Honeymoon Salad? - "Lettuce Alone"

Happy Halloween!

It's the last day of October and we still have lettuce growing the the garden.  It's amazing!  It was planted at the end of July.  Even though we've had a couple of frosts, I covered it with a tarp on those few nights, and the temps did not get low enough to kill it.  We've been eating it since early September.  My DH planted it, but doesn't remember the variety. It's very much like Romaine lettuce - great for salads and in sandwiches. I've given it to neighbors and family.  It's been tender and delicious.  Now a hard freeze is predicted for tonight. It's fully mature; for the last week or so we've been eating the inner leaves.  I think I'll let it go tonight, but I say goodbye reluctantly; it's been a great crop.

Does this mark the official end of our 2010 vegetable garden season?  I guess, although we still have carrots, beets, and parsnips covered with leaves that I can dig as needed.  We harvest these root crops throughout the winter as long as the snow doesn't get too deep.  Of course, if we wait too long the deer will beat us to them.  I don't feel that bad if they eat the beets; I prefer them small and tender in the summer.  The carrots I've been digging a few at a time for the last month or so.  Parsnips we leave alone until after the first snows.  The cold weather seems to bring out their sweetness.  I've tried them earlier in the season, and they just don't taste the same.



This has been a wonderful crop of lettuce.



Animal Mysteries

A couple of mysterious happenings in our yard have made me pause and realize that my DH and I are not the only creatures enjoying this habitat.  In fact, as much as we consider this home, we're really just visitors.  Our yard is home to many creatures.  Here's a list of some of the animals we've observed in our village yard:

squirrels

chipmunks

moles

rabbits 

ground hogs

opossums

skunks

deer

fox
bear (We didn't actually see it, but he left his scat, and neighbors saw it 1/2 mile from us.)

toads

snakes

bees of several kinds

bugs of all kinds

butterflies

and birds, too numerous to list

The first mystery appeared on a pin oak on our back line.  Something has damaged the bark; it looks like it has been rubbed off.  We suspect the deer family that has been using our yard as their daily trail.  I hate to have them kill this tree, so I guess it needs fencing for the winter.

DH gets excited every single time the deer cross our yard; he's just like the dog in the movie "UP".  "DEER!" he yells as he runs to a window.  This occurs almost daily - sometimes 2 or more times. He's been trying to catch them on his Bird Cam; so far no luck.  I'm glad he gets such enjoyment from the deer, but they cause a lot of damage to my flowers, my bushes, our vegetables, but surprisingly not the blueberries.

The second mystery is this hole that appeared on the edge of the back lawn.  It looks almost like a woodchuck hole, but I don't think it is.  Notice the right side of the photo.  Yes, that is honeycomb.  It looks like an animal dug these bees from underground.  There are 3 big chunks of honeycomb with bees still crawling all over them.  I'm pretty sure the bees are yellow jackets. The comb is paper-like. The hole is deep and large - 12 inches in diameter.

Is this the work of a skunk?  What kind of bees live underground?  Will my DH be yelling "SKUNK" next?

In Search of Red

It was a lovely, warm autumn day during the last week of October, and I went on a hunt for red in my gardens.  I was pleasantly surprised with all that I found.  See for yourself:

The geraniums are still blooming.

Mums, of course

The blueberry bushes

The blueberry bushes really are lovely.

Dwarf rhododendron

A lonely, tiny rose .... yes, it is a rose.

A young pin oak

Okay, it's not red, but really -- petunias in the last week of October - they deserve a shout out!

My burning Bush!!!  It's turning red!!!  It's a miracle!!!

Butternut Squash

Here's my entire crop of butternut squash - 9 small squash.  I put the apple in the bowl to show just how small they are. Not too impressive.  I'm not sure what held this crop back this year, but I'll be thankful for what I have.  We like zucchini best of all the summer squash varieties, and we like butternut squash best of the winter squash varieties.

