Tuesday, August 26, 2008

The Potato Vine Is Dead!


Wow! That sounds bad! In fact I've been waiting rather impatiently for the end to come. While the vines are green the potatoes are still growing. Sometimes for a special occasion, we steal some small potatoes early, but a patient, adult-minded person will wait.

Digging potatoes is like digging for treasure. Here in Ed's gorgeous sifted dirt, it's really fun. The digging is easy, and there are no stones to make you think you've got one when you don't. Just one Red Gold plant shows in the picture. You can see planting one potato gives quite a return. There are more potatoes hiding out of the camera' view. Some are already in the bucket harvested to expose the ones in the picture.

We don't have proper storage to save potatoes for seed. The good thing about that is, we get to eat them all, from the tiny little ones right up to the big ones. Washing and perhaps a little brushing and they are ready to cook. We have no worries about eating the skins since no chemicals have been used on these potatoes.

Whatever else we have for dinner, the potatoes will be a special treat. Freshly dug potatoes have a unique texture and taste. These red beauties with their slightly yellow flesh were spectacular!

Last night was beautifully clear and starry. We have big sky here when the valley fog has not yet closed in. While I was stargazing out the living room window , I heard something from outside. I quietly opened the window so I could hear. The coyote serenade was quite something. Coyotes called to each other from some distance and the songs went on for several minutes. When it got quiet I closed the window. The show was over, but I was glad I didn't sleep through it.

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