Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 593 Entries. Friday, January 1 View Page January 1st and I saw this today. I have never seen this here before.....An Iris....   Friday, January 1 View Page Absolutely stunning to see this...at least to me. LOL HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE !!!   Friday, January 22 View Page The storm has started around 10 am...   Friday, January 22 View Page This was taken around 12pm. The winds are are getting heavier and I guess 3 inches so far but its really coming down heavier by the minute....   Friday, January 22 View Page 6 inches of snow in 4 hours.The wind is not too much but the snow keeps on coming from the northeast.Northeasters are rare here but not unheard of.They are surely thru history the worst type storms we get here though.   Friday, January 22 View Page The snow is constant but not as heavy as earlier.Walking the block, I'm guessing maybe 10 inches.   Friday, January 22 View Page They say the real storm will arrive here around 11pm tonight. Predicting winds above 40 m.p.h., heavy snow until morning and blizzard conditions. We shall see : )   Saturday, January 23 View Page 12 noon. Temperature hanging around 19 degrees the last 2 days.Wind blowing and still snowing.I'm going to guess around 30 inches so far.   Saturday, January 23 View Page Took a walk around the neighborhood.   Saturday, January 23 View Page Over to the next block. ....   Saturday, January 23 View Page Down to check the river out.   Saturday, January 23 View Page The South River. This river makes up half of the Shenandoah River.   Saturday, January 23 View Page Heading back to the house...   Saturday, January 23 View Page The snow is up to my knees and it's hard to walk where there's no tracks...   Monday, February 29 View Page The Crocus are blooming in full now.   Monday, February 29 View Page Another view. It's been 60 degrees or better this week and a lot of rain so far.   Monday, February 29 View Page So Very Beautiful !!!   Monday, February 29 View Page Rye grass is as thick .   Monday, February 29 View Page My offer for Eddy's seed trade. This book was written by my neighbor who passed away in 1986. A prominent man and owner and writer at our local newspaper here for a long, long time. His list of accomplishments is too long to list here, but one that stands out is that he was present as a reporter when the fourth ever atomic bomb was tested in the Pacific. An interesting read of a 3 month adventure to South America in 1962. Extremely rare book and difficult to find. I have 10 copies that he gave me. Your choice Eddie, hardback or soft back. Either is new.   Monday, February 29 View Page Map of the adventure.   Monday, February 29 View Page The Index.   Monday, February 29 View Page Lower half of index chapters.   Monday, February 29 View Page Page 2 Index chapters. It's truly a fabulous read from a very interesting man.   Saturday, March 5 View Page Ancient Blue Ridge Mountain, Skyline Drive sand deposits. This was dug straight from a creek. I use this in various plant starting potting mixes. Notice the unusual reddish tint it has.   Monday, March 7 View Page 1/3 Mountain sandy loam, 1/3 Gutter dirt, 1/3 Pro Mix. A little bone meal and a bit of hydrated lime. Nice, cheap potting mix...all screened.   Monday, March 7 View Page Black Gutter dirt. Collected as overflow from storm drain in the alley. Dirt was under the leaves.   Monday, March 7 View Page My 3 year old grandson. Curious about everything.   Monday, March 7 View Page The finished product. I let these sit outside now for about the next 10 days. It was 65F today and supposed to be 70F thru the weekend.   Saturday, March 19 View Page 40 degrees and huge snowflakes this morning.   Monday, March 21 View Page Mowed the rye grass back in November and mowed it again today.   Tuesday, March 29 View Page Mowing the rye grass for the third time.   Tuesday, March 29 View Page Will pick up an extra tiller belt in the morning and then the tilling will begin.   Friday, April 1 View Page Went to visit a Marine Corp. friend of mine out in the country yesterday.He has a nice 2500 Sq. Ft. garden there ( His Creasy Greens looked great). Before I left, he bestowed upon me this greenhouse frame.I think its 12 x 20 something.   Friday, April 1 View Page Beirut 1983. Never forget.   Sunday, April 3 View Page 4 days of garden tilling.....   Sunday, April 3 View Page Have a few more things to add, but overall...good to go.   Sunday, April 3 View Page Our little side garden between the houses.   Sunday, April 3 View Page My little Chinese powered tiller. Running strong for 2 years now.   Sunday, April 3 View Page Improved water catchment system coming along. Slowly but surely.   Sunday, April 3 View Page Picked up all this schedule 40 at a yard sale last weekend for $100, plus 50 ft. of the black flex drain pipe also.Most of this project has been done for free or very little money.....at least, so far : )   Sunday, April 3 View Page Projects, projects everywhere. I was able to track down and picked up today all these parts for my oldest daughters car that we shall repair sometime soon.   Sunday, April 3 View Page Acura vs. Dump Truck.   Sunday, April 3 View Page Last but not least, dug this up in the bottom garden this morning.   Sunday, April 3 View Page We SURELY pray it's a sign for this growing season.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Temperature drop today. It was 79 degrees here yesterday and 29 degrees this morning. A great day for a ride up on the mountain.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Gathered 2 of the kids up and headed up to the Blue Ridge Parkway.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page The first overlook above Waynesboro. on the Parkway. Looking to the east.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Just a beautiful, crisp and clear day to take a ride. 40 degrees up here this afternoon, 50 degrees in the valley.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page The kids have never seen the Palace at Swannanoa, so we headed up there. This view looking south.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Swannanoa Palace. Major James Dooley, an executive with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company, completed construction of the $2 million Swannanoa in 1912. Dooley, who owned the Maymont estate in Richmond, built this 52-room marble palace as a token of love for his wife, Sally May. More than 300 artisans were hired to create the palace as a replica of the Villa de Medici in Rome. They used the highest quality materials available. Visitors today can still see the depth of James and Sally May's relationship in places like the 4,000 piece Tiffany stained-glass window and a domed ceiling bearing the likeness of Mrs. Dooley. The name Swannanoa comes from Mrs. Dooley's fondness for swans, which she liked because they choose their mates for a lifetime.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Front steps.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Beautiful Italian marble hauled up here in 1912 before there were any good roads.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page One of two handmade fish fountains.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Three tier viewing terraces around behind the house.The views look to the east and west over the valleys.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Some disrepair and overgrowth in the very back terrace.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page The stained glass window.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Kids sitting on the marble bench.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Terrace view to the west.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Terrace view to the east. They have had spectacular weddings here in the past.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Hallway in front of Palace. Splendid marble work.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Front door. Marble carving is fantastic.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Another view to the east.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page The Swan.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Horse.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page Ornate carvings over the front entry. All in all just a perfect day up on the top of the mountain. It's not but about 15 minutes from my house and no one visits the Palace much anymore.   Tuesday, April 5 View Page I thought I made a double post above. Here is the marble hallway :)   Sunday, April 10 View Page Was finally able to procure my "STUFF". Been using this for a while now and love it.   