Nl november15

15 20 R, BE M O VE N

...for discerning weeders

Inside This Issue!

A fungus we actually LIKE A golden spot Recipes and so much more!

The Foundation for the Gator Nation.....

An equal opportunity institution.

GIVING THANKS GARDENING (AND OTHER) HOLIDAYS FOR NOVEMBER Adopt a Turkey Month Banana Pudding Lovers Month National Georgia Pecan Month National Peanut Butter Lovers Month National Pomegranate Month Sweet Potato Awareness Month National Fig Week 1st—7th National Split Pea Soup Week 8th—14th National Farm-City Week 20th-26th National Nachos Day 6th Pumpkin Destruction Day 7th National Pickle Day 14th National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day 15th Doctor Who Day 23rd

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

P. Collins D. Edmiston H. Gifford M. Harrison L. Kulaw L. Leon J. Martin C. Moody M. Noble L. Timothy S. Young

If your birthday is this month: Your trees are: walnut, chestnut and ash.

Your flower is chrysanthemum.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Your birthstone is topaz and citrine.

Your colors are white, gold, and cream.

Activity Calendar Fungus Among Us

Plentiful Plantings

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Wildlife Happenings

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Creeping Charlie

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Attention

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Info and Updates

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Fascinated with Fasciations

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Gator Trouble

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Recipe Round-up

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Info-graphics Monarchs in the Nursery

You may access the VMS site by clicking on the link below:

3-4

Nursery Notes

Garden Glories

Sign in to VMS and log in your hours!

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8-9 9 10-11

All that Glitters

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Last Word

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https://florida.volunteersystem.org/ UniversalLogin.cfm An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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A FUNGUS AMONG US Bread and wine- the very staff of life. So, what do we need to make these? Flour, salt, water… grapes and sugar. Oh, and a healthy dose of fungus. Whaaaaat?? Yes, indeedy- a very important fungus-better known as yeast to most of us- is THE essential ingredient in both and is responsible for the rise in our bread and the alcohol in our wine. Without yeast, you might as well be consuming tortilla chips and grape juice. A closer look at this fungus yields some fascinating details. Yeast is defined as ‘a microscopic fungus consisting of single oval cells that reproduce by budding, and are capable of converting sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide.’ And for thousands of years, humans have utilized these traits- the carbon dioxide has been used in baking and the alcohol in alcoholic beverages.

What is yeast? Yeast is classified as a eukaryote, meaning it is an organism whose cells contain a nucleus and other organelles (those are specialized subunits within a cell that have specific functions enclosed within membranes.) The nucleus and organelles set yeast apart from other organisms that do not have a nucleus.

This trait makes it very important to modern human cell biology research. Several yeasts have been used in genetics and cell biology, and have been instrumental in the study of cellular processes, including cell division, and metabolism. Many of the proteins important in human biology were discovered by studying their counterparts in yeast. On 24 April 1996, a yeast known as S. cerevisiae became the first eukaryote to be fully sequenced as part of the Genome Project. At that time, it was the most complex organism to have its full genome sequenced, and this accomplishment took seven years with more than 100 laboratories involved.

History of Yeast: Yeast and humans go way back. In Egypt, archaeologists have discovered evidence of breweries and bakeries that used yeast up to 4,000 years ago. Yet until the 19th century, no one was quite sure how the organism worked or what it was. In medieval England, the resulting foam on beer was believed to have miracle properties, and called godisgoode, which means "God is good." Which might remind some of this saying, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” In 1680, the Dutch naturalist Anton van Leeuwenhoek first observed yeast under a microscope but at that time, it was not thought to be a living organism. Nearly two centuries later, Louis Pasteur published a paper (1857) proving that yeast was indeed a living organism, and that the foaming and rising it caused were part of a fermentation process. The yeast organism consumes oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide (like us). When combined with wheat gluten, the fungi expels carbon dioxide, causing bubbles in the dough and giving bread its texture.

