Good Old Uncle Ben

My friend Marilyn took some pictures of the Iguana Tree when she was in Mexico and lo and behold I recognized old Uncle Ben. A big fat devil of a guy isn't he? He and his cronies (there is about a dozen of them) that just lounge around in tree branches, snack on the foliage and watch the tourists. They don't have the travel bug I have and you certainly won't see them behind the wheel of any little red car. It must be dull just staying where you belong. Anyway, old uncle looked pretty good - thanks Marilyn.

Luv, Sissy

I Love Carrots

Carrots grow up and down

The tasty part is in the ground

In a salad, mixed in jello

Make it green or make it yellow

Raw and cooked and blended juices

Carrots have a thousand uses.

By Sissy

"Let them eat cake!"

Carrot cake that is. I wonder if Marie Antoinette really did say that and - well who knows - if she did she could have even meant carrot cake.

I went to a birthday party last Tuesday night, and had to watch everybody pig out on carrot birthday cake (we iguanas can eat grated carrots but not if someone puts them in a cake). Then Steve said, "I don't think people should be allowed to put vegetables in cake." Man Steve, lighten up. I would have loved to have had a piece of that carrot cake - it's tough being an iguana.

Luv, Sissy

OK, OK, I"m looking into it.

You know, iguanas are famous for having selective hearing (you know - kinda like kids and husbands). Anyway, I've heard some of you talking about who figured out this carrot seed business in the first place so I just wanted you to know I'm looking into it. (OK Buttons from Green Belt Maryland, where are you now when I need you?)

Luv,

Sissy

Let's Hear it for the Bees

Well guess who pollinates the hybrid carrots growing in the fields of Central Oregon. Honey bees. They fly back and forth between the male and female plants in their search for nectar and - voila! The carrots are fertilized and then it's only a matter of time and new baby seeds are born (or something like that).

Also, Bruce from Central Oregon Seed checked and said, "The easy answer to being able to tell the difference between male and female seed is, you can't. When the seeds are planted and grow into plants and produce a flower then you can tell the difference. They are already separated when we get them. Once the seed is set and harvested off the plant, nobody can tell if it's male or female."

And Buttons (that sounds to me like a name for a rabbit), from Green Belt, Maryland, emailed to say you can find out just about everything you ever wanted to know about carrots by visiting www.worldcarrotmuseum.co.uk (that even sounds like something a rabbit would come up with).

If anyone has any more questions, just email me at countrytraveleronline@gmail.com

Luv,

Sissy