Sunday, April 10 View Page Digging around the old seed boxes today. I think we will see if we can get a couple of these to germinate. The date says; packed for 2002.   Sunday, April 10 View Page This also looks interesting. They say 1-2 pound fruits. Packed for 2000.   Sunday, April 10 View Page The coolest find from 1999.These were always interesting in the day... Believe It or Not Garden Vegetables Imagine beans and cucumbers a yard long, foot-long peppers, square tomatoes, round carrots, soccer-ball sized onions, and pumpkins so big a young child can stand inside them. These are some of the rare and strange vegetables offered by Ripley's Believe It Or Not Seeds, Westport, Conn. The company says its catalog contains the world's biggest assortment of unusual seeds. Here's a few of the "Believe It Or Not" varieties: Tomatoes - Gigantic Delicious Tomatoes weigh up to 7 lbs. 12 oz. Another variety, called the "Juice Tomato", is specially bred to produce more soluble pulp and is said to be ideal for making fresh homemade tomato juice. One of the most unusual varieties is the "Square Tomato" that was created to minimize harvest dam-age and to make packaging easier. Pumpkins - "Big Max" pumpkins weigh 100 lbs. or more. Tiny "Little Max" pumpkins are deep orange in color and grow to only about 2 by 3 in. in dia. Squash - "Spaghetti Squash" looks and tastes remarkably like spaghetti, says the company. "Hungarian Mammoth" squash, said to be the world's largest, grows up to 100 lbs. Peppers - The "Big Jim" variety produces the world's longest chile pepper. It's medium hot with thick, fleshy pods 8 to 12 in. long with 25 to 40 pods per plant. Cucumbers - The "Kyoto" cucumber grows up to 36 in. long and is a slender 2 in. in dia. Sunflowers - The company's "Russian Mammoth" sunflower grows more than 14 ft. tall. Gourds - The tough, fibrous interior of Loofa "sponge" gourds works great for washing dishes, pots, and cars. Loofa sponges are used in many foreign countries. The Japanese use them to manufacture slippers, mats, baskets, toys, and even shock absorbers. "Birdhouse Gourds grow into natural birdhouses that song and insect-eating birds love. Corn - One packet of "Broom Corn" seed is enough to make up to 12 brooms. Plants grow 10 to 15 ft. tall with 28-in. seed heads. Beans - Yard-Long Beans produce bright green 25 to 30-in. pods. Sometimes called the asparagus bean, it's actually a tall-growing variety of cowpea that's widely grown in Japan, China, and Africa. You pick and use them just like snap or string beans. Carrots - "Parisian Ball" carrots are round, 1 to 11/1-in. dia balls that make a great eye-catching side dish. They taste just like regular carrots. Miniature Vegetables - Mini varieties include "Little Ball" beets (1 to 11/2 in. in dia.); miniature "Sugar Boil" snap peas that grow only 18 to 24 in. high and produce 3 1/ 2-in. long snap peas; "Sugarbaby" water-melons that grow only 8 in. across; and "Pot Luck" cucumbers whose vines grow no longer than 18 in., yet produce 6 to 7 1/2-in. long straight dark green cucumbers. Ripley's offers a reward of $250 for any record-breaking tomato, sunflower, squash, or watermelon variety. Their seed catalog sells for $1. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ripley'   Wednesday, April 13 View Page Started preparing planting holes and getting the greenhouses up. Frost this morning and 62 degrees this afternoon. First thing to do is dig down to the clay layer.   Wednesday, April 13 View Page Next is to get the old broadfork out.   Wednesday, April 13 View Page I think Mr. Worm does not like the broadfork today : )   Wednesday, April 13 View Page After broadforking as deep as I can, I mix in a nice thin layer of the humic acids.   Wednesday, April 13 View Page Add a cup of bone meal....   Wednesday, April 13 View Page Some of Ron's Mykos....   Wednesday, April 13 View Page One bag of perlite.....   Wednesday, April 13 View Page And the most important thing of all. One cup full of the "LUCKY MAGIC SAND".   Wednesday, April 13 View Page One greenhouse frame up. More to come.   Wednesday, April 13 View Page Put the cover on and will let it stretch out some tonight.   Monday, April 18 View Page A picture for me. I like what I see going on here........: )   Monday, April 18 View Page Soil tests came back from Virginia Tech today ($15 each). Sample "A", that darn upper garden wants to continually get away from me for some reason. Nothing that can't be fixed though.....   Monday, April 18 View Page Sample "B", that newer middle part I've been working on. Wow, I'll take it........   Monday, April 18 View Page Sample "C", the old bottom garden. Parts of this garden date back to the 1940's.   Monday, April 18 View Page All the greenhouses are up.   Monday, April 18 View Page Making sure everything is working properly.   Tuesday, April 26 View Page Change of plans.Took down one greenhouse.Won't need it. Sprayed 22 pounds of elemental sulfur.....   Tuesday, April 26 View Page 47 Microns is the stinger on this bee : )   Tuesday, April 26 View Page Timing is everything in this world. It's been in the 80's all week long and we got some much needed rain today.   Tuesday, April 26 View Page Little tomato plants and a few pumpkins ready to go in the greenhouses.   Friday, April 29 View Page Picked up the fan that came with the greenhouse frame I got earlier this month. Still digging around for other parts that are stored away.....   Friday, April 29 View Page Got the plants in the greenhouses today. 1945.5 Daletas dmg. (15)...   Friday, April 29 View Page 1916 Barron...   Friday, April 29 View Page 1916 Barron. We had a temperature drop here 2 days ago. Daytime is a little over 60f and nights are low 50's. Soil temperature is 75f in the greenhouses and I watch the venting close, the air temperature inside stays between 72 and 85f.   Friday, April 29 View Page 1625.5 Huydic (14)......my daughter is very fond of this plant : ) ........   Friday, April 29 View Page 1874.5 Mathison (13) on the left and a 1781 Zywiec (14) on the right. May both plants be super great and make it difficult to decide which to keep ....or something liker that. We will choose the better.   Friday, April 29 View Page Open greenhouses . 75f inside.....61f and misty breeze outside.   Friday, April 29 View Page Everyone tucked in for the night.   Sunday, May 8 View Page Nine days since putting the pumpkins in the garden. It has rained constantly for 7 of the nine days. The temperatures were in the 40's at night and chilly 50's in the day. Saw hail mixed in with the rains twice. The little plants had to battle. I had to dose them with nitrogen, which I really don't like to do. Today the weather has finally broken. 72 today and projected 80's in the day and 60's at night for the upcoming week. I hope the garden drys out this week so I can do a little work.   Sunday, May 8 View Page Oops...this is the wet garden. The photo before this are two plants for planting a "late" plant. On the left is the 1817 McConkie and on the right is the 1666.5 Steil plant. There is also one more plant getting ready to pop up from the dirt. The three plants will compete for the "late" garden spot. At least, that's the plan... : )   Sunday, May 8 View Page 1945.5 Daletas...   Sunday, May 8 View Page 1625.5 Huydic on the left and a late addition....another 1945.5 Daletas. The Daletas plant has a funny looking main stem going into the ground. Wasn't going to plant it, but it's growth has been super aggressive. So in she went. I think it was last monday I did that.   Sunday, May 8 View Page 1874 Mathison on the left and the 1781 Zywiec on the right. They are pretty even right now.   Sunday, May 8 View Page The 1916 Barron.   Sunday, May 8 View Page Tomato project. Two different potato leaf varieties I have were crossed with the best genetics available for the last 5 years. All the top names from big tomatoes. A lot of them were from France. And many were gifts from "Treetop" in West Virginia. ( I hope you guys remember Treetop). This is one of the potato leaf varieties.   Sunday, May 8 View Page These are the results....   Sunday, May 8 View Page They are really healthy looking and have a beautiful unique color to them.   Sunday, May 8 View Page Updated weather forecast. Looks like we need the greenhouses for a little while longer.   Saturday, May 14 View Page It's Soap Box Derby Day in Waynesboro...   Saturday, May 14 View Page The cars on top of Main Street Hill.   Saturday, May 14 View Page A lot of female drivers : )   Saturday, May 14 View Page Last minute advise. I think mom and dad worry much more than the kids do......LOL   Saturday, May 14 View Page And the race is on....   Saturday, May 14 View Page Down the hill.   