Catholic Family Vignettes

Today's forecast: snow showers and a high of 32.

Sure enough, snow. To be expected in January. Northwest Ohio, you know.

A quick trip to the mailbox...and voilà! Harbingers of spring:



Burpee, Park and Johnny Seeds...a bright ending to an otherwise dreary day.

Read more!

This is a zucchini plant:



This is a cucumber plant:



Now...I'm not a complete amateur. I have been gardening for several years. I have grown both cucumbers and zucchini. This year...I am truly embarrassed.

I purchased a "six-pack" of zucchini plants, as I was a little negligent in starting my seeds. As the plants began to grow, my husband AND children said "those are cucumbers." "NO! They are not cucumbers...they are zucchini plants", I insisted.

Even when the first little prickly vegetable showed up and the children said "that is definitely a cucumber," I persisted in my assertion.

Alas...more cucumbers.

I purchased a zucchini...and my cruel husband said, "What! You purchased a zucchini? Aren't you growing zucchini?"

Evil man.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa... Read more!

Tomatoes! Absolutely huge, juicy, yellow and red striped, tomatoes. Meet Mr. Stripey! Big as these two are, I picked a much larger one today...

These lovely tomatoes are so delicious, with a mild, non-acidic flavor, meaty and nearly seedless texture. The majority of our tomato production will be stored as sauce, but Mr. Stripey...strictly for eating fresh! The German Queen tomatoes are in full swing as well, and the sheer size of these "ladies" is astounding.

Fresh, sliced tomatoes...this is what summer tastes like... Read more!

Welcome to the Sunflower Grotto! What fun it has been, this summer, watching the sunflowers reach incredible heights. We've begun tying their "heads" together to form the roof, and the effect is quite charming...a nice little "grotto" or cave which the little girls like to sit in with their dolls.

If you've never made a sunflower house or grotto, it is really quite simple. In a sunny location, dig a crescent or horseshoe shaped trench. The size is entirely at your discretion. Scatter sunflower seeds (the mammoth variety) closely together (leave about two inches between each seed - you can also plant a smaller variety in between, if you wish). Water frequently...sunflowers require a lot of water. A few short weeks and your grotto or house will have reached sufficient height to begin forming the roof. The roof is formed by simply tying together adjacent "heads" or blooms. We don't mow inside the grotto...the tall grass provides a lovely carpet for little ones to sit and kneel upon. Enjoy! Read more!