To The Surbiton Manor Born

Stair Expansion It has been a busy couple of weeks at Steepmeadow, punctuated by planting and construction and observing a pair of robins that nested in our front security light. At last, an opportunity to catch up in the blog as rain falls and keeps me out of the garden. It is a bit of a race to get everything planted. The large tomatoes and peppers in the greenhouse failed this year. It wasn't a total loss, as six cherry tomato plants made it into the bed, but everything else just didn't make it. This necessitated purchasing "cheaters." We got fourteen tomato plants (Early Girls, and two other varieties that I can't remember). We purchased two spicy pepper plants, four banana pepper plants, and a set of three "stoplight" peppers.  I had an idea that will help us to identify which are which, and also to help keep the pests off. I impaled the pots that the cheaters came in on bamboo poles that will serve to tie the plants to as they grow. Underneath the

  The crab apple tree in fleeting blossom As Motorhead put it in their classic, Suicide , "The air we breathe will kill us all, and no-one left to give a damn." It's a favorite tune, but I thought it was in the future a bit yet. Not so. It's May 13, and already Canadian wildfires have swathed Minnesota in smoke. Today is day 2 of a "red" air quality alert, which, I'm informed, looks like this: Red air quality: Unhealthy for everyone Sights and smells: In areas where air quality is in the red AQI category due to wildfires, the sky may look smoky. The air will look hazy, and you won’t be able to see long distances. You may smell smoke. Health effects: This air is unhealthy for everyone. Anyone may begin to experience symptoms such as irritated eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath. Sensitive or more exposed individuals may experience more serious health effects, including worsening of existing heart or lung disease and