Schomburgkia

This is Schomburgkia wallisia that thrives in our garden. It needs the full sun and doesn't mind a few hours of cool temperatures (it's in the 50's today).

Grandules

Pigeon Peas also known as grandules grow very well in Coral Gables. These are growing a block from city hall. The grandules tastes like a black eyed pea but it is a much bigger plant. I have grown it off and on for the last 40 years. Shucking the peas take time and that's the reason that this vegetable is seldom seen in gardens around here. The other problem is that the green pods stain my hands a dark brown and the stain lasts for a day or two.

Miltonia Anne Warne

This orchid blooms in the summer, but the story is multiplication. This plant was bought by a relative 50 years ago and 30 years ago I inherited it. The plant was divided 20 years ago into 40 divisions and I kept one. Now it had to be divided once more. I have a page on my site that will follow the plants as they reach flowering size.

Another Red Bougainvillea

But this one is holding up the house.

The Left Wing

I said it was big and there is a right wing just as large.

Behind Yesterdays Wrought Iron Gate

This is one of the earliest houses in Coral Way. We looked at the house when it was for sale 40 years ago. The house is a beauty but too big for us.

An Intersection On Coral Way

It looks like a well but it's a fountain under the pergola. This is a feature of the city and not part of the private house behind the wrought iron gate.

Flame Vine, Pyrostegia venusta

This flame brightens south Florida through the winter. The old Spanish style homes often have the vine on the roof or on the perimeter walls.

Red Bougainvillea

With a house attached.

Lethal Yellowing

Healthy

Nearly Dead

About 40 years ago the disease 'lethal yellowing' killed most of the coconut palms in our area. Twenty years before, Key West lost there coconut palms. The government imported a strain of coconuts that were immune to the problem. But now some of the new coconut palms are getting the disease. We are losing 20 or more species of palms that are dieing. We also have problems with the die off of citrus, avocado, and ficus.

One Of The Old Stone Houses On Coral Way

The shutter has been closed for ever, at least it seems that way. The blue shutter doesn't enhance this fine old house.

In Two Weeks The Flowers Have Doubled

For the last 5 weeks we have had perfect weather with nights in the 60's and the days in the 70's. If we keep this weather for the next two months the flowers will be so large it will be comic and not good landscaping.

Florida Daphne

This small tree blooms off and on for the whole year. Some time you don't look up to see the flowers, but you stop to enjoy the fragrance. It smells just like Narcissus papyraceus, the paper white narcissus. The seed pods look like a bunch of red radishes when ripe.

A Theme Day - Is It The Picture Or The Thought Of The Birthday Cake?

The story of the cake was shown on December 25.

Here is the recipe but not the directions.
ingredients: 10 eggs
1/2 lb.Hazelnuts
1,3/4 cups sugar
3 Tb spoons bread crumbs or 1/2 cup flour
Toping: 2 cups whipping cream
6 Tb. powder sugar
apricot jam
Frangelica brandy

You need a Mouli grinder and must beat the batter for 30 minutes. Putting it together is not easy, the first time that you make it. Does anyone know a recipe like this one? As far as I know it's a one of the kind.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Here are some pictures from 2007 and 2008 that I like.

And The Lights Went Our

We were warned that the lights would go out. Yesterday the 4 trucks were here at 9:30am and started changing the electric lines to the new pole. The pole was put up before the hurricane season because the old one was roting.