Rosslyn Redux

Tag: Independence Day

  • Hemerocallis Fulva

    Hemerocallis Fulva

    Hallelujah! The daylilies (Hemerocallis fulva) are blooming. That, THAT is the color and exuberance of early summer. Sometimes known as Fourth of July Daylilies because their bloom time (in the northeast) roughly corresponds to Independence Day, Hemerocallis fulva have begun to erupt into spectacular fireworks-esque blossoms about a week ahead of schedule. Must be the intermittent but persistent rain.

    Hemerocallis Fulva (Photo: Geo Davis)
    Hemerocallis Fulva (Photo: Geo Davis)

    Daylilies Abloom

    Although my floral polyamory (flower zealotry?) is wide ranging and broadly inclusive, summertime vibes are captured in a quasi Norman Rockwell way when Hemerocallis fulva joins the fête. What?!?!

    No, that wasn’t a challenge — can you work, polyamory, zealotry, inclusivity, and Norman Rockwell into the same sentence? — but I concede a slightly self indulgent surrogate *MAY* have hijacked the keyboard. But I’m back at the helm. Back to basics…

    Hemerocallis fulva, the orange day-lily,[3]tawny daylily, corn lily, tiger daylily, fulvous daylily, ditch lily or Fourth of July lily (also railroad daylily, roadside daylily, outhouse lily, and wash-house lily),[citation needed] is a species of daylily…

    (Source: Wikipedia)

    A daylily by any other name. Hemerocallis fulva by rights (but least applied name.)

    Just beginning to bloom in the last couple of days. Should be a tiger orange riot by Indepence Day. And then a chance to gather the expired blooms for a meal or two.

    What?!?!

    Hemerocallis Fulva (Photo: Geo Davis)
    Hemerocallis Fulva (Photo: Geo Davis)

    Daylilies are not only edible, they are spectacular…

    Let me start by saying that edible daylilies are the common daylily, Hemerocallis fulva, as well as its various Hemerocallis friends and relatives…

    (Source: Hank Shaw, Hunt Gather Cook)

    Perfect. Hemerocallis fulva is exactly what we have in abundance at Rosslyn, so I declare a feast. But how?

    According to Shaw, the best way to dine on Hemerocallis fulva is to sauté the unopened flower buds in butter and salt.

    Delicious. Briefly cooked, the buds have a bit of knacken, a German expression meaning a “pop.” Yet the insides reminded me of squash blossoms. The taste? Green, with a whiff of radish and a dash of green bean. Honestly, I’d eat this as a side dish any day, any place. It needs nothing else.

    (Source: Hank Shaw, Hunt Gather Cook)

    That’ll be clarified butter (aka ghee) for me in order to juggle my lamentably dairy free diet. I’ve also read that the post-bloom flowers are tasty, especially when dried and added to soups and stews. Time for a little experimentation…

    https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ct_wlDGgwi6/

    A harvesting I go…

  • Green Zebras 1st in High Tunnel

    Green Zebras 1st in High Tunnel

    The high tunnel is now officially planted for the 2023 growing season. Hurrah! And the first plants in the ground are a pair of Green Zebra tomatoes (aka “Green Zebras”), a personal favorite that boast tart flavor, unique color, exotic pattern, and a tendency to ripen early. Win, win, win, win!

    Green Zebras​ 1st in High Tunnel (Photo: R.P. Murphy)
    Green Zebras​ 1st in High Tunnel (Photo: R.P. Murphy)

    This will be our second season high tunneling, but it’s our first opportunity to jumpstart planting (by about two weeks). Last year we received the high tunnel shipment damaged and missing parts. It took most of the spring to receive the missing and replacement parts, so we forfeited the benefits we’re hoping for this year.

    High Tunnel Almost Ready for Planting (Photo: Tony Foster)
    High Tunnel Almost Ready for Planting (Photo: Tony Foster)

    We kept the high tunnel covered all winter which accelerated warming of the ground over the last couple of months. Tony has been pampering the soil: supplementing with composted manure and other organics, tilling, and preparing beds.

    Tony has done a remarkable job of preparing the high tunnel for early season planting. And check out that solar gain on a freezing day! (Source: Synchronous Progress)

    Pam has already planted the first succession of spinach and French breakfast radishes, but those are in raised beds outside the high tunnel. I’m hoping to see signs of germination soon. And the asparagus bed should be waking up any day now. But these precursors to summer invite heady hopes for a robust early bounty, especially tomatoes, the crown jewel of our vegetable garden. So we’re tempting fate by leapfrogging the typical Mother’s Day planting date, crossing our fingers, and imagining tomatoes by the 4th of July. We’ll observe these two vanguard tomato plants and — if they thrive (or at least survive) — we’ll progressively transplant more over the coming days. With luck others (eggplant, tomatillo, peppers, broccoli, cucumbers, etc.) will join them soon.

    Here’s willing juicy tomatoes by (of before?!?!) Independence Day!

  • Independence Day Parade

    Tie Dyed Crater Clubbers, 4th of July parade, Essex, NY 2013
    Tie Dyed Crater Clubbers, 4th of July parade, Essex, NY 2013

    [I started this post on the 4th of July, but uploading and captioning the photos delayed the post. Sorry!]

    There’s no finer time to live in a small town in America than on the 4th of July. Essex, New York offers the quintessential Independence Day parade experience, straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting!

    Although the last month and a half has brought rain, rain, rain — and ever rising lake Champlain water levels — today appears to be a welcome ellipsis. The humidity is off the charts, and the temperature was already above 80 when we awoke this morning, but at least for a short while the rain has abated. The lawns are swampy and unmowed throughout town, but the Essex running races this morning were well attended, main street is busy, there’s already a line at the ice cream shop, Penelope the Clown is entertaining pedestrians at the stoplight, and the smell of strawberry shortcake is wafting across the North Bay.

    Independence Day Parade in Essex

    Spreading the Fun, 4th of July parade, Essex, NY 2013
    Spreading the Fun, 4th of July parade, Essex, NY 2013

    Farm wagons and tractors costumed as patriotic floats idle north of town where officials orchestrate the parade’s start. Antique cars and farm implements, an impressive menagerie of emergency vehicles, a pair of miniature sulkies pulled by miniature donkeys, and a fleet of Shriner micro-jalopies join the excitement. Sirens wail. A pair of costumed Native American “braves” whoop and startle children. Horses carry proud equestrians. Veterans march and bear standards. A band plays. Politicos toss candy and promises. Bystanders snap photographs and point or scramble for Tootsie Rolls and caramels.

    Every year it surprises me how long the Independence Day parade takes to pass. I suspect there are nearly as many participants as bystanders. Eventually the last vehicles and waving celebrants chug past Rosslyn and continue toward the center of town where judges will celebrate the best parade entry and the community clap and laugh and then make its way to Beggs Park for a barbecue and games and the always popular build-your-own-raft race.

    I hope that you enjoy the photos in the gallery below!