Leading you down the garden path

My garden made it through the rain I kept my garden protected My garden made it through the rain And found my garden was respected By the other gardeners who Got rained on too And made it through "I made it through the rain" - Barry Manilow

AUBURN, Maine - There is nothing like a Barry Manilow song to put gardening in perspective.

All farmers and master gardeners face an endless battle with the elements. Daily tussles with Mother Nature are part of the deal when you break ground and attempt to raise vegetables or flowers.

There is no luck involved when you count on good soil to bring delicious, pesticide-free vegetables to life. Knowledge has a lot to do with putting organic vegetables on the table.

Since May, I have watched a week's worth of rain batter my small plot of land, and later came the god damn bugs. Cucumber beetles began their assault and aphids joined the fray to ravage my plants.

I was reluctant to turn to pesticides, but expert Paul Parent, a gardener who also hosts a syndicated radio show about gardening, suggested using Garden 8. I haven't tried it yet, because I used something else, along with an organic soap that knocked off the bugs.

There was no way I would win this fight without turning to a pesticide or a soap to save my plants. And I was victorious, losing only one zucchini plant in my small war with the little critters.

I am looking at a bumper crop of summer squash, tomatoes, lettuce, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, Swiss chard and zucchinis.

But there are no guarantees that I will reap what I sow, especially when confronting Mother Nature's whims.

A visit from the Mothman

We have made the other part of our home a refuge from the humidity and steamy temperatures. The air conditioner makes us feel human on those hot days.

I was in my room laying down to avoid the heat when something big, really big flew over my head. I thought it might be a bat. I reached for the light when I saw a lunar moth, which should have its own landing strip. These guys are huge.

This big boy had a wing span of about five inches and made a loud buzz when it strafed me.

I carefully captured the big fella and cut it loose just outside our front door. Remember, I am friend to all bugs - even the ones I bump off. It hung around for a while before heading for another destination. 

I could not help but wonder if I had just met a miniature version of Indrid Cold. If you don't know the name, sit through the terrifying movie, "The Monthman Prophecies."

A quiet celebration

Sure, we had the traditional cake to celebrate Anthony's birthday on Sunday, but while some families head to a restaurant, we went hiking along the coast and had a barbecue at a state park - Wolfe's Neck in Freeport.

The park features trails that line an inlet and an opportunity to watch nesting osprey at a nearby island, which is off limits to human beings. The views of the ocean are incredible.

When we do barbecue at Wolfe's Neck, our portable grill draws comments from other hikers. We picked it up at a yard sale.

A model of inspiration

Anthony's only request for his birthday was to build a model of the "Olympia," Admiral Dewey's flagship during the Spanish-American War.

It is an impressive warship that remains docked in Philadelphia. And there has been talk about scraping the old workhorse because it is expensive to maintain. Another sign of a nation that continues to wallow in a the throes of an economic debacle. We can't even send a man to the space station, and now we are talking about junking a national treasure.

There is plenty of blame to go around in Congress.

Anthony discovered the kit on Amazon. It was expensive, but it was a project that I knew would continue to fuel his passion for naval warships and expand his knowledge of history.

It took him four days to complete this difficult model. He is indeed a master builder.

Lawnmower man

Ever go running with your lawnmower?

I do every time I cut the lawn. I don't need a partner or leave my street. I just pull the cord on this self-propelled, gas-powered Sherman tank and cut grass. No matter how high the green stuff is, this tank makes mince meat out of grass. 

This beast is sold at Sears. It has rear-wheel drive and could drag me down the street when I put it in motion. This thing doesn't lose power even when the rear bag is full of clippings. 

I thought when I purchased this four-wheel machine it would make mowing easier. But now I get to go running on straight aways. The engine is American made courtesy of Briggs and Stratton.

Well, I've got to run - after my lawnmower.

Model behavior

Anthony looks over his creations, including a wooden plane I built for him when he as six.

Anthony displays his latest model, the U.S. Navy's Avenger

AUBURN, Maine - It is that hands-on-experience that makes this hobby more appealing and educational than any video game on the market.

For this family, the WEE is not for us, and video games are as enjoyable as watching me weed the garden or sweeping the driveway. Spending hours in front of a computer screen knocking off bad guys or shooting a basketball with the push of button really isn't entertaining for a family who would rather walk the beach or hike a small mountain.

Putting together the Titanic, the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Enterprise or adding the finishing touches to the turret of a Sherman tank is an incredible learning experience for a child who wants to know how things work and how these magnificent machines have changed the entire planet and interact with mankind.

This unique hobby allows anyone to build a ship, plane or muscle car on a kitchen table in the privacy of their own home. And when these projects come to fruition, the proud and industrious creators of these plastic or wooden wonders end up learning about history as well as how each part of an automobile or plane functions.

Building plastic or wooden models require brains, patience, engineuity and resourcefulness, and all four prerequisites can be taught to your child for the cost of glue and a model. 

The only educational toys that come close to building a model of the Hindenburg are Legos or Erector sets, and my son is a master builder of ships using Legos. 

A WORK IN PROGRESS: The Nantucket takes shape.

For us, video games are a straight waste of our time, but building a model with my precious son is a rewarding experience that enlightens us and gives a father and son an opportunity to work together on a project that involves a great deal of creativity and teamwork.

All work and all play

While the winter winds howl outside and we are forced to spend most of time indoors taking cover from the elements, my son is working on three models,  which include the Avenger, the U.S. Navy's World War II vintage torpedo bomber, the lightship "Nantucket" and the U.S.S. Oliver Hazard Perry, a guided missile frigate.

We have just finished spray painting parts to the Avenger and the Nantucket. The Avenger, in all its deadly splendor, was completed today.

But models are not cheap, and the purchase of large-scale and intricate behemoths that are sometimes motorized can run well over a $100, and if painting and batteries are required, then it really puts the hurt in your wallet. The U.S.S. Melvin has a complicated motor and is about three feet long and cost nearly $100, but we purchased it for far less at a discount store.

Building the wooden planes and ships that I have done in the past for my son certainly put my woodworking skills to the test, but the love that went into those projects were for a son who enjoys learning and is an outstanding student, and that is why there is no comparison when it comes to model-making or video games.

Anthony's boat clock he built in tech lab.

Anthony and I started making models (our first was a 1930s pick-up truck) when he was just five years old, and about four years later, he completed a model of the Titanic,which is difficult for an adult, never a mind a 9 year old.

He was hooked after completing his first model, and video games never became a priority in life. Thanks to his making of model ships, he has become an authority on naval crafts dating as far back as the 1500s. 

A majority of Anthony's knowledge about navy ships and warplanes was ascertained from building models, books and the Internet.

So much for video games.