Saturday, May 14 View Page http://blueridgesoapboxderby.com/   Saturday, May 14 View Page The coolest statue in town.   Saturday, May 14 View Page Nice......... : )   Sunday, May 15 View Page It has rained here almost every day since these plants were planted. The ground has been completely saturated for days. Not much sun and the temperatures have been mostly around 60f in the daytime but really won't stabilize at any one set place. It has been between 40f - 84f, kinda crazy really for this time of year here. Yesterday's Rainfall 0.16" Month to Date Precipitation/Month's Average 5.78"/3.71" Year to Date Precipitation/YTD Average 12.56"/14.11"......... 5.78 inches of rain here in 2 weeks is equal to 2 months of normal rain here. ( I think we average about 36 inches/ year). I have tilled again to try and get some air into the soil so it can breath again.   Sunday, May 15 View Page An old "stirrup" type hoe I use around the greenhouses. It was given to me by my 80 year old neighbor many, many years ago.   Sunday, May 15 View Page Truely, the plants have suffered getting nitrogen. We all pray here that they will recover with the sunny days coming. Here is the 1945.5 Daletas.   Sunday, May 15 View Page The bottom garden stays the wettest always and the plants there have suffered accordingly. This is the 1625.5 Huydic.   Sunday, May 15 View Page The second 1945.5 Daletas is younger than the other plants by a week. Its really struggling to "green up".   Sunday, May 15 View Page The middle of the garden drains better on the incline. Here is the amazing 1781 Zywiec.   Sunday, May 15 View Page And beside the Zywiec plant is the 1874.5 Mathison. Also amazing. Got to pick one of these and thats just a plain shame. But I do think I asked for that : )   Sunday, May 15 View Page The other plant in the bottom garden is the 1916 Barron. A little spray damage but it's hanging on.   Sunday, May 15 View Page Volunteer sunflowers popping up everywhere as usual. Supposed to be 39 degrees here tonight and those temps do not faze the sunflowers ever.   Tuesday, May 17 View Page If we get any more rain, we may be changing over to growing rice.....49f and rain forecast for all day....again.   Sunday, May 22 View Page A freaky little tomato plant from the potato leaf crosses.   Sunday, May 22 View Page Another view.   Sunday, May 22 View Page Yesterday's Rainfall 0.84" Month to Date Precipitation/Month's Average 6.91/3.71" Year to Date Precipitation/YTD Average 13.69"/14.11".................and more rain all day today; temperature in the mid 50's. Tuesday coming, the weather will break here and finally get some sun and warm temps.   Sunday, May 22 View Page The 1916 Barron.   Sunday, May 22 View Page 1945.5 Daletas. The 2 plants in this bottom greenhouse have taken a beating from all the rain. They look to be hanging on, but I really don't know. We shall see this week as it drys out some and warms up.   Sunday, May 22 View Page The 1625.5 Huydic. The other plant in the bottom greenhouse that is taking a beating. I think it's reaching for the sky in "surrender" : )   Sunday, May 22 View Page The 1781 Zywiec. Growing 10 inches a day.....   Sunday, May 22 View Page The vine of the 1781 Zywiec.   Sunday, May 22 View Page Huge leaves....1781 Zywiec.   Sunday, May 22 View Page The 1874 Mathison. Growing 10 inches a day. This plant is beside the Zywiec plant and 2 feet apart. The growth of both plants is amazing. Do you remove one of these plants or turn them away from each other??? There is room for a 90 degree turn if I grow both. Everything I know tells me to cut one and remove it, but I'v never seen growth like this before. I think its an all or nothing game, but.... ANY INPUT IS SURELY APPRECIATED. swright22980@yahoo.com   Sunday, May 22 View Page Vine on the 1874 Mathison.   Sunday, May 22 View Page Huge leaves on the 1874 Mathison.   Sunday, May 22 View Page The other 1945.5 Daletas.   Sunday, May 22 View Page Had to set up another greenhouse for a few days to start these 2 plants for the "late" season.   Wednesday, May 25 View Page New little dirt facers added to the Mouser Patrol : )   Wednesday, May 25 View Page Warm and sunshine today and yesterday. Perfect time to catch back up while the garden is wet. Sprayed a mixture of Biota Max.....   Wednesday, May 25 View Page Beneficial bacteria and fungi.......   Wednesday, May 25 View Page More microbes.....   Wednesday, May 25 View Page "The Magic of Science"   Wednesday, May 25 View Page Diamond Grow Amino Acids......great stuff.......   Wednesday, May 25 View Page Makes a very nice microbial delivery system.....   Wednesday, May 25 View Page And a big dose of "sugar water" keeps everybody happy.   Sunday, May 29 View Page More rain today. Just a steady drizzle and around 72f all day. Got the greenhouses, lights and heaters taken down and put away.   Sunday, May 29 View Page Not too bad a day to plant some tomatoes. Here are 22 of my own crosses. Hoped to plant some more but I was starting to get wet. Maybe tomorrow or the next day I can plant the rest.   Sunday, May 29 View Page 1817 McConkie on the left and the 1666.5 Steil on the right.   Sunday, May 29 View Page !945.5 Daletas. It has turned into a ribbon vine. I was hoping it would grow out of it but it looks like "NOT".   Sunday, May 29 View Page Ribbon vine with 2 little pumpkins. I guess we will figure this out....   Sunday, May 29 View Page 1781 Zywiec. I broke a side vine on this plant.   Sunday, May 29 View Page 1625.5 Huydic on the left and another 1945.5 Daletas on the right..These 2 plants are recovering from the monsoons we have received here.   Sunday, May 29 View Page The 1916 Barron.   Monday, May 30 View Page I wanted to show my daughter a few things we have here where we live. A Memorial Day Tribute. Not many people ever visit or even know about this place.   Monday, May 30 View Page Confederate soldier.   Monday, May 30 View Page Confederate soldier.   Monday, May 30 View Page Another....   Monday, May 30 View Page Another...   Monday, May 30 View Page One more...   Monday, May 30 View Page Killed in the Battle of .....   Monday, May 30 View Page Winchester, Virginia 1864.   Monday, May 30 View Page Another place interesting just outside of town.Trinity Lutheran Church in Crimora, Virginia is the oldest congregation in Augusta County, Virginia. It dates it's humble beginnings to the year 1772 when Michael Keinadt came down to the Shenandoah Valley from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with his wife Margaret Diller Keinadt. The first log church was built in 1794 and located just about the center of the current Trinity Cemetery. But the cemetery was in use long before that time. It is believed that burials began about 1730 or 1740. As the years passed, the church was referred to as " Coiner Church Cemetery". Many of the early burials were of the Keinadt ( Coiner, Coyner, Koiner, Koyner ) families. It is interesting to note that some graves date back to veterans of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. It is believed that a corner section of this cemetery even has burials of unidentified soldiers killed during the Civil War.   Monday, May 30 View Page The cemetery looking east to the mountains.   Monday, May 30 View Page Spot of the original church.   Monday, May 30 View Page The original Pulpit.   Monday, May 30 View Page The big stone ball marker. We always thought that was pretty cool.   Monday, May 30 View Page Marker.   Monday, May 30 View Page Revolutionary soldier.   Monday, May 30 View Page Revolutionary soldier.   Monday, May 30 View Page Revolutionary soldier.   Monday, May 30 View Page Revolutionary soldier.   Monday, May 30 View Page Revolutionary soldier.   Monday, May 30 View Page Pretty amazing place. There are also grave markers here where slaves are buried along side of owners in the family cemetery. But that's a whole nother story completely. : )   Monday, May 30 View Page Revolutionary soldier.   Monday, May 30 View Page The marker.   Monday, May 30 View Page A Civil War soldier.   Monday, May 30 View Page An interesting ride today for Memorial Day 2016.   Wednesday, June 1 View Page Yesterday's Rainfall 0.01" Month to Date Precipitation/Month's Average 7.64/3.71" Year to Date Precipitation/YTD Average 14.42"/14.11" ........I was curious to compare our May rain totals to the May rain totals for the Amazon Rainforest. At Manaus, Brazil they get 8 inches of rain in May. We got 7.64. (It felt like more in my garden)...Source- Rainforest Alliance www.rainforest-alliance.org   Tuesday, June 7 View Page Well, the rain has not stopped yet, but it has slowed down some. The garden has been wet now for almost 40 consecutive days. This is the 1945.5 Daletas....A.K.A. - the freaky "ribbon vine".   