Magical 'Gem Squash' seeds!!
...but the most wonderful thing is that they were sent from Phoebe at Ballynoe Cottage who carefully grew, then collected, dried and packaged the seeds beautifully. She is one of those gorgeous talented people with elegant handwriting and an artful way of putting things together - it was such a pleasure to get her letter in the post!
Phoebe tells me they are a cross between a pumpking (the g is most important!) and a squash with a nutty flavour.
pic googled from claireslittlegems
I can't wait until the last frost is over so I can plant them in the garden.
Thank you Phoebe for brightening up my week!
Thank you everyone for your very heartfelt comments on my last post. I've missed my hens very much. This week I got a call from the lady who hatched Mr Lavender (remember this post?) and she has a bantam Araucana hen and wanted to know if I wanted her. She didn't know what had happened to my flock and was just calling to offer the hen before she sold her. People from my local permaculture group have offered me pullets too. So I'm thinking about it. I can't help feeling guilty that I'm thinking already of getting more hens as if my bok flock weren't special. What do you all think?
['How can you call yourself Mrs Bok without a flock. I am sure your girls would forgive you. Especially the Aracuna ... so timely, it is meant to be.
ReplyDeleteI think your girls would understand :) I'm always a believer that things happen for a reason and I think her calling then meant that you were meant to get a new flock-perhaps? :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a new flock, Mrs B. I don't think it would take anything away from the ones you loved so dearly. x
ReplyDeleteMrs Bok needs a flock. All animals are special and even though we have lot a few chickens along the way, I could never be without a flock of my own.
ReplyDeleteOh Mrs B! I'm glad you liked the seeds! They are very prolific, so they should reward you with plenty of fruits the size of an orange (did I mention that in my letter?).
ReplyDeleteI'm sure your new girls will love nesting under their leaves!
Chickens are special creatures and I think your flock would understand!
Oh you are going to try gemsquash! how lovely! I grew up with them in South Africa, but they just wont grow here in the tropics - believe me I keep trying!
ReplyDeleteOh Gem Squash :-) Sounds like a tasty addition. Do what feels right for you :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Mrs Bok - LadyLeaves is absolutely right - do what feels right for you - for myself - it sounds like your flok in the sky would not want you to be without a flok - and the lavender hen offer sounds like Kismet to me ....X
ReplyDeleteI think that a new flok would help you heal from the loss of your flok. But, you have to do what feels right.
ReplyDeleteI suspect your flock-in-the-sky engineered that phone call, knowing you would be missing having them around, Mrs Bok. I wonder if the pumpkin-y squash things are similar to some wonderful heirloom zucchinis I got seeds for from Koanga Gardens here in NZ, called Ronde de Nice? They were round (obviously)and had the most delicious nutty flavour. You could just eat them raw, without getting that slightly acrid tang that most zucchinis have until you cook them. Unfortunately Koanga Gardens had to cut back because of funding difficulties and when I went to get more of the seeds they were no longer offering them. (A good lesson in collecting one's own seed.) I ended up importing some seed from an organic seed supplier in the US, I loved them so much.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that the phone call came for a reason. You would do your Bok Flock an honor to nurture a new brood. I agree with your other friends here; they have expressed my sediments exactly. Hope you chronicle your seeds. They seem quite interesting.
ReplyDeleteYou do need a new flock. Sad what happened, but you do need a new flock to nurture. I hope you keep us updated on the growth of these seeds.
ReplyDeleteGreat job Phoebe. Gardeners really are great people!
ReplyDeleteIf you got the phone call, maybe its meant to be.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful... the universe is talking to you, Mrs Bok, and it's giving you a cup of tea and a big hug!
ReplyDeleteGo for it! Here on the farm I have become quite philosophical about the cycles of life. Sometimes you just need to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and leap back in. And with every set back you learn. Go go go!
ReplyDeleteEach one is special and has its own character. The new member will be special too. Looking forward to watch that seeds sprout for you...
ReplyDeleteThose gem squash look just slightly fabulous, will you cut one open and show us what they look like? When they grow of course :)
ReplyDeleteNice gift Phoebe!
I think you will naturally acquire a new flock, if you funny about having a new one right away then there is nothing wrong with waiting... there is nothing wrong with not waiting either!