I can’t believe how long it has been since I last posted here. Truth is, almost the entire summer I have been sick, had surgery and now recovering. I sincerely hope I am now on my way upward.

Today marks almost four weeks since my surgery and with each day I gain a little more ambition to get outside in the tiki garden area and unravel the last 2-3 months of growth. It is past time for planting for the winter garden but here in Florida, its never too late. I collected enough energy today to begin cleaning the porch and pulling weeds. I managed to weed half of the garden area and plant some radish and kale seeds I received from my mother. I will try and weed the remainder this week and plant the mustard seeds, the tomato and lettuce plants. I am so looking forward to this seasons growing season.

While pulling weeds I discovered about the only thing that had enjoyed the tikibar this summer was this big fat toad. He jumped upon a nearby rock to watch me as I cleaned out what was probably his hiding spot. Sorry, Mr. Toad, I need the space now.

I have noticed, from within the house looking out that a few more different species of birds have found their way to the area. I went to Home Depot this morning and purchased a couple of more feeders and long overdue seed for the little creatures to enjoy. Being a bird photographer I of course will be sitting nearby with camera in hand.

Last season I talked about growing kale. A newly discovered favorite of mine. I plan to grow a huge amount this season. I have learned to love it so much that during the off season I visited the local health food store to continue buying it through the summer to eat. I have experimented with several ways to cook it and will soon be releasing a cookbook based on my own findings. I will keep you updated on its release.

In the meantime I will be waiting on the small birds to come and feast off the peanut butter treats I have left for them!

It has been awhile…but I’m back! is a post from: tikibar living

c deborah kunzie

My mother was the first to introduce me to it. This plant that is called “Bat Plant” by most. My mother and grandmother have always referred to it as “The Batwing Plant.” I have adopted that name as well. This particular plant that resides inside the Tikibar area was a gift to me from mom about four years ago. It was about half the size it is now. I have babied it and given it much tender loving care and it has obliged by giving me beautiful blooms and constant growth. Not to mention the offspring’s.

I have researched over and over the best way to grow these plants from seed since the bloom upon dying provided a large amount of seed from the pods. The process seemed to me a bit of a hassle. Some have said it takes up to nine months to finally show signs of something growing from the seed that was placed in a starter with peat moss, kept moist, and then put the container in a plastic bag until it germinates.  Then once the seedling is two inches high, place it in soil in a three-inch pot. We are talking almost a year before finally having a new plant. Excuse me, but my patience will not last that long!

So for me with my “do it my way testing” decided to prove them (whoever them are) all wrong.

I got to thinking one day staring at my plant with all of its many blooms, instead of taking the seed from a dying bloom, just bend it around to meet the soil and let it continue to dye inside the pot. The seeds will fall from the pod when ready and if not I have been known, once the bloom was really pretty much done to rub the pod between my fingers allowing the seeds to fall to the dirt. And let them alone.

Within a week, sometimes two, signs of life would begin to appear. The growing time of these newborns is quite a while. This is where the critical point is. I tried removing a starter after a couple of months to replant in a small pot. Nothing doing, it died. So I let them grow at least another few months until the roots were more strong and then removed them. Success.

I have continued this practice for the last couple of years now which much success and eliminating that first agonizing step. Saving both time and hassle.

My favorite plant at the tikibar is a post from: tikibar living

Fresh Green Beans

I spent the last few days at my mothers helping pick as much of her crop as I could withstand the heat. Now, sunburnt, exhausted and having leg cramps from too much heat I am in the kitchen canning. Yep you read right. Me! Canning!

My first time doing this alone. Mom always handled this end of the chores and I watched. But now with her guidance and beans that I picked from her field I am having a blast.

I brought home a considerable amount of black eyed peas, green beans, squash, onions and cucumbers. And a bean I have never heard of called an October Bean. Looks similar to the green bean.

Mom went with me to buy the correct canning pot and jars and sent me home with my collection and instructions.

So mom, here’s to you! I did it. And without any accidents I might add.

Now I wait to hear that wanted little pop sound from each jar to assure that I have done the job right!

Waiting for the lid to go pop! is a post from: tikibar living

c 2011 deborah kunzie | Rain in the garden...

TODAY A BLESSING FROM ABOVE. The past week the temperature has climbed upwards to the 95 degree mark. And no matter how much I water, the plants still look as though they are begging for more. What they needed was a good soaking from heaven above! That prayer was answered today. I took this photo from inside looking out at the rain pouring down onto the tomato plants.

I know it has been several days since posting but busy gets in the way. Not just with work but with tending to the garden as well.

The old tomato plants have been removed and new soil added and now a few herb plants have been planted in this space.

Herb Plants

Basil, cilantro, parsley and leeks. Oh yes, and some dill. Items used in most things we cook. As for the rest of the garden space, as you can see the organic tomato plants have gone wild! They are growing like mad and producing fruit. The speckled butter bean plants are trying to attach to everything that doesn’t move but have yet to show signs of flowering. My fingers are still crossed.

Tomatoes gone wild

I picked three Bell peppers yesterday and enjoyed them along with a couple of home grown tomatoes in a nice salad. It is so nice to enjoy food grown in ones own backyard.

