Midlife Crisis: Support for Left Behind Spouses

Archives => Archived Topics => Topic started by: UrsaMajor on June 05, 2019, 12:42:16 AM

Title: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: UrsaMajor on June 05, 2019, 12:42:16 AM
There was a suggestion in another thread that an Off-Topic thread be started to share what we LBS's are growing in our lives, be it gardens with flowers, vegies, fruit, kids, animals... heck, I guess even weeds if that is your thing...

So, here it is....

and my contribution of the day is this rose.... I planted it last year.  It is called a "Naomi" and the reason I got it is as a bit of a dedication to a lovely young lady from my church that did me the great honor of asking me to be her Confirmation Sponsor - Of course, her name is... Naomi.... so it fit perfectly....

https://www.dropbox.com/s/t6u4zv1on8hkgnd/IMG_20190526_190355.jpg?dl=0 (https://www.dropbox.com/s/t6u4zv1on8hkgnd/IMG_20190526_190355.jpg?dl=0)

Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Whyus on June 05, 2019, 12:53:01 AM
Nice 1 UM, should be a cool Thread  ;)
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Savoir Faire on June 05, 2019, 02:41:38 AM
It's Winter here and been bitterly cold, not like in the UK and to rest of Europe, (let's not mention Brexit0   :-X but cold for us.   The Winter vegetable planting didn't happen because I was busy with lawyers ::)  I will definitely plant in Spring which can't come around fast enough.......

I'm thinking tomatoes, capsicums (peppers), beans and lots of basil and parsley.  Yum.......
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: UrsaMajor on June 05, 2019, 03:09:25 AM
It's Winter here and been bitterly cold, not like in the UK and to rest of Europe, (let's not mention Brexit0   :-X but cold for us.   The Winter vegetable planting didn't happen because I was busy with lawyers ::)  I will definitely plant in Spring which can't come around fast enough.......

I'm thinking tomatoes, capsicums (peppers), beans and lots of basil and parsley.  Yum.......

I have 6 Chili plants that are growing so far too ... all various levels of "nuclear waste" spicy (10+) - a white Jokola Bhut, a yellow one, an orange one, a Trinidad Red scorpion, and 2 others... We'll see how they turn out... Parsley, Cilantro, Lavender, and the rest flowers... Oh yeah, a red current bush... I decided not to plant strawberries this year as all that accomplished was to make a mess from the bird eating them before I got to them...
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Treasur on June 05, 2019, 03:16:10 AM
I can recommend drying chilis if you get lots...a dehydrator is fab but hanging them up to airdry is fine too. There is an Italian thing called peperoncino...a dried mixture of chilis and a kind of herbes de Provence put through a food processor which keeps for ages in a jar and is easy to use as a seasoning or blend into a paste. Be careful though...the chili dust in the air has a kick  :)
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Savoir Faire on June 05, 2019, 03:24:42 AM
Recipe please Treasur!  I usually make Passata, even have a machine to push the tomatoes through - hand cranked though. XH used to grow the tomatoes and I would bottle them and make garlicy beans with passata, they were yummy! XH and I had NOTHING in common though :o
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Treasur on June 05, 2019, 03:51:50 AM
I normally do half dried chilis and half dried mixed herbs that are shop bought...bit like the mix in the Italian seasoning here. http://www.eatingwell.com/article/290912/diy-seasonings-herb-mixes-you-can-make-at-home/ Just throw them all in a food processor and go whiz until the chilis are the same sort of size as the herb bits. No needs to take the seeds out or mess around. Then store in a clean glass jar with a lid. Will keep up to a couple of years easily.

You can sprinkle it, use to make a paste for a marinade or sauce, to make a chili oil or dressing or use with garlic and spaghetti for a quick pasta all'olio. Sautéed some pale green cabbage with a sprinkle of it for my uncle, and he loved it! The one caution is a little goes a long way, so usually a teaspoon is enough! My h used to love it...in fact I made my own as a surprise gift for him after we used up a jar we bought at a market in Rome...strange bc we obviously had nothing in common either!
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: UrsaMajor on June 05, 2019, 04:17:42 AM
I dried my last batch of chilis in my convection oven at 50 deg C... Took them a couple of days and I had to put a spoon int he door to hold it open a wee bit to let the moisture escape... A small dehydrator would probably work better though..
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Savoir Faire on June 05, 2019, 04:54:25 AM
Ok, definitely growing chilies as well!  I'll start a list so I get myself organised for Summer.
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Thunder on June 05, 2019, 09:37:24 AM
No flowers on my patio this year.  Too many bees and it's hard to sit out there, especially in the Spring and Fall.

So I have 2 patio tomato plants which are growing really well and already have tomatoes on them.

