Tomatoes, Birds and two Birthdays

Since I planted tomatoes late in the greenhouse and moved them out late into the garden, most did not ripen before frost hit. I had them protected, but they were not ripening so I moved them all into the house. We had tomatoes on upstairs and downstairs window ledges and the big card table upstairs under a skylight. And ripen they did and still are. I have canned 16 quarts so far (I think) with more to go. I took photos before many had ripened...

 Meanwhile Johnny had a million projects he was working on, including this custom built Kestrel nest box elevator. So that we can clean the nest box each fall, he devised a system where it can be easily lowered and raised, as he demonstrates...

Also in the bird nest box department, he erected a Screech Owl box in the ponderosa pines in the arboretum. Now we just need a pair of Screech Owls. A ladder will be needed to clean this one. The specs called for south facing, 15 feet up and under the canopy, with nearby trees for roosting on and a field to catch the rodents in. So that's where we put it, facing the pastures with their plenitude of little rodents.

 Another long running project has been securing the beautiful carved wood pheasant that Barbara Millikan made to the rock it was to stand on in the China section of my arboretum. While it was waiting placement, it lived in our living room.

 And was finally ready to go out into the arboretum and be the king of its rock pile in China. What a beautiful bird!

 The two birthdays alluded to in the title were my 74th, on Halloween, and friend Susan's 50th at their Halloween-themed party the weekend before. Hers turned out to be a spectacular event. She and her partner Jeff, Kevin's best friend from high school, had decided after over 20 years of living together, to get married. And they chose to do it at her 50th birthday party as a surprise to all the invited guests! What a wonderful ceremony!

My birthday was not so spooktacular, but fun as friends J.P. and Monica took us to the coast for lunch and a showing of the new wood sculptures of Monica's, recently installed at Salishan. I forgot my camera so photos will have to wait until the plaque with her name and date are installed and we go back.

The following Monday I came down with a cold and have been sick ever since. Today is the first day I felt like doing anything so have been catching up on blog posts. I trust I'm on the mend now as the weather is too nice to spend indoors blowing one's nose and coughing. Stay well!