Hobbies
Garden Stewardship
Stewardship of the land must be at the heart of our gardening practices and now might be an enjoyable time to start thinking more deeply about our practices in and out of the garden. This summer wildfires raged out of control in the west, drought settled over the Midwest for weeks, and then storms brought uncontrolled flooding. We have little control once Nature goes wild, but we can control our garden practices. It may be wishful thinking, but I believe if all gardeners practiced better gardening habits, we would create positive roads toward climate renewal.
Raking. Not near enough raking is done in gardens. First is raking up the leaves under all the trees; if you use a mower, bag the munched-up leaves but be careful how you reuse them. I suggest tossing all leaves from under flowering tress—especially fruit trees. Many of these leavers will harbor fungal and bacterial diseases which, if left under the trees, will winter over, and reinfest the trees in spring. Raking the lawn is like rubbing your scalp or shampooing your hair. As you rake you pull up thatch, you aerate the lawn, and you stimulate the soil. If you find bare spots, reseed them and keep the seeded areas moist. Weeding. As you rake, look around your garden areas. Fall is a good time to zap lawn weeds and weeds that popped up in the flower beds. I do not recommend most weed killing products as many contain glyphosate. Keeping your grass length at 3” to even 3 ½” will keep most weeds at bay. There are organic products that will help reduce weeds and one to consider is corn gluten. This is a by product of corn and when used in planting beds or on the lawn it prevents seed germination. I would avoid most home remedies such as boiling water, Epsom salts, vinegar, or dish soap. To a degree these may work, but I find such remedies tedious to apply and the results are questionable. Composting. The raked-up grass, all the weeds you’ve removed, the dead annuals from pots and the garden, all the dead tomatoes and other vegetables can be pulled up and composted. Diseased plants are best kept out and disposed of in trash or burned, No compost pile? Build one! Earlier this year I wrote about Hugelkultur and this link will help you: www.vegogarden.com/blogs/academy/start-your-hugelkultur-garden-beginner-s-guide? Poison Ivy. Trees standing on the edge of unmanaged property may have poison ivy growing on their trunks. Since it turns red before other plants it’s easy to spot in the fall. If you have a lot of poison ivy or other invasive plants, you could rent some goats! Seriously, goats eat invasive plants and do not get the skin rashes we develop. Goats are not practical for most of us, so this is the one place I’m okay with a selective herbicide which when the plants are sprayed, they are killed to the root. With this, you should have removed most of the problems in the garden. Now, sit back and enjoy the color show nature will provide to say goodbye to another year of outdoor gardening. I’ve not even scratched the soil’s surface regarding being good stewards of our gardens. Do a Google search of “fall Gardening tips” and you’ll get hits for dozens upon dozens of lists and ideas. Finally, as you relax, get out a spiral notebook and put down what went well, what did not, flowers you loved, those you didn’t, and any other thoughts you have about your gardening experience in 2024. Come next spring, we’ll begin again. 
How far can a puppy hike?DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I have a 1-year-old mixed-breed puppy named “Star” who I’d love to take on Saturday hikes with me. I’m an avid hiker who can do up to 20 miles or more per day. Is this too much for a young dog like her to handle? — Gary in Boulder, Colorado
DEAR GARY: Your instincts are right-on — that kind of mileage is too much for a puppy. But, depending on the dog, you can build Star’s stamina gradually, adding miles as she grows. For a 1-year-old puppy, start with no more than a mile or two, and keep it light and fun. If Star whines at three-quarters of a mile, take a break for a few minutes and see if she’ll go on. If she shows signs of tiredness, like lagging behind and not being curious about things around her, it’s time to head back. Some pet parents will carry their puppy for the remaining miles, but that’s up to you — I think that it’s better to just gradually build the miles. Notice that I also said “depending on the dog.” Some dogs just aren’t enthusiastic about hiking long miles. Others — especially small dogs, toy and pocket breeds — cannot walk very far without tiring. (Fortunately, they can be carried easily.) Don’t lament if hiking ultimately isn’t Star’s thing; just build an outdoor schedule where she can share in the fun on some days with short hikes, and you can still get in lots of mileage while she remains at home or with a friend. An adult dog can do 5 to 20 miles depending on their fitness and enthusiasm. But you’ll need to adjust your lifestyle to gradually bring Star up to that kind of distance. |
Enamel Art
Kovels.com
Artist Karl Drerup brought the old art of enameling
into the 20th century. His pieces have bright colors, stylized shapes and vibrant designs. Enamel has been used in decorative arts since at least the Middle Ages. It was especially popular in Europe and Asia in the 18th and 19th centuries. With this in mind, it may sound like an unlikely medium for the 20th century. But modern art embraces the unexpected.