Tuesday, June 7 View Page I tried to nurse the "ribbon vine" but was not successful.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page Got an inch of rain a few evenings ago and it busted.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page Another picture of the "ribbon vine".   Tuesday, June 7 View Page Cut the vine tip off and will try to get a pumpkin set on a side vine. Some of the side vines are not "normal" either. Pretty cool how there is double everything. If all fails, I planted a backup across from the Daletas plant.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page Flat as can be.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page The growing tip.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page We decided to go with the 1625.5 Huydic plant. This is the wettest spot in the garden and this plant took the most beating from all the rain this season.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page The 1781 Zywiec, Quite a beast of a plant so far.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page Another view of the 1781 Zywiec.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page The 1916 Barron.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page Another view of the 1916 Barron.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page 1817 McConkie on the left and the 1666.5 Steil on the right.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page Backup plant for the Daletas "ribbon vine" plant. A 1309 Connolly. : )   Tuesday, June 7 View Page Tomatoes doing well and getting thick.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page Street view.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page mmmmmm...........   Friday, June 10 View Page First pollination attempt. 1781 Zywiec, about 15 feet out. 2 more pumpkins forming just past this one.   Friday, June 10 View Page Only had 4 male flowers. 2 from the Zywiec plant and 2 from the 1945.5 Daletas plant.   Saturday, June 11 View Page 90+ degrees today. Hit the plants with Lithovit to help with stress.   Sunday, June 12 View Page The 1916 Barron.   Sunday, June 12 View Page Another view of the 1916 Barron. Easy to get along with and a really nice plant.   Sunday, June 12 View Page The 1945.5 Daletas. (ribbon vine)   Sunday, June 12 View Page The 1625.5 Huydic.   Sunday, June 12 View Page The 1781 Zywiec.   Sunday, June 12 View Page Baby pumpkin on the 1781 Zywiec. Pollination attempt was friday morning. There did not seem to be a lot of pollin so it's a "wait and see".   Sunday, June 12 View Page We chose the 1666.5 Steil plant.   Sunday, June 12 View Page The 1309 Connolly plant.   Sunday, June 12 View Page Tomatoes.   Sunday, June 12 View Page 14 left over tomato plants of multiple genetics. Planted in the big pots with a lot of flat rocks from a creek and sandy dirt from the mountains, mixed with 50% "PRO-MIX". A little bit of lime and some humic, fulvic acids. Will liquid feed these. LOL Should be at least, a little bit interesting.   Sunday, June 12 View Page Volunteer sunflowers.   Sunday, June 12 View Page Tall sunflowers.   Sunday, June 12 View Page My Zinnia's. I've been growing these and saving seed for a long, long time. Zinnia's are my favorite.   Sunday, June 12 View Page mmmm..............   Sunday, June 12 View Page : ) : )   Tuesday, June 14 View Page Twin pollination attempt this morning on the end of the ribbon vine of the 1945.5 Daletas.... 1945.5 Daletas X 1781 Zywiec.   Thursday, June 16 View Page 1781 Zywiec X 1916 Barron pollination attempt.   Sunday, June 19 View Page My tomato crosses looking really nice.   Sunday, June 19 View Page One of my tomato plants.   Sunday, June 19 View Page These plants are full of these huge blooms.   Sunday, June 19 View Page Pretty healthy.   Sunday, June 19 View Page Another bloom.   Sunday, June 19 View Page Another.   Sunday, June 19 View Page LOL...Big "ole" blooms... : )   Sunday, June 19 View Page Tomato in a pot.   Sunday, June 19 View Page 7.33 Hunt F-2.   Sunday, June 19 View Page 5.58 Timm F-2.   Sunday, June 19 View Page Gordon Graham F-2.   Sunday, June 19 View Page 5.0 "fused stem" Glenn Knox. It has a lot of "Slankard" in it.   Sunday, June 19 View Page One of mine. Also looking like a lot of "Slankard".   Sunday, June 19 View Page 3.94 Pennington. ( one of my personal favorite genetics) I have multiples of all of these genetics in these 14 pots and I see a little room in the garden for a couple more plants.   Sunday, June 19 View Page Volunteer sunflowers.   Sunday, June 19 View Page Big stalk.   Sunday, June 19 View Page I love the way they turn to the sun.   Sunday, June 19 View Page mmmmm...... : )   Sunday, June 19 View Page I had to move this one yesterday. I hope I didn't hurt it too much.   Sunday, June 19 View Page Super tall sunflowers.   Sunday, June 19 View Page Zinnias. I hope to move some of these around the next few days. As you can see the rain washed a lot of them to one side.   Sunday, June 19 View Page The garden.   Sunday, June 19 View Page Added a little of this to the garden a few days ago.   Sunday, June 19 View Page Got this thing in the mail.   Sunday, June 19 View Page I'm not sure where the high nitrogen comes from. Nothing has been added except a plethora, (that means, a lot) : ) of bacteria and fungus and a little kelp. Maybe this is the culprit??   Sunday, June 19 View Page 1309 Connolly.   Sunday, June 19 View Page 1625.5 Huydic.   Sunday, June 19 View Page 1916 Barron.   Sunday, June 19 View Page 1781 Zywiec.   Sunday, June 19 View Page I'm not sure if it "took" or not. 1781 Zywiec.   Sunday, June 19 View Page 2 more pollinated on the Zywiec plant. 1781 Zywiec X 1916 Barron. The second and latter was a mixed "open" pollination in the rain.   Sunday, June 19 View Page 1945.5 Daletas (ribbon vine).   Sunday, June 19 View Page This is where I cut the main vine tip. It has come out as 6 individual vines.   Sunday, June 19 View Page Pretty cool as this plant has double parts going on all over anyway.   Sunday, June 19 View Page Twin pumpkins pollinated on the end of the main "ribbon vine". 1945.5 Daletas.   Thursday, June 23 View Page High winds and rain all day. Plants held in there pretty good......and as I've heard before.... "Red sky at night, sailor's delight" It's going to be a nice day tomorrow.   Sunday, June 26 View Page Yesterday's Rainfall 0.00" Month to Date Precipitation/Month's Average 6.80"/3.41" Year to Date Precipitation/YTD Average 21.22"/17.52" Lots more rain for the month again and the month's not over yet.   Sunday, June 26 View Page Sunflowers taking a beating...but then again, they always do. : )   Sunday, June 26 View Page Tomato plants coming along nicely.   Sunday, June 26 View Page One of my crosses.   Sunday, June 26 View Page Tomato pots doing well.   Sunday, June 26 View Page One of the Knox 5.0 plants. Slankard looking.   Sunday, June 26 View Page One of my crosses that's also really slankard looking.   Sunday, June 26 View Page One of the 3.94 Pennington plants looking great.   Sunday, June 26 View Page I have a little extra room. Giant cantaloupe's, because they taste super good and we have time for these too.   Sunday, June 26 View Page mmmmm..........   Sunday, June 26 View Page The transplant went OK.   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1309 Connolly.   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1625.5 Huydic.   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1916 Barron.   Sunday, June 26 View Page Another view. 1916 Barron.   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1916 Barron. Panicky, "open", 2 bee pollination attempt this morning. Pollination's have been tough this year.   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1781 Zywiec.   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1781 Zywiec. Another panicky, "open" pollination attempt this morning.   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1781 Zywiec. I am zero for 3 on pollination attempts on the main vine of this plant. Maybe today will "take" and if not there is another little pumpkin right past this one.   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1945.5 Daletas. The "ribbon vine" plant.   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1945.5 Daletas. Using the little pumpkin to let the bigger one down gently. : ) Will work on this soon.   Monday, June 27 View Page It pays here to bury vines. Found this in the garden today before the eternal rains started again. A really old Revlon make-up box and a Liberty Quarter.   