GARDENING ON THE GULF COAST

peace

2009-09-05T17:18:00.001-05:00

peace
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

My friend Larry lost his brother today. Our prayers are with his family.

GIFTS FOR MY LADIES FROM FRENCH HOUSE

2008-11-03T17:26:00.019-06:00

Here are the gifts I chose from French Garden House to give my elderly ladies on the angel tree at Christmas. They will each get a beautiful bouquet of Pink & Cream Roses in an Italian Lace Pot. These are so pretty in person. They will also receive a set of three Bee Pollen soaps wrapped and tied with a pretty gingham ribbon. Lidy is also throwing in Holiday cinnamon scented, sachets for the ladies. Thank you so much for your generosity, Lidy. They smell so good!

I want to thank Brenda for putting on this drawing and giving me a chance to win this $50 gift certificate, and Lidy for having such a generous heart to double it to $100. Thank you. Visit Brenda's perfectly wonderful, blog, at the URL below. And don't forget to take a look at all the wonderful things, Lidy has in her shop at Frence Garden House.

I am going to ask them to take pics at Christmas, I will put pics on of the ladies who receive these gifts if they do. I hope they enjoy what I have picked out.

FRENCH GARDEN HOUSE

BRENDA'S BLOG

TIME OFF FOR A LITTLE WHILE

2008-10-14T10:49:00.003-05:00

Billy needs some help getting his catering business off the ground so I am taking a little time off from blogging to see what I can do to help. I'll be back soon. Smoked Ribs, smoked, pulled pork, BbQ and this delicious gumbo are on his menu. You know, MAN food. LOL

A FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE

2008-10-08T03:15:00.015-05:00

I am thankful for the tree trimming people who left us a big bunch of wood chips for mulch. Even if they did grind up Billy's favorite Mulberry tree limbs he had set aside for his BBQ. OOPs... I guess what we had there was "a failure to communicate" as Paul Newman said. Did you know that silkworms only eat fresh Mulberry leaves? I love my Mulberry Tree because it helps to feed a lot of birds. But people do wonder what all those purple puddles are in our yard! Birds have poor toilet etiquette. I'd show you a pic of my mulch but after you've seen one pile of mulch, you've pretty mulch seen them all. LOL..It does smell so nice though. All a green, woody, nature, fruity, sort of smell. That fruity part is probably Billy's Mulberry limbs. ~00~

I don't have much available right now for mulch other than that, except pine straw in the woods. That is so hard to gather though, with all the limbs and junk in it since the winds whipped through. Thank goodness I still have some of my old hay left though. I am going to throw that over my square foot garden boxes as soon as everything is harvested.

I have to talk Billy into leaving some Okra to dry on the vine. He keeps picking it for his gumbo making. I thought I might make some of those little little angels I found over on this blog. She makes the cutest angels from Okra. You can buy dried Okra even if you can't grow it yourself, at craft stores. Check out her blog, you will love it. flaurella's blog It is not just about crafts.

GINGER PLANT--A MOSQUITO HOME

2008-10-05T09:17:00.001-05:00

Someone pointed out to me that certain plants can be a home for mosquitoes. I never thought of that. Plants that have cups like this one, the Ginger plant, are not good plants to grow if you have Nile Fever cases in your area. We had several cases here this year and I never once thought of a plant as a home for mosquitoes. I think I will think twice about buying a plant of this type. I go around all the time looking for any thing like empty plant containers that might be holding water but it never crossed my mind to be careful about what plants I grow.

HOW TO HAVE A SPRING FLING

2008-10-02T15:00:00.008-05:00

You have to start in the Fall to get a really pretty Spring Fling.

Start with crocus, snowdrops, and winter aconite. These just signal, Spring is here!
Others to consider are daffodils, tulips, iris, so many different varieties to choose from and anemones. Alliums, Iris, and ranunculus should be planted as soon as your weather permits. Living on the Coast, I will wait a little later to plant than a lot of you.

Early blooming snowdrops, daffodils, tulips that bloom the middle of spring and then alliums that will bloom all summer long would be a good choice. I don't have good luck with tulips, I wish I did, I love them. If I lived further North, this is what I would plant for Spring and plant them all in the same area.

It would go like this: About the time the snowdrops begin to fade the daffodils will come up and continue the show. Next the tulips will appear so you won't notice the daffodil foliage when it starts to die off. Then along comes your pretty Iris or Alliums for color that will last throughout the rest of the season.

INCREDIBLE TREES

2008-09-29T14:53:00.011-05:00

"THE ROOF OF ARABIA: Socotra is considered the "jewel" of biodiversity in the Arabian sea. The long geological isolation of the Socotra archipelago and its fierce heat and drought have combined to create a unique and spectacular endemic flora (which may, therefore, be vulnerable to introduced species such as goats and to climate change). Surveys have revealed that more than a third of the 800 or so plant species of Socotra are found nowhere else". This information is taken from one of thier tourist sites.
Here is a sample of the trees. I have seen these before by thier comman names of Umbrella tree, bottle tree..etc. Aren't these incredible?

THE GREEN ROOF HAPPENING

2008-09-25T13:01:00.010-05:00

These photos were taken by Felder Rushing, our Mississippi, gardening guru. He loves green roofs. This first picture is his home. I love his yard. It is just full of all kinds of garden whimsy and unusual plants. I don't know if I would put a green roof on my house but maybe on a birdhouse. : )

I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TODAY...COME SEE

2008-09-24T14:06:00.017-05:00

Look what I found when I made my usual rounds this morning. Over on...Brenda's blog I have won a $100 gift certificate to French Garden House.
I am just thrilled and since we are a little stressed on finances, it gives me a chance to do something for someone else at Christimas that I may not have been able to do. We have an Angel tree for those who live in homes for the elderly and no one to buy them a present at Christmas. Thank you Brenda, I am so happy. The certificate is to this beautiful shop...french Garden House. Go take a look. She has some very beautiful things. The picture above is from her shop. Let's pay it forward, Brenda and Lidy!
Lidy's blog

French Garden House

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"We have a winner of my 200th post giveaway, folks. And the winner is...

Eve! Of Gardening On The Gulf Coast!

Eve, you have just won a $100 gift certificate to French Garden House. As soon as I finish this post, I will contact Lidy, owner of this beautiful boutique, and order your gift certificate. Please email me your full name and address so I can have this gift ordered for you.

I know you will find something for home, garden, or self. And you will also be donating to charity. So have fun with your gift! Start shopping! Congratulations, Eve."

YOUR DINNER IS READY MR SQUIRREL

2008-09-22T10:23:00.002-05:00

Do squirrels get your bulbs every year? I have heard that you can take chicken wire and anchor it over your bulbs after you plant them and that will work to keep them out. but you must remember to remove it when they they start to grow.

You could always just plant a double layer too, and hope they won't find the second layer. The bulbs will come up a couple of weeks later but at least some will come up. I don't have a problem with squirrels where I am now, but when we lived in the country, they were a bit of problem. Rodent repellents are useless according to all the information I can find, so don’t waste your money on them. You don't want the squirrels laughing at you behind your back. : )

If you are planting a large area, you could try using an electric fence, but that may only slow them down. The same goes for using ground up oyster shells in the soil where you plant the bulbs. If the squirrels are hungry enough and your neighbors aren't feeding them their bulbs, it won't do much good. You could also try to keep the squirrels away by getting a dog. But again, if the squirrels are hungry and the dog is one of those "could care less" dogs, like my Solo, who makes friends with all wild creatures including the family of rabbits in the woods.....it won’t work. : )

BLUE IN THE MORNING SUN

2008-09-18T11:13:00.000-05:00

As usual, one is to dark, one is too light, and one is perfect! Guess who took the perfect one? Billy takes much better pics than I do. He says you have to do more than point and shoot. In this, I have to agree.

I got this old chair to sit a plant on but it always has a cat on it, so I just let them have it. It is their porch! How spoiled is that?

I love how the center of this morning glory looks like it contains a reflection of the entire surface of the sun. The beautiful blue looks like some expensive silk fabric. Billy took this early one morning and when I uploaded it, I couldn't believe how breathtaking it was. I just love it. Click on it to get the full effect!

MAMA'S GONNA BUY ME A MOCKINGBIRD

2008-09-15T16:04:00.007-05:00

No, this is not a Mockingbird. This is the Wyoming State Bird: Western Meadow Lark (Sturnella neglecta)

Do you know your state bird? The state bird of Mississippi is a Mockingbird and I just saw one land on my herb garden on the back porch. Of course, I didn't have time to get my camera but he sure was pretty. I think he likes basil or thyme. He is always at that end of the bed.

I love the pretty Wyoming state bird. It think he is really pretty. Here is a link to find out if you don't know yours, which I am sure all you enlightened readers already know yours. But it is fun to see the other states. You can even hear most of the birds sing. Unfortunately all I got was a rocked out version of "Mama's Gonna Buy me a Mockingbird" when I clicked on my bird video. LOL

Click here to check out your bird

VERTICAL GROWING

2008-09-12T08:10:00.000-05:00

I want to do more vertical growing next year. Pole beans, both contender and Kentucky Wonder, cherry tomatoes, cukes were just great for me this year. We had worlds of cukes as I expected but the abundance of peppers surprised me, especially the ones that grew so tall I had to trellis them. So apparently you can grow them up a trellis if you pick the right ones. It sure is a lot easier on the back than bending over to pick them.

A lot of cantaloupes served as dinner for the rabbits. I'm ready for them next year. I am growing the small ones and putting them up in the air. I'll use netting as a sling to hold them up. I think vertical growing is so much fun. You have less disease and pests and it is just so much easier on the back to harvest. Can rabbits climb? I believe I can train yellow squash to go up a trellis too. It is worth a try.

I am going to check into the baby type veggies too. I love the baby ones for salads. Baby corn is something I love. Baby carrots, baby corn, pearl onions, cherry tomatoes, baby pumpkins ( they call one "baby boo"), midget cucumbers, tiny cabbage heads, tom thumb lettuce, baby eggplant, Easter egg radishes, little dumpling squash...and the list goes on. These could be raised in containers all around the property. A healthy vegetable plant is as pretty as any other green plant.

WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE WORLD STOPPED TURNING?

2008-09-11T15:15:00.001-05:00

On Friday, November 16, 2001 Alan Jackson had the lyrics of his song "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning" read into the Congressional Record by His Honor, Congressman Mac Collins.
HONORABLE MAC COLLINS of Georgia
House of Representatives
Friday, November 16, 2001

"On September 11th, 2001 our nation suffered a cataclysmic attack of unprecedented proportion. More than 6,000 Americans lost their lives in less than 1 hour's time.

