Eggplant From The Garden

Ichibon Japanese Eggplant gently heated on a stainless steel
electric skillet. Drizzled some awesome unfiltered olive oil,
black California olives and some favorite Marinara sauce.

Good eatin!

Turkish Tomato Seedlings Divided And Transplanted

I had passed on a cutting of this tomato to a fellow Yogi and budding
Master gardener. So in return I received a tomato in return and thus
next generation of some phenomenal tomatoes.

Getting tomatoes through our winter temperatures can be challenging
but well worth the reward.

Once again, twenty-four-seven lighting with a daylight lighting to help
compensate for the shorten winter light. The large tomato plant in the back
is from cutting. I was thinking that it could of been Roma variety but now
that the tomatoes on the vine are at a mature size, there's no way this could be
Roma, but of some unknown Turkish variety.

Placed outdoors to catch the diminishing winter's ray's light. I wouldn't expose
just settled in seedlings to this blast of sunshine if it were any other season
than winter.

Pampered Cacao Tree Update

Lamplight twenty-four-seven, radiant heat and regular
mistings along with an occasional dousing of rainwater.

Trying to maintain growth without going overboard, 
relatively speaking, that is.

Taking A Pause With Winter Flower Survey With A Paver Design Update

This afternoons temperatures were perfect and motivated me to put down
two pavers and three bricks at the foot of the steps. This initial step, gives me
perspective to place these pavers digitally rather than  a back breaking placement.

I'm not married to this design but it gives me a path, pun intended, to where
I need to go.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Oxalis florida - Yellow Woodsorrel

Being from Michigan, this weed has a childhood familiarity. As in, being a child
that has to taste everything. This Florida native plant although a different variety
still holds a pleasant tart memory.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd An Unknown Wildflower

A decent indentifier to this wild flower behooves me. 

This won't stop me from suggesting that this wildflower may be related to the
Aster family.

It has it's own quiet beauty.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Bidens alba - Spanish Needles

This native plant has been well documented for it's medicinal uses. Another
plain flower that has hung out in my yard and fortunately has not proliferated
to a point of robbing me of my time and efforts from attending to my enjoyment
of gardening but to appreciate it's existence in  my small slice of paradise I call my
own. 

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Catharanthus roseus -Pink and White Periwinkles

These plain and simple, also known as Vincas have been here as long as I
lived here and keep coming back with little encouragement from me.

Taking A Pause With Winter Survey With A Notable Garden Event

Twenty to thirty years ago a green anole lizard was common place,
as common and as numerous as a common house fly.

Now, I'm lucky to get a half dozen sightings in a year. Well one
of those happened yesterday as I was reshaping a clump of
spiky bromeliads.

As soon as I cut out one of these lethal barbed plant buddies and throwing it
back into the center. What do I spy?

It stayed attached and in spite of a this dramatic shift of earthquake magnitude.
It pops out and surveys it's new surroundings. Long enough for me to dash into
the house to fetch my cell phone and capture this picture.

I'm always grateful to have seen one of these green anoles. Where as the brown
cuban  anoles have taken over with their now ubiquitous presence.

Another observation, is how smooth this green anole looks. Thinking that it must
of just shed it's skin? Normally it's scales are easily observed. I'm hoping that I will
get another opportunity to capture some more pictures.

I have better odds of winning our Florida lotto than getting another sighting of
this same lizard, unfortunately.

Just for the record, I did find myself in line today buying a lotto ticket, which in
it's self is a rare event. To see which event materializes.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Tradescantia zebrina - Purple Wandering Jew

Just in case you couldn't find this tiny pink flower among the purple foliage.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Hibiscus acetosella - African Rose Mallow

Dramatically back lit specimen that caught a neighbor's eye last week.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Plumeria pudica - Fiddle Leaf Plumeria

Frolicking in our early winter afternoon light.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Tradescantia fluminensis - Green Wandering Jew

A touch of blue to help us transcend these Florida hot temperatures.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Clerodendrum thomsoniae - Bleeding Heart Vine

Finally got some of this established in my yard. I have
an all red version that I would like to think that it was a
volunteer or that someone also admired and wanted it
so much they to pursued or aquired them a little piece
of want and envy to their collection.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Azalea indica Formosa - AzaleaFormosa azlea -

From the weedy to the gaudy. This perennial favorite
here in the deep south is blooming out of season and
will be counted.

