Check Out My Artichokes

I hope you like pictures of artichokes because I have a boatload today. It's their second year in this garden. When I moved from the old ranch house to the new ranch house, I dug up most everything I had planted. Some of the chokes were for eating, so they were transplanted into raised beds. Other chokes were planted around the old house were definitely not for eating. Who knows what was in that old soil. I always play it safe when it comes to food. Seriously after years of trying to eat organic food and then turn around and have a Micky D burger or an arsenic artichoke. It's not happening.

Anyhoot. 
 

I have four plants in the raised beds and multiples of gypsies. Three of the four have decided to gift me with an abundant crop, but my problem, and it's always something, is that I kind of want to let them bloom. Sure I'd like to eat them too. I love artichokes. Hot. Cold. With Butter. With Mayo. Grilled. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

  

But with this heat we've been having, I think they may have already gone to seed. And let's face it, artichokes are a thistle. 

 

One plant is about six feet tall. That's the first photo. It was the best tasting last year. Hands down. Close up of one of its chokes is the second photo.

The third photo is the choke with meaty leaves. And the four photo is the choke that has a real dense head. I know, you'd think they would all be the same. But they are each unique.

Notice my beautiful steamer on the porch. I can't believe The Mister picked it out all my himself. Some B-days he does good. Artichoke green stripes! 

Fry Pan Portrait

One of the things I bought for myself for my birthday is this charming eight inch fry pan. I threw my other one away about a month ago. It had that non-stick coating that was flaking up. That's not a good thing to eat, so into the trash it went, followed by heavy hints of wanting a copper all clad. 

Well, short of writing down the item number with a picture attached, there was no way The Mister would get the hint. He got me the soapstone pan and mugs instead because he's always wanted soapstone cooking devices.

  

Although to his credit, he did get me a steamer - a lounge chair that might have been on the Titanic. 

  

So I got this lovely pan that fries an egg perfectly and those Master & Commander glasses that are seriously heavy. (I'm now developing wrist muscles.) I must say I really scored this B-day!

The First Snake Of The Season

I've seen a number of snakes in the road thus far, but this is the first snake in the garden this season. With all the lizards I knew to be cautious of snakes, and now with the heat I was poised with my camera, on alert, and ready to attack. Taking pictures, that is.
Sure enough most came out blurry. Of course the snake was freaking out with me running around jamming a camera in his face. I finally turned my back and took a picture of the moon, and when I turned back around to see where he went, he was gone.