In the two months following that tragic day, our citizens have struggled for ways to accept and deal with such a horrific loss. We have held candlelight vigils, all night prayer groups, talked of memorials and rebuilding. We have launched a major military campaign to seek justice for those victims. But one young man, whose name is known to many of this body and many of the American people, has found a way to genuinely memorialize those victims and that day in song.

Alan Jackson was born in Newnan, Georgia in 1958. Since that time he has grown into one of the nation's most loved Country Music stars. Some have called him the conscience of Nashville for his actions and the type of music he makes.

On November 7th. at the Country Music Awards, Alan sang a song he wrote, which more than any other that I have heard, expressed the wide range of emotions experienced on September 11th, 2001. I would like to read those lyrics to you now. "

Where Were You [When The World Stopped Turning]
By Alan Jackson

Where were you when the world stop turning on that September day

Were you in the yard with your wife and children
Or working on some stage in L.A.

Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke
Rising against that blue sky

Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry

Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know

Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride for the red, white and blue
And the heroes who died just doin' what they do

Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man

I watch CNN but I'm not sure I could
Tell you the difference in Iraq and Iran

But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stop turning on that September day

Teaching a class full of innocent children
Or driving down some cold interstate

Did you feel guilty 'cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone

Did you call up your mother and tell her you loved her
Did you dust off that bible at home

Did you open your eyes, hope it never happened
And you close your eyes and not go to sleep

Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Or speak to some stranger on the street

Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun

Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watchin'
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns

Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers
Stand in line and give your own blood

Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love

"I would like to take this opportunity to commend and congratulate my former constituent, a great American who has used his gifts as a songwriter and performer to lift the American spirit in this great pursuit for justice. Alan Jackson has crafted a thoughtful memorial to the victims of September 11th and serves as an example of how all Americans can help heal our nation from the wounds we suffered on that tragic day. Thank you Alan, for helping us to remember those we lost and for helping to keep their memory alive."

WILD THING, YOU MAKE MY HEART SING

2008-09-08T14:27:00.011-05:00

I looked out the window along the woods this morning, and saw all these wild morning glories. I wish I had a decent camera because it was awesome. Some are pink and some are purple. I wonder if the type of soil has anything to do with it. They look like the same morning glory but just different colors. I also spotted this lantiana that looks different from the ones I grow. Pretty little yellow flowers and some type of pea blooms. It was early and I was in my PJs, but determined. : ) My camera is a real cheapo so I don't do close ups but I just had to try. It was beautiful in person, just climbing up in the trees like that.

FREAKY FRIDAY....MAD POTTER OF BILOXI

2008-09-05T01:28:00.002-05:00

I want to introduce you to my favorite potter. He was born next door in Biloxi MS. I loved his work so much when I first saw it because it is so different. He is the reason I took up pottery. They say he use to ride down main street in Biloxi in his Pajamas with that handlebar moustache just a flying. LOL...I bet he was a sight to see.

The following information is from wiki:

While Ohr had a healthy self-image, during his lifetime many others in the art world did not accept him or his pots, and considered him a boasting eccentric. In the early 1900s, the Arts and Crafts Movement and its leaders (such as William Morris) advocated that an artist should display control and perfection in all art forms. Ohr displayed little obvious perfectionism in his art or control in his person, antagonizing art leaders nationally and political leaders at home. Ohr's work is now seen as ground-breaking and a harbinger of the abstract sculpture and pottery that developed in the mid-20th century. Ohr's pieces are now relatively rare and highly coveted.

A notable feature of Ohr pottery is that many items have thin walls, metallic glazes, and twisted, pinched shapes. To this day potters marvel at Ohr porcelain-thin walls and unusual glazes. No one has been able to replicate them using a pottery wheel, which is how Or made his works. Or dug much of his clay locally in southern Mississippi from the Tchoutacabouffa River. Tchoutacabouffa is the Biloxi tribe's word for "broken pot.

GOOD CONTAINER COMBOS

2008-09-03T02:00:00.003-05:00

I found this picture on one of the retail gardening sites. I just love it. This container features white sweet alyssum, purple-leaf fibrous begonia, and pink tuberous begonia. Don't you just love the old bread box?

Here are a few suggestions they gave for good container planting combinations.

SPRING: Hellebores, with tulips and ferns. When bulbs die down replace with pink impatiens.

BEGONIAS: Mix rex begonias with their colorful foliage with tuberous camellia-flowered begonias in colors to blend with the rex leaves.

SILVER: Helichrysum petiolare (licorice plant) trailing under annual dusty miller. Add pale pink or red geraniums depending on the effect you want. Or try it with purple heliotrope.

SHADE GARDEN: Trailing ivy and ferns with nicotiana, impatiens or pansies.

FOLIAGE: Palace Purple heuchera with Bowles Golden sedge and Margarita' sweet potato vine

SUCCULENTS: Sedum `Vera Jamieson' and `Bertram Anderson' with Sedum sieboldiana.

BLUE AND YELLOW: Yellow daylilies (Penny's Worth, Stella d'Oro) with Campanula carpatica `Blue Clips'.

PINK AND PRETTY: New Guinea impatiens (bright pink flowers) and pale pink verbena and pink zonal geraniums.

DRAMATIC: Black Dragon coleus with Ipomoea batatas `Blackie' and Helichrysum petiolare `Aurea'.

I love containers but sometimes I can end up with things that just didn't grow the way I thought they would. I have had things that should trail, grow straight up. LOL. But I keep trying. These all sound so pretty. I am going to try the foliage because I started a sweet potato vine that is yearning to be potted up in some sort of arrangemnt. All I need is some purple heuchera and Golden sedge. That sounds so pretty to me. I like purples and golds together.

GOODBYE GUS,,,HELLO HANNA

2008-09-02T11:48:00.004-05:00

Well, we made it through another one. We had a rough ride with the feeder bands, lots of rain and wind gusts of 75 mph, but nothing at all like Katrina. We lost our power but just a few minutes ago, we got it back on. It was a hot time in the old town tonight, let me tell you.

There is still a curfew and they are not letting anyone come back home that evacuated, until tomorrow, Wednesday. Trees and limbs on the road, flooding and power lines, down everywhere is the reason for that. We stayed when we realized the winds at the worst would be 75.

Our problem now, is Hanna out there and not knowing where she might go if she turns.and right behind her, Ike and Josephine. Never a dull moment this time of year. I hope all of you in the path of this storm, are doing well. Thank you all for caring so much. You are amazing people.

WHERE DID THAT PLANT COME FROM?

2008-08-30T03:18:00.000-05:00

I love being surprised with a boquet of flowers. But the plant surprises that just show up in my yard are great too. We had a little shrub just sprang up a couple of years ago. It is so beautiful now. I still don't know what it is but it has these nice glossy leaves and a dark green color but no blooms yet. I think we might have brought the seed in with some old manure we added to our soil. I also had some purple heart just spring up after I planted some potted plants I bought at Lowes. I think birds spread seed around too. At any rate, it is always fun to see them.

Sometimes I know what they are and sometimes I have no idea. A pretty little plant is growing in my Lantana bed. It is just hiding up under all that foliage. It has these pretty little yellow flowers that look a lot like violets. I didn't plant it although I did plant some johnny jump ups earlier in the spring. This is much bigger though. Lantana springs up in the most surprising places. Herbs will spring up everywhere too. I have basil and thyme coming up all over the place and lemon balm is growing back where I pulled it out at the beginning of summer. That's good, because I really like it now but at the time I wanted the room for chives.

Another surprise I had this year was finding a vine with gorgeous little white flowers, blooming around my mailbox pole. We have a rural mailbox and I always planned on decorating it with flowers but never did. I hope it comes back next year. I am hoping for a new mailbox too. One the mailman will actually close shut. : )

LIVING WREATHS AND KISSING BALLS

2008-08-26T13:21:00.013-05:00

Aren't these wonderful? I made some of these in the early seventies and gave them as Christmas gifts. People just loved the Kissing Balls. The one in the center is from the Martha Stewart website. She gives you instructions for hers. You can also make them square like a dish. Here is the link to the website for the Kissing Balls and the other wreath and square. These are so much fun to make. Try one and surprise someone with it.

Instructions for Kissing Balls and squares

OUR KITCHEN WINDOWSILL

2008-08-25T04:23:00.001-05:00

Our kitchen windowsills serve as an art gallery for a lot of us. I have put tomatoes on my kitchen windowsill in various stages and let them sit there too long. Then I end up cleaning the window and feeling really sad when I let the red ones sit too long. I am responsible for them not reaching their ultimate mission which is to nourish our bodies. I love to see them all lined up there, looking so pretty in red, yellow and green. It is particually nice if we have a window above our sink. I am blessed to have a bay window over my sink but the sillls are not that wide. I would like to make them wider.

I also love to see pots on a windowsill, holding herbs or flowers. Chives, basil, lavender, parsley, mint and thyme are good choices for herbs. One of the first things I wanted to do when I got married was grow herbs on my windowsill. I will stick little flowers in small bottles of whatever wildflowers I find on my trips outside. In the early Spring, there is a riot of yellow and purple flowers along my roadside. I don't know their names but I enjoy them every Spring.

I had a friend who lined her windowsill with beautiful, colorful bottles. Some green ones, one vintage, vaseline colored, one dark cobalt blue, and some lovely ones in various colors that contained scented vinegars someone had given her as a gift one Christmas. They looked really pretty with the Sun shining through and I am sure, cheered her up every time she looked at them. I haven't seen her for years, but I'll bet wherever she is, she still has those bottles on her windowsill. I hope she has a window over her sink.

I have seen windowsills lined with old, vintage salt and pepper shakers. Or those little miniature pottery pieces that we all love. I have seen little tiny vases and salt cellars, toothpick holders or even little miniature cups and saucers or cute little animals. One friend has marbles on hers. She puts them in little clear jsrs. The light makes them sparkle. I have seen shells, bringing back memories of a special trip, lining a windowsill.

The next time you visit someone, look at the windowsills. I'd be willing to bet, if I was a betting person, that you will something interesting displayed there. If someone looked at yours, what would they see?

PEPPERS- -DRIED, FRIED AND STUFFED INSIDE

2008-08-20T17:49:00.031-05:00

I love peppers. Hot, mild, sweet, any type of peppers appeal to me. I like their pretty colors in the garden but most of all I love the many ways you can use them in cooking. I lost track of how many types I raised this time, because I threw away the little markers. I know I have at least six types of sweet and a couple of hot. I didn't plant enough hot or poblano peppers this year. Next year I will plant more of those. I love the bright red of the little tiny chili peppers.

