Happy Spring

Put down the seed catalogs and dust off those gardening gloves. There's so much promise in the air. Can you smell it?

New Apartment, Same Old Cat

Mao Mao has made herself a comfortable perch on the boxes that just won't go away. Since we moved without bookshelves, many items have nowhere to go just yet. Luckily Josh Urso Design is making us some unique shelves that will fit our space. I'll have to speak with them about some sort of cat tree I guess.

Seed Dreaming: Amazing Native Corn Variety

I came across this on Mother Earth News and haven't been this excited about seeds since... last winter!  A man in the Southwest US has been carefully saving from extinction a beautiful corn variety now dubbed Glass Gem.  I've been thinking about growing some of the ornamental varieties of corn since seeing a blood red ear (and husk!) at a farm several years ago.  Glass Gem is at another level.  Look through the image gallery for some of the gorgeous color variations that have been cultivated.

As it turns out, there are many varieties of heirloom corn that are colorful and edible.  While Glass Gem may be hard to come by this year (Native Seeds has a waiting list) there are quite a few alternatives out there.  Shop for some at Native Seeds or Seeds Trust and grow an ear of American History!

My Favorite Jersey City Maple

This tree always puts on a spectacular fall show. This year did not disappoint.

2012 Pumpkin Review Spectacular

I have a modest collection this year. What it lacks in numbers it makes up for in personality. The dark warty specimen is new for me. Last week I ate a few of the smaller varieties before documentation so you'll have to imagine an acorn and a delicata on the mantle.

What do you think of that big stem?!

Mao Mao Shoot Pt. 3

Mao Mao Shoot Pt. 2

Mao Mao Shoot Pt. 1

Lazy Cat and New Kitten

The white cat is one of the garden's regulars. There's a whole troupe of white and gray and white and black and just plain black cats running around there. They've all been fixed (except one newcomer adult male) and are fed daily by a few dedicated cat lovers.

We think the new kitten was dumped about a month ago. He's fitting right in with the rest of the bunch, eating and playing with whomever can stomach the company of a rambunctious kitten. Before I photographed him, we played for a while with a grass tassel. He's adorable and playful but still distrustful of humans. In a few months that will probably change and with regular contact I'm sure the process would go even faster. Yesterday he was nose to nose with one of the kind souls who brings food and you could see curiosity almost trumping fear.

The man asked if I knew of anyone on the market for a kitten. So I'm getting the word out that this little gray tabby is looking for a home before the cold weather sets in! If we can't find someone, a local pet shop offered to show him off in a cage in his store to find an adoptee. That might scare the fluff out of the little guy but it's better than life on the streets.

More updates to come when they're available.

Munching Monarchs

Monarch butterfly caterpillars have been on my carrot tops all summer. Yesterday two fat ones were munching away. In the past I've moved them to the designated Butterfly Garden but this time I just let them be. I don't know if they winter over. They were really enjoying the carrot greens so I was happy to share!

The rest of the garden is winding down. I pulled all but one sunflower and the last cherry tomato. I'm hoping the broccoli will produce florets in the spring.