The Garden Thread - November, 2024

November 1, 2024 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[Diana in Wisconsin]

The MONTHLY Gardening Thread is a gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.

If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located.

This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.

It is impossible to hijack the Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table Recipes, Preserving, Good Living - there is no telling where it will go - and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you'd like to be added to/removed from our New & Improved Ping List.

NOTE: This is a once a MONTH Ping List, but we DO post to the thread all throughout the month. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest to Gardeners are welcomed any time!

[Liz]

Perfect fall meal you got there.

[Qiviut]

Today was the last ‘mild’ weather day (high about 62) - snow squalls tomorrow & 35 mph wind gusts, so ....

I mowed! The leaves have fallen & the trees are mostly bare. The leaves were pretty deep. The front yard, big bank & immediate back yard were all done - we can see grass again :-) I went over the leaves a couple of times & most are chopped fairly fine so with winter weather, the leaf pieces should disappear into the grass by spring. I’m glad I had a chance to mow before they would get packed down by rain/snow.

Not sure what I’m doing for dinner. I have ground sirloin & pork thawed & was going to do some hamburgers, but after all the outdoor work, I just don’t feel like it. I have a couple of potatoes I need to use up so I might do tuna/potato salad (a favorite of mine).

[Liz]

Adobo Chicken & Kale Enchiladas / kale lovers unite
Add fave toppings for this quick and healthy dish----cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, jalapeños.

Ing 1 tbl evo 8 cups chp kale ¼ cup water 2 cups shredded cooked chicken 1 tsp ground cumin s/p 10 oz can red enchilada sauce (1 1/4 cups) ¼ cup sour cream 2-3 tbl minced chipotles in adobo 12 tortillas ¾ cup diced white onion, divided 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided

Steps Heat oil on med-high. Add kale and water; cook/stir til bright green, wilted, 2 min.
Stir in chicken, cumin, s/p; cook a min. Transfer to a large bowl.

Combine enchilada sauce, sour cream, chipotles to taste. Spread 1/2 cup in pan then 4 tortillas over sauce, overlap to cover bottom. Top with 1/2 chicken mixture, 1/4 cup onion and 1/2 cup cheese. Layer on 1/2 sauce, 4 tortillas, rest chicken, 1/4 cup onion and 1/2 cup cheese. Top w/ tortillas, sauce and cheese. Bake 350 deg til bubbly, 12-15 min. Sprinkle w/ 1/4 cup onion before serving.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Beau doesn’t like any food that’s the least bit ‘Mexican’ other than a Taco Salad, so I’m saving this one for ME when he’s off hunting next. :)

He’s not a snob - just personal preference. The furthest he’ll go for real Chinese food is my crock pot Pepper Steak - ‘cuz it has GRAVY, LOL!

Meat, Potato, Salad, Veg. 24/7/365 *Rolleyes*

[Liz]

Have at it, fellow kale lover.

[MomwithHope]

First snow this morning in west Michigan. About 2 hours worth and then it changed over to rain. My seeds came from bounyhunters.com. Got 3 tomatoes, the Sabelka, German Red Giant and Belarussian Heart tomato. All our other seeds we save and are set for next year.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I’m confused by the “in memorium” part of this ongoing thread.....I don’t recall if Diana is/was also greeneyes or if greeneyes was a separate individual.....I was absent from FR for about a year and I’m trying to get caught up.

Who passed away?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“I’m confused by the “in memorium” part of this ongoing thread...I don’t recall if Diana is/was also greeneyes or if greeneyes was a separate individual.....I was absent from FR for about a year and I’m trying to get caught up.

Who passed away?”

‘Greeneyes’ passed away a number of years ago. Prior to her passing, she asked me to take over the thread for her due to her husband’s bad health and her need to care for him, but it turned out that she (Linda) also had a bad heart! :(

We were all very sad to hear of this, and it took us a number of weeks to get to the bottom of it, but we did.

[Qiviut]

In before the ‘ping’ this Saturday after a restless night & getting up early. We had hellacious winds last night .... heard something that sounded large skitter across the slate roof, so I will be out looking for what that was a little later this morning. The winds picked up big time around 10-11 pm and were ‘roaring’ past the house until about 2 am. We’re on a knoll so if there’s any wind, we get it big time. I seriously considered going downstairs & trying to sleep on the couch where the wind sounds weren’t as noticeable.

Yesterday, there were snow showers/squalls on the mountains and later in the afternoon, some of the snow showers managed to get to the valley. There is one ridge that has some trees along the top that look reddish brown and with the backdrop of a snow shower, the color really stood out - even mom noticed and commented on how beautiful. NO accumulation ... my favorite kind of snow.

