Catching up

Ironically, the tomato plant I planted last September before Hurricane Ike has yielded me the most tomatoes of any I've had since we moved to Houston almost seven years ago. I guess it's true that "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger." We have been enjoying these lovelies all week. There was another ripe one, but a snail got to it first :-( I have my eye on several green ones, which I'm guessing will ripen quickly in this 90º weather...trying to look on the bright side.

The warm weather has also yielded some lovely garden blooms. My orchid has bloomed for the fourth year in a row. Only two flowers this year compared to four last year, but still pretty. Maybe if actually fed it or something it would be more productive.

Same goes for my gardenia. It has been the same pot for several years and might get a very occasional application of Miracle-Gro when the mood strikes me. It it a very scrawny looking plant, but has managed to produce many very fragrant blossoms.




I got my latest quilt back from the quilter and am in the process of sewing on the binding. It is so warm here that even with the A/C on I can only stand having on my lap for short periods of time. Here it is hanging outside...looks a bit washed out by the bright sunshine.


I wanted to see what it would look like on the bed...

...with a cat under it.


After I took those pictures, I realized that I had a shot of Mike's nightstand. Just to be fair, here is what is on mine. The squirt bottle is used for cat behavior modification (keeping Graycie off the dresser).


Next up I have two mystery BOTM which I haven't even looked at yet. I am trying to be disciplined and finish up one thing before starting another!

Finally, something to blog about

Well, it's four weeks tomorrow that I had my surgery, and the physical therapist says that I am right on schedule. I am able to be out of the sling for increasing amounts of time, so I have managed to take some pictures. I always think that blogs are more interesting with pictures, don't you?

We spent some time working in the yard last Sunday. Mike planted these mandevillas for me on either side of the garage doors. The idea is that they will grow up and over the top of the doors and meet in the middle. I have seen this elsewhere, and really like the effect. I will keep you updated on their progress.

These are our Belinda's Dream roses. They are Earthkind, developed to do well in this hot, wet climate. I neglected to prune them this year, but that doesn't seem to have inhibited their progress.



Every year, after our forced amaryllis have finished blooming, we plant them outside along the north fence (there were some growing there when we bought the house so we have just kept adding to them). I think, coming from the "frozen North" we are intrigued that we can grow these outside.




This is another flower that is not hardy up North, but comes back every year here in Houston, the canna lily.
This is a macro shot of one of our Turks cap blossoms.


Our old compost bin has seen better days, not to mention that it is full!

So we bought another one, just like the old one, and set it up.

Okay, I know, new compost bin, not so exciting, but new couch, now that's exciting! Remember when we ordered it, December 30? They told us it would be 2-4 months. Well, today, four months to the day, it was delivered. I am sitting on it as I type.

We have already decided that we need to get a new coffee table...not sure what style the old one is, but definitely not Craftsman. We could go back to the Amish Craftsman, but might just order this one.

Hmmm...maybe a new rug too.

Marmalade...

I have previously posted about my dwarf calamondins here and here and here. Well, spring is citrus season here on the Gulf Coast and they were ready to be picked. I am not particularly fond of marmalade myself, but Mike likes it and I really wanted to do something with the fruit besides feed it to the squirrels, so I decided give it a try. I used this recipe. I had to laugh at the statement "Apparently, the tree was not widely distributed, because I have never met another soul who knows what a calamondin is," because I have found the same to be true. Mike bought the tree for me a few years ago at Christmas and I think he picked it out because it was full of fruit. Here is this year's harvest.

Seeded and sliced...

Boiling with water...


The "stock" ready to sit overnight...


Boiling with the sugar...

Poured into the jars (both of them)...

And out of the hot water bath. The one with the canning lid "pinged" and drew a vacuum like it was supposed to. The other jar is in the fridge for Mike to enjoy. He said it is quite tasty. Like I said, I'm not a fan, but it is pretty, and I was happy to have made something from my garden.

Someone likes them...

Even though we decided the dwarf calamondin oranges were too small and tart to eat, apparently that doesn't bother Mr. Squirrel here. Just as long as he stays away from my tomatoes...

What a difference a week makes

Yes, I know I have been a very bad blogger. I was out of town for 9 days playing opthalmology nurse. Not my area of expertise, but the patient (my mom :-) was satisfied with the care. When I got home, I was amazed at how the garden had blossomed while I was gone. These are the crape myrtles after I pruned them in February.

And this is them now. They will be full of magenta flowers all summer. The neighbors' tree appears to be doing well, too.


While I bemoan the lack of lilacs and peonies here, there is this amazing plant I never experienced in Wisconsin... wisteria. In two weeks, it goes from looking like this

to looking like this! It gets its leaves after it blooms, and will provide shade over the garden swing all summer (never mind that it's too hot to sit outside).

It has these incredible blooms that have a faint fragrance. I'm glad it blooms when it does so I can actually be outside to enjoy it.

And while the Azalea Trail was almost 3 weeks ago, ours are blooming now.

Another beautiful flowering plant that you won't find in Wisconsin.

On the knitting front, I made my first Itty-Bitty hat. I had seen the book on Sommer Designs and had to have it. This was just a trial run...can't wait to make some more!


Speaking having to have it, I saw this book at It's A Stitch yesterday, then promptly came home and ordered it from Amazon.