It was 28 degrees this morning, and we got our first frost.  

 

So I went out to the garden, because I knew there would be some pretty pictures.  

 

Sure enough, the kale is gorgeous, and the cabbages are too.  The Swiss chard looks a little sad, the basil is dead, and the arugula is struggling, but it was worth the trip, because I love you that much.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

Wow!!!  Look at all those seed pods on the arugula.  Each one of those pods holds about 30 seeds, and each seed will grow a whole new plant, like the one that grew in between the pavers on the patio.  

 

They need to turn brown before I can harvest viable seeds, but I think we have time before the first frost.  And arugula tolerates more cold weather than most.  

 

So we should be in business this fall for next year's crops.  Yoo-hoo!!!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

It's TRUE!!!

 

Our gardens not only feed our bodies, they feed our souls.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I wish she hadn't, but a Praying Mantis parked her egg case on my lemongrass.  The egg case has to overwinter outside, and I usually bring the lemongrass inside for the winter.  

 

Oh well, I will start again in the spring with the lemongrass.  

 

I love the praying mantids that much.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Remember a couple years ago I told you that we inoculated several white oak logs with mushroom spores?

 

Well, we have been (not so) patiently waiting for something to happen.  Honestly, we had given up.

 

But this weekend Jon noticed some shiitake mushrooms emerging from the logs.    Yay!!!

 

Cooking them tonight with quinoa and vegetables.  So exciting!!!

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

Crape Myrtles are beautiful all year long.  Gorgeous in summer, blooming for 100 days, and spectacular in the fall before they drop their leaves.  

 

The ones I've seen are electric orange, yellow and red, right now.  This one is at the top of Stonebriar:  worth the walk or drive to see it.  

 

I love seeing it on our walk.  

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

This is our road right now!!!  Glad I am not driving it for the first time;  the road has disappeared!!!  

 

We know where it is, but you sure can't see it.

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

I know I've shown you Nasturtium before, but right now I want you to see the seeds.  After the flower dies, the stem gets all twisty, and grows these huge seeds.  See them just below the flower?  There are also smaller ones just above the flower.

 

The seeds are heavy and hang down toward the ground.  I can't possibly gather them all, so some fall onto the soil, and we have Nasturtium in this spot every year.  

 

Right now it takes up about 15 feet of planting space.  But I don't need that space until spring, so go ahead, Beautiful.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

There were the most beautiful sunflowers in the Ingles Market the other day, so I got a bunch for ME.  They are so bold and gorgeous!!!  They make me smile every time I walk past them.

 

The ones in the garden are long gone, but I saved seeds, so we'll have some again next year. 

 

But in the meantime...these will do just fine.

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

You know how leeks are white at the bottom, and green at the top?  Well, the way that happens in the garden is by a process called "blanching."  You do this by piling up the soil around the base of the leeks, or use a deep layer of mulch to cover the base so the sun doesn't hit the parts you want to stay white.

 

I read last week about another way to blanch leeks.  See the new method?  I'm giving it a try.  I'll let you know how it works out.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!