Monday, June 27 View Page I do believe it says 1918 on it. Nice : )   Friday, July 1 View Page Took a road trip today to pick up a "secret weapon" : ) A very scenic drive, so I brought the camera along. Going across the mountain and over into the "flat lands". The Piedmont. This is Mount Torry Furnace just outside of town, on the way up the mountain. When I was young I remember this being in much better condition than it is now.   Friday, July 1 View Page The sign looks pretty good....   Friday, July 1 View Page Up to the Blue Ridge Parkway headed south. I saw 3 young deer and a huge turkey hen with 2 little ones. LOL They were too fast for the camera, but I did try. This is the view west across the valley. Looking towards the Allegheny Mountains to the far west.   Friday, July 1 View Page Next stop with a nice view.   Friday, July 1 View Page The House Mountain hike near Lexington Virginia is really two out-and-back hikes in one. Big House Mountain, with great views to the west from Goat Point Overlook, and Little House Mountain, with its spectacular views of the Shenandoah Valley to the northeast. A major draw to Big House Mountain over the last several years is to spend time with the friendly goat. She took up residence on the ridge of Big House Mountain around 2011, and is known to join hikers up the last section to Goat Point Overlook, then asks for a toll tax of food ... which she normally receives. Little House and Big House Mountains appear to tower out of the plains as they stand by themselves, separate from any other mountain range. The 950 acre House Mountain Preserve was purchased in 1989 through the efforts of the Rockbridge Area Conservation Council, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, and many local residents, including Bill Stubbs a leader in conservation causes in the Rockbridge area for many years. The area is now owned by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, and managed locally by the House Mountain Management Committee representing RACC, W&L University, VMI, and VOF. The saddle between Big House and Little House Mountains was originally a homestead, and more recently a orchard and pasture. With camping space for multiple tents, as well as a seasonal spring just past the shelter on Big House Mountain, this is a perfect place to take an overnight backpack.   Friday, July 1 View Page Beautiful and amazing.   Friday, July 1 View Page Down the other side of the mountain and into the "flat lands".   Friday, July 1 View Page Getting closer.   Friday, July 1 View Page Almost there.   Friday, July 1 View Page I made it.. A "quaint" and pretty place. Very, very rural farm country.   Friday, July 1 View Page Crop Production Services. Robin Davis can get you what you need there. Crystal Hill Virginia.   Friday, July 1 View Page Secret weapon ?? : )   Sunday, July 3 View Page More light rain and cool (65f) today. The real rain is forecast for tomorrow. Sprayed all biologics along with some humic-fulvic acids, seaweed and molasses. A great morning to do that. The overcast day is not keeping the flowers from blooming. A sunflower.   Sunday, July 3 View Page I'm not sure what this is...   Sunday, July 3 View Page Or this?   Sunday, July 3 View Page The long purple ones sure are delicate and beautiful.   Sunday, July 3 View Page Coneflowers are everywhere here.   Sunday, July 3 View Page The highlight behind the garden. Red Bee Balm. My neighbor behind the garden raises honey bee's.   Sunday, July 3 View Page Tall sunflowers.   Sunday, July 3 View Page Got the Zinnia patch weeded. This should be really pretty soon.   Sunday, July 3 View Page Cantaloupes showing a first leaf. Growing fast.   Sunday, July 3 View Page Only one long gourd plant. No luck germinating seeds this year. 137.5 Fred Ansems   Sunday, July 3 View Page Tomatoes growing well.   Sunday, July 3 View Page Tomatoes in the pots doing well. They are on a liquid fish diet and the biologics. There's lots of rocks and not really not much real "garden" soil in those pots.   Sunday, July 3 View Page Big leaves on the 5.00 Knox plant. A picture of the 5.00 Knox (fused stem) http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=146599   Sunday, July 3 View Page Slow but sure........ : )   Sunday, July 3 View Page Looks to be starting to vine.   Sunday, July 3 View Page A few daisy looking flowers I forgot to include above.   Sunday, July 3 View Page The plants are huge.   Sunday, July 3 View Page The 1309 Connolly.   Sunday, July 3 View Page The 1625.5 Huydic.   Sunday, July 3 View Page The 1945.5 Daletas (ribbon vine).   Sunday, July 3 View Page Side vine set on the 1945.5 Daletas plant.   Sunday, July 3 View Page The 1916 Barron plant.   Sunday, July 3 View Page First pollination attempt on the 1916 Barron.   Sunday, July 3 View Page July 2. Second pollination attempt. 1916 Barron.   Sunday, July 3 View Page The 1781 Zywiec plant. Hard to fit in the picture.   Sunday, July 3 View Page 1781 Zywiec. 7 DAP. ( fourth pollination attempt on the main vine )   Sunday, July 3 View Page 1781 Zywiec. Lots of side vine pumpkins. Here's a nice one growing fast.   Monday, July 11 View Page We needed sand, so a short trip up to the sand mines with my 3 year old grandson. Silas is his name.   Monday, July 11 View Page Silas is in the truck. He loved it.   Monday, July 11 View Page Making sand..   Monday, July 11 View Page On our way out.   Monday, July 11 View Page The more expensive stuff.   Monday, July 11 View Page Yesterday (sunday) was a big day here. Lots of catching up to do in the garden as the plants grow faster than I can move. We had Silas over to swim all day and then we attended our local after the 4th Summer Extravaganza at our local park.   Monday, July 11 View Page Ohh, to be 3 again....... : )   Monday, July 11 View Page Silas.   Monday, July 11 View Page And when the kids are finished, we get the handy-dandy little portable Wal-Mart pump out and empty the pool on the garden. It was 92 degrees that day and I'm sure the garden thanked me.   Monday, July 11 View Page Then it was on to the park and The Waynesboro Summer Extravaganza, after working all day in the garden. There were about a dozen of us that walked down there, as we live only 3-4 blocks from the City Park. Here's the website for the event. Every year, weekend after the 4th. http://www.waynesboro.va.us/254/Summer-Extravaganza   Monday, July 11 View Page There absolutely were thousands of kids there this year. Silas is in there somewhere.   Monday, July 11 View Page My youngest daughter, Leana and Silas having the big time.   Monday, July 11 View Page Handsome boy.   Monday, July 11 View Page And a really good fireworks show at the end......   Monday, July 11 View Page You ever try catching fireworks on a digital camera?   Monday, July 11 View Page It's truly almost futile....   Monday, July 11 View Page I bet I took a hundred to get 10...   Monday, July 11 View Page My hands, arms and fingers got tired....   Monday, July 11 View Page But you keep on trying....   Monday, July 11 View Page It's kind of hypnotizing in a way....   Monday, July 11 View Page Sometimes you get a nice one....   Monday, July 11 View Page Pretty good....   Monday, July 11 View Page Winding up the evening....   Monday, July 11 View Page With a big bang. They have the firworks "barrage" at the very end. I think that everyone had a great time Sunday.   Monday, July 11 View Page Garden doing well. Will be out of room soon.   Monday, July 11 View Page Tomato plants, but no tomatoes yet.   Monday, July 11 View Page Tomatoes in the pots doing well and sucking down a lot of water.   Monday, July 11 View Page 3 giant cantaloupe plants for "late.   Monday, July 11 View Page Mmmm.... Springing alive with the heat.....   Monday, July 11 View Page Better.....   Monday, July 11 View Page The lone long gourd coming alive also.   Monday, July 11 View Page Tall sunflowers.   Monday, July 11 View Page Zinnia's getting big.   Monday, July 11 View Page The 1309 Connolly.   Monday, July 11 View Page The 1945.5 Daletas. (Ribbon Vine)   Monday, July 11 View Page Very difficult to "set" a pumpkin on this plant. Just when you think you have it.......Aborts. Maybe it's sterile or half sterile or......Who knows? LOL. If this one takes, I'll move the board again.   Monday, July 11 View Page The 1625.5 Huydic. We have a 7/7 pollination attempt on this plant.   Monday, July 11 View Page The 1916 Barron.   Monday, July 11 View Page 1916 Barron.   Monday, July 11 View Page The 1781 Zywiec plant.   Monday, July 11 View Page 1781 Zywiec. This plant also has a side vine pumpkin thats about 8 days in front of this one.   Monday, July 11 View Page The forgotten picture. My volunteer sunflowers with the red in them.Some are approaching 10 feet now. I don't remember seeing this red color in years past. Need to check my past diaries again.   