I have a few garden updates to tell you about. First off, I get home and the DH tells me that there are some red tomatoes I need to pick. So I go outside and there were another 20 or so. Ok then I see some strange things happening in my garden! First off, how are these sticks still producing little veggies? I mean the tomato plants are yellow and crispy blacks and its just very odd… but look at this…
This is my lettuce plant! It is now about 12-14 inches tall and so strange looking! And right behind it is 1 Brussels Sprouts plant that is a monster… but no stalk! The other 8 plants are tiny! Its really odd I tell you!
This is my stick okra plants! WITH A BABY OKRA!! How on earth can a plant that is MAYBE 3-4 inches high and as big around as a pencil lead be growing a baby okra?? It never even flowered! The flower is the okra?! What is going on here!?
I have berries too! Red berries, but still berries. The plants have a lot of brown dried up little berries, but those red ones are trying to hang on! My peas I was so proud of are all brown and dried up/dead. Parsley is ¾ gone, rosemary is ok still (thank god cause that’s an old plant), and most everything is gone. My celery has these weird little flowers in the middle of the green stalks. Having never grown celery I have no clue what that’s doing! It’s just a very weird thing going on out there. Maybe tomorrow I can tend to it a little bit and see what I can do. I have tomorrow off as mom has another appointment. Mom and Dad and I are all suspecting we got a very contaminated or bad batch of dirt and that’s why our plants are freaking out! We both did the same everything to our dirt and plants and we both are losing just about everything! Weird, I know.
I did manage to pick 4 jalapenos off my sticks and one banana pepper that was curled up into a ball. I have one odd shaped Roma (looks just like yours mom!) and about 20 cherry tomatoes of all sizes. DH was a dork and said he wanted to try a fresh jalapeno out of the garden. So I gave him one and he bit off the end and was like ok this is good… not a big bite to it. He continued and then you see his eyes water up and he starts fanning his tongue and reaching for a big glass of milk! LMFAO!!!!! Serves you right goon… they have been next to the habanero plants all season. I was HOPING for super hot jalapenos and it looks like I succeeded there! LMAO!
Like I said, I have to go and pick up my free roses from Home Depot with my Garden Club coupon, so I think I will pick up something to add to my dirt, etc. and maybe try again… who knows. All I know is I need a little therapy, so I will probably wander out there at some point tomorrow!
Ok, so tell me something. I try to bring a lot of different kinds of crafts to you so you have a wide variety of things. That way if you have no need for baby crafts, you can make the pillows or whatever else you might like. Is there anything you would like to see in the craft section or should I keep doing what I do and mixing it up? Help me out here peeps! Until I hear from you, I’m bringing you another craft today that is geared towards computers and protecting what’s yours. Maybe you have a feisty dog or crazy kid aways chewing on or tearing up things. USB devices can store years of work or memories for some people. And what a better way to enjoy those memories or hard work than with a snazzy Pez dispenser!
Craft Idea of the Day: Pez Dispenser USB Drive Modification
Materials:
Pez Dispenser
USB Drive
Hot GLue or Selastic
Directions:
Open dispenser as if to load it, overextending it so it will stay open.
Cut through both sides of the plastic Pez-holder, right near the very bottom. The whole thing will pop apart.
Study how it's assembled. There's a little plastic thing on the top of a spring. That pushes the Pez up. It travels in two grooves in the front and back of the body. It only fits in one way. The bottom part of the Pez holder also fits in the groove so that, when connected with the top part, it won't pull completely out of the body.
See if the USB key will fit into the body. If it does, your life is much easier. If it doesn't fit, disassemble it. The mini Cruzer that we used has a screw hidden under the label that holds the whole thing together. Once the case was off, it fit fine inside the body.
The drive will sit in the bottom part of the body. The plastic holder will fill up the rest of the body. Cut down the plastic holder part so it'll be the right length. Ours holds 4 Pez. Cut the spring, too.
Reassemble the dispenser. It's a little tricky because of the spring and getting the little plastic cap in right. We used packing tape to connect the top and the bottom back together. Taping on the inside seems to work better than taping the outside. There's actually very little clearance where the parts slide past one another.
Test it out with some Pez to make sure it still works.
Put the USB drive in and make sure it still fits.
Make any adjustments.
We used hot glue to secure the USB drive. Squirt a bit in the body and quickly squish the drive in place. Let it solidify and fill around the drive with more hot glue. Just be careful none drips down and interferes with the holder
Well its time to tease your taste buds with a little treat from the sea. It was funny because my mom mentioned yesterday that I should “Grill some fish” and I had already decided on this recipe LOL. She read my mind. She’s good at that. Fish is a very good food for the body. The oils, omega 3, etc. pose lots of benefits to the body. Regular consumption of fish can reduce the risk of various diseases and disorders. Selected research findings include: Asthma, Brain and eyes, Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, Dementia, Depression, Diabetes, Eyesight, Inflammatory conditions, and Prematurity. So go ahead and try to add a little fish to your menu!
Grilled Halibut with Zesty Peach Salsa
Ingredients
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 (6 ounce) halibut steaks
SALSA:
2 cups chopped fresh or frozen peaches
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped*
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients; mix well. Remove 1/4 cup for basting; cover and refrigerate. Pour remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add the halibut. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 2 hours. In a bowl, combine salsa ingredients; cover and refrigerate until serving.
If grilling the fish, coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill. Drain and discard marinade from fish. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat or broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Serve with peach salsa.
Honeysuckle Pineapple
By: Robyn Webb
"Pineapple wedges marinated in honey, brandy and lemon juice and grilled. A hot, sweet island-flavor treat! This recipe is from The WEBB Cooks, articles and recipes by Robyn Webb, courtesy of the American Diabetes Association."
Ingredients
4 slices fresh pineapple
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cherry brandy
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions
To Marinate: Combine honey, brandy and lemon juice in a nonporous glass dish or bowl. Mix together and add pineapple; coat well with marinade mixture. Cover dish and marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour.
Preheat grill to medium heat and lightly oil grate.
Remove pineapple from dish or bowl, discarding any leftover marinade. Place pineapple wedges directly on rack or in a basket and grill for about 10 minutes, turning, until pineapple is hot and caramelized.
Alright folks, its time for me to get off of here and head out the door. I’ve had a blast with you today and hope that you will visit again tomorrow! Until then… HUGS!
Dont even talk gardens with me. I am as dumbfounded as you are. Plus the fact that I cant even get out to my garden right now. I have been getting tomatoes but some butterfly caterpillars got to all my pepper plants and ate the plants down to the stalks, peppers and all. There are going to be some fat butterflies this year, thats all I got to say. I have reconciled myself to just letting my garden do its own thing right now and just work on rebuilding my strength then trying again in the fall.
ReplyDeleteSome garden or patio crafts might be fun. Maybe even some for the people who live in apartments that have a small patio areas.
That fish might be pretty good. I dont eat much fish (I know I should) but that dish I might try. And that pineapple is even better than what I was talking about in the blog a couple of days ago; but still would add the big scoop of vanilla ice cream! YUM! OK. Til next time....