Texas Rock Rose

Pavonia lasiopetala is a Texas Native that is extremely drought tolerant.
Flower: 1" pink Hibiscus-like flower that is loved by butterflies and honey bees.
The Rock Rose will stay in bloom from summer till fall. This plant comes back every year in my garden. The plant can get leggy, but cutting it back several times a year keeps it in check and the look is still lovely.

Texas Rock Rose generally only last 3-4 years but will reseed freely and the seedlings can replace the older plants. The flower will open in the morning and will close in the afternoon, blooms can be extended if there is afternoon shade.

Package contains 10 seeds.

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Szalonna in Ohio

The Repas-Pacsuta Family Reunion was held in Aurora, Ohio on July 19, 2008. We gathered around my SIL's condo pavilion and sat around the grill cooking Szalonna, which is Hungarian for bacon. A day for artery hardening, but it was well worth it!

Here is a pic of my FIL, John, cutting up the Szalonna for preparation for cooking for the next day. The Szalonna is a smoked slab of bacon on the rind, that is cut into small chunks and off of the rind.

Below is a picture of the fire getting started on the grill and then everyone sitting around the grill cooking it up. Before you knew it everyone was standing around the grill waiting for the next piece of rye bread to be done!

The secret to a really good Szalonna sandwich is to make sure that the bread is a good rye bread and saturated with the bacon fat and then placing the cooked bacon on top. Top with your favorites, in this case, we had onions, bell pepper, and tomatoes, and it is wonderful! This was my first Szalonna tasting. I can hardly wait for the next time.

I told my DH that we need to have our own Szalonna party here in Texas. So, I'm on the lookout for a good Hungarian meat market.

What kind of flower are you?

"You are a health conscious person, both your health and the health of others. You know all about the health benefits and dangers of the world around you."

Well, I don't know about knowing all about this, but I do tend to think of others before myself. Sometimes this is not a good thing. I do believe that it is important to think about what is best for me. Not so easy to do, but I try.

I am an Echinacea What Flower Are You?

This plant is usually found in sunny locations, but they will do fine in dappled shade especially here in the hot Texas sun. There are several species but they each have that unmistakable form. The flowers are arranged individually on sturdy, 2-6 ft. stems and long-lasting soft lavender or purple petals surrounding an iridescent red-orange, coned center. The leaves are rough, scattered that become small toward the top of the stem. Because of the prickly center of the flower one of its common names is hedge hog.

Echinacea is one of the most cultivated flowers for use for medicinal purposes and has been used as a folk remedy by Indians and the early settlers. Today it is most commonly used as a boost to stimulate the immune system to help us ward off the common cold.

An excellent variety for your garden and for cut flower arrangements with a vase life of 5 to 7 days.