Month: March 2016

Springtime renewal, inside & out

Spring is the time to celebrate the return of things we love, such as bluebonnets in Texas, as well as a good time to try something new.

Leaves emerging for the first time on a young tulip magnolia

Leaves emerging for the first time on a young tulip magnolia

This weekend we enjoyed two new things: leaves on the tulip magnolia we planted last fall, and homemade red lentil curry dahl. We also enjoyed the return of bluebonnets and citrus blossoms in our garden.

The bluebonnet is the Texas state flower and makes its return each spring

The bluebonnet is the Texas state flower and makes its return each spring

Some things renew on their own. Here come the elephant ears, without prompting. A friend was once so overwhelmed by her elephant ears that she yanked a bunch out by the roots and put them in a huge bucket, which she left on our front porch. We were out of town and did not immediately attend to the bucket when we got back. Eventually, we planted them. They not only made it after the transplanting, they thrived. Then, they took over some beds. I yanked a bunch, and yet, a couple of years later, here they come again.

There are other things that need help. The caterpillars that will become Monach butterflies showed up and ate just about all the milkweed that had started to grow back. We rushed out to a nursery that fortunately was carrying milkweed and bought several little plants. As soon as they were in the ground, the caterpillars converged. We counted several.

Tomatoes are not something we lucked out on last year, our first attempt with tomatoes. For Valentine’s Day, we placed two tomato plants in the vegetable bed, fertilized them and crossed our fingers. Each one now has a tiny tomato growing, which bodes well.

The veggie bed is in the side yard with citrus trees. It all started with a mystery shrub, or so it appeared. Eventually, the plant emerged as an impressive Meyer lemon tree.

Meyer lemons can be consumed when green or yellow

Meyer lemons can be consumed when green or yellow

It became so prolific over recent years that we took to freezing the juice. Not too long ago a heavy rain came while it was overloaded with lemons and tree was uprooted, undermined by floodwater and its own weight. We had only been picking a few lemons at a time to have fresh ones in the kitchen. Live and learn. My boyfriend cut off several broken limbs and righted the tree’s trunk with a pitchfork as a temporary brace. I’m happy to report the tree survived and is growing again. Looking back, the amount of lemons I harvested from the broken limbs was comical. The neighbors all got some and there still is some of that juice in the freezer.

Meyer lemon harvest

Meyer lemon harvest

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Grapefruit blossom

We liked the lemon tree so much that we added a Satsuma, a grapefruit and a lime tree. The grapefruit tree was a slow grower, but amazingly started reaching skyward once we planted a more robust companion grapefruit tree a couple of yards away. Both are blossoming, literally.

To wrap up the weekend, we ate a traditional Sunday dinner with pasta and meatballs cooked in tomato sauce. Some people call this Sunday sauce. My grandmother called it tomato gravy.

Meatballs cooking through in tomato sauce after browning

Meatballs cooking through in tomato sauce after browning

She would serve the meat separate from the pasta, with the meat accompanied by Boston lettuce salad. The pasta was served in bowls, the lettuce on salad plates and the meat on the entree plate. Not sure what she would make of us eating the meatballs in the pasta bowls while sitting on the couch watching TV. This dish is a family tradition and brings much comfort. The other night I tried something completely new to us, at least at home: dalh. I had bought a lot of bags of dried legumes, including green and red lentils. An internet search led me to a recipe for red lentil curry dahl. I’ve made many curries before and ad libbed some as well, so I wasn’t intimidated.

Red lentil dahl with red curry

Red lentil dahl with red curry

The ginger and red curry combine so well it’s no wonder how popular the combination is. We liked it so much, I have a feeling that this dish may become as much as a staple around here as the meatballs.

The Sage Leopard

How Animals Lay Claim to Our Garden

You would think we could pinpoint the moment the obsession started, but all I remember is we both like Mexican pottery, specifically the Talavera style pottery with vibrant colors. Now, the backyard garden is a veritable menagerie of Mexican pottery animals.

Talavera armadillo

Talavera armadillo

Some of the creatures mark a special time, such as the armadillo birthday present and the bunny rabbit from a Laredo trip. I recall one squirrel we picked up after a BBQ outing. I don’t recall how the other squirrel got here.

Talavera bunny

Talavera bunny

I suspect some of the animals came home because of a healthy addiction. My boyfriend must be sneaking them in at night. He knows where the pottery purveyors set up shop along specific Houston roads and flea market stalls. He seeks out the unique, such as the snake. None of these animals scare away real creatures the way a fake owl or a scarecrow does.

Talavera alligator

Talavera alligator

Our yard is the playground of opossums, frogs, toads, caterpillars and Monarchs, doves, mockingbirds and stray cats. We really ought to find a possum version of Mexican pottery because the possums here walk along the top of the back fence about five times per week, setting the Sage Leopard (our Catahoula leopard dog) into a frenzy. If anyone knows where to find a pottery possum, be sure to advise. Our collection will surely continue to expand and we really ought to have a brightly-colored marsupial hanging around for authenticity’s sake.

The Sage Leopard

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Talavera sun

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Talavera frog

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Talavera butterfly and salamander

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Mexican-style pottery Longhorns

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Talavera snake

Menagerie of Talavera animals

Talavera squirrel

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