Surprise!

I was surprised to see this lovely flower to bloom at this time of year. I guess the weather has been wackiest of the year to cause this fragrant bulb to bloom out of season. At least the hyacinth thought it was the right time with all the hot and a long season of cool then cold then cool so it was time to bloom. I felt bad to see it is out of season but I was please with the fragrant it brought with it. I have tons of bulb in my front yard! I cannot have enough of fragrant plants and flowers.

Guess What Fruit is This?

My parents harvested Asian pears, plums, nectarine. They have only this plant left. The fruits are still hanging and ripping. If they are big as apple then the skin won't be much a problem but they are small. We eat these fruits while we take care of the garden. They are pretty like water droplet.
If you have not be able to guess what it is, then I guess you never hear of jujube.
Ziziphus zizyphus (from Greek ζίζυφον, zizyfon^[1]), commonly called jujube, red date, or chinese date, is a species of Ziziphus in the buckthorn family Rhamnaceae, used primarily for its fruits. Common names in Arabic are nabq, dum, tsal, sadr, zufzuuf (in Morocco) and sidr, the last of which also means Ziziphus lotus.^[2] In Persian it is called anab or annab , a name also used in Lebanon.
It is a small deciduous tree or shrub reaching a height of 5–10 m, usually with thorny branches. The leaves are shiny-green, ovate-acute, 2–7-cm wide and 1–3-cm broad, with three conspicuous veins at the base, and a finely toothed margin. The flowers are small, 5-mm wide, with five inconspicuous yellowish-green petals. The fruit is an edible oval drupe 1.5–3-cm deep; when immature it is smooth-green, with the consistency and taste of an apple, maturing brown to purplish-black and eventually wrinkled, looking like a small date. There is a single hard stone similar to an olive stone.^[

Update zuccchini bread

The Zucchini Bread was good. A friend's comment was it tasted very healthy which translated it was good but not for someone who is NOT into healthy kind of food. ;) I thought it was funny. I chopped most of the zucchini into small pieces but the recipe wrote grate which made it big chunk. I couldn't grate it into tiny pieces so I did it wrong. Zucchini is hard to grate small like cheese so I grated and then chopped.
It did taste healthy. The graham flour made the bread taste nutty without the walnut part. I put less sweet so my bf did not like it because he expected treat to be sweet and he did not like to see chunk of zucchini in it. Or should I said he hate vegetable! I will try to make it again next year.
I did not put any all purpose flour in it just the graham flour so you could imagine it was very wholesome and goodness pack in a loaf of bread.
I put a whole zucchini instead of direction. :) I guess that made into two loaves instead of one; however, one and a (little more than) half loaf. I don't know, but I prefer to weight by pound instead of cup or Tsp/TBSP because the scale is more accurate than uneven pack into cup.
It was fun to bake and cook something everyday; that is, if I have the time and the change to do.

Graham flour

Graham flour is a type of whole wheat flour named after the American Presbyterian minister Rev. Sylvester Graham (1794-1851), an early advocate for dietary reform. According to the Larousse Gastronomique, Graham despised processed white flour and believed that bran was the cure-all for the bad eating habits of his compatriots.

Rather than simply grinding the whole grain wheat kernel (bran, germ, and endosperm), in graham flour the components are ground separately. The endosperm is ground finely, initially creating white flour. The bran and germ are ground coarsely. The two parts are then mixed back together, creating a coarse-textured flour that bakes and keeps well. Graham flour is used to make graham crackers and pie crusts, among other things.

Graham flour is not available in all countries. A fully correct substitute for it would be a mix of white flour, wheat bran, and wheat germ in the ratio found in whole wheat. Wheat comprises approximately 83% endosperm, 14.5% bran, and 2.5% germ by mass.^[1] For sifted all-purpose white flour, wheat bran, and wheat germ having densities of 125, 50, and 80 grams/cup, respectively, one cup of graham flour is approximately equivalent to 84 g (~2/3 cup) white flour, 15 g (slightly less than 1/3 cup) wheat bran, and 2.5 g (1.5 teaspoons) wheat germ.

Plain whole wheat flour can also be used as a substitute in recipes, but the resulting baked goods' textures will differ from that of examples where graham flour was used.