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

by K. Harper But even before Pasteur made his discoveries, in the 1700’s two yeast strains used in brewing had been identified and were used commercially by the Dutch and Germans for bread-making. By the mid-19th century, methods had been discovered to produce both block yeast and granular yeast. In the United States, folks had been relying on capturing naturally-occurring airborne yeasts and it was not until the Centennial Exposition in 1876 in Philadelphia, that a man named Charles L. Fleischmann (ah hah!) demonstrated a commercially-produced yeast.

How yeast reproduces: The yeast cell is oval or round and has a thin membrane and looks like this: http:// tinyurl.com/yfnt9ng With the proper conditions of moisture, temperature and food supply, it reproduces by budding. During this process, a swelling forms on its surface. Part of the parent cell's nucleus goes into this bud, and a wall is formed between the parent cell and the bud, which then becomes a separate cell. In this way, thus chains or clusters of cells are formed. This is a rapid process, requiring about 20 minutes to produce a new organism.

Yeast and fermentation: Yeast gets it food supply from fructose, glucose, and simple sugars which are found in most fruits.

This breaking down of sugars is fermentation and this is what produces alcohol and carbon dioxide as by-products. Fermentation turns fruit juices into wine and helps turn grain mash into beer or whiskey. It’s the carbon dioxide which makes the bubbles in beer and some kinds of wine, and causes bread to rise. As bread bakes, the alcohol produced by fermentation evaporates.

Fruits and grains carry "wild" yeasts that have settled on them.

However, these do not produce the reliable results that commercial wine-makers, brewers, and bakers rely on so the wild yeasts are washed off or killed by high temperatures, and pure strains of cultivated yeasts are added. Thus you can be reasonably sure that the booze or bread that you buy will be pretty much what you expected.

Other uses of yeasts: Aside from brewing and baking, yeast has a wide variety of useful applications.

Bioremediation: Some yeasts are known to degrade the effluent from the milling of palm oil. Some are being investigated for their potential to absorb heavy metals and other toxic pollutants such as arsenic.

Industrial ethanol production: Yeast is essential to the production of ethanol. The process begins with the milling of sugar cane, field corn, or other cereal grains, and then goes through several more steps during which the starches are broken down 3

November, 2015

FUNGUS cont’d. into simple sugars. At this point, yeasts are added to convert the mouth. If Candida yeast gets into the bloodstream, it can spread simple sugars to ethanol, which is then further distilled to obtain throughout the body and cause fever, chills and even death. This a purified ethanol. infection is called invasive candidiasis, or candidemia, and is the fourth most-common bloodstream infection in the United States, Root Beer. Originally made by Native Americans, root beer is according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. now commercially produced using the same methods as beer, except the fermentation process is stopped sooner. This proRather than end on that cheerful note, let’s look at a few yeast duces carbon dioxide for the bubbly, but only trace amounts of fun facts for the bakers among us (I am one!): alcohol.

One pound of yeast contains 3,200 billion yeast cells; Nutritional supplements. Yeast is an excellent source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins. Nutri- The ideal temperature for yeast growth is 100 to 115 degrees F., but for leavening purposes, the ideal temperature is 80 to 95 tional yeast is said to have a nutty, cheesy flavor that makes it popular as an ingredient in cheese substitutes. Another popular degrees F. Yeast begins to die at 120 degrees F. So, it is imporuse is as a topping for popcorn. (I rely on others for this percep- tant to let your yeast dough rise in a spot where the temperature is regulated. tion, as I’m not a popcorn eater nor would I ever knowingly use anything labeled “cheese substitute”).

If the yeast grows too quickly, it will produce large bubble pockets in the end product. If you have this problem during warm Probiotics. Some folks are big believers in taking probiotics, which are yeast-based supplements, to maintain and restore the weather baking, make use of the fact that salt inhibits yeast growth. By slightly increasing the amount of salt in a recipe, you health of the intestinal tract. can curb runaway dough that wants to rise too much and create Aquariums. Yeast is used by aquarium hobbyists to generate those holes in the finished bread. carbon dioxide (CO2) to assist their aquarium plants with photosynthesis. This involves adding baker's yeast, sugar, baking soda, You should also proof your yeast to be sure it is viable before using in a recipe. To check it, mix a bit into 1/4 cup of lukewarm and water to a plastic bottle and then injecting the resulting CO2 water with 1/4 teaspoon sugar. It should begin to bubble and into the aquarium through a narrow hose. That’s the quick and ferment within about 5 to 10 minutes. If not, the yeast is dead dirty summary. Please don’t do this to your aquarium fish with- and should be discarded. (True confessions: I never do this and occasionally learn the hard way that my yeast is not viable when out consulting a more reliable source than me.

