Month: June 2020

ECONOGAL > 2020 > June

June 2020 Wrap-Up

Posted on by Econogal

Writing was a bit thin for Econogal during June 2020. Instead, I read, gardened and quilted. I also kept track of Covid-19 in various United States counties. Unfortunately, I also witnessed via television a lot of civil unrest in my country. All components added to a lack of writing.

Beastly Weather in June 2020

I love my adopted home of the High Plains except for a few weeks in late July-early August when the wind blows and the temperatures are in the triple digits. Unfortunately, those weeks came during June this year. We have low humidity, but the winds are often tropical storm strength. This creates a very unpleasant atmosphere.

We were fortunate enough to receive a bit of rain. Twice we had rainfall of one half inch and the third rain was three tenths of an inch. While the amount was about half of average it was welcomed as the measured precipitation in May was measured in one hundredths. The next two months are our rainiest, with approximately 2.5 inches expected each month. As you can see from the photo, our neighborhood is praying for rain.

Decprated sign saying Pray for Rain
Pray For Rain

Quilt Room

I spent a lot of time in the quilt room during the month of June 2020. Two quilts have been sandwiched together and are in the process of hand quilting. A third is still in the piecing process. My quilt room is in the basement which helps provide a cool location to hang out.

Piecing is time intensive. Even though I use a machine in the piecing, the work can take weeks depending on how many pieces are involved. Some quilt designs have over a thousand pieces. The one I am working on now is just in the hundreds. Five of the blocks are called The Courthouse Square and the other four are a variation on the Rail Fence.

In the Garden

June is the first month of harvesting nearly every day. Herbs are gathered just before blooming and dried. In addition to the cooking herbs of sage, thyme and oregano, I also cut lavender. It smells wonderful and I can use it dried in teas next winter.

I lost my battle with the flea beetles this year. They devastated the brassicas. However, my lettuce crop was outstanding. Even though the early triple digits brought on early bolting in the big garden, the side garden is still producing delicious greens of many varieties.

The first of the beets were picked. I used one of my favorite recipes from The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving. We love opening our pickled beets on cold winter days. For some reason, the beets struggled at first but now they are growing quickly.

Cherry Harvest

While the old cherry tree was loaded with cherries, harvest was just so-so. Usually the birds split their feastings between the cherry trees and the mulberry trees. This year a frost nipped the mulberries so naturally I had intense competition for my cherries. I did make one batch of jam and enjoyed cherry pie and cherry smoothies.

The younger cherry tree just had a handful of fruit. This is just the second summer since planting. The goal is for it to reach a good harvest before the old one stops producing. I would love more fruit trees but am grateful for the two cherry and two peach trees.

Covid-19

June started with six million Covid-19 cases worldwide and ends with over ten million cases and half a million deaths. I fear we are only at the beginning. At least in the United States.

Draining is probably the best way to describe the feeling I have with respect to the virus. I am being careful. Yet I even hate to type that. Here in America the virus has become political. I am dismayed. A pandemic should not be viewed politically. Especially one so far reaching.

So I have not posted much June 2020. Instead I have read and researched about the virus. Regretfully, biology is not my strong suit. Microbiology seems alien. The only microbiologist I personally knew died years ago, at a far too young age.

I fear we will start to see more and more cases and even deaths among our younger population. The protesters and rioters are not immune to this virus. Covid-19 is truly non-discriminatory. June 2020 was just the start to a long, long summer.

 

The Blue Moon Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

If you like good old fashioned mysteries without the mayhem of murder, you will love The Blue Moon by Lorena McCourtney. This entertaining tale revolves around the mystery of a necklace which may or may not be known as the Blue Moon.

The Blue Moon Plot

The novel opens with the discovery of a beautiful necklace by protagonist Abby Stanton. Apparently, the jewelry had been taped to the underneath of a desk drawer. Thus, the mystery begins. Abby wants to track down the rightful owner.

This proves difficult. Multiple people step forward once a value is attached to the necklace. Apparently, an appraisal of three million brings out many. Even rumors of a curse do not slow the number of presumptive owners.

Among the many claimants are a couple of dangerous types. They are not working together, but as rivals. One even dognaps Mary Stanton’s service dog.

Characters in The Blue Moon

Abby and her sister Mary figure prominently as independent women. Both also have a romantic interest featured in the story. But as this is a work of Christian fiction, the relationships are earnest not steamy.

The two sisters face danger head on. Finnegan the service dog aids in his own rescue. But the theme is one of intellectual feats versus action packed adventure.

