@5601Lisa The amaryllis is an 'Apple Blossom'. It came with a flower stalk already six inches long and totally white because it started to grow without light. I have been moving it out during the day and bringing it inside every night. Now it has finally got some colors.

Here is what it looked like when it first came.

Apple Blossom is very pretty.

Some of us will be getting frost soon, I think. My forecast stays just above it for a couple days, then nights in the 40s, watch out for November 15th and beyond...brr. I really better bring more plants in today.

Slowly getting ready to bring things in. Right now, I"m working on my hosta 'cage' in the back by creating a fenced in area to try to limit deer access.

The over all size is 10'x20'. So far, I've created two 4x8 beds with about an inch and a half of shredded leaves on the bottom. The pots will go on top of that to facilitate drainage.

Once the pots are all in, I'm put nylon net over the top and then pile on the leaves. Being fenced in, the leaves won't blow away and will insulate the pots for the winter. Come spring, I'll remove the bulk of the leaves be hand. Once the plants start pushing up the netting, I'll remove that and the remaining leaves on top.

It's kind of an experiment, but it should work well. And heaven knows we have enough leaves!

Now, if only I could tell what is growing in each pot. Spring will be an adventure full of surprises.

see, and you were so skeptical about that bud! The one I potted up (also ghostly upon arrival) is green and starting to grow, too.

Rick, sounds like a good plan for the hostas.

Tonight and tomorrow night have 30-soemthing temps forecast, not sure about frost (no warning posted), but I'll cover up my basil plants again with their flannel sheet!

Well, the hosta pen is just about done. I need to make another trip or two around the yard tomorrow to make sure I didn't forget anyone. Rough count... 350 hosta in pots, probably another 75 or so lancifolia in a mulch pile; 30-ish fern, 3 peony, 2 dozen forsythia, 1 rhododendron, 1 apricot, 2 honeysuckle, 3 wisteria, 1 campsis radicans, 10 crape myrtle (really small)... and a partridge in a pear tree

I need to set up the shelving in my bedroom so I can bring in the holiday cactus, orchids and coffee plants in. Not to mention the persian shield, the figs, alocasia/calocasia.

Still need to bag up the caladium bulbs, too.

I figure since the next 4-5 days are still in the 60s ... C R A P ! ! ! ! They've changed the forecast! It was supposed to be in the 60s all week. Now, there's this....


Frost Advisory
Issued: 2:35 PM EST Nov. 6, 2016 – National Weather Service


... Frost advisory in effect from 3 am to 9 am EST Monday...

The National Weather Service in Baltimore MD/Washington has
issued a frost advisory... which is in effect from 3 am to 9 am
EST Monday.

* Temperatures... mid to upper 30s.

* Impacts... potential damage to sensitive plants.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A frost advisory means that widespread frost is expected.
Sensitive outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered.

ACK! better double check what's out.

I am still trying to find a home for my Queen's Tears. it is still sitting outside..as is myBraz. Plume.
No damages yet--but will stick them in the shed again just in case...
My Thai basil plants (2 pots) have been outside all this time too.

Have not yet dug up my Caladiums hard to find where they are!. My beds
are still a jumble of this and that. SOOO??????? I may just let them all go.
Too much on my plate the next 3 weeks. My brain does not handle
multi-commitments too well...old age....me f reeking out...

1--Our BIG Th. Giving dinner at HD is on the 17th. I still have to make a half-pan of my sausage stuffing. Cranberry sauce is already made.too.

2-The REAL TH. Giv. is a week later- (24th). Aina will be hosting dinner
Part of my big batch of stuffing is meant for this get-together as well.
Besides...I am always delegated to make the gravy--no one else can do it as well.
THEN----
The annual Pirags-making "marathon" will be on Dec. 3rd.
Will have a crew to help--Benita and Matthew--Tony 9from HD) and 2 of Benita's pals in town from Seattle. Mamma Mia!!!!!!! It will be a "party"!

Still have to dice up (very tiny dice) the better part of a shank half of a ham.
This gets mixed with the pounds of thick-cut slab-bacon i have already diced up along with about 3 lg. onions as well. These all get mixed together with generous amounts of pepper and each small Pirags will be hand-stuffed with this mix and baked till golden. The annual treat for everyone...
I make all the fragrant yeast dough ONLY near Christmas and watch it rise to double size before we dig in and make each delicious pirags.
How many? Usually over 200.

Benita and Mathew and her old Pal from Seattle will also be in town--
and part of the "work force". I tell you--it IS a huge labor of love.
The not-perfect-ones are for snacking...

Then--our annual Home depot X-Mas party (at the Hilton Hotel) is on
Dec. 18ht. AND--I still have to work 3 days a week too.

I kid you not--my brain is so befuddled--that I went to work yesterday
on the wrong week ( a week ahead!). Glad the ASM had no objections that i stay. I really do not want this kind of stress in my life....

