Zucchini 7-9

Parts of the garden are becoming scary places.  The tomato plants are almost as tall as I am and started snaking out all over the place...I gave them a pruning, I was afraid they were going to attack us in the night.  The four zucchini I planted have leaves the size of dinosaur paws.  I realize that I planted three more plants than I should have, but this being my first garden in this area I wasn't sure if they would all live.  Being a zucchini I should have known better.  And knowing my penchant for not being able to rip out and toss a healthy plant the potential for a take over was there.

The zucchini flowers are stunning, huge bells of yellow that the bees love and after the sun hits the plants every morning the flowers close up.  I picked my first zucc a little over a week ago and we have had zucchini in some form with dinner most every day since...good thing we like it.

Picking them is something of an ordeal.  They have prickles all over their leaves and down the thick stems and some are sharp like a rose thorn.  You have to dive into the plant with a sharp knife to cut the zucc away from its stem (twisting doesn't work, I tried and it rips the zucc open).  It feels like going into battle because those leaves hurt.  I stand back and move leaves and study from all sides finding zuccs that are the size I like.  If they are on the edge I'll leave them until the next day.  The shocking thing is that I'll go out the next day and find that instead of just growing a bit more to the size I prefer it has now doubled in size and there might be another one that big lurking in there and I am amazed that I never saw it to begin with.  They are much darker than the leaves, but if the little buggers are in a shadow they disappear...I think they do it on purpose.

I say some bad words as I'm gently working my way down into the plant to retrieve the days bounty...as I'm going in I wonder how bad would it be if I cut a few leaves out?  After I am done with the days harvest I have to wash my hands and arms because they are stinging and the zucchini's themselves are all fuzzy with prickles. 

Another downside to gardening out here in the country is that anyone who wants zucchini is growing their own so now the dilemma is what the heck am I going to do with all these things? 

I solved that problem for today.  Today I picked a dozen of the little beauties and there were three or four in the crisper from yesterday. 

We had a lovely visit today from our friends Lou and Vickie....hmmmmm.  Not wanting to give them the opportunity of refusing my bountiful gift (I had decided the crop was going home with them) I found a gift bag, filled it with the zucchini, packed tissue paper all over the top and tied a pretty bow on it.

We had a great visit, went out for excellent sandwiches, had wine and cake in the garden and during their examination of the garden I never talked about the zucchini...didn't want to tip 'em off.

It is time for them to leave and I present them with their gift...why, they ask....well just because you came and visited us.  BUT, you can not open it until your across the canyon and on highway 80, and I'll put it in the truck for you.

After hugs all around off they drove and with a load of zucchini...whew.  I didn't see them chuck anything out the window as they turned the corner...we were safe!

Lou before the gift of zucchini, he still liked us.

Larry with Vickie (doesn't she look fabulous!)