Late summer garden

We've been getting a lot of rain lately.  Last summer was very, very dry.  It seems this summer, we're settling in to the normal hot, humid days that cook up large thunderstorms in the afternoon.  Yesterday, we got another inch and a half of rain.  This has really gotten things green and growing in the garden and yard.  Let's take a look.


The pecan trees are loaded with pecans.

The pecan trees are healthy this year and are really loaded up.  We should have a nice pecan harvest.  The added weight, though, is causing a lot of limb loss after each rain as the limbs aren't able to hold.  Benjamin and Russ drag broken limbs to the burn pile in the back of the pasture each day.  Around the live oaks, Tricia has some caladiums planted in around the lariope.  Both are blooming and look nice.


Caladiums amidst some lariope

 On July 31, I took a picture of two rows of cow peas in the garden.  The variety is called Ozark Razorback peas. 
 


 Just one week later and you can see the dramatic growth:

Here's a nice shot of some Dixie speckled butterbeans ready to pick:

And here they are shelled and ready to cook and eat:

The sweet potatoes are taking over the garden.  If you look closely you can see some asparagus and some basil in there as well.

Speaking of basil, below is a nice Genovese basil that is flowering.  These really attract the bees.  We make a lot of pesto with the basil and also cook with basil.  It smells so good.



Genovese Basil

 We're hoping that this hill of 3 butternut squash plants produce well.  A friend of ours brought by some butternut squash soup that was so good.  It had heavy cream from the cow, pureed butternut squash, broth from the chickens, and garlic in it.  Can't wait until these produce so we can whip up that recipe.

Below is spaghetti squash plant.  A friend from work introduced me to this.  You cut it in half and put it in the oven in a stoneware pan with water in it and bake it.  You then scoop out the flesh with a spoon and it is exactly like angel hair pasta and you use it instead of pasta.  Excellent!

Time to go in and check on Tricia.  Look what she is preparing!  She's making up homemade chocolate ice cream.  There are not many things better than homemade ice cream, I tell you.  She has fresh cream from the cows, fresh eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and chocolate all mixed in together.  To the right of all the ingredients in the picture is a little ice cream maker that she bought at Wal Mart for $25.  The five of us absolutely destroy the ice cream it makes.  None of it is left over.  It couldn't be easier to make.  You leave the base of it in the freezer. 

When you're ready to make ice cream, you take it out and attach the little electric motor to the top, turn it on and pour in the ice cream mix:

And in about 25 minutes, it is time to eat!  Everybody get a bowl and a spoon.

YUM!