Of Mice and Men

And unoriginal title posts.

Given the likelihood of the oncoming zombie apocalypse, Scot determined that per pound and cost, tilapia provided the best food source.  Accordingly, he put up a self-filtering system which, while FUH-UG-LY, is pretty amazing in its self-sustainability.  Except when it fails.  Which only occurs when I'm on watch.  You can see it in its incipient stage in the last photo on this post.  Cully is still as handsome as ever.  I wish I could say the same about the whole set-up.  And the fish. 

We're delicious!  Just kidding!  We're diseased, don't eat us.

But humans cannot live on tilapia alone.  Or at least, I can't.  Although when the zombies come, I guess I could.  But it helps to have something to help zip it up - and help me forget that I'm dining on poop-eating fish.  (If you grew up in Hawai'i when I did, that's what you thought tilapia ate - that's why they were so black and living in gross water.)  So chilis!  And let's face it, chilis solve kind of a lot of issues taste-wise.  One of the latest additions to the lower deck garden is Capsicum annuum "Black Cuban".

Allegedly edible.  Will keep you posted.  Or if I never write again after I eat it, please take the hint. 

I kind of had my doubts that this was edible.  The lady at the Kailua Ko'olau Farmers was less than reassuring with her: "oh, umm, yeah, sure."  And it wasn't the lady whom I trust; this was a new employee, so there's no trust built up.  There's nothing in our relationship history for me to fall back on or hold on to.  But thanks internet!  You never lie to me.  Ever.

Information about the plant said that the peppers were ripe when they turned red.  If you've grown chilis before, you know how fast these things get ripe.  And these just wouldn't change color.  Fortunately, it had good looks going for it.  But then two days ago, there was a reddish one.  And today boom. 

Bring it, zombies.

Two!  We're rich!  And I think that the one in the top of the photo looks like it might be considering ripening, too.

I also put in some habanero, "Thai hots", and Naga Bhut Jolokia seeds.  They've all sprouted, so hopefully, they'll grow up to be obnoxiously and embarrassingly fecund plants.  I'll let you know how that goes.  Assuming, of course, everything goes well with the "Black Cubans".