I have dried enough for a string of dried peppers for my kitchen in addition to putting some up to grind for later. I like the look of dried peppers and herbs, hanging in the kitchen. I think it gives it a homey, warm look. I love peppers too because they are easy to freeze. I just seed, slice and freeze. You don't need to blanch them if you use them in a month or so. Billy will probably use the ground up ones in his tamales. Although I have been known to add hot pepper flakes to kick things up a notch. I love hot! I think they will keep producing up until the middle of October at least.

I like poblano peppers for stuffing with cream cheese and then wrapping with bacon. Pop in the oven until the bacon is brown and crisp. Billy smoked some once and they were really good. I think my favorite way to make peppers though is the same way Mama used to make them. Stuffed bell peppers with rice, meat and cheese was a dish I loved as a child. I love rich, red pepper pesto made from bell peppers for corn chips, crackers, crusty bread, pasta, and roasted potatoes too. You can find that recipe all over the Internet. Everyone has their own version.

If I could only grow five veggies, I would pick yellow squash, peppers, tomatoes, green onions and potatoes.

DIY drying and stringing peppers

OKRA-YOU EITHER LOVE IT OR HATE IT

2008-08-18T11:11:00.010-05:00

I love it fried up all crisp and brown. But this year I grew some for Billy to make his world famous gumbo. I am not a fan of gumbo, although I like everything that goes in it. I just don't like it mixed together. I prefer my shrimp, boiled with a good cocktail sauce or fried up in a nice sandwich with lettuce and tomato. I love crabs dipped in butter. Now, I know according to his brothers, his gumbo is really good. I'll take their word for it. I don't like the texture on my tongue. That is funny in a way, because I do like boiled okra in field peas with a big ole hunk of buttery cornbread.

My basil, if I don't get it out of there, is going to overtake my okra. We have been picking okra from just these few plants for a long while. It has been enough for his gumbo but I think next year, I will plant just a few more plants.

Here is a good recipe for Fried Okra..you can leave out the hot sauce but it won't be Southern fried. We use hot sauce in the South.

1 pound fresh okra
2 eggs, beaten
4 to 6 dashes hot pepper sauce
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
oil for deep frying

Wash okra and drain well. Now cut off ends and save them for your compost pile. Cut okra crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. In a bowl, combine beaten eggs and hot sauce. This is what I do, I like it. Add okra and stir to coat all pieces well. In a shallow dish, combine cornmeal, salt and cayenne. Dip okra pieces into cornmeal mixture to coat well.

Now Mama fried hers up in a big black iron skillet but I use a deep fryier. It's all good....

Heat oil in the deep fryer to 375°. Fry okra in batches until browned, about 4 to 6 minutes for each batch. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

LATE GARDEN AND MY DOG SOLO

2008-08-14T21:45:00.012-05:00

We have had a lot of rain in the last few days, but maybe it will give my tomatoes and squash we planted last month, a boost. I ran out in the rain and put fertilizer around the plants and bumped my head on my storage container, I was in such a hurry. Now I know none of you run out in the rain like that to fertilize. I am an idiot. But my thinking was, it will help to wash it in. I am hoping to get in another harvest of fresh tomatoes an squash before I get involved with the fall garden. The peppers are still doing really well. Other than that, most of the earlier crops are gone. I do have a lot of basil left to harvest and I want to save the seeds from my marigolds I had in the garden. They were particularly pretty and I though I would save them. Since they are probably hybrid, I doubt I will get the same plant but it is worth a try.

I need to get a ramp built for my sweet little dog Solo. He is getting old and is losing his sight. I want to do everything we can to make his life seem as normal as possible. He is afraid to go down the steps anymore and I don't blame him. Stepping off into the dark has got to be frightening. He has mapped out the house pretty well though. He can find everything he needs. We taught him when we first got him to go on paper at night and we take him out in the daytime. It came in handy when we were gone a lot when he was younger. So that is not a problem for him. He does seem to be walking a lot though. Just pacing back and forth but I think in time, that will stop as we get him outside walking again. It hasn't affected his hearing any. He can still hear me try to sneak open a candy bar wrapper from two rooms away. LOL

THE LOVE BUGS WILL GET YOU

2008-08-13T13:02:00.009-05:00

We are about to be hit with those blasted lovebugs again. They land all over anything and everything. They get in your hair, land on food or drink when you try to eat outside, die by the thousands on your windshield, lights, grills and are very hard to remove. To get rid of the mass of deceased love bugs that shellacked themselves to your car's finish, I have help. There is a product called Spray and Wash that can help clean them up. Simple Green can help too. They can cause your car to overheat if they get drawn into the cooling system of liquid cooled engines. These are some bad bugs. I feel no love for them at all. Okay, maybe a little.

The love bug, Plecia nearctica, is a member of the family of march flies. It is also known as the honeymoon fly, telephone bug, kissy bug or double-headed bug. The adult is a small, flying insect common to parts of Central America and the southeastern United States, especially along the Gulf Coast. The adult love bug feeds on the nectar of flowering plants. Upon reaching maturity the love bug spends almost the entirety of its life copulating with its mate, hence its numerous romantic nicknames. Think of it like this: they meet-and-greet and date-and-mate all in one fun-packed evening.

"Once large enough, larva will spin cocoons in
which they will undergo metamorphosis and emerge
as fully mature flying adults. This change will
usually take 1-2 weeks. As flying adults, males
have one thing on their minds: find females".

And just how is that different from human males, pray tell!!!

Folklore says they might be a result of an experiment gone wrong in a Florida lab. Mixing a mosquito with a genetically altered fly to create an enemy for mosquito larva. See what can happen when you mess with Mother Nature!

YOU CUT BACK MY WHAT?

2008-08-11T03:22:00.004-05:00

So, I'm making chicken and dressing and Billy walks in. I like fresh chopped parsley in my dressing so I ask him if he would mind getting me some fresh parsley off the back porch. I hand him a bowl and the scissors I use to cut my herbs. "Just cut it all back because I will dry what I don't use" I told him. Parsley grows back really quickly so by the time I need more there will be plenty of new growth.

In a few minutes he comes back in, bearing not a bowl of parsley but my entire basil plant. He had cut it all off. I looked at him in total disbelief. I was going to pot it up a pretty pot after cutting back where it is trying to seed. I really don't need the seed, I have plenty but I can carry this plant through the Winter if I just pot it up and bring it in on the colder days. Oh well, I do have more out in the garden, just not the same type. I think the roots still have time to make another anyway before it gets too cold. At least he left the roots. LOL... Bless his heart, he thought I said basil. I let him off the hook but next time, I think I will attend to the herbs. For now, I hung the stems upside down with a nice piece of twine and will just let them dry.

SILENT SUNDAY........TIN CAN WALL GARDEN

2008-08-10T22:01:00.005-05:00

CLICK

ANDRE GARDIN UNIQUE GARDEN ART

2008-08-09T13:25:00.005-05:00

Want to see more?
Click here

DECORATING YOUR FRONT DOOR AREA

2008-08-06T19:54:00.009-05:00

I rather like the swag on this door. Although I'm not sure I am the swag or wreath type, I can see this for the Holidays. Since I have down time now before we start the fall garden, and I have already picked all I plan on picking and freezing, from the current garden, I am turning my attention to other things, like my front entrance. I'm not sure exactly how I want to decorate my front entrance. I want to change it up, and add some new things, but I want the look to be tasteful. I think you can get away with a lot of things near the front door such as stepping stones, railings, planters and wind chimes if you coordinate all of the styles and colors so they go together well.

I have some hanging baskets and a bird feeder. I have flowers and plants, but I need a new porch light. I want to make an address sign too. I like unusual mail boxes, and I have one somewhere out in my shed. I don't get my mail in it, I just like it. It is a vintage style box. So how many of these things do I use? I think five or six is probably enough. I saw a home the other day that had one tall green topiary on each side and a matching mat in front of the door with a nice green wreath on the door. It looked simple and nice. All in green with an eggplant color on the door.

I have one especially large pot, that was given to me by my brother in law. It is just as pretty inside as it is outside so I never know if you are supposed to put a plant in it or not. It came with it's own stand, which I love. So this will stay. I have a couple of chairs which I would like to replace with a glider instead. I have a two tier, little wire plant holder that holds 6 medium size pots. This is where I usually put my pansies in the spring. Since I have just a simple white porch with white posts and railings and steps with banisters on either side with a plain glass door, I can use whatever colors I like. My floor is a pale to medium gray.

I think it would make a great challenge. Have every one put up a picture of their front entrance. I don't know how you do these challenges so I will leave this up to those who run this type of challenge. I would love to see how other gardeners use plants and flowers around their front entrance.

VINTAGE FLOWER ARRANGER

2008-08-05T12:48:00.005-05:00

This is my wonderful, vintage flower arranger. I have had it for a long time. I bought it years ago from a nice lady at an estate sale. This lady's Mama had died and she was selling her things to settle some debts. Since most of her things were from the forties or early fifties, I think this must date back to that period. It is unmarked with only the marks made by the kiln feet, on the bottom. I just love it when It is filled with flowers. It is probably on the list of my ten favorite things I own.

I wish I had a picture with flowers in it but I haven't taken many pictures of my arrangements because even with this, I am not a great flower arranger. I love trying though. I have another metal frog, a round one, which looks to be pretty old. It makes pretty bedside bouquets.

I love this one because the frog is an oval shape and makes it easy for me to arrange flowers in a more pleasing way. It is about 12x8 and nearly three inches deep, so you can make a fairly large arrangement in it.

EVERY GARDEN NEEDS A WINDSOCK

2008-08-04T09:35:00.001-05:00

A windsock or wind cone is a tube made of fabric (nylon or some type of plastic can be used also) designed to indicate the direction of the wind and, in some situations, the relative wind speed.

Windsocks are often used at airports to gauge wind direction or alongside highways at windy locations to warn of gusts and strong breezes.

At home, windsocks can be seen flying from porches and flagpoles to proclaim festive occasions or holidays.

You can buy one or make one. Yes, you can buy classy looking ones too. LOL.. If you are crafty and want to give it a try, (it is easy) here are the directions:

DIRECTIONS FOR A WINDSOCK

DID I JUST SEE A MONKEY IN THOSE WOODS?