I shake a hard flat glob of baked stuff that resembles a white brickbat out of the bread machine pan. That’s when (a) the Yeast extract is the common name for various forms of procmenu changes abruptly or (b) someone gets sent to the store for essed yeast products that are used as food additives or flavors. a loaf of fresh bakery bread. Some of the store-bought ones are Anyone who has ever been the victim of Vegemite has tasted not half-bad.) yeast extract. Apologies to any Aussies among us.

Fleischmann is the brand of yeast that we’re probably the most The darker side of yeast. Not all yeasts are benign or helpful. familiar with and is available at any grocery store. However, about two years ago I switched to the Red Star brand have been Yeasts from the genus Candida are pathogenic, meaning they very pleased with the performance and reliability of their SAF cause diseases. Candida yeast infections can affect numerous instant yeast for my bread machine baking and for other types of baking. Lots of tips and suggestions can be found at their webareas of the body, including the skin, genitals, throat, and site: http://redstaryeast.com/

NURSERY NEWS

by L. Vanderpool

The nursery staff worked for several weeks to have plants ready for the big plant sale on October 24th. The result was an outstanding sale result with about half of the available plants cleared from the benches with a substantial amount of dollars added to the Master Gardener treasury.

propagation of natives from both seeds and from cuttings. Hopefully, there will be many more native varieties available next year.

The Jokester Intaxication Euphoria at getting a tax refund which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

The plant stand inside the building will be prepared for overwintering mother plants to begin restocking the nursery in the early spring. There have also been several donations of native wildflower seeds which will be planted in the early spring to add to the nursery inventory. Although we do not advertise to be a native plant nursery, the increased interest in native plants has given us encouragement to accentuate the An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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WILDLIFE HAPPENINGS

courtesy of www.wec.ufl.edu/extension

The hustle and bustle of the holidays will soon be upon us.

Don’t forget to take a few moments to check out what the local wildlife is up to during November!

BIRDS Cedar waxwings come south for the winter. Their flocks can be seen on cedars, hollies, cherry laurels, privet, and other fruit plants. Look for downy, hairy, red-bellied, and redheaded woodpeckers on suet feeders.. Bald eagles begin their nesting season. Look for spectacular aerial courtship displays. Sandhill cranes return in full force from their breeding grounds up north. Many yellow-rumped warblers and palm warblers will be in neighborhoods, natural areas, and yards. Gray catbirds have already arrived and will be skulking in thickets. Kinglets, phoebes, robins, and other northern songbirds have arrived for the winter.

tral Florida. As water temperatures lower, manatees begin to move to relatively warm waters at springs. Boaters beware of idle speed zones. Look for migrating Hoary and Red bats.

AMPHIBIANS Ornate chorus frogs begin calling.

FISH Spotted sea trout should enter tidal creeks around Thanksgiving. Bass congregate around jetties in the south end of Lake George.

MAMMALS Peak of deer rutting in central and north Florida. Bears are on the move and crossing roads, especially in Cen-

Hoary Bat

CREEPING CHARLIE

by L. Morris

Glechoma hederacea is a tenacious weed. Also known as ground ivy, gill-over-ground and creeping Charlie, it was imported into this country as a ground cover. It is a perennial broadleaf plant of the mint family. Leaves are opposite, heart shaped, petiolate and scalloped. Flowers are lavender and appear in the axils of the leaves. This plant reproduces by seed or by nodes that root in the soil.

This plant may be toxic to many animals including horses if eaten in large quantities. The presence of Glechoma in your lawn is a definite sign that the environmental conditions are not good.