Great greenery when not in bloom and makes well with
being sculpted and pruned. This hedge has been going
strong since I've been here and a nice welcomed shelter
to a variety of insects, lizards and foraging birds.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Youngia japonica (L.) -Asiatic Hawkesbeard

Another common weed that gets to be a flower for the day.

Taking A Pause With Something From The Experimental Kitchen - Cranberry Sauce With Chia

Used Stevia along with some coconut sugar. Being careful not to add too much
Stevia, because it can get bitter. A coconut sugar that I used has some depth
to and also darkens the sauce. Added some chia seeds which, I think just knocks
it out of the park.  Wish I had some whole pecans to throw in there to finish it
off. Will picks some up tomorrow to add to my next batch.

Cranberry sauce is great with Black rice and either walnuts or pecans. Throw
some in some steel cut oatmeal. Great with some Farro too or with some
slices of apple.

This recipe was still missing something, so I found what it was. Fresh blueberries.
Added a couple of handfuls to the mix. 

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Euphorbia lactea "gigantea" - Candleabra Cactus

I had just profiled this just recently because of first time blooming. I think this close up speaks
volumes.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Osmanthus fragrans - Tea Olive

These tine ivory colored blossoms have the biggest scent.

Nothing like it, that I have ever smelled and it's a close second to anything
a citrus blossom can produce that can transport your senses.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Hoya tsangii - Bilobata Wax Plant

I divided this specimen from one to four pots about three months ago and it's
just really thriving. This small leaf variety has anywhere from two to four foot
tendrils of vines.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Jatropha podagrica - Buddha Belly

If the bright coral/orange colored blossoms wasn't easy enough to spot
then there's always a large green seed pod to attract your attention.

If your familiar with the bulbous bellied based characteristic of this
specimen, then perhaps this seed pod is not that way off base.

Early Winter Flower Survey cont'd Drymaria cordata (L.) - West Indian Chickweed-

Even it's common name has 'weed' in it. That should
tell you something.

Everyday day of the year this has been looked upon
as a weed in every sense. It so happens that this time
of the year it goes into bloom. So naturally it's going to
be included in my 'flower' survey.

Once I looked at it's bloom more closely, I was enchanted
to say the least or just perhaps under the spell of this holiday
season.

Early Winter Flower Survey Commences with Oxalis regnellii - Black Oxalis

First time doing a flower survey of my yard at this time of the year.

What better time than on Christmas day to. Imagine the gifts of
beauty to found. Starting out with a breathtaking image of some
blooms from a Oxalis regnellii - Black Oxalis.

Just out of the picture to the left is one leaf with it's
two toned purple, clover shaped leaf.

I gave it a drink of water for it's reward for displaying
these two strikingly, full out blossoms. Partnered with
a bi-colored Wandering Jew - Tradescantia zebrina
specimen.

These two specimens were gifted to me by a fellow
Yogi. The intent was the T. zebrina and the hidden
bonus O. regnellii.

Patio Design Reimaging

First intention, using what I have
and superimposing these images
into a pleasant design, is the
first step.

Implementing them is another.

Slight variation on a theme.

Now if only the summer like temperatures
could cool down to our upcoming
forecast temperatures, will be
enough motivation to
get digging.

Winter Solstice Tomorrow

Some dramatic winter light lens flare to tell us that
tomorrow's shortest day of the year will be it's last.

I'm making some changes to the layout of pavers and
so I thought I would take advantage of the stack to allow
these winter plantings a reach for the precious low
winter light.

This year's shortened days were not so much as an issue
as in years past.

Grateful plantings: (rescued)Whisk Fern, (regenerating)ornamental grass,
(rescued)Texas Ebony, Buddha Belly and Turkish tomato var. seedlings.

Plenty to be grateful for this Winter Solstice and Holiday season.

Spiked Berry, Berry Shish Kabob...

