Getting Caught Up With Some Photos

 I have neglected the blog for weeks, partly because I've not been motivated and partly because my life is pretty boring and I'm not wishing to bore you all with it. I'll just bore you a little: had a hyaluronic acid injection in my left knee yesterday. I'll sum it up by saying that my left knee following much physical therapy was about 95% better and now, after the injection it is about 85% better. The injection was, if not excruciating, very painful for the duration and for some time afterwards. I think the doc was surprised when I told him how painful it was...like maybe it wasn't supposed to be?

So, I'm sitting here this morning taking it a bit easy and I'm posting a few photos from the past few weeks; mostly garden pics because gardening and cooking occupy a large part of my time at home. A few photos from our weekend in Taos are included.

Some 4 O'Clocks whose color variations always delight

 

Not sure what this is

Black-eyed Daisies

Mums

Martha Washington Geranium

At a Neighbors - I'm Too Lazy to Look it up

One Day's Harvest a Couple of Weeks Ago - Sweet and Hot Peppers, Tropea Onions, Green Beans, Tomatoes, Basil, Rosemary

The Dreaded Hornworm

Mini Sweet Peppers Grown From Seed I Saved from Grocery Store Peppers

This year I'm into peperoncini (Peperoncino (plural peperoncini) is the generic Italian name for hot chili peppers, specifically some regional cultivars of the species Capsicum annuum ). I grew several plants from seed I purchased and several more from seed I took out of the "crushed red pepper" condiment like you would find on the table of many Italian pizza restaurants.

I think I will have more hot pepper than I can use.

Peperoncini (Italian/Calabrian Chili Peppers)

Peperoncini and garlic hanging in my kitchen

 I put some of the hot pepper in olive oil instead of drying it.

Peperoncini Sott'olio (Peperoncini under Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Planted a Fig Tree last year and while is is doing well this year, I have found only one fig on the tree.

There is ONE Baby Fig on My Fig Tree

 Fennel does not want to produce a "bulb" but goes to seed and now is growing wild all over the yard

My newest "experiment" is artichokes. Because this is the first season and I've had really bad experiences in trying to actually cook/prepare artichokes, I decided to let the pods blossom.

Reminds Me of the Little Shop of Horrors

In Santa Fe

The Hubby - Leon

One Morning on the Way to Therapy in Santa Fe

The trip to Taos. Been there several times and actually I'm not thrilled with Taos. But then, I've pretty much lost any thrill with New Mexico overall.

The Muddy Rio Grande

This Would NOT be my Suicide Method of Choice

Don't let my smile fool you...I'm a miserable old crab

A friend of ours is into carving "Santos" so took these photos for him. The gift shop was closed so these were just "window shopping"

And the bottom line is homemade food:

Calzone, Rolls, Bread, Sheet Pizza

Garden to Table: Fried Sweet Mini Peppers and Onions

Green Bean and Tomato Salad

 

And I should mention that I found Benni