The best practice is to correct the environmental problems in your lawn area. Remember that this vining plant will grow roots at each place a leaf node touches the soil so mechanical control is Sources: not always efficient. Dicamba products are the only effective http://www.edis.ifas.ufl.edu./Topic-weed management_guide chemical controls and even those have to be applied several Weeds of Southern Turfgrass p 130 times to achieve control. www.edis.ifas.ufl.edu. ENH884, revised April 2015.

The Jokester

ATTENTION!

“I’ve often thought that the process of aging could be slowed down if it had to go through Congress.”

George Bush

The following positions are open: #1—Beginning January 1st Speaker’s Bureau #2—Effective immediately STEMM co-chair for Outreach

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UPDATES AND INFO  Turfgrass herbicides: mechanisms of action and resistance management. 4 page fact sheet focuses on how to create an herbicide program that uses different MOAs to manage resistant weeds. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag398

 Blue Morpho butterfly. 5 page fact sheet about this popular butterfly. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1101

 Clavate Tortoise Beetle-revised from original featured creatures collection. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in710

 Pillbug, Roly-Poly, Woodlouse. 3 page fact sheet. http:// edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1099

 Estimated water savings potential of Florida-Friendly Landscaping ™ activities. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag515

 Red tide. http://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/nat/2015/10/31/theyre-herered-tide/

 Creeping indigo, a poisonous plant of concern in Florida pastures. 5 page fact sheet. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag399

staff  Sous vide cookery—4 page fact sheet. http:// edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an320

 Sand-Clay mix in phosphate mine reclamation: characteristics and land use—6 page fact sheet. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ ss636

 Frequently asked questions about soil moisture sensor irrigation controllers. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc238

 Frequently asked questions about evapotranspiration (ET) irrigation controllers. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc237

 The following publications are now available on EDIS and are alternate versions of pages published first on the Featured Creatures website: Spicebush Swallowtail Lesser Wax Moth Oblong-Winged Katydid Florida Flower Thrips Interesting Links:

Our vanishing flowers: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/17/ opinion/our-vanishing-flowers.html? action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=opinion-c-col-rightenemies and biopesticides in North America—guide also provides additional sources of information on obtaining and region%C2%AEion=opinion-c-col-rightusing commercial natural enemies. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-right-region&_r=1 in849 When Florida touched the Mississippi http://  Avian disease transmissible to humans—4 page fact sheet is www.floridamemory.com/blog/2015/09/15/when-floridatouched-the-mississippi a major revision!! http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps019

 Guidelines for purchasing and using commercial natural

FASCINATION WITH FASCIATIONS Fascination with Fasciations…..say that three times fast.

by L. Fabian

they find.

The praying mantis doesn’t seem bothered by the strangeness either. I noticed today that the cooler temps may have driven it We found an odd shape to better cover. When it warms, I would bet it will be returning. on our Odontonema Fascinated with the fasciations. strictum we have grown for several years in our All photos for yard. Weird...but lovely this article courtesy of E. Fabian in its own way.

A good article on the subject comes from the Miami-Dade County Extension Office. We often see these fascinating aberrations in succulents and a plant that exhibits the mutation and is carried in seeds is the Celosia. The cause of the aberration has been attributed to insects, temperature ranges, viruses and bacteria and chemical damage. No one really knows.

The aberrant growth hasn’t caused the hummingbirds to shy away. We have several that are daily sipping whatever nectar An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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GATOR TROUBLE!

by D. Stever

Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) is an emergent or rooted floating invasive that takes over aquatic areas throughout the southern portions of the United States.

It is listed as a Federal Noxious Weed due to its impacts on waterways. It is a category II invasive plant on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Councils (FLEPPC). The opposite leaves are nonsucculent. The white flowers occur in short, head like spikes.

Alligator weed roots in wet soils or shallow water and grows out into waterways. The floating mats expand along the surface.

Alligator weed can also grow terrestrially, forming smaller, tougher leaves. The thick mats can displace native vegetation, clog waterways, restrict oxygen levels of water, increase sedimentation, interfere with irrigation, and prevent drainage. Control can be mechanical, chemical, or biological.

