Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Odds and Ends


Another rainfall today is no doubt helping my tomato plants grow more productive and allowing the weeds to get an even stronger toehold in the garden beds. It will be a good day to get some things done indoors.



These unusually shaped tomatoes are called Austin Pear. I picked up two at a local garden sale in the spring. The plants were started by high school students in their horticultural class and they've been growing beautifully in big pots on my patio. I'm looking forward to tasting them later in the season. As I understand it, this is an heirloom variety.



Elsewhere, the dipladenia is adding plenty of colour.


So is the Jethro Tull coreopsis. How the plant came to be named after a British rock group is a mystery to me. I do like the tubular shape of the petals. I wonder if the band ever featured any horns in their music . . .


A little cosmos was added to the garden mix this year. More would have been better. A mass of them dancing in the summer breeze would have been very pretty.





As for this girl, my foster puss met a lovely family this month. They were interested enough to move beyond the "Meet and Greet" (during which time Claire hid under the chair) and this lovely cat has now been on an "Extended Home Visit" with them since last Wednesday evening. Basically, it's a trial run where the family determines whether the puss fits happily into their household. I imagine the decision will be made very soon, one way or the other.



It's been an interesting month thus far: a gum graft, new glasses (my first foray into the land of progressive lenses), some interest in my foster feline, a bit of house-hunting (no luck there) and other assorted odds and ends. How are things with you?


28 comments:

  1. I have never heard or seen that type of tomatoes before. They look so unusual.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your garden is looking great! Please let us know if the pear tomatoes have a good flavour. If they do I might try some next year. I have several pots of patio tomatoes, and in yesterday two of the plants have leaned over in their pots. Have you had this happen with any of yours? I'm not sure if they are okay left that way, or if I should try to stake them.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What an interesting tomato. The heat and rain sure have been good for the gardens this year! Beautiful blooms!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Things are looking great! Really nice close up work with the camera, my friend. Best of wishes for Claire. xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Crossing my fingers for Claire. I have to say I love the Jethro Tull coreopsis! I've never seen one before.

    xo
    Claudia

    ReplyDelete
  6. Claire is such a beauty; I hope she will be loved and cherished by this family and I thank you for giving her such great care. Love your heirloom tomatoes. Can't wait to hear how they taste. God bless your week.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The Austin Pear heirlooms tomatoes are new to me Karen, but they should have yummy tomato taste. I like the Jethro Tull coreopsis, may have to get a plant - and the spider just about to pink around a petal was a good capture.
    Will you be sad to see Claire go if the family decides to keep her? It would be like giving up one of your family and you'd always be wondering if she's OK.
    I've been wearing transitions for a few years and love them, the glasses do have to fit exactly for everything to be in it's proper alignment though. Raining off and on all day here so far but I see the sun shining briefly.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love the shape of the Austin Pear tomatoes. So elegant. Beautiful flowers and I agree about masses of cosmos dancing in the garden.
    I've had progressive lenses for a few years but rarely wear them, other than for distance while driving. I can never find that middle distance and use another pair for computer work and reading. But I just got a new prescription on Friday and they are going to try something new, so we'll see how that works. I haven't ordered the glasses yet.
    Are you looking to downsize your home?

    ReplyDelete
  9. You certainly have had a busy and interesting month!! Sorry about the gum graft... I really hate the dentist.
    We had some of the pear shaped tomatoes once, they were very sweet, and tasty; not certain if they were the same variety as yours or not.
    I had some of the Jethro Tull coreopsis once. I loved it!!! Such a pretty plant.
    Good news about Claire. I keep my fingers crossed for her :)
    Good luck house hunting as well. Do you need to sell your home first?? Best of luck!!

    K.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Karen you garden is looking lovely...I did not plant any tomatoes this year because of "the move" - you will have to share how yours taste once they are ripe. Great news for Claire...how are you fairing with her gone? I think that I would become way too attached to let them go. Sorry your house hunting is not going well...hang in there though, we looked for over a year, and then out of nowhere the perfect house showed up...Have a great week!

    Cheryl @ The Creative Me and My McG

    ReplyDelete
  11. Your flowers look so pretty and I have never seen tomatoes like that. You have to tell us how they taste when they are ripe.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Wonderful news for Claire, I do so hope it works out for her. I've not seen that variety of coreopsis before, certainly very interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Karen,

    How beautiful your summer garden is with dazzling colour from bright blooms and pear shaped tomatoes that await that telling taste test! Good news about Claire, although I will miss those sparkling eyes that mesmerize! I didn't know you were looking for a new home. I do know that your gorgeous garden is a major selling point for yours!:))

    Have a wonderful week!

    Poppy

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ahhhh...Claire...she is lovely...as lovely as your flowers!..:)JP

    ReplyDelete
  15. I hope that everything works out well for Claire, you know that I have been secretly hoping that she could stay with you as you seem to enjoy each other so much, but I hope too that she finds her forever home and enjoys a great life there. Love your flowers, especially the Jethro Tull! xx

    ReplyDelete
  16. Beautiful flowers and those tomatoes shaped like pears are the most unusual I've ever seen! How neat! Enjoy your week! Hugs, Diane

    ReplyDelete
  17. bonne chance à Claire pour son nouveau foyer
    peut-être allez-vous la regretter
    moi aussi il faut que j'aille faire voir mes yeux et changer de lunettes
    spéctaculaire fleur jaune
    tendresse
    edith (iris) France

    ReplyDelete
  18. Beautiful photographs of your summer garden Karen and the tomato plants are so unusual....it will be interesting to hear how they taste!
    I'm keeping my fingers crossed for beautiful Claire...she definitely deserves to have the best x
    Wishing you a lovely weekend,
    Susan x

    ReplyDelete
  19. Your roses and hollyhocks under the clematis trellis are just wonderful! I love your unusual pears and how they came to be planted, also your unusual flowers. I recently came across a reference to Jethro Tull in a vintage garden book - seems he was a pioneer agriculturist in the early 1700's who helped bring about the British Agricultural Revolution! Who knew? When I saw your post, I went and looked it up again. Great name for a rock band, though.
    Thank you for your sweet comments on my blog :) xo Karen

    ReplyDelete
  20. Jethro Tull was a 17th century British agronomist, the band used his name. I forget why! Beautiful garden, lovely photographs !

    ReplyDelete
  21. I enjoyed all your wonderful garden pictures, especially the last one...such a lovely planting combination! Good luck to Claire, I hope her new home and family works out really well for her....and good luck to you for your house hunting too, Karen. I look forward to hearing more about it...
    Happy weekend.
    Helen xox

    ReplyDelete
  22. That tomato variety is new to me ! :) Lovely blooms...hope Claire is doing well there but if not she's got a good home with you :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. The last photo shows me a lot of beauty! The clematis, the hollyhock, and the rose in combination with the wood fence and trellis is a stunning still life. Love your close-up camera work - you have always been good at that and I'm admiring your images and in awe! Hope Claire finds her fur-ever home. Have a good week!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi,Karen
    I image that your pretty garden is different everyday in color. You have many flowers and fruits growing! Your tomatoes, Austin Pear,is new to me. They are going to be red or yellow ones?

    Thank you for your kind words,Karen. My family hope he is going to adapt to a new place.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Nice photos! Hope you are doing all right.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Everything looks so great, Karen. I love your garden.

    Have a great time with Claire,
    Hari.

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...