Larry And The Tractor

I believe my age in this picture is 7 months.

                                          I believe my age in this picture is 7 months.  Anyway that's what mother wrote on the print.  It seems to me that they wanted me to farm.  When it was time to go off to college, Dad said he wanted me to go to college and that was the end of farming for me.

                                           

                                             I believe my age in this picture is 19 months. 

Mother thought it was 18 months.  It had to be around August because that is when the Oats was harvested.

I recently came across a web sight, the other day while looking for parts for my lawn tractor/mower. it was http://www.tractordata.com/lawn-tractors  Peter the guy who has the web site has similar pictures on his website of himself and grandfather and father.  I'm hoping the hear from him about the parts I need for my tractor.

The tractor is Dad's WC Allis Chalmers.  I can tell because it had hand brakes and not foot breaks.  They told me I drove it through the gates at that age with the tractor in low gear and idling.  It seeming to be a big deal to them in later years.

Happy Holidays, all.

 

Sweets for Sweetest Day

Pisum Sativum Pea Garden Sweet

Since this is Sweetest Day, I decided to let this be my offering to my sweet daughter 💝 Carrie on her birthday.  Also to my SWEET WIFE, Carol for whom I am thankfull daily.  

I planted these peas in my bed at the end of July and made this capture on September 15.

Pisum Sativum Bloom

Pod Beginning

Pod

Undeveloped Peas

 This is caused by not enough polinators coming to the bloosom.

 

Peas in a Pod

 

 

 

 

Seed Pea and Mature Friut Pea

Trump Biden Debate

 Trump  Biden Debate

I watched the debate last night and have a few comments.  I do not have a copyright on the above image even though it says so.

Trump This!

 

Having been a teacher for 30 years, I cringed at Trumb's disregard and disrespect for the rules of the debate last night, 09-29-20.  He exhibited his leadership style to its maximum in his disdain for the other people in the debate.   As for Chris Wallace as moderator, he lost control of the debate.  He was too “nice” to trump, maybe because he is president.  I hope Wallace is not moderator for any future debates.

I was reminded of a book I read as a way to get to know my “new president” in 2016.  “Trump This! The Life and Times of Donald Trump,” An Unauthorized Biography.  I found the book quite interesting to a teacher aware of discipline and respect.  Having worked with students who exhibit disabilities such as Severe Behavioral Disorders, I quickly recognized those symptoms in the childhood of President Trump.  Even with special education in those days, he was shown to need more than special needs instruction.  Marc Shapiro the author, mentioned that he needed to be transferred to a military school for boys to teach him respect and obedience during his high school career.  I could see last night that he never learned to behave with discipline and respect.  I find that I can't understand why the the American people wound vote for him, Trump.  I've been trying to understand what happened in 2016 and what thought processes his voters followed to casting thier vote for him. 

It is my sincere hope that the voters see through him this time.  If they don't, I will have lost my trust in them.  I'm hoping!

Regards,

Larry Eicher

ricinus Communis Castor Oil Bean

 

 ricinus Communis

Castor Bean

 

 ricinus Communis

 

I’ve been trying to understand this bloom in terms of sexual reproduction so I’ve been reading about it on the web.  The upper part, red, is the female, aka, pistillate flower.  The lower part, yellow, is the male, aka Staminate flower.  They, the staminate flowers, group into clusters.  I’ve read that the pollen comes from the stamen and moves to the pistil. This is facilitated by insects moving from the pistil to the stamen as in flowers of other plants which reproduce sexually.  The staminate flower bursts open exposing the pollen to exterior forces such as bees and wind.  I have, so far this season, yet to see any bees on these flowers.  I’m trying to ascertain what is causing this.  We have been very dry here for a month or two.  I would guess that to be the cause.  I will let you know when I have definitive information on this issue.   

The fruit is, of course, what appear as beans.  They form in the red part which becomes a shell with three in each.

I found a web site, beeculture.com, which was very informative about the plant because the plant depends on bees.

 ricinus Communis

Connie Krochmal is a plant expert, author and beekeeper living in Louisville, Kentucky.  Acording to her, the plant has been cultivated since 7000 B.C. or so.  The seeds have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs.  They used the oil for lamps and for certain medicinal purposes.  I remember being given Castor Oil for something or other when I was young.

For my grand daughter Evie, I found the name of an heirloom variety dating to at least the 1870's.  Its name is Zanzibarensis.

A number of castor bean varieties are listed in seed catalogs, such as those of Baker Creek, Select Seeds, J.L. Hudson, Jung Seed, Richters, and Thompson and Morgan. Some varieties that are available include the following.

Zanzibarensis is an heirloom variety dating to at least the 1870s. This is by far the tallest – 15 feet. The thick green stems are covered with a violet or white bloom.

Ornamental Castor Oil Bean in my garden.

Ricinus Communis Castor Oil Bean

 I had what was probably my most beautiful garden when I lived on Woodville Rd. here in Richland County.  I grew a wide diversity of plants there, among them, Ricinus Communis, Castor Oil Bean.  It is an ornamental which has an exotic appearance bringing to mind the tropics.

Ricinus Communis Castor Bean

This summer, I am growing that plant again west of my garage here on Bennington Dr., Richland County.  I have increased my interest in photography a great deal since the early 80’s and am enjoying photographing it.

Ricinus Communis Castor Bean

This is the fruit.  It is highly poisonous and one should not eat it or rub it on the skin.  It seems to me that I calculated one time that it would take about nine of the beans to kill one.  If you are looking for a painless death, don’t use this!  Sever gastric distress would follow.

 

I’ve been trying to remember how many fruits per Pod.

Ricinus Communis Castor Bean

 

This is one I photographed at Kingwood in July of 2005.  As you can see the blooms are red.  I hope to get that color also.

If you like pink you might enjoy my blooms so far.

Ricinus Communis Castor Bean

 

Ricinus Communis Castor Bean

I’m still observing to try to understand the mechanics of the bloom.  I have yet to see any bees on the blossoms.  I was expecting honey bees.

I read that Honey Bees like the Castor Oil Bean plant but I have seen only Bumble Bees in the area and no bees on the Castor Oil Bean.

Ricinus communis, castor bean, castor oil plant. Indigenous to Southeastern Mediterranean Basin, Eastern Africa and India.  Despite its name it is not a true bean, though it is the seed you plant to grow the plant.  Castor seed is the source of castor oil which was used as a lubricant in model aircraft engines, etc. back in the day.  The seed also contains ricin, a water soluble toxin, which is also present in lower concentrations throughout the plant.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricinus