A Natural Food Dye

So happy my butterfly pea or blue pea vine is flowering everyday.

It is named clitoria ternatea and you can tell why by looking at the shape of the flower.  I prefer to address it in our local language "bunga telang".

I boil the flowers to extract the color and the liquid can be used to color plain rice or glutinous rice. Perhaps it may have some health benefits but I just like the color. For me the sight of blue rice conjures mouth watering images of curry. Not to mention various sweet treats made with glutinous rice.

This is a less common blue pea flower.

It has double petals and hence produces more color.

Smile for me, pretty lady....♡

Will The Real Dill Please Stand Up?

I just bought the real dill.  I hope.

A friend sold this weed pictured below (eupatorium capillifolium) to me about two years ago and told me it was dill. Dill is not a common herb here and most people I know don't know what it is nor how to use it. That includes me of course.  It is rather unfortunate that I have used what could be dog fennel in my cooking.  Perhaps it is the sterile cultivar elegant feather.  It is apparently good for warding off mosquitoes and ticks and fleas. Great. I will surround my house with them.

Today's Spoils

That pretty young lady should not have placed that pot of Cuban Oregano in front of me. She should not have told me where she got them from. Because I had to go find this herb nursery and blow a lot of money on more plants and soil. But anyway, I found my favorite banana the lakatan or as we call it here pisang berangan. 

Not to be mistaken with the cavendish though (lacatan with a c instead of a k).  This is Musa acuminata. I love it in its semi almost ripe state when it is firmer and slightly tangy. Delicious. Please grow quick and strong and bear bunches for me.

And my other spoils. A mixture of kale and herbs uncommon in the tropics.  Still I want to try growing them. Lets see....there are 3 types of kale, a lemon plant and a herb called lemon balm.  Can't wait to get them into my new vegetable beds :)

Cherry Tree (muntingia Calabura L.)

I have always loved this tree. I remember visiting someone as a child, with my mother and there was this beautiful tree growing in the middle of a well kept green, green lawn. Before anyone could stop me I was under the tree plucking and eating. Then I heard my Mom shouting probably out of embarrassment over such an impolite child. The kind man who owned the tree said, "It is alright! The fruits can be eaten, they are very delicious!"

And today my neighbor has my dream tree growing by our fence. Half of it cascades over to form a shady canopy. Over here we just call it very simply the cherry tree. This native of Mexico/Central America/tropical South America/Trinidad/St. Vincent/Greater Antilles (must google that) are known by many other names. Jamaica cherry, Strawberry Tree, Japanese or Chinese Cherry, Jam fruit to name a few.  The proper name is Muntingia calabura L. I myself have planted two little trees inspite of all the horror stories about their invasive roots and bats coming to feast on the fruits. Bats are cute anyway, their faces look like doggies.  Looking forward to the day when I can sit under the shade of my cherry trees.

Petunias, Bluebells And A Schnauzer

Meet my other dog Coco, a schnauzer.

She is a busybody who loves getting in my way.  Sometimes. When she is not barking at other dogs.

Pretty Mexican Petunia or Mexican Bluebell. It is the easiest plant to grow. If you want a hedge in a hurry this is the plant to go for. When it grows too tall I cut it down and poke the cuttings into the soil.  So easy. I love it.

Purple Torenias

I do believe this is a Torenia hybrid. 

It is also called the Wishbone Flower due to the stamen which resembles a wishbone.

It also has another pretty name called Blue Wings.

In countries with four seasons it blooms from summer to autumn but here in the tropics it blooms all year.

It loves sunshine and plenty of water.

A big thank you to Aunty Dora for giving me these plants!