Tomatoes, 7 weeks

These pictures were taken 7 weeks and 2 days after initial plantings.

cherry tomatoes

yellow tomatoes

big boys

big boys, upside down

Fathers Day Gifts

I got gift cards from two sons, Phil and Tim, and got the following items.

Mitchell's Wool Fat soaps were first produced in the early 1930's by Bradford chemist Fred Mitchell who realized that the natural lanolin content of wool fat, which kept the hands of local sheep shearers and wool sorters so exceptionally soft, could also be beneficial to delicate complexions and sensitive skins. Mitchell's Wool Fat Soaps are still made to Mr. Mitchell's original formula, based on a recipe from the turn of the century and incorporating lanolin from the wool fat as the key ingredient.  The soaps are a simple and natural product with a delicate scent and are very popular among avid wet shavers.

Mitchell's Wool Fat in Ceramic Bowl.

Also in the shaving mode, I ordered 30 Astra Superior Platinum blades. They are double edged razor blades made by Gillette from Russia. I had gotten a pack in a PIF and found that I like them.

I also ordered a replacement set of dog tags from my army days. I have always wished that I had my original tags, but they got turned in when I separated from service. These are supposed to be era correct, 1967. At that time we still had "service numbers." Mine was a palindrome. RA 15 844 851. 

Tomatoes, 5 weeks

This is what our tomatoes look like after 5 weeks. I suspect we will be eating some tomatoes in June. I don't know how long they will produce, but I will keep track here, Lord willing. Click on the pictures to make bigger.

Upside down, big boy

Big boy

Tomato patch

Yellow tomato

Cherry tomato

Upside down, big boy

Donna's Snake

This afternoon, I was working on my computer when a neighbor, Donna, called Marcia and told her that she had a snake on her porch and could I take care of it. Well, I did. The snake is a black snake. They are good snakes. I believe we have one that lives under our shed. (our snake) We have seen him/ her a couple of times. Well, I took Donna's snake and released him/her at the edge of the village in the bamboo woods. It appeared that she/he had eaten recently. There were two bulges in his/her midsection.

bulge (a mouse or bird) 

bulges

Tomatoes - 3 Weeks later

The hanging tomatoes are doing the best. They are flowering, but no tomatoes yet.

In the front left is the cherry tomato plant. You  can see cherry tomatoes in the picture below. On the right is the yellow tomato plant. No tomatoes yet. Between and behind are the other two plants that were in the planter. I decided to put them in the ground to give them more root room. It will probably be June or July before we have any usable tomatoes. Although we may have a few cherry tomatoes before that time.

Bear in the Neighborhood

One of our residents saw a young bear in her backyard that had torn down her bird feeders.  She contacted Henderson County Animal Control and was advised that the bear would leave if there was no food left out.  Her contact at Henderson County Animal Control said that folks should be careful about leaving trash and bird feeders out.

Another said their garbage can was down and bag of garbage dragged to the side of shed and their standing bird feeder was bent over and when they pulled it out of the ground the stake in the ground was bent.

I went on a walk and found some bear scat. He/she has been eating a lot of bird seed.

Tomatoes

We shall see what we shall see. We bought some tomato plants, and if everything goes right, we should be supplying us and our neighbors with tomatoes by sometime in June.  

In the first picture is one of those upside down tomato planters. It was only $1.50 at Big Lots. It had everything except the dirt and the tomato plant. I had a four foot treated 2x4 that I split and made the support. I put two plants in this planter.

upside down tomato planter

These two plants are the same variety as those in the upside down planter. As they grow, I am going I will pinch off the lower branches and fill the pot with more soil. The newly buried stem will produce more roots.

One of the plants below (right) is a yellow tomato. I think the other is a cherry tomato. I really can't remember. We shall see.