So now that we're past the #!$@:! Frigging pool noodle lollipops, I have some relaxing projects to round out a candy themed Christmas display. First are the super simple candy cane straws. You can make canes with a bunch of PVC elbows but I think those look way more like a PVC pipe creation rather … Continue reading Candy Cane Straws and Ice Cream Sundae Outdoor Decorations
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
My grandmother used to make cinnamon pickles out of watermelon rind. It was a dessert she proudly put on our plates. They were delicious and in memory of her, I now make them yearly for my extended family and my kids. Last year I also tried a vanilla pickle which was pretty gross. I'm not … Continue reading Just In Time For Christmas: Modern Cinnamon Pickles And Lemon Candy Pickles!
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
This is super easy. 1. Get out a crockpot/slow cooker. Don't use something to cut this on that will be hard to get the grease off of. 2. Put 3-6 lbs of pork fat, cut into 1 inch cubes, into the cooker. Look for organic grass fed pork. Otherwise, this will be more similar to … Continue reading Rendering Lard
This is a great project! I've been able to reuse the original for nine years because I bought a dress form and a Styrofoam head that I restretch the ghost over every year. I really recommend getting a form for this project. Find out how to make her below! Halloween 2023 Oh, I had fun … Continue reading Easy Packing Tape Ghost
I'm always working on our Halloween display. This year I decided I needed jellyfish! I love spooky stuff but the creepy, gory, sicko type stuff just doesn't light my fire. However, glowing awesome jellyfish sounded way too cool to pass up! I got this idea several months ago and ordered what I needed in September. … Continue reading Glowing Jellyfish: Outdoor Halloween
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
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
I looked around online for ways to give my son some privacy in his new dorm room. We signed up for a two person room and started with a three person assignment. My son met a kid on our tour and they both wanted two person so now they're going to be roommates. They still … Continue reading Dorm Room Privacy
You may or may not remember when I warned about suckers coming off below the graft area on fruit trees. But: I said to watch for them and don't let them get out of hand... These are peach suckers, from the graft zone and they are clearly out of hand! I cut them as close … Continue reading Trouble In (Summer) Paradise
Ever heard of a Dutch Baby? Well, my goodness, I hope you have! These are sort of pancakes, but much poofier and you make them in the oven. I used to eat them every Sunday after church. I went with my parents when we all lived in Colorado. We used to get them at the … Continue reading Buttered Dutch Babies
So. Yes. I am having a new experience in my garden. As my grandmothers were, I'm also: usually always home. I visit my family, but mostly around Christmas time when my garden is asleep. This year I'm finding out what happens when you aren't home to stop disasters! There were bees and hornets all over … Continue reading Crazy Happenings In The Garden
This month is heavy on the picking and light on the work. Why? Because I worked hard in the spring to create this exact scenario. Water-wise, deep beds have yielded incredible amounts of produce. See how we built them here: Hugelkultur, Keyhole Gardens: Bridging Ideas and here: Mother’s Day Raised Hugelkultur Bed! Instructions for creating … Continue reading Reaping The Rewards Of Spring Planning
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
This is why this fruiting plant loves the desert. Rain gives it "heart rot". I will eventually cut these open and half of what I have will be black with mold from the rain. It's ruined the skin of the fruit. Although, I can usually cut a lot of the rot out and still use … Continue reading Wet Pomegranates
Here's a babaco papaya. I'm keeping it on my covered porch. It doesn't like my sun and usual super hot summers. It's a mountain growing plant where it's from. All the rain and cooler temperatures have kept it happy on the porch. I brought the strawberry bags under the porch as well. I soak them … Continue reading What Is In My July Garden
Lots of fun at the bird sanctuary today. I found things I've never seen before. I thought someone had put Christmas lights on a bush! It's actually in the cucurbit family and is a wild vine down here. In all my years in Texas I've never seen this vine before! It's a Ibervillea lindheimeri. A … Continue reading Pretty Cool Grasshopper!
My glads are still pumping out flowers. This has definitely been a weird year. Lots of rain and no 100+°F weeks of misery. I'll take it! Meet you out in the garden to be astonished by the blooms! Crazy Green Thumbs
Today is my twelve year anniversary for my blog: Crazy Green Thumbs. This has been so fun! Thank you to all of you who read, comment and shape this blog! I'm also having a great day for views. If you'd like to see my advice for blogging, click here: Writing A Successful Blog Meet you … Continue reading Yayyyy!
Crazy Green Thumbs 