Features

Sweet Caroline sweet potatoes give vertical dimension to the landscape

Looking like pillars of chartreuse, Sweet Caroline Upside Key Lime ornamental sweet potatoes show why they were Blue Chip Award Winners in Louisiana.
Photo courtesy of LSU AgCenter Research Station, Hammond, La,

Sweet Caroline sweet potatoes give vertical dimension to the landscape

Sun, 10/02/2022 - 5:00am

There is a real upside to two new sweet potatoes making their debut in 2023. I mean that tongue and cheek as that is actually part of their name, but their application in the landscape looks to be amazing. So here is the skinny, so to speak: Sweet Caroline Upside Key Lime and Sweet Caroline Upside Black Coffee are two climbing sweet potatoes that will be hot commodities in 2023.

Read more about Sweet Caroline sweet potatoes give vertical dimension to the landscape

Above, Halal Basket's loaded gyro wrap, which came with lettuce, tzatziki sauce, tomatoes and onion. Below, the new San Marcos restaurant's loaded French Fries — fries topped with tzatziki sauce, ketchup and hot sauce. Daily Record photos by Nick Castillo

Foodie Friday: Halal Basket

Thu, 09/29/2022 - 7:39pm

A new restaurant featuring Mediterranean cuisine has opened its doors in San Marcos.

Read more about Foodie Friday: Halal Basket

American GI Forum Women’s Chapter to host first Silver Gala Hall of Fame

Thu, 09/29/2022 - 7:22pm

The American GI Forum Women’s Chapter will host its first Silver Gala Hall of Fame.

Read more about American GI Forum Women’s Chapter to host first Silver Gala Hall of Fame

An American goldfinch. The collective noun for a group of finches is a charm. Graphic from Metro Creative

Exploring Nature: Winter Birds

Sun, 09/25/2022 - 5:00am

Well darn. My hummingbird has gone.

Read more about Exploring Nature: Winter Birds

Awards pile up for Truffula Pink Gomphrena

Truffula Pink gomphrena, zinnias and Silver Fox mangave made this rock walled bed a summer sensation.

Photos by Norman Winter

This Common Buckeye butterfly is ever so picturesque feeding on Truffula Pink gomphrena.

Truffula Pink gomphrena combines with Meant to Bee Royal Raspberry and Meant to Bee Queen Nectarine agastache, Rockin’ Playin’ the Blues salvia, Color Coded Orange You Awesome coneflower, Sunstar Red pentas and Pyromania Blaze kniphofia or torch lily in this pollinator corner.

Truffula Pink gomphrena and Augusta Lavender heliotrope perform as award winners at Mississippi State University’s Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station in Crystal Springs, Miss. Photo courtesy of Mississippi State University

This American Lady finds Truffula Pink gomphrena to be just menu perfect. Photo by Norman Winter

Awards pile up for Truffula Pink Gomphrena

Sun, 09/25/2022 - 5:00am

Flame Proof, Perfect Score All Season, Leader of the Packand Top Performer are just a few of the award designations for Truffula Pink Gomphrena. It has now taken in 50 such trophies. If your state has a flower trial competition, my guess is Truffula Pink has been a winner. I also believe that as the pandemic evaporates and we achieve a modicum of normality, the number of trophies will continue to mount. If you don’t know, Truffula Pink, it is a globe amaranth. It is almost always grown as an annual that reaches about 24 inches tall and almost as wide. You can’t give it too much sun. It is possible it might be perennial in zones 9 and warmer. I live in 8a and had a patch that was perennial for me for a couple of years. I’ll explain its demise.

Read more about Awards pile up for Truffula Pink Gomphrena

Outsiders Anonymous to host Recovery Month events starting Oct. 8

Sun, 09/25/2022 - 5:00am

Outsiders Anonymous will hold its inaugural Recovery on the Plaza Festival on Oct. 8 at San Marcos Plaza Park.

Read more about Outsiders Anonymous to host Recovery Month events starting Oct. 8

Kaleb Quinn, who plays Creon, with the rest of the cast ensemble.
Photo submitted by Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance

TXST to present ‘Antigone’ Sept. 27 - Oct. 2

Sun, 09/25/2022 - 5:00am

Texas State’s Department of Theatre and Dance presents “Antigone” by Bertolt Brecht, translation by Judith Malina, Sept. 27 - Oct. 2 in the Patti Strickel Harrison Theatre.