I've been unusually sleepy today. It must be the change in the weather. We are expecting a storm this evening. It'll be nice to get some rain. I haven't been watering my gardens at all since my back went out and they could definitely use a good rain storm.
The harvest today included seven cucumbers, one tiny carrot, and a huge haul of beans, including some of the giant Prizewinner beans. It doesn't look like much in the photo with little for size comparison, but the bigger beans to the left of the photo are about the size of my elbow to my wrist. Later I went and pulled more of the purple basil, which is now in the dehydrator.
The harvest today included seven cucumbers, one tiny carrot, and a huge haul of beans, including some of the giant Prizewinner beans. It doesn't look like much in the photo with little for size comparison, but the bigger beans to the left of the photo are about the size of my elbow to my wrist. Later I went and pulled more of the purple basil, which is now in the dehydrator.
Today's harvest (9/4/16)
Last night we tried a new recipe - it's called Grilled Eggplant Provolone. It's pretty easy:
1. Cut eggplant in half (lengthwise).
2. Whisk together 1-1/2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 3 Tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano. Brush mix onto cut sides of eggplant. Add a dash of salt and pepper.
3. Grill cut-side-down over medium heat (have the burners on for a while so heat is consistent) for about five minutes. Flip over the eggplant, put a slice of provolone cheese onto the cut side (now facing up) and grill (cut/cheese side up now) for another three minutes.
The original recipe can be found HERE. It calls for a salsa topping, but we ate them just the way they were coming off the grill. The four pieces made from the older eggplant were a little too firm (we couldn't bite through the skins), but the other eggplants were delicious.
1. Cut eggplant in half (lengthwise).
2. Whisk together 1-1/2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 3 Tablespoons olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano. Brush mix onto cut sides of eggplant. Add a dash of salt and pepper.
3. Grill cut-side-down over medium heat (have the burners on for a while so heat is consistent) for about five minutes. Flip over the eggplant, put a slice of provolone cheese onto the cut side (now facing up) and grill (cut/cheese side up now) for another three minutes.
The original recipe can be found HERE. It calls for a salsa topping, but we ate them just the way they were coming off the grill. The four pieces made from the older eggplant were a little too firm (we couldn't bite through the skins), but the other eggplants were delicious.
Grilled Eggplant Provolone
While trying to take inventory of the ever-spreading squash patch in back, I came across this monster blossom. I've never seen one this big before. You can't see it well, but my hand is behind it in this photo, and there's a big ol' bumblebee in there doing her thing (all worker bees are female). This flower was probably 7-inches across.
Giant squash blossom, with bumblebee visitor.
Earlier this year we noticed the in-ground strawberry patch was putting out a lot of runners. We took some red plastic cups, drilled some holes, filled them with organic soil (Pro-Mix we bought at Menards), and directed some of the runners to root in the cups.
Yesterday I noticed that the cups were so overgrown with grass and weeds I could hardly find them. Time to pull them out - I'm sure those runners have had enough time to take root now. I brought out the scissors to cut the runners, but ended up pulling out a lot more plants than originally intended. They don't just put out one runner and stop there, they just keep going, sometimes three or four, even five or six rooted runners all on the same line! Not wanting to waste them, I pulled out all of those connected to the cups, and any growing out into the yard where we typically mow. Today #3 helped me to transplant all of them into even more red cups. The plan is going to be to leave them in the cups outside over winter, and then transplant them in the spring. Some will be going to my parents' house, and some will be coming with us if we ever find a place to move to. Given the rate of expansion, within a couple years we should have enough strawberries that we won't have to share them one at a time as they ripen. Maybe some day we will even have enough to make strawberry jam or a strawberry pie.
Yesterday I noticed that the cups were so overgrown with grass and weeds I could hardly find them. Time to pull them out - I'm sure those runners have had enough time to take root now. I brought out the scissors to cut the runners, but ended up pulling out a lot more plants than originally intended. They don't just put out one runner and stop there, they just keep going, sometimes three or four, even five or six rooted runners all on the same line! Not wanting to waste them, I pulled out all of those connected to the cups, and any growing out into the yard where we typically mow. Today #3 helped me to transplant all of them into even more red cups. The plan is going to be to leave them in the cups outside over winter, and then transplant them in the spring. Some will be going to my parents' house, and some will be coming with us if we ever find a place to move to. Given the rate of expansion, within a couple years we should have enough strawberries that we won't have to share them one at a time as they ripen. Maybe some day we will even have enough to make strawberry jam or a strawberry pie.
Strawberry transplants.
I gender checked the white litter yesterday. Two girls, four boys. Both of the rex coats are bucks. I hope to keep the bigger one back for potential future breeding with Cinder and Elizabeth (our Rex does). The other five got names - not that I can tell them apart. Ivy, Isolde, Ichabod, Inigo Montoya, and Ianto will be ready to leave soon. Illidan will potentially be staying.
And here I leave you with an adorable photo I snapped this evening during rabbit rounds. This is the buck grow-out cage, you can see Fabio (left) and Enderman (right) sharing a drink with Gideon (behind Fabio) and Dan (behind Enderman). Gizmo was in there too, but he must have moved as I snapped the photo. I love that Fabio has lighter colored eyes than the other rabbits. He's such a gorgeous rabbit. I wonder why he hasn't had any offers yet. If I were in the market for another buck, I'd have a tough time choosing between Fabio and Dan. They're both well tempered, friendly, and just cute as can be.
And here I leave you with an adorable photo I snapped this evening during rabbit rounds. This is the buck grow-out cage, you can see Fabio (left) and Enderman (right) sharing a drink with Gideon (behind Fabio) and Dan (behind Enderman). Gizmo was in there too, but he must have moved as I snapped the photo. I love that Fabio has lighter colored eyes than the other rabbits. He's such a gorgeous rabbit. I wonder why he hasn't had any offers yet. If I were in the market for another buck, I'd have a tough time choosing between Fabio and Dan. They're both well tempered, friendly, and just cute as can be.
Fabio and Enderman getting a drink together.
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