Those tomatoes, though!

   Just a week ago, I was lamenting the fact that the winter garden had mostly quit producing and had to be discarded.  There are a few cabbages left, an occasional beet and perhaps one more picking of the green peas but, other than that, the garden had given up the ghost.  In fact, yesterday, the wheelbarrow was loaded with discards as I cleaned the rows to plant the summer garden. 

  A couple of weeks ago, an experiment took place under the spent cauliflower plants.  About a dozen seedling tomatoes were set in the same row as the cauliflower.  The large leaves of the old plant would serve as a "tent" for the tiny plants.  Perhaps this would give me a jumpstart on the season!  I figured that the tomato plants would have shelter from the frosty nights that we were still having.  It boiled down to either giving the plants a longer growing season or killing off a handful of seedlings.  

  I am happy to say that the plot agreed with the plants!  Those tomato crates are already brimming over with greenery and, lo and behold, BABY TOMATOES!  Yep, today, I found dozens of marble sized tomatoes.  My experiment worked out grandly.  Since it was storming today, the garden chores were put on hold but tomorrow will find me setting out the remaining 30 tomato plants and planting squash and green beans.  With the way prices are rising, the garden may be a sure necessity.  

Garden Glowies!

  So...I had another "Wow" moment tonight.  Just out of curiosity, I took a blacklight out to the garden.  It was amazing!  So many of the blooms glowed in the most curious hues.  Some leaves turned blood red while others were a more purple/red.  White blooms were far more brilliant than at other times.  There were rocks that glowed, some weird spot on the ground that glowed, some mushrooms and fungi glowed and even a critter glowed!   On a pure coincidence, a centipede creepy-crawled across the dirt and through the beam of light.  Yep.  That centipede had glowy legs!  The garden glows!  Who knew?

This whole experiment occurred simply because I had yet another idea for a future Clue Hunt on the Bayou.  I have been collecting odds and ends that glow in the dark (under the blacklight or alone) with the idea of having a glow hunt. These items do not include the normal "toy" type things but unusual items that no one would normally think have glowing abilities.  I have actually started taking a small blacklight with me on trips to the thrift stores in hopes of finding "glowies".  Since this is to be a future hunt, I figure I had plenty of time to hunt and collect things.  Pondering how I was to use the items, I wanted to test the blacklight in the garden to see how much effect it had.  I was worried that things would not be able to glow with the distance.  To my amazement, there were already natural "glowies" out there!  

  The camera did not want to participate well with the photographing of the 4 o'clock blooms that were brilliantly gleaming under the light.  In the photo, the extreme glow cannot be seen nor can the true colors.  I will have to play with things a bit to see how I can photograph things a bit more efficiently but, in the meantime, take a blacklight to your garden or patio.  You might be astounded by this different view of what is there!

Warm, Crusty Bread...A Little Slice Of Home

  Warm, crusty breads have always been a favorite of mine.  Their texture and taste remind me of the homemade loaves warm from the oven back on the farm.  Then, the thick slices were used to sop up gravy or syrup depending on the meal.  This is a far cry from the fancy-smancy "herbed oils"  (and I am teasing there.  I love the herbed oils!) used for dipping and, guess what...our way tasted better.  What is the point in eating more oils?  Nope...slather a bit of home-churned butter on the slab of bread and dunk it in some fresh made sugarcane syrup and things are right with the world.  Maybe that is what is wrong nowadays, folks have forgotten the down home goodness of things.

  Today was a rainy, rainy day.  There was not much use in trying to escape the confines of the Little Bayou House so my thoughts turned to baking.  Since it had been a while since I made sourdough bread, I figured today would be a good day to experiment.  A crusty seeded bread sounded right nice but nary a recipe could be recalled at the moment.  When that happens, I just start tossing things in the mixing bowl and hope for the best.  

  The sourdough starter was at its prime this morning so things were easy.  A little of this, a little of that and a good bit of resting time and the dough was ready for the oven.  I am pleased to say that it turned out really well.  My expectations were met.  I sat, ate a slice of warm bread and reminisced about times back on the farm.  The only thing lacking was that cane syrup and I think I have a smidgen of that left from a jar my cousin gave to me.  The second slice will definitely taste like home.

  In a few days, I will try to repeat the bread-making process and, this time, write down the recipe.  I have a tendency to plop things in a bowl with no measurements so I cannot pass this recipe on to you just yet.  Hopefully in a few days, I can tweak it to perfection because this is just too good not to share.  Crunchy, crusty on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside.  Plus!  It is full of flavor!  Perfect for down home style dipping....or, if it is to your liking...herbed oil dipping.  Whatever suits your taste.