Pacific Northwest

The setting for the novel is the Pacific Northwest. Travel is just as likely by boat as by car. This factors into the story line on several fronts. McCourtney brings the area to life through her descriptions of the climate and topography.

Christian Fiction

The Blue Moon is a bit more scriptural than other books by Lorena McCourtney. As this is the first book featuring the Stanton sisters’ that I have read, I do not know if this is the norm. Passages of scripture are weaved throughout the novel in addition to the lead characters’ upstanding moral characteristics.

Overall, The Blue Moon reminded me a bit of the Encyclopedia Brown mysteries I read as a child. The two men who died prior to the start of the story were NOT murdered. Truly, the plot revolves around the mysterious appearance of the Blue Moon necklace and its ownership.

Christian fiction may not be for everyone, but it has been soothing to my soul during these stressful times of uncertainty and unrest. I read this book through the Libby App. The book is enjoyable and an easy read.

 

Under Currents Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Under Currents by Nora Roberts is a romance with a heavy theme of surviving abuse. Both spousal abuse and parental abuse as well as bullying are covered by the author. The first quarter of the book is quite brutal. So this book will not be for everyone.

The hero of the story, Zane, and his younger sister Britt, suffer years of emotional and physical abuse and neglect from their parents. Like many children trapped in this situation, Zane counts the days until he can escape by going to college. He also records everything.

Eventually the two kids fight their way out of the abusive home and the story fast forwards until they are adults. Britt has remained in their home town and is happily married with a child of her own. Zane is returning to the small town he grew up in, hoping to bury the bad memories.

Love Under Currents

Darby sweeps into town hoping she can start life anew. She recently lost her mother, her anchor in life. The two had worked together as landscape designers, a career Darby can transplant if the right circumstances are available. She rents a lakeside cabin for a month intending to investigate for at least two weeks before moving on to the second possibility on her list.

Darby and Zane connect instantly. On the surface they have many similar interests. Underneath they have even more similarities. Because Darby is also a survivor of domestic abuse. In her case, a former husband. Both possess the ability to defend themselves and both want a relationship without violence.

Threats from the Past

Before Zane and Darby can unite for the long term, they must deal with their pasts. Both emotionally and physically. Nora Roberts throws several dangers at the young couple and they meet each head on. This gives the author a chance to show victims can survive and even thrive after overcoming an abusive relationship. Even though the plot is straightforward to the reader, the twists thrown at the protagonists are plausible. Plus, the tension puts the reader on edge.

Under Currents is well written. This is a very good book and I recommend it with a caveat. I think there are many who will have a hard time reading Under Currents. The first chapters are especially brutal in the description of the child abuse. So, I would not recommend this novel as a gift. As Roberts so deftly portrays, many families have under currents of abuse. Many remain hidden from view.

 

The River Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

The River is reminiscent of the Jack London books I read growing up. The author, Peter Heller weaves a spellbinding story of the harshness of nature and of life. Best friends Jack and Wynn set off paddling north towards the Hudson Bay. They face danger from Nature and Man.

Adventure on the River

The plot seems simple enough. Two young men out for adventure. Skipping the first quarter at Dartmouth to paddle north. Dreaming of days spent communing with nature. Fishing to supplement their packed provisions. And gorging off the ripe berries found everywhere along the river bank.

But then nature intervenes in the form of a far off wildfire. Albeit a giant one. So, as they come across two drunk Texans they warn them. Further down river they hear a couple arguing and paddle past. Only to turn back to warn them of the impending fire. No one is around.

Complex Personalities

Heller brilliantly unravels his characters’ personalities as he spins the prose. Both Jack and Wynn are able-bodied young men. Yet they also are kindred spirits with a shared love of words. Books of all kinds, poetry, and western ballads. However, their life experiences prove the difference.

Wynn sees the good in all. He is optimistic and altruistic. He wants to go back and warn the couple of the approaching fire. Jack is the opposite. He has first-hand knowledge of nature’s cruelty in general and specifically with regards to out of control fires. Furthermore, Jack is resigned to his belief that nature and mankind can be cruel. But Wynn is his best friend and he is persuaded.

Masterful Writing from Peter Heller

The River is classic literature in so many ways. Heller’s writing brings the sights, sounds and smells of the river into the reader’s brain. His foreshadowing keeps the reader on edge worried about the characters. Wondering about the race to safety.

I recommend this novel for high school and above because of the intense drama. Any contemporary literature class would benefit by including The River. Symbolism, foreshadowing and character depth are ripe for discovery. Book clubs will also find the novel excellent material for discussion.