Big doings across the road ... the cows are starting to calve! Two little ones born this week - so small that from a distance they look like large dogs. The herd is 20 so quite a few more births will be happening in the next weeks. I feel sorry for the babies out in the cold, but they seem to manage just fine.

Our new driveway got used twice by vehicles other than our truck ... once for some drop-in company & yesterday, when Amazon made a delivery to the front porch instead of the back of the house. The presents for the 3 great-nephews & 2 great-nieces arrived - whew! Now I can wrap them & take them along to Thanksgiving & give to the parents to put under their trees. The kids all got puzzles this year with themes they like. Puzzles are good for little brains and if the parents are lucky, they might keep the kids occupied for a while when it’s too nasty to go outside & play.

I did a ‘Merry Christmas to Me” and ordered 3 books - 2 are arriving today ... ‘out for delivery’. Two of the 3 are ‘board’ books - recipes for charcuterie boards. I think that’s what I’m going to do for an open house in January, maybe February .... a get-together during the winter doldrum months with good food & great company.

My assignment for Thanksgiving: green bean casserole & sweet potato casserole .... some of the traditional dishes. Last year, my nephew (21) looked at the Thanksgiving spread and asked “so whose project was the green bean casserole? I don’t see one!” He whined a couple of times about no green bean casserole. I made him one for Christmas when mom and I took a Christmas meal to my brother’s house .... I didn’t know green bean casserole could make a young guy so happy.

Gorgeous sunrise here .... a bank of very dark clouds over the mountains, but a narrow band of clear sky between those dark clouds & the mountain tops. As the sun was coming up, the lower edge of those clouds turned to the most beautiful shades of rose pink & gold. It didn’t last long, but was a great way to start the day. :-)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Good Saturday Morning Ping! Time to start thinking about thawing the Turkey. But first? Coffee! The guys left for the woods at 0-Dark Thirty; gun Deer Season opened at dawn.

[left that other site]

Good Morning!

[FamiliarFace]

Catching back up on the thread. I love the way you write. I can always picture it in my mind.

We had some snow on Thursday so I always take photos and videos to send to my sisters in Florida. They love to see it, and they talk about snow romantically, but the truth is, I know they’d have a had time living this far north instead of just annual visits.

The temps warmed up so whatever bit of snow we got, maybe 2” tops, has all melted away.

We have determined that the funny looking animal we saw a few nights ago was a fox with a stubbed tail. We weren’t sure if it was a bobcat or a fox, because it was dark, and then a few days later he showed up in the daytime. Then we could follow him with binoculars and actually see a fox face and body with a bobcat like tail. He must’ve gotten it injured somehow. He had a little limp on his back left foot.

[AFB-XYZ]

Good morning! Amazed to still be getting tomatoes, at nearly the end of November. They’re very small, but boy do they taste good.

Also amazing is the single parsnip that I harvested last night. Planted the seeds in April, and only one of them came up. It too was tiny, but tasted great.

The radishes are producing too! The two that I harvested yesterday looked like heads of garlic — almost like it was getting ready to divvy up and make more radishes. Strangest year ever. Seeing lots of things I’v enever seen before. :-)

[FamiliarFace]

Good morning!

I got more yard work done earlier in the week, but with the snow and wind, the raking has all been undone AGAIN. All of the leaves in our front yard come from neighbors’ yards. The back yard leaves I will own, but the front is constant aggravation. Maple and oak leaves everywhere and we have neither type in our front yard. The prevailing winds always move towards our house from the neighbors houses, so we get to rake our neighbors’ leaves for them.

I also got 30 more tulips in the ground before that snow came. I guess the ground will start it real freeze soon.

It’s wet outside now, so probably will get little done out there. Trying to get packing done for our trip to NC for Thanksgiving. Going to see hubby’s mom and make her some great meals. It should be a nice visit. We decided to drive this time instead of flying. Hoping that we will have decent driving weather in both directions.

[Liz]

bkmk

[Liz]

Thanksgiving fave.

Brussels Sprouts w/ Roasted Chestnuts / no need to fuss
Pedestrian boiled Brussels Sprouts rise to gourmet glory
simply by adding tender oven-roasted chestnuts to the dish.

[Redleg Duke]

Good Morning, Diana! We had some rain here in southern New Hampshire. It is cloudy and cool today. I just cleared the old straw from the duck house. Need to load and go to the dump.

We nearly have our 40 foot 5th wheel RV ready to put on the market. Our RVing days are behind us. Too much to do around the house and garden.

Remember everyone! Next Thursday, “You are what you eat!”

[left that other site]

You Are What You Eat?

I’m a Turkey?

OK...as long as I’m not a Squash.

LOL.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Liz, Interesting! I may try this.

[Liz]

Very easy.......and indescribably delicious.