Growing Garlic

I had another almost sleepless night.  I am hoping stopping the Prednisone will help with that problem.
We got pretty cool overnight, 30° but today is supposed to be in the 60's.

I actually did go out late yesterday afternoon and planted 25 feet of sprouted garlic.
All I had to do was push some mulch out of the way here and there.  This is on the north side of the south garden fence.  I picked a section where the clematis and roses won't cast much shade on the garlic.  I am happy to report the ground was in beautiful condition and very moist.  I just drug a hoe down the row and then pushed the individual cloves into the soil.



I notice that some of the garlic has sprouted and some has not....none has rotted.  I need to do some research about how to store garlic over the winter..  If any of you know, please share with me.  I haven't raised garlic for very long and am just finding my way.  I don't know if this late planting will make either, but the garlic was sprouted and I hated to loose it. 

While out back, I gathered the eggs...9 slightly soiled.  I need to clean out the nests this morning....again.  This is an endless job since many choose to roost in the nests and leave their calling cards behind.
I also pulled some henbit and dead nettle and tossed to them and shelled  two ears of corn from my field corn crop and tossed it.  I think the corn kernels are a little too big for them.  I hope this will improve the color of the yolks that get a little pale during winter.

Today's plan is to do a little housecleaning.  I have some points accumulated on Amazon so I may have to do a little shopping too.  Life is good.

Heirloom Petunias - Onion and Garlic Harvest - Pumpkin Sheet Cake

It is a  very cold morning here; our first hard freeze (28° for three hours).  We will sink down to around 26 by daylight.  I meant to get some rose cuttings...may be too late for that.

So far the heirloom petunias I grow have been improved by the cold....I will see what this does to them when I go out to milk this morning.


This is a little patch that reseeds itself  right by the garage door.  I just leave them be and we walk  around them.
These are growing outside the back porch door among the late lettuce I planted.  I just tossed the seeds out during the summer.

They are such a carefree plant...no hybrid ruffly things for me!  I love the simpler blooms of all heirlooms the best.

The lettuce is still good too.

If I have shown this picture before, forgive me.....I didn't want to look it up...I did gather all the cured onions and garlic a couple of weeks ago and got it stored in a freeze-free zone (the milk parlor).



The onions will be gone long before winter is over...the garlic might last forever (it will go bad before then).

I made the Pumpkin Sheet Cake as promised and we kept out 4 pieces and the rest is in the freezer for the Holidays.and iced and cut into squares.

Pumpkin Sheet Cake

1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs lightly beaten

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat pumpkin, sugar and oil together. Add eggs and mix well. Combine flour, b. soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to pumpkin mixture, mix well. Pour and spread over a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or done.

Cool and then frost with cream cheese frosting.

Frosting

1 pkg cream cheese softened (3oz)

5 Table. butter softened

1 teas. vanilla

1-3/4 cups powdered sugar

3-4 teaspoons milk

Chopped nuts (optional)

Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and mix well. Add enough milk to get the right spreading consistency. Frost cake and sprinkle with nuts.

Yield 20-24 servings.