Alligator weed is native to South America and was first introduced into the United States around 1900 in ballast water from ships.

More Information: http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/aquatics/ alligatorweed.shtml http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=ALPH

RECIPE ROUND-UP This recipe is adapted from pallensmith.com and was credited to Scott McGehee.

and corn bread on the side.

PUMPKIN TURKEY CHILI Ingredients: 1 1/2 tsp. olive oil 1 lb. ground turkey 1 onion, chopped 2 cups water 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes 1 16-oz. can cannellini beans, drained 1 tbs. garlic, minced 3 tbs. dark chili powder 1/2 tsp. paprika 1/2 tsp. dried oregano 1 chipotle pepper in adobo 1 tbs. ground cumin 2 tsp. Salt 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper 2 cups pumpkin, peeled and diced

The Jokester If flying is so safe… why do they call the airport the terminal?

Don’t forget that we are always looking for articles, ideas and photos!

Articles on crafts for the garden. Do you have a handy tool tip? Is there an insect that you’ve had to deal with in your garden?

Perhaps a recipe?

Instructions:

Send them in!!!!!

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the turkey until evenly brown. Stir in the onion and cook until tender.

Don’t forget to let us know what the subject of your photo is!

Pour the water into the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream on top

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GARDEN GLORIES

Dwarf ruby red grapefruit. Photos courtesy of K. Harper

Cassia shrub with Sulfur butterfly caterpillar Photo courtesy of A. Donatelli

Fungus. Courtesy of S. Taylor

Pineland hibiscus.

Courtesy of D. Stever

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MORE GARDEN GLORIES Milk and Wine (below) Pink muhly (right) Courtesy of J. Fitzhugh

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MONARCHS IN THE NURSERY Ah, the joys of gardening with other Master Gardeners. Especially visiting with friends and sharing exciting moments.

Maybe it is a plant you thought was ready for the compost pile (all lower case here!) and turns out to be a ‘late bloomer’; or a brilliant color you didn’t expect to find in a drab array of leaves.

OH! I didn’t know it came in THAT color. Now I have to have it!

by L. Fabian much needed bath...master gardeners, NOT the caterpillar. The pot with the hanging caterpillar was placed in a nursery bed with a verbal pat on the head and everyone headed out for the rest of their day.

We were delayed leaving with a late visitor to the Plant Clinic who needed some help. Plus, Master Gardeners can always talk and while away some time.

One day this month at the nursery, we all turned into surrogate mothers (and fathers!) when one of the garden ninja’s was working at the potting table and grabbed the next plant to be up pot- Wonder how the caterpillar is ted. doing? We went back into the nursery and found the pot and WHOA! What’s with this creature? What should we do: go ahead WOW! Our caterpillar resemand report or… bled nothing like the critter that had been placed in the The critter found on the underbeds. More photos, of course. side of a leaf was firmly atWe still had our lunch to eat, a tached to a silk pad it had crebrown bag day, so we waited ated. The caterpillar was hanganother half hour or so. ing upside down by its nether end. I’m sure there is a scienTime for a second check. tific name for the posterior of a caterpillar. I may get around to The old skin had been shed and only the faint rings of the previlooking that up. ous state were reminiscent of the caterpillar we had watched all morning. Now the chrysalis hung where the caterpillar had Did you know that the origin of found a spot for that next transformation. the word ‘caterpillar’ comes from late Middle English, “It’s easy to think of a chrysalis as something probably brought over by the a caterpillar makes, like a cocoon, but this French and it translates as isn’t really true. The body that the caterpillar hairy cat. Apparently a number of the old world languages have reveals when it sheds its skin for the last time a variation on the name: devil’s cat in Swiss German and gatta is the chrysalis. Along with the ability to in Lombard in Northern Italy. occasionally twitch in response to threats, this shell is what protects the caterpillar while But I digress...what else is new? it transforms.” http://tinyurl.com/m5xz6qf Our hiding critter was/is a monarch caterpillar who had decided that Friday was the day to give up the old life and assume a new persona. Egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to the next level of Nirvana...a butterfly. I WANNA FLY!!!