2008-08-02T03:40:00.000-05:00

Someone on another post said their garden was in maintenance mode. To go into maintenance mode, means you have to be a whole lot more organized than I am. I try, Lord knows I try, but things just get out of hand quickly. Ornamental grass, banana trees, wisteria vines, all things tropical, just go bananas when the rains start. We get rain in the afternoon, just about every day, this time of year. It is great, I'm not complaining but it can cause problems.

You mow the grass in the front and by the time you get to the back, the front needs mowing again. The vines just reach out of the woods and grab everything in sight. I have let the woods get closer to the house in the last few years, than I am comfortable with. I use to cut it way back but I just don't have the energy any more to keep it neat so it is going a little wild back there. George of the jungle could not get through.

Yesterday I actually found a pile of dirt we hauled in a few weeks ago, had trees growing out of it. Pretty little pasture type trees with yellow flowers. And some type of vine. Boy, if you are too slow, Mother nature just reclaims the soil. I wanted to fill in some low spots but it just got so hot so I though it would be better left to a cooler day. I should have covered it with black plastic to kill off any seeds, but all I seem to learn from my mistakes, is oops, I did it again.

THIS LITTLE FIGGY ALL GONE

2008-07-31T22:48:00.012-05:00

I have a sweet and generous sister in law. We were talking about the fig tree at her Mama's and how she would make fig preserves every year. She would call and invite me over as soon as she made them. She always left some warm in the pot for us, which we would eat right away with nice hot, buttered biscuits. She made the best biscuits in the world. Then the rest she put in jars. I would always take some home with me and I remember it as one of the special times I spent with her.

I have a fig tree but birds got mine this year. Doris's husband, Larry set out to find some for me. Thank you Larry, I appreciate that. Then she made me all these lovely jars of figs. I have two, large jars of preserved, whole figs, three jars of regular fig preserves and three Strawberry, fig preserves. I have never tasted Strawberry figs before. They are absolutely delicious. I made biscuits and sat down with a jar and a big smile. Then Billy came home and finished off the pan of bisquits. We love them. Thanks Doris. (((hugs))) You are definitely on our Christmas list. : ) Does anyone else make Strawberry, fig preserves?

JAPANESE GARDEN

2008-07-30T08:53:00.002-05:00

Japanese gardens are a big part of the Japanese culture. These gardens don't actually come from Japan, though. The idea of the garden comes from China. After China started to design gardens, Korea and Japan liked the idea, so they took the basic layout of the Chinese gardens and began creating gardens in their own countries.

The gardens use many different kinds of trees and bushes which they keep trimmed very neatly. The shapes that are made of the plants are usually rounded.

In the center of the garden, there is normally a stone. These stones are decorated in many ways, either with a design or the family crest.

One of the things you notice is that flowering plants are scarce or nonexistent in Japanese garden design. Instead you see dry gravel stream beds or sand swept into patterns and large rocks and boulders are used to tell a story. The heart of all Japanese garden design is symbolism and storytelling. This is done with plants and other elements of nature and not so much the use of colorful flowers.

Equally important to Japanese garden design are the use of water, and more specifically the use of running water, which symbolizes passing time or life.

My sister in law has been talking about something along this line for her yard. That is why I got interested in it. she is very creative so I can't wait to see what she comes up with. If you would like to know more, click on this link,,,JAPANESE GARDEN IDEAS

POISONOUS PLANTS

2008-07-29T03:29:00.006-05:00

OLEANDER

Recently I wrote about a plant called Yesterday-Today- Tomorrow. I found out it was poisonous and decided against putting it in my yard. I also decided to do some research on other plants I like to see how they stack up in the poison department.

There are many plants that cause an adverse reaction when they are eaten or their sap contacts skin. A partial list of common outdoor plants includes angel trumpet, oleander, poinsettia, Castor bean, autumn crocus, delphinium, bleeding heart, and lily of the valley. Some common indoor plants that are toxic are dieffenbachia, caladium and various species of philodendron.

Some of these I knew and some I didn't. I found out about Oleanders when we wanted to plant them a few years back. They are planted down the middle of one of our highways, here on the Coast and look so pretty. Billy loves them but I just thought it was too big a chance to take with little animals running all over. This was when we lived in the country and not only our little four legged babies but the wildlife could have been at risk.

The University of California provides an extensive list on their Web site.

If you look up the University in your state, you will find info for your local plants. The library of Congress also provides many booklets on this subject. Some you will have to pay for though.

Another useful Web site is one maintained by the ASPCA.
ASPCA SITE

Here is a list of poisonous plants from the South.

POISONOUS PLANTS OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES

But keep in mind that we all do plant things in our yard or garden, with some part of it being poison, like the tomato plant...the fruit are fine but the plant itself can be dangerous if ingested. So take what you can use and throw out the rest as my Mama would say. I just like to know the ones that are dangerous so I can make an educated decision on whether on not to grow them.

Design your own magazine cover

2008-07-28T11:04:00.002-05:00

Just scroll down below my blog list and click on the picture. Fun thing to do.

WISHING WELL PLANTER

2008-07-27T01:43:00.008-05:00

Plans for building the wishing well planter in the picture. I think I am goimg do this. I am looking at a few and this one seems like something I might be able to do. Can't you just see this in your favorite color, filled with plants?

PLANS FOR BUILDING YOUR OWN

RAISING CANE

2008-07-25T11:26:00.004-05:00

I planted Cane in this pot at least ten years ago. I have never watered it, fed it or even praised it and yet it grows and grows. The pot is really small now for it's size but I figure it is doing so good, why bother it. Billy said it was cracking on the side a little, so I will just wait and let it come out when it is ready.

I have no idea what it is. I just call it cane. It starts out white in early Spring and then turns to a pretty stripe by Summer. It dies back after the first freeze and comes back every Spring. And like most of my plants, it never gets prettied up. The reason this one doesn't, has to do with the fire ants who made their bed in there. I know I should put poison and get rid of them but what if they decided to go somewhere else then. At least I know where they are and they seem happy and have hung out their "Home Sweet Home" sign. I think they keep the soil aerated. I am of the school that if it isn't broke, don't fix it, so I leave it alone. And every year,,there it is in all it's glory.

I planted blanket flowers around it and a spiller over the edge, which is long gone now, when it was a much smaller plant. It is a thriller, filler, spiller, gone hay wire. LOL

BETTER HOMES AND GARDEN

2008-07-24T03:02:00.000-05:00

Look what I found on the Better Homes and Garden website. I know most of you probably know about this site or may even get the magazine but have you looked at the site lately. They have a lot of things to spike your interest. I love this idea in the photo. Find a wire wastebasket of preferred height at a home store. Lightly line it with peat moss, then fill the remaining area with potting soil. Top it off with your desired plants. Here, white delphiniums look great next to a doorway.

Check out these quick videos from Better Homes And Gardens too. Starting with, "make your own stepping stones"...hanging baskets, vine suupports, etc. Each one is about a minute and a half. I think you will enjoy them.

Mini videos

MAYFLY

2008-07-22T09:12:00.000-05:00

The Mayfly, first cousin to the dragonfly and damselfly. The males live one hour to a day. But if you think that is short lived, wait until I tell you how long the poor little females live.

"About 2,500 species are known worldwide, including about 630 species in North America. Common names for mayflies include "dayfly", "shadfly", "Green Bay Flies", "Canadian soldier", and "fish fly".

"The mayfly Dolania Americana in which females typically live less than five minutes is the shortest lived of these, and is therefore the insect with the shortest reproductive life (Sweeney & Vannote 1982). During this time, to reproduce, they must find a mate, copulate, and lay their eggs back into the water from which they so recently emerged".

University of Florida Book of Insect Records
Chapter 37 Shortest Reproductive Life

Wow God! That is a lot to ask of one little female fly. LOL..not that I am questioning you. NO sirree.

WHERE DID THAT HUGE CUCUMBER COME FROM?

2008-07-20T10:46:00.000-05:00

I just found three huge cucumbers in my garden. I grow mine on a trellis and still can't spot them until they are the size of a baseball bat. I think I go blind when I go to the garden. I just found two overgrown eggplant and some peppers, that I swear were not there yesterday. I believe they hide when they see me coming. My onions are totally hidden. I can't find them anywhere. Do rabbits like onions?

I really do need to check the garden every day when it reaches this stage. Things just grow so fast and if you are not careful, they will get over ripe or just rot on the vines. So many of my tomatoes, especially the patio and grape, just died on the vine, because I didn't get around to picking them. My only excuse is the heat. It gets hot early here now and in the evening you have to fight the insects. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I will be planning my fall garden really soon now and will try to do better.

What to do with those overgrown cucumbers from Cooks.com:

RED HOT CUCUMBER PICKLES

2 gal. lg. cucumbers
2 c. pickling lime
Water
1 c. vinegar
1 tbsp. alum from drugstore
1 bottle red food coloring
2 c. vinegar
5 lbs. sugar
1 lg. pkg. red hot candy
8 cinnamon sticks

Peel, quarter and seed cucumbers. Need 2 gallons of cucumbers after peeling. Cut into strips about the size of French fries. Soak 24 hours in pickling lime with enough water to cover cucumbers. Drain and wash well.
Add 1 cup vinegar, alum, food coloring and enough water to cover. Simmer 2 hours and then drain well. Add 2 cups vinegar, 4 cups water, sugar, candy and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil. Remove from stove. Let sit 24 hours. Bring back to a boil. Remove from stove. Let sit another 24 hours. Bring to a boil. Put in hot sterilized jars. Makes 10-12 pints. This makes wonderful Christmas gifts.

PAMPAS GRASS BITTERSWEET LOVE AFFAIR

2008-07-18T06:57:00.005-05:00

Stock photo of plumes
My Pampas Grass is not in full bloom right now and I wanted you to see why I keep the big green monster.
When we moved here, we bought two lots that were separated by huge mounds of Pampas Grass, right down the middle and gradually we have it down to one clump in the middle, up front and one on the corner that I rescued from the middle and planted on the corner. People who plant this sometimes regret it! Clumps get extremely large and thick, blades contain sharp cutting edges, and it takes a stick of dynamite to remove it! But having said that, when you see it in bloom, it is spectacular and it will bloom for three months. So I think it is worth growing, if you have the room. It will get 12 ft high, I think ours is taller than that, and it will spread 6 to 8 ft around. Right now, ours is a big green clump, and I wonder why we keep it until I see the big creamy plumes.

I fight to keep the ones we have left. Billy hates them with a passion. They are very hard to keep neat looking because to tell you the truth, it is a painful job, so it doesn't get done too often. I gave a lot of them away to my recycle group. They came and dug it out. They were happy and I was happy! It was a good deal for both of us. I wanted the space and they wanted plants. All who came, left with several big clumps. This is very old Pampas Grass, planted in the sixties, so it should have done really well for them.

