carolyncat353's Blog

They're gone!
Sep 22, 2011 | 7:47 AM PST

In my last blog I talked about how the hummers wouldn't be here much longer-well, yesterday evening I only had about 4-5 and the feeders were still pretty full. So-they're gone to Mexico!  Hope the cartel leaves them alone!

I started messing around in the garden to plant my broccoli & cabbage.  I have 8 broccoli to put in and 4 cabbages.  4 cabbage is plenty for me.  I may try carrots again, though last couple of years I have not had any success with them.  Too wet, too hot or just too much trouble., hmm. I don't think I want to do anything else this winter-Maybe later I'll do some onions again.  They produced real well, but a package has 80 bulbs in it-and well, heck, that's a LOT of onions!  I think I'll go to the "real" garden center here and see what they have.  Until my credit card bill comes in, I have a little money!

Here's what's blooming today-nothing else is photo-worthy:

I only had this one come up this year-lots of the celeosia with the single "feather".  I like this one much better.  I never plant these, they come up where they want to.  The seeds of this flower are so very tiny, like pepper flakes or smaller, and are hard to collect.

The mornings and evenings are getting cooler now (high 60's in the morning, low-mid 80's in the evening), it's nice to sit outside.  Itty Kitty is growing and learning to catch lizards, bugs and attempting birds.  Peanut's allergies are still eating him (and me) alive, and big old fat Fancy Pants just "observes", though she did make an attempt to catch hummers, without success.

Have a good one!

 

Hummingbirds & Love Bugs
Sep 20, 2011 | 10:34 AM PST

The hummingbirds have arrived, and they buzz all day long.  Probably another week, then they'll move on to Mexico.  I think I have around 20, and they empty 2 feeders every day, sometimes twice a day.  Itty Bitty Kitty just doesn't know what to think of those fast moving birds! 

At this time of year when the hummers arrive, so do the "lovebugs". Smelly, oily, good for nothing bugs.  They like the nectar in the feeders, and will climb into them through the openings and ruin the contents.  They mostly feed on dead, decaying foilage, but they are a nuisance.  They float about in swarms, and will gunk up a windshield and the front hood of your car, and they STINK!

See how they're connected at their rears?  Yep, they're reproducing-that's why they're called "lovebugs".  They're here by the zillions!

The weather is cooling down, it's nice to actually sit outside in the evening, but now, with the tiny bit of rain we've had, the mosquitoes are vicious!  Luckily, I have lots of OFF, and I know how to use it! I'll be planting cabbage and broccoli in a week or so.  My Asparagus beans are starting to vine, and I found out this weekend, I only have ONE pack of green beans left in the freezer!   I sure hope these make good, I've never planted these before, so this is an experiment!  I DO, however, have lots of eggplant!

 

That is only one plant-and I have THREE, still making!  This is what I do with eggplant, kind of an "appetizer!"

 

Some mozarella, a little basil, and if I have some, I put a big slice of tomato on top, too!

I have noticed lately that not many people are posting.  I hope it is not due to the seemingly careless way this site is maintained, and just the fact that gardens didn't do well this year.  Does no one have anything blooming, been anywhere, done anything?  Or, are we all broke (like me), and the gardening has been rough this summer!  Hope to see more of you!

Later Gators!

 

August was Lousy
Sep 1, 2011 | 11:55 AM PST

So dang hot! And dry here on my end.  Anything that bloomed was small and not pretty.  Some things just were not their usual self-small hibiscus, shrimp plant did not mulitply good, angel trumpet is small,  just different.  Glad to see August go! 

I did have a great surprise, though.  The Desert Rose that Bugnut sent me in the early spring has bloomed! It is so pretty!  I found that it is also called Gout Plant, cause it's root/bottom stem area looks like a swollen toe:

No picture of the toe! (lol).  The yard's not too pretty, everything is burnt up:

 

You can see the Crepe Myrtle behind the house is blooming beautifully-it's about 2 months late blooming, but it is!  The lush growth in the vegetable gardens is eggplant.  They're blooming madly, and full of baby Horn Worms.  Here is a BIG one that ate my yellow Datura to the stalk!

 

As big around and as long as my finger!  Couldn't find him the next day.  But, I have a garden full of them.  They're eating my one tomato that has survived that I want to have for fall tomatoes.  Sorry, but those on it will be disposed of!

Hope it is nice where you are-no floods or fires.  We got a little storm brewing in the Gulf, and to tell the truth, if it stays Cat. 1 or smaller, I WELCOME it!  We need rain!!