The suffocating dog days of this Southern Summer involved setting up a new office, some very gritty work, a bit of horse play, gaping at pollinators, an evening with The Sun, giant okra and Bob’s new look.
LEGITIMACY
We have an office at The Plant! It is day-lit with a good view of Lorax Lane, a happy little desk donated by Tami, two chairs, storage shelving and Lyle’s fainting couch.
POLLINATORS AND EDIBLES
At The Plant, the landscaping is edible and pollinator-friendly as evidenced by these busy flies on flowering mint.
CATERPILLAR ON DILL
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A fanciful spotted dill-munching caterpillar eats non stop in preparation for its metamorphosis.
XERISCAPING
The Purslane or Moss Rose (Portulaca) and native Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) happily grow without watering, another consideration when landscaping at The Plant.
HOT AND COLD
Meanwhile, back at home we have a busy oven and vegetable drawers. Camille has discovered a new vegan ribs recipe which start out as steaks. Bob keeps us stocked in peppers and okra from his garden.
THE SUN’S 40TH
We joined the birthday celebration for The Sun Magazine‘s 40th year in print. Camille seized the opportunity to ask poet, activist, musician, and rabble-rouser Sparrow his thoughts on playing “Who Dies the Best” as a child growing up in New York.
TANK MOVE
The triumph on Eric and Bob’s faces reflect several days of scary, back-breaking work. Lyle summed up on his Energy Blog with: Moving Out
This 3,500 pound tank was no trifle. Even strapping it onto the flatbed was a tricky endeavor. After it was secured, Lyle took it to the scrap yard in Sanford.
BACK IN THE SADDLE
Thanks to Paula, Camille finally gets back in the saddle after more than two years with her feet on the ground. Ride along here: Riding with Paula
GARDEN GIANTS
Newly-bearded Bob is dwarfed by his okra and roselle hibiscus in the Sunken Gardens of Moncure.
GRAPE AND ORANGE
Also at the Sunken Gardens, our Scuppernong grapes are coming along nicely as is the Flying Dragon Citrus (Citrus trifoliata) a gift from our friend Linda Watson, author and Cook for Good food evangelist.
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THIS MONTH’S QUOTES:
“In the United States we feel guilty for wasting time. Every American should repeat this affirmation” “I will waste more time today. I will be unproductive. I will become more and more like a birch tree.” Sparrow from Small Happiness in The Sun July, 2015
“At its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities.” – Jimmy Carter regarding why he left his church in 2009
“The happy hunting ground of all minds that have lost their balance is not the works of Shakespeare (as Buck Mulligan says) but the Holy Bible.” – Paul Theroux from Dark Star Safari, 2002
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