R2 and Asters

Well, I still love our Roomba. We are trying out the name R2...he spins around and beeps and is very helpful...I think R2 fits. Several people have commented on my calling R2 a 'he'. I can't exactly explain it, but he's definitely a HE! You'll just have to come watch him in action and decide for yourselves.




To go with my 'cleaning up' mood this weekend, I did some work in my (now mostly retired) veggie bed. I pulled up the veggie plants that had finished their work, added in some new soil, and planted some beautiful Asters. I had every intention of getting Mums, but the color of these Asters really struck me! They basically look just like Mums, and I just couldn't quit going back to these while at the Depot. My Marigolds, a holdover from the veggie garden, do sort of give an LSU-vibe, but that shouldn't last too much longer! You'll see in the photos below I do still have a serrano chili plant, one tomato plant, my bell pepper plants, and my green onions mixed in with the Asters. These are still producing, so I won't be pulling them up for some time yet.




This is a recent photo of the new roses I got this spring. This is one of the few blooms the deer haven't destroyed yet!


Now, on to my public service announcement. A few months ago I requested ideas on how to use the Pimento Peppers growing in my yard. No one provided any, so Tuesday night I decided I'd just try throwing them on a salad. When I cut them up, they smelled like bell pepper, and the internet kept describing them as similar to sweet bell peppers. Well, the internet LIED. I don't know if I got some random cousin of the plant described on the internet or what, but these peppers are not sweet. They are HOT. Actually, Hot doesn't even describe them...they are dangerous! I cut one small pepper up to put on our salads, and thankfully (i guess, maybe for Daniel!) I decided to try the tiniest speck of a piece before throwing it on our salads. I can honestly say, this pepper had contact with my lips and the very tip of my tongue for maybe 1 second, but for the next 2 hours, I had to keep a piece of ice to my lips! I immediately ran to the sink to wash my mouth out, but to no avail. I looked like I'd had a collagen injection! Red, swollen, extremely painful lips! Thanks to Corinne I did have a long list of home remedies to try...milk, yogurt, rubbing alcohol, benadryl, and aloe. Let me just tell you now, the ONLY thing that works is FRESH ALOE. Not sure why I tried this last, but praise Jesus (and Daniel for remembering to cut some for me) it worked! Lesson for you all...keep a fresh aloe plant on hand for any pepper oil burns! It tastes like crap, and looks pretty disgusting coating your lips, but it's heaven compared to the previous pain.

P.S. If anyone wants some Pimento Peppers, I've got a whole plant you can have!

P.P.S Happy Anniversary to Meg and Ben and Lisa and Chip! Here's to 4 wonderful years!