BUYING AND SELLING CUT FLOWERS AND PLANTS

2008-07-17T10:56:00.001-05:00

Childe Hassam painting

I was just wondering if any of you ever sell your flowers or plants. I love farmer's markets and I recall seeing quite a few buckets with fresh flowers in them at the stalls the last time I was there. They were mainly selling garden roses, hydrangeas, phlox, salvias and filler type flowers. One girl told me she just sells whatever is in bloom at the time and usually sells in bunches. I would think arrangements would be good for those who are all thumbs at arranging flowers. That would be me. A friend once ask me, after seeing my latest endeavor, how far back I was standing when I threw that one together. LOL I've never sold any but I have bought them, especially Sunflowers and zinnias.

I will buy plants anywhere. My confederate roses were bought at a garage sale!. I have bought at library sales, books and plants, great combination. Sometimes they have them at our local flea market. If you look in the newspaper under plants in the classified, there are usually some there. My local recycle group on the web, offers plants all the time. I'll put a link to the freecycle group at the bottom of the post, in case you are not familiar with it...just type in your town...

I have seen people selling plants and shrubs out of the back of pickup trucks. Plants are getting so expensive. Even bulbs are way up in price. But there are cheaper places to buy if we just keep our eyes open. If you know of other places I haven't thought of, please let us know. Here is a link to a place to get some free plants and do a good deed at the same time. Also the link to the freecycle site...

FREE PLANTS

FREECYCLE

EASY AND CHEAP WAY TO GET MORE PLANTS

2008-07-16T14:40:00.000-05:00

No, that pic is not out of focus, it is totally out of focus ..LOL

I was just browsing some websites today and ran across this helpful information on cuttings. I thought I would share it with you. Some of you, no doubt know this but since new gardeners are born every day, it might be useful for some. The cuttings above are sweet potato vine and a Malunggay or Moringa tree. There is a post on this tree in an earlier post.

Did you know there are 5 types of cuttings?

Leaf cuttings
Hardwood cuttings
Semi ripe cuttings
Softwood cuttings
Root cuttings

Read more here:

Plants from cuttings

RABBITS AND MELONS

2008-07-14T19:12:00.008-05:00

Lovely painting is Benjamin's Garden
By Kimberly Hodge
We have a small plot of trees behind the house that I just let go wild for the birds and rabbits and other little animals who live there. I walked back there with the dogs when they were younger. Solo can no longer see too well, and I think he feels safer in the front where he knows his way around by the plants and buildings. I miss the walks though. My woods are full of birds right now. I seem to have a lot of red birds this year. Every time I stand on the back porch, I will see a flash of red. I hope I can get a picture of one.

Speaking of rabbit's, I love windows. Wait, I'll tie it together. In my home that was blown down by Katrina, I had this large picture window that looked out on the woods. I use to watch rabbits eat my plants from that window. I love rabbits though so I didn't mind. Until yesterday that is...Now I'm warning them, they better keep their little cotton picking mouths off my watermelon and cantaloupe. They actually are eating more than their share. Maybe they are looking for the cool juice since they have to be hot too with these temperatures. I didn't begrudge them a little, but they are just taking it too far now. There are perfectly good and juicy cukes they can have. We are no longer eating them. One or two a week is now enough for us for salads.

I think I will put a pot over a few of them. Not the rabbits, the melons. LOL Although that is a thought. Ummm rabbit stew. I'm kidding. I have heard the melons themselves, don't need the light, just the vines. It's worth a shot. We had cantaloupe for lunch today. It was decadent. We cut off the top of two of them and just ate right from nature's bowl with a spoon.

CATTAILS...I GOT LOTS OF CATTAILS

2008-07-14T09:11:00.002-05:00

I started not to put this pic on, or you might think I never cut my grass, but this is on the backside of our property and it is always a little wet back there. I have Bamboo and cattails growing together happily. I just found out they are edible. That is good to know with prices going higher and higher for food. Who knows? They might keep us from starving some day but if they don't, they sure are great little plants to grow. I love every stage of their growth. Here is what Wiki has to say about them:

"Cattail has a wide variety of parts that are edible to humans. The rhizomes are a pleasant, nutritious and energy-rich food source, generally harvested from late Fall to early Spring. These are starchy, but also fibrous, so the starch must be scraped or sucked from the tough fibers. In addition to the rhizomes, cattails have little-known, underground, lateral stems that are quite tasty. In late spring, the bases of the leaves, while they are young and tender, can be eaten raw or cooked. As the flower spike is developing in early summer, it can be broken off and eaten, and in mid-summer, once the flowers are mature, the pollen can be collected and used as a flour supplement or thickener".

So, while you are laying in those emergency supplies for hard times. why not plant these and enjoy their looks now and eat them later. : ) or you might want to use them as stuffing...no, not to eat,, for a pillow or vest or baby pack..

The disintegrating heads are used by some birds to line their nests. The downy material was also used by Native Americans as tinder for starting fires.

Native American tribes also used cattail down to line moccasins and papoose boards. An Indian name for cattail meant, “fruit for papoose’s bed”. Today some people still use cattail down to stuff clothing items and pillows.

The down has also been used to fill life vests in the same manner as kapok.

If using the cattail for pillow stuffing you may be wise to use thick batting material, as the fluff may cause a reaction similar to hives and will be very itchy.

Now how is that for a plant that earns its keep? A soft place to lay your weary head and ......A supermarket on a stick!

YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW PLANT

2008-07-13T18:08:00.000-05:00

I had a friend whose Mother grew this evergreen shrub in her flower beds. I remember being fascinated by the name when I was a young teen and totally too romantic. The common name of Yesterday-Today-and Tomorrow comes from the quick change in the flower colors from purple to lavender to white. I've read that in partial shade the plant can reach 10 feet, but can be kept pruned to about 3 feet quite easily. Daisy Belle's Mother's plants were rather tall, and I think taller than 10 feet. Of course, I was shorter then so maybe they weren't. : )

Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow is known to contain poisonous alkaloids. The berries are especially toxic to dogs. You might know a cool plant like this would have drawbacks. I wouldn't take a chance on it around my animals but it sure is interesting. It reminds me of the Confederate Rose and how it changes from white, to pale pink to rose before the day is over. Now I have two of those but as far as I know, they are not poisonous.

FIGS, I LOVE FIGS

2008-07-12T12:10:00.000-05:00

I love figs more than any other fruit. Billy's Mama had a tree and every year she would put up a few jars and she always gave me one. They were wonderful with hot buttered biscuit. A big Oak tree appears to be taking over that tree now. No one there to pick them or at least no one who cares for them.

Not too long ago, Billy came home with this hopeless looking little fig tree. We planted it and waited. The birds got the first crop. I didn't know about netting and it took a few trips to find figs with holes in them to figure it out. Then I caught one, a rascal bird, pecking and grinning, on my tree. I wanted to take a shotgun to the thief but he would probably have ducked. And I've never shot a gun either, so there is that!

Now I have little babies on there again and this time, I am going to protect them. I have mulched and fed it and now I am standing here with my fork and great expectations. I like them right off the tree, but fig preserves or fig jam is great too. And stuffed figs with cream cheese and a little brown sugar, gets my attention. Chocolate dipped figs, fig-banana smoothie, fig bars, fig bread and although I have never tried it, figgy pudding is on my list of things to try.

I'll bet a lot of people have never eaten a fresh fig. They eat fig newtons and dried figs but those are to figs what canned peas are to fresh, no comparison. A fresh fig tastes like a mix of a fresh Georgia peach and a sun ripened strawberry!

Here is Emeril's recipe for fig preserves from the food network...So simple.

FIG PERSERVES

1 pound fresh ripe figs, washed, stemmed
1 cup sugar

In a medium saucepan, mix figs and sugar together and cook on low heat, uncovered, about 30 minutes.
If processing, pour hot preserves mixture into a hot, sterile 1-quart or 2 (1-pint) glass canning jars, filling jar to within 1/8-inch from top; wipe rim and seal jar with lid. Put jar in water-bath canner or on rack set in a deep kettle and cover with hot water by 1 to 2 inches. Bring to a gentle simmer (180 to 185 degrees), and process, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer jar to a rack using tongs and let cool completely. Store in a cool, dark place.

ORDINARY MARIGOLDS

2008-07-11T12:59:00.000-05:00

Sometime when I am looking for a nice pic from the garden, I overlook the obvious. These just looked so pretty today so I thought I would take a picture. They do not look ordinary at all when they are covered in blooms. They are quite beautiful.

History---It was well known to the old herbalists as a garden-flower and for use in cookery and medicine. Dodoens-Lyte (A New Herball, 1578) says:
'It hath pleasant, bright and shining yellow flowers, the which do close at the setting down of the sunne, and do spread and open again at the sunne rising.'

Since I am not up with the Sun, I don't know if this holds true, but I know it is always blooming when I see it. Faithful little thing. It does have a very pungent odor though so I don't use it much in arrangements. It just cheers me up to see the bright and beautiful colors of gold and orange in my veggie garden. I don't plant it for insect control, although I have heard it is good for that. I planted some of the pretty gold ones next to the purple and white eggplant this year and it was a great look. They did better than my eggplant, which was mediocre at best. They just never seem to reach their full potential.

It has been asserted that a Marigold flower, rubbed on the affected part, is an admirable remedy for the pain and swelling caused by the sting of a wasp or bee. A lotion made from the flowers is most useful for sprains and wounds, and a water distilled from them is good for inflamed and sore eyes. So the next time, a bee or wasp is chasing you, head in the direction of your marigolds. : )

PONDS, FOUNTAINS, POOLS

2008-07-10T10:27:00.001-05:00

I do not have a water feature in my yard. We have talked about it but it never gets past the planning stage. I would dearly love to have one like this but that would take more money than we can spare right now. Those who live in an area where they can just go out and pick up stones probably don't realize how lucky they are. Stones cost an arm and a leg down here on the Coast. I have though about trying to use flat pieces of concrete and covering them with plants to disguise them. I am still working on this idea. Some real stone mixed with some faux stones might work. I found a link that tells you how to make the faux ones. This might be a possibility. I'll leave it at the bottom of the post.

My brother in law made some of those stones you make from moulds once and he said it wasn't difficult. I may have to settle for a fountain instead but there are some pretty ones at one of the nurseries. I haven't given much thought to a pool. Pepper, my juvenil delinquent cat, can't be trusted around fish. I just know it!

