Category: Eating raw

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A second cantaloupe and more sad caterpillars/happy wasps

Second Madhu Ras melon and there are more on the vine!!
The “cleaner” side of one caterpillar.
The more parasitized side of the caterpillar.
Now two angles on a second cat.
Note that the pupae have opened, because of the little can lid looking parts.
Last night I sprinkled some more basil behind the cherries on the ground and also in the planter.
This saguaro cactus was given to me and had been over watered, so it’s got some rot on top and near bottom. Hopefully it will recover now that I’ve put it in hot sun and just watered it once after transplanted. It should rarely get rain on it on the porch.
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Surprises

Missouri Yellow Watermelon split open partially, so we split it the rest of the way to eat the unexposed part. Very nice!
Spider lilies started blooming today. Not native, never see anything on them, but they were already here and they’re weird!
Closeup of spotted euphorbia (Euphorbia maculata).
Paula spotted this exciting find: a hornworm with parasitic pupae on it!!
Dolba hyloeus also known as the pawpaw sphinx. One of the host plants is yaupon holly, which is where Paula found it.
Mom said to save it in a jar so we can see what kind of wasps come out. She recently had a parasitized tobacco hornworm from Judy.
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Friday dinner of mostly garden tacos

Thursday evening, the Chef began preparing spices for meat in slow cooker. Two jalapeños, one chimayó (top).
Mmm tacos. Everything except meat, tortillas, cheese, and spices are from garden. Beans are the last of last year’s California black-eyed peas. Potatoes are this year’s kennebec white.
After dinner, Paula and I did some garden harvesting. New for the season are Alabama black-eyed butter beans.
Also new for the season are slippery silks pole beans.
While we picked, the ice cream maker machine worked hard.
Vanilla with blackberries from home. Thanks Mom for sending some home with us!
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Thursday (yesterday)

Mom sent us seeds and Gracie hair from home!!
Gram wants to know what it’s about.
Briar focus on family smells again. Gram prefers dog ear.
Dog pleased. Cat interested in dog interest, would like dog food to be served though.
A geometrid moth sitting on passionvine leaf.
Left to right: New Kuroda, little finger, and Uzbek golden carrots. I picked the tiny one too early but it had a good taste.
Paula took her plants home so I decided to see if the basil from the plant window prefers this spot where her houseplants were so happy.
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Leftovers garden taco salad

From the garden: Fordhook Giant Swiss Chard (green in the rainbow beds), tomatoes, and salsa verde from yesterday. The Chef also reminds me that the leftover rice had onions and tomatoes in it too and he mixed in the rest of his refried beans with some canned refried beans.
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Last night new helper friend!! And other things yesterday

A fine Toad hanging out in the raised beds! Eat those earwigs please!! (May already be doing so as I have not seen many lately.)
Tomatillos Verdes doing well, I think I have enough now to make salsa verde enough to can.
Took garden cucumber to work today for a snack with ranch dressing.
Not entirely sure but I think a Bombus impatiens bumblebee on a loofah gourd flower. There were at least two of these bumbles around.
Helper!