Jamaican Cherry Tree - Muntingia calabura Finally Blooms

A month since my first discovery of this plant putting on some
flowers has just now opened. Seeing the bloom is where I can
see where some lazy someone would have called this a Strawberry
tree due to the resemblance in blooms.

Good thing some other
lazy person came up with another lazy resemblance. This time it
is it's fruit and that of a cherry. Otherwise I would have never found
the botanical name to this plant. I must of encountered four other
strawberry tree named plants. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for
common names and for good reason. Hoping that that common name
will lead us to that Latin name for when that common name fails
to pin it down otherwise.

One more time. Second time making up some Green Tomato Slaw.

The Cycle Continues

I was off to a great start this afternoon in preparing the next
generation of Tomato plants. While shoveling the remaining
compost from last season into a large pot and what do I see?

This green Anole, my Gardening Angel. These green Anoles used to
be the dominate lizard before being pushed out by the brown Anole.
So it isn't often I get to see one of these, but when I do, it brings a
big smile to my face and perhaps a blessing on what ever endeavor
that I may take on.

This ten gallon pot took nearly the rest of  last season's compost.

Along with some commercial organic fertilizer to get four Tomato

cuttings off to a good start. These cuttings have not rooted yet, so

I'm taking some risk and added some Spanish moss to shade them

and help them on their way. The Spanish moss should help with

keeping some needed moisture not only as a mulch for the soil

but hoping to trap some needed moisture around the plant cutting

it self.

Which brings me to my task at hand.

Time To Get Creative With Some Green Tomatoes

Nearly three pints of green cherry tomatoes from my potted Tomato
plant. At the risk of waiting for these to ripe and possibly losing some
in the process to rot. I didn't want to pass up an opportunity to create
something out of almost nothing. First thing that came to mind was a
slaw of some sorts.While trying to not fall in to that trap of trying to
sweeten it to make it palatable.

Wine vinegar and pestso to help mask the bitterness and the undesirable
green tomato flavor. Green olives to give it a direction that my mind
wanted to go. Some beans for protein and color, with some yellow
mustard when all else fails. Olive oil and a dash of salt and black pepper.

I was happy that it didn't taste awful. I let it marinate longer in the
refrigerator knowing that it couldn't get worse. While thinking that I
could next time substitute an almost regrettable splash of lime juice
with some fresh pink grapefruit, which will be my next
round. After all, you've seen how many green tomatoes I have.

Florida Earth Day Rain

Received two buckets of rain for my potted vegetables. Best Earth Day Rain ever!

Note the critter jumping for joy too!

So What's Buggin Me

It starts out a couple of days ago. I'm at my potted Tomato plants for
their scheduled, twice a day watering, most days. The last year's four
original tomato plants are on their third crop and looking ragged from
it. Producing a several pints of bite size cherry tomatoes and being
exposed the Florida elements take their toll.


I did take more cuttings even if it will be a close call on getting them
up and running before the sun gets really hot.


I managed to collect nearly a gallon of green tomatoes from this
now decapitated specimen lying horizontally across the back trunk
of my car. What do I find? You think this was an open diner for
our, never fails and first of the worst Florida bugs this year. The
Manduca quinquemaculata, also known as the Tomato Hornworm.


The first sign that something was a miss and dead giveaway.  Hey what
happened to the leaves?

I didn't have to look very far, in spite of their green attire. Not to suggest
that it was camouflage and perhaps this was a covert operation. It has no
qualms eating the brown dried bits either.

Plenty enough greens to go around. there were actually four to be
found. The most I've ever seen let alone on a collection of potted
Tomato plants.

This guy hasn't stopped chewing away, not realizing this could be it's
last mouthful of a free lunch. This guy is really big not to have been
seen before. Note it's red horned tail, hence the name.

I did pick them off with the hopes of leaving them for the birds to feast
on, by scattering them about on some concrete slab open to back yard.

                                                      Look at these posers.

A green jewel of a dump to be remember by to, real class that one.

About a half hour later I did hear a chorus of song birds, not sure if it
was a cat alert or a bug alert.

If it doesn't rain this afternoon I will have to do a quick glance over what
plants I have left to see if there are any more of these green monsters.

The last catch from this batch of Tomato plants.

Patience, Hope And Some Water

This Wart Fern cutting's longing to survive and
flourish and some consideration of it's needs,
goes a long way. 

This speck of green caught my eye while leaf
and dust blowing the carport yesterday afternoon.

Horsetail Die Back, Gets Me All The Time

This is the third year going growing some Horsetail. This year was
the first time it wasn't grown in a recirculating water element
that I had in the yard. There is always a sudden die back that
catches me off guard. The fact the first time this occurred while
standing in water really through me through a loop.  Not as much
now, knowing that it occurs around this time of the year. I think
this time I will let it alone and wait for it to grow back before
removing the die back.

Now this would be a great
place for a Toad to call
home.


Just over a week ago this
was all green.

Ah Yes, The Lowly Toad

How ugly is this toad you may ask? So ugly that it is quite
the beautiful specimen. It has it's Dessert Storm cammo
looking and might add, textured skin. Although totally out
of place in this green oasis we call Florida. Those big doe
eyed black eyes I hope are great at seeing what it's next
meal will be.

 It's humbled stance, of don't look at me and giving this on
looker a wave of hand to give me some space. You want
my picture for a what? A Blog?

Chaotey Squash Kitchen Windowsill Update

Not even a week since I discovered that this squash had sprouted
that it has since put on some serious roots. It gets transitioned to
soil culture today.