FAKE ROCKS

CHICKENS AND FARM FRESH EGGS

2008-07-07T14:02:00.007-05:00

Aren't they beautiful? I have always wanted to raise chickens for fresh eggs but then I come up against the killing part when they are no longer laying eggs. I also think it would be nice to have them eat bugs in your garden. But to be honest, I know I want kill them and would keep feeding them until they died of old age. So I guess I will just have to let this idea go.

Right after we got married, his Grandmother, who had wonderful chickens, killed one and brought it to me to clean. I tried,,I really did. I got all the feathers off and cut it open and tried to get the insides out,,but when I reached up inside and found that still warm mess,,,,well, that was that. I did not accept any more chickens. I like my chickens cold and without faces and feet, the way they come from the grocery store.
I would not make a good farm wife, although the idea appeals to me immensely. I am just not cut out for killing things. Or apparently, even cleaning them after someone else does it. But if we were starving and I had to do it, I would. I am a realist. But Dear God, please don't let me have to clean a warm chicken again. I'll peel shrimp till my fingers bleed, I'll snap peas till my arm falls off, and I'll shuck corn until it cries Uncle, but please Lord, don't make me clean a warm chicken again.

CASHMERE BOUQUET

2008-07-07T13:02:00.001-05:00

They say this flower was the inspiration for the first mass produced soap, put out by the Colgate Company. It does have a pretty smell but they may have been more inspired by the flower than the fragrance. The soap is still available today but the picture looks more like a rose. Down through the years they changed it and used other flowers in thier ads.

I love this but I've been told it can become a pest. We planted some of it in an old fiberglass bathtub to contain it but we couldn't resist putting one in this old plastic light globe. These globes were used to cover those big outside lights at our Coliseum. Billy asked me if I wanted one and then he brought home fifty! He works in contruction so people are always giving him things.
I think it makes a good pot for this plant. I put a hole for drainage in the bottom but the top already had a hole large enough to plant in. I like the way it looks. Anyone know what I can do with the other forty nine? LOL

CRAPE MYRTLE

2008-07-06T12:49:00.003-05:00

As lovely as soft bits of fragile crinkled silk,
These rosy blossoms, clustered thick upon the heavy drooping boughs,
When shaken by a summer wind,
Drop down in swirling showers,
And drift awhile about the ground;
Then gathered into frothy heaps beneath the hedge,
They spread a frill of rosy lace around the green lawns edge.
- LEDA CLEMENTS

I took my camera outside today to see if I could get a picture of something to show you. I took a picture of my Pampas Grass, my Cane, the Cashmere Bouquet, the garden, but none of it really thrilled me. Then I turned and saw my pretty Crape Myrtle and this one particular bloom, caught my eye. This tree has the prettiest color flowers. Please click on the pic to enlarge and look at those undeveloped buds of deep purple against the pink. It is so pretty. I have to keep this cut back each year because it is growing beneath a Pecan tree which give us a lot of shade and in the South, you can never have too much shade.

FLOWERS I WISH I COULD GROW

2008-07-05T13:09:00.001-05:00

I covet the Purple Prairie Clover. I just love this flower. But like the other, it grows in the north central portion of the United States, not the Gulf Coast. The flowers start at the bottom and work their way up. Can you imagine this in all it's glory? I will have to repent now, for wanting this flower in my garden. To covet is a sin, even if it is just a flower,,probably. : )

Purple Prairie Clover

And this one... TIDY TIPS...it won't grow in Mississippi. It is the neatest little flower.
A short, hardy annual native to California, but can be grown as far east as Texas is what the garden site says about it.

Tidy Tips

For those having trouble with their link to my blog

2008-07-05T12:12:00.004-05:00

I was messing where I should not have been messing, considering how computer illiterate I am, by trying to change the name of my URL. If you are having trouble with a link you made to me, you will have to relink by coming here again and relinking from here. The URL is still the same but for some reason, it got broken. Sorry for the inconvenience.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA

2008-07-04T12:41:00.000-05:00

Have a wonderful day everyone and be careful of the fireworks!..Here is a wonderful song/poem by Johnny Cash that will make you proud to be an American. Say a prayer for our troops today. Let Freedom Ring!

BASKETBALL PLANT

2008-07-03T08:14:00.003-05:00

I want a Basketball Plant, a weird but strangely beautiful succulent.....I've only seen these plants for order online. I've never come across them in person before at my local nurseries. It is on the expensive side at $35 a whack, but I bet your next door neighbor won't have one. LOL. It looks more like a pincushion to me than a basketball but I can see where they get that. I like the little rows of brass colored beads. And the colors look like vintage fabric. Yes, I can see this in a pincushion.

HYPERTUFA POTS

2008-07-02T13:21:00.003-05:00

Ever heard of hypertufa? It is a mix of the following:

HYPERTUFA RECIPE

Peat moss- 2parts
Portland cement - 1 part
Sand, vermiculite, or perlite - 1 part

Want some great looking pots like these? Here is the link so you can learn how to do this. It is a great way to get pots that look like really old stone without spending the money.

Hypertufa

Here's another link you might like. There is a lantern on here, that I would like to make.

Hypertufa gardening

TAGGED

2008-07-01T15:58:00.006-05:00

Tagged!

I have been tagged by THE SUN IS KILLING ME
Great Blog, you should check it out.

The rules are as follows:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on the blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

6 Random things about me:

1)I have no idea what is in my freezer!
2)I am a reader,,I love reading blogs
3)I love anything English, especially thier cottage gardens
4)I have lived and traveled in a motor home for three years
5)I am a frugul person, I can't throw plastic tubs,string, rubber bands, bubble wrap etc. away
6)I accomplish more through deperation than inspiration

I am in turn tagging:

DIRT THERAPHY..ALABAMA

THE HOME GARDEN..TENN

MISSISSIPPI GARDEN..MISSISSIPPI

MAY DREAMS GARDENS...INDIANA...

SHOWER FRESH GARDEN...MISSISSIPPI

JOCO-SERIOUS...UNITED KINGDOM

ALL AMERICAN ROSE SELECTION

2008-07-01T13:00:00.005-05:00

Rose lovers of the world, may we present the new All American Rose Selection of 2008,,"DREAM COME TRUE" Talk about a beauty. It is awesome. I just don't have what it takes to grow roses. If it can't survive on it's own, it can't come to my house. As pretty as they are, I will admire them from afar. They are high-maintenance flowers. But, I do love seeing them in other people's yards who have more grit than I do when it comes to maintenance and upkeep.

The old seven sisters was growing in my yard, and it decided to leave me without a word of farewell. The lady that gave it to me, said it would grow anywhere for anyone. It is supposed to grow like a weed. It didn't.

EDIBLE LANDSCAPE & PATIO TOMATOES

2008-06-30T15:10:00.002-05:00

Interest in patio vegetable gardens and edible landscapes is going through the roof. I knew this explosion was going on in Europe because of some of the garden blogs I read. I wondered if it would hit here, too. After the scare we are having with out tomatoes, lettuce and other veggies this year, it was just a matter of time. Big veggies like zucchini squash, acorn squash and Windsor pumpkins are being grown in large patio containers. Other containers, not so large, are filled with peppers, sweet ones and hot ones like Cheyenne. Although I have a garden, I also grow peppers and patio tomatoes in containers. You can grow lettuce in a bowl on your patio. Grow them in window boxes, hanging baskets, all kinds of ways to grow veggies. I mix flowers and veggies in my garden and in containers around the property.

Sales in vegetable seeds and transplants have taken off. Edible landscapes and small square-foot or intensive-type gardens like mine are gaining in popularity. Look for transplants at local garden centers as well as seeds for some quick sow-grow-and-harvest products like cilantro, that key ingredient for salsa and fajitas, ( I love fajitas) or basil for Italian pesto sauce. I am growing two types of basil this year. One I grow alongside my tomatoe plants, since it is talior made to go with tomatoes and the other I use in pork dishes. I grow it on my back porch in a container. It is stronger than the other one so it is good with pork.

There is a new eggplant out this year , SLIM JIM, that I am trying to locate... It can be used as the thriller plant (see another post for this) in a mixed container. I can also plant it in my Lantana bed with my yellow and orange flowers. I think it will be a winning combination -- plus, I will be eating eggplant parmesan which is one of my favoirte dishes.

BLUE FLOWERS ARE A STAND OUT

2008-06-29T18:34:00.001-05:00

You can not have too much blue in the garden in my opinion. I love blue. I always like the various blue salvias and, of course, the blue Wave petunias. But one little plant that is just a stand out is the "blue daze" evolvulus. This little flower reminds me so much of the Canterbury bells we had all over the place when I was a child. It thrives in hot summers like we have here on the Coast. It is in the morning glory family and is almost the same beautiuful blue as the "heavenly blue" morning glory.I have one on an earlier post. Since it is only 12 inches high,,it will look good in the front of your bed with let's say, ,the gold zinnias..Pictue this: The icy light blue flowers with olive colored leaves in front of the gold zinnias,,,oh wait..You don't have to picture it...that is what is in the picture. Now isn't that dramatic?

HANGING BASKETS

2008-06-28T16:34:00.000-05:00

Hanging basket containing a display of purple and white flowers including Diascia, Phlox, Verbena, Lobelia, Reinwardtia and ivy-leaved Pelargonium.

I love hanging baskets. I like to use a big, big basket it gets more attention and you have to water it less. Right now I don't have any planted,,they just hang there, making me feel guilty. I want to get out this weekend and see what kind of flowers I can find. I fully intended to plant a few but I got so involved with the veggie garden, I just didn't take the time.

I really like the mesh type baskets best because when you think about it, most baskets are seen from below and this way, you can poke holes and plants all around the sides. You can buy the natural mesh liners to line your pot. It looks better from below. You will have to line it with plastic to keep it from getting dry so fast, that's the only problem. With the plastic types, you won't need to do this. Insert you plants through the slits cut in both the natural liner and the plastic. Make it stiffer so it is easier to insert by wrapping in a piece of stiff paper.

When it gets dry, take it down and let it soak in a pan of water for a few hours, overnight is better. That way it will get thoroughly and evenly wet. Use slow release fertilizer in your soil. Primp them while you're at it, get rid of dead flowers, trim up the dry or dead foliage..check for disease or insects before you hang it back up. And use a strong support. Plants get really heavy when wet and need the support. I have had a few fall so I know. I messed up one of my favorites in a pot once, broke to smitherins.... And after all your hard work on them,,don't forget to enjoy them.

