Beetle devours San Diego County oaks -- rest of state may be next

 

A hungry pest called the goldspotted oak borer is devouring enormous numbers of oak trees in San Diego County, and its devastation could spread to trees throughout California, according to researchers at UC Riverside.

More than 80,000 oak trees in the county have been killed in the past decade. Unless the march of the half-inch-long beetle is stopped, it could threaten 10 million acres of red oak woodlands in the state, researchers said.

Garden Update: Tomatoes and Basil Galore - The Bitten Word Blog

An Update on Our Backyard Garden (Repost)

We came in from the garden this morning with a handful of tomatoes. That, friends, is something to celebrate.

You see, the cycle of boom and bust continues in our garden. In the month since our last update, we've had substantial growth and a few losses, too.

Let's start with the positive.

The good news is that we have tomato and basil plants galore. The basil is especially doing well -- the plants are huge and no matter how much we pick, there always seems to be more. We have Thai, Genovese, Fine Herb and Purple varieties, and they're all doing well. So now our challenge is to use it. We've been tossing it into all sorts of dishes, making vinaigrettes and pestos (or at least pesto-like sauces). Before long, we'll likely harvest a bunch and freeze it for use this winter.

Gardening since 1910, San Diego's Oldest Retail Garden Center: Staghorn Fern

Gardening since 1910, San Diego's Oldest Retail Garden Center: Staghorn Fern: "Staghorn ferns were at one time considered a very difficult plant to grow yet with just a little care you too can enjoy their beauty. Sta..."

10 Car-Friendly Foods to Pack on a Road Trip - via yumsugar

Click on photo for Slideshow

If hopping on a plane to an exotic destination isn't in the cards for you this Summer, fret not. Road trips (especially to America's top food cities and other culinary destinations, like food festivals) can be just as fun. Even if you can't afford to take a massive vacation, you can still enjoy peak travel season by getting in a car and driving somewhere fun. But as the old adage goes, sometimes the journey is the destination, so if you've ultimately got your sights set on good eats, then don't overlook the ever-important car snacks. Here are 10 road trip foods that are just as appetizing as they are portable and transport resistant.

Originally Posted July 15, 2011 8:59 am by Susannah Chen
 
Click here for article: "Car Snacks to Pack on a Road Trip"

Recipes for Summer Grilling - Slide Show - NYTimes.com

Recipes for Summer Grilling - Slide Show - NYTimes.com

Time to buy a home? Now, says Barbara Corcoran

“What you have here are the good old days that we were all talking about for 20 years,” says real estate magnate Barbara Corcoran. “You have cheap money, 4.5 percent for a fixed-rate mortgage, and you have prices that are 40% cheaper than they were before.” Corcoran told MoneyWatch that the residential real estate market looks very attractive right now, but potential buyers are too pessimistic to take advantage.

Decorating the Farm - Slide Show

The evolution of a Pennsylvania farm from crops to candelabras.

Food - Father's Day Chocolate + My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

I am a huge fan of Jaqcues Torres Chocolatier! His store in NYC is a must see and smell! There are some things you can only get in the store listed in this link. Warm chocolate smcent lines the air as you walk in, yummy. cookies await. If you make these at home beware they are more like Chocolate Strata Cookies, really...really chocolaty. You can get other brands at Sur Le Table and Williams Sonoma, but I urge you to order the bulk link below, invite some friends over and have a great time baking. Dont forget the french flake salt. Also see Ghiardelli Chocolate 60% bags  and Guittard 61% Cacao Baking Discs for variety.

Driving Trip - Julian Pie Craving

I enjoy driving trips, getting on the road and forgetting about lists of to-do's. One of my favorite drives is to Julian and back. Its a little under two hours from the Mission Hills area of San Diego to Julian, CA. I like to drive up through Ramona and stop at Dudley's Bakery in Santa Ysabel. I'm a sucker for the monkey bread! The windy road up to Julian brings you to a quaint four stop sign. You are now in the center of Julian. Stop by Julian Realty at say Hi to Dennis Frieden, who used to be my boss at First Mission Properties on the corner of W. Washington and Goldfinch streets. Eating at Romano's Dodge House is a treat: get an Appletini and the Chef's Choice Dinner, amazing home cooked flavorful food! For dessert I head over to my favorite apple pie in the world, the Julian Pie Co. They offer a green back yard to eat in, and nice rocking chairs out front. Walk it off at the Julian Cemetery and smell the blooming lilacs in April/May, wander the used bookstore and funky antique shop - you are sure to pick up something wonderful. Drive home via Lake Cuyamaca and loop back to Mount Laguna on Sunrise Highway back in through Alpine - you might be lucky and catch a lovely sunset. Below are pics from my last trip. Enjoy!

Poisonous Plants Are So Misunderstood

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  Poisonous Plants Are So Misunderstood

  Wondering what the real dangers of foxglove, tulips, and poinsettias are? We were curious, too, and got Scott Aker of the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., to spell out the real and not-so-real dangers of plants that have gotten a bad reputation. Read

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Screens Protect Your Right For Privacy

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  Screens Protect Your Patio’s Right to Privacy

  Is it getting cooler, shadier, and less buggy on your patio and deck already?
  
  We hope so, because all week we’ve been helping you take back the outside with heat-beating misters, shade-makers, and bug fighters.
  
  Today, we’ll help you carve out a little patio privacy from neighbors’ prying eyes and bad taste in music with manufactured or natural screens. You might even find indoor uses for some of these options. Read

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Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®