Then just a beautiful, full English Ivy hanging plant.
I need a few more green plants and a Hummingbird feeder.  Love those tiny birds!  It's so amazing to watch how fast their little wings go.

I miss my big veggie garden, but not enough room for them now.

Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Anjae on June 05, 2019, 10:58:15 AM
We have yellow and dark pink roses growing in the terrace. Also pelargonium, hybrid fuchsias, azaleas, several cacti and a few more plants. No vegetables.

Personally, I am growing more and more inner peace.
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Treasur on June 05, 2019, 11:08:57 AM

Personally, I am growing more and more inner peace.

Nice  :)
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: OffRoad on June 05, 2019, 11:53:09 AM
Does creating fake trees indoors count? I have now completed my second imitation wisteria vine tree in the TV room. It feels very tropical now.

I have three rose bushes outside (Chrysler Imperial-red, Bewitched-pink, and Voodoo-orange) and an apple tree that went crazy this year.

I hope to get to my yard and garden as soon as I get my mother's house cleaned out. In the meantime, my patience and tolerance for dealing with situations that move at a snails pace is growing.
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: 9393roo on June 05, 2019, 12:56:20 PM
What's growing in my LBS world?  A new found love of animals. (Especially dogs)

In Feb 2018 I had my D (who was a senior at HS and at home) pick out a dog for her to have.  My H was going through OW withdrawal at the time and was so far off the family radar that he didn't even register that we had a dog for quite awhile.  When we first brought our little pug home, I thought to myself "what have I done?"  She was very odd looking and I had not had a dog around for 25 years. 

This dog has brought so much joy, love and laughter to our entire family.  She helped my D and I form a new bond, She has been the one and only confidant throughout this entire process and was the first thing my H started to connect with when he started to come back around.  When my D is stressed at school she facetimes our dog.  When I am having a bad day I leash her up and take her out.  I've made new dog park friends, I've gotten to know my neighbors again and I have something that is always there for me. 

My D told me the other day that when she gets done with school she is going to have to get her own dog, because this one is mine.  I agree.  I can't imagine life without her now.  :)
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: FaithWalker on June 08, 2019, 03:58:53 PM
My purple clematis I planted after I moved in is doing wonderfully growing up the trellis and should soon be on the fence soon.  Looks a lot like this:

(https://cdn.nexternal.com/romence/images/clematis_jackmanii.jpg)

S14's raspberry bush is growing wonderfully as well.  Has some blooms, but no raspberries as of yet.

I was given a strawberry plant as a Summer going away present from a student and plan on planting it soon, as well as purchasing and planting a rose bush.

Other than that, I did not have time in my schedule to buy and plant any flowers in planters or hanging baskets, but last weekend I happened upon a store that had all theirs clearanced out for 50% or more off so I purchased a pot for near my front door, one for my backyard patio table, and 4 hanging baskets that are in my backyard.  One hanging on my back fence, one hanging from the eaves just outside my french door so I can see it through the window and two on my iron butterfly stands on either side of my backyard patio.  They are beautiful and so far I have managed to water them when I get home from work and keep them alive.  Just need to fill the hummingbird feeder and put it back out.

My little patch of grass had been sorely neglected last Summer after I hurt my calf and doggie did his business there, but since the winter snow and rains, it's growing and I've been fighting to get it under control.  I did a bunch of yard work last weekend after neglecting it since doggie passed away in February and had to put on heavy gloves to pull several waist high or higher thistle weeds that had taken over, along with about 30 tree starts that smell awful.  The cat hates how I smell when I come in from pulling those tree starts, which grow 2-3 every day and are super annoying.  S14 shows no interest in wanting to help me with yard work and even less interest since he and D17 started helping out my M and SD this past week with their yard.  I have a little old-fashioned push mower to mow the grass, and while it's a pain in the butt, it's sometimes therapeutic too.  And the yard is hidden from view by a 6 foot wooden fence, stained a beautiful redwood color so if I don't get to it right away, only the next door neighbors suffer when they stare at it from their upstairs windows.   ;D

Thankfully the front grass and the hedges are all taken care of by the HOA so the front compound where everyone drives in and parks looks beautiful all the time.  It's really nice in the Spring as we have many blossoming trees.  Now everything is green and leafy and shady.
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: UrsaMajor on September 18, 2019, 05:14:06 AM
I'm starting to get ripe chilis... and they are NOT "chilly" by any means!

Holy Moses!

