Plums

The plums are luscious. So many on the stem right now at the community garden that the branches are practically bending to the ground. I actually ate a few while there earlier. It will be only a matter of weeks before I can pick enough to dry. I had a neighbor in Yakima who made a sweet plum dessert. She was German and it was one of her family recipes. The plums were sliced in two and set on top of cake batter. I imagine brown sugar and cinnamon and butter crumbled over the plums. When the whole thing was done, powder sugar was sifted over the plum cake. Very good. Very much a fallish dessert. For more recipes see Peaches, Pears and Plums:40 Recipes for Fine Dining At Home

Also in the garden, the sunflowers are full of seeds and the birds are flocking to them. I grew the giant sunflowers in my Yakima garden and when the birds came in the fall, it felt good to see them there they, eating at their natural bird feeders. The birds are also gleaning seeds from cones now. In the fall they move through the trees, chattering away. So sweet and soothing, all those tiny birds eating and chattering away.

On the island, we had a herd of deer in the meadow beyond our cabin. They were gleaning from the apple trees. At the farmer's market, the smell of fruit and vegetables is sweet and tangy. Many baskets of blueberries and tomatoes. At my garden, I discovered something I haven't seen before. One of the stems of the tomato plant rooted where it touched down to the ground. I know you can plant a tomato deeply and it will root along the stem, but I'd never seen it happen on its own.

Okay, then. Tomorrow, try putting in a fall crop. For many of you, it's not too late. For others, you may be getting frosted soon. Then there will be other things to do in the garden, like pick all those pumpkins and squash.

Best in gardening,
Flower