I'll wear shorts today! Not being one to reveal the prison-like-pallor of my legs to the gentle public, I applied the fake-and-bake and looked outside toward the pond. Standing on the shore of the island w
as a very large raptor bird. Not a bald eagle... this was larger, and dark brown with a light colored mantle. Before I could get the camera, it took flight and flew right past the kitchen window! I keep a field guide handy for identification of the many birds that visit, and easily identified this one as a golden eagle! Quite a thrill! I ran out on the lawn to watch it rise up and up and gone.Now that my blood was stirred up, I looked around for a project. In the direction of the eagle's appearance I was reminded of the raised planter next to the pond. I'd bought seeds a few weeks ago and had been procrastinating. Still on my feet, I made the decision to keep moving and get the project started.
My oldest son, Chris, built the oval raised garden for me. The past two years, we've planted tomatoes in it hoping that proximity to the pond would get enough light from the sky and the reflection from the water to get them ripe before autumn frost. Without a long, hot summer tomatoes are a gamble in this part of the world. We threw the dice and lost twice, so this year I decided we'd plant salad.
I located the double-edged action hoe in the garden shed. A powerful and resolute-sounding title has this tool. Some call it a hula hoe, but I think that sounds insensitive. With it's assistance I was able to prepare the soil in about half an hour, clearing out last year's remnants of failed tomato plants.
The trout in the pond can feel footstep vibrations, and they thought it must be feeding time. I tried to ignore their leaping and boiling while I traced the seed furrows with an alder stick. Basil and spinach at either end, then rows lengthwise of iceberg, romaine, and red leaf lettuces, with one row of carrots in the middle. I planted sunflowers on the pond side edge for decoration.
The last step was liquid applications. Generous watering, then a big circle of a black goopy potion called "Deadline" around the base of the planter. We cannot grow big tomatoes in Washington, but we sure can grow huge slugs. The subject species is called "banana slug" locally because they resemble small, slimy bananas. Without Deadline to quell the pests, the lettuces would never get past sprouts.
Now that the seeds were tucked in, watered, and immunized, I could sit down and visit with the fish. I tossed the chow into the dark water and enjoyed the supper dance of my chilly little friends.
Although we'll still have rainy days through spring and even through summer, we'll have enough sunny days to produce salad greens from mid-June until late September. I'll hope California sends good tomatoes to the local Safeway.
