ursulav

Woot!

You Grow Girl!

It is a fine squash, and you should be proud of it. It is worthy of its most impressive name.

Although that stem....that sort of reminds me of a nose, from one of the killer veggies in Digger.....can we expect to see this squash reincarnated in some of your art?

Too bad Mark Watney didn't have any of those Rattlesnake Pole beans in The Martian.

(please forgive the reference. I just can't stop pushing that book. Stranded on Mars! Hilarity ensues! How does it even work?!)

...I wonder if Rattlesnake Pole would be good up here...

Where's "up here"? I'm in Chicagoland, and currently have some Rattlesnake doing their best impression of Brazilian rainforest; got a good double-handful of beans to throw in with our stir-fry Saturday night, and plenty more coming. The trellis/ arch thingie they're growing over is only ~4' tall, and I know perfectly well there's going to be a situation later in the summer as these things kudzu their way all over my entire veg patch, but for now we're happy. To be sure, this has been a ridiculously rainy June-- my hot peppers have dropped all their leaves in protest-- but the Rattlesnake are certainly not a South-only thing.

Garden Hen is clearly in Love. And your squash deserves TWO exclamation points!

The beans all have such interesting names. That is a lovely squash no wonder chicken is so pleased.

I saw the chicken in your marginalia looking admiringly at your squash, and alas my brain described it as "The adoration of the galli".

-- Steve's brain works like that. He's not sure if it's a blessing or a curse.

I have lately been thinking a lot about what the best foods to grow on Mars would be, so thanks for the tip! ;)

Also been pondering what astrology would have to say about people born on Mars (or better yet, in another solar system). Unfortunately I don't know enough about the subject to even speculate...

Astrology is based on the 12 constellations the ancient Greeks and Egyptians (maybe?) could see moving across the sky in a band separate from the Milky Way. (has yet to see the Milky Way look "milky"). As such, you would have to get star charts or ask an astronomer (I know one or two) about what constellations (if any) are visible from Mars and plot accordingly. Or! If you can find it, get a map of the Martian night sky and draw in your own! That's how the Greeks did it in the first place. (^_^)

Is this the squash god with which you have tea?

I harvested one pod and shared with my kiddos for First Fruits, we're waiting for the rest to get plump. I do have bush beans coming in very slowly and today I picked a double handful of wild raspberries (the kind that turn dark) and ate them with a dusting of sugar. I had planned on killing those canes in the fall, but if they produce that much, it might be worth keeping...

Woohoo!

It is such a lovely squash.
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It's not a vampire squash is it?

I googled "Gem Squash" and the pictures looked pretty much like that.
What is the obvious difference I am missing?

Gems have orange flesh, like a winter squash. This sucker was basically a giant round zucchini.

"Tondo Scuro Di Piacenza" sounds like the title of an operatic aria. Or the title of a *fake* aria that Gorey would have used.

Or maybe PDQ Bach. The Hidden [something] of the Placenta?

Squash Kachina must be happy with you!

Congratulations on your magnificent squash! Its quite attractive looking I must say. My squash and zucchini plants are only just starting to flower up here in Zone 5 - I probably won't see anything edible until August so I am quite jealous.

I am intrigued by your mention of rattlesnake pole beans, do you know how well they grow up in my neck of the woods?