Summer Flowers

Many summer flowers are still on the way, while some are in bloom already.

I have added one or two hydrangeas to the patch each year. One blue among all the pink--no idea why!

A mix of perennials and annuals in the hummingbird garden. The butterfly bush seems to be doing well there. I really hope I've found the right location for it this time, after two earlier failed attempts to have one in my yard. Cosmos and zinnias are up and getting ready to bloom, if they can hold their ground against the morning glories that are trying their best to take over the entire planet.

 

 

I do love cranesbills. They seem to survive no matter what tries to eat them down to the ground time after time.

And, of course, my namesake :)

Mediterranean Pasta

I started with this recipe from Kraft, but I made several substitutions based on what I had on hand. Instead of spinach, I had fresh Swiss chard from my CSA share from Gravel Knolls Farm. [Did you know that if you cut out the main rib and slice it up, you can saute it until tender and it is yummy?] Along with the chopped chard ribs, I sauteed chopped garlic scapes (from the Farm), a diced red bell pepper, a couple of sliced carrots (from the Farm), and a diced onion. Once everything was tender, I added a small can of diced tomatoes and the chopped chard leaves. I prepared the pasta according to the recipe with the light version of the cooking creme. Crumbled feta sprinkled liberally on top. I think it came out great! I've been eating it warm, but I guess it would be okay chilled, too.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with Bacon

Yes, bacon. You can see the picture and recipe here. Mine looked much like that, except that the crust sagged a bit. From the stars, I think. I can fix that next time.

I have tried chocolate-covered bacon. It was okay, but not something I would seek out again. But, for some reason, this sounded good.

It was. Yummy, yummy. There was general agreement that the bananas were an unnecessary distraction. Next time, no bananas (apologies to Elvis), more bacon, and I'm thinking some mini chocolate chips in the peanut-butter filling.

I am going to win the office bake-off this year :)

Herb Spiral - My Next Project

The idea of an herb spiral is to lay out an herb garden in a relatively compact space that includes microclimates adapted to each herb. The spiral shape also decreases in height from center to edge, impacting the exposure to water, sun, and wind. I saw some of these on a trip to Cleveland a while back and have been thinking about adding one to my yard ever since.

There are plenty of how-to guides on the web:

Center for Alternative Technology - lots of good info in this tipsheet
Neutral Existence - video, too
Garden Organic - pdf with nice pictures
Hip Chick Digs - review of how the author's has worked out over time
Permaculture Visions - details of which herbs to plant where
TipNut - lots of herb-growing options -scroll to bottom of page for herb spiral info

Now I just need to pick a location and get to work!

Braised Radishes

Looking for a way to use a bounty of radishes from the Farm, I came upon a Cooking Light recipe for Chardonnay-Braised Radishes. The description promised the radishes would mellow and take on a sweetness when braised. I don't have any chardonnay, since it is not one of my favorite wines, so I used vermouth--my go-to white wine for cooking.

The dish looked pretty:

But... I am not sure if it was the substitution of the wine--it has never posed a problem before--but I just did not find the flavors appetizing. Kind of sour. Just generally not pleasing to my palate.

So, I tried to morph some of the leftovers into the next recipe, Radish Vichyssoise. It was worse. A gray, lumpy paste-like soup, with the flavor only minimally improved. I will spare you the sight of it. There is no photo in the cookbook, either.

Lesson learned: Radishes are yummy fresh, chilled, plain or chopped up in a variety of cold salads, but cooking them is not for me.

Next up, a chocolate-peanut butter-bacon pie. I kid you not. I know it has no seasonal produce in it, but I am so intrigued...

Where Did May Go?

Yes, I've been neglecting the blog. But not the gardens! The hummingbird zone has been filled in, the vegetable garden is sprouting, and I have planted a redwood tree.

Hummingbird garden -- red salvia, butterfly bush, snapdragons, weigela, columbine, yellow primroses, morning glories galore, and bee balm plants. Cosmos, zinnias, and delphiniums just sprouting from seed.

Bee balm!

The new vegetable bed.

Assorted beans, summer squash, and zucchini. I think there is one watermelon coming up. Got the special slanted trellis this spring. I am determined to get a watermelon this year! Everything was planted from seed (except one tomato plant) on May 21st, in accord with the direction of the Farmer's Almanac (to plant during the waxing phases of the moon). Tomatoes, chard, carrots, bell peppers, and basil sprouting off to the left of the picture.

For the fencing, I bought several 2' wide trellises and zip-tied pieces of plastic hex-netting to them. My intent is to be able to remove just one or two pieces to weed and harvest. Much more manageable than trying to stake the wire roll fencing around the garden with no good way to get in without taking out have the stakes.

My new dawn redwood. "Tolerates deer," whatever that means! (Fence bit and mulch ring to fend off the lawnmower!)

So Much to Do

Rain on the way, so skipped the gym in favor of working in the yard and garden. What I got done: Planted 20 strawberry plants (once I figured out that there was a rubber band--completely obscured by roots and dirt--holding them together), hooked up the rain barrels, weeded here and there (including quite a few morning glories, leaving plenty to grow and bloom), unhooked the bird bath heater (and cleaned it for summer storage), moved the large bird bath back to its summer home, got the small bird bath out and installed, added to the compost bin, and ran a couple bags of leaves and twigs through the shredder (taking it apart to clean it in the middle--thank you WD-40 and pliers). Also fed the birds, put out the trash (and tossed in the litter the thoughtless passersby had thrown from their cars into my yard), and checked the catch basin covers for leaves that might block the rain and send it into the basement instead of the creek. Just as the rain drops started to fall. Phew!

