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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2015 17:06:57 GMT
Oh, HTMB, I'm kind of surprised you didn't know that. Yes, the juniper berries are the key, distinctive flavor loaned to gin.
This is only my second attempt at the limoncello, and there are sooooooooooo many recipes, many of which conflict one another with debates galore. But, I settled on a recipe from someone who has made it for years and, knows what he's doing.
I have such a huge crop this year after last year's mediocre crop. I guess they needed a rest...
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Post by htmb on Nov 28, 2015 18:46:33 GMT
We have citrus trees scattered throughout protected areas in north central Florida, but on a very small scale. Most of the trees I've seen this year are, like yours, loaded with fruit. It's certainly a nice bonus to be able to go out into the yard and pick lemons, grapefruit, oranges and tangerines. My family started growing citrus as a business in the central Florida area of Tampa in the late 19th century. Growing up, my home was in the middle of a 40 acre orange grove. But the citrus industry has changed in the state of Florida over the last 150 years. Many trees and crops were destroyed by freezes. Some growers gave up on the citrus industry and either planted other crops or sold their land, while others replanted citrus trees and gave it another go. For the most part, my family replanted, but then a disease called tristeza began to infect trees grown on sour orange rootstock. Over time, all my family's groves were destroyed. While other growers replanted using a different type of rootstock, my branch of the family stopped growing citrus all together. Now those who have continued to have success with tristeza-resistant rootstocks are losing trees to the Asian citrus psyllid, and it appears the commercial citrus industry in the state of Florida may eventually be a thing of the past. www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/01/florida-without-oranges/384774/
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2015 13:29:04 GMT
I have heard about that and believe something similar has happened here. There was much chatter about a type of leaf minor here as well. Gratefully, I have not been afflicted save a few bouts of white fly which are manageable. I like to think it's because I have never used any kind of insecticide and have a healthy ecosystem going on. The only problem I have is the opossum chomping my blood oranges. What baffles me is I know of two people in my immediate neighborhood who have blood orange trees burgeoning with fruit and no indications of opossum activity. I may just do away with the one tree all together. It's so frustrating!
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Post by htmb on Nov 29, 2015 16:58:09 GMT
Would trapping and relocating the opossum help, or are they territorial like squirrels?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2015 17:46:43 GMT
Trust me, we have entertained the "have a heart" trappings, and, I know that they have been successful for many.
My dilemna is, once one or two of the varmints were trapped in one of the cages, my dog would stand by the cage and bark relentlessly all night long at them until daybreak,taunting them.
Not a prudent solution I'm afraid.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2015 21:35:11 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2015 14:14:38 GMT
SOOOOO Gorgeous (she said with great envy...)!!!!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2015 16:20:46 GMT
SOOOOO Gorgeous (she said with great envy...)!!!! Unfortunately, I don't think it will ripen, far too late and cold. I was just shocked that it arrived at all!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2015 17:24:51 GMT
I was going to inquire about the temperature there as it seemed unlikely such a gem would ripen in that chill. Still, I was so taken aback by it's beauty. Pity she will may not ripen,but, then again, given the capricious forces of nature, do not give up hope.
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Post by tod2 on Jan 31, 2016 15:35:01 GMT
Golly I've missed some lovely photos ! Kerouac's #133 - where were those beautiful cornflowers? And Htmb's #137 revealing the grapes I hoped to see in September but alas they were already picked! I noticed these shy little pink wild flowers growing partially shaded on the sand dunes. Tried to look them up and know for sure it is not Plectranthus because it is very low growing and as you can see almost hidden from view, the sun and the wind.
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Post by tod2 on Feb 8, 2016 9:07:30 GMT
I was informed by Rita that my pink flowers growing on the sand dunes is Vetch. This particular pink flower is called Goat's Rue Galega Officinalis. Thank you Rita!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2016 17:22:40 GMT
Golly I've missed some lovely photos ! Kerouac's #133 - where were those beautiful cornflowers? All of that series is from the Parc de Bercy in the 12th arrondissement. I noticed that I have become impatient for spring because my current screensaver is a slideshow from my 'botanical' album, and I want to take more pictures!
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 14, 2016 20:29:31 GMT
Beautiful pictures, everyone!
Tod, I'm hazarding a guess that the darling wildflower might be in the pea family.
Kerouac, have you thought about going to the Parc de Bercy now, to see how it looks in winter? It might have an appealingly stately severity.
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Post by tod2 on Feb 15, 2016 17:22:34 GMT
Bixa - No idea. The tiny leaves I think are too small and the flower not pea-like. But who knows? Vetch could be related.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2016 10:51:08 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2016 9:48:39 GMT
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Post by mossie on May 4, 2016 15:24:52 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on May 4, 2016 15:47:04 GMT
More nature delightfully captured! I don't know what anything is, though.
Kerouac -- Mahonia?
Lizzy -- quince?
Mossie -- could that be some kind of erica on the upper left and a wild ivy on the upper right? Don't have the foggiest on the darling blue stars.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2016 16:37:41 GMT
Bixa, my shot is of a baby Italian plum. Mossie's shot is bluebells!
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Post by bixaorellana on May 4, 2016 17:22:32 GMT
Thanks! I really love your shot, with the crisp subject detail popping forth from the Impressionist background. So those are bluebells! Somehow I always pictured them as looking like blue lilies-of-the-valley.
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Post by mossie on May 4, 2016 18:11:03 GMT
Not erica Bixa, but cotoneaster horizontalis. That and the ivv are planted against the back wall of our garage to blend it into the garden. The horizontalis has been spread all over the place as the birds eat the berries and then plant the seeds ready manured. The bluebells are a wild addition which crept into the garden when we weren't looking.
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Post by bixaorellana on May 4, 2016 18:53:01 GMT
You have my favorite kind of garden, Mossie -- the kind with graceful sprawl because the plants aren't rigidly restrained.
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2016 18:53:48 GMT
Service or Saskatoon berries.
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2016 18:54:58 GMT
Indian plum.
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Post by bixaorellana on May 9, 2016 19:39:14 GMT
You deprived me of my bad guesses! Is Indian plum a true plum? That first photograph is beautiful.
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Post by Deleted on May 9, 2016 19:52:33 GMT
Indian plum, I don't think it is a true plum. Also known as osoberry. Latin name: Oemleria cerasiformis. Birds love it.
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Post by mossie on May 12, 2016 14:48:21 GMT
Here is another import into my wilderness from who knows where. I have always known this as Bugle, but suppose it has some more exotic name. Also lurking in a corner is this escapee from a decorative strawberry plant.
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Post by htmb on May 12, 2016 15:26:50 GMT
What nice flowers you have in your garden, Mossie! Have you been working in it very much lately?
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Post by mossie on May 12, 2016 15:30:33 GMT
No, I am far too idle. Those flowers are all growing in an area which was put down as plain shingle, just like the beach, but nature and the birds have done a good job in cultivating it.
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Post by bixaorellana on May 12, 2016 16:00:50 GMT
I'll say they have! You are right that the strawberry is very decorative. What you call bugle is the same thing I call ajuga. That's a fine stand of it.
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