All of the surrogates wanted to put it aside and wait to see what happened. For a couple of hours the caterpillar hung upside down and exercised its abs, making the classic ‘J’ that indicated it was moving on in the developmental process.

As all good things must come to an end, time arrived to close up the nursery and go home for a An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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MONARCHS cont’d.

Three days into the process it seems to be really sweaty work.

The transformation from caterpillar to chrysalis began on a Friday and this picture was taken three days later on Monday.

Information from sources on the web indicate that the ‘J’ posture lasts about a day. It was 10:00 am when it was found so sometime late the previous evening the caterpillar had left off feeding and found a place to begin the next stage.

How can you help? Make sure you include plants in your garden that attract butterflies and provide the food they need to eat or a place to lay eggs. For the Monarchs, the food source is the Asclepias genus. Some butterflies are not picky and some are very specific as to what they need to survive. Color the Monarch picky!

OK..finally looked at the anatomy of a caterpillar. Other than the obvious term for what lies at the end of an “eating tube”, there is also a hook-covered appendage called a “cremaster”...also somewhere near the nether end of the caterpillar. That’s the hook that is used to attach the caterpillar firmly to a silk pad during the chrysalis stage. So now you know!

Egg to butterfly takes about five weeks. Shorter if the weather is warmer and longer as the weather cools. Egg to caterpillar is short..less than a week. The caterpillar eats its way to the next stage over the next 9-14 days. Then they can vote and have that first legal drink...no, don’t go there fellows! Bad for your developmental process!

And the cycle is completed as the egg hatches into a caterpillar which becomes a chrysalis becomes a butterfly and the circle repeats.

A FINAL EPITAPH Saturday at the nursery, the chrysalis had turned into a butterfly.

Sadly, the butterfly was deformed. It appeared that there are only four legs and part of the head is missing. Perhaps a predator found the new monarch before it was dry enough to fly out of reach.

Our observations lasted from 9 October through 24 October.

Nature has its own agenda when it comes to survival.

Plant more milkweed. There will be other butterflies.

All photos in this article are courtesy of E. Fabian

By the time you read this, our chrysalis will have moved on to the http://entnemdept.ful.edu/creatures/bfly/monarch.htm butterfly state and flown away to find a place to lay more http://www.butterflybushes.com/ eggs...or to help some lady butterfly be able to lay some eggs. monarch_metamorphosis.htm

ALL THAT GLITTERS Would love to have a pendant cast with these colors...and what are those gold dots??? Since one article leads to another so more research and here are some of the ideas about the gold spots on the Monarch chrysalis.

by L. Fabian Photo by E. Fabian reasons that these pupae have metallic-looking spots (I’m sure others on the list came up with other hypotheses, and possibly ways to test them):

 Camouflage: they could reflect colors of the surroundings and break up the shape of the pupa; they might also look like dew droplets.

 Warning coloration

 Filtering particular wavelengths of light which might be “A group of researchers in harmful to the developing insect Germany did a careful study of the properties of  They might not have any function, but just be the result of these spots. They are not metallic (so they aren’t really gold), but something else in the cuticle of the insect. the cells reflect light like metals do, giving them the appearance http://www.monarch.org.nz/monarch/forum/topic/goldof being metallic. Their reflection of light is due to the way that spots-on-monarch-chrysalis/ the layers of the pupal integument are arranged in these areas.

Here are some hypotheses that people have suggested for the An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

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M. Stewart —Editor S. Farrell , K. Harper and S. Berry—co-editors

Have pictures or an idea for an article?

Send it in!

Articles and pictures are always welcome.

Mission To assist Extension Agents in providing research-based horticultural education to Florida residents.

Vision To be the most trusted resource for horticultural education in Florida.

LAST WORD After enjoying the Master Gardener conference, for some reason I decided that developing pneumonia would be a good thing to do on the day following my return home. I mean breathing is definitely overrated. That, my friends, is something I do not wish a repeat performance in any way, shape or form.

