Florida Bleeding Heart

Hi, I've been outside walking around the garden, enjoying a slightly cooler day than we've been having. Still it is about 82 degrees!We went to church this a.m and will go back later for the Octoberfest meal which I will report on tomorrow!

This photo is of the Florida Bleeding Heart or Bog Flower. I never know the scientific name of plants! In Kentucky, our bleeding heart was quite different, pink and shaped more like a heart. But this one is really nice, too. It is a vine that climbs by twisting and blooms in summer and on into Fall. Last year, it was frozen down, but came back and is flourishing. It is easy to grown---I have stuck cuttings in the ground and they have rooted and grown! I have a small trellis it can climb on.

What we need in Florida is some rain! It is bone dry right now. Hope you are having a nice Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Welcome to Ten Gables Cottage,

Is everyone ready for Halloween? I never get Trick or Treaters, although I buy candy and am prepared! When it is over, I end up eating all the candy! Our town has a big Halloween party for all children at the fair grounds and many different organizations give out goodies, and all the children dress up and go there, so it is safe and lots of fun.

I'm posting one of my small paintings. I did a still life of the little pumpkin and some guords and a sunflower, sat it on an easel and it sits in the den looking festive with all my other Fall decoations.

Tomorrow is Reformation Sunday at my church and in the afternoon, we will be having a proper Octoberfest meal. Then November will be here and we will begin thinking about Thanksgiving. What a busy and fun time of year!

Watch my Broccoli grow!!

Hi from Ten Gables Cottage,

It has been so dry lately---we are greatly in need of rain. I have been watering my broccoli every evening and they are really growing, but a nice gentle all day rain would do wonders for my plants. They haven't started to form "heads" yet, but should do so soon. Sometimes I think, "What if they don't form heads, just have leaves". But I am sure they will soon. You can see the marigolds planted nearby. It is said that marigolds help keep bugs away. So far nothing is bothering them. I keep a close watch and one day did find a grasshopper near one.

I have fertilized once with Miracle Grow and will give them another "grow cocktail "of it tonight.
It is interesting that we garden in Fall and Winter here in Florida. Being from Kentucky, it is hard for me to get used to this, even though I have lived in Florida over 30 years!

Bougainvillea

Hello Everyone from Ten Gables Cottage,

The Bougainvillea between the studio at Ten Gables and the garage is blooming now and will continue all winter! The only problem is it has caterpillers that love the leaves and I will have to spay it or they will strip the leaves soon! This native plant of South American loves our climate in Florida and is the most brilliant and popular of all the flowering vines. Click on the photo to see a larger view and you can see where the little varmints are starting to eat up the leaves!

Simple, Yet Delicious

I usually paint until about 6:30 or so and then try to fix dinner, usually not well motivated and my mind still on my painting! But one night last week, not having gone to the grocery store in a while, I thought , "Well, it's up to you, can of tuna!"

So I made up quick croquettes and then a nice cheese sauce using a white sauce with a little Velvetta, dash of sherry. This made a surprisingly good dish served with a tomato, basil and oil salad, and some sweet corn on the cob. My cooking goal is this: Quick, Healthy, Delicious, quick being the most important! My kids say I never make a dish alike, even using the same recipe. That's because I create when I cook! I think, " Uhmmmm, it calls for cinnamon...so wonder how a little nutmeg added, too, would taste, ", etc. Sometimes I have a masterpiece that is never dupicated again. Other times we are glad it can't be dupicated!! All in the name of Creativity!

Hope your day was full of fun!

"McIntosh Apple Crumb Pie"

Yum! I dried some more McIntosh apples and kept some fresh slices out to make this Apple Crumb Pie. It is a favorite that I have made many times from The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (printed about 1960-61 and taped together, I've used it so much). In case you don't have the cookbook, here is the recipe.

Apple Crumb Pie

5 to 7 tart apples (I use McIntosh)

1 nine inch pie crust (I use pre made) unbaked

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Pare apples; cut in eights. Arrange in unbaked pie shell. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1tsp. cinnamon and sprinkle over apples.

1/2 cup sugar 3/4 flour 1/3 cup butter. Now mix sugar,flour and butter together til crumbly and sprinkle over apples. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. I like to serve with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt. This is an easy, quick and delicious Fall pie. Think I'll go have another piece.

Have a fun day!!

Florida Harvest

Hi from Ten Gables Cottage,

The avocados are falling off the trees and the oranges are starting to get ripe! I picked up these off the ground yesterday before the squirrels or raccoons could get them! The gloves you see are actually painted on the bench, not real ones.

There are two really big avocado trees in the yard and now only 5 orange trees in the grove. We used to have a small grove with about 150 trees but they don't last forever---they probably only are at best for about 18 -20 years and then they just die in spite of everything. I have replanted about 5 or 6 but they aren't really producing yet. The 5 left are navel oranges and are just hanging on, not looking too good. The fruit is various sizes, but they will be delicious in November. Right now they are just turning and taste a bit sour. They will sweeten up as the weather gets a little cooler.

One of my favorite salads is made with citrus, either grapefruit or orange segments, and sliced avocado on a bed of lettuce with French dressing. Delicious. The citrus and avocado compliment one another---try it!