For A Few Tomatoes More

Mortgage Lifter, 20 Oct 2013

Temperatures are dipping below the point for comfortably wearing short sleeve shirts outdoors. With that ripening has all but come to an end in the garden, but for a few tomatoes more.

Sweet 100, 20 Oct 2013

There are just two tomato plants remaining in the square foot raised beds. A Sweet 100 in near bed, and my prolific Mortgage Lifter in the far bed.

Quite a few pink and plenty of green tomatoes still cling to the vines. There is a chance I will get some ripe tomatoes before temperatures fall below freezing.

Once the tomatoes are all gone, I will don a poncho, cut down the vines, remove the trellises and cover the growing medium with fresh red plastic. To keep out unwanted seeds. If I get ambitious, I just might create a greenhouse over at least one bed with clear plastic and black plastic tubing. When and if I do, I'll plant lettuce seeds. Bunching onions would be nice, too. For a few 2013 harvests more.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Hurricane Sandy Preparations

As much as the media has reported on Hurricane Sandy, I just need to add my two cents. Sandy was not just a category one hurricane, it was a category one hurricane combined with several other weather systems to create a super storm. Some in the media were calling Sandy, Frankenstorm, because of the timing near Halloween. (In my mind Frankenstein's monster was manmade. Is it a conscience or sub-conscience tying of this storm to man's influence on earth's weather?) Mind you, meteorologists did not call this the storm of the century. We suffered through one of them just twenty years ago. With this century just started, I think the meteorologists are waiting until later in this century to use that term again. I am somehow comforted by the fact that I will not see another storm of the century.

In any event, I spent most of Monday raising everything off the floor of my basement. (Note to self - bring a large trash can down to the basement.) My house is built on what appears to be solid rock. Rain water or melted snow runs down hill, finds the hole that is my basement and begins to fill that hole. I have a sump pump that runs with the slightest rain. When the sump pump is working correctly, I do not have a problem with water in the basement. However, twice in the last nineteen years, I have walked through the basement with water up to my ankles.

The first time, most of the family was out visiting my eldest daughter at University of Pittsburgh. My son stayed behind to mind the dog. There was rain at home, the sump pump did not work and water quickly accumulated in the basement. The next time the sump pump was working fine. The check valve, however, was not. With the super storm approaching, both the sump pump and the check valve were in good working order. However, there were predictions of power outages. Without power water will rise in the basement. That is why I spent most of Monday in the basement.

During the three days before the arrival of Sandy, I found two battery operated radios, three flashlights, both a propane camping lantern and camp stove, a dozen large candles and several boxes of matches. Friday I purchased, bread, milk, eggs, two cases of bottled water, propane cylinders and food that could be eaten without heating.

I collected all items outdoors that might become missiles in high winds and brought them into the garage. I tied down the large swing on the patio. I was fairly confident all the gutters were clear because of the gutter guards installed on them. My biggest concerns were the twenty year old shingle roof, my large windows on the ground floor and the sump pump and loss of power.

Once everything was complete, I went into the garage to build a bedside table for my youngest daughter, currently at Millersville University. It was either that or watch TV and media coverage of the advancing storm. I opted for the garage. I was prepared as I was going to get.

The power was interrupted at 21:37 on Monday.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Goldfinch Feeding on Nyjer Seeds October 2012

Early in October, goldfinch amassed at the two nyjer seed socks I have hanging near my breakfast room window. In the spring and summer, the goldfinch came to the same sock feeders. Then, they were very territorial and chased away other goldfinch as they landed on the feeders. In October, however, they all seemed to get along with very little signs of aggression.

The above video was taken with a Brinno TLC at one frame every 7 secs.

At 3:47 into the video, you can see as many as 12 finches on both socks at one time. All of them getting along, sharing.

Watching the finches feed on these sock feeders is very entertaining. I recommend everyone purchases at least one of these and enjoy watching.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Engagement Photography Session in Louth

By late afternoon on Saturday everything was ready for the wedding reception in Grimsby.  The center pieces were made, jack-o-lanterns cut, room decorated, hair and make-up complete.  Our family, all three of us, and the wedding couple were dressed and ready to go.  The wedding couple and I set out for Louth for a engagement photography session. 


My daughter and her husband hired a professional wedding photographer to capture their wedding in the US.  Because of scheduling constraints, they didn't have the photographer photograph an engagement session.  The three of us left the house and were on our way to Louth for just such a session.  My son-in-law attended King Edward VI Grammar School in Louth and thought it would be a great setting for the session.   It is one of the oldest schools in England.


For October, the weather was delightful.  Warm and dry with a touch of overcast in the sky.  Once we were finished here we were on our way to the reception.