Plectranthus amboinicus

http://nsushma.blogspot.com/2010/02/doddapatre-tambuli-coleus-aromaticus-in.html

Indian Borage -- Effective Cough Remedy from your herb garden

The Indian borage first came to my notice when I was suffering from a bad cough, and a friend suggested chewing the leaves of this plant she had growing in her garden. Apparently, even her son, a doctor, found it helpful when more conventional medicines didn't help. And she was right, the leaves provided almost immediate relief. So of course I had to go plant one of my own, which led to me checking out sites and books to find out more about the Indian borage.

In the process, I discovered that it makes a wonderful addition to a herb garden, with its many culinary and medicinal uses (more that I would ever have imagined). And, if you're like me, a beginner gardener, it's encouraging to grow a plant which thrives without much care.

The Indian Borage (Plectranthus amboinicus) has heart-shaped leaves with scalloped edges, and the typical four-cornered stem of the Lamiaceae family. The thick, succulent leaves are entirely covered with short, fine hairs. Try lightly brushing the hairs, and you'll get a pungent aroma. The plant typically grows to about 50 cm in height.

INDIAN BORAGE

Botanical name Plectranthus amboinicus (Coleus amboinicus, C. aromaticus, C. carnosa)
Botanical family Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Other names

• Country borage
• Puerto Rican oregano brujo / Cuban oregano
• French thyme / Spanish thyme / Broad-leaf thyme (West Indies)
• Mexican mint / Soup mint / Indian mint
• Sak dam ray (Cambodia)
• Ajeran, daun jinten, daun kucing (Indonesia)
• Daun bangun-bangun (Malaysia)
• Latai, suganda, oregano (Philippines)
• Po-hor (Singapore)
• Hom duan huu suea, niam huu suea (Thailand)
• Can day la (Vietnam)
• Pashan Bhedi, Karpooravalli, Patharchur (India)
• Da shou xiang (in Chinese)

Active ingredients Major components of its essential oil are 3-carene, g-terpinene, camphor and carvacrol (Source: Wee Yeow Chin, A Guide to Herbs and Spices)

Zucchini Bread

I found this recipe from AllRecipe.com. I like this though I haven't try yet because it looks like healthy treat! We are trying to go for whole grain and whole food experience.

Zucchini Bread III

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1/4 cup wheat germ

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil, sugar, zucchini, and vanilla. Mix well. Add flours, baking powder, soda, salt, wheat germ, and cinnamon; stir to combine. Stir in raisins and nuts, if desired.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.
2. Beat together eggs, sugar, and oil. Blend in the grated zucchini, and then the sour cream. Mix in the flour, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon. Stir in chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 80 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Zucchini Pineapple Bread I

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions

1. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, mix oil, eggs, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Blend in pineapple and zucchini. Stir flour mixture into zucchini mixture. Pour batter into two greased and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour. Cool on wire racks.

Summer Bounty Harvest!

Despite that I did not plant anything beside tomatoes on pots. Well, I brought early girl and beef boy which were 5 gal to begin with so I got a few tasty ripe tomatoes! I got zucchini and yellow summer quashes as bonus to my bf mom who had so many that she and her husband could not eat all. I gave most away to our friends to share the bounties! My sister column Northern Light red apple gave lot of flowers but I chose only a few to ripe. The apples were still hanging in the tree but there was strong wind knock them off. It was a good thing that they were ripe. They are sour and felt light but they were very juicy! I still have some display on crystal fruit bowl. They ripe and got knocked down about 3 weeks ago. I made oatmeal brown sugar apple dessert or you could call it like hot cereal breakfast.

