Welcome to
The Morning Star Update!
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Greetings!
Can it really be July already? June passed so quickly. And this gorgeous weather that we are having feels more like spring than summer - 62 degrees and sunny this morning with an expected high around 80 degrees. What great vacation weather for everyone on summer holiday! I hope that you are having a wonderful summer so far!
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4th of July
Cheesecake Cupcakes
Every month, I try to come up with a seasonally-appropriate recipe. For this month I tried to think of something that would be an easy-to-make but very tempting dessert. This is what I came up with. Made with an oreo cookie base, one doesn't have to go to the trouble of making individual crumb crusts over and over; and the cheesecake batter whips up quickly in a food processor. The recipe is posted on my blog. Enjoy! Happy 4th everyone! |
 Some Daylily Facts
* Daylilies aren't really lilies. True lilies grow from a bulb, while daylilies have a crown from which roots, leaves, and flowers grow.
* Daylilies belong to the genus Hemerocallis, meaning "beautiful for a day". This is because each new bloom generally opens in the morning - though some open at night - and is spent before the next day.
* Fortunately, the buds don't all open in the same day with most plants producing buds for up to 5 weeks. *There are tens of thousands of cultivars of daylilies, making them one of the most hybridized plants.
* Some daylilies do better in warmer climates, others in cooler ones. It is a good idea to check the recommended zones for growing before purchasing a daylily.
* Daylilies can be grown in full sun to partial shade, depending on the variety. Generally lighter colored daylilies tolerate more sun than darker shades which can scorch during the hottest part of the day.
* Daylilies prefer well-drained soil and but benefit from mulch.
* Daylilies are drought-tolerant, though that does not necessarily mean that they look their best during drought conditions. Brown tips can be trimmed off the foliage without harming the plant.
* The roots of daylilies produce fleshy tubers which store energy.
* During very hot, dry spells, daylilies can go dormant - meaning that the plant dies back to the ground. If this happens, make sure that the area is mulched, remove the dead foliage, and continue to water the area where the daylilies are planted as normal to keep the roots alive. When the weather cools off, the plants should produce new foliage.
* Typically, daylilies should be fertilized with a low-nitrogen fertilizer in early Spring and when they are done blooming. Daylilies planted near shrubs often need extra water and fertilizer to compensate for the competition for nutrients.
* Daylilies are not particularly susceptible to pests. Weeds are another story. (Yes, I yanked that vining weed after taking the photo above!) |
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KSU Gardens
If you are looking for something to do in Manhattan, with all of the rain and relatively cool weather that we have been having, the KSU Gardens are looking lush. Right now the Daylily Collection and Adaptive Plants Colection are in bloom along with many of the landscaping plants. The Gardens is a pleasant place to walk around, to sit and visit, or to learn about plants that can be grown in this area.
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As always, thank you for reading The Morning Star Update! I hope that you have a safe and happy July 4th and a great month!
Sincerely,
Laurie Pieper
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The Cater Street Hangman
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Joan from Connecticut gave a copy of The Cater Street Hangman to me when she checked out recently. Joan said that she loves Anne Perry novels and that since this was a second-hand copy that she didn't feel the need to take back home with her, she thought she would leave it with me in case I (or one of our guests) might like it. A few evenings later, I actually had time to make myself a cup of tea and flop on the sofa to give this mystery a read. Once I got started, I really wanted to stay up late to finish the book, but as I had to get up early to make breakfast the next morning, finding out whodunit had to wait for one more night.
Set in Victorian London, The Cater Street Hangman centers around the very proper Ellison family and how the various family members come to question what they know about themselves and the people around them when a serial killer starts targeting young women in their midst. Full of tension - romantic and otherwise - this book is a page turner. And since it is the first in a series, now I have more mysteries to look forward to reading. Thanks, Joan!
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Dates to Remember
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through December 31st: K-State History in Special Collections, Hale Library
July 4th: Thunder Over Manhattan, Cico Park
July 4th, 9th and 19th: Manhattan Municipal Concert Band, Manhattan City Park Pavillion
July 25th: Riley County Parade July 25th - 27th: Kaw Valley RodeoJuly 25th - 29th: Riley County Amusement Carnival
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