MALUNGGAY, MORINGA, THE MIRACLE TREE

2008-06-27T13:29:00.000-05:00

My sister in law gave me a piece of a Moringa tree to start and I am excited to find out about it.

"Malunggay, known as Moringa in the English name and Sabina in India and South East Asia, grows everywhere in hot tropical climate. Scientifically known as Moringa oleifera Lamk, it is one of the world's most useful plants and is available throughout the year.
The leaves, taste like spinach but a little slimy they say,,,,, leaf powder, pods, this is for me,,,they are supposed to taste like asparagus,,, seeds, flowers, roots and bark of the drought-resistant moringa are edible, even palatable. Parts of the tree can also be used for animal feed, domestic cleansers, perfume, dye, fertilizer, medicine, water clarification, rope fiber, and as an agent for tanning hides. It is miraculous that one single tree can offer so many uses for people. It has a high vitamin A content too and can help prevent blindness in countries like Africa where a lot of the people suffer from blindness due to lack of Vitamin A.

An ounce of malunggay has the same Vitamin C content as seven oranges but that's not all...it is supposed to prevent wrinkles and aging skin. That is a lot to ask of one little tree. I'll keep you posted on the results. That is posted on the results of how my tree grows,,not the wrinkle part,,,it's a little too late for that miracle. LOL

GARDENS, TREES, PLANTS, ALL GONE

2008-06-26T12:53:00.000-05:00

When we returned home to Gulfport MS in early September 2005 after evacuating to Alabama in advance of Hurricane Katrina’s Aug. 29 landfall, I didn't know what to expect.

I was anxious about what we would find after learning from television news that the storm had devastated the whole Coast from Bay St. Louis to Ocean Springs for the most part.

The first thing I saw on television about Harrison County was complete devastation, nothing left on the beach side, the Bay St. Louis bridge and Highway 90 bridge both gone. But we lived a little further back from the beach so I was hopeful. Billy went back home without me to see how things were. We had lost our home but unlike a lot of people, we were still able to get a few things we needed out. We were alive and so was all the family, so all was well. We have learned by now, to leave when a Hurricane threatens so most of the family had evacuated.

They came later and picked up the pieces, memories piled in big trucks. Funny, but my thought as I watched them taking things away was, "Now, I don't have the closet, where my sweet little cat, Alley, had her kittens"...I kept all of them. We have three cats. Alley got killed by some of those same trucks, after the Hurricane. Her babies had just turned one year old. I miss her still.

Nothing could prepare you for the devastation, even though we had seen the news. It was really bad in Gulfport, Bay St. Louis and Waveland. As we drove around, there was road after road of nothing, like someone had just cleared the table. This meant all the huge Oak trees, the beautiful plants, flower gardens,,,everything gone in addition to all the homes destroyed.

But nature has a way of filling the gap and new trees and plants are springing up everywhere,,,people are replanting their gardens. There are many places that are still empty spaces, but I am sure in time, there will be trees and flowers and plants everywhere again. It will never look the same,,a lot of history got lost along the way,,,but future generations will see the Coast in bloom again. Hurricane Katrina will only be a memory but I will always miss those lovely trees we lost. It takes a long time to grow a tree.

WINDOW BOXES

2008-06-25T13:57:00.000-05:00

I love window boxes and every year I always plan on having one. Then before you know it, the Summer is over and I still haven't got around to that window box. These are very pretty ones here in this slide show. I am thinking I may get around to the Christmas one, since I can't get it together the rest of the year. I am most certainly going to have a Spring one next year. Absolutely!

View Photo Slideshow

Make a Free Flash Slideshow

TOO MUCH GARDEN BLING BLING?

2008-06-24T13:01:00.000-05:00

Is this taking garden bling bling a little far? I love it but would I want it in my yard? If you click on this and look closely, you will find this is a false front, not a shed at all. Interesting!
Yes, we all like a little garden art here and there. For instance, statues, gazing ball, maybe a fountain. But when do you know you have gone over the line and your family is going to have you committed? There is a few little tips to help you know when you have crossed the line.

Do you have more junk than plants? Can you no longer mow the lawn but need to use a weed eater on the whole yard? When you stop and pick up things like stoves, an old sink, toilet, heater, scrap lumber, or bathtub with an eye to planting something in it...you may be over the line. When people think you are holding a garage sale and you're not, you may be over the line. When you pick up a brass bed, headboard and think it will be cute to make a "flower' bed with it...that may be the clue right there.

But take all the above with the purest of intentions. I cover bowling balls with pennies, marbles or paint them and call them garden balls and I made a huge pot-man once upon a time out of clay pots....so if it makes you happy - Seize the day, I say!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY

2008-06-23T12:07:00.001-05:00

Today on my birthday
consider my luck.
I could have been born
as a pig, cow, or duck.

I could have been born
crying oink, quack, or moo.
I'm lucky I didn't
wind up in the zoo.

So that is that. I'll eat cake and go totally off that diet I have been sticking too for the most part, and feel terrible guilt tomorrow. But not today. Today I am just happy to have made it another year. And if God in his mercy allows me, I will begin that journey of another year. Every year holds good and bad surprises, disapointments, very happy moments, treasured moments, and time....time to spend with those you love. It's a pretty good deal all in all. I look forward to another year.

THRILLER,,filler, spiller....Make a beautifully arranged container plant

2008-06-20T19:40:00.000-05:00

I read an article today that says there’s no mystery in making a scrumptious container planting as long as you follow a simple three-ingredient recipe. First and foremost use what they call a “thriller,” a centerpiece plant with star quality, something big, bold, and beautiful in the middle or center if you plan on sitting it next to a wall. Then add a few “fillers,” foliage or flowering plants that will complement but not overwhelm the main player. Finally, add, a “spiller” that just tumbles out of the pot. As long as we use each of those kinds of plants—in various proportions—and take care to balance colors and textures, we are assured we can create a pot as pretty as this. I'm going to try it as soon as I find a pot that big that does not cost an arm and a leg. I heard someone used the inside tub from an old washing machine for a cheap planter...I can see that. Oh, Billy Dear,,,I need your help!.LOL
Here is another example and this one I just love. That is fountain grass in the center,,not sure what the filler is, and the spiller is sweet potato vine. I might give this one a try for sure. Isn't it pretty?

2008-06-20T16:18:00.000-05:00

The mulberry tree at Cambridge, under which, it is said, John Milton wrote his poetry. Since he lived from 1608-74, this has to be a very old tree. But they say it is the same one, so what do I know? I wonder if he wrote "Paradise Lost" under this tree?

I have a lovely Mulberry tree but unfortunately it is growing right on the roadside and close to the power lines, so they come by once a year and whack the tops off. This year, they didn't show up and it was loaded down with mulberries. Birds love them and deposit little purple puddles all over my yard and porches. I love the taste but they stain everything in sight a deep intense purple, so I just let the birds have them.

My first encounter with a Mulberry tree was in a cemetery. We lived in Pine Bluff Arkansas when I was in the fourth grade and just a few blocks down from us was this beautiful cemetery. We played there as children and thought nothing of it. One day we found a bucket and filled it to the brim with mulberries from this tree we were playing under. We took them home to Mama and she made us the best Mulberry cobbler. Later on she asked us where we had found them and we told her the cemetery. She asked us to show her where, so we took her to the place we had picked them. The tree was right beside this grave. Mama turned about ten shades of green and told us to never pick those again. We had no idea why not! They were so good. But adults can be odd so we just ate them and forgot about taking any more home. Now, I know why Mama turned green. LOL

The Birds and the Bees

2008-06-19T14:07:00.001-05:00

Birds in The Garden
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

Populations of 20 Common Birds Declining is the headline
The populations of 20 common American birds--from the fence-sitting meadowlark to the whippoorwill with its haunting call--are half what they were 40 years ago, according to an analysis released Thursday. Suburban sprawl, climate change and other invasive species are largely to blame, said the study author.

This concerns me because not only do we need their beauty, but they are great for our gardens. They eat insects and just to know they are declining is a wake up call,,,some as much as 65 per cent,,,,along with the news that bees are declining,,,at the rate the bees are declining, they will gone by the year 2035. That means that our food crops will no longer be pollinated..sounds a lot like Rachel Carsons "Silent Spring" book coming true. Can you imagine a world without the sweet sounds of the birds in the Spring and Summer? A Silent Spring!

alfalfa_butterfly_on_lessingia

2008-06-19T13:42:00.001-05:00

alfalfa_butterfly_on_lessingia
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

The pic is of an alfalfa butterfly on an Aster. So beautiful. The storms that just came through here the other night bent some of my Sunflowers to the ground and even broke a few. I knew I should have put stakes but by the time I realized that, they were already so tall. Next year I will remember. It was sad to see their heads bent when just the day before they were straining their little necks up to Heaven. Oh yeah, I feel guilty.

I meant to do my work today,
But a brown bird sang in the apple tree,
And a butterfly flitted across the field,
And all the leaves were calling me.
–Richard Le Gallienne (1866–1947)

Fuzzy Cantaloupe

2008-06-16T20:57:00.001-05:00

Fuzzy Cantaloupe
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

What surprises me is how fuzzy a new baby cantaloupe is. When they get a little bigger they lose that fuzz, rather like the first hair on the head of the baby. LOL

My Beautiful Sunflowers

2008-06-16T20:46:00.001-05:00

My beautiful Sunflowers
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

I promised you I would show you my Sunflowers when they bloomed. This is a row behind our garden I was hoping they would get tall enough to show above my trellises for the pole beans. They sure did that. They are so pretty. I will defenitely grow more next year and Lord knows I will have enough seed to save. These heads are big. Enough for the birds and for me to save seed to eat and to grow more next year.

Peppers are doing nicely

2008-06-16T20:41:00.001-05:00

DSCN1865_edited.JPG
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

I forget the name of these. I think they are some type of chili pepper. My green bell peppers are doing great. I didn't have as many banana peppers as I would have liked but they are still producing. I wanted to pickle some but I like them just right out of the garden too. It is not too late, I may plant a few more. We just uprooted all the cabbage and broccoli and planted more tomatoes. We don't need them for us but Billy wants to see if he can sell some.
We had cabbage from the garden tonight with a cucumber, tomato, green onion and radish salad. It felt so good to know all of that was from our garden . : )

Cantaloupe are growing fast

2008-06-16T20:35:00.001-05:00

DSCN1860_edited.JPG
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

Here is a pic of a baby cantaloupe. I think we are going to have a lot of these and watermelon too. I hope so, I love both. I am growing organic so I have to watch closely for bugs. As long as the plant stays healthy, they will usually leave them alone.

