time. To think this is one of only eight that are still flying and 50 still in existence from a fleet of thousands. When we saw it fly over our house during one of the times it took a group for a ride I could only imagine the terrifying sound of hundreds flying over my town. Absolutely incredible.

Even though this is undoubtedly old technology the durability of the plane is equally remarkable. They don't call it the "Super Fortress" for nothing. These planes have a reputation for taking an incredible amount of flack, and are still able to stay in the air.

When Grant, Blaine and Sam were touring the inside of the plane I talked with a gentleman who asked the pilot to show me the piece of flack he kept in his flight suit. His father was in the belly turret (undoubtedly the worst position) and a piece of flack roughly 3-inches long and an inch wide came through barely missing his neck. His father saved it and gave it to his son, Jim. Jim keeps it in his flight suit whenever he flies. I can't imagine flying through the conditions our pilots had to endure during WWII.

It was a treat for the entire family to see this plane. Sam and John got their first lesson in aviation history, whether they realized it or not. And I'm sure there are many more to come!

The Next Little Gardener is Rolling Over

Baby John isn't featured as often as Samuel on my blog simply because he's not grubbing in the dirt like his brother and I, but he's making great strides and will join us sooner than I think! He's now 4-months old and is hitting that really fun age where he smiles, coos, talks up a blue streak... and just started to roll over. Oh my. Before I know it, I'll have to tie a bell on him to keep track of him because I'm certain he'll be as active as Samuel.

John started out a little peanut since he was a bit early. But his 6 lbs. 6 oz. beginning with weeks of feeding him with a tube and syringe are faded memories. Last week he topped the scale at 15 lbs. 6 oz. ( a gain of nearly 5 lbs. in 2 months!), and the little Chubs has cankles. Eating is not an issue.

Personality-wise I think he's more laid back than Samuel was in many respects, although he has to be in the center of activity. He watches his big brother like a hawk, and I'm certain they will tag team me before long. I better start getting a decent night's sleep to keep ahead of the duo. He's a joy and is a blessing we never expected making him even more precious!