We have had another record hot summer so the chilis are Smokin' I had no idea how hot they would be and gave one to my neighbors daughter for her BF (who loved spicy food - I came to find out he can't eat spicy stuff anymore because of stomach problems)  and got a text message
"Hi UM, I put a tiny piece of that chili on my tongue and in 30 seconds I was spitting fire. I didn't dare bite it!"  so I guess that meant they were hot... I put 1 chili in a batch of Bulgur Salad (sort of like CousCous instead of a pepperoni chili and some people eating it said it was so spicy they couldn't eat it (wimps!).... I thought it had just enough WOMPF to it until I got a piece of the chili itself....

(https://media.giphy.com/media/3o7TKrEzvLbsVAud8I/giphy.gif)

YEEEEEEEE HAW! That was hot...
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Thunder on September 18, 2019, 06:16:14 AM
Faith, your flowers are beautiful!  I love the royal purple color. 
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Caroline on September 18, 2019, 08:39:30 AM
Good morning all,

  I grew vegetables in an above ground garden this year. Okra, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots,yellow squash and brussel spouts. I was very successful with the tomatoes and okra. I got two zucchinis, but carrots were very little and other stuff never produced any vegetables. I also planted flowers and mulched in the front yard and placed bird feeders outside. Flowers did well but it has been so hot still in the 90's and so much is dying. I really enjoyed this. But I definitely will miss not having a yard after I move.

My H stopping taking care of anything around the house and when I decided to do it was such a positive for me. I have enjoyed mowing the yard and making it beautiful with mulch and flowers and the garden. In a few years, when I can get on my feet financially, I will buy my own home with a yard. (of course still praying for a miracle) But will look forward to having a full garden again. But thinking about what I can grow on a small balcony for now...

Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Upintheair on September 18, 2019, 10:11:43 AM
hello everyone

Here at my house, my son started gardening after bd. He produced huge zucchinis and tomatoes and carrots. This year he no longer lives with me, so I took over the little garden. I have a tomato plant (very delicious) and  lots of flowers, petunia, calendula etc. I have tried  herbs too, but they always dry up. At a friend's house there was a grape picking event and I asked for the grape seeds. They are drying now. I want to grind them, because I heard eating grape seed is good for blood vessels ..

Doing garden work is so soothing for me. Better than anxiety medicine.
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Evermore on September 18, 2019, 06:12:49 PM
What a lovely thread. Love hearing about what other people are growing!

Just going into spring here so plenty of blossum around. I have 3 ornamental pears that are just glorious right now.

I've moved into the new house now (little rental we built at the front of our old property a year or so ago that has had tenants in it until start of Aug) and it has two lovely sunny decks, at the front and the side (which is actually the 'front door'). I've moved all my succulent pots there as well as some garden ornaments (cute little rustic ladder for one), 2 cane chairs and a gorgeous little rustic table that H's GFather made many many years ago. D18 and I love spending time there having a cuppa or glass of wine.

Last weekend I bought some potting mix and some flowering annuals (primulas and violas) and I potted them up in the eclectic mix of pots I had hanging around with nothing in them. So now the deck is even prettier and I'm really looking forward to having friends/family over for 'dinner and drinks on the deck' now that the warm weather is arriving.

Over the big side deck there's a wooden pergola. It's currently just a wooden structure with no 'covering'. I've formulated a plan to recycle two big square pots I have (currently have a succulent in one and pelargonium in the other, both a bit neglected) and grow a creeper in each of them that will grow up and over the pergola to give us shade and a bit of privacy. At this stage think I'm going to put some white hardengergias in. Need to do a bit of work first though (empty pots out, reclaim some of the soil, seal inside of the pots, put up chicken wire supports, re-fill pots, plant plants, relax with glass of wine and watch them grow!!). Something to keep me busy and my mind off all things MLC in the next few weekends!

(https://www.flowerpower.com.au/media/catalog/product/cache/e4d64343b1bc593f1c5348fe05efa4a6/9/3/9336922010157.jpg)
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Savoir Faire on September 20, 2019, 02:22:44 AM
Spring has sprung here is Australia and I am planting some herbs.  Just parsley, coriander and chilies at the moment but I intend planting tomatoes, beans, cucumbers and capsicum in the near future. Looking forward to some warmer weather a last.
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: UrsaMajor on October 08, 2019, 05:49:19 AM
Well, my Chili's are finally ripening a bit and the Yellow Bhut's have quite a kick. If the Carolina Reapers are true to form, they will be about 10 times hotter..... LET THE FLAMES BEGIN!

I gave a few Chili's to a friend, one of which she put into a pot of Goulash and it was fantastic!  Not really super spicy but it had that luscious chili flavor... Another one we misused and rubbed it on a piece of Cable Channel that my dog decided to gnaw on while she was bored.... Since my dog has had this aversion therapy before, she knows EXACTLY what that chili smells like and has studiously avoided the Cable Channel since... That was a yellow Habanero Chili....
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Mortesbride on October 08, 2019, 06:46:42 AM
Watched a comedian talk about putting hot tobasco sauce on fingertips while the person is sleeping so that when they go for a pee it creates a burning wand of fire if you catch my drift...

