March 10, 2019- Finally we have some warmer weather

Winter hangs on.

It is March 10, 2018. 

We still have our snow cover.

It was very cold at the beginning of the week.

But... 

The end may be in sight.

First it warmed to above freezing during the day.

Friday night it stayed above freezing.

The 9 day forecast on the phone started to change.  First there was one 40 degree day. Then there were 3 such days. Now there is even one day when it is to get over 50.

Melting should start this week.

Slowly the ground will emerge.
It is already visible in the part of the garden next to the southeast corner of the house.

Soon it really will be time for the early spring bulbs.

When will there be the first snowdrop? How about the aconite?
What ridiculous questions for March 10.

Update- with reality
Yesterday, Saturday, it was 36 degrees and a steady rain.
Yuck!

Garden Picture Contest 2018-2019

We are now in the playoffs. You picked our final 16 contestants.

Last week was Week One of the playoffs.

The winner in a very tense race all week was the wild card winner from Week 4, the double bloodroot.
What a comeback story. Not only does it win as a wild card, but it comes back in the garden after an absence 3 years ago. The large clump had died after some crazy winter. I started the replacement process 2 years ago. It has come back. I even got enough in the process to get multiple clumps going around the garden. I really can't wait a month or two to see how it has spread.

Here is that bloodroot picture.

The white zinnia stayed right with the bloodroot all week. There never was more than a vote separating the two.  It was tied at 15 votes each as of Thursday night. But that last vote came in Friday that put the bloodroot over the top.
Here was the final vote.

So here is Week 2

I cannot remember when there has been this great a group of pictures assembled, all of which you chose.
You  get to make a choice this week from many places on the color spectrum.
There is purple, orange, white, pink and blue.
I have very little idea which one I will pick.
Well maybe I have an idea.

For anyone new to this contest,  voting is open through Saturday night.
The winner will advance to the final to pick the picture of the year in just 2 weeks.

#1 Purple Iris- Week 2- (May 20, 2019)

This is a Siberian Iris, probably Jeweled Crown.
Iris plants are a constant in the garden from April to July. What is somewhat unusual is that there are different varieties depending on the time of year. There is a progression of iris varieties.
The start with the little reticulata, which variety is essentially a spring bulb. Then there is Dwarf Bearded Iris, and its later taller cousins.
I do find it worth mentioning that the Bearded Iris bloom as you might expect. The very short ones are first, followed by the taller ones, with the Tall Bearded Iris being last of the group.
Then there are the Louisiana Iris, the Siberian Iris, and the Japanese Iris.
I should add that there are now re-blooming varieties, at least of the taller Bearded Iris. They will bloom in the fall. At least at the moment I do not have any of those.

Please see the Bonus section of this week's post  for a progression in pictures from April to June.

#2 Orange Orchid Week 12 (April 24, 2019)

This wonderful piece of orange is an orchid that has re-bloomed for me, most recently this last April.
My orchids provide color in the winter and do provide a nice compliment to gardening outside.
All my orchids go outside for the warmer half of the year.
Editorial note: I have sometimes thought that my inside plants come inside in the winter. Winter is 3 months. Particularly after these last two winters I realize my plants are inside for 6 months at a time.

#3 White hydrangea  Week 13 (August 13, 2018)

This picture was a late addition to the contest. I had not originally included it in the selected 65 pictures. I noticed it late in the contest and it was added. Then it was the winner of Week 13. How will it do in the playoffs, against all those bright colors?
I think it will hold its own quite nicely.

#4 Pink Tulip Week 1   (May 6, 2018)

Ah, the tulips. How far away they seem.
But in less than 2 months they will be here.
I have to believe that.

#5 Hosta with bluebells  Week 6  (May 7, 2018)

Bluebells go well with anything and everything. Here they adorn a newly emerged hosta.
If you do not have bluebells in your garden get some. I wonder if they will grow in Florida. Maybe we should send them south and see.
They grow from sort of a bulb. It looks like a carrot when you did it up.
They will transplant in the spring if you dig them up before they are more than an inch or so out of the ground.
After they have finished you can dig up the 'bulbs' and ship them places.
Whenever I do a makeover on a bed I usually wind up with all sorts of bulbs, including some bluebells.




