Around the House and Garden

Once I hated oatmeal. Not anymore. Being a baby of the seventies I was fed anything instant- instant grits, instant potatoes, instant oatmeal....I have discovered steel cut oats from a Pennsylvania farmer's market, with Vermont dark amber maple syrup from a country store in Woodstock, and butter from Sam's, and Byron doesn't mind cooking them for 30 minutes. Oh so very very yummy. Nothing at all like pasty instant oats.
My antique pink crinum is blooming. These things get huge. I also saw them on vacation in the National Botanical Gardens in the rare and unusual hot house. It seemed like everything that grows well in New Orleans was growing in the rare and unusual hot house!
Here is my southern heirloom crookneck cushaw pumpkin that has long since escaped its raised bed and is zooming along the lawn setting plenty of small fruit.
This is a french heirloom melon. I am not sure exactly what type because it came in a variety packet. When it matures I will try to figure it out.
The figs are marvelously large this year. I adore the rich color of figs. They remind me of the aged colors used in a Rembrandt painting. Melons and figs make wonderful table decor. Place a few different height glassed candle sticks in the center, surround them with foliage from the garden, then place small melons and heaps of figs cut and uncut artfully into the mix. Light the candles, dim the lights, enjoy the smell and visual delight.
Here is a close up of one of the few Ponderosa lemons on my tree this year. It looks like a grapefruit. I have planted Ponderosa, Lisbon, and Meyer's lemons.
Here is a view of the front garden. Just to give you an idea of how fast everything grows around here!
The luffa sponge vine and the sunflowers worked perfectly to provide the chickens with shade this summer. They love to hang out there when the sun's hottest. Look how huge that sunflower is! It is at least 8 to 9 feet tall if it weren't hanging it's head.

Here is another view of the luffa sponge vine. See how large the fruit is getting. When I was gone my mother-in- law picked quite of a few of these while wondering, "Why did she plant cucumbers on the chicken coop?" Luckily after a few she realized they weren't cucumbers and stopped. The chickens did enjoy eating her error though. Luffa is also called okra squash, and if picked around 8 inches long you can peel, slice batter and fry. It is supposed to taste somewhat like okra. I haven't tried this yet. I grow them for shade and luffas!