Pumpkin Carving 101 "The Calendar Garden"

 

You have no idea how anxious I've been to get my hands on one of these beautiful white pumpkins. Although I should have asked the very lovely Tiffany Breed, the owner and our instructor at The Calendar Gardens what variety this white beauty was, I've found several types available from Baby Boo, Casper and Cotton Candies. Some are heirlooms, many are hybrids, but none that I've found are particularly good for eating. I could tell as I took in the scent of this pumpkin as I cut the top for my lid that you would not want to make pie with it. However, it did have enormous seeds that would make great for roasting and it had the most wonderful scent of cucumber that was quite enjoyable to take in as one sits to carve their pumpkin. .

My love and admiration for pumpkins has stepped up to a whole new level. Who would have known the endless possibilities for decorating that the white pumpkins offer. They could extend throughout the entire fall season depending on your choice of pattern. I always look so forward to decorating the Thanksgiving Table and have a few ideas for a pattern to fit the theme.

I also discovered that it will take a whole lot more practice on my behalf before I attempt something more difficult like some of the lovely flower patterns with a lot of detailing. I didn't get my pumpkin finished in class and brought it home for homework. I broke my detailing carving tool and if truth be known, Mr. Garden had to step in and help me finish my project. He has certainly been my hero on more than one occasion.

It was as always a blast spending thyme with my dearest garden friend Donna from Morning Glory Craft Cottage. It was a beautiful chilly morning and frisky and frolic would be a good description of yet another one of our fabulous adventures together. 

After class was over it was time to shop!!Lucky for us The Calendar Gardens had directions. Let's see, there is the West Texas Garden, the East Texas...Central....oh how fun and so many Natives and Antique Roses too!! I was certain there would be something that I really needed at Thyme Square Gardens!!

 

It is so much better shopping locally rather than a big box store. The prices are better and you get such personal service, as well as the security of knowing your plants are well suited just for your garden zone. Donna found a pretty little mum and well, I finally found that Native Mexican Bush Sage I'd been wanting and a new one that I hadn't heard of called Little Volcano "Lespedeza" and Tiffany was more than happy to give me all the information I needed to grow it successfully. 

I'll be heading back for some more pumpkins. Lot's of baking to do for the holidays around here.I can't wait to see what else The Calendar Gardens has planned for Thanksgiving and Christmas. For now I have to get those new plants in the ground and finish weeding out some other beds for more plants to go in. 

Happy Gardening!!

Pammy

Fall Migration Monarchs Through Texas

"Just living is not enough, said the butterfly. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."Hans Christian Anderson

I was so excited to finally have a Monarch let me take its photo this morning. I had been trying since they began showing up a little more than a week ago. When I first spotted a few feeding on the Butterfly Weed in the herb garden they seemed nervous and jittery and it was difficult to get a picture. It was a grave concern about their travels through our drought stricken state this year. I can say that from our homestead there is nothing for miles for the Monarch to feed on. Everything is dried up and dead. 

Every year the Monarchs travel through Texas on their way to the Mountains of Mexico. I read a report today that they've been flying in by the droves and the Mexican people actually have signs out for travelers to take caution when driving so not to hurt them. "Mariposas Monarcas" in Spanish. I think that is something that many folks here in the U.S. don't think about when driving. So it is good news for the Monarch it seems, however I'm sure we will get a more detailed account this next year of any decline in numbers.

There is a bit of trivia going on at one of the sites I visit online to keep track of the Monarchs journey. The question was "What were the Monarchs eating" on their way through Texas? They were found roosting by the droves in Pecan Trees. A Monarch has no biting or chewing parts to eat. They have a proboscis, which to me looks like an elephants trunk when viewed up close. They use this to sip nectar and Pecan Trees are not in flower this time of year. Luckily they gave a few clues and it wasn't hard to figure out after reading them. Take a peek at the photo and clues to see if you can figure it out. I will say this much....Aphids were involved. Here's the link: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/fall2011/c100611_1.html

Nature is remarkable in its survival skills. But with overwhelming declines and extinctions we must play a more important role in caring for our ecosystems and environments. As such beauties as the Monarch Butterfly, consider adding a few of its favorite things to your yard and garden. One little Milkweed or Butterfly weed can make all the difference. 

Happy Gardening!

Pammy

Two Loaves Of Bread Minus One Makes Cinnamon Rolls

I really don't know what comes over me some days. I'll be making my usual two loaves of bread, one for the freezer and one for the oven. All of the sudden I get to rolling out that second loaf and wham...it comes over me! I've got to have some warm cinnamon rolls. So I just roll the dough out a little further than normal and break out the goodies, like nice plump raisins and nuts. I feel a little ashamed, because I shared a picture last fall and never posted the recipe. Please forgive me, but better late than never right? The first thing you need to make these is the bread recipe. It is pretty much my basic white bread recipe, but we always use as many organic ingredients as possible for making it, especially the flour. It must at the very least be unbleached. Better than that would be organic unbleached. 

