More Garden Stuff

We are on track to set a record - and not a good one - for July precipitation.  We were well above the average rainfall for the month by July 15th and although we did have a brief respite the past two days the rain is slated to return for the foreseeable future starting tomorrow.  Damn!

Nonetheless I remain upbeat about the garden for the season.  May was the driest on record and everything got off to such a great start that a lot of perennials have coasted through a wet June and a miserable July.  Not that there hasn't been plenty of collateral damage - a majority of the annuals planted at considerable expense and great expectations have turned to mush.  But as Grandma Newman used to say, "Such it is..."

To cheer myself up I began a reclamation project today.  I'm going to merge two existing raised beds by eliminating the salmon berry/Indian Rhubarb thicket that separates them.

Salmon Berries and Indian Rhubarb.  They gotta go. 

  Phase I complete. 

I began Phase II, the pick and shovel phase this afternoon.  Given my limited talents for anything other than manual labor,  Phase II is right up my alley.  It is also damn hard work.  The roots of the berries are a tangle and go a foot deep.  It will take me a few days to complete and I'm not inclined to work in the rain so I will be content if it's done by the end of the season.  And I'm watching Home Depot for a season ending sale on the bricks...

Still there are a few bright spots in the garden.

My Hollyhock Mallow is performing magnificently

 Dianthus and Hollyhock Mallow under a cherry tree.

   And my dahlias are going gangbusters (under the eaves).

And it is possible, just possible, that maybe, just maybe, I will be able to cook something with my very own apples.

 Quite a few apples in my tree...

I have absolutely no idea what kind of apples I have - but last year I had a few get reasonably ripe and I took a few bites.  They were amazingly sweet.  So...if we could get just a few more nice days...

In other news, Hidy's mom and sister left on Wednesday.  I think they enjoyed themselves the crappy weather notwithstanding.

It was Hidy's birthday yesterday.  Pursuant to her request, Eric made spaghetti and I made creme brulee.  Auntie joined us and a good time was had by all.

Life is good! 

A Short Break in the Weather

It stopped raining yesterday afternoon and was actually quite nice by supper time.  We took advantage and Eric grilled steaks and shrimp.  Very tasty.

I feel bad for my company.  They had shitty weather almost all week.  Although I trust they did have a nice visit - Patty got to see her two youngest daughters for the first time in awhile.

Chef Eric at the grill.

The Hulbert ladies.

No bigger supporter of outdoor grilling than Hope!

Haly and Patty leave early tomorrow.  It's supposed to cloud up and drizzle so I will switch gears to elder food.  I'll bake three loaves of bread and make a soup yet to be determined.  Last week I made clam chowder which is welcomed by all hands.  The week before it was cream of spinach which found favor on one front but not another. Mom loves chicken noodle but auntie doesn't.  We'll see...

I got lots done today.  Mowed auntie's yard and re-mowed and weed whacked my yard after I was rudely interrupted by a deluge a few days ago.  We exceeded the monthly average rainfall by the 15th.  Sigh...

Mount Roberts Tram

I have company for a week...my house guest Hidy's mom and sister are here for a week.  Unfortunately Patty and Haly have seen nothing but rain so far...including a misty ascent of Mt. Roberts for supper last evening.  Still, I think everyone had a good time - I know I certainly enjoyed myself.

 The top of the tram is 1800 feet. Just below the fog last evening.

 Plenty of moisture in the air...  Could barely see out to the airport.

 From left to right Haly Hulbert, Hidy Hulbert and Eric Pokorny.

And add momma Patty to the mix on this one.

The tram now costs $33 for a round-trip.  YIKES!  Fortunately Hidy was able to secure passes for four. 

I was very pleasantly surprised by the quality of supper - I think I have only dined there once before many years ago and it was basically cafeteria food.  I was very suspicious last night but it is much improved.  The chef was hired away from the Sitka Westmark Hotel and knows how to run a real kitchen.

For appetizers we had fried calamari, fried halibut bits, crab nachos, and pelmeni  (Russian dumplings).  The pelmeni were the best, by far, although the dipping sauce was incongruously spicy.  Very tasty though.  The appetizer plates are quite large - so if you want to try any of their made in house desserts I would suggest going lighter than you might be otherwise inclined for the opening salvo.

I had seafood fettuccine for my main course with salmon, halibut, scallops and shrimp.  It was quite good.  I would not put the food at the top of the Juneau food pyramid by any means; but I would definitely give it a passing grade.  In fact, I think it might be worth buying a season tram pass next year. Supper at the tram would be great after a hike from the lodge to the top of the mountain. And since I turn 60 this year I think it would be perfectly fair to cut out the first 1800 feet of the climb - which is pretty boring anyway!

I plan to go dine there again before the season is over.

In other news I must at least mention our Governor's decision yesterday to expand Medicaid under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Hip!  Hip! Hooray!  

Medicaid expansion was truly a no brainer for anyone interested in the health and welfare of the state's population but apparently an unspeakable profanity for the Republican majority in our state legislature.  Mitt Romney's 47% mentality is alive and well in the hallowed halls of the Capitol.  But what else can you expect when the Speaker of the House and the Senate President are LITERALLY on the payroll of the oil companies?  A pathetic lot...  

Just Like the Good Ol' Days

A very pleasant cocktail hour last evening.  My old boss, Jay Livey, has been in town for a few days so we did what we often did after work on Friday - head to the Prospector for a little libation. 

