Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

The peppers went in last week, finally. It was the usual routine, and they didn't seem to suffer any shock. Right now they range in height from about10" (the Garden Sunshine--bell peppers) to about 6" (the Thai hot). It's been slow going weeding out the frames. I need to remember to cover the squares as soon as the season is over with some plywood to keep down the weeds. I've got half a dozen squares in the zigzag ready for tomatoes, and will try to have the other half dozen ready by the end of the week. I'll probably plant four of each type (cherry, paste, brandywine). I'm putting them in along the opposite arm from last year, so they will be nearest the house this time. I noticed one pea plant has come up from last year's planting, about three feet tall and in bloom.

Oh, and in honor of the Honors Garden (South), I decided to plant four squares next to the peppers of okra. If Jim can find a good gumbo recipe, I'll make some the next time he's in town after they mature.

I've concluded that I don't have the resources to purchase mulch for the garden this year. Hopefully Jim is still planning to organize a delivery of some sort.

I had a conversation with Nick Bonner from the Art Department this weekend. He's teaching a cross-listed version (Art/Honors) of his environmental sculpture class that he tries to teach every summer. We talked about how the woods behind the house had at one point been considered for a nature preserve, but the plans had been scuttled. He would like to coordinate a project between the Art, Honors and Biology departments to remove some of the invasive species (as best we can anyway) and to plant some chesnut trees. I think they were chesnuts. Apparently the majority of the east coast and much of this region was covered with them during the early settlements, but a blight took out most of them. I also mentioned my ongoing interest in making the butterfly garden 100% native, which seemed to excite him. Maybe we can get a coordinated effort directed towards the flower garden as well?