4 Cucumbers and an Eggplant....

This is my harvest from my garden this morning... Squash plants are spreading and taking over my garden.

It is obvious that a critter got into this squash.Japanese Eggplant on the vine.

Ripe tomatoes ready to pick.

My Sago Palms are healthy, no scale as many people have struggled with. I go to one of the local coffee shops, where they are happy to share bags of brewed coffee grinds. I generously sprinkle the coffee grounds within the top mound of the plant and make a trench around the base and fill with coffee grounds....looks like its working for me.

Several critters visit my garden.

I believe this is an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly.

This dragonfly was happy to sit quiet and be photographed.

Back to my "edibles", a cucumber on the vine. There is nothing like a fresh off the vine cuke sprinkled with a little salt.

Spaghetti squash......

Just a garden ornament......love my dragonflies.

Before I pulled out my Brussels Sprout plant, which is a cooler weather plant, I picked these off the plant and prepared them as follows. They were a bit smaller then the first batch but mighty tasty.

This Brussels sprouts recipe is for the "I don't like Brussels sprouts" people. The super-fast stir-fry in butter and lemon retains the beautiful color, and the Brussels sprouts get the most wonderful sweet flavor, and tender texture. The secret is the thin slicing, and the quick cooking time.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts, washed, bottoms trimmed
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:

Cut the Brussels sprouts in half lengthwise, and then slice each half into very thin ribbons (see picture). Place a large skillet over high heat. When it is very hot, add the butter and oil; as soon as the butter is melted, toss in the Brussels sprouts. Saute, stirring and tossing constantly for about 45 seconds. Add the lemon juice, and toss for about 15 seconds more. Remove from heat, add salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste, and transfer into a serving dish. Do not overcook, and the Brussels sprouts will stay green, sweet, and tender.

Oyster plants, my ground cover in my back yard islands is finally filling in from the Winter freeze.

A little bit of scattered color.

The Impatians planted around the borders are starting to get bigger with constant color.

Love those flowers.....Lily of the Nile.

Everyday in my garden brings new discoveries.

Life is a gift

Meyer (Mike) Deutsch

May 26, 1913 - February 29, 2008 With Fathers' day approaching, I find myself thinking a lot of my dad. Death is usually thought of as something sad and terrible. But, something that is so final has a way to make us put our mortality into a new perspective. When one dies who is 94 years old, it's also amazing to think about the gift of life and longevity.
My dad lived a strong and independent life. When he passed peacefully February 29, 2008, he was 94, with an extremely sharp mind. He lived independently until Jan 12 when he broke the second hip and went to the hospital. He recovered from his first hip surgery exceptionally well.

My dad was not formally educated, but he was very smart. My dad was self-educated, he read the New York Times almost each day of his life. He would have loved to be formally educated and was always very sensitive to the fact that he was not. (The photo above is of my dad dressed in a Graduation Gown for one of his grand children.)

I have several physicians in my family, but my Dad always said he was the first MD in the family...get it...Meyer Deutsch...he was full of humor and had corny jokes always! Dad, your influence on me shall live on.

Happy Fathers Day!

Life is a gift and 94 years is certainly a precious gift!

WHEN I STOP TALKING, YOU'LL KNOW I'M DEAD.....

When I first heard the title of this book, which got my attention immediately, I thought to myself, "dam", someone got my book title first! I immediately went to the library and found out that I had to put my name on the list to reserve it. I actually love that system, I get an email when the book is ready to pick up. Isn't technology great. When I received notification that my book was ready for pick up, several weeks later, I went to the library to check it out.....at that time I still didn't even know what it was about, I just was intrigued by the title.

I was really enjoying reading this book, when I got yet another email message from the library. Since this book was still reserved by others, it was now due, after only two weeks, not the normal 3 weeks. With no time to finish it, I thought about just keeping it and paying the fine when I returned it. But....I felt guilty, so I brought the book back to the library, paid my 20 cents fine, and inquired about putting my name back on the list. The librarian told me that I should have just kept the book till I finished it, then returned it and paid the fine.....that is what most people would do. There are 18 other people who have the book on hold ahead of me, and only 2 copies in the county. It was too late to reverse my decision, once I paid my big fine and it was put in "the system".

