SUNDAY STROLL

I'm starting my stroll in the woods to check on the fern. By fall they should be quite large. Something about ferns seem very calming to me.

At the edge of the woods is our Sweet Shrub, most of the flowers are gone and the interesting seed pods are taking the flowers places. Very interesting to look at, but I understand the seeds inside are poisonous.
Here is the experimental hanging tomato plants, bush on top and grape hanging from the bottom. We are not thrilled. The top plant can't take the heat and we have been watering every day and sometimes twice and it still looks pitiful. We did eat our FIRST TOMATOES today. They were four grape tomatoes from the bottom plant.



Our potted tomatoes are doing much better. Pay no attention to the yellow leaves, I forgot to pick them off before taking the picture. Do we know how to recycle or what? Our buckets were piling up in the garage, we knew they would be good for something.

I've walked through the house and am on the front porch. A Friend gave me the start for this plant last year and I can't remember what variety it is. If you know give me a heads up.

Checking the temperature is a little hard because the Fuchsia is getting in the way. I think it is near the 80' here in the shade. Behind the flower baskets is our American Chestnut tree. It is becoming quite an eye full. And we have two trees out of four that we planted that are doing well and should live long and prosper.

Here is a close up of the catkins. The native American Chestnut trees were almost entirely wiped out by a disease in the early 1900's. The few hardy trees that resisted the disease have been cherished and nurtured for years while foresters worked to create reliable young trees.

For years all new growth died after seeming to be established. New growth would come up from the roots, but always failed after a time. The disease is still doing its deadly work. But recently hope is being renewed by trees that seem to have longevity.

There is now true hope that once again the American Chestnut tree will reign as the beautiful and strong hearty building material that formed vast numbers of barns and buildings still standing across the U.S. The story My father told me was that a squirrel in Maine could move across the tops of Chestnut trees all the way to the Mississippi delta region without ever having to touch the ground. The forests were that dense and full of Chestnut trees.

That's my stroll and forestry lesson for the day. To find other strollers go to

The Quiet Country Place.