Think you could attain the same effect if you were to use one of your peppers?  ;D

Just uh...

Asking for a friend.  8)
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: UrsaMajor on October 08, 2019, 07:27:19 AM
Watched a comedian talk about putting hot tobasco sauce on fingertips while the person is sleeping so that when they go for a pee it creates a burning wand of fire if you catch my drift...

Think you could attain the same effect if you were to use one of your peppers?  ;D

Just uh...

Asking for a friend.  8)

ABSOLUTELY!

I made the mistake of scratching my nose near my eye after cutting one.... NOT a pretty sight....  I usually use surgical gloves if I am cutting lots of them.... but this time, since it was just one, I wasn't as careful and I paid the piper...
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: New Day Rising on October 08, 2019, 07:36:43 AM
I have 2 kids that are growing at rapid speed. I wish they'd slow down. My youngest started pre-school and my son will start high school next year. Where does the time go?

I've been working on my house and the renovations. I have a new kitchen, new windows and doors, new flooring, new patio going into the garden. I love it. It makes me feel happy. Next year, I have set myself the target of finishing the garden, so I will definitely need people's input as I have no idea what I'm doing and I want a little vegetable patch if I can manage it. It'd be great. I hope my vision comes true for next year. I imagine myself sorting the garden while the kids and dog play. Sounds idyllic. I know the reality probably will be I won't be able to get anything done cos of the kids, but it'll still be lovely.
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Treasur on October 08, 2019, 08:04:28 AM
If the kids are old enough, get them involved in growing something they like to eat which is easy and 'theirs'. Strawberries or tomatoes maybe.  :)
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: New Day Rising on October 09, 2019, 03:03:07 AM
Yes, my son is. He wants to help with the vegetable patch and strawberries would be a great idea. We can see how we get on next year and see if I can turn myself into a gardener.  :)
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Anjae on October 09, 2019, 03:20:16 PM
Kids. Literally.
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: UrsaMajor on October 23, 2019, 07:37:47 AM
So, here is what came out of it... so far...   If the weather doesn't freeze, I might get another couple dozen ....

The LEAST spicy is the Yellow Habenero at about 500,000 Scoville (Jalapeños have about 25,000 Scoville for reference) and go up to the area of about 2 Million (the red Carolina Reapers..)

(https://scontent-ams4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/74605547_10156597138060060_8936149088232013824_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_oc=AQnDg-lT4mWYsw-H_RNSjrdRVlmWRMlVBtXbKWYhcl5N_JnmBLLkskiM5GYwuWKNFTA&_nc_ht=scontent-ams4-1.xx&oh=160c2df488be209a7ab7701eab33c4e5&oe=5E2B262F)
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Treasur on October 23, 2019, 08:14:48 AM
FantAstic!
How are you planning to preserve or use them?
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: Mortesbride on October 23, 2019, 08:47:45 AM
Hello Ursa,

I would like to place an order for the hottest pepper you possess to be made into some sort of paste or oil that can easily be....rubbed onto items that will be touched by my MLCer used to liven up my life.

I think the 500,000 Scoville sound like they might be a good option and sufficient for the job.

Regards,
Morte
Title: Re: What's growing in MY part of the world
Post by: UrsaMajor on October 24, 2019, 02:51:35 AM
Hello Ursa,

I would like to place an order for the hottest pepper you possess to be made into some sort of paste or oil that can easily be....rubbed onto items that will be touched by my MLCer used to liven up my life.

I think the 500,000 Scoville sound like they might be a good option and sufficient for the job.

Regards,
Morte

The 500K peppers are the wimpiest of the bunch.... I need to go by my apartment this afternoon to pick up a form and S12's Waveboard anyway and need to see what the current state of the plants is. It hasn't been freezing and we've had some sun so I might have a few more than are ripe.

@Treasur - at the moment, I have 4 bottles of oils (a single chili sort in each bottle since the chilies have different flavors). The rest I froze. Since it really doesn't matter is they are a bit mushy (we're going for heat, not looks here) and the majority will be used in either Salsa, more infused oils, and the odd pot of something like Chili con Carne or Black Bean Soup, freezing them was a good way to go. I might drying some if I get more decent ones off the plants. I did that a couple of years ago and still have a fair amount left as I do use them sparingly.  Those were mostly Habaneros and Trinidad Red Scorpions (the formerly "hottest Chili in the world").