Choice Morsels

 Two Garden Pictures today! This healthy bunch of greenery is called either Red-Veined Sorrel or sometimes Valentine Sorrel because of the red veins. It is an edible perennial. I've tried it in salads, but the red veins turn everything purple. It can be used in soups. I haven't yet. Mostly, I like it because it's so pretty. Next is my Patch of Winter Broccoli: Six plants in a raised bed. Winter is the best time to grow it here in Northwest Florida---no insect pests and it doesn't mind a freeze. Pretty healthy looking. They are in the side-shoot phase. I collected a few small heads that were ready for a stir-fry for dinner. Probably hold onto them until end of March.

 Today's pictures are all winter freeze survivors that thrived despite the temperatures. This clump of fall annuals:  I covered it with a plastic yard trash bag and two layers of towels during the 2 hard freezes this season in North Florida and it's quite happy now. Tall seems is a healthy looking Cosmos, plus lots of Chinese Forget-Me-Nots, Bachelor Button greenery and a Coreopsis plus a couple Easter Lilies that were already there are poking thru. My pot of Cilantro prefers Florida winter. I never even covered it. Time for Mexican cooking! My container of Green Onions Also not covered. Great for snipping fresh all winter long! My container of Valentine Sorrel You can see just a few outer leaves were effected by the freeze. Sorrel is edible perennial; sort of lemony. Can be used like an herb in salads, sauces, soups & casseroles. It's called Valentine because of the pretty red-veining. It's a member of the buckwheat family.