With 18 others ahead of me, I wonder if I will live long enough to get my 2nd chance to complete this interesting story!! But, I have learned my lesson. Next time, I will just keep the book longer, pay my fine, and not ask questions! What would you have done?


I couldn't be in better company in enjoying this story. Look at this, it's me and George Clooney!
"Now, I could tell you stories about Jerry, but Jerry is the first and best to tell them. He's funny and grumpy and perfectly inappropriate. When it comes to work, nobody works harder. When it comes to charities, nobody guilts better. And when it comes to friendship, he has no peers. That's Jerry's great talent. He doesn't just light up a room, he lights it on fire. He's a great producer, a great organizer, a great friend, and truly the greatest showman on earth." (George Clooney )


Wondering what this book is really about? It is the biography of Jerry Weintraub, a most colorful man who was an "out of the box thinker", and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time who always met the right people.

From Publishers Weekly
Hollywood power player Weintraub, now 72, is always in control and goes to great lengths to prove it: besides having managed musical legends like Presley, Sinatra and John Denver ("I cooked him from scratch"), Weintraub once closed a deal by faking a heart attack, and won the respect of one of Chicago's most powerful men, Arthur Wirtz, when he cursed Wirtz out for making him wait (Wirtz would go on to become one of Weintraub's mentors). Weintraub's also produced plays, TV shows, movies (from Nashville to the Ocean's 11 franchise), and more, summing up his talent simply: "When I believe in something, it's going to get done." Edgy and honest but refreshingly spare in his criticism of stars, colleagues and family, Weintraub can be forgiven for glossing over speed bumps in his career (one failed business lost $30 million before it closed in the mid-'80s) and occasionally showing his age with wandering rumination. As Weintraub repeatedly states, he is not a star, which perhaps that explains the disappointing omission of photos. Still, with a bold voice, a storied career, and a cast of superstars, his memoir makes a rousing insider tour of some five decades in the entertainment industry. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Good, interesting reading! I highly recommend this book and I will go back for my 2nd chance to finish it.

Orchid Show at the Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens

633 Osceola Avenue, Winter Park, Fl. 32789 The Greater Orlando Orchid Society brings their annual Orchid Show back to the museum, Friday, May 21 thru Sunday, May 23, 2010. During the show, the gardens were open with free admission each day from 10:00am - 4:00pm.

View and enjoy Classic Art in a Classical Setting.

My visit to the Polasek Gardens today allowed me the opportunity to do several things that I enjoy: view beautiful gardens, plants and flowers, play with my camera and talk to other folks interested in these same things. Since I have already done a post last year on the garden, I will mostly just post my updated photos.

Some spectacular Vanda Orchids. In the world of flowers, orchids are the undisputed champions. No longer only a rich man's hobby, orchids are now within the reach of any income. The beauty and diversity of orchids captivate men and women of every walk of life. Modern reproductive methods make it possible for growers to enjoy the finest plants for a few dollars.

Some hanging flower baskets around the property.

The beautiful gardens create an incredible display area for the statues.

You would never know the devastation suffered in the garden from the Florida freeze this past winter.

The Koi pond.

Venders at the show were selling Orchids, Bromeliads and Ferns.

The home across the lake.

Another Vanda Orchid.

Plants and flowers on the wall.

A very unusual color for an Orchid.

Tomato plants

A rare form of tomato plant that actually has thorns.

Square foot gardening in raised beds.

This tree has various types of Bromeliads and air plants growing all around it. You can see it if you look closely.....it is amazing in person.This could be my yard or yours......right?

The Polasek Museum & Sculpture Garden is a perfect setting for Special Events, Visiting Exhibits, Educational Opportunities, Group Tours, School Field Trips and Garden Tours and Programs. The grounds are cared for by volunteer Orange County Master Gardeners.

Cultivate Your Spirit in the Garden