Bread Dough Recipe

5 cup organic unbleached flour

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 tbsp active dry yeast

2 free range eggs room temperature

A good pinch of sea salt

2 tbsp raw organic sugar

2 tbsp oil, I prefer Organic Sunflower

Directions

In a warm mixing bowl, combine water, sugar and yeast. Set aside and let yeast dissolve. In another mixing bowl combine flour and salt and whisk together. Add the oil to the top of the flour. Pour your wet ingredients into the dry, add the two eggs. Place on mixer with dough hook and speed 2 until dough begins to pull away from the sides. You can very easily knead the dough by hand instead of the mixer. Place dough in light oiled bowl and turn the dough once. Cover with plastic wrap and then a towel on top. This helps create lots of humidity for a good rise. Place your bowl in a warm area and let it rise until double in bulk. This usually takes 45 minutes to an hour depending on the temperature of the house and the humidity level. 

When the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Punch it down and divide it in half. Roll one of the halves for a loaf of bread. Place it in a lightly oiled bread pan, cover and let it rise until double in size.Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. 

 Cinnamon Rolls

Next take the second half of the dough and roll it out into a nice big triangle shape. Rub it down with real organic unsalted butter. Sprinkle plenty of cinnamon and organic raw cane sugar to give it  a real good coating. Sprinkle the top with raisins and crushed nuts but his is optional. The dough does not have to be perfectly shaped. It adds to the homemade effect I think.

Now simple roll it up into a nice tight log. Slice off pieces about 3/4 inch thick. Place them on a lightly oiled cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. I press each one lightly with the palm of my hand, just to flatten a bit. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place. Let them rise for about an hour. Bake on 400 for about 20 minutes, but watch closely so the bottoms don't become over done. Make a simple glaze out of powdered sugar, a tsp of milk, a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of pure vanilla extract and drizzle over the top of the cinnamon rolls. Let cool on wire rack with your loaf of bread. Well or eat a cinnamon roll while it's warm.

Happy Gardening and Happy Baking Too!!

Pammy

Rustic Italian Olive Bread

 

 Oh, if you love a good hard crust and soft middle for a true Italian Bread, then this is the loaf for you. I found this recipe many years ago from Good Eats From Texas. Quick and easy to prepare with simple wholesome ingredients.A touch of herbs and some chopped black or green olives and extra virgin olive oil is basically all you need. Makes one extremely long loaf of bread.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup hot tap water

1 tbsp. active dry yeast

1 tbsp. sugar

3 cup organic unbleached bread flour

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 1/2 tsp. of your favorite Italian Herbs (Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Garlic)

1/4 cup chopped black or green olives

2 tbsp. organic extra virgin olive oil

Egg Wash (1/4 cup water, 1 egg)

Directions

Add hot tap water, yeast and sugar to warm mixing bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients and whisk together. Add liquid and mix with dough hook or by hand until well combined. Place dough in warm bowl lightly oiled with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rise until doubled in bulk. Pour out dough onto a lightly floured surface and press the dough out into a long rectangular shape, pressing out gas pockets. Roll into a long loaf, fold the ends under. Place the dough onto a lightly oiled baking sheet. Cut diaganol slits down the loaf. Cover and let rise for about 1 1/2 hours. Brush with egg wash and bake at 375 for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with Olive Oil mixed with herbs for dipping your bread.

Happy Gardening!!

Pammy

No Love Loss With Fire Ants

 

Dear Fire Ants, I really don't care what shape you make your mounds, I shall never love you!!  ~ Signed, Pammy!

It is looking like the Fire Ants are trying to play me for my soft side. The plain truth is Fire Ants are mean and horrible pests in the southern garden and the lawn.

It is also a fact that they are never going to vanish completely no matter what you do. If your lucky enough to have controlled them, you also know they are lurking at your neighbors and shall return to visit you.

Don't be fooled when they begin to form mounds in heart shapes. But don't brake out the chemicals either. Chemicals will never get rid of them completely. All they do is contaminates the soil and run off into the water supplies. 

The chemicals are not just temporally cutting down on the ants, but they are killing the beneficial insects and microbes as well. Who really wants that poison in their drinking water or ponds and lakes? It could very well be that your only sprinkling a little bit here and there, but the plain truth is so are millions of other people.

