Posted on September 6, 2021September 7, 2021Holiday Sunday An outdoor dinner. Garden basil and oregano. Moved the chives and garlic chives that Judy gave me last year. Maybe they’ll like this spot better. Uzbek golden, little, and New Kuroda carrots. Gram helps me get seeds out. Fall seeds planted of cabbage, mizuna, greens, and cauliflower. Tomatoes and peppers for overwintering. And a few pots of Roman chamomile for the front yard ground cover. This is where I shall attempt peppers and tomatoes over the winter. This goldenrod was already here and is doing very nicely. A giant 1″+ horsefly on a backyard window sill. Never going outside again. I lied. Outside again. Chiltepin peppers. Frostweed doing alright after it died back earlier in summer. A little spider got this Eastern Tailed-Blue on the englemann daisy. Texas mallow blooming! The non native clematis. I’ll clean it out over the winter. Okra flower A bumblebee on the okra!
Posted on September 5, 2021September 5, 2021How are the baby cacti Two cacti on the middle level of the three-tier planter. There were 7+ of these last year on the top tier, but only one has survived. The third tier had one baby cactus that did not make it.
Posted on September 5, 2021September 5, 2021Tepary beans begin I’ve been getting worried about no tepary beans, but I looked in my spreadsheet and the big harvest last year didn’t start until late September and went into mid October until frost. So I think we’re doing fine. These are pinacate tepary beans.
Posted on September 4, 2021September 4, 2021Wild times on a Friday night I am extremely excited to report that we have the first baby moon and stars watermelon!!! Same fruit. The other side is almost half yellow. A wasp mimic robber fly! Love finding predators in the garden. Butterfly milkweed in rainbow garden has grown quickly. Dog and I came back inside. Briar promptly sat by her little brother. I don’t think he minded, but her settling in seemed to remind him he could go places. Abandoned for kitty snacks.
Posted on August 29, 2021August 29, 2021Cream “wow! Cream!”. Gram attempts to sample the blackberry ice cream.
Posted on August 28, 2021August 28, 2021Saturday stuff I froze tiny tomatoes last night and they left funny holes. Two Bombus impatiens (common eastern bumblebee). Trimmed out the dead spots in the middle rosemary. I’m not sure why it’s upset. Paula very wisely suggested trimming the Salvia greggii so we can better access the veggies, plus it’ll make them bloom more again. As an experiment, we also trimmed back one of the Salvia farinacea (mealy blue sage) which are all getting very leggy.
Posted on August 26, 2021August 26, 2021Weekend things Texas mallow might bloom soon? Goldenrod from Abby thinking about blooming too. A pupa! I bet the Black Swallowtail. Side view. Tepary beans begin! New crystals from Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge! Closeup of two fancy selenite crystals.
Posted on August 21, 2021August 21, 2021Almost caught up? The buffalograss in spots with more dirt and grass trimmings over it is sprouting! I pulled up a single sprout from here and it had the seed hull attached, so definitely the right plant. Peruvian ground cherries!! White currant tomatoes on nachos last night. Salsa verde enchiladas intrigue Gram. “ew, loud smell” he didn’t like them but we did!!
Posted on August 21, 2021August 21, 2021Thursday (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.
Posted on August 21, 2021August 21, 2021A week ago Saturday Very excited to have a Gulf Fritillary in the yard! I hope it found the passionvine in the back yard. Made more salsa verde. The Chef helpfully cans. Ruff day gardening, need a nap. Mail call!! Fall/winter peas, trying new ones. A wildflower and an herb. Trying again on parsnip this year with fresh seeds. Winter indoor gardening ideas.