HAPPY HALLOWEEN

This is the very best time of year.  The weather is cool.  The colors are vibrant.  The clothes are comfortable.  The nights are longer.  It’s time to hibernate.

Happy Halloween!

Ay, chihuahua!

A recent chat with my mother-in-law got us exchanging gardening stories.  She asked what I had growing currently in the garden.  I reported that all the fall/winter produce was in and some summer stuff was hanging in there like peppers and eggplants.  She had never cooked eggplant so we had a short discussion on that and the fact that my Black Beauty eggplant will not die!  We moved on to the peppers that just keep on giving.

I told her of my initial experience working with serranos without gloves.  My hands were hot and throbbing for 24 hours.  My description sounded like side effect warnings for Viagra.  Mary added her story of jalapeños.

Mary and Marlene were working one day on jalapeño peppers without using gloves.  Everything seemed to be fine.   They finished their project without incident.  Later that afternoon, Marlene called Mary with an urgent warning.

“Mary, whatever you do, don’t wipe when you go to the bathroom!”

Note:  The pepper plants were pulled on December 26 after months of faithful production.  Loads of peppers were harvested from the plants that day to create some stuffed peppers.

1.  Clean peppers.

2.  Remove stem.  Cut in 1/2 and remove seeds.

3.  Spread on some cream cheese.

4.  Wrap with 1/3 of a slice of bacon.

5.  Place on wire rack in a jelly roll pan.

6.  Bake in 375 degree oven until bacon is done.

Serve hot, warm, cold, all day long, with an apron on, doing cartwheels, and jumping for joy!

Fall is Finally Here

This was taken out at Lake Ming this morning when we were walking the dog.  The weather has finally cooled down and everyone was out taking advantage of the situation.  Golfers, bike riders, walkers, picnickers, and BBQers were all out.  We even saw deer that had wandered down out of the Sierras.

Today, the tree trimmers are coming to thin the Chinese Elm.  The leaves and seeds from the tree are truly never ending.  Hopefully, this will keep the tree healthy and produce massive amounts of shade when we return to “Hades” type weather.

Garden Flowers

Here’s some flowers that are popping in the garden now that the weather have moved into bearable temperatures.  I’ll label the images as best I can.  Note: the images are straight out the camera.

Pansy – Mammoth Red Pansy – Yellow Pansy – Butter Yellow Lobelia – Crystal Palace LantanaEnglish Lavender – Munstead Marigolds Nastersium Texas Ranger – Green Cloud Rose – John Paul II Rose – Pink (unknown) Impatiens Oxalis Rose – Bakersfield Centennial Rose – Lucille Ball Duranta- Repens Geranium Stock – Vintage White Butterfly Bush – Pink Perfection (I think the label was wrong.) Gardenia Rose – Jaune Desprez

And here’s the more edible varieties.

Basil  Eggplant – Black Beauty Serrano Peppers Strawberries – Fern Bell Peppers Lemon – Variegated Pink Lemon (blossom) Lemon – Variegated Pink Lemon (fruit) Plum – Santa Rosa (This tree is crazy.)

That’s it for today.  I just wanted to chronicle how much better we (plants, animals, and people) behave when the weather is nice.

Pansies

I’ve planted some pansies to brighten the flowerbeds when the cold, damp, grey, fog rolls in.  I believe.  I believe.  I believe.  I picked out a few different types.  This one is called Whiskers Orange.  It’s pretty cool for Halloween.  The photo is straight out of the camera too; so this variety should really add some punch to the yards in the winter.

Fall

  

Someone’s happy their paws can’t hold a rake.

Wind, Dirt, and Drizzle

  

California finally received some rain.  My part of California received wind and dust.  Yuck.  We were warned that there would be heavy rain and wind.  The rain amounted to a heavy drizzle or mist.  Big deal.  And this “storm” was a tropical storm so it was humid.  Double yuck.

 

The plants enjoyed the mist and humidity.

Weedpatch

Photo by Dorothea Lange – February 1936

On October 17, 2009, the Dust Bowl Festival will take place in Weedpatch, California at Sunset Camp.  John Steinbeck’s book The Grapes of Wrath was set here.  The book was banned here.  The life of hardship that formed many self reliant, hard working citizens was realized here.  Many of the remaining Okies and their descendents gather to reminisce and celebrate their heritage.  The festival is from 8-3.

Weedpatch is a few miles west of Arvin.  It’s deep in farm country.  Potatoes, grapes, carrots, and a huge variety of other truck crops still vigorously grow in the southern San Joaquin Valley.

Interesting note:  The woman pictured in this famous Dorothea Lange photo , Migrant Mother , was the mother to seven children.  She was only thirty-two years old when this photo was recorded.  

Fall Planting Part IV

  1. Peas    2. Carrots (pending)  Garlic   3.  Beets        4.  Carrots

February 6, 2010

October 5, 2009 – The fourth of four raised beds has been planted with seeds.  No seedlings to transplant this time.  I’m trying to use only seeds.  Not all the beds have been fully planted; but all four have been started.

In this bed, I planted on either side of drip line.  I’m supplementing by hand watering as needed.  I ran out of carrot seeds and will plant once I make a run to the hardware store.  I’ll try a different variety.  Crystal Palace lobelia will be planted in the holes of the cinder block.  Currently, marigolds, basil, parsley, thyme, and chives are growing in some of the cinder blocks.  They are welcome to stay as long as they behave.

My goal is to grow enough peas to freeze.  In the spring, most of the peas were eaten before they even made it out of the garden.

October 10, 2009 – Planted a double row of garlic.  This will really help when we make gallons of spaghetti sauce this winter.

CROP	MATURITY	USE
Peas	62 days	Thanksgiving?
Garlic	90-120 days	Winter spaghetti sauce marathon
Beets	57 days	Pickled for Thanksgiving
Carrots	65 days	Christmas party carrot cake! Basque carrots

 

The scarecrows were put out in the garden today to add to the feel of fall.  These were made years ago and they’ve lasted through many fall celebrations.  This guy is guarding the bed that was just planted. So far, the crows don’t bother the garden. 

This gal sports a denim jumper.  She refuses to give in to trends.  The scarecrows have been known to wear witches hats as well as pilgrim hats in recognition of the fall holidays.  She’s overseeing the remaining peppers and eggplant.

Behind the scarecrows are the beds used for camellias and azaleas.  I’ll chronicle that ordeal soon.

 

Fall Planting Part III

1. Brussels Sprouts         2. Peas           3.  Peas      4. Romaine/Bibb

February 6, 2010

On October 2, I planted the third of four raised beds.  This bed is located at the east side of the garden and receives full sun.  Fern strawberries were growing in the cinder blocks and have been transferred.  They were replaced with Crystal Palace Lobelia. 

I’m planting quite a few peas in hopes of freezing some.  Here’s how everything is supposed to mature:

CROP	MATURITY	USE
Brussels Sprouts	90 days	Happy New Year!
Peas	62 days	Thanksgiving – maybe
Romaine Lettuce	55 days	Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches
Bibb Lettuce	65 days	Christmas party salad

The temperature has finally started to cool.  This morning (5:30am), I could see my breath!  I love this time of year.  In Bakersfield, we can celebrate the fact that we survived another summer.  Now I can work outside without melting and baking. 

Delightful.

October 10, 2009 – This bed has most everything sprouting.

Brussels sprouts are sprouting.  It looks like every danged seed is up.

Lettuce (Romaine and Bibb) has sprouted.  This stuff is infallible.

Note:  The peas are up.  I just didn’t grab a photo.