Here at my farm temperatures today are expected to be in the low 30s - the beginning of a forecasted stretch of cold, wintry days.
When it is this cold, I am so grateful all my tender tropical plants are safe indoors. I have several sizable hoop houses where I store most of my tropical plants over winter. The structures are all made from steel frames and polyethylene panels. Inside, the temperature and humidity levels are closely monitored and can be adjusted when necessary. And every few days, I like to go into each one to see how the plants are doing.
Enjoy these photos.
This is the inside of one of my hoop houses. They work by heating and circulating air to create an artificial tropical environment. The entire structure is built using heavy gauge American made, triple-galvanized steel tubing.
The plants inside are all arranged with enough space in between them, so they don’t touch each other. These plants grow a little more each year, so the placement of these specimens will change every time they are stored.
The houses are checked a couple times each day to make sure the temperature remains comfortably warm inside. Too cold, plants will freeze – too hot, plants will rot. To simulate the best subtropical environment, we try to keep the temperature in this house between 50 and 85-degrees Fahrenheit with some humidity.
The bromeliads in this structure are all blooming. Bromeliads are members of the Bromeliaceae plant family. They feature striking, sword-shaped leaves and a bright, unusual-looking bloom. One of the most well-known bromeliads is the pineapple. These plants are native to tropical North and South America with about half growing in the ground and the remainder as epiphytes, or air plants, that grow on trees or rocks.
Most bromeliads grow as stemless rosettes of leaves that may be symmetrical or twisted and curled.
The jade plants are also flowering. I have always been a fan of jade plants, those evergreen succulents with attractive shiny, dark green, fleshy leaves. I have quite a few of these popular houseplants in my collection. Jade plants need to be at least four to five years old in order to produce flowers. Jade flowers are clusters of tiny, star-shaped, white or pinkish blooms.
I have many agaves, including this giant blue agave with its beautiful gray-blue spiky fleshy leaves. Do you know… tequila is actually distilled from the sap of the blue agave?
This is the top of a potted Beaucarnea recurvata, the elephant’s foot or ponytail palm – a species of plant in the family Asparagaceae, native to the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz and San Luis Potosí in eastern Mexico. Despite its common name, it is not closely related to the true palms. In fact, it is a member of the Agave family and is actually a succulent.
It has a bulbous trunk, which is used to store water for its long, hair-like leaves that grow from the top of the trunk like a ponytail, giving the plant its name.
This is a Bismarckia palm, Bismarckia nobilis, which grows from a solitary trunk, gray to tan in color, and slightly bulging at the base. The nearly rounded leaves are enormous and are divided to a third its length into 20 or more stiff, once-folded segments.
Bismarckia is a monotypic genus of flowering plant in the palm family endemic to western and northern Madagascar, where they grow in open grassland. The genus is named for the first chancellor of the German Empire Otto von Bismarck and the epithet for its only species, Bismarckia nobilis, comes from Latin for ‘noble’.
Bismarckia nobilis grows from solitary trunks, which are gray to tan in color and show the old leaf bases.
This is the European fan palm. This is a slow-growing, clumping palm that grows eight to 15 feet tall and spreads six to 10 feet wide. This is the only palm native to Europe and is very hardy. The fine-textured fronds make this palm stand out from other plants. The leaf color ranges from lovely light green to silver.
I often underplant various pots with small spreading ground cover plants. Carpet sedum is a low maintenance, sun-loving, evergreen succulent that will thrive where other plants do not. It is native to parts of eastern Asia, with its name coming from the Latin word sedeo, meaning to sit, and lineare meaning linear, because of the narrow leaves. Sedums are often referred to as stonecrops because they are often found growing wild in rocky or stony areas.
The stephanotis plant, also known as Madagascar jasmine, Stephanotis floribunda, is a vine well loved for its deep green leathery foliage and clusters of fragrant white blossoms.
When they bear fruit, it’s a pod packed full of seeds that forms just after flower-bearing.
The staghorn fern is an unusual and attractive epiphyte that thrives in the tropics. I adore staghorns and over the years have collected quite a few of these magnificent specimens. Staghorn ferns are called Platyceriums. They are Old World tropicals native to Africa, northern Australia, and Southeast Asia.
The staghorn fern leaves are actually called fronds, and staghorn ferns have two types. The first is the “antler” frond – these are the large leaves that shoot out of the center of the plant, and from which staghorn ferns get their names, since they resemble the antlers of deer or moose.
The second type of staghorn fern frond is called the shield frond. These are the round, hard plate-like leaves that surround the base of the plant. Their function is to protect the plant roots, and take up water and nutrients.
This is another agave – one of many in my collection. It’s always so satisfying to walk into these hoop houses and see all the plants thriving. I am glad all my precious plants can be stored safely indoors during the winter. And of course, I always look forward to when they can come out of hiding again in the spring.
My kittens are growing fast - Cinco and Mayo are now nine-and-a-half months old!
These young and curious felines are now free to roam my stable complex and surrounding areas. At night, or when it is especially cold, they are in the feed room, where I keep their food, beds, water, toys, and their litter boxes. Keeping my cats happy, healthy, and clean is always a priority. One product I use to do this is PrettyLitter, an innovative cat litter that not only keeps odors at bay but also helps monitor my cats' health. It has the ability to change color indicating early signs of potential health issues. In addition, PrettyLitter is lightweight, low-dust, low maintenance, and long-lasting - just one bag per cat per month.
