Cucumbers or Aliens?

I just harvested a dozen Cucumber that are 18 to 24 inches long and over 2 inches in diameter.   Never seen anything like them.   The rains have been near perfect in timing.  The soil great in this area which is a new spot this year for the vegetable garden.  I have used only Espoma organic products.  But I still can't quite explain this.   Here is a picture of half of today's harvest.  And there are still many more Cucumbers on this vine.

I Am Holier than a Pin Cushion

The fall palm pruning is done, well 95% of it, and it should have been done in mid summer, too, but with all of those disclaimers out of way, the palms look great.  Or at least as great as they can look having endured back to back hurricanes year before last, and a 15 year low freeze last year.  Let's just say Louisiana life has been hard on the them.  Yet, more are looking fine.  And shame on me for not doing the palm pruning earlier, too.   A quick touch with the weedeater at some point this week will finish off matters for the year.   Soon our normal dry fall will come into play at which point summer weeds and grass will bid their adiue.   Of course it won't be long thereafter that winter rains and winter weeds will their debut, but somehow they are much easier to tolerate giving a little green against the brown of winter.  As for the palms, all we can do is to pray we make it out of hurricane season storm free, and that we have a mild winter.   If that happens, we should be fully recovered by the end of next summer.

Here is a picture of my newly pruned Canary Island Date Palm (CIDP)

The Vegetable Garden is Starting to Hit its Stride

The garden is starting to roll. The rains and overcast days are just what the young plants needed to get a break from recent low 90 degree temps.  We've got 4 to 6 inch long cucumbers all over the place.  Already, there is one Sun Jewel Melon already 6" long and 3" in diameter. The tomatoes plants are 2' tall and starting to flower heavily. We are up to 21 Potato plants are now showing above ground.  I saw at least 3 small Canteloupe about an inch in diameter starting to form.  The Yellow Squash seedling are now 1' x 1' and beautiful.  The newer seedlings are starting to put on new dark green leaves to replace those sickly light green "I was raising a greenhouse" leaves.  Its an exciting time in the garden.

Growing and Cooking

‎Potatoes have broken the surface, 18 in all. More additions to the veggie garden include some hardened off some Canteloupe seedlings from Shelton. I put them in the ground today. Recent heat and full sun days have been hard on seedlings of all sorts, but some rain is in the forecast soon, so, now I am hardening off 18 Georgia Collards and 6 Red Cabbage Seedlings to plant at the end of the week.

Tonight, I gently cooked down some Yellow Squash in a skillet with Olive Oil and Honey. In another pot I browned some pork in another pan along with Onion, Garlic, and my homemade Cayenne Hot Sauce.   Then I made a pot of rice and mixed it all together.  Cel and I ate it, and talk about good, cher.

Quote of the Day

“He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words.”


- Elbert Hubbard

The Garden Continues to Grow

I put the tomato cages up today, as the fall tomatos have topped the 2 foot mark.  Not sure what to do with the Cucumbers, I guess I'll just let them ramble around the garden.  The last few days have been very hot and dry.  My poor new seedlings were hanging on for life.  Just as I finished watering today, the clouds move in.   The rains were light, but hours of cloud cover were most appreciated by both the plants and me.

Quote of the Day

Faith can move mountains, but don’t be surprised if God hands you a shovel. - Anonymous

Lots To Do Today, But I Just Don't Feel Like Doing It.

I put some of the furniture back on the porch.  Fired up the pressure washer for just a few minutes to touch up the door mats for the front porch.  Got out the remaining empty 5g gas cans, went down the corner to fill them, and the boat up, with gas.  Not that I am going fishing, but the boat holds 24 gallons of gas.  All of the equipment will be filled and remain full, as well.  We are entering the prime time of hurricane season, so having some extra fuel around is always a good idea.  I always add fuel stabilizer, and then try to burn the fuel over the winter, so that all the cans are empty again by spring.   This insures no stale gas around, which can cause lots of chaos (and expense) in the spring.  Stabil costs a bit more to add to the already high price of fuel, but is worth every penny in the long run.

More Additions to the Vegetable Garden

Just planted those Acorn Squash seeds, and the Acorn Squash seedlings. Hedging my Acorn bets with seeds and seedlings.  I also planted some Butternut Squash, Bok Choi, Swiss Chard, and a couple of Artichokes, too.  I planted those Artichokes down on the end where all those shells were.   Thought it might help.

It Was a Great Day, For a Bug, But,,,,,,,,,,,

Its late summer in Louisiana, which is a fine time, if you're a bug, including the most despicable of all, the roach,   So I pulled everthing off the front and back porches and finished power washed the house. You know, I dreamed of having a pressure washer until the second time I power washed the house. The first time it was Tim the Toolman (manly grunt) cool. After the second time, the dream changed. Now I dream of hiring someone to pressure wash the house. Not really, grunt.

The only bad thing after a good fall cleaning, is you really don't want to put all of the stuff back on the porches.  You just want to appreciate the clean.   But, the cooler fall weather is coming.  It's prime outside time in Louisiana.  And I can't wait to sit out on the porches and feel the cool breeze hitting my face, or back, or side, or heck, anywhere, just cool the heck off weather, would you.

Who Says Acorns Aren't Good to Eat

Cooked some good Acorn Squash tonight. Is it too late to go plant the seeds for a little fall crop?  Feedback says go for it, but don't delay.

Almost Forgot, The Squash is No Longer Squashed, it is Squash Again

OK, I am not sure that made any sense at all.  So, the real news is the newly planted Squash is up.   Amazing the different fresh seeds makes.   Of course there is always the odd chance that one of those plants is one of the old seeds, but I doubt it.   Either way, I am hoping for a small Squash harvest before winter sets in.

Some of my new seedlings are Butternut and Acorn Squashes as well.  Funny, until a few days ago when I cooked that Butternut Squash, I never even knew I like Squash.   Life is funny that way.

A Long Weekend or Not Much of Anything?

Well, it is certainly starting out that way.   Seedlings are still sitting on the back deck of the boat.  The garden is still unwatered, and the grass still unmowed.   And NOBODY is complaining, not even the grass.   Its a beautiful day with full sun, high of only 89, and 50% humidity.  After this summer's record heat, this is almost like winter time. But don't worry, I'll get out in the garden sooner or later, probably later.  There is still lots on tap for the weekend, I think, lol.  In the meantime, where is that glass of wine.