Karl Drerup, an artist who trained in painting, illustration and ceramics in Berlin and Florence, then emigrated with his wife in the 1930s to escape the rise of fascism, started making enamels in New York in the 1930s. Later, he would call himself “the first one in New York who made any enamels at all.” That may have contributed to his success; the Metropolitan Museum of Art purchased one of his decorated bowls in 1940. Drerup’s enamels have a distinctive style with vibrant, abstract scenes of natural elements or human figures in bright colors, like this copper plaque called “The Merry Makers” that sold for $2,750 at a Rago auction. • • • Q: I have a lot of paper money and coins and would like to know what they are worth. A: It takes a specialist to determine the value of coins and paper money. A numismatics (coin collecting) club, dealer or auction house may be able to help you. Some are listed in the Kovels.com Business Directory. The American Numismatic Association, www.money.org, would be a good place to start. • • • TIP: Repairs on standing figures or pitchers should be made from the bottom up. • • • CURRENT PRICES Photography, camera, movie, H-8, 8 mm, holds 100-foot, 50-foot and 25-foot spools of double-run film, Tri Focal viewfinder, three focal lengths, Paillard-Bolex, 1961, 8 1/2 x 3 x 6 inches, $85. Toy, animal, seal, Robby, head raised, brown fur, white underside, googly eyes, plush nose, whiskers, stitched flippers and tail, button and tag on flipper, Steiff, 15 x 32 inches, $265. Cane, walking stick, silver knob, raised flower and leafy scrolled garland, hallmarks, Gorham, 19th century, 35 1/2 inches, $290. Furniture, cupboard, Anglo-Indian, fruitwood, two paneled doors over two side-by-side drawers, shaped apron, ebonized inlay, turned legs, late 1800s, 81 x 56 1/2 x 21 1/2 inches, $600. Pottery, vase, Santa Clara Pueblo, engagement pot, blackware, knotted handle, incised geometrics, signed, Helen Shupla, 8 x 7 inches, $720. Rug, Ersari, Afghan, runner, blue ground, orange, ivory and cobalt medallions, triple border, 11 feet 8 inches, $1,025. Silver-Persian, tray, rectangular, center village scene, two incised leafy garland borders, repousse rim, figures, flowers in corners, 12 1/2 x 16 1/2 inches, $1,140. Advertising, sign, “Dog ‘n Suds,” red lettering, cartoon dog’s head with chef’s hat and bow tie, hot dog and mug of root beer, yellow ground, diamond shape, tin, 16 x 16 inches, $2,880. © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
Chicken Bacon Ranch CasseroleIngredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 8 slices hearty rye bread 4 cooked Cremer’s Brat Patties 1/4 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard 2 tablespoons ketchup 1 tablespoon dill pickle relish 1/4 teaspoon salt 8 thin slices deli Swiss cheese (8 ounces) 1 cup sauerkraut, drained Directions 1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread 1 teaspoon butter on 1 side of each bread slice. Place bread slices, buttered side down, on baking sheet; set aside. 2. Melt remaining 1 teaspoon butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bratwurst in single layer, weigh down with Dutch oven, and cook until well browned, about 2 minutes per side. 3. Whisk mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, relish, and salt together in bowl and spread evenly on facing sides of each bread slice. Place 1 slice cheese on each of 4 bread slices, then layer each with one-quarter of sauerkraut and browned bratwurst, finishing with 1 slice cheese. Top with remaining 4 bread slices, buttered side up; press down to flatten. Bake until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted, about 12 minutes, flipping sandwiched halfway through baking. Serve. 
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