Photos
Photo of the Day: Autumn Sage “Lipstick”
The past few days have been hotter than Hades, but the natives are thriving (except for yours truly, I'm not happy). This one is a variety of Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) showing off how it got the name "lipstick." It's a little over five feet (1.5 meters) high and equally wide and spreads like crazy if you let it. I only planted one about 10 years ago, but it's managed to colonize areas of the south and west-facing slopes. Good thing they look nice or I'd have a real problem.
Photo of the Day: Welcome to October
We're just a week away from November and it's so hot even the plants in the pond are wilting. It's 96° and 13% humidity outdoors. In the greenhouse it's even worse. 111° and 1% humidity. Not that this is unusual. We usually get one last heatwave right around this time. But, dang. all those seedlings I planted are going to fry.
Photo of the Day: Crazy winter squash hybrid
Just for giggles, last year I grew two winter squashes, Delicata and Spaghetti, next to one another, then took the seeds from a few of the fruit of both types of plants. This year I got a crazy speckled hybrid that tastes sweet like Delicata, but has the noodle-like consistency of Spaghetti. If this "Delighetti" squash stores as well as its parents do, I think I'll grow it again next year.
Photo of the Day: Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia)
Many years ago a local grower friend of mine gave me a few "Mexican Sunflower" (Tithonia) seeds. Little did I know that this particular variety is also known as the "tree sunflower" and, unlike true sunflowers, is a perennial down here in zone 9. It blooms continuously from March to November and over the years has spread into alarge showy plant about 15-20 feet (5-6 meters) high and equally wide. Best part is it requires almost no maintenance. Each winter I whack it back to the ground and each spring it comes right back. I don't even water it.
Photo of the Day: Vintage Red Rose
My mom had this rose in her garden for 20 years before she gave it to me. I planted it, and 26 years later, it still looks amazing and smells absolutely intoxicating.
Photo of the Day: Hidden Lake Hot Peppers
Hidden Lake Hot peppers are a Cayenne / Thai hybrid we grow every year for hot sauce Fifty degree swings between day and night temperatures are making tough for the plants remaining in the vegetable garden, but the Cayenne/Thai peppers we call "Hidden Lake Hot" are still hanging in there. They'll continue to produce right up until rain and frost does them in.
Photo of the Day: Mystery Frog on a Lillypad
Walked by our pond this morning and spied this little guy sitting all fairytale like on a lillypad. I have no idea where he came from. There is a small lake nearby, but it seems quite a hop to get here from there.
Photo of the Day: Happy Face Bell Peppers
Cut the tops off of a couple Olympus bell peppers we were having with dinner last night and couldn't help but notice that they have "smiley faces" inside. Bonus!
Photo of the Day: Gopher Snake!
Our duck enclosure is covered with a very old, thick orange clock vine (Thumbergia). Looks great in bloom and offers cover for the animals, including this guy, a gopher snake that scared the bejesus out of me when I when to pick it up because I thought it was a hose. Next time, I'll look twice!
Photo of the Day: Tomato sprouting from the inside out
This is weird. I pulled this tomato off the vine because I thought it had worms, but it turns out the seeds germinated inside the tomato and were popping through a break in the skin. Anyone know what causes that?