Under the Solano Sun

The third country we visited during our last trip, which also included Cambodia and Myanmar, was Vietnam. At the time of being there, we were primarily trapped in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and I was thinking that having something to say about the natural environment would be next to impossible.

Millipedes These creatures are good. While I'm working away in the underbrush, I frequently run across them. Most species are not aggressive and curl up when disturbed. They like to hide under rocks, logs, and leaf matter where it is damp and dark.

With tomatoes, I'm probably over-optimistic the same as I'm over-optimistic with about everything I try in the garden. It's hard not to be. A new generation of breeders has revived interest in forgotten heirloom varieties.

I planted three varieties of garlic last October. As I watered my crop one morning, I noticed that the plants from one variety are not doing as well as the other two. They're a lot smaller and look like they were not getting enough water. Puzzled, I started poking around it.

I never heard a peep and rarely saw the female! In fact, the babies remain quiet which is their protection.