 

Big Lies in a Small Town Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Diane Chamberlain’s Big Lies in a Small Town should be on every one’s to be read list for two reasons. First and foremost it is a beautiful story. Actually, two stories in one. Big Lies in a Small Town reverts between a story line in 1940 and one in 2018. Both feature young women struggling with the reality of making their way in the world.

Secondly, the story will remind all of us angered and frustrated by the events unfolding in the United States that progress has been made in society. Injustice still occurs. But progress with respect to racism and race relations has been made. We just need to keep moving forward.

Anna Dale

The protagonist for the 1940s half of the story is Anna Dale. She is an artist of 22 and has just won the task of designing and painting a 12 foot by 6 foot mural. Instead of working in her home state of New Jersey, she is commissioned to create the work for the Edenton, North Carolina post office.

Anna faces many obstacles in Edenton. Mostly from the white male movers and shakers of the small town. But she also inspires two youths. Both are high school students. One is white and the other black. The two are loyal to Anna and to each other.

The story follows the efforts of Anna as she works to complete this major commission. But then an incident occurs and she becomes unhinged. This is reflected in the mural.

Morgan Christopher

In the contemporary plot of Big Lies in a Small Town, Morgan Christopher is the center character. Unlike Anna who had close ties to her mother, Morgan is all alone after a tragic accident alters her life. A good part of the novel is Morgan accepting her past while working as a restorer on a huge and badly damaged Anna Dale mural. The challenging restoration serves as a catharsis.

Timeliness of Big Lies in a Small Town

Chamberlain’s writing is moving and uplifting. Yes, there is ugliness in both stories. Cruelty and injustice leave marks on both women. However, the two move on with their lives. The message is one of looking forward.

I read Big Lies in a Small Town on Libby. Somehow the book came available to me weeks ahead of schedule. Definitely a higher being at work. The riots occurring across the country will affect people in different ways. Personally, I saw hopelessness. Now I again have hope.

Diane Chamberlain reminded me of the progress that has been made. The world is not perfect. Utopia cannot exist. But, each generation can improve on the last. Each person has the ability to hold themselves accountable. This message rings loudly through Chamberlain’s writing. Yet the loudest missive of all from Big Lies in a Small Town is the capacity of individuals to tear down racial divide. Peacefully.

 

 

 

Econogal versus The Flea Beetles

Posted on by Econogal

Battle of the Flea Beetles

I am losing the ongoing battle with the flea beetles. They conquered my broccoli patch overnight. Their march through both the big garden and the side garden is disturbing. I can see why commercial farms use non-organic solutions. But I still prefer organic grown produce.

Home-Made Deterrents

I had switched to a garlic based solution instead of the oil base mixture I wrote about here. The garlic solution is a good deterrent but not a natural pesticide. Yet, it worked on the first army of flea beetles encountered last month. Or at least I thought it did.

This second invasion has been particularly large. I think many tiny eggs must have been laid by the first group. I did not see them and I looked. However, the larvae can live underground. The small off-white colored worm-like babies can eat seeds and roots before maturing into the beetle stage. The life cycle is less than a month.

Prime conditions for the flea beetles exist. The days are quite warm and no rain of any significance. My big garden is quite vulnerable because it is watered by a drip system. Yet hosing off the plants in the side garden and then spraying with the garlic mixture apparently needed to occur twice a day.

Surrendering to the Flea Beetle

At this point I plan to surrender to the flea beetle. I have pulled the broccoli, disturbed the ground to remove or expose the larvae, and planted a different crop. My plan is too start new brassicas at the end of this month. Then I will plant them in August for a fall crop. The small hoop covering that allowed the Swiss Chard to winter over should allow a fall or early winter harvest.

Crop rotation did not work this spring. The side garden was not a previous home to any brassicas. So I think my strategy going forward will be two-fold. First, I will optimize companion planting. I had a lot of luck last year with the garlic and cabbage combination. Research will be needed to find out what plants have a natural protection from flea beetles.

Second, I will start using the brassicas as a fall crop instead of a spring crop. The flea beetles disappear around the 4th of July. Life cycles are key to this plan. If you can nip things in the bud, infestations are lessened.

Further Information on The Flea Beetle

For sources on the flea beetle, I found this article on the internet helpful:  https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/garden-pests/flea-beetle-control/

I also consulted several books in my garden library. These include the Ortho publication Controlling Lawn and Garden Insects, Rodale’s All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening. Also, Andy Tomolonis wrote Organic Hobby Farming which I highly recommend.

If you have additional ideas to help me in futures battles with the flea beetles, please leave a comment. Growing seedlings only to lose them to an invading army of insects is disheartening. The pictures below show the damage from as well as the size of the flea beetles.

Broccoli plant damaged by flea beetles
Decimated Broccoli