Monday, July 11 View Page Almost forgot. Changed out the lures and pest strips in the SVB traps. I don't like to think about how many SVB's I'v seen.   Wednesday, July 13 View Page "Turbo Time" for the tomatoes.   Sunday, July 17 View Page Garden coming along very nicely. We are almost out of room.   Sunday, July 17 View Page It's difficult to get the entire garden in the photo. Just a sea of green now.   Sunday, July 17 View Page These are a different kind of sunflowers (volunteer also) that throw many multiples. They look really nice this morning.   Sunday, July 17 View Page Wow! Found this hiding in the weeds this morning. BEAUTIFUL ! On a blessed Sunday morning !! : )   Sunday, July 17 View Page Zinnia's survived the Japanese Beetle attack and are starting to bloom. The beetles attack whether there is poison or not. Surely they regret the poison later, but it did not phase their 2 day attack.   Sunday, July 17 View Page Cantaloupes growing well, except I lost one plant on the end of the row. Something broke the stem. Maybe one of the cats? Planted a back-up that was in the trash pile. A 35.5 Bright plant. The other 2 plants are from a 32 pound cantaloupe I grew a few years ago.   Sunday, July 17 View Page Trying to see if the long gourd will root up a little before we run it up the trellis.   Sunday, July 17 View Page Mmmm.....   Sunday, July 17 View Page Mmmm..........better.....plant #2   Sunday, July 17 View Page Genetics plant. F 285 Edwards (dmg) X M 255 Conrad (WR) X 260 Bright (WR)   Sunday, July 17 View Page Tomatoes in the pots sucking a lot of water down.   Sunday, July 17 View Page Weekly porch view of the tomatoes. Looking good.   Sunday, July 17 View Page Approaching 6 feet tall.   Sunday, July 17 View Page Learning year for these tomatoes. BUT..... here is one nice one.   Sunday, July 17 View Page The 1945.5 Daletas (ribbon vine). We may have one growing. Thinking about maybe 2 pumpkins on this plant. One on each side? Not sure, so we shall see how this progresses. It's a pretty "freaky" plant and interesting if nothing else.   Sunday, July 17 View Page The 1916 Barron. "Mr. steady plant" Day 21 taping right over 71 inches.   Sunday, July 17 View Page The 1781 Zywiec plant.   Sunday, July 17 View Page Day 21. 87" cc......it might even be more than that....   Sunday, July 17 View Page Pumpkin removed from side vine of the 1781 Zywiec just yesterday. It's easily a couple hundred pounds.   Sunday, July 17 View Page This is the second pumpkin removed from the 1781 Zywiec plant yesterday. Got it out of the garden in 4 pieces without tearing too much up.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Heat blast of 95+ degrees for 4 days in a row.   Sunday, July 24 View Page The "Dirty Dozen" getting ready for early morning duty. : )   Sunday, July 24 View Page The garden looks amazingly good. Very Blessed this season.   Sunday, July 24 View Page The kids were over swimming in the pool again yesterday. All together, 500 free gallons of water for the heat today.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Zinnia's starting to do their thing. Beautiful...   Sunday, July 24 View Page Tomatoes are covered with green tomatoes now. Lots of big singles.   Sunday, July 24 View Page YES, it's huge and green and hard as a rock. We have been blessed again.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Cantaloupes coming along nicely.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Long gourd starting it's climb up the trellis.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Mmmm... Loving the heat.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Mmmmmmm....   Sunday, July 24 View Page Genetics plant.   Sunday, July 24 View Page 1625.5 Huydic, almost out of room.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Shade structure over the 1916 Barron. I have 3 more of these to build.   Sunday, July 24 View Page 1916 Barron day 28. We will measure this on Tuesday.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Weird shape on one side of the 1916 Barron. She also seems to be as solid as a rock.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Shade structure covering 2 pumpkins. The 1781 Zywiec and one of the "Twins" on the 1945.5 Daletas (ribbon vine)   Sunday, July 24 View Page Twin #1 on the 1945.5 Daletas. Since this plant is basically multiple plants combined into one, I was able to "set" a pumpkin on the largest side vine on each side of this plant. Both side vines are coming off very near to the stump.   Sunday, July 24 View Page Twin # 2. Both pumpkins were pollinated about a day apart (open), somewhere around July 4. Again, we feel very blessed to be getting anything off this plant. Much less a pair of "Twins".   Sunday, July 24 View Page 1781 Zywiec on the left. Twin #1 on the right.   Sunday, July 24 View Page 1781 Zywiec. Day 28. 116cc X 73 X 73 262 = 366-435 pounds.   Sunday, July 31 View Page The garden looks amazingly super healthy. We got thru 5 days in a row of some kind of baking heat. Temp. was 95f, but the "feel temp" was over 100f. The weather people said it was an unusual type heat that we have not seen here in years. I know it was strange. Humid, but it felt like desert type heat.   Sunday, July 31 View Page In a few more days, there will be no more room in the garden. Tomato's in the pots look pretty good. No mega blossoms on any of these though, but that's not what they are for. These plants are so the neighbors can grab some fresh tomato's when they want. And who knows, there might be a good "cross" going on there also....   Sunday, July 31 View Page Almost out of room.   Sunday, July 31 View Page I've been trying to make 2 new friends. They are coming around, but still pretty free-spirited. : )   Sunday, July 31 View Page Tomato plants are huge and loaded with big tomato's.   Sunday, July 31 View Page Lots of tomato's this year.   Sunday, July 31 View Page Lots and lots of these singles.   Sunday, July 31 View Page Impossible to get a photo of and we're not touching it. LOL Not a clear photo. All we can say is, 3 people have looked at it close and they all say it's at least 27 inches and has a long way to go. We pray that's true and that it's one legitimate tomato and that it holds together for a while more. It's still pretty pale right now and as hard as a rock.   Sunday, July 31 View Page Zinnia's starting to fill in. I think the pink and orange color scheme is stunning. Pretty cool how the colors change from year to year. If I recall correctly, the colors last time had a lot of purple's and reds.   Sunday, July 31 View Page These zinnia's made a really nice border along the alley.   Sunday, July 31 View Page Sunflowers look nice this afternoon.   Sunday, July 31 View Page Long gourd going crazy. Halfway to the top. Thicker and fuller looking plant than I have ever seen.   Sunday, July 31 View Page Giant cantaloupes looking great.   Sunday, July 31 View Page Plant #1.......   Sunday, July 31 View Page Plant #2.   Sunday, July 31 View Page Genetics plant.   Sunday, July 31 View Page The 1625.5 Huydic. 24 days old.   Sunday, July 31 View Page The 1945.5 Daletas (ribbon vine). Twin #1. 242 pounds, day 27.   Sunday, July 31 View Page The 1945.5 Daletas (ribbon vine). Twin #2, no weight, day 26.   Sunday, July 31 View Page The 1916 Barron. Day 35, 392 pounds and looking really heavy.   Sunday, July 31 View Page It looks big from here....   Sunday, July 31 View Page The 1781 Zywiec. 755 pounds, day 35.   Monday, August 1 View Page Saw some color on the big tomato today and discovered a bad spot starting.   Monday, August 1 View Page Big ribbon vine.   Monday, August 1 View Page 3 pounds 8 ounces and still hard as a rock. 23" cc.   Monday, August 1 View Page The back-side.   Thursday, August 4 View Page I attended seminars about SAP Testing a few years ago. AEA (Advancing Eco Agriculture). Met John Kempf, in my opinion is absolutely brilliant. John gives these seminars all across the country. www.advancingecoag.com Here is a news letter article I hope you can read.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Garden looking pretty good. A lot of rain already this month, almost every day.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Yesterday we got a lot of rain and heavy winds. The vegetable plants held the wind really well. The flowers...not so much. I'm sure they will recover though.   Sunday, August 7 View Page The walls of water didn't get them all. Pretty.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Tomato pots looking pretty good for no real soil and mostly rocks. They are heavy feeding starting last week ( a gallon of fish fertilizer we need to get rid of ) and also taking a lot more water.