Kiwano Horned Melon

 

As part of our ongoing culinary experiments, I couldn't resist when I saw a Kiwano Horned Melon at our local grocery store. At over $5 for a single piece of fruit many would consider it prohibitively expensive by western standards, but I'm sure an exotic piece fruit from New Zealand during their winter would be prove difficult to get to South-central Texas ripe and ready to eat.

Of course, “ready to eat” may prove to be a stretch for some folks. There's no getting around it: the inside of the horned melon looks and feels like plant boogers. Bravely, I scooped a full spoonful and ate it. My brain told me that it was fruit, but my mouth told me that I definitely must have coughed up something. Although it tastes mildly like cucumber, I had to “chew” on it for a surprisingly long time before I could convince my throat that it was time to swallow. The only texture I could find in the fruit was from the seeds, and when I looked it up online after eating, many sites I visited said most folks recommend trying not eating them. I thought this made about as much sense as washing your hands with soap and trying not to make bubbles- its not going to happen.

I did, however, find that a large chunk of horned melon is a great way to get people to to avoid you. I saw a few faces poking around the edge of the corner, but as soon as I offered to share they'd all quickly disappear once again.

In the end, I don't think I can really recommend the Kiwano Horned Melon. Although I managed to eat a large portion of it, I eventually succumbed to the texture as well, and that's saying something! For the price, its just too weird to physically eat and there are many other exotic fruits that are just as weird but much, much more palatable. Cheers!

3-in-1 Angel Trumpet

Its getting to that time of year where everything is starting to show its true colors. The roses are blooming profusely, the hibiscus and lilies would like to take over, our various crape myrtles are all blooming, and the pomegranate tree has even decided to flower for a 2^nd time this year. Of all the flowers in our garden, one of the flowers I'm keeping an eye on the most is our 3-in-1 Angel Trumpet. It has grown vigorously all spring and is even starting to produce its own flowers like the one shown above. However, I've noticed that its leaves have been yellowing and dropping, and the bottom half or so of the plant is now mostly stem. Researching suggests that it could be too much water, or too little. It could be too much fertilizer or it could be not enough fertilizer. It could be insects and disease or it could be the solution used to treat insects and disease. It could be that it's too cold at night or it could be that its too hot during the day. According to the experts, just about everything will damage an Angel Trumpet- even tobacco! I've decided that with my recent success nursing the Midnight Marvel Hibiscus bank from the brink, I am going to spend extra time and attention nursing this plant to full health. Various online sources also suggested that they make better indoor plants than outdoor, and I am going to take a stab at proving them wrong.

Updated album and the triumphant return of an old friend

If you have been following the blog for any amount of time, you may remember the post I made about trying to save our Midnight Marvel Hibiscus. The picture above is one we took this morning- what you can't see is that behind the giant red flower are almost a dozen more waiting to open. The leaves are a crimson purple color and the flowers are easily 7-8" wide. If you'd like to see more of our gardens, click on this link. We just added more pictures.

The Feeling of Inadequacy

I work for a law enforcement agency, and one night I had a call from one of the patrol officers. “Can you look and see where I’m scheduled tomorrow?” he asked. I checked, and it showed he was the corporal the following day. For those not aware, a corporal generally will assume leadership duties when a sergeant or higher are not available. “Yep,” he continued once I told him, “the sergeants all have to be in class. Guess it’s a good thing I decided not to take a sergeant position.” He went on for several minutes about how clever he is and how the sergeants probably all wish they were him right about then. Even though I was already well aware, it was pretty evident that he wanted to make sure I knew how just how important he was.

While this sounds a bit extreme, we’ve all found ourselves seeking approval and trying to impress others. Feelings of inadequacy can and do affect people from all walks of life, and it is important to not only realize the warning signs and symptoms, but what to do when you find yourself feeling like you’re inadequate or don’t measure up.

Some people try to hide when their feeling inadequate by boasting and having an exaggerated self- image. Just like officer mentioned before, I have a family member who somehow always seems to be the expert in whatever we may be having a conversation about and it’s difficult for them to admit they don’t know something. They try to hide their insecurity with a false sense of confidence.

Some people may do the opposite and avoid showing others what they're truly capable of. In these people’s minds, if others don’t know what their best really is, then their best can never be not good enough. I personally know someone who could do much more than they are, but their feelings of inadequacy and insecurity limit them to doing just enough so they never make waves.

If you find yourself feeling inadequate, insecure or down on yourself, it is important to pinpoint that thinking and take control over it. Feelings that you do not deal with will deal with you. Remember that we are people and we all have our own problems in life. You should never compare yourself with someone else. As someone once said, “You’re comparing someone else’s highlight reel with your behind-the-scenes footage.” You don’t know what personal trials those people had to overcome or are still challenged by.  We should also never fail to be thankful for what we have. I know personally that God has blessed me abundantly more than I ever deserved, and there have been many times in my life when God has made a way for me when I couldn’t see one. As I’ve learned to lean on and trust in Him, I’ve been able to take the responsibility for my future off of my own shoulders and begin to hand it over to Him.  It is a liberating feeling to know that God’s got your back if you’ll only let Him. Finally, don’t forget that God is still working on you. If you're condemning yourself for past mistakes or feel like you’re not good enough because of something that’s happened in your life, it’s important to remember how important you are to Him. You were born with a purpose, and God believes that you are the best and only person for the job.

Once you start to get a hold of how important you already are, you’ll find that you won’t need the approval of others. When you begin to develop a real sense of confidence based on your identity, and you’ll find the right people will be drawn to you.

Astrology in the Bible?

I've always been a bit of a science geek. I'll nerd out on physics, computers, biology- you name it. Out of all the sciences, the one I've always enjoyed most is astronomy, which is the branch of science that examines celestial space and the entirety of the physical universe. Imagine my interest then, when … READ MORE

Tropical Storm Cindy

Anyone from this area already knows that tropical storm Cindy will make it ashore some time this evening. While it looks like our area will be sparred from the worst of the rain, parts of Galveston Island are already flooding and high winds (in excess of 40mph) are likely for the next day or so. Please take extra caution over the next 24 to 36 hours. Click the link below for the latest:

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Surprise Guests

We noticed a bird decided to build a nest near the top of our pergola on the back porch where the jasmine is growing. The constant chirping and squeaking from the nest is a dead giveaway to the fact that its eggs have recently hatched. Upon investigation, it turns out that the  mamma hatched two baby chicks. We researched what type of bird it is, and it turns out we have a family of Northern Mockingbirds living by our back door- which happens to be the state bird of Texas. It has been a very cool and intimate experience watching the baby chicks grow from day to day. We even notice differences in their personalities. As long as we don't disturb them, the mother doesn't seem to mind us coming or going.