Mudbugs, Beer and a Bib
We recently traveled to New Orleans.
My wife and I went down there to watch K-State play Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. That game didn’t go so well, but the trip was a lot of fun.
We had some travel companions on our trip: our son and two of his close friends, one of his roommates and one of his cousins. Together, we experienced the Big Easy for the first time.
Here are some quick observations…
It rains a lot in New Orleans.
Bourbon Street is a little crazy,.
And, crawdads are a mess to eat… but they sure do taste good!
While we were there, I shared a platter of these rare treats… crawdads, that is… with my nephew.
My nephew is originally from back here in Topeka. However, for the last few years, he’s been down in Tuscaloosa attending college at the University of Alabama. (That’s why he’s in ‘Bama gear in the pictures below instead of sporting the much more attractive purple and white. 😊)
During his time down south—besides developing a love for the Crimson Tide—he’s also discovered he really loves crawdads.
That’s why, when I saw them on the menu, I knew we had to get them. And guess what? They were amazing!
There’s not a lot of meat on a crawdad, so you really have to work for what you get. There’s a lot of pulling and cracking and digging to get to get to the good parts. Plowing through our platter was a slow process, but it was good,—and it was messy! Everything was dripping in an amazing spicy, garlicy butter sauce… there was a reason the meal came with a bibb!
In the end, it was worth it. They were amazing! We didn’t finish the whole platter; but, despite the doubts of the rest of our table, we got pretty darn close.
What a treat!
The rest of the trip was fun as well. There was more amazing food, an exciting Sugar Bowl parade and of course, Bourbon Street. And, take my word for it, that place is crazy.
The game didn’t go as well as we had hoped, but it was still a great experience, and the them spent in New Orleans was a lot of fun.
Back here at the shop, it’s still pretty quiet, but that’s changing a little more every day.
The store is starting to fill up again. We’re starting to reset the back patio and it won’t be too much longer before we start to see plants coming back out onto the lot.
We’ve has some pretty nice days recently. We all know winter is far from over… but it’s getting close. It’s only a matter of time.
If you any help getting ready for a spring that will be here soon, stop by and see us.
- Cameron Rees
What’s New?
When Should I Cut Things Back?
That’s one of the most frequently asked questions we get. And while there is no one right answer, here’s my advice…
The best time to cut most things back is late winter. That’s normally going to be sometime in March, maybe late February, it all depends on the weather.
So why wait until the end of winter? First, it’s always a good idea to leave the tops of perennials and ornamental grasses intact until the worst of winter is behind us. Top growth, even though it is dried up and dead, helps provide winter protection for overwintering crown and roots.
Second, these tops also provide visual interest to our winter landscapes. Our winters can be rather drab and bleak. It’s amazing how a few clumps of ornamental grasses and some dried up seed heads can add some “life” to a garden during the dead of winter…especially when you add a little snow into the picture.
Lastly, the seedheads of many plants serve as valuable winter food source for birds. And what better way to add a little touch of color to a winter landscape than drawing colorful songbirds into the garden!
Get those pruning tools ready!
-Cameron Rees
