Four O'clock Flowers

385.  This summer I have been extremely pleased with my garden.  The greatest surprise has been my  "Four O'clocks".  I have an abundance of seeds and have packaged them up to sell.

This flower is an heirloom flower and the name indicates the time of day when the plants trumpet-shaped flowers open.  The flowers open in late afternoon, in response to a temperature drop.  Nocturnal moths and other nighttime pollinators are attracted to their nectar.   The name of the plant also goes by "Marvel of Peru" due to its native South American habitat.

The flower is hardy and grown as a perennial in zones 7b-11, but gardeners in other zones often grow these beauties as annuals.  They will self-sow also.  They can grow to four feet tall and three feet wide.  They are heat and drought tolerant and are a favorite of hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.

And the scent is very fragrant and similar to lillies.  

"Just living is not enough...one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."

~  Hans Christian Anderson

Green Tomato Salsa

344. Garden Diaries..."The end of the growing season on Long Island has come to an end.  So, my tomato plants will not be giving me any more tomatoes or ripen the tomatoes on the vine.  My father would take his green tomatoes at the end of the season and place them in a brown shopping bag and put them under the sink in the kitchen.  This would cause them to ripen from the warmth of the house and the lack of light in the bag.  I tried this method many times but this year I wanted to use the tomatoes right away.  My solution, make salsa...green tomatoes and all."

Here is my process...Green tomatoes and all!

I chopped the whole tomatoes into cubes then placed all in a saucepan and followed my pico de gallo salsa recipe Here.
I brought the mixture to a boil then immediately placed in sterile canning jars and sealed them.
How great to pull these jars out in the middle of the winter!
If I need a quick salsa but don't have all the ingredients, I will open one of these canned jars, pour into a serving bowl, add 5 chopped tomatoes, 3 chopped green scallions and chopped cilantro adding salt and pepper to taste.  Perfection!

"Canned tomatoes are like summer saved....all that deep sun kissed flavor ready to be enjoyed."
~Better Homes and Garden

Garden Canning

316.  Canning tomatoes is a must each autumn.  My tomato plants were great producers with constant tomatoes on the vine from May through November.  I purchased the plants in March at a plant distributor in Brooklyn, NY.  It was very early but I brought them home and kept them warm and watered till May.  These plants were significantly hardy and healthy as opposed to plants that I would buy locally in town.   Along with tomato plants I purchased flowers and herbs, which were also good quality and productive.

Each week would produce a basket full of tomatoes and cucumbers.  There are only so many tomatoes you can eat fresh.  The rest were destined to be sauce, salsa and marinara.  Towards the end of the growing season, when the temperature stayed below 70degrees, the tomatoes that were green were very useful for green salsa.  And can I say, the green salsa turned out "magnificent"!

 I still use some of the old canning jars my mom gave to me and others purchased at flee markets and yard sales.  My funnel was purchased in my first year of marriage when we lived in Seattle, Washington.  We loved to go to Remlinger Farms, pick apples and enjoy the beautiful scenery in Carnation, Washington.  Here is the link:  https://remlingerfarms.com/wholesale.htm

I was able to put up 3 batches of tomato sauce and marinara as well as 2 batches of salsa in pint jars.  This was the best tomato growth I can remember in many, many years.  Not to mention the great fresh basil, parsley and oregano growth as well.  Ahhhh, homemade sauce, nothing like it!

"There ain't nothin' better in life than true love and a home grown tomato."

-Old Saying 

Drying Herbs

315.  My herb garden was ideal this year with beautiful plants and hardy growth.  Thyme, parsley, oregano, dill, rosemary, cilantro and chives to name a few.  To step outside and pinch off a few branches to add to my cooking is always a delight.
But once the cool air creeps in and plants slow their growth or frost stops them, you have to depend on grocery bought products.   So my solution is to dry the fresh and save them for cooking.  When there are more herbs than I can use on a daily basis, I will cut off bunches and secure them in bundles with a rubber band.  Then hang them in my kitchen to dry.  Or you could place them in a dehydrator or the oven on low temperature.  I find air drying them works best for me.

Once the herbs have become completely dried through I take them down and crush the leaves in a bowl.

Saving herbs by drying them may take time and effort but will save you money. And, in the long run you will see the difference in flavor.

"Remember that children, marriages, and flower gardens reflect the kind of care they get."

-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

A Day in Brooklyn, NY

230. Our "Stay"cation was enjoyable this year. We have had a list of places to visit and things to do locally, but never seem to have time. The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens has been on this list for some time now.

So, we headed to Brooklyn, New York.

The day was bright and sunny and the perfectly manicured garden beds and lawns were so welcoming.

This 39 acre garden has many diverse pathways, varieties of trees, flowers, artistic statues and fountains. It is a mix of modern and vintage.

This plaza called the Magnolia Plaza was first constructed in 1933 and is an enormous sun dial.

The rose garden, constructed in 1927, was in full bloom and so beautiful.

Around every corner there were architectural pieces or whimsical paths that added to the adventure.

There were water lilies and other water flora as well as a Bonsai collection and an awesome arboretum and green house filled with a variety of plants from around the world.




After our lovely trip, we drove to Greenpoint, that is the "Polish Town" of New York and treated ourselves to a delicious Polish inspired dinner at Christina's Restaurant. It is located on Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn

We started with cabbage salad,

beet salad,

and enjoyed periogi, keilbassa, stuffed cabbage,

and a delicious pork cutlet with mushrooms and roasted potatoes.

We also stopped into one of the Polish Deli's to pick up meat, cheese and other items we enjoy.

Brooklyn is a world to itself. With so much to do, and so many places to visit.

"Night was a wonderful time in Brooklyn in the 1930's. Air conditioning was unknown except in movie houses, and so was television. There was nothing to keep one in the house. Furthermore, few people owned automobiles, so there was nothing to carry (you) away. That left the streets and the stoops. The very fullness served as an inhibition to crime."

~Isaac Asimov