Here is a finished pile of Pirags from a previous year...--each one hand-filled, brushed with egg (nice shine) and baked till golden brown for half an hour.
Made a X-Mas card of the one with the critter on top for my nephew in CA.
He could, probably, eat 20 of them in 5 minutes...

edited--duplicate photo post

Frost seems no longer near for me. But most plants are in. I'll probably bring my own huge queens tears in to the basement eventually. It could go in the garage awhile. Said hardy maybe into zone 8.

I have been re-arranging my plants (indoors) a bit and managed to make room for my "Queens".. Cut both Braz. Plumes dorn to about 5" and put that near my LR window as well.
Takinf a short break and having some chow. Then--back to cleaning up!
Will try to vacuum my LR and DR and BR. Itching to get all the food stuff done--but I have to wait. Too early....

Aina passed over an amazing chicken Wings recipe to me. I made a bunch--and it was deeeelish!
It is called "Hooters Buffalo Wings" Maybe you can find it on Google.
I do not do too well jumping from one Post over to a new one.
I usually lose one of them... So--I will finish this one and then c/p
it for you all in a new Post. G.

"Hooters Buffalo Wings"

Combine the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt in a small bowl.
If the wings are frozen, be sure to defrost and dry them.
Put the wings into a large bowl (or a gallon Zip-Loc bag) and sprinkle the flour mixture over them, coating each wing evenly.
Put the wings in the refrigerator for 60 to 90 minutes. (This will help the breading to stick to the wings when fried.)
Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.
You want just enough oil to cover the wings entirely -- an inch or so deep at least. Combine the butter (half a stick), hot sauce, ground pepper, and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Heat until the butter is melted and the ingredients are well blended.
Put all the wings into the hot oil and fry them @ 375* for 10 to 15 minutes or until some parts of the wings begin to turn dark brown.
Remove the wings from the oil to a paper towel to drain.
But don't let them sit too long, because you want to serve the wings hot. Quickly put the wings into a large bowl.
Add the hot butter-sauce and stir, coating all the wings evenly.
You could also use a large plastic container with a lid for this.
Put all the wings inside the container, add the butter-sauce, put on the lid, then shake. Serve with Bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.
These wings got 5* rating from every one that fixed them.

PS--I cannot find the ingredients list--but it should be obvious from the Directions what you need.
I made a huge amount of these wings--like 2 dozen.
But I believe around 12 would be enough for this recipe.
Try to eat them while still hot for the best taste.

Gita

sallyg said: Clocks back this weekend

And now it gets dark so early in the afternoon. I don't like that at all.

The National Weather Service says we should bring our plants in tonight!
"......WIDESPREAD FROST IS EXPECTED. SENSITIVE OUTDOOR PLANTS MAY BE KILLED IF LEFT UNCOVERED."

My van is a little frosty. I'll leave for work before I can really tell if anything got nailed. My yard is more protected than some around here, so I will see if those open lawns look frosty.

It was nippy outside this morning. I hate wearing coats, but I guess it is time to at least put one in the car. Luckily, everything I wanted to save from frost damage was brought in the house a few weeks ago.

Lovely and sunny here. Supposed to hit 66 for the high this afternoon.

I am sitting on my deck in my fluffy sweater, listening to crickets and far away traffic noise. This natural white noise is very nice for me.

OK I'm convinced, the coming weekend is REALLY going to be frost time. Time to decide on the darn big Yucca guatemalensis- do or die? And get those Brug cuttings. and don't forget the Xmas cactus out behind the shed getting its 'dark' time.

We brought the ficus in today. That sucker grew a foot over the summer. I was able to get the pot off the other day and do some needed root trimming. I ended up with enough space to put in a good 5 inches of new soil on the bottom and an inch all the way around. Of course I'm sure the 'little' hussy will think that she's free to grow another foot indoors. Well, she can if she want, but the clippers are at the ready and Larry's itching to do some trimmin' !

I finished the new hosta pen, and not a day too soon! I shifted a few small clumps yesterday to get all clumps of the same variety together. Well, the deer pulled them out of the ground and started munching. It was getting dark as I was finishing, so pictures have to wait until tomorrow.

I think all but one of the cactus are in bud. This year, I"m going to try to put more permanent markers on them so I know what colors I have.

My Holiday Cactus all have tiny bloom tips/buds on them--and, one of JB's CC' cuttings is blooming. The "Xygo x Xantra". It is always the 1st t bloom.
ALL of my other CC's are now snuggled inside under lights and ALL are showing bloom buds on the ends of them.

Just FYI--I always keep my CC's outside until there is almost close to frost
temps. Then I snuggle them inside under lights and let them do their own thing.
They ALL now have bloom buds on the tips of their stems and ready to pop.
I DO NOT do anything special to bring them all to bloom. Honest!
Just keep tem outdors in near freezing and then bring them indoors.
These plants do it ALL by themselves ...Wil lpost pics soon....
G.