End

  

And, here we are – the end of July – already. 

For those of us here on the Texas Gulf Coast, hold on August is comin’ . . . .it’s fixin’ to get hot!

This, the last day of July, is . . .

Uncommon Instruments Awareness Day 

As I’m sure you all know, today is the day on which we are urged to take time to think about the rare and unusual instruments that have gone obsolete, or are otherwise beyond our ken.  Here are a few of the, uhmmmm, well, the simply odd. 

The Nellophone

(Greg – this one is for you) The Serpent Tuba

Crwth

Also, today is

National Avocado Day

So, a few avocado facts -

1 One-Third of a medium avocado has 80 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals, making it a great nutrient dense food choice.

2 Avocado is basically a berry – a large one with a single seed inside it.

3 Avocados are available as both domesticated and undomesticated. Domesticated ones have a green skin, a fleshy body and a big-ish seed. The undomesticated ones have a black skin, somewhat fleshy body and a very large seed.

4 Scientists have unearthed evidences from a cave in Mexico’s Cuscatlán, which reveal that avocados were eaten as far back as in 10,000 BCE.

5 The word avocado comes from the Spanish word aguacate. This Spanish word is derived from āhuacatl – a Nahuatl word.  The word “guacamole” is a derivation of the Aztec word ahuacamolli, which translates loosely to “avocado soup” or “avocado sauce.”

A couple of follow-up things.

Remember I had to get a new tire??  When I asked the tire store guy if I could only get one (rather than replace them all), the guy at the tire store told me – yes, I could just get one but it wouldn’t match the other tires.

I assumed if it’s not going to match that means it’s gonna be green or blue – but no.

Another catch-up thing.  Back in June (6/22 Making) I wrote about soap making and the dandelion honey batch I had just made including the problems I experienced with that making.  Was it soap or was it not.  Well, here’s the answer –

It’s Soap!  This is Dandelion Honey Soap and it has benefits like –

1 It helps treat skin with eczema or dermatitis.

2 Can help treat skin infections and inflammations

3 It nourishes the skin with essential vitamins

4 And, it can help minimize skin pores, brighten skin tone, prevent fungal infections, help to clear wound marks.

I am never making it again because it was a pain in the patootie to do!

Finally, here’s what’s been blooming in my yard this month

Bauhinia purpurea – White Orchid Tree

Aristolochia macrophylla -  Miniature Dutchman’s Pipevine

Hypericum spp. – St. John’s Wort

 

Euphorbia milii – Red Crown of Thorns

Adenium obesum - Desert Rose

 

Lady of Shallot - a shrub rose

One other thing and then I’m done.  Recently I put up a picture of various herbs including my dill which was covered with hungry monarch caterpillars.  They at it to the dirt and left.  Sigh.  Fine! 

Yesterday I walked out to find

my curly parsley completely covered with little monarch caterpillars.  Today – just a few dead stalks left.  Double sigh. 

Have a good weekend y’all!

 

31 Jul 2021