I like winter squash 3 ways:  boiled and mashed, chunked and roasted, creamed and pureed as soup.  Preparation begins the same for each.  First I cut the squash into manageable sizes. (I guess I can skip this step this year since the squash is so small.) Next I peel off the skin. Then I cut the squash into 1 inch chunks.

Now for roasted squash, I toss the chunks in a zip-lock bag with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Bake squash on a baking sheet in the oven, 350 degrees, for about 30-40 minutes until golden brown and tender.

For mashed squash, boil in a inch of water for about 30 minutes or until soft and tender.  Drain off the water and mash.  Squash varies in moisture.  Sometimes mashing with salt, pepper, and butter is all that's needed.  Other times the squash will seem dry, and then I add milk or cream just like mashed potatoes.  I actually like it best this way.

L to R:  Soup, mashed, & roasted butternut squash

For soup, boil the squash chunks (optional: with a onion) in about 1 cup of water (or chicken stock).  Use an immersible hand blender or your regular blender to puree the vegetables until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add 1 cup or so of cream or milk. Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top when serving this soup.

Do You Think You Hate Brussel Sprouts?

Hate brussel sprouts? -A week ago my answer would have been yes.  Normally, I eat and enjoy almost all vegetables.  Kale, spinach, beets, parsnips... I'm good with all of these and many more.  But brussel sprouts - I've just never been able to warm up to these mini cabbages.  I've had them boiled or steamed, and the strong pungent odor forewarned me that I wasn't going to enjoy them.  The distinctive bitter taste of boiled brussel sprouts confirmed my prediction.

But never say ol' dogs can't learn new tricks.  Three serendipitous occurrences seemed to be sending brussel sprouts my way.  First, I happened to read a short newspaper article about this vegetable and it's healthy aspects.  Number 2, I came across a recipe that recommended roasting brussel sprouts for the best flavor and elimination of bitterness.  And number 3, there they were at Wednesday's Auction, fresh-cut from the garden.  I didn't know they grew on a tall, thick stalk!  Some of the stalks even had a Christmas tree shape.   The little balls of brussel sprouts looked like ornaments.  Who could resist? The stalks were just too pretty.

So for a mere $2, I bought a stalk and brought them home.  I roasted them exactly as recommended in this recipe: Roasted Brussel Sprouts  I'm glad the recipe told me to expect the sprouts to brown up; I might have thought I was burning them. They were fantastic!  I'm still amazed. I like brussel sprouts!  No bitterness.... salty sweet flavor... single leaves were actually crispy.... mmmm.   I even tried the left-overs cold as one reviewer had suggested.  Yes, they were even good cold!  I just wish I had thought to take a picture before I cut the sprouts off the stalk.  Oh well, that just means I'll have to buy them again next week. 

What have I learned from this adventure?  Never BOIL or STEAM brussel sprouts. Folks, it's all in the way you prepare them.  Roasting is definitely the way to go.

The stalk after brussel sprouts were cut off

Fresh brussel sprouts

Roasted brussel sprouts... and yes, they are supposed to be brown. Delish!

What's New at the Farmer's Market?

It's known in our town simply as "The Auction". Every Wednesday, year round, right on west Main Street, is a real happening.  It's a farmer's market, a yard sale, a flea market, a craft fair, and a traditional auction of every conceivable item imaginable from art to Angus.  People come from far and wide to buy, to sell, to socialize, to eat, to treasure hunt. In the summertime it's so crowded, you'd think you were at the State fair. Even now, in late October, business is brisk as folks shop for produce fresh from the farm.

Fall produce was out and waiting for me bright and early - 8:00 a.m. Pumpkins, squash, grapes, and pears.  Brussel sprouts, peppers, cabbage, and broccoli.  And APPLES ! That's what I was after.  Big, juicey, red apples.  Macintosh, Red Delicious, Granny Smiths, Galas, Empires. I bought Cortlands and Honey Crisps.  Cortlands are our favorites - our standard apple. Good for eating, good for cooking. But my sister-in-law was singing the praises of this new apple, Honey Crisps, so I got a small bag of those also.

