Saturday garden work and photos

This afternoon, yes, in full sun, I went out to move things around, pull out the old, plant up new, and generally get things a little ready for summer heat.

I moved all of my vegie buckets to my new "vegie and hospital" area. In with the eggplants, and okras, are a recovering chysanthemum (about 2 years old, and I thought I had killed it with lack of water, when it started coming back), and some new (green buckets) of new okra plants, plus 2 recovering gardenia bushes I had bought and not yet planted.. The new hospital area is in partial shade for the hot, hot steamy summer months here. They can all live here until I get home in the evening to water them.




I actually watered the succulent tires and strawberry pot today, because we are in a terrible drought! So much so that,... look, ...even my patio cracked! LOL. They just took our watering restriction down to only 1 day a week, starting on Monday! I can still water my plants by hand in the evenings.



There are a few of these on the fence this afternoon, but they are fading fast for the evening, and in the heat.

My hibiscus are coming back for the summer (that is their peak bloom time). I can never get sharp pics of the hibiscus...I wonder why???

I love this fancy one that has three blooms on the end of one branch!!!

Here is my PURPLE garden, with green and purple low growing spiky Oyster Plants, and tall growing fushia/purple hawaiian Ti Plants. I need to cut them down and it makes them put out more growth and become bushier. I may get that done tomorrow...because I am seriously shaping this yard up for total neglect over the next 6 months of torturous heat. I'll be at the mall, thankyou!!


I brought in 2 eggplants, 4 tomatoes (still green, but I couldn't wait any longer to remove the plants, and get the okras planted), and a potful of kale (last plant pulled out today after a run of 1 year and a season). My Mom provided the mangos from my cousins tree. Looks like good additions to our chicken wing dinner tonight!

Oh...and here is a pic of the quart sized bag of zipper peas (ignore the ice crystals) I received from my Aunt and Cousin in Lakeland. They both grew them and shelled them for me too!!! I can't wait to cook them. Maybe tomorrow. I have never tasted zipper peas, but they are a southern pea, more like black eyed, I presume.

Hope you all have a wonderful rest of the weekend, and now I am looking to create a Cactus Monday post...just wait and see...I can do it, yes I can!!! :)
xoxo- Julie

Mojito garden

Last night when we went out to dinner (grandchildrenless) I had a Mojito. I rarely EVER drink anything alcoholic, so you can imagine my delight after a hard day at work, when after I drank this thing (pre-eating) I suddenly had no aches or pains, I was suddenly amazed by the game of baseball that was on the TV's around me, AND...I was suddenly struck with an wonderfully amazing idea!!! (It IS incredible what ONE alcoholic drink can do to me, ok)???

So what was this great great idea??? Well...after the effects of the drink made me realize I should have a Mojito more often...it came to me to plant a lime tree (small, patio sized) in a pot, and surround it with mint plants! All I would need to buy for my drinks would be some club soda and rum. My husband said I should also grow sugar cane, and have a horse that could go around in circles to grind it for my drinks as well! The fantasy continues, eh???

No, but seriously...I live in a tropical environment and this seems the perfect combination! What do you guys think...should I proceed ahead this weekend.....or is it too dangerous considering how 1 drink affects me?????

Mojito
10 fresh mint leaves
1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges
2 tablespoons white sugar, or to taste
1 cup ice cubes
1 1/2 fluid ounces white rum
1/2 cup club soda

A Mojito is traditionally made of five ingredients: white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime juice, sparkling water and mint. The original Cuban recipe uses spearmint or yerba buena, a mint variety very popular in the island. Its combination of sweetness, refreshing citrus and mint flavors are intended to complement the potent kick of the rum, and have made this clear highball a popular summer drink.
When preparing a Mojito, lime juice is added to sugar (or syrup) and mint leaves. The mixture is then gently mashed with a muddler. The mint leaves should only be bruised to release the essential oils and should not be shredded. Then rum is added and the mixture is briefly stirred to dissolve the sugar and to lift the mint sprigs up from the bottom for better presentation. Finally, the drink is topped with crushed ice or ice shavings and sparkling soda water. Mint leaves and lime wedges are used to garnish the glass.

I am thinking mine should be virginal:

Leave out the rum!
Put the lime, mint, and sugar in a glass and muddle.
Fill cup with ice about 3/4 full.
Top off with club soda, or lemon-lime soda (I think this sounds better)
Stir with a spoon.
Garnish with fresh sugar cane if you can get some.

What a nice refreshing summer drink! The Mojito garden would come in handy!!!

Our little out of town trip!

A beautiful curb garden in a roundabout in Lakeland. Had to have a pic!






We had a great time on our overnight trip to Lakeland, where we got to visit with family, and take the grands to a really neat park. In case you are wondering, that is NOT a gun Donovan is holding in the pic where he is at the end of a tunnel...it is a Power Ranger phone-like play toy. The two rose pics are from the entrance to the park/playground. We all had such a nice time, we are planning future returns. Our hotel was right in the middle of all the shopping and dining action of a relatively new outdoor "mall". There was a movie theater with IMAX...unfortunately they were playing Pirates of the Caribbean, a bit too much for the little kids. This morning we swam, visited a book store, and met my aunt and cousin for lunch before coming back home. We had dinner at a wonderful place last night, called Fish City Grill. The fish was so delicious, we cannot wait to return! I had a pistachio encrusted red snapper with a jerk (island) cream sauce (one of the specials)...it was to die for!!! Heavenly! There are a few locations in Texas! Check them out!

Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean

I am sitting on the 6th floor of the courthouse overlooking the Intracoastal and Atlantic Ocean (here in the official capacity of DRIVER for a few folks). It is such a beautiful day here, with a gorgeous blue sky and puffy white clouds floating by. Somewhat breezy too...good for keeping the humid heat down, and the mosquitos blown away! The mosquitos are here in full force again for the summer.

I am excited that I can take the kids and grands on a little mini-trip for a few days...swimming in hotel pool, shopping, and visiting a really neat park that has been made for disabled and non-disabled children age 2-12 to play side by side.

I am so ready for a little trip!

A bunch of what sounds like case managers for child welfare has entered the room where I am sitting, and they are chatting about stuff...interesting, but sad. They are waiting for a big meeting to start. Oh...here they go...they are getting up to leave...alone again...quiet at last. Hehehe.

I feel like a reporter giving a blow by blow of what I am seeing here. It is uncomfortable to be in a courthouse. The idea of lawsuits makes me uneasy. Seems there is always some evil element to them. Maybe. Not really sure...just a gut feeling.

Well...hope everyone has a nice weekend coming up!
Ever onward...and just remember...this is the only life we get...make it fun!
Julie

Paper fish fun!

Tonight I was doing some origami paper folding with my grandson. He loved it. We each made a little canoe-like boat. He followed along with each step as I showed him. Then we were trying to make these rather complicated paper fish. I wanted to give up, but in the end, I just sort of faked it, and crumpled the paper up and it had a kind of fishy look...I grabbed a colored pencil, drew an eye, added a smile and some other features...and then I crumpled his up. He added stickers (the other side of his fish is plastered with them) and drew on a face...then our fish had to BATTLE each other...he is 6 years old afterall. I'm telling you, if you want to have some fun with a 6 year old...do some paper craft. It is amazing!