They wouldn't have so many chemicals in the lawn and garden department if millions were not buying the stuff.. .We will never be able to kill them all, so let's try controlling them organically. Here are a few organic tricks for keeping them at bay.

Just be careful, because even organic substances, if not used properly it can be harmful for the environment and the garden.

1. Let them kill each other

That's right, you can start an ant war and they will kill each other. Find a mound in another area of your yard. Dig a patch of them up in a bucket and take them to another mound and dump them on. Fire Ants are Territorial so you want to make sure that one mound might be out in the front lawn to carry back to the back lawn. Let the war begin!

2. Diatomacious Earth 

It Really does help. You have to be persistent with its use however. Remembering that I shall never be able to kill them all, I know for a fact that it makes them move.

This is my favorite method for use in the garden. I sprinkle some on the top of the mound, and then I stir the ants up with my shovel. Next I water the mound a bit and sprinkle a little more on.

They hate being disturbed and it makes me feel good when I make them mad. Monitor the mound and do it again in a few days if need be. They will move out of your garden bed.

This is also a good method when you have them crawling up and down your vegetable plants when they are busy harvesting those dreadful aphids. Just sprinkle a little down around the base of the plant. They will leave and the ladybugs will take care of the aphids.

 This is also a great method for using in the greenhouse and under pots.

3. Borax

This is another proven method, but to be used on sidewalks and patios only!! It is hard to say what quantity to use before it poses an environmental hazard. For one, it is toxic to aquatic life.

For another, I'm not sure, but common sense tells me if it is killing the Fire Ants, it is most likely killing your beneficials like earthworms and beneficial microbes.

For the sidewalk or patio, be careful and only sprinkle a small amount where ants are found and wash it down. Poof, they are dead or they have moved on.

 Borax is also another great substance you use when cleaning your home. I use it on window sills, the floors and just as a general cleaner when diluted with water. It helps kill roaches and fleas as well as those troublesome ants. 

4. Rich Organic Matter

This is another full proof method to help keep them under control. They hate manure and rich compost and organic matter in general. By dusting you lawn with rich organic matter your adding nutrients to help build healthier soil and fertilizing at the same time.

 I've heard that the beneficial nematodes in your soil can help consume the ant problems, but I'm not sure about that. All I know is it helps in all forms and fashion. Poor soil is always the root to many evils.

These are the only methods that I use that I've found to be the most effective.

 I do know that Molasses has many benefits for your soil and compost pile for increasing the Microbes in your soil and it has said to help reduce Fire Ants. I have not seen evidence of it so far and the Molasses can be quite costly as well. I do think that enriching your soil is part of the bottom line solution.

 Although I have tried a few other methods and there are many other organic methods and advice available, some myths as well, my methods are cost effective, safe and beneficial to the environment. That's important to me because we garden for the love of future generations.

Happy Gardening!

Pammy

The Herbal Garden Bathtub

What a simply lovely weekend it has been to play in the herb garden. With temperatures finally feeling a bit like fall I feel full of energy again. When I woke this morning it was 58 degrees outside. I couldn't throw my bluejeans on fast enough to get out there. 

I've been doing a lot of restorations and remodeling this month to the garden. In this area I have an old bathtub that was yanked out of the house some 25 years ago or so. I've grown so many different things in it, but finally decided to move some stuff out and go for a whole new look. Basically what I'm doing is creating a tiered effect with three steps down. The tub is the top tier and I filled it with Spineless Prickly Pears and Trailing Lantana. Easy maintenance for me with low water requirements. All I have to do is make sure I keep a few grass sprouts out, but the Lantana will choke all grass from sprouting as it matures. It will also trail down over the sides of the tub and into the second tier creating a nice mound of purple flowering groundcover. 

Next I began building my second tier with rocks, using them to help cover any tub exposure as well. In this tier I added my favorite Spanish Lavender next to some Butterfly Weed. I'm going for colors of purple, blues, yellow and orange in this whole area with lots of things to create attention for wildlife as well as a bit of a southern appeal. 

On ground level is the last tier where I have my broken clay pot filled with sweet potato vines. Here I am creating a narrow path to have access for working.

Here is a picture of the side view where you can see where I'm coming around with the rocks to cover the old cast iron tub. I'm also moving in more plants like Salvias, Mealy-Cup Sages, Blackeye Susans and Echinaceas. Also I've divided up several flowering bulbs, like Amarillas and Tiger Lilies to add to the area. I completely covered the back of the tub with some tall yellow blooming Cannes. I'll try and get more pictures as I make more progress. I'm hoping by next summer it will all put on a bit of a show for the butterflies and hummingbirds and plenty of bees. So have some fun with an old bathtub or two!!

Happy Gardening!!

Pammy.