Changing Coleus Colors with Sunlight Levels (growing in bright light vs indirect light)

One of the fun things about coleus plants is that they can change how much color they have based on how much they are exposed to light (the ratios of colors change in new growth, it won't change what colors are there).  I kept two clippings from my coleus propagation success and left one in a southern window (lots of sunlight) and one in a bright room but away from direct light. The results are pretty easy to see: more light meant more of the dark red coloring, and less light meant less red and more white/green.  In general, coleus will produce darker colors if exposed to more light, and more lighter colors if they get less light.

On the left: Coleus grown in bright sunlight (southern window).  On the right: Coleus grown with only indirect light.

Minnesota Weather Extremes

From weather.com

Rhubarb Punch

Every summer the large patch of Rhubarb at my house goes bananas (oddly it does not go rhubarbs) and grows like crazy, leaving me with far more rhubarb than I can usually use.  So this year I decided to make Rhubarb Punch, which is a great refreshing beverage for the first hot days of summer.

Ingredients (very flexible):
4 cups rhubarb
4 cups water
1 cup white sugar (or less, 1 cup makes it very sweet)
1 can frozen lemonade concentrate
2 Liters Sprite/Sierra Mist/7-Up/fizzy citrus soda


                                           Directions:

Chop rhubarb into inch or so pieces and  put in water.

Bring to a boil then let simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Strain out the rhubarb flesh, keeping only the delicious pink rhubarb juice.

Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

Add frozen lemonade concentrate and mix.
Add citrus-flavored pop of your choosing and mix.

Drink!  I like to also add crushed ice for extra refreshing-ness.