The Coffee House

[terri]

Our seasons are much the same
View attachment 264556

When we lived in Texas, we were informed about the seasons there.

Texas seasons:
Summer
Still Summer
Christmas
Summer again

 

[smoke665]

@terri the state silhouette is unfortunately to small to list all the seasons we go through. It missed a couple of Tornado seasons, deer rut, spring pine pollen, turkey rut, controlled/uncontrolled burning of the forests, late summer when the Copperheads give birth to angry little A** H*** snakes, and fall ragweed pollen.

 

[SquarePeg]

Here in New England we have Winter - yikes it's really really cold! Followed by Spring - damn this freezing rain is cold! Followed by summer - omg it's so effing hot I'm going to die! Followed by Fall - Yes! We live in the best place on the planet! Oh? You blinked and missed it? It was wonderful.

 

[snowbear]

I heard Maine has:
Winter (about 8 months)
Mud
Black Fly
Blueberry
Tourist

 

[SquarePeg]

Although my favorite season just started - early Milky Way! Big plans for this weekend if the sky clears up north.

 

[smoke665]

This week the Wisteria is popping out in all its purple glory. Sad that something so pretty is so invasive and destructive.

 

[jeffashman]

This week the Wisteria is popping out in all its purple glory. Sad that something so pretty is so invasive and destructive.

It is pretty. I know of only one place in this area that has any, outside of an arboretum or botanical garden, and it doesn't seem to spread much here.

 

[jeffashman]

What was for lunch today? Extra spicy chicken tikka masala with basmati rice and naan bread. I complained to my wife that the place she orders from doesn't have vindaloo, and I guess she said something, because I think they dumped an entire ounce (28g) of cayenne in the sauce. Can't ever be too hot for me though, I live on ghost peppers. Interesting note, chicken tikka did not have the masala sauce originally, but for their British customers, a restaurant in the UK created the masala sauce, and it has been a hit ever since.

 

[terri]

What was for lunch today? Extra spicy chicken tikka masala with basmati rice and naan bread. I complained to my wife that the place she orders from doesn't have vindaloo, and I guess she said something, because I think they dumped an entire ounce (28g) of cayenne in the sauce. Can't ever be too hot for me though, I live on ghost peppers. Interesting note, chicken tikka did not have the masala sauce originally, but for their British customers, a restaurant in the UK created the masala sauce, and it has been a hit ever since.

I'm a lightweight when it comes to heat like that in food! Once my tongue becomes numb, there's really no discerning flavor and it seems like heat for heat's sake. I love rich flavors and a little bit of heat (if we must), but I usually order everything mild from our local Indian and Thai restaurants. It's always delicious!

Naan is awesome!

 

[terri]

This week the Wisteria is popping out in all its purple glory. Sad that something so pretty is so invasive and destructive.

I would love to have some honeysuckle vines. I just don't know how to grow it, or if it would even make it here in my temperature zone.

 

[SquarePeg]

I would love to have some honeysuckle vines. I just don't know how to grow it, or if it would even make it here in my temperature zone.

Last spring I bought a honeysuckle cultivar named Scentsation from Proven Winners. It’s hardy in my zone 6b. It has white florets. In the Fall I ordered two Major Wheeler honeysuckles online which have the coral florets and attract hummingbirds. They were tiny when planted - we’ll see how they do this season. I’ve got them side by side on half arches that go up to the fence.

 

[limr]

This much traffic on the Van Wyck at 6:30 in the morning is unholy. But then again, the Van Wyck, like JFK, is always unholy. But hey, at least I'm not on a plane anymore, right hosers?

 

[smoke665]

We've hit the "in between" time of the year. It's gets below freezing of a night, and warms up during the day causing the grass to grow like a patchwork quilt. I've resisted getting the mower ready for as long as I could, but the scattered clumps of tall grass got the best of me. Spent a couple hours servicing the mower and getting it ready, then made a half hearted effort to knock down the worst of the spots. Despite wearing a mask the pollen did a number on me last night.

 

[jeffashman]

The previous owner of our house overseeded the back lawn with some sort of rye, and now it just comes up in patches here and there. Once the hot weather hits, it will all die. The back is a mix of rye, Bermuda, and various wild plants, because I don't use pesticides or herbicides, or even ferts in the back. Front is St. Augustine, which struggles in the hot, dry summers if I don't drench it weekly. Need to replace the front with some sort of low/no maintenance ground cover. I try to have a pollinator friendly back yard, and HOA friendly front yard.

 

[terri]

I try to have a pollinator friendly back yard, and HOA friendly front yard.

Sounds familiar! It's what's up front that counts, right? And everyone's back yards are a struggle. I am surprised you have a water hog like the St. Augustine in such a hot climate. We had Bermuda in Georgia, which is fairly drought tolerant but if any of that rye gets in, it stands out like a sore thumb. Way too labor intensive.

I think you're on the right track for both front and back.

Despite wearing a mask the pollen did a number on me last night.

Sorry, Smoke! I hope it's settled back down today. A nice rain shower will wash everything down, but of course that spurs on the growth, too.