Organic Tomato

It’s been hot, but today a much needed rain… is a post from: tikibar living

A couple of weeks ago my mother gave me about 100 speckled butter bean seeds. One of my favorite beans. It took only about four days for them to begin poking their heads through the soil, and growing really fast. However, I found these beans must be a favorite to some small black bugs eating away at the leaves. Almost destroying them overnight. I did a bit of research to see what I could use in the way of organic as opposed to chemicals, since I am trying desperately to stay away from using any. I stumbled upon a site that said to use white vinegar. Dab some on the end of a q-tip and then on the underside of the leaves where the bugs are enjoying their new home.

I did. The next day I had burnt leaves. It killed most of the bugs but now as you can see the leaves are burning and curling. So back to the research department.

In the meantime the other things are growing quite well. The organic tomatoes we planted are waist high and have plenty of blooms but no fruit yet.

Oraganic tomatoes

String Beans

tomatoe plants

White Vinegar doesn’t work on everything… is a post from: tikibar living

c 2011 deborah kunzie

I just returned from my second weekend of planting five+ acres by hand of a variety of vegetables. My mother lives near Fort White, Florida and needed help planting this year. The old fashion way. Two weekends in a row of walking this much land sowing seeds one or two at a time is a very back breaking job. Yes, there are tractors that can do this but I will not go there!!! A story in itself. It was however a breath of fresh air to get out and enjoy the country and learn more about gardening. Each time I visit mom I am reminded of things from childhood that I learned long ago but never got to put to good use. Now I can.

Being away for the last three days and stepping out into my own garden I am amazed at how fast things can grow when left alone. I was very surprised to find this juicy looking red tomato hiding under the leaves.

The first pluck of the season. This will make an enjoyable addition with tonight’s meal.

Looking over the rest of the garden I see the kale and the romaine lettuce is looking pretty good, along with the bush beans behind them.

Kale, romaine lettuce and bush beans.

Organic Tomato Plants

Perhaps I need to research this a bit and figure out what is wrong or if there is anything wrong. At any rate, I have one lovely red tomato to enjoy so far.

HIdden from plain site… is a post from: tikibar living

poor onions

Unless you live in a box, I am sure most everyone heard about the horrific storm we had yesterday. I am a Florida native and it has been a long time since I witnessed anything like what happened. Now begins the cleanup.

We have had rain for the last three days and yesterday, wow. I thought it would never stop. The winds and the tornado passing through was enough to last me for a long time to come. While I was barracded in the bathroom holding my little muse (Sydneymann the cat) I could not help but think about our poor garden. Would it be left when I could finally come out of this hiding place?

Well, we were lucky, no real damage to the home or any neighbors that I could see, of course the small airport around the corner was damaged a bit.

This morning I held my breath as I walked out to the garden area and to my surprise everything looks pretty good except the onion bed (above). They were all flat on the ground. Roots are still intact and my mother told me to leave them and they will probably stand backup. I will listen to mom.

The other plants seemed OK. Lots of dirt washed around the base but for the most part I think it will survive.

This photo is one of the tomato plants already yielding produce but sandblasted from the storm.

Sparkles of sand on the leaves from the storm

the storm is over… is a post from: tikibar living

Published 2008, in Women Out West Magazine

THE TITLE TO A PIECE I wrote for Women Out West Magazine in 2008.

c deborah kunzie

My mother used to say, she could stand and water and water her plants and it never seemed to matter, but wait until a good drenching came and it made all the difference in the world.

Water drops are still present on the leaves and the ground is saturated allowing the trees and shrubs to take their portion.

Time to give thanks….

The Sweet Breath of Spring

by Deborah Kunzie

Call it middle-aged nostalgia, but early spring brings me back to the days of my youth. The days of fantastic neighbors, people that enjoyed life and made the best of it. Back to quality family gatherings and to a privileged time storing away precious memories.

Spring is a time for cleaning and getting rid of unwanted clutter you never use, for re-organizing and making new plans. Clearing out the dead foliage from the gardens left by winter and making room for the color of new plants to take their place. The unmistakable scent of gardenia blooms that fills the courtyard area. I miss the small shallow wandering creek that I tromped through so many times in search of the perfect rock, the deer moss growing on a stick, or some beautiful fern that I could take and give to mom. A place hidden between surrounding layers of oak and pine trees and, not to for- get, the tall thick cypress trees that stood in a stunning collection at the waters edge.

Oh how I often long for that simplistic time of my life before I immersed myself in the hard race of business.

Spring is a time of listening to echoing voices within the changing shadows that cover the vast landscapes that make up this nation.

Spring to many Native American Tribes was a place located on a Medicine Wheel, the drawing of the sun, a new day, a fresh way of seeing an old problem. A place where new ideas are tested and when imagination develops into reality.

Background image by David Stoecklein

The Sweet Breath of Spring is a post from: tikibar living

Raised garden bed

Finished raised bed

It has been fun growing them. I remember as a child having to wash and wash and wash them to get the dirt off the leaves. It never was enough. One of the good things about contained gardening is the amount of sand you can keep washed off the leaves as opposed to greens being grown in a field.  We had five meals from these nine plants and I am sure I could have pushed for more but I got a late start on the planting. All in all its been fun and the greens tasted great.

Last cut and then mulch time...

new addon… is a post from: tikibar living

c deborah kunzie

This photo was taken last year, early one rainy morning. I was sitting at my kitchen table working and having my first cup of coffee. I heard a sound, none like before. Looked up and saw this little guy prancing around on the tiki fence. A first for me, as I have never seen one let alone photograph. He stayed for a while and disappeared as day began to break.

california wren… is a post from: tikibar living