Abundance, over-abundance, success, and caterpillars.
STILL COMING ON AND JUST COMING ON
We’re still harvesting peppers and just beginning to harvest okra.
THE PEPPERS AND TOMATOES KEEP ON COMING
Every other day, we load a stainless steel bowl with Sweet Jemison, Jupiter, Orange Crush jalapenos, and Corno Di Toro peppers, and Sun Gold tomatoes. Camille roasted and froze the big bells, made soup base from the tomatoes, and has been threatening to roast the jalapenos in our air fryer.
AN AVALANCHE OF SWEET POTATO VINES
We keep cutting them back but that only makes them laugh and grow stronger. Here they have swamped the cherry tomatoes and the peanuts. Looks like the pumpkin vine is also getting in on the action.
FARMING FOR PEANUTS
Underneath all those vines were a few peanut plants giving life their best shot.
LUOBO AND SEMINOLE
Chinese radish and Seminole pumpkin – gardens can be lessons in geography and history.
IN BLOOM NOW
Purple sweet potatoes and red canna lilies.
POLLINATOR GARDEN
Our pond garden is a bee and butterfly magnet featuring Budhelia (butterfly bush), Canna lily, Rudbeckia (black-eyed Susan) and Asclepias syriaca (milkweed). The doe and fawn have long been a fixture in our front gardens, a gift from Camille’s mother who calls her “Dear.”
SWALLOWTAIL CATERPILLARS ON THE CARROTS
We watched in fascination as a group of caterpillars grew fat on carrot tops.
When they were ready, they buttoned up their legs and pupated, becoming mummy-like chrysalises. Although we tried to catch an emerging butterfly, they were too quick for us.