Gardening, Home and Nature Thread, Nov. 7

More Late Color from Don in Kansas on October 16.

All the rain that we didn't get this summer fell during the past three weeks, 8.5 inches worth. The clematis that had gone dormant during the hot, dry weather woke up and is blooming again.

And see the link above for photos and growing information on 'Darlow's Enigma' Rose, Symphyotrichum [Aster] oblongifolium, Salvia azurea, Thunbergia and a white form, plus Helianthus maximiliani (which had kept going since the last time we saw a photo of this magnificent sunflower.

Edible Gardening/Putting Things By

Ever heard of this? Apparently, it contains Vitamin K. Wonder how many of us could grow it indoors in winter?

🏆 Discover the health benefits of #Katuk: a #Superfood for your mind and body

🌿 Katuk, or #TropicalAsparagus (#Sauropusandrogynus), is a delicious #leafyvegetable popular in South and Southeast Asia. Its young shoots, often referred to as tropical asparagus, are highly prized for their taste and high yields.
🌿 In Vietnam, Katuk is commonly cooked in soups with crab meat, minced pork, or dried shrimp, while in Malaysia, it’s stir-fried with egg and dried anchovies.
🌿 The #plant is unique for being one of the few plants that contains vitamin K. It’s also rich in folate, vitamin K, and lutein - nutrients linked to improved memory and reduced cognitive aging.
🌿 Katuk thrives in full sun or semi-shade, making it a versatile and healthy addition to your #garden or kitchen.

🛒 Add Katuk Superfood to your edible garden today:
https://t.co/1o1n7JuAqH

#Food_Forest #Remedies #Discover

— TopTropicals.com (@toptropicals) July 9, 2025

Don in Kansas knows how to prepare for holiday visitors through research:

Puttering, Self-Improvement and Connection

This is one of the non-political Saturday threads, but if you missed it, someone posted in the comments on a recent thread an AoSHQ thread by Warden from another hard time, in 2012. It is entitled Where do we go from here? We talk about home and preparedness issues here, and we should probably talk sometimes about how we connect with neighbors.

Topics touched on in Warden's post include:

Focus on self-improvement

Get in shape

Outperform

Prepare

Preparation is a topic that fits into this thread. There are some ideas in Warden's post that we may sometimes neglect.

Small things add up

Some interesting ideas on doing the things you can and maintaining an attitude of gratitude.

Some AoSHQ threads have staying power.

Adventure

Remember the Halloween quilt lady? She and her husband teamed up with a hiking friend for a post-Halloween adventure:

We finally got to hike in the Superstitions. The saguaros are abundant and thriving, the jagged skyline crystal clear blue with puffy clouds, the trail rocky and beckoning us on. We reached the end where there was running water from the rain storms. Also some very cool petroglyphs. There were a lot of people out enjoying this trail today!

After our hike, we drove to Tortilla Flat. I didn't know such a place existed. It's a teeny ghost town. The saloon/restaurant walls are covered in dollar bills. People write their names and the date on the bill and staple it to the wall. Some are layered 4 deep. My favorite had colored over Washington's face with a Batman mask and put a conversation bubble saying "I am Batman." There were even dollar bills under plastic on the tabletop. I'm sure there was at least a million dollars stapled to the walls. For being out in the middle of nowhere, there were a heck if a lot of people having lunch there. The food was great! Part of the road was still flooded, but it wasn't on the part where we drove in.

Wyatt Earp?

Gardens of The Horde

What's happening in your garden?

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

If you would like to send photos, stories, links, etc. for the Saturday Gardening Thread, the address is:

ktinthegarden at g mail dot com

Remember to include the nic or name by which you wish to be known at AoSHQ, or let us know if you want to remain a lurker.

Week in Review

What has changed since last week's thread? Gardening, Home and Nature Thread, Halloween!

I closed the comments on that post so you wouldn't get banned for commenting on a week-old post, but don't try it anyway.

One of the oldest tree species on Earth,

The magnificent Ginkgo tree at Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds, England, transforms into a golden spectacle each autumn, https://t.co/RCIOyiVYlD

— Science girl (@sciencegirl) November 3, 2026