There was a catalpa tree next to the farmhouse where I grew up. (And an orchard a barn and a cooling shed for the milk!) Dense shade, nice to sit under in hot summer!
How is the pond? Producing perch yet?
I caught a perch last week that, had she been caught earlier in the spring before she spawned, would likely have been a new Misery state record. She ate a 3.5" bluegill that I was using as bait while attempting to catch one of the hybrid striped bass. Was real close to, if not a bit over 18" long. I was in a big hurry to get her back in the water and didn't get a pic so maybe it's just a fish story. lol
Also last week I sent a couple hundred bluegills and half a dozen of the yellow perch that I'd trapped to live in my buddy's quarry lake. We caught a few bluegills hook-n-line two weeks ago - I filleted 19 of them that were between 7" and 9" - filled a quart ziplock bag about as tight as I could stuff it. Still haven't harvested any of the perch but haven't been trying very hard to figure out how to catch them. I now know they like to eat bluegill so that may be the secret.
Sometime try some small Shishito peppers and see what you think! They grill well, I think they would pickle well too!
That's actually a really good idea. I don't need any hot peppers for salsa, but I am getting low on pickled peppers. One of my favorite things to do is stuff a bottle with serrano peppers, fill it up with vinegar, cork it, then put it on the shelf for at least five years. The end result is a peppered vinegar that will make the nastiest pot of bitter greens palatable. Learned how to do that from my 'Bammer buddy's Gramma. She would always have a big pot of greens and country ham ready for us when we got back in from cutting firewood in the winter. That stuff would warm us right up.