Here are some photos, enjoy. If you don't already use it, please try PrettyLitter. It’s a small change that can make a big difference for you and your feline friends! #PrettyLitterPartner
Here at my farm, these two critters are never far from each other. Born on March 15th, these feline sisters are almost a year old and thriving.
This is Cinco, the Calico. She is very outgoing and friendly.
And this is my tabby, Mayo. Both girls arrived at my farm May 5th, Cinco de Mayo – hence their names.
On cold days, they spend most of their time in the stable feed room where it is warm. Cinco loves to look out the window at all the farm activity.
Mayo loves to roll on the cobblestone stable floor. Oftentimes she is just waiting for belly rubs – hard not to oblige.
Look closely, Tabby cats have a distinctive coat pattern and an “M”-shaped marking on the forehead. The pattern can include stripes, dots, lines, flecks, bands, or swirls on the cat’s body, and the cat may also have stripes by its eyes and across its cheeks, back, legs, and tail.
Calico cats have tricolor coats. The calico cat is commonly 25 to 75-percent white with large orange and black patches. And, calicos are almost exclusively female.
Here’s Cinco on her cat tree – a favorite perch located next to the window.
Just below is Mayo, or as she is affectionately called, “May-May.”
On average, cats sleep about 16-hours a day. For kittens, it could be anywhere from 16 to 22 hours a day. Sleeping during the day allows them to conserve energy for their instinctual nocturnal activities, such as stalking, pouncing, and hunting.
Cinco is always exploring. Here she is inspecting the faucet.
And here she is on the windowsill next to fresh wheatgrass I grow for them. While cats are obligate carnivores, sometimes they will eat wheatgrass. It aids digestion, helps with hairball management, and provides vitamins like A, C, and E.
And here she is looking for “just the right toy.”
… while Mayo looks on from her cozy, warm spot.
Or maybe the view is better upside down.
One of the products I use regularly is PrettyLitter, a special odor controlling, health monitoring gel crystal formula that’s available in clumping and non clumping varieties.
I use the non-clumping formula which comes in a six-pound bag that is good for one whole month.
Here is a fresh box of PrettyLitter. Silica gel crystals absorb moisture through millions of micropores, locking in any odors.
The crystals are 100-percent natural, mineral-based and safe for cats. In fact, it’s virtually dust-free, which makes it safe for those with respiratory sensitivities.
PrettyLitter keeps tabs on health by changing color when a cat has a potential health issue. This shows the changes that can be detected with PrettyLitter – acidity, alkalinity, blood, and the normal range, which is green.
And, PrettyLitter can be delivered right to one’s door, saving time on in-store shopping.
I am so glad these young sisters are happy and healthy here at Cantitoe Corners. I hope your cats are doing well also!
I always enjoy eating out, especially when it's with dear friends celebrating special occasions.
At the end of every year, I always host a "Sagittarian" lunch - a fun meal with several close colleagues and friends who all have one thing in common... a birthday between late November and late December. Last month, this tradition was held at Café Boulud, Chef Daniel Boulud's exquisite culinary oasis located in the heart of Manhattan's Upper East Side. Attendees included Jane Heller, Kevin Sharkey, Darcy Miller Nussbaum, Judy Morris, Brett Albright, Heather Kirkland, Fernando Garcia, Heath Golden, Terre Blair, Peter Grant, and myself - the group's lone Leo. It was a wonderful lunch and gathering.
Enjoy these photos.
Darcy Miller Nussbaum, who worked with me as Editorial Director of Martha Stewart Weddings for many years, is now a celebrations expert and entrepreneur. She attends this luncheon every year and never comes empty handed. This year, she brought everyone individual mini birthday cakes – with candles in charming hand illustrated boxes.
Here I am with Executive Chef Daniel Boulud – it was so nice to see him and to have him recommend some of his favorite dishes.
I am a big fan of oysters. Here’s a plate of delicious fresh oysters.
Another appetizer is this Thon et Kaki, a citrus cured yellowfin tuna with persimmon, rainbow Swiss chard, and bottarga, which is a salted, cured fish roe that’s a delicacy in the Mediterranean and Asia.
This is a beautiful Bouquet d’Hiver with endives, chicory, mimolette cheese, provençal crisp, served with black truffle dressing.
Here’s Darcy, along with two other attendees – “Snoop on the Stoop” and “Martha on the Mantel.” Did they visit your home this holiday?
Kevin Sharkey and Heather Kirkland. Kevin’s birthday is December 18, and Heather’s is December 8th.
Some of the other wonderful dishes at Café Boulud include this Pork Loin Feijoada. Roasted pork loin, chorizo cream, collard green and black bean, orange pork jus.
This is Ravioli de Homard – lobster raviolis, fennel confit, preserved lemon, in a bisque emulsion.
Heather enjoyed ths Velouté de Champignon – mushroom velouté or soup, poached egg, chanterelle and black trumpet mushrooms, pear, on crispy pain d’epice, which is spice bread.
Here’s Fernando Garcia with a mini birthday cake. Fernando is creative director at Oscar de la Renta and Monse.
You all know Kevin, our own Chief Creative Officer of Home at Marquee. “Snoop on the Stoop” and Martha on the Mantel” are over his shoulder also.
Kevin had the hanger steak, with sweet potatoes, confit pearl onions, braised Brussels sprouts, and sauce aux poivre.
And of course we all had a fry or two…
What was dessert? Birthday cake, or course.
And here is our entire group – Peter Grant, myself, Kevin, Jane Heller, Judy Morris, Brett Albright, Heather, Darcy, Fernando, Heath Golden, and Terre Blair. Another fun and delicious lunch with my Sagittarian friends.
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