Underground Mayhem is a band of squirrels, sometimes with back up dancers "the go-go-gophers". This time of year, they literally go nuts. Up the trees after unripe walnuts, over chicken wire to gnaw on the trunks of young apple trees, under trees to gnaw on roots and develop dens a couple feet underground. Winter is coming and the rodents get into a frenzy, looking for food and leaving no plant unturned.
A couple weeks ago asleep under the walnut tree next to the cucurbit field, I awoke from a fuzzy dream. Eyes still closed, my ears perked up to playful rustling sounds nearby. Dried grass and dry leaves. Spats of activity. I opened my eyes, but lay still. Is it the cats hunting and pouncing for mice? Out of the corner of my vision I think I saw a body jump into the air. I think there are three to five creatures based on the sounds. Is it squirrels playing among the melons checking to see how ripe they are? I slowly turned my head towards the noise and immediately the critters scattered in everyway before I could make eye contact. I lay ever so still again, listening into the distance and close by for more rustling to give away their position. Alas silence. I clapped my hands a couple times to keep them at bay while I fell back to sleep. I awoke in the morning with the most curious puzzlement? what were those sounds coming from? Whatever they were I had the distinct feeling they were playing, not looking for trouble as I might suspect when rustling at ground level is heard.
I put a call out to Mr. Robert Stack, as he has some experience with strange mysteries and is somewhat of an authority on the matter. Together with much deliberation we concluded: Gnomes. Of course!
And finally on the fantasy tip. Today while preparing a hole with a digging fork I came across a blue tail.
It was a rather violent coming across. Jabbing the fork into the ground. breaking dry soil. meeting a hard layer about six inches below surface. lifting the fork out and thrusting back breaking through the barrier to find a dry but friable texture below. Aha! moving down the bed, busting through. digging, lifting, jabbing, lifting... "what's this?!" the last lift of the fork brought up a bright blue worm. or I thought it was at first. Blue worm?! never heard of one. It was wriggling and thrashing about like red wrigglers do when exposed to light.
Upon closer inspection I could see this was no worm, but a tail. Blue tail?! underground?! snake? lizard?...
I could not find the rest of this blue creature missing part of its tail. i felt bad for possibly killing or hurting this strange blue being. After about a minute of wriggling about, the tail lay motionless and did not respond to my touch. Time to get Mr. Robert Stack on the horn and figure this one out... With the help of a 12 sided die and a Ouija board we concluded I had encountered a dragon. dunh dunh duhn. ok its actually called a skink.
pretty awesome!
Ok now for something you can actually sink your teeth into...
Blush Tomato: Full Moon. What a delightful little tomato. Streaks of green turning to red over golden yellow.Sweet and Juicy fruit
Kellog's Breakfast Tomato: Full Moon. now we are beginning to see the breakfast plate size that this 'mater is famous fer. Slice 'em up for your egg sandwich. Blend em up into salsa or a colorful tomato sauce.
Oregon Spring: Full Moon. Last harvest for these troopers. Rich tomato flavor with nice sweetness to boot. Thanks Oregon Spring! see ya next year.
Jimmy Nardello Sweet Pepper and Red Ruffled Pimiento Pepper: Leonardis Organics. Two of my favorite sweet peppers. The Nardello heirloom pepper is long and thin skinned. while the Pimiento pepper is squat and thick walled. Both are delicious and juicy. great raw or cooked.
Red Flame Seedless Grape: Dorn Vineyards. Last harvest for this year. Today I was the guest worker picking grapes. Wow! This is the tastiest harvest yet. Great fun to be in the vineyard, clipping these beautiful bunches under the canopy. Have a juicer? make fresh grape juice. make jam. super high sugar content. zing!
Ho Mi Z Mustard: Full Moon. A beautiful and unique mustard green with a unique name. A new variety coming to us from the good folks at Wildgarden seed. Sweet and spicy! Spiciness mellowed with cooking. A real delight on the plate.
Red Russian Kale: Full Moon. This kale is so robust and adaptive. Try a saute with the peppers for a new addition with an old favorite. a nice blending of summer and fall.
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