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Firsts

Today was a good day.

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First Chicks. These two were hatched by one of our Muscovy ducks, so this should be interesting. So far so good. Aren’t they adorable?

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First Butternut Squash. Thanks to the bees. I am so excited to finally have pollinators (Twenty thousand more arrive tomorrow)

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First Tatume Squash

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First Cuc

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First Pepper

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First of the Tomatoes

Freezing Carrots

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We’ve been eating carrots for month, from one of the garden beds, but with the weather warming up, I needed the space. This past weekend I planted my second bed of okra so that carrots had to come up.

I filled an entire refrigerator drawer with carrots. I tore off the tops, brushed (not washed) the dirt off and stored them until I had time to freeze, which was last night.

Then I just set up an assembly line …

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Wash, Peel and Slice the carrots. You could also chop or dice.

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Blanch for 2 minutes.

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Ice bath for 2 minutes

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Drain

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Seal in food saver bags. You can use other freezer bags, but I have found veggies really do best with a very tight seal. I managed to get 9 sets of carrots.

I still have about half a drawer full of carrots. I decided to freeze all of the larger ones, and leave the smaller, more tender carrots for eating raw.

Fresh Coat of Paint

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Found these at an Estate Sale for $5, in a faded white. A pop of color is all this back wall needed. As an added bonus, I can see them from the kitchen window.

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The flamingos had faded to a pale pink, and were getting lost in the sea of roses. Now they’re back.

Bloom Day 4/15/15

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Later blooming cemetery iris

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First of the larkspur

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Abutilon

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Anacacho Orchid Tree

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Cinco de Mayo — one of my favs

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Roses — Belinda’s Dream, Livin Easy, Marie Pavie, Marie Daley, Rise N Shine, Grandma’s Yellow, Marie Gonzales, Cinco De Mayo, Mystery Red, Mutabalis, Little Buckaroo (only one not blooming yet), and Peggy Martin

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View of the pool bed. Bicolor iris should be blooming by the weekend.

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Bluebonnets

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Hot Lips Salvia and Society Garlic

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Not red yucca — deer found them all

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More of the late blooming Iris that I transplanted to the front

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California Poppy — close up from the pool bed

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Bulbine — from the pool bed as well

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Columbine — amazing this year

Also blooming — Autumn Sage, Purple Lantana, Betony (going crazy), Blue Eyed Grass, Mexican Honeysuckle, All types of Wildflowers

Thanks to MayDreamsGarden for hosting.

All Bees Welcome

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After a very long winter (by Texas standards), Spring has finally arrived!

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The bulbs … Tulips, Narcissus and Hyacinths

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Irises

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Front bed — Betony and Lantana. Nestled up against the house, this lantana bloomed all winter

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Bluebonnets — mine are a little late, but coming along

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Wisteria

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My first Mountain Laurel bloom ever!

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Yucca Bloom

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The veggies — tomatoes and peppers are planted. A few winter veggies are still going, and I’m letting things bolt for the bees

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Citrus

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Even the chickens know it is spring. Here are two sitting on eggs. One is using an old rabbit nesting box. We’ll have to keep an eye on her, as she’s about  feet up in the air.