Garden... Um... Down-date?

Aubergines:
Houston, we have Eggplant. In fact, we have Aubergine multiplicity! They are, however, about the size of golf balls at the moment. I lie. One is the size of a golf ball, the rest are like... marbles. HOWEVER - there is still another month or 2 or so of growing-ish weather, so maybe I will actually get one or two of them. A success, and a learning experience in one.

Peas:
The pea plants were toast by the time I got back from Florida in July, but they are really really cool-weather plants, and I did get a meal and a bunch of snackables off of it, so it is a qualified success. I will grow the same kind again next year, but I will plant them even EARLIER, and I will plant them a bit differently - a rectangular "window box" pot instead of a big round one.

Tomato:
I will never. Ever. Ever. Buy this variety of tomato again. I have one teeny tiny tomato on the plant. That is all it has made after all the watering and care - and then it had the AUDACITY to tip over in the windstorm a few weeks ago and the weight of the plant and the solidity of the tomato cage severed the main stem on my summer squash plant, thus killing any chance for summer squashes. BAD tomato! Bad, BAD tomato! I will get Sweet100 and Patio for next year.

Summer Squash:
See above with regard to squashicidal tomato plants.

Cucmber:
Forget it. Too much work for too little payback. I can get them cheap enough at the grocery market.

Lettuce:

Will try this again next year with some slight adjustments. Learning experience, and fair-to-middlin' results.

Spinach:

Not planted yet. Will probably try the lettuce-box method for the over-wintering.

Basil:
Not only not dead, but rather impressively growing strong. I will bring it inside for the winter and see if I can winter it over.

Banananana Peppers:
They're not as big as the ones in the market, but they are yum, and did well. I will do again next year.

Sweet Bell Peppers:
Meh. I finally got a few, but they are too small to stuff and I just think I'm better off spending my time/energy on something that gives a better return.

Beans:
I never grew beans here at this house before. I am going to either give up on "organic" gardening for them, or forget beans. Mexican Bean Beetles. The "organic" pesticide solution fried the leaves and blossoms and left me with nothing but sad-looking, naked tendrils wrapped around the trellis. Not Good. 'nuff said.

Blatantly Stolen Comments:

WRT the current scare tactics from NRA auto-dialers looking for contributions and saying that President Obama, the "Lib'ruls", Secretary Clinton, and possibly little green men from Mars are trying to overturn the 2nd ammendment:

The U.S. government as currently constituted probably couldn't agree on the wording of a National Be Nice to Kittens and Puppies Resolution­, and they're all going to get together to repeal one-tenth of the Bill of Rights!

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I just like this one. I soooooo want it to be true. I wish it were true. Wishes and wants and $5 will get you a triple venti vanilla latte at Starbucks, however:


I should have figured it out sooner.
It's the shampoo I use in the shower.
When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body.
Printed very clearly on the shampoo label it reads, "FOR EXTRA VOLUME AND BODY."
I have gotten rid of the shampoo and I am going to start using Dawn dish detergent.
...Its label reads, "DISSOLVES FAT THAT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE." Problem solved!
Geez! It sure pays to read the label!