September 11th

 In memoriam...

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National Banana Split Day

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I’m eating lunch while searching for an idea for today’s topic: a sandwich and a banana that is past its prime. As I scroll, a yummy photo catches my eye, and so it is, National Banana Split Day. This delicious dessert was invented in 1904 by a pharmacist’s apprentice, David Evans Strickler, at Tassel Pharmacy in LaTrobe, Pennsylvania. In the soda fountain era, many counters shared locations with pharmacies. Banana splits were an immediate hit with the college crowd who eagerly paid 10 cents, double the rate of a regular sundae, for this tasty treat. The split became all the rage in ice cream parlors. The  ideal banana split recipe  includes a banana split in half, topped by 3 scoops of ice cream (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry), fudge sauce, whipped cream, and chopped nuts; crowned with maraschino cherries. You don’t have to stick with the mundane, tried-and-true presentation: be creative. Change up the bananas by carmelizing them like Bananas Foster; dip them in chocolat...
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Signs of Spring

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I emerge from my convalescence, much as the Earth unfolds from its winter cloak, stretching towards the Sun. I submit some random observances of Spring. Last week a whippoorwill announced his return in evening gloam. The whir of a hummingbird reminds me to retrieve and fill the nectar feeders.  BirdCast Migration tools  will give you an overview of birds on the move over the US continent. You can also hone in on your local area to see what activity to expect. My neglected gardens called out to me today: lavender buried knee-deep in leaves held a hidden surprise. As I approached, the plant shuddered, and autumn leaves crackled. A poke in the pile unearthed an unhappy snake, slithering off, to curl under the dwarf cherry tree, its dark eyes squinting, tongue flickering warning. Nearby, a nuthatch hangs upside down, a cardinal tells me I’m “pretty”, and yellow finches flutter among chickadees, all vying for tasty morsels of suet, seeds, and fruit. A  dove splashes in the bir...
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The Stink Bugs Are Back!

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In the mountain environment, stink bugs herald the onset of fall. Despite our best efforts, having our log home re-sealed and replacing screens, the little SOBs still find a way to intrude. Who are the  Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs  (BMSB)? They are immigrants from Asia, first noted in Allentown, PA, in 1998, with an initial appearance in North Carolina, in Forsyth County, in 2009. In the interim, the bugs have become invasive pests in the Piedmont and Mountain region. Currently, they reside in 80 of the 100 NC counties as well as in 47 US states. The native stink bugs have natural enemies that keep them in check; the BMSB have few, making them a destructive pest. Their early fall invasion is unpleasant to homeowners and can be devastating to vegetable crops. Pesticides have actually caused secondary pest outbreaks and a greater risk to non-targeted creatures. Scientists are continuing to work on the issue. There is currently hope that another insect, the Samurai Wasp  Tri...
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