Happy JULY 4th

I hope you all had a good day; we did and also a wonderful dinner. Our garden is progressing, the plants are healthy and growing so well. The cucumbers are blooming and hopefully will be setting in this miserable heat and humidy. I HAVE AN AIR CONDITIONER NOW!!!!
It took an electrician or 3 but the dedicated line is in and we are comfy and dry. No humid house, nice and cool. Wonderful. I will make every effort to get out and still garden to keep things happy while I am cool in here. The electric rate increased to more than sixteen cents a KW before we installed the a/c so this will be expensive.

Speaking of gardens

My husband and I have been transplanting plants like crazy; some into larger pots to hold til the oldest raised beds are re-built and re-configured. That includes Japanese eggplants as I have some recipes to use them that are awesome. My sister in law is from Malaysia and she has great ideas for eggplant. We also planted more serrano chilies; they usually overwinter in our climate; the hot Santa Ana winds in October did them in and we didn't have any left. We planted more habeneros, and harvested the fruit off the one that overwintered outside. Tons of basil is being replanted; no more room in the ground and the ones in the pots are now taller than the ones baking in the sun; we had to put up two Beach umbrellas to shade the hot chilies from the morning sun, and the later afternoon sun. They are now setting and happy. All the heirloom tomatoes are growing like gangbusters; we are organic gardeners so that is a nice thing to see. One year I used Miracle Grow and got amazing fast growth, then the tomatoes produced so fast they couldn't absorb the calcium fast enough and we got blossom end rot. We always put our ground up egg shells in the holes when we plant the tomatoes; we also put in the worm castings and coffee grounds and stuff. Last year I literally had so many of the Sun Gold and the Jelly Bean tomatoes draping all over the plumbagos that they were about 12-15' long and totally covered, covered, I say, in fruit. The huge Brandywines, Kelloggs Breakfast and the other heirlooms produce huge tomatoes which I couldn't and didn't keep up with; so much for the Excalibur dehydrator waiting to be used. I blew it. Not this year!!! I planted 5 varieties of cucmbers for Greek salad, and gazpacho. The white cucumber says it doesn't need to be peeled. neat. I sure wish I could grow dill. The only dill I can grow is in my Aerogardens.
Wow, now it is Hubbys' birthday and I need to head off to bed even though it is HOT in here. Good night all. Oh, I need to upload more pictures but the computer is hot and so am I.

Kalyn's Kitchen: More About Freezing Fresh Herbs: Freezing Thai Basil, Sage, Tarragon, and Mint

Kalyn's Kitchen: More About Freezing Fresh Herbs: Freezing Thai Basil, Sage, Tarragon, and Mint

What a wonderful way to preserve the herbs we are swimming in for later when we don't have them. I have hundreds of Thai basil plants as we use it almost as a vegetable, not so much a garnish. This is an excelllent blog to reference.

Oh, as a matter of fact, the Thai basil that overwintered in the house next to the Aerogardens set seeds which I strewed in pots a few days ago; they are up in our over 100 degree heat for days climate.

Garden Pictures

I took more pictures outside; I swear the tomatoes have grown inches since I took pictures recently. I also noticed that the two jalapeno plants flanking one planting are yellowing, guess I need to give them some nitrogen.

I also took pictures of the red tomatoes and the yellow ones but you can't really see the yellow tomatoes, in the white Aerogarden in the kitchen.

Not the best pictures, but they are pictures.

I finally took pictures of the garden bed (s) but it was sundown and the light was not right. However, I will take more pictures another time. Like those cherry tomatoes in the kitchen, the red ones and the golden ones. Tasty.

Oh, and the Meyers lemon tree in a pot has the oddest fruit set; it is like they tried to be set like a cluster of grapes, I have never in my life seen anything like that. I love Meyers lemons, the fragrance and the flavor. The chilis' were planted on the step gardens and in the wine barrel. We aren't done yet, this is just to whet your appetite. Stephanie, if you see this, those are your raspberry progeny next to the wine barrel, they rooted themselves over there.

Long time no Post

Wow, I didn't realize it was so long since I posted! Hubby got back the beginning of June so I was getting the house sort of cleaned or decluttered a bit. I also haven't knit one single stitch since he got home, busy, busy!
Hubby got the back tomato bed all re-soiled and planted, we have about 6 heirloom tomato varieties in there, plus basil and other non heirloom tomatoes. Oh, today we planted chili peppers, Jalapenos, serranos, Hungarian hot wax and some cubanelles; I don't think those are hot, but they are for frying. We already got the Thai chilies and other hot ones planted and the habenero chilies that overwintered have bright neon orange fruit ready to make salsa. I need to get the squashes and cucumbers in the ground. I can't wait for Greek salads! Cucumbers are soooo easy to grow, as are tomatoes and if you buy by the pound look at the money you save by going out back and picking your own when they are ripe, knowing you don't get poisons or weird chemical treatments done to them. The Tuscan black kale is almost done making their seeds, I will save lots of them for future years, I can't imagine not growing that. I am still eating the leaves and it is still wonderful tasting. Bliss.

socks in progress and finished

There is one pair of socks I am making in the Vinca that is problematic; the toe doesn't look right on the one that the colors are looking good, and the other sock is *blech* in it's color shading. That will be ripped back, probably to the end of the toe, the color in the skein is a mint green with a light pink, but the muddiness of the coloration in the toe is like, dirty mauve. Ick.

My Step mom got her socks, and is trying them on and laughing so I guess my plan about those bright colors worked. My step-sister says the cuff is a bit snug so the lornas' laces socks will be made looser.

I went ahead and took more in progress pictures of the Trekking 106 pastel socks even though I am barely creeping along on them. I love knitting, I love that color, I am just sort of "mojo-less" I guess.

Hootie handling the Heat

Life is hard in the summer time, it is easy just to lay whereever you can for as long as you can. I forgot to celebrate her 12th birthday; will do that when my husband comes home and we can celebrate the kittens 2nd birthday too. Oh, and the 22nd anniversary of the date he joined the Navy.

Home Brew Stash (Is there such a term?)

I just received a BIG ol' box from Home Brew Heaven and it was all kinds of hop pellets and grains and stuff for my hubby to make after he gets home (heck, I am a wuss about even trying to connect the propane tank to the burner outside) and I had ordered hop rhizomes, and some of these are HUGE and full of buds sprouting. I am totally impressed. You will have to take my word for it, they ain't pretty to others so I didn't take pictures. I mean, the grain looks like grain, etc.
There is also a present for my husbands' birthday gift in that box. Nuff said in case he sees my blog.

updates and Bleu

I am working on my socks too, see?

Meanwhile Bleu has taken to sleeping on paper plates in the kitchen every night; he is there as I type.