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Tomato row is pretty stunning. Approaching 7 feet tall and huge. Each plant has a lot of big tomato's.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Tomato's.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Lots and lots of them...   Sunday, August 7 View Page Bushel baskets full of nice ones...   Sunday, August 7 View Page Looks like some unplanned "canning" is getting ready to go down.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Our one long gourd has reached the top of the trellis.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Long gourd growing like "wildfire" and taking over the whole trellis, all by itself. I have never seen a plant be this aggressive before.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Watermelon #2.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Genetics plant. We pray to just get some seeds for the future here.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Watermelon #1.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Don't know a lot about these watermelons, but I do know this thing here is growing really fast. Funny shaped end, but looks to be filling in? We shall see... : )   Sunday, August 7 View Page The pumpkins. Hopefully a "set" on the main vine of our late late plant. Plant looks great. 1309 Connolly.   Sunday, August 7 View Page Getting better at building shelters : ) 1625.5 Huydic.   Sunday, August 7 View Page 1625.5 Huydic. Day 30. Looks like an ATV wheel and tire.   Sunday, August 7 View Page The 1945.5 Daletas ( ribbon vine ). One of the original "twins" we had on this plant. But the "twins" are no more...   Sunday, August 7 View Page Ohh... and I almost forget. Pumpkin #1 will now be known as the "cat scratch" Daletas pumpkin. I think that big solid white stray cat had a field night with the pumpkins the other night. He got 2 pumpkins.....Grrrrr. This is pumpkin #2 on the 1945.5 Daletas. But, like I said, the "twins" are no more...   Sunday, August 7 View Page 1945.5 Daletas. I'm surely going blind as I never saw this pumpkin. I think it's bigger than either of the other 2. So, now we have "triplets". I doubt if this one makes it though. Nothing under the pumpkin and usually that's not good thing here. BUT, everyone voted to leave it and pray for the best. So, for now....it's "triplets".   Sunday, August 7 View Page The 1916 Barron. Steady, steady, steady. Looking like a big heavy boulder. Day 42. 281". 491 pounds.   Sunday, August 7 View Page The 1781 Zywiec got the "cat scratch" also, of course.   Sunday, August 7 View Page The stump on the 1781 Zywiec.   Sunday, August 7 View Page The 1781 Zywiec. Day 42. 330". 782 pounds. We made an honest measuring mistake on this pumpkin last week. These are the correct numbers as of this morning.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Heat index is something ridiculous and well over 100f the past 2 days. It's really hot. Garden hanging in there pretty good today.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Zinnia's are beautiful and attracting a massive amount of hummingbirds. I think it's pretty cool...   Sunday, August 14 View Page Bright pink.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Unusual light purple.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Orange. A lot of variation of orange this year.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Bright orange.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Flaming orange.   Sunday, August 14 View Page More pink. A lot of variations here also.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Pink with the big cones.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Prettiest for last ( IMHO ). This pale yellow is my favorite.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Tomato plants still growing well.   Sunday, August 14 View Page First picking of a few tomato plants. All of these are at least 2 pounds and one is almost 3 pounds. MMMMM, grilled cheddar cheese and tomato sandwiches tonight. I love it. : )   Sunday, August 14 View Page Great old set of scales.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Long gourd taking over the trellis.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Giant cantaloupes soaking up this heat.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Watermelon #2. It has little ones, but maybe not enough time. We shall see.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Melon #1.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Every day I say...."You got to be kidding"....amazing to me.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Pumpkin #1 on the 1945.5 Daletas. Guessing 350 - 375 lbs.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Pumpkin #2 on the 1945.5 Daletas. Guessing a couple hundred lbs. Pumpkin #3 is as large as pumpkin #1, but I dare not venture out there again for fear of No Return. LOL   Sunday, August 14 View Page 1625.5 Huydic. Day 37. Growing fast and looking good.   Sunday, August 14 View Page The "Turtle". 1916 Barron. Slow but steady. Impossible to get a good tape on. Huge CC. Low and wide. Looking extremely heavy. Day 49 and I'll say somewhere past 600 pounds. Maybe a little, maybe a lot.   Sunday, August 14 View Page MY MOM. : ) : ) : ) 1781 Zywiec. Day 49. Approaching 1000 lbs.   Wednesday, August 17 View Page Over 40 lbs. of tomato's from just a few plants. All 2-3 lbs. Every plant has at least 4 tomato's this size on it. Next pickings are one pounders. Not very many small ones on these plants.   Sunday, August 21 View Page Garden hanging in there pretty good.   Sunday, August 21 View Page Weekly tomato's from the porch shot.   Sunday, August 21 View Page Today's picking.   Sunday, August 21 View Page Tomato's in the pots doing good. Nothing huge. Good for no real dirt and now they are just one huge rootball.   Sunday, August 21 View Page The zinnia's.   Sunday, August 21 View Page Zinnia's lining the alley are pretty.   Sunday, August 21 View Page One long gourd plant. 137.5 Fred Ansems. Amazing growth.   Sunday, August 21 View Page Watermelon plant #2 getting big.   Sunday, August 21 View Page Candidate on melon plant #2.   Sunday, August 21 View Page Second candidate on melon plant #2.   Sunday, August 21 View Page Watermelon plant #1.   Sunday, August 21 View Page Melon, plant #1.   Sunday, August 21 View Page 1945.5 Daletas. 285" ott. 512 lbs. This pumpkin has an exact twin in the middle of the garden on no sand. Looks to be still holding together and about the same size, but more color.   Sunday, August 21 View Page The third pumpkin on the 1945.5 Daletas has aborted. I suspect it did this 2 weeks ago. Dag gone waste of a good shelter too.... : )   Sunday, August 21 View Page 1625.5 Huydic. 262" ott. 401 pounds.   Sunday, August 21 View Page 1916 Barron (the turtle ). Appx. 310" ott, (impossible to measure ). 653 lbs.   Sunday, August 21 View Page The 1781 Zywiec. 371" ott. 1098 lbs.   Sunday, August 28 View Page Heat wave. Over 90f every day this week.   Sunday, August 28 View Page Plants holding together fairly well, heading into September.   Sunday, August 28 View Page Tomato plants starting to be like a jungle.   Sunday, August 28 View Page Today's picking of tomatos.   Sunday, August 28 View Page Long gourd plant. Looking good. Need to start working on this soon.   Sunday, August 28 View Page Watermelon plant #2. Narrowed down to 2 melons and soon to be one.   Sunday, August 28 View Page Second melon on plant #2.   Sunday, August 28 View Page A surprise on the genetics plant. This melon sure is growing fast for just a small plant.   Sunday, August 28 View Page Watermelon on plant #1. Approaching 30 days old.   Sunday, August 28 View Page My grandson Silas with the 1625.5 Huydic.   Sunday, August 28 View Page Looks to be a real pretty orange and it's growing fast. 1625.5 Huydic.   Sunday, August 28 View Page The "cat scratch twin" on the 1945.5 Daletas (ribbon vine).   Sunday, August 28 View Page Waded out into "no-man's land" to get this photo of "cat scratches" twin on the 1945.5 Daletas. No real care, no sand and so far, so good. I don't see rot yet. Seems to be about the same size as the other pumpkin.   Sunday, August 28 View Page The "turtle". 1916 Barron just crawling along, not bothering anybody. : )   Sunday, August 28 View Page Silas with the 1781 Zywiec. 390" ott.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Garden looks pretty nice, rolling into September. The next week is calling for 87 degree days and 65 degree nights.   Sunday, September 4 View Page A gift from the Excavating Company. Obsolete gas line they cannot use anymore. (Same stuff I made my greenhouses from) Best stuff you could ever ask, for future garden projects. It lasts a long long time.