There you have the contestants for week 2 of the playoffs.
Vote early. Find a friend and have them vote as well.
Everyone should have a favorite this week.

Bonus Pictures

Here is a snapshot of the iris progression.




How about some orchid pictures.
Orchids are part of my garden. They mostly come inside in the winter.  'Winter'  is really half the year from October when it gets cold until May.
Orchids bloom at particular times of the year. Some will bloom outside during the warm time. Others bring color and excitement inside.

The secret to orchids is to just try them.
They are not as fragile as you might think.
At some point you will realize that you did not kill the particular plant. For me that was  about 1993.
Then, after several attempts and much waiting, one will re-bloom.
You may be captured at that point.
The second secret is that you need to find the right space. Location. Location. An east or south facing window in the cold time is good. Shade is necessary outside.
Then you have to find a rhythm for when you water them, or play music for them, or even sing to them. Julia's mother would always water them at a particular time on the weekend. Each week. Once year she had over 30 flowers on one phalaenopsis.




How about some tulips.

Julia's recipe

Rice Pudding (baked)

Here is the link to the other blog with all for Julia's recipes.
https://mearskitchen.wordpress.com/

Rice pudding can be made on the stovetop, a simple recipe of raw rice and milk and cream and some sugar, which Philip makes from time to time and which has appeared on the blog in the recent past. Rice pudding can also be made in the oven. The baked version uses cooked rice and is more of a custard, with eggs as well as milk and cream, and a bit of sugar. I like them both. The baked version takes less prep time but includes some time in the oven. And it is very tasty, with a creamy layer on top and a rice-y layer beneath.


I started with 3 cups of cooked rice. I had medium grain rice, but any leftover rice will do - long grain, short grain, basmati, jasmine, or any of the forms of brown rice. I think that green rice or black/purple rice would look weird, but that's just me. I also had 1 cup of whole milk, 1 cup of half and half, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt (I used kosher), 1-1/2 teaspoons of vanilla and 1-1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice.

I turned the oven on to 325 degrees.





I put the cold rice into the mixing bowl, followed by the eggs, and then the sugar, salt and vanilla. I whisked after each addition. I added the milk and half and half next, whisking away, and lastly I added the lemon juice, with a final whisk.













I lubed up a souffle dish, and poured the mixture in. Any baking dish with about a 6 cup will work.

I always have a shaker of cinnamon sugar (some sugar and a little bit of cinnamon in a little jar with a shaker top) on hand, and I sprinkled some on top of the uncooked custard.

Then into the oven for about 45 minutes. Maybe a little longer. Test as for custard - by sticking a knife into the custard near the center. If the knife comes out clean (no gloppy bits), then the rice pudding is done.




Here it is, out of the oven and cooling off. You do not eat this dish hot out of the oven, but warm is fine. Of course, leftovers are good. For breakfast, especially.


You can use all milk, but if so, I would use whole milk or maybe 2%. Not skim. And you could use brown sugar instead of white sugar, maybe a tablespoon more than called for above. And you could add raisins or craisins or dried blueberries or tiny date pieces if you like to encounter fruit in your pudding. If you go that route, use about 1/2 cup and add it after the eggs and sugar, before you add the milk/cream.

Right Now

We are still very much inside.
Maybe in two weeks.
Here are several things blooming right now.































There were two things that were interesting about this hibiscus flower that bloomed yesterday.
First the flower had some white in it. It looks a little like that poinsettia that has been crossed so it has white and red leaves. Something has happened to this particular flower. I wonder if I could save the seed from that flower.

Second- this one flower, which is a double,  has two sets of stamen/pistils. Can you see them? I do not know if I have seen that in in flower before. I will certainly have to watch for the next bud to open on this plant.

Odds and Ends

There is one sure sign of spring in an old house.
We live in an old house.
The ladybugs start to literally come out of the woodwork. Well they probably come out of the windows. I saw the first one last week.
I also saw one of those what I now know to be called stink bugs.
It is a sign of something that there are now more stink bugs than lady bugs, to judge from the small sample being our house this winter.
Stay warm.

Oh - there is that daylight savings thing in the morning.
Philip