Quill of the Hill

Both the Peace Lily in the Ice Cream Parlor and in my office are in bloom. I hope that bodes well for the situation in the Middle East.

Our white rabbit now resides in that great vegetable patch in the sky. Many of you know that he had an unusual attachment to our hen. The rabbit thought he was also a chicken; ate what she ate; roosted where she roosted; he may have even tried to take credit for some of her eggs. His devotion cost him an eye to our jealous rooster, which resulted in the rooster's deportation to a nearby farm. And it was probably eating all those feathers he regularly pulled from the hen that did him in.

Have you seen Leonard Wren's oil painting of the Gazebo Courtyard? It's hanging in the Administrative reception area. His impressionistic style has captured the Courtyard in all its glory. In a few days all the colorful plantings in the pots and beds and hanging baskets will be but a memory but his painting will preserve them forever. Go now while you can not only see his creation but also what he was seeing that inspired it.

Wasn't Western Days outstanding this year. We're still enjoying some of the decorations, the golden driller, the oil field equipment, the mums and ornamental grasses. Some of the potted grasses are annuals and will soon go away for good. A few are perennials and may find a home somewhere in our landscape. The Purple Fountain Grass was placed at the top of the oil wells to simulate "gushers" - what a unique idea - wish we had the income from one of those...

Adelle Graves has had an unusual occurrence in her garden. Some of her crocuses are in bloom. Now we all know that crocuses bloom in the very early spring. In fact I remember at my house purple and yellow crocuses peeking up through a light dusting of snow. So hers are either five months early or seven months late. But wait, she checked with a gardening store

Pumpkins have started turning up everywhere with Halloween upon us and Thanksgiving not far behind. Did you ever try and grow pumpkins? If so, then you can really appreciate the news story about the man in New Jersey whose pumpkin patch only yielded three pumpkins this year - but that was more than enough. One weighed 450 pounds, another about 800 pounds and the third came in at 1,245 pounds or just 17 pounds shy of the world record. He, of course, limited the number grown per vine to make them grow bigger. He grew them from Atlantic Giant seeds (figures) and provided plenty of water and "organic matter" - I guess the "organic matter" is his trade secret...

The Garden Club has been on the road again. In September Bill Martin, Fran Lewis, Pat Washington, Madelyne Kyser, Macie Dillingham, Vallee Kidd and Constance Vinyard toured the OSU Extension Service Exhibition Garden. In November the destination is Binding Stevens. The nursery will be all decked out for Christmas and will be quite a sight to see. Come join us.