#sugar pumpkins

A pumpkin is a cultivar of a squash plant, most commonly of Cucurbita pepo, that is round, with smooth, slightly ribbed skin, and deep yellow to orange coloration. The thick shell contains the seeds and pulp. ~Wikipedia

The entire year seems to be a waiting game for fall harvest.

As leaves turn and the autumn chill settles into mornings, pumpkins are ripening on the vine. We’ve spied them…

The Week In Veg, Backyard Wildlife and Scenery

Harvested my first-ever acorn squash and cauliflower yesterday, still haven’t eaten either so can’t call my efforts a success just yet. The squash plant withered prematurely, and four of my squash mildewed or were eaten by chipmunks before they got to full size,..  brought in the last two once I realized the vine was basically dead. They’re undersized so I don’t know if they’ll be any good. Cauliflower turned yellow in the sun, was ravished by caterpillars... one plant was so infested I just let the bugs have it, but harvested two. I’m told it’s perfectly edible even if it’s yellow. I’ve been eating the leaves all along. So that’s a mixed success at best. Brussels Sprouts have provided plenty of leaves but have also had repeated bug issues... still don’t have the “sprouts” growing but the leaves taste very good, just like collards.

The tomatoes, peppers, kohlrabi, swiss chard and okra are unqualified successes.  I have years of experience with peppers and tomatoes, some with greens but will definitely grow the others again. The green kale is also thriving, red kale and collards still recovering from caterpillars.       

I planted sugar pumpkins in a bare spot late in the Spring, and they’re vining out all over the bed, tons of blossoms. So I hope they do better than the acorn squash. And don’t strangle my okra. I’ve grown quite fond of roasted okra. ;)

The geese have gone, and I haven’t seen the hawk in a few days, though I hear him shrieking all the time. The heron flies over quite a bit but won’t grace us with his presence til the pond fills up again... the August heat has dried up most of the water despite several storms this week. I still see the Little Black Squirrel frequently, along with his gray cousins. He’s sort of become my White Rabbit, luring me with his adorable antics as I work in the garden, then bounding off into the woods as I try to raise my camera. I usually follow him and end up photographing other things... and losing all track of time.  

One afternoon while I was inside I saw him and ran out, completely forgetting to put some shoes on first...

Re my medical issues, to keep things brief, I had an ultrasound on my left leg yesterday and was relieved to find I don’t have a blood clot. What I do have they don’t know. I’m seeing an orthopedic specialist on the 31st and will have to cope until then. Sciatica and fibromyalgia are suggestions, but neither fully fits my symptoms. All the tests I’ve had indicate I’m in basically good health; no anemia, spinal damage, nutrient deficiencies other than vitamin D, autoimmune or muscle death. My problem is probably circulatory or nervous system. I’ve spent a fortune already and have no real answers, nor have any medications provided real relief. My second Lyme test was negative; if I had it, even with inaccurate test results, the antibiotics should’ve brought some relief after two courses, but they only raised my blood pressure.  (Fortunately it runs low normally...)   

I had no idea how much strength it takes to cut a pumpkin in half. My forearms hurt. Mind you they always hurt with anything that revolves any effort whatsoever.