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Spent the morning chasing the Butterflies. Lots of Hummingbirds also, but impossible to capture with a digital camera.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Butterfly.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Butterfly.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Butterfly.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Butterfly.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Butterfly.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Butterfly.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Butterfly.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Tomato plants. Still getting lots of nice tomatoes.   Sunday, September 4 View Page These will be the third picking coming up.   Sunday, September 4 View Page A lot of nice ones.   Sunday, September 4 View Page More tomatoes.   Sunday, September 4 View Page And more. Plants are pretty healthy.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Our one long gourd plant. Amazing.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Our genetics melon, for seed for the future. There is another melon on this plant that is a little smaller. Just a small plant also.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Cull from melon plant #2. We are down to one melon now. We picked the younger one to keep.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Watermelon on plant #2. There is a lot of plant behind this melon.   Sunday, September 4 View Page Watermelon on plant #1. About 34 days old.   Sunday, September 4 View Page 1625.5 Huydic. Really growing well.   Sunday, September 4 View Page 1945.5 Daletas. One of the twins. There are 2 on this plant and they look a lot a like. #2 still hanging in there with no sand and no protection, all on it's own.   Sunday, September 4 View Page 1916 Barron. The "Turtle" is still creeping along and still looking very heavy and very young.   Sunday, September 4 View Page 1781 Zywiec. Today is Day 70 for this pumpkin and also Day 70 for the 1916 Barron pumpkin.   Sunday, September 11 View Page We start this week with sites around the neighborhood.   Sunday, September 11 View Page This years election is interesting, to say the least.   Sunday, September 11 View Page A picture is worth at least a thousand words.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Cats, on hot and lazy days. This past week has been very hot and dry. It's been 95f in the days and 80's at night. Yesterday was the last day of the heat, as temps. are becoming more seasonal today. Still dry though.   Sunday, September 11 View Page My daughter and I took a ride last night up on the mountain. Very nice up there and about 15 degrees cooler than in the valley at our house.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Waynesboro, Augusta County.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Our little town.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Looking off the other side to the east. Nelson County, Virginia.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Nice little ride and then back to town. This is the old part of downtown a few blocks from our house.   Sunday, September 11 View Page My daughter brought this Amaryllis home from her work a few years ago. I think this is the 4th time we have had it bloom.... Sure are pretty.   Sunday, September 11 View Page September 11 garden shot. A little disease, a little beat up, some rotten vines. Really, all in all, it's very good for September 11.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Zinnias.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Still pretty, but starting their fade....You can tell Fall is arriving.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Weekly, tomatoes from the porch shot.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Very healthy and looking great. Hit them with some Amino Acids this week, to boost the nitrogen a bit.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Tomato harvest this week. Gave a lot away too.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Tomatoes from the potato leaf variety. Lots of heavy in these. Saving some seed here for a future "back-cross" into my variety, one more time.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Still getting a lot of nice ones.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Our one lone long gourd plant. : )   Sunday, September 11 View Page Covered with gourds. I really need to work on this....lol.   Sunday, September 11 View Page A nice gourd.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Our genetics watermelon. Just for future seed. There is another hiding in the weeds, just like this one.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Watermelon #2.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Watermelon #1. 76 x 50 x 36 =162' or 125 lbs.   Sunday, September 11 View Page The 1625.5 Huydic in it's shelter.   Sunday, September 11 View Page The 1625.5 Huydic. Day 66. 295" ott or 565 lbs. This pumpkin seems to still be growing fast.   Sunday, September 11 View Page The 1781 Zywiec and the 1945.5 Daletas "twin" #1 in their shelter.   Sunday, September 11 View Page The 1945.5 Daletas (ribbon vine) "twin" #1. Somewhere around Day 70. 305 ott or 623 lbs.   Sunday, September 11 View Page The 1945.5 Daletas (ribbon vine) "twin" #2. Around Day 70 also. 310 ott or 653 lbs. No sand underneath and no care. Still looks good.   Sunday, September 11 View Page The 1916 Barron in it's shelter.   Sunday, September 11 View Page The 1916 Barron. Day 77. 335 ott or 817 lbs. Looking as solid as a boulder.   Sunday, September 11 View Page The 1781 Zywiec.   Sunday, September 11 View Page The 1781 Zywiec. Day 77. 397 ott or 1336 lbs.   Sunday, September 11 View Page Side view. The 1781 Zywiec.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Temperatures still very warm. High 80's in the day, high 60's at night. Really dry, but maybe some rain this afternoon.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Zinnia's down the alley were pretty this morning I thought.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Getting time to harvest seed again.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Tomatoes from the porch shot.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Healthy plants with lots of tomatoes. The damage you see there was caused by me. Pretty healthy otherwise.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Tomatoes for the week, minus a lot we gave away.   Sunday, September 18 View Page A nice one I picked today.   Sunday, September 18 View Page The tomatoes in the pots are giving many nice tomatoes. Pots are just one big root-ball now, sucking a lot of water and fish ferts.   Sunday, September 18 View Page I don't know if anybody else has this problem with later tomatoes. These are all damaged by the birds. They peck to get the seeds out. I say 10 years ago this never happened. The birds have obviously gotten smarter. BUT ALAS...it's a terribly dangerous game for the birds to play here. There are 15 cats out there preying on them in those tomato plants. They catch them all the time too and it's game over. They have caught 3 or 4 already.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Our one, lone long gourd plant. I finally worked on this the past week.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Gourd #1.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Gourd #2.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Gourd #3.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Our little genetics melon and her little sister hiding in the weeds. Should give us the seeds we want.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Melon #2.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Melon #1.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Getting a little sun today.   Sunday, September 18 View Page The 1625.5 Huydic.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Front of the 1625.5 Huydic.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Twin #2 on the 1945.5 Daletas. No sand, no care.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Stem on the #2 twin of the 1945.5 Daletas. Looks amazing considering no care .   Sunday, September 18 View Page Twin #1 of the 1945.5 Daletas. Pulling ahead of twin #2.   Sunday, September 18 View Page The 1916 Barron, (the turtle).   Sunday, September 18 View Page The 1781 Zywiec.   Sunday, September 25 View Page No real changes in the garden. Getting ready for the weigh-offs. Putting together a few "road trip" songs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ4JWxyx0_I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glkZ5iJtWlQ