I'm having my very first Honey Crisp right now. The name fits it. It is crisp; it crunches with every bite. And it's sweet.  I definately like it as an eating apple.  I can't say how it acts in baking.  I'll have to experiment a bit.  

The Honey Crisp

I do know how Cortlands cook up; they're great.  The simplest apple dessert is homemade applesauce.  We love it. Here's how I make it.  I peel and core the apples.  I bring them to a boil with a small amount of water. Simmer the apples until soft.  Then I mash them with a fork; I like to leave a lot of apple chunks.  I add some brown sugar and a little cinnamon. Simple. Y -UM!

I Covet My Neighbors' Burning Bushes

Yea, I know.  What a sinful thing to say.  But I do.  Burning bushes in October are beautiful.  When our gardens and flowers are on their downward slide to brown, the burning bush ratchets its color up to fiery red. The bush is supposedly easy to grow and virtually maintenance-free.  At least that's what my research has led me to believe. Burning Bush Facts

My neighbor's Burning Bush

Another neighbor's Burning Bush

 However, here's my experience with Mr. Euonymus alata "Compactus".  Over the years, I have bought and planted 3 different Burning Bushes.  The first one died over the winter; not sure why. The second was eaten by rabbits; they girdled the trunk. I wrapped the trunk of the 3rd replacement bush with tin foil to "foil" the rabbits. It seemed to work, but then the deer ate the upper branches down to the tin foil.  I was about to dig and dispose of this 3rd bush in the spring when surprisingly it sprouted new branches and leaves almost over-night. I guess it really liked the severe pruning the deer had performed. I let it grow and it really seemed to do well that year.  It did not turn red in the fall, however.  I figured it was just too young.  I caged it and tin-foiled it over the winter, but the deer reached right into the cage and chewed the trunk and branches.  It was pretty badly abused by this last spring.  I pruned off the worst, and hoped for the best.  Again, it did grow and try to recover over the summer, but again the leaves DID NOT turn red!  AGH!

My Burning Bush

Okay, I'll give it one more try.  I've caged and mulched it for the winter.  If the deer eat it, so be it. If it survives the winter, I think I'll replant it somewhere in the back lawn in the "live or die... you're on your own" zone.  And that's why I covet my neighbors' burning bushes.

Wordless Wednesday - Autumn Colors

Hosta Hatchetted and Mums the Word

The sun is out on a beautiful autumn day.  I did some more clean-up in my perennial beds.  Coleus - gone.  Another bush fenced and mulched.  The biggest job was spitting the giant hosta.  This guy is not only a giant-leafer, but also it has been in its spot for several years and the root ball was enormous.  I dug, and dug, and dug some more, but in the end I needed help from DH (Dear Husband).  Once we finally dislodged it, we chopped it into two with the shovel, and I planted one part back in the original hole, and the other half where I had taken out the "non-blooming" hydrangea.  I'm sure I could have divided it into 3 or 4 pieces, but I didn't have any other available space for it right now.  All my hostas could use dividing, but then I'd have to have a hosta flea market.  Any takers?  If anyone wants a few hostas, come on over; we'll dig and chop.

My mums are now in their full glory.  The violet mums that grow along the side of the driveway have been there a long time.  They came with the house.  They require very little care, and come up every year. Because they are so hardy and faithful, we've tried to add to our collection of mums. One year I intermixed mums of other colors in with the violets, but those "hardy mums" never reappeared the next year.  I have 2 other mums in the perennial beds - one orange and one deep red.  These are 2 out of many "hardy mums" we've planted over the years. Mums have helped me develop my plant attitude:  I only like you if you'll grow for me. 

Lavender and alyssum are re-blooming in front of the orange mums.

Wordless Wednesday - Zinnias

Zinnias from seed.  They took all summer and then some, but finally FLOWER POWER!

The Lemon Tree Blossoms!

Oh excitement! The lemon tree is in bloom!

