Delightful Finds on a Dreary Day

 The rains continue. While the clouds are not dumping copious amounts of water any more, a slow drizzle kept things mucky.  I did slip out to the greenhouse for a bit and also checked the garden regardless of getting a bit wet.  I am always amazed at how nice things look after a good washing.  Every leaf seems to be refreshed!  I was a bit disappointed to see that not one of the squash seeds have sprouted.  Those things have been in the ground for an entire week!  The butter bean seeds have rotted in their nice warm bed of soil so I supposed all of my hard work has been in vain. 

  Still, there was a bit of beauty to be found while out on my hike.  Tiny Woods Violets were nodding their pretty heads under the heavy raindrops.  Their purple hats were not doing a spiffy job of keeping the rain from soaking them.  In fact, the violets were happy to have this springlike rain.  The tiny plants are popping up everywhere!

  I, also, found a lovely mushroom that was enjoying the rain.  I cannot be certain (I do not know my mushrooms!) but this might be one called a "Turkey Tail Mushroom".  At least it has the appearance of one!  The large fanned mushroom was displaying its lovely stripes of reds and oranges.  To be honest, dozens of these things were to be found in the yard.  Their bright colors gave a certain cheeriness to the place.

  While trying to identify the mushroom, I came across several articles that maintained that the Turkey Tail Mushroom has several good qualities.  One that outweighs the rest is that this mushroom seems to be a fine immune booster.  In Asia, the mushroom has been used for generations to support overall good health.  I read further and found that it is being studied as a possible help in beating certain cancers.  I sure hope that comes to fruition.  It would be wonderful to find that something so common could be a wonder treatment for all those suffering.

  The rain chased me back inside so my hike ended.  Like every other time of meandering about the garden, I stand in awe of something I found.  Mother Nature is wonderful about supplying me with great finds!

In cramped quarters

  My day started with me tearing into the garden.  It is time for the "out with the old and in with the new"!  Well, not "in" for a while but at least the old is going to the compost pile.  I yanked out so many old, spent tomato plants and purple basil plants that my arms are aching.  All of the tomato cages were stacked and stored for another year and the garden boxes had their soil turned.  Things will be in order for the fall garden and that time is nigh upon us. 

  While clearing the boxes, I had to ponder just how some plants ever get themselves in the predicaments that they do.  A woods violet seed germinated between the boards of one of the boxes.  It barely had room enough for the stalk to squeeze through but it appeared to be quite healthy.  I now have the task of removing the plant without damaging the roots.  This plant will make its way to Darling Daughter's new place and planted down by the creek.  The little plant should do well there and can spread happiness when it blooms.  But, I do wonder just how the plant shoved through the tiny slit between the boards and how it managed to get enough nutrition and water to survive much less thrive.  Woods Violets must be rather hardy plants!

I found the hiding place of the wicked snails!  Most fell to the ground when I moved the box.

  Another find was not quite so happy as the violet.  As I moved a couple of the boxes, I found just where the scads of snails hide during the day. In the dark, cool recess between the boxes, there was just enough space for the snails to hide out from the heat of the day.  Now that I made this discovery, the elimination process shall begin!  I had the grand idea of pouring boiling water in each box but thankfully had second thoughts. That boiling water would also kill my lovely earthworms that till the soil for me.  With the snails on the outside of the boxes, the water would never reach the earthworms.  So...."Double, double toil and trouble!  Fire burn, cauldron bubble!"  We shall leave out the fenny snake and eye of newt but that pot of hot water should eliminate thousands of plant-chewing snails with no trouble!