 Not only do I have a
viable plant but a potential tasty new vegetable to boot. I was able
to separate this sprout from it's mother ship, if you will and prepare
it in my skillet as I do other vegetables.

I did use a lower temperature of heat
out of caution, although it did take almost three times
longer to prepare. Over all it was worth it. The flavor was subtle and had
plenty of juice, to a point of being watery. Not unlike those canned
potatoes. The uncanny thing was the flavor. As subtle as it was and
worth tasting again to confirm. It sort of had a meaty flavor. The texture
was interesting and only made it more palatable. Should I have success
with growing this to producing some more will we have come full
circle with this vegetable discovery. 

Oak Leaf Shuffle

It is that time of the year to move them leaves. Over the years, the number
of significant leaf producing trees have been whittled down to just one.
What relatively minor shedding of needles that my Bald Cypress trees
have compared to the Live Oak, is inconsequential. So what needles that
need displacing is minor, to rare.

In all the years that I have lived here and having had two Live Oaks
leaves to dispense with. Only once did I bag them up and put them to
the curb. That's thirteen bags of perfectly good mulch and not to
mention more plastic waste to clog up our landfills.

The following year is when I started the annual Oak Leaf Shuffle.
Yesterday, was no exception. After rounding up and distributing
these now, fewer and perhaps one day, non existent leaf litter. I say
this because this lone tree has been breaking up my old and tired
ribbons of concrete that served this grand old house as my driveway.
Whomever had the bright idea of planting a large, too large of a tree
for a small lot and plant it four feet from said driveway. Was not
thinking of the tree's future, but their own.

For most people would warrant to cutting this tree down for the
reason mentioned above. Bring that day, should I witness it, when
this tree succumbs to either a natural disaster, which I've already
witnessed and have yet to tell or from old age and disease takes
its advantage. Should trees have a natural end of life.

I've had an Arborist identify this tree as being an hybrid Live Oak.
Not the thoroughbred Live Oak mind you which, comes with an
over a centuries of years of life.


I and the plants have only benefited from this redistribution of carbon
material. I get the exercise and the plants get the break down of the
leaf litter, moisture retaining properties and to some degree it does
keep down on the less persistent of weeds. I have a hedge of Azaelas
that benefit from what I can describe as an acidic environment that
these oak leaves generate which, Azaleas thrive in.

I can also use the leaves as a mulch, or covering to where there may
be any bare soil. They are free and all it takes is the energy and
ambition to spread these leaves about. I would dare to say that it
takes more energy to dispense these to bags than it does to shuffle
them about in the yard.

Add The Chaotey Squash To The Kitchen Windowsill Garden

I had bought this Chaotey Squash at our farmers market, my
favorite vendor to be exact. I bought it more so out of curiosity
than any. I placed this on my kitchen counter to admire it's form,
unlike I've ever seen. Also with the idea that I could either eat it
now or let set a while to ripen. Also knowing how the only squash
that I have enjoyed which, is the Spaghetti squash which happens
to have quite the shelf life. Thinking that this Chaotey may have
similar longevity. It seems to have been days since I last looked,
let alone thought of this squash. After all it is a mere inches away
from my toaster, which I use every day. Well to my surprise and
that ever reoccurring sense of wonder and thank goodness a
curiosity. What do I see?

Sechium edule - Vegetable Pear

For those who have never seen a Chaotey squash. This is what one looks
like. If that is not enough wonder then to see that is it sprouting, that's
two wonders in one.  I moved this to my kitchen window to give this
sprout the light that it seeks. The next day or two will determine it's fate.
Whether to play surgeon to separate these two and salvage both, one
for eating and the other for planting. Thus satisfying my two curiosities
of being a Foodie and a Gardener.


So not only do we have the typical Carrot sprouting, Avocado pit growing
and who hasn't sprouted a Sweet Potato vine, only to cascade everywhere
and anywhere.  We can now perhaps add the Chaotey squash as another
to this windowsill collection too.

Two Days Ago And Two Snakes And Two Eggplants

Two days ago as I was heading out to water my potted
vegetables with some collected rain water. A Black snake
about two foot long decides to cross two driveway ribbons
of cement. I was more memorized by it's black scaly body
and how it slithered and it's undulating motion to cover. I
almost had enough time, or so I thought. To capture this
gorgeous beast on digital. By the time it took me to remove
my phone from my pocket and to power into photo mode,
less than seconds. It had slithered into the Azalea shrubs and
had no interest in being captured for this blog.

My second snake sighting was shortly after I had dumped my
first bucket of water onto to these thirsty veggies. As I turned
around, a tiny snake, in comparison to the Black snake. This
Ringneck snake crosses my path of concrete walkway. Its been
some time since I last saw one of those. I'm not sure how many
enjoy sightings as these but, it still sparks a sense of wonder to
me.

I was able to harvest two Japanese Eggplant from my potted
menagerie of potted veggies. As big as these were in comparison
to the remaining, juvenile looking ones. It wasn't until I sliced
these open for preparation did I realize that they were a tad green.
Not sure had I left them for a day or two on the kitchen counter, if
they would have ripened. This will be something to explore on the
internet. This also was one of those moments where you want to
taste what fresh tastes like. Where instead of Farm to Table, this is
more like Harvest to Table.

Eriophora ravilla - Tropical Orb Weaver

First time seeing one of these monsters. Hanging off a tree and carport in
it's web. Appears to have shot one line to the ground for an anchor. Just
one more of our night creatures hunting for other night creatures.

It's no wonder why they call some spiders big and hairy. This orb spiders
abdomen is about the size of a cherry and just as plump.