What are the chances and what physics would have been in place
for this to have taken place and when?

The ground is littered with hundreds of berries from several Podocarpus trees

and yet this is a first time observation. These Spanish Bayonets have been

here for nearly three years now.

Anyways, this phenom has been been captured and documented. 

Euphorbia lactea "gigantea" (Giant form) - First Bloom

Had this specimen for nearly four years and it's the first time putting on
some blooms. Blooms that look like scrambled eggs, mind you.

Hope these produce some seeds.

It may not be a rose, but just as beautiful for a first time discoverer. 

 

Broadleaf Podocarpus - Nageia nagi Second Potted Plant To Find It's Way Into The Ground

I love it when a landscape altering event happens. One that may catch my eye
days if not weeks. Planted this specimen under a canopy of Bald Cypress trees.

This specimen was gifted to me from another fellow gardener and yogi. Surely
a place of honor, amongst my favorite Cypress trees.


Accompanying these latest post is some gorgeous composed songs by:

Jóhann Jóhannsson - Orphée 

 

This also makes my five hundredth blog post. For someone who failed his
junior high assignment of having to log three months worth of daily entries.
Waiting to the last minute to try to fake it, not realizing how it would have
been so much easier had I taken what few minutes it would have taken
on a daily basis to accomplish said assignment.

Rain Lillies Gets A Seat Next To Their Cousins

These bulbs have been sitting in a bucket of water for nearly four months
patiently waiting to be located. There original spot was of sporadic blossoming
nature that I didn't want to discard them because when they do, these double
blossoms of a deep pink are enough to knock your socks off, sort of speak.
Though I do admit to hoping they might throw up one of these blooms while
it languished in such unspeakable conditions. Only cease to amaze me how
much these living creatures want to survive, no matter what we humans
throw at them.

It came to me this afternoon where to seat these little cousins , cousins to
the Amyrillas. Where else but my newly planted rings of Amyrillas, which
has four generations of seedlings that I suspect the oldest to bloom this
following Spring.

Rain Lillies

Seed Born Ring of Amyrillas

PonyTail Palm - Beaucarnea recurvata Rescue

Captured/Rescued this lopped off segment from my neighbors ambitious
house and yard refurbishing. Placed this in a discarded aluminum cooking
pot in some dapple shade and see what transpires.

Nearly three months later and having concerns that I haven't checked on
since this years hurricane, whose name will not be mentioned.  This loose
specimen was still where it had laid for months and to my amazement
was showing it's characteristic bulbous base, those familiar with this
specimen. No signs of roots other than this thickening that I had mentioned
encouraged me to put it in the ground, which aligns with this year's push
to get all potted things in the ground.

Barely perceptible thickening at the base of this stem, about two inches
above the soil level. Soil, is a term we Floridians use loosely.

Soon to be Winter and the suns intensity will be at it's lowest is surely
to show mercy on this new planting.



  

Last And Only Tadpole's Comings and Goings

 It's back after spending the afternoon away, perhaps to explore is surroundings
unaware of the unknown dangers that lurks.

 Same day mid afternoon sunning it's self in the late Autumn sun.  No doubt trying
to warm it's self up after dipping into the mid to low fifties that morning.

Next day, same story, gone that is until the late afternoon and spied it behind
the water filter. After all there aren't many places this little munchkin can hide.
It looks like it got a taste of the outside world and wants to go back.


Last picture taken before waiting a couple of days before draining this makeshift
swamp. Don't want to breed any more mosquitoes that we already have. 

What Pretel Is This?

While thinning and clearing some undergrowth from these
very happy Formosa Azaleas I spy an elegantly string of, although
squared off tethered eggs? Not the first time seen but, first time
curious.

I sent out an inquiry to an invaluable web site called whatsthatbug that
has been helpful in the past. I will surely divulge mine and theirs findings.

Chaya Tree Cuttings Followup...Again

Looking more robust than ever and showing roots through their transparent
holdings. These are on their way to a full and productive promise.

Now to an always challenge of finding a place in my lush paradise for these
to take root and show and make it's mark and add it's memory only known
to a few to this collection of living memories.