The result is a VERY late edition of our Newsletter and for that my deepest apologies. It’s truly amazing how losing one week (okay it was really two weeks but who is counting) can set you back for what seems like months!

But I’m happy to say that I’m almost back to normal (okay—ya’ll can stop laughing any time you want).

Good thing too since Thanksgiving is at my house this year. My family rotates the holiday meals and this year is my turn.

And considering the turkey that is currently in my freezer—it’s a VERY good thing that I’ll be at functioning levels. Did I say turkey??? I think it’s really a cousin to Godzilla!!!

You see, every holiday season I tell the good butcher in the meat department of the local store that I want a big turkey.

This way when they put their order in, I know that I’ll be able to get one of the larger sized birds.

We do have quite a few people at the table but I’ll admit that the big bird is mostly for leftovers!!! Mmmmmm—turkey.

But last year, someone messed up. My ‘big’ bird never got ordered. Now when I say big, I mean a 20 pounder—perhaps a little more. So without the ‘big’ bird there were fewer sandwiches after the feast. (sniff) Fast forward a couple of months and on a shopping trip I see they have turkeys...actually they have something that is labeled a turkey. IT WAS HUGE! So was the price. After all, it isn’t the time when they would be on sale.

One thing leads to another and said butcher mentions that they have big turkeys. I respond that they didn’t have them when I wanted them. Butcher says, “Well we have them now.” I inform him that they are just too expensive. I keep hunting for a package of meat that doesn’t require a small loan when the butcher comes back to where I’m standing. “Tell you what—you buy the bird and I’ll give it to you for the sale price since we messed up your order.”

Now, ladies and gents, who is going to turn down a deal like that? After all, it won’t hurt the bird to be in the freezer until Thanksgiving and getting it for less than 60 cents a pound??? I’d be nuts to walk away from that sweet deal.

You know that there are times in your life where you realize that your sanity has left

An Okaloosa County Master Gardener Publication

By M. Stewart the building. There is something about getting a good deal—whether it’s on a car or an airline ticket—something happens to our brains. My good sense was over in aisle 8 while I man-handled my prize onto the lower rack of the shopping cart. Not once did I even consider the insanity of what I was involved in.

I am the proud owner of a 36 pound turkey. Yes folks, 36 pounds. Now Happy Hubby is an awesome guy and took very good care of me while I was sick. BUT, can you imagine how not-very-happy he would be if I were to inform him that he would have to handle cooking this bird and all that goes with it? Yeah, it’s not a pretty thought at all. So, like I said, thankfully I’m functioning well.

I figure that if I start thawing Mr. Turkey out now, he may be done in time for Thanksgiving. I had to clear off most of a shelf in the big freezer just to get it in there. Another thankful moment when I confirmed that it will fit in the oven. Although I’ve discovered that there isn’t a disposable roaster that is designed for that weight.

I’ve also found out that all the cooking charts only go up to 24 pounds. So if you figure the average of 20 minutes per pound and we plan on having dinner about 5 pm...man alive that will be an early morning. And all this time I thought you had to EAT the tryptophan to get sleepy!

Yes, indeed, turkzilla will be stuffed (note to self—get out the really big mixing bowl— we’re gonna need A LOT of stuffing) and roasting away on our national day of thanks. Everyone will eat too much. There will be a huge mess in the kitchen and definitely football on the television all day long.

And our list of thanks will be a long one.

Thanks for everyone gathered around the table. Thanks that there is food on the table and a roof over our heads. Thanks for the men and women who protect our streets, our safety, and our freedoms.

Thanks for the freedoms that we enjoy every day. Thanks for the climate that we enjoy as gardeners. Thanks for our many friends and neighbors.

But really, shouldn’t we be thankful every day—not just save our thanks for one day out of the year?

I challenge everyone for this coming year to make every single day a Thanks-giving day. Give thanks each day for even just one of the many blessings that we enjoy.

Thanks not just for the big things, but all the little things that go on in our lives every single day.

Plentiful Plantings November, 2015