First hard frost cleanup.

The first killing frost has occurred with temperature reaching about 27f last night.

The Basjoo bananas are wilted and dark. The leaves are frost resistant and are not harmed until the temps are below 29f or so. The trunks will protect their growing buds and they will grow new leaves in the Spring from those buds. I will later remove the damaged leaves with sharp shears.

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The acuba’s leaves will wilt when the temps are in the 20s to prevent the loss of water but they are not damaged by the cold. They return to normal when the temps go back above 30.

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The low temps caused the Empress Trees to drop all their leaves at once. The leaves dry out in a few days and then they crumble and disintegrate to improve the soil. Gus enjoys looking under the large leaves for creatures.

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While removing frost damaged plants and raking leaves I discovered a dead vole. It’s rare to come across my arch nemesis! They have eaten every hosta and tiger lily I have planted!

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Of course, the cold mornings do not stop Gus from waking me up at dawn to go out!

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I rather have an iced double mocha latte from Cup A Joe!

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I think we can both get what we are looking for?

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Filed under General Gardening, Gus

Stracciatella with spinach (Italian egg drop soup)

As usual, for a day when I am not working, I was up early and after a latte at Cup A Joe I headed over to the Raleigh Farmers Market! I grabbed a bag off spinach, a bag of kale, and a butternut squash.

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After a few hours of yard work I wanted something to warm me up. I love the Asian version of egg drop soup so the Italian version was perfect for the first cold day of Fall.

Stracciatella with spinach

Two boxes of chicken broth

Two large eggs

Two cups of spinich cut into ribbons.

Two tablespoons of fresh grated Parmesan

A handful of fresh basil- torn or cut into ribbons

Salt and pepper to taste

A clove of garlic – diced

One small onion- diced

1) Coat the bottom of a Dutch oven with olive oil and place on a medium high stove and add the onions and garlic. Stir to coat with the oil and cook until softened.

2) Add the broth and bring it to a boil. Roll the spinich leaves up and cut crosswise to form ribbons.

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3) In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, cheese, and herbs.

4) Reduce the heat to medium low and stir to get the broth circulating in the pot.

5) Drizzle in the egg mixture in a thin ribbon. You may need to stir with a fork to break any long strands of eggs which form as the eggs cook quickly one they hit the hot broth.

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6) Add the spinach leaves and stir to incorporate.

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7) After a few minutes the leaves will wilt. 20131109-124633.jpg

8) Ladle into bowls and top with more freshly graded Parmesan. Serve with bread.

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I cooked the kale in water with some rice wine vinegar and served it on the side.

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The squash will be served later in the week with the remainder of the kale and spinich!

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Filed under cooking, Food

Sleeping bumble bees on the ginger lilies.

Bumble bees are doing the strangest thing on the ginger lilies. They will rest for hours in a catatonic state on the flowers. I wrote earlier in the Summer about this behavior on passionflowers.

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They don’t move when you touch them and don’t hold their wings up in the normal manner when they feel threatened.

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The temperature is in the low 70s so I know it is not too cold for them to fly.

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Bumble bees do have a different life cycle than the introduced European honeybee. Only the queens survive the Winter and hibernate in protected locations.

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Maybe these are worker bees who are dying? Maybe they are young queens who are looking for drones to mate with before beginning the Winter hibernation? I will have to do some additional research!

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Filed under General Gardening