by Mrs. Cog

It’s that time of year again when the ridiculous abundant growth around our cabin must be cut back after the Spring explosion of blooms and shoots. I call this the Amazon Rainforest effect because for weeks in the first part of the growing season here it pours and anything green sprawls.

Armed with garden scissors, pruners and loppers I recently began whittling away at the azaleas and honeysuckle. Before long I found myself in Edward Scissorhands mode and was reshaping what are now giant rhododendron bushes, more like trees. In the end several cherry trees had been trimmed as well as another swipe at the prolific kiwi trees. It took two trips with the tractor and cart to remove all the branches when finished.

My first sunflower patch is growing quite well, perhaps too well. Almost twelve feet tall, they haven’t begun to flower yet. Cog has pointed out a few times they are about to cover our smaller solar panels and I may need to choose between flowers or some power. I sassed him and asked if he couldn’t just move the panels lol.

Interesting trivia, the largest sunflower plant is directly in front of the dryer vent. With traces of cotton lint on the stalk, it seems fine with being blasted with warm air even on the hottest days. I’ll follow up with an alert if the sunflower seeds taste like dryer sheets. :-)

We are in the beginning of berry month here. Each day a few more blackberries on the end of each cluster turn from a bright red to black and its shaping up to be the most productive harvest since we moved here. My self-appointed mission is to beat the black bear to each of the five berry patches in and along the edges of the woods near here.

When last I ran into Teddy, the bear, I fussed at him from the safety of my back deck. I swear he rolled his eyes at me as he turned to saunter off. This is consistent with my neighbor’s encounter with him when the bear walked right on past her. Teddy would prefer to avoid people if possible. As such, each time I approach a berry patch, I begin singing, usually Rogers & Hammerstein, at the top of my lungs. No really.

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens… ♫

https://youtu.be/ikpj24WMOLw

Not shy about helping himself to local produce, Teddy has been climbing the neighbor's trees again, or rather, bending the trees to his will. I wonder if he ate any of the peaches after bringing down his conquest as they weren’t even close to ripening.

Canning into the late hours many evenings, we are well into pickle, jam and soup season here. Cog’s request for sausage and peppers turned out marvelous with several new recipe additions to the cupboard, both hot and mild. I snuck zucchini into the spicy sausage mix, but it’s so delicious, he won’t be able to stop himself.