More . . . More . . .

I have come to terms with the future. From this day onward I will walk easy on the earth. Plant trees. Kill no living things. Live in harmony with all creatures. I will restore the earth where I am. Use no more of its resources than I need. And listen, listen to what it is telling me.

                                                                                      M.J.Hooey

With adjusting to a new iMac my focus has not been on writing a blog post. And yesterday when I completed this post with the same title, it "disappeared" . . . eek! So another attempt at "More . . . More . . ."

Last season, as the Santa Rosa plum tree would have set fruit, there was a late, very hard frost. This season however an abundance of fruit appeared.

Since the birds peck on the fruit, the fruit sort of rots. Thus picking the "More . . . More . .." plums then laying them out on a counter to fully ripen. Once the plums reach their maximum tastiness, they were canned in quart jars for consumption during the winter months.

Some of the fruit as an alternate choice was into jam. This jam I find delish with almond butter to make a sandwich. Anyone care to join me?

Now changing focuses . . . to creatures who visit PageRefuge.

Blue wildrye grass (Elymus glaucous)

Not long ago I was outside in the front watering plants. While do so I looked about and noticed this green insect in one of the large grass. if my recollection serves me there was an identical insect crawling up the side of our Santa Fe house. This is the first one I have seen here in Cotati. Perhaps it is a type of "bush cricket" (katydid)?

Since all of the irrigation from the entire property has been removed, I now hand water with a hose and controllable nozzle. While doing so I have notice this butterfly in the above picture. Using Common Butterflies of California by Bob Stewart to identify this butterfly: Anise swallowtail. The book also lists "Host Plants" so I purchased 4 Yampah (Perideridia Kellogg) from California Flora Nursery. During the payment process I was cautioned that this plant goes dormant. Soon after they were planted in the ground I noticed this to be true. In this area there is also an abundance of Fennel growing wild which is also a host plant.

Nectaring on an Echinacea purpurea 
(Purple coneflower)

Epiphyte (Orchid cactus) flower
Rather late but certainly fabulous to see!

In Seattle Steven and Leigh
Don't they look happy?

Since this is the third or so version of the blog post, I surely hope that I am able to post it! As it is "Published" I will keep my fingers crossed and

Plethora

Mostly green plums

The Santa Rosa plum tree that was in the backyard when we bought our Cotati house, has soooooooooooo many fruits this year. Last year there was a late freeze so nada.

Since the birds peck on the ripening fruit, I pick the plum even before they are totally ripe. Then I lay them out on the counter in the washer/dryer room to fully ripen.  So far 10 quarts of plum have been canned for enjoyment during the winter months when fresh fruit (other than citrus) is hard to come by.

My idea is to make plum jam with the plums that are now ripening. Jam is so delish. I have been known to make a jelly roll with plum jam. Great treat for when visitors drop by for an afternoon chat.

Leigh

My stepdaughter, Leigh, who lives in Seattle, went with friends for a little R&R and fun. She sent the pictures above and below.

Steven (her hubby) and Leigh

Friends who joined the "get away"

Shasta adding greens to her dietary intake.
These small plants planted in the holes
of the cement blocks bordering
the west most bed are zinnias.
The seeds were purchased from 
Wild Garden Seed.

So on this rather gloomy, with an overcast sky, I rejoice in having my new iMAC up and functioning. And in celebration partake in a hardy belly

Celebrating the 4th of July

and my passed mother's birthday. My mother was born on July 4, 1914. I remember as a child making and decorating her birthday cake with red, white and blue. 

My mother is the second from the right.
The others are her sisters:
Donna (left), Arlene, Eva and
Martha to my mom's left.

Her brother, and my Uncle Ervy, if around, was always my staunch cheerleader in the effort.

Said uncle is on the right
with his brothers Harley (far left)
and P.C. in the middle.

Today I made no birthday cake, rather we went to the Farmers Market in Sebastopol where we stocked up on fresh food for the week. All the wonderful vendors at this particular market offer the best options. Since I do not have a garden yet, I am so grateful these farmers grow such fabulous organic, nutrient dense food: cauliflower, chard, Early Girl tomatoes, eggplant, fennel, Frida spicy mix delicious addition to salads, lettuce, Romano beans and zucchini.

Blenheim apricots, figs and plums

June Pride peaches

String of Pearls
for my all time favorite
hanging apparatus.
Now to find the "perfect" window
in which to display this
fun plant where it will thrive.

And then several times a day I am collecting Santa Rosa plums that are dropping ripe from our tree. These plums are one of my all time very favorite plums. They make great cobbler, jam, and are delicious canned to enjoy during the Winter months when even here fresh fruit is hard to come by.

I am just ecstatic to now have 
a mature Santa Rosa plum tree
in my backyard.

Ah to be alive

     on a mid-September morn

fording a stream

barefoot, pants rolled up 

holding boots, pack on,

sunshine, ice in the shallows,

northern rockies

Rustle and shimmer of icy creek waters

stones turn underfoot, small and hard on toes

cold nose dripping

  singing inside

creek music, heart music,

smell of sun on gravel.

I  pledge allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the soil

of Turtle Island

one ecosystem

in diversity

under the sun --

With joyful interpenetration for all.

GARY SNYDER

To honor our democracy on this Fourth of July let us each and every one of us have a celebratory belly

 ha