Citrus trees certainly are not native here in western NY.  Our little tree started as a twig; I think it was sent as a "bonus" gift from some nursery we ordered from.  We've had it several years, and it has grown from its first little pot to over 3 feet tall.  Last winter it lost all its leaves, and I thought it was a goner, but no, it leafed out again better than ever.  It spent the summer outside on the patio, and seemed happy there.  It grew quite thick and lush.  Now it's back in the sun-room, its winter home, and is popping out blossoms everywhere.  It had 3 blossoms early this summer; 1 of which is developing slowly into a fruit.  But never has it done what it is doing now.  Unbelievable!  Most of the blossoms are still closed, but the few that have opened are so fragrant.  You can smell them in the next room.

I checked a few sites on the internet to see what I could learn about my lemon tree.  Here's one I thought sounded knowledgeable: Caring For an Indoor Lemon Tree. Another site also recommends misting the tree to add humidity; I guess I'll start doing that.  A gardening success... yea! It takes so little to get me excited.

1 baby lemon!  Who-hoo!

The New Hydrangea Bed

I planted the new hydrangea bed today. This is the bed I set up back on Aug. 9th (See "New Bed") with newspaper and wood chips.  I dug my 3 non-blooming hydrangeas and planted them alongside the new hydrangea I planted in August. (See "August Plantings")  The ground beneath the chips was soft and "dig-able" to about 10 inches.  Then it seemed to change to a hard-packed gravel soil.  The digging was work!  But I kept at it and finally got them settled into their new homes.

I decided to cage and mulch them right away. This bed is on the nightly deer trail, and the deer have already shown me that they find hydrangeas tasty.  The deer have been nibbling away at the August planting, even after I twisted tin foil around all the branches.  It's not pleasant to bite into tin foil, and this trick has help me discourage deer in the past.  However, maybe they are getting wise to my ways, because this time it has not stopped them. Out came the wire fencing, and once I circled the bushes, I added dried leaves for mulch.  I'll add more leaves as the season progresses.  The mulching serves two purposes: protection from deer and the winter cold.

Will all this effort get me blooming hydrangeas?  Who knows? I'm hopeful though I'm not sure why. I guess that's one of the allures of gardening. The gardener is always searching for the right conditions, the right home, to help a plant flourish.  Success is exciting; failure... well, just try something else.

Learning a New Photo Program

I'm trying to learn a new photo program, Picasa, since my free Photoshop.com account keeps giving me troubles embedding my photos into the blog.  This is a picture I captured yesterday; I really like it.  I can still feel the warmth of the sun just looking at the picture.

Rockin' Raspberries

It's October - one of my most favorite months!  We had some rain for the last 2 days, and we needed it. But now the sun is out, the leaves are in color, and it even smells like fall. I love the crunch of the leaves, and the sound they make swirling in the breeze. The sun's rays are lower in the sky; they feel warm instead of intense, and they make the fall colors shine.  I could really appreciate the beauty of my neighborhood as I took my daily walk today.

Out in the gardens, there is still quite a bit going on.   My mother had a big patch of raspberries in our backyard as I was growing up.  I've always wanted to duplicate those memories.  Our raspberries have been a struggle, however.  We've tried different varieties over the years, different ways of pruning, even different spots to grow them, but usually we get only a few spindly briers, or thick briers with no berries, or Japanese beetles that eat briers and berries faster than we can attend to.  We've never gotten more than a handful or so of eatable berries. Yes, there are nearby fruit farmers, and every summer we make the trip to pick and then freeze at least 16 quarts of big luscious raspberries. (My husband just can't eat his morning cereal without them.)  But still I long to grow some of our own.

Well, this year we have not yet had a frost, and that has helped our raspberries have their best year ever.  We've been able to pick a pint or so of berries every other day for the last week or so.  It looks like they'll continue for a while yet, if we can protect them from any frost. (Sunday night may get into the 30's, so we'll be tucking these babes under blankets.) These are not the big inch-long berries we picked in late August at the fruit farm, but they are juicy, and sweet, and in our backyard!  Yea! Life is good!