Report on the Bizarre Show on June 4-6, 2010

I used the regal trumpet lily in the pot in the back for the display at the Bizarre Show on June 4-6, 2010. We made our name to some people hopefully some in New York since the couple brought Lemongrass, Naked in the Wood, and Jasmine and Jasmine Green Tea and its Powder would make these soap as gifts. We have only one Jasmine and Jasmine Green Tea and Powders left so we brought four more home from the house of my boyfriend's mom back to our home to wrap in our bamboo green on mother of pearl background paper.
I will have the pictures up date later. I have to get to the Off Center Art at Park St which is across from the Robinson Park at the Central Avenue. Their hour is Tuesday to Thursday 1pm to 7pm. Friday is 1pm to 5pm. How odd is that! We pass by and see the building but we never really know what it is or what is going on in there. Perhaps, I will know in a minutes. We have been trying to get to the Farmer market every Saturday of Summer but the director/manager said they already had soap dealer. I guess you have to know WHO in order to get into any business. She just let us in for a few days it would help to get our name around since those who go there mean to buy and use things from the handmade and local. They are the only one who would appreciate our work and willing to spend if it is good enough. Of course, our products are fabulous and one hundred percents homemade with love and care!
We made a few on Friday. Saturday was not a good day which was like a wasting of time. The last day was excellent! The people who brought our stuffs know and love homemade soap and do not mind to buy a few as gift. One lady brought soap as gift for her nice as graduation gift. Its fragrance is divine even far away can still smell it.

Home Garden Up Date

That the Lovely lovable yet evil to her playmate. I, finally, got to see sweet pea flowers which used to die because of hot desert sun and drought. I did not have time to water them so they could not last or live long to bloom. The sweet pea fragrant is very strong and almost like exotic perfume. The lily of the Nile, which I believe that my boyfriend's mom loves, is finally blooming. I was hoping it to bloom during Mother days to give to her but it blooms much later. I think now it is time for it to bloom; in another word, it is the season to bloom.
I just love the hollyhock! If it is peach, it would make a great statement in the neighborhood. Every house--almost, in this neighborhood has it in front of the house, but, of course, it is just single petal; mine is fully double and huge. Everyone has pink so am I therefore, it can hardly be outstanding or different than anyone else. The peach color one died last year. I was not sure why because I watered both of them at the same time.
I do not remember why I was mistake zinnia seeding plants with sunflower. I dig up three 'zinnia' plants home with me. Since zinnia is not much big so I planted them almost next to each other. When they had a few more leaves, I realized that I got sunflower instead! That was good too because I love sunflower also. I hope that the big tall plant wont kill my little rose NOW is under their leaves. My plan was to have big leaves shadow and shade the weak rose but only time can tell.
I finally get to see the color of hydrangea--at least one of them, I ordered three kinds but only two survive the hardship of moving and staying in small pot. It is forever pink I think because it is pink through out and nothing else. I will try the nitrogen to see if it will change the color or not. Maybe the other is Nikko Blue Hydrangea because it has big leaves also.
There were two butterflies and a bee stopping by at the lavender. I show this white lily because it looked playful.
I was gonna continue to water my plants but there was a disturbance by a man without shirt and white short walking around and screaming including 'pervert' to some workers who are working on the fence for some of my neighbor. It has been noise from just one man for an hour or more. He was giving me a headache and my plants are getting thirstier. Someone has called the cop

Santa Fe Street

Horticultural at the Capital

The front entrance of the Capital had a scent of bearded giant Irises which was not exactly good fragrant to inhale because it was very strong even though there were not many blooms. There is a big parking lot for the information service across from the Capital building. I was surprise to see the 'yellow' flower still blooming because in town its already leaves cover entire shrub. The air was fresh and no smell of gas or any pollution which was a good change of environment. It was cool and moist; once awhile there was a breeze. When we got there, it was 10:30am and there was three cars in the parking lot, but an hour later there almost no more parking left. People from all over the country came according to their license plates.

Memorial Day! Santa Fe Capital of New Mexico 2010

It was a beautiful day! There was sun shine and cool breeze. There was not many cars on the street on our way up to Santa Fe, but there were lot of cars coming back to town. I guessed that they came home after a long holiday.
There are many arts and sculptures display around and inside the capital. I would love to exam all of these but I did not have time to read and to take pictures. I have been to the capital almost every Sunday Fall of 2008 and Winter till I had to prepare to move to my new house and go there every once awhile because of high gas and house payment and less wage on hours. It seems so long time ago that I moved and created a home here. It is still a dream life.
We entered the South side of the capital and park at the coin pay parking lot. Here is a kick. We always paid our meter on Sunday. One Sunday a local told us that you don't have to pay on Sunday! We had contributed and did our part to help the state.
I thought that I should show you a view from my perspective. There is more of course, but I do not think I have room in one blog to show all.