My New Vegetable Garden

This Spring my project has been a vegetable garden.

This has always been in the works after I completed... or at least got working... my new water tank system. Having a well that only puts out less than a gallon per minute means you have to store water to use in big spurts.

Too often I would take a shower and have it run out of water. But I found that if you trickled out the water... at about one gallon per 20 to 30 minutes into a tank... you could have a dependable source for water and replenish when you were not using it... like at night... even in the driest months. So now I have about 5000 gallons in reserve... which could come in handy in fire season.

I have planted 18 tomato plants... of varieties... Early Girl... and Sun Sugar. Being a pasta lover I eat a lot of Spaghetti sauce... so I wanted to see if I could raise my own... and eventually can them for the year. This time I think my neighbors are going to get a lot of tomatoes... depending on the crop.

Everything is set up to automatically water the plants on a soak-er hose... which is happening as I write this... 10 minutes per bed at low flow. So far this seems to be working... and the plants are thriving with new growth and buds for tomatoes already.

So in a few months... and weeks ahead... I'll tell you what happens. Stay turned...

Summer Solstice or Midsummer

This day... the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere... has old traditions in many cultures around the world.

When I went to Denmark with my parents... in June of 1973... I witnessed bon fires. This was supposed to be ancient pagan ritual where they burned a pretend witch on a bond fire. In my research I also learned the fire was lit at night to ward off evil spirits as the sun returned southward.

In Native American cultures... some will celebrate each season as it passes with different rituals depending on the tribe. One... is the turning the head of the Turtle... a symbolic mound... and a rock for the head... to point in a different direction depending on the season. Fresh dirt is placed on the mound... and flowers are placed by each individual in attendance with their prayers.

But what ever your culture... in the northern hemisphere it is the beginning of summer. I like to be warm... and enjoy this time of year with its many outdoor adventures and projects. Despite my Danish heritage... I prefer to look at each season as a new beginning... and a chance to reflect... and start a new. It's another chance to re-focus... and re-connect with family and friends.

Father's Day

What is Father's day to me? I'm not a father... nor am I married... or have a significant other person in my life. But to me Father's day is about my Father... and honoring him.

As it happens... I worked on my new vegetable garden today. So why is that significant? Well those who knew my late Father knew he was an avid gardener. Some referred to my parent's hillside garden... Squirrel Hill... as a miniature Golden Gate Park. He... and my Mother... were continually working on it as a labor of love... and showed it off to nearly anyone who wanted a tour.

I learned much of my gardening skills from both my parents... although... gardening is not one of my favorite things to do. Working on my new vegetable garden... to me horrors him... and all he taught me.

Tonight... I'll light an oil lamp... to remember the good times... and positive things he taught me... for... Father's Day.

About this Blog

Welcome to my first blog to the world. I hope what I write... will stir your imagination... and perhaps... stir you to action... to the world around us... and to other... challenged souls... amongst us.

Why I decided to add one more service... one more task... is beyond me. What with Facebook... Twitter... Care2... webmaster to several web sites... and others computer related tasks... I have more than enough to do. Perhaps... and I'm sure this is the case many times... I'm stretched to thin.

Perhaps it was just to learn how to use Blogger... and so help others. Also in my mind was to have a voice to some of the... uh... crazy happening going on around me... which I have no control over... except to voice my protest... and perhaps to inject some sanity into some rather... selfish... and a term I like to use a lot... challenged people.

I do like to inject some positive... constructive... solution oriented comments. As they say... Are you a part of the problem... or part of the solution?

Also I want this to be a sort of public diary of what is going on in my life. I don't expect to update this daily... but I might decide to do that sometimes... but to let people know... what I'm doing.

So that's what this blog will be... or at least as I see it at the moment. Over time I'm sure it will change... and evolve... and hopefully for the better. As they say... Time will tell.