h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Usually I have to wait till July to get my home grown s , but this year I planted a bit early and have been rewarded by my little "Sweet 100's" grape tomatoes beginning to ripen right at the first of June. Looks like the larger ones, especially the Amelia heirlooms, are not far behind.
I think that I have finally outsmarted the critter who digs tunnels in my raised bed and usually kills at least one plant in mid-season. I laid some plastic gutter guard down before I planted; it's a diamond shaped grid in long strips with holes about the size of my finger tip. I overlapped the strips a little and covered the ground on the west side of the bed, where I usually find the undermined plants. Today I saw the top of a weed growing at the edge of the bed shaking violently. When I realized it wasn't the wind -- nothing else was moving -- I knew for sure that the little gnawer had moved his living room to the south edge. Nothing there to hurt but a little mint and poke sallit.

So now the big s are coming in too. Got my first "Amelia' on June 2, with two more since and the Bonnie Selects are just turning orange.
Unfortunately, in spite of my best efforts, I think the little ground squirrel is tunneling under the plants again. The amelia wilts every afternoon and I have to revive it. Anyone know how to keep a rodent from burrowing under the roots? I put down a plastic grating under the plant, but either he's on top of it now, or it wasn't down deep enough.
Wish my fat would do his duty!

Good to hear the s are coming in! Unfortunately I'm not the one to ask about rodent pests, but I'm sure if you post the question on/in <./>askh2g2</.> you should get a few answers. with that in any case.

Yes, post on Ask or to the Gardeners Guild. Or ask my friend Venus (you can find her on my friends list). She's a gardener and may know.

Yes thanks for stepping in Bel, I almost mentioned Venus but of course I'd lost touch with her. However I was quite confident that she'd respond to a gardening question.

How've you been?

Very busy as Post editor, but fine, thanks.

How about you?

Good...my taste buds took me to Belgium Friday . We have a Belgian selling the Belgian Liege Waffles from a van(a street vendor http://www.evasweet.ca ), they're quite popular here.

Never heard of Belgian wafers. Only their chocolate.

Waffles Bel, but slightly sweet unlike a breakfast waffle. And simply wrapped in a napkin & held in the hand, as they're smaller than the breakfast variety.

Look; two friends chatting in my journal!
Nice to hear from you again jaz'. (Whenever I think of waffles, I think of the cardboard ones they serve in US motels for breakfast. Never have figured out how you eat one.)

Thanks for the referrals, Bel, I'll give it a try. (For the moment, two heavy rains have perked the plant up again.)

with it all, hstwrd.

They're called waffel here, I thought wafer was the English word for them. I love a waffel now and then - but only the home-made variety.
I have what is called a 'Waffeleisen'

http://www.gimahhot.de/images/products_large/7/71799/gastroback-42403-sandwichtoaster-waffeleisen.jpg

Very easy to use. Nothing beats a fresh, hot waffel.

Yes, the van is equipped with a propane-powered waffle iron(much like camping I suppose), so a fresh warm waffle is great to munch on-toppings optional. I stopped by Friday for one with cinnamon & then later in the day had one with vanilla.

Believe it or not, they have waffle irons in those motels. (But not in cute shamrock shapes like yours, Bel!) I think the fault is in the batter they supply. It comes out tasteless and with the texture of a dog's chew toy.
When mom and I went on vacation a couple of weekends ago. the motel had nice fluffy biscuits to heat in the microwave. Much more satisfactory.

Thought I would post a link to a piece/article that was just published here(about those waffles).

http://www.vueweekly.com/dish/story/sweet_as_sugar

Oh & the 'WCB' building mentioned is the Workers' Compensation Board, for various employees seeking compensation for work-related or on-the-job injuries.

That's interesting.

Thanks for the link, Jaz'd.

Interesting indeed.
Other than the traditional summer ice cream trucks, about the only food you find on wheels around here is Mexican. A few years ago, the taco trucks started to be a common sight on the major road near my neighborhood. Mostly they park in front of the several Carnicerias in that area.

*waves*Hell-O!! Well, no s here right now but I did recently buy a 5lb bag of carrots. So I've been slicing them & putting them through my little Cuisinart food processor to get essentially a carrot slaw(carrot & cabbage, etc). And yes, suddenly eating Alot of carrots!

Just thought I'd pass along this link to our bi-monthly local food/restaurant magazine. Previously known as the City Palate, it's been renamed The http://www.thetomato.ca

Hey there, jazz! I'd been wondering when I'd hear from you. Interesting looking magazine on that link. I'm not sure what to make of the cartoon lady sitting in the salad.
I too like carrots in my slaw. Last slaw making, I put in red cabbage and carrots, as well as the requisite sugar, vinegar mayo, etc... The purple and orange together was very pretty!
Well, I still have one tomato plant producing fruit. It has two on it; golf and ping-pong ball sized respectively. Our average first date of frost is just two weeks off, but I hope these will get large enough to either bring in to ripen or else cook them green.

Yes, just after I bought that bag of carrots I added a wedge of red cabbage to the first batch of slaw I made(as well as a few shavings of cauliflower). That's what I said, cauliflower - so I have been quite experimental, throwing in garlic cloves & jalapeno or serrano-even habanero-peppers. In fact I've stirred that spicy mixture with the habanero into mustard, to make a spicy veggie spread with a mustard base. Certainly livens up a roast beef or corned beef sandwich!