Home Again, Home Again Riggity Jig

I think I knew that I had turned a corner on this 6 week journey away from home, when I started to think about potting my amaryllis. I know, I know it's WAY past time to pot amaryllis, but it is what the schedule allows this year.

I did NOT have anyone come in and water my houseplants while I was gone, and I am pleased to report that the cool house temperatures put them in suspended animation and they are surviving nicely.

I have an unsolved mystery from this trip, and I welcome any ideas you might have. While in Laos we passed an outdoor stand that was making little yellow tortilla like patties and drying them on screens. When I tasted a dried one, it tasted like banana and had a little seed in it. It MIGHT have been the seed from a dragon fruit .. it was about the size of a poppy seed. Women were kneading a yellow dough, and then placing balls of the dough on a press, and then placing the pressed patties on screens to dry. Anyone have any idea what this Southeast Asian sweet is called?

Gardening on the Mekong River in Laos

The Mekong River leaves rich silt in its wake after each rainy season and the farmers here take advantage of that rich soil to grow their crops. So in a climate where things COULD grow year round, a farmer waits to plant until after the river has receded and plans to harvest before the river rises again.

Finally some vegetables

While in the Botanic Gardens in Christchurch, NZ, I stumbled onto this vegetable garden. Enjoy the view.