I did take time to appreciate the knock-out roses, spirea, nine bark (about to bloom), irises (also about to bloom), and peonies (just starting to bloom). Suddenly too dark for pictures, but they will follow soon.

After those efforts, two hours of work, too hungry to cook! I would not make a good farmer. Leftovers it is.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Spring has been warmer than usual (as was the winter), so many things are popping ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, I am trying to get the beds renewed/expanded/reset for the planting season. Our frost free date here is May 15th--less than a month away now!

They say the hummingbirds are in the area. I haven't seen any yet. There is usually a nest in the neighbor's tree nearest my feeder, but that tree is just leafing out. I have the feeder out just in case. Soon, I will start filling the expanded flower bed with things the hummers and butterflies like.

The spring has been much less rainy than last year. I do hope that means my peonies will bloom this year. They are on the way, looking much healthier than last year. And the ants are doing their work to help the flowers open.

More Blooming

'Tis the season for new buds and flowers every day. Lots more daffodils enjoying the break in the rain. Even the forsythia is starting to flower! 70-ish is predicted most of the week, including St. Patrick's Day.

 Primrose in the herb garden...

Sedum -- one of many throughout the yard. The leaves have blown away from this one.

 

Meanwhile, still cleaning up from the winter winds...

Nature's Resilience

Last fall, I had to dig up my herb garden and put all the plants into a temporary set up while I had some drainage work done around the back of the house. This little rose was in that garden. I didn't hold much hope for its survival, but here it is, greening back up for spring!

Unfortunately, the big, beautiful cotoneaster in the back didn't make it. It was one of the first plants I put in when I moved here almost 8 years ago. Late last summer, it just died. The barberries around it are fine, they're greening up again. Really sad, it had provided a shelter for rabbits and the neighbor's cat (not at the same time, of course!). Yesterday, I cut it down. Maybe some more barberries for that spot....

Meanwhile, crocuses continue to welcome spring all over the yard...

Crocus thyme ;)

Planting the peas a bit earlier this year. I'm told St. Patrick's Day is the guide--that's next weekend. I planted three kinds: Goliath (4.5" stringless pods--68 days to harvest), Burpeeana Early (3" pods filled with 8-10 sweet, tender peas--63 days to harvest), and Super Snappy (5-6" pods with 8-10 large peas--63 days). Yum!

Primrose in the re-set herb garden.

 The daffodils are just getting started. Thursday's rain bent them over a bit, but they're straightening back up.

Who Doesn't Love Crocuses?

Spring has sprung. These pictures are from Thursday, March 1, a warm sunny day.

Crocuses and snowdrops are blooming all over, pussy willow is covered with puffs, daffodils and forsythia soon to follow, tornadoes hit nearby on Friday, heavy rains and wind here, branches down all over, feeders full of birds. Spring in southwestern Ohio. Will tomorrow bring snow or t-shirt weather? The meteorologists will give you plenty of explanation (on and on and on), then probably get the forecast wrong in the end. Stay alert, put a new battery in the weather radio, and dress in layers ;)

Meanwhile, get out and enjoy nature's beauty. And plant some peas. And listen to some spring training baseball. Go Reds!



Winter?

So much for the groundhog. Spring seems to be defiantly early this year. Close to 60 degrees today. Snow mixed with rain predicted for the morning. Not snow, snow-mixed-with-rain. Sigh. Of course, there is plenty more time with potential for winter weather, but less likely by the day. At least I am not an elementary school kid waiting for a snow day!

Bulbs are popping up all over the yard. I was a bit worried that all the rain last fall would turn the newly planted as well as the long settled bulbs in my yard to mush. Daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses, and grape hyacinths are pushing through the oak leaf cover. Not sure about the tulips or aliums, but it is early. Very early.

The hydrangeas and forsythia are starting to bud as well. Check some out below...



daffodils

more advanced daffodils

sedum

forsythia

hydrangea

crocuses

February 3rd?

The groundhog spoke on Thursday: Six more weeks of winter. We haven't really had much in the way of winter this year, so no one quite knows what to think of that.

Meanwhile, bulbs are popping up throughout the neighborhood. Even the new ones I planted last fall. Radio garden guy says just leave them alone. Don't cover them. The nights are still chilly, and the wet ground is staying cooler than it would if it were dry, so it isn't all bad. But, who knows. Just let Mother Nature do her thing and hope for the best!

Here are my daffodils. The ferns I planted in the fall have stayed green ever since (the older ones did go dormant and so far remain asleep).

Some other bulbs in other parts of the yard:

The parsley and thyme have never really quit this winter, although the sage looks a little worse for wear. (The rosemary is inside, and doing fine.) Cilantro is popping back up, along with the garlic chives and even a primrose.

 

Snapdragons are ready to go. They do prefer cool weather, so no big surprise there. The heather has pretty much stayed in bloom all season. Everything just looks a little messy with all the oak leaves, but there is no no sense in cleaning those out when we could get a cold snap at any moment.