After just getting clobbered by a windy, snowy storm, dropping about 7 inches on us, we’re girding up for the next blow, coming to us from Colorado. While it’s not going to be what some folks are getting, we sure won’t be unhappy if it misses us or doesn’t turn out as bad as they forecast. They are saying another 6 inches plus. Oh well, it’s better than feet! Luckily, with a couple of nice, sunny days between storms, it gives us a chance to get prepared.

The last big storm was a doozy.

I’m getting started planting our hot peppers. As I have several habanero types, which are long-season peppers, they have to go in extra early, so they have a chance to finish up, in pots, in the greenhouse, this fall. I’ve got Peach Habanero, Death Spiral, Trinidad Scorpion, and Habanada. I have a bunch of Jiffy pellets left over from previous years, so I’m using them up this year to get rid of them. Last year I found that my plants did much better, with seeds planted in ProMix, in plastic packs, than they did in the peat pellets. Oh well, live and learn. I soak the peat pellets in hot water until they swell up nicely, then place in flats or smaller containers with labels. Then I seed them and put the packs in a plastic bag, set on shelves behind our wood stove in the living room.

Here’s the first of my 2023 peppers.

My knee continues to get better slowly. I wish the pain and swelling would abate. But then, I know I’m on my feet and sitting way longer at a time than I should be. You can’t always do everything perfectly… Meanwhile, I just ordered some Angel’s Trumpets from Angeltrumpetnursery.com. I got some from them last year and they did great. And reasonably priced, awesome varieties, too. You may want to check them out!

Here’s one of the new Angel Trumpets I just ordered. I couldn’t resist.

— Jackie

29 COMMENTS

  1. Glad your knee is improving! Am back to California trying to get stuff from old house to new house. The near constant rain, flooding, snow, road closures and power outages have made this task very hard. It has been some really wild weather here. I’ve been wondering if its time to build an ark in California. Or maybe a submarine.

    • Yeah, I’ve been watching the news with all the flooding, etc. in California. I’m praying for folks there!

  2. Oh boy! Your seeds came yesterday. :)

    This morning is the last in a three day stretch of 29 degree mornings with frost after a string of lows in the 60’s. Potatoes were starting to push up so we had to cover them with leaves and row cover. Thank goodness we don’t get your kind of winter weather!

    Remember that ice is your friend, my friend!

  3. We get snow (and the one ice storm – love my YakTrax). It all melts and we get another snow to cover the green again. Looks like rain only for us the next couple of weeks (not every day). Food is getting scarce for the deer – anything green catches their eye it seems. So I’ve been putting out extra corn/seed late in the day. Looks like we’ll not have any leftover ear corn this year. If need be, I’ll buy some cracked corn for them.
    Looked at the record high/low for today in my area. High of 82 one year, all kinds of things bloomed too early then we had a drought. Squirrels ate green strawberries and rabbits enjoyed young green beans. Low of 5 the other year, no wonder all the snow from the two blizzards plus other snow we got didn’t melt until late May (that is late for my area). Gotta roll with the punches and the weather.
    Watching for our favorite seed potato to be on the shelf. Plus cooking corned beef and cabbage this weekend. We’ll buy another corned beef when it goes on sale post St. Patrick’s day and enjoy it again.

    • Love that corned beef! And I’m only 1/16 Irish! Let’s hope for a wonderful spring this year.

      • Scored another corned beef at a decent price. If another comes up @less cost, we’ll toss it in the freezer. We’ll get at least five meals out of one purchase (shared with Dad). The cost of taters (we ate all ours fresh), carrots, and cabbage is minimal so five meals for *maybe* $15 is a steal.
        I’m a bit more Irish – probably closer to 25%. Ironically, pork was the preferred corned meal but once the cost of pork sky rocketed in the US. To no reader/poster on this board, corned beef became the cheaper alternative. Regardless, I could live on potatoes and I’m positive that is the Irish in me.

  4. I saw what the locals called an Angel Trumpet in Jamaica one year. But your flower looks like a fancy version of what I saw. I never thought of trying to grow one as I thought it was strictly tropical. But if you can grow it there, it will grow anywhere; well, maybe because it is growing for Jackie! Don’t give up on the knee.

    • I can only grow Angel Trumpets in pots, inside for the winter or outside, as an annual. The guy I buy from has really fancy hybrids, not the “plain old white” ones. I sure haven’t given up on the knee. I see daily improvement. But then I have so much I want to do, I get impatient with it at times.

    • Check out the website angeltrumpetnursery.com. Mark has awesome brugmansias (Angel Trumpets).

  5. Hi there!

    Boy, that is a beautiful window picture. I know you must be ready for some warm sunshine.
    I’m so glad to hear your knee is getting better. Yaay!
    That flower is gorgeous! I’ve never heard of them or seen them before. I will have to look into it.
    I love trying new things.
    Stay warm and cozy.

    • I get a kick out of trying new things every year, both flowers and veggies. So much fun!

  6. We had angels trumpets in the green house years ago and for what ever the reason the smell put us both off even if they are beautiful. Hope the pain eases up soon. I had months of debilitating pain after back surgery so I know how you feel.

    • Some aren’t fragrant at all. The ones I had have little fragrance so maybe that’s help. The pain and swelling are getting better daily. If I don’t over-do.

  7. That Angel’s Trumpet is beautiful! I’m getting ready to plant my peppers seeds today or tomorrow – these are Seed Treasures seeds :) Can’t wait. Keep on going with that knee – you can do it, Jackie!!

    • I am just waiting for dirt and warmer weather. Meanwhile, the knee can keep getting on with healing!

  8. The angel’s trumpet is absolutely gorgeous . I have seen them in catalogs but have never seen one in someone’s hand to see just how big they are .

    • They are huge. And also prolific bloomers. The whole plant is toxic though, so you wouldn’t want to add it to a salad.

  9. Hi Jackie! Just a thought to add to your knee situation. When I had my replacement I found that sitting in a glider type chair, feet on the floor, and just gliding back and forth to work the joint mobility really helped. It’s gentle but consistent movement. Good luck with your rehab!

    • That’s a great idea. Also would be good for people who have knee arthritis but don’t want surgery as it keeps the joint mobile!

    • Great idea! I use a walker due to bad knees. And I had hip surgery in November after falling and breaking my hip. I’m going to try sitting on my and moving back and forth.

    • That’s a great idea Lisa. I’ll have to see if I can find one soon. Maybe it would help my non-surgical “bad” knee too?

  10. Are those brown things that look like donuts the peat pellets that you said you soaked in hot water?

  11. I don’t know that I have ever seen angel’s trumpet before. It is breath-taking. Thanks for always expanding our horizons.

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