A Field of Poppies

2008-06-14T20:26:00.000-05:00

I love Poppies so much but I have had no luck with them. The beautiful colors just cannot be duplicated in other flowers,,,they are the show offs of the flower kingdom, to me anyway. A field of Poppies just takes your breath away.

Confederate Rose evolving in one day

2008-06-12T01:31:00.001-05:00

Create a Free Slideshow

Smokey Mountain Memories

2008-06-09T12:37:00.000-05:00

I don't know if you watched American Idol but there is this little 17 year old, angel, David Archuleta, who sings this song by Dolly Parton with so much emotion. I thought you might like to hear it. Some of you who read these blogs, and don't live in America, never got a chance to hear him sing. So here you go, enjoy!

2008-06-08T18:32:00.000-05:00

A farmer purchased an old, run-down, abandoned farm with plans to turn it into a thriving enterprise. The fields
were grown over with weeds, the farmhouse was falling apart, and the fences were broken down. During his first
day of work, the town preacher stops by to bless the man's work, saying, "May you and God work together to make
this the farm of your dreams!" A few months later, the preacher stops by again to call on the farmer. Lo and behold,
it's a completely different place. The farm house is completely rebuilt and in excellent condition, there is plenty
of cattle and other livestock happily munching on feed in well-fenced pens, and the fields are filled with crops planted
in neat rows. "Amazing!" the preacher says. "Look what God and you have accomplished together!"
"Yes, reverend," says the farmer, "but remember what the farm was like when God was working it alone

Cherry tomatoes

2008-06-07T23:34:00.001-05:00

Cherry tomatoes
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

I love cherry tomatoes with balsamic vinegar or a drizzle of olive oil and a little chopped, fresh basil. . I eat these like candy. They are so good.

Purple and White eggplants

2008-06-06T22:02:00.001-05:00

Purple and White Eggplants
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

The purple ones are just above the marigold,,,and the white ones are over to the left. It won't be long now. I have a recipe for Eggplant lasagna...instead of using noodles, you use grilled eggplant..I am on a diet ( nothing new here) and I think this will save some calories. I haven't tried it yet,,,I copied it from a Victory Garden show. What can taste bad? Mozzarella cheese, eggplant and tomato sauce. You can click on picture, to see them better...

Tomatoes and more tomatoes

2008-06-06T21:52:00.001-05:00

Tomatoes
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

I think it is time to make a Dinner of Green Fried Tomatoes...

4 to 6 green tomatoes
salt and pepper
cornmeal
bacon grease or vegetable oil

Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 - 1/2-inch slices. Salt and pepper them to taste. Dip in meal and fry in hot grease or oil about 3 minutes or until golden on bottom. Gently turn and fry the other side. Serve as a side dish - or do as I do and make a sandwich with white bread and mayo. YUM!

A row of Sunflowers

2008-06-06T21:40:00.001-05:00

Sunflowers
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

I love these. They are getting so tall. I might have to stake them if they get any taller. I have them along the back of my garden.

Tomatoes, beans, yellow squash

2008-06-06T21:37:00.001-05:00

Tomatoes, beans, yellow squash
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

I love the beautiful colors. Red tomatoes, yellow squash,,and green beans,,,,how pretty is that?

White Eggplant

2008-06-06T21:34:00.001-05:00

White Eggplant
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

Doesn't this look exactly like an egg? This is the first time I have grown the white ones...It was quite a surprise just how much they look like eggs!

Tomatoes

2008-06-06T21:32:00.001-05:00

Basket of Tomatoes
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

I have no idea what kind each one is,, I got the tags mixed up..but it is Celebrity, Creole, or Heat Wave...they are all good...we have been having a lot of tomato sandwiches,,,there is nothing better for lunch in the Summer with a glass of Iced Cold Tea..

Baby Watermelon

2008-06-06T21:30:00.001-05:00

Baby Watermelon
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

I am growing Bush Baby, so it won't be long now...I can't wait..I love cold watermelon.

Our Garden in June

2008-06-06T21:28:00.001-05:00

Our Garden in Early June
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

The tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, watermelon and cantaloupe are growing like weeds....It won't be long before we will have the melons, eggplants and cantaloupe...we are being bombarded with tomatoes and beans right now....not that I am complaining.... : )

A field of Daffodils

2008-06-06T14:30:00.001-05:00

A Field of Daffodils
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

In his poem “The Daffodils”, the great poet William Wordsworth writes about the attraction the sight of a garden of golden daffodil flower holds and the effect the beauty of the flowers has on a person.

"I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze."

red-sided-garter

2008-06-05T19:01:00.001-05:00

Red-sided-garter snake
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

I do not like spiders and snakes,,,and Thank Goodness, in my garden I don’t run across any..we did have snakes,,baby water moccasins, in our yard one time, after it flooded. I don’t know what my DH did with them and I don’t want to know.
I had one experience with spiders in our yard a few years ago,,,I overturned a small can to pour out the water so we wouldn’t get mosquitoes and there was a black widow spider. I just put the can back down on her or him, and ran..I avoided that spot for years…LOL… The pic above is of a garter snake. Garter snakes are considered harmless, and only in extreme cases do they strike at humans. If you tread lightly and move slowly, you can literally get within inches of one for a picture.
Well, that is what they say....but if I see one in my garden,,,don't call me for me to take a picture...cause I'll be gone....

Eggplant Parmesan

2008-06-04T22:36:00.001-05:00

26276
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

I have baby eggplants! I am so excited..One of my favorite dishes is Eggplant Parmesan. I can eat it hot or cold. I planted a white one too. They look exactly like eggs.. Here is my recipe for Eggplant Parmesan..Hope you like it..

1 eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch slices
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
8 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces ricotta cheese
6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
4 cups pasta sauce

DIRECTIONS
Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt. Place slices in a colander, and place a dish underneath the colander to capture liquid that will sweat out of the eggplant. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix in egg and basil.
Rinse the eggplant in cold water until all salt is removed. In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Place one layer of eggplant in the pan, brown each side. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices, using additional oil if necessary.
In a 9x13 inch baking dish, evenly spread 1 1/2 cups of spaghetti sauce. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce. Top the eggplant with 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layering process until all the eggplant and cheese mixture is used. Pour remaining sauce on top of layers, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake 30 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until sauce is bubbly.

Add a nice green salad and some hot, buttery garlic, bread and you are good to go. : )

Billy sings a wonderful song

2008-05-31T23:18:00.000-05:00

I love this song and he (my husband) does a beautiful job. This song nearly always makes me cry. I am so happy I found Jesus.

Calvary's The Reason Why

This will take you to the site where I store my songs, so you might want to listen to this by opening it in a new window. Just right click on the name of the song, open in new window and shrink it to the bottom. It will start to play automatically.

My heart exchange

2008-05-31T15:50:00.001-05:00

To Eve in MS. USA
Originally uploaded by chainsofhearts_gallery2

I belong to a group on yahoo, "Chain of Hearts"..we exchange fabric hearts, decorated in any way we like,,people use them for various types of crafts or even make quilts from the less decorated ones. This one was sent to me by Rosemary in Tasmania..I'll admit, I had to go look that one up on the map...unlike MS South Carolina believes however,,,people in the United States do have maps....LOL....
I love the colors and the little cat peeking out is just perfect...I have three cats and that was a little something she knew would please me,,,I love the butterflies and flowers too..Her stitching is wonderful on this.

My favorite songs

2008-05-31T13:45:00.000-05:00

I am a Christian and I love the Gaither videos. If you do too, don't forget to click on the link at the bottom of the page, then you can listen while you read.

I was saddened to learn that Dottie Rambo, the gospel legend and gifted writer went home to be with Our Lord on May 11, 2008 when her tour bus crashed into a roadside embankment in Missouri. She has always been my favorite songwriter and I will miss her.
I remember hearing her say that each song came from a journey she had to go through. She lived each word of her songs and she connected with others who understood. Walking with Jesus is not always easy but writers like Dottie Rambo, helped to make the journey a little bit easier.
There is a song titled “Come Spring” in which she sings of going to be with Jesus in Spring, and she did. The Gaithers did a lot of her songs...Here is a link to a beautiful song by Dottie.."Tears Will Never Stain the Streets of That City"..
http://www.barb-coolwaters.com/h001/tearswillnever.html

Sunflower

2008-05-31T12:48:00.001-05:00

Sunflower
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

Our first Sunflower has bloomed. There is just nothing in this world more beautiful to me than this. They turn their faces to follow the sun....it is such a beautiful, spiritual thing. I try to do the same thing.
I just know when they are all in bloom,,i have a long row of them, serving as a backdrop to the garden,,,they are going to be awesome. I am not much of a photographer but when something looks like this, you don't have to be. This one is not fully opened yet, but I thought it was so pretty. When the whole row blooms, I will post a picture.

Blue Morning Glories

2008-05-31T12:43:00.001-05:00

I love this look of Blue Morning Glories climbing up a white trellis. These are just getting started up the frame,,,the color is so much more vibrant but I think the Sun was just to bright to capture the deep blue of these..it is called Heavenly Blue.

Just a sample of things coming out now

2008-05-31T12:40:00.001-05:00

DSCN1805
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

We are getting yellow squash, lots and lots of beans, zucchini, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes are so good,,,,peppers, cucumbers, and some strawberries if I can beat the birds. LOL...since I was sensible this time, we are getting just the right amount for us plus just a little for the freezer,,,beans, yellow squash and peppers and my main thing I am freezing. And of course tomatoes,. The English peas are pretty much gone now, except for a few for stir fry or salads,,I am going to pull the vines up as soon as I get some pepper plants to put in their place. They were really good while they lasted but since I only planted eight plants,,,didn't expect many. We had a few meals off them,,so they were worth the space.
My watermelon plants have little baby watermelons already and so do the cantaloupes...I planted "Bush Baby" watermelons since there is only the two of us, I didn't want big melons,,this is are just about right for two people to really pig out.. LOL

Magnolias

2008-05-26T18:06:00.001-05:00

DSCN1763_edited.JPG
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

My DH brought this in from our tree. They smell so sweet. Unfortunately the pretty red centers fell just as I clicked so they don't look as pretty as they did a few minutes ago. I also noticed we have a few blooms on our Gardenia bush...it doesn't seem to have as many leaves as it did,,,,not sure what caused that.

lavenderfan

2008-05-25T23:11:00.001-05:00

lavenderfan
Originally uploaded by dreamdress2

Here is a beautiful lavendar fan and instructions can be found at this website.
http://www.allfreecrafts.com/nature/lavender-fan.shtml