This tutorial shows you how to make the best looking pool noodle lollipops out there. Don't mess with the dollar store noodles. I decided to add some Christmas tutorials for my decorations outside. I'm creating a candy background for some characters from the Nutcracker Ballet. My first task was making some candy. I decided on … Continue reading Big Beefy Pool Noodle Lollipop Decorations
There are still wonderful people out there! This is a YouTube channel I follow. The guy drives around his city and finds areas that need attention. He's cleaned up sidewalks for kids, to be able to walk home from the bus safely. He cleans up abandoned properties to bless the community and make it safer. … Continue reading A Man With A Great Heart
OK, I know that anyone who has made sourdough will argue with me that there is no "easy" sourdough. But trust me here for a minute, and let me demystify some things begginers struggle with. Sourdough can be easy, it just takes time. Picture of two starters. I usually have two going because I make … Continue reading Easy Sourdough bread
We still have a couple of weeks until we freeze for the year. Most of my plants are shutting down. A few completely tropical plants are starting to fruit. I will be repotting some of the smaller plants into a single pot and bringing others indoors as is. My son's lemon tree is about ready … Continue reading Happenings In The November Garden
So, I ordered some fruit bags, from Amazon, for my bananas. They are lined on one side with cotton to trap the ethelene gas (ethelene gas helps make fruit ripen quickly.) The cotton also helps with humidity and shades the fruit from the sun. They have holes in them, so the fruit can breathe. They … Continue reading Protecting The ‘Naners
I was out watering today and found these! YES! God bless short cycle bananas! The Kokopo is the 6' one on the left of the giant bananas. I love my bananas. Even the ones I haven't gotten fruit from. So pretty! Finally! After years of growing and tending these monsters I got some fruit! This … Continue reading Ba-Ba-Ba Bananas!
My whole yard is spiderwebs! This is 6 panels of beef netting. It's a lot of work to cut all the holes and make it look right. This year I backed off of our usual display. My son and I have been having medical issues since August. A few days ago, my husband tried to … Continue reading Spiderwebs
Happy Halloween! This year: Silver Faceless Aliens! They are human height and shape and creep everyone out! I instantly had the idea after looking at this mask. So much fun! Like all of my projects: it's super cheap and has a big impact. I'm making four. Here are the supplies you'll need: 59 inch silver … Continue reading Silver Faceless Aliens
These are striped cushaw squash. These are a Texas staple. They are vine borer resistant and have a great flavor. These look like giant summer squash, but no. They are definitely winter squash. I had another large one that was super rotten. It's out in the yard. I'm going to let it plant itself for … Continue reading Today’s Harvest
I spend a lot on my garden. City water is the biggest thing I pay for, followed closely by plants. I could spend a heck of a lot more, but I'm a dumpster diver at heart. The other day I was coming home, from dropping my youngest at school, and I saw this sink in … Continue reading Trash To Treasure
I usually hate wild morning glory. It's called "bind weed" in the Midwest because it gets tangled up in equipment (like mowers) and has to be cut off. I've been trying to get rid of the wild morning glory for twelve years. I've finally learned to just enjoy it. It doesn't take up much space … Continue reading In The Garden
I love my bananas, but still no fruit. If you keep the water up, you can have a jungle too! Giant fig One of my little friends! Meet you out in the garden to sample our produce! Crazy Green Thumbs
Can you grow and fruit pineapple in south Texas? Absolutely! The plants need to be brought inside for winter, but you can definitely grow your own pineapples. This one was grown from a pineapple top from a fruit from the grocery store. You can use tops from the grocery store, but you will get smaller … Continue reading Pineapple, Texas Style
Took this photo on a cross country trip. My mother and I have remarked that we each have seen clouds that we've never seen before, in the past ten years or so. My mother is in her mid seventies. I'm in my early fifties. That's quite a span for two outdoorsy women to draw from. … Continue reading Strange Rainbow Cloud
This is a G.E.M. avocado. It's supposed to be hardy to zone 9. Thanks to the warming temperatures over the last ten years we have been moved from 8b to 9a. As most people know: we are still in the tail end of an ice age and when you are coming out of an ice … Continue reading Avocado, Texas Style
Feel like today is 101°F. I'm currently hiding out in the air conditioning. However, I was out there about an hour ago moving stuff so the mowing crew can weedeat the gravel area. Right now it looks like the Serengeti. Grass as tall as my torso. The grass got out from under me this year. … Continue reading Fall Garden Happenings
Both flowers seem to have been well pollinated, even though I didn't see anything on them. Seems like I don't need to worry about hand pollination, since: I wasn't home to mess with the first one and the fruit still set. Interested in seeing what the flavor of this is. Hopefully better than the ones … Continue reading Developing Dragon Fruit
One of my family's favorite summer foods are often called either "quick" or "refrigerator" pickles. These make the crunchiest pickles because they aren't cooked. I grow Armenian cucumbers, which are actually melons. They taste like cucumbers and they don't get bitter in our high heat like actual cucumbers do. So, I always have fresh additions … Continue reading Quick/Refrigerator Pickles
We went on a tour of different universities. My boys had to deal with me excitedly saying, "Mushrooms!" as I ran across the street to take pictures. Yes. I am that embarrassing as a parent. But, they had a lot of patience for their goofy mom. I can't go places and not notice things in … Continue reading Great Links About Fungi
OMG! I am so glad I stuck with the annoying, ridiculously hard to train (to move indoors for winter), tropical vining cactus: the dragon fruit! I have only seen one other flower that rivals a dragon fruit flower. It was also a type of night blooming cereus. My mother had it as a house plant … Continue reading Dragon Fruit: Texas Style!
Crazy Green Thumbs 