Jay and Viv are living in the Seattle area and enjoying retirement.  Serious grandchild action.  I hope I can get down and visit this fall - maybe when my cousin Sandra returns to Juneau for a week or two in October

 Jay is happily retired.  Chris is back at the department working on Medicaid expansion.

Coincidentally it was Karl Ashenbrenner's 40th high school reunion weekend.  Karl and Jerry Cousins made the Prospector the first stop on what I expect was an extended pub crawl with their classmates.

From left to right Jerry Smetzer, Jon Sherwood, Vivian Montoya and Jay Livey.

Jon now holds Jay's old position as Deputy Commissioner overseeing Medicaid with the Department of Health and Social Services.  He is a great guy  - he saved my bacon with the legislature when I was the department's legislative liaison many more times than I care to remember.  IF Alaska is able to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act I cannot imagine two more knowledgeable and capable people than Jon and Chris to make it happen.  

Go!  Fight!  Win!

 

Rain, Rain, Rain - and Did I Mention Rain?

A deluge at my house in the past 36 hours or so.  No storm.  No wind.  Just very heavy sporadic rain.

And my flowers paid the price.  I cut back a bunch of stuff today including some beautiful stalks of delphinium that just couldn't handle the water.  Sigh...  So sad...

But at least I have some pictures to prove they did bloom.

Delphiniums in the dogs' yard - hanging in there.

 Delphinium in the main yard...I regret to report they are no more...  R.I.P.

 This ungainly fellow is a Hollyhock Mallow.  From seed started in February.

 Beautiful blooms on the mallow; but I give them 50/50 odds at best to come back next season.

 My ligularia "The Rocket" is a reliable performer and just beginning to bloom.

In other news I took Leah to the airport yesterday.  She thinks she'll stop back in Juneau next week on her way home to PDX after visiting her aunt and cousin in Homer.  I hope we can get together again...

Next Wednesday company for my house guest, Hidy, when her mom and younger sister drop in for a week.  As always I'm looking forward to playing Juneau host and will have a chance to do some cooking for a crew which I will enjoy.  Aside from the rain life is good!

Alison's Park

This morning Alison suggested that I bring mom over to her place for a little garden tour.  Unfortunately mom was feeling poorly; but I was more than happy to capture Alison's yard on camera for mom's (and your) enjoyment.  Here we go!

Alison and her astilbe.  Note the magnificent specimen of Devil's Club too!

The spirea is going nuts around here this year.  A beautiful specimen.

So serene...this is the view from the very popular firepit!

Who could resist this shady path?

I have holly envy.

I love Alison's garden for the park-like feel.  Very nice!

Supper with my Favorite Women

I went to supper at Salt with my daughters last evening - always a very serious pleasure.  The food was excellent.

We had several small plates for appetizers:  fried green tomatoes, halibut ceviche, spinach and beet salad and fried calamari.  All were good although if I had to pick one it would definitely be the halibut.  Seems like an odd preparation for a delicate white fish; but it works.

Amanda and Leah had the crab bisque for their main course.  I had the white king salmon in a spicy broth which was spicier than I anticipated but very good nonetheless. My daughters' good friend, Kira, had the chicken which was the downer of the evening - the sauce was salty almost beyond palatable.  But they made it right for her.  Dessert featured a pavlova, a meringue "cake" with blueberries.  I have already researched recipes...can't wait to try it myself.  It was delicious.

  From left to right Amanda, Kira and Leah.  Three fine young women.

Leah will be headed north to visit her aunt on Wednesday.  She may stop back here on her way home to Portland.  Sounds like another promotion may be in store when she gets back to work...

Amanda is hitting it out of the park at Happy Camper.  A big week for her over the 4th!

Damn I'm proud of those girls.  Love 'em dearly.  Woohoo!

A Wet June but a Decent June

The official statistics are in the book...June was wetter and warmer than normal here in the rain forest.  About an inch-and-a-half more rain than average.  A couple of REALLY wet days.

From my personal perspective I would definitely put June 2015 on the positive side of the ledger - probably because the garden got such a great jump-start in May.

This past week was pretty wet with wind too.  Blew a couple of planters over on the deck.  The wind woke me up night before last.

But even so...the yard remained mostly intact.  I was sad that the peak of my oldest peony didn't really get to enjoy the sun...but at least the blooms remained more-or-less upright.

A few garden pics...

My eldest and bestest peony survived a fairly serious storm.

Slightly worse for wear but still mighty nice.

And smells real nice too.

This is my mom's yard.  She's got me whupped in the Asiatic lily and phlox departments.  The deer mowed my lilies two years ago and I moved them into the protected dog yard where they aren't getting enough sun.

A beautiful clump of lilies.  Blooming about three weeks earlier than normal...

In other personal news, daughter Leah is in town for a few days.  I haven't seen her yet...she's been helping her sister Amanda at 'Manda's food cart.  But it's dinner tomorrow night downtown so I plan on really going wild...hope to stay up 'til 10 pm. 

I have to rise and shine early tomorrow though to take cousin Sandra to the airport.  Sadly she was sick for most of her stay.  Sandra and auntie did go to the annual Evergreen Avenue block party yesterday.  Auntie was the featured guest in light of her very recent 90th birthday.  Sandra brought a big sheet cake for all to enjoy.  By all accounts auntie enjoyed the festivities.

Happy Fourth of July Everyone!

And as my mom is fond of saying on the 4th,  "It won't be long 'til Christmas."  Hah!