End of May Garden Report

With our mild Winter and extremely early Spring, I guess the garden is about a month to six weeks ahead of where it "should" be. Well, there aren't really any "shoulds" in gardening -- it is what it is. And this year it's early.

Tree Peony, bachelor buttons, and the white climbing rose

Our mature tree peony has 20 blooms on it. It is amazing. I can't wait for the two we planted this year to get on with it. This picture shows our fountain - an anniversary gift to each other about five years ago - the climbing white rose, which is loaded with blooms, some of the bachelor buttons, and the tree peony.

Newly painted bench in the meditation garden

Every year there is some sort of building project that seems to need to be done. This year's project is the garden bench in the meditation garden. Joanne bought this a few years ago. It's one of those metal and wood benches you see everywhere. I guess we have had it about four years. A couple of years ago it started to look pretty beat up, so she took it all apart, sanded it back, and polyurethaned it. It was difficult because the metal parts of the bench are cast iron, and they are HEAVY! We always wrap the bench up with a tarp and bungie chords. But this year, when we unwrapped it, it looked terrible again. J wasn't really looking forward to taking it all apart again. She decided that this time she should paint it. So when John and Nic came up for a few days, John helped her with the project. He was really wonderful. You can't imagine how much easier a job is when it's a young (strong) guy helping you! I love the way the bench came out, and I think I'll like it even when the paint starts to look "old". I tried to talk J into distressing the paint, to speed the look along. But no luck!

Clematis "Crystal"

The clematis are coming along this year. I think we will probably buy a couple more to help them get to the level of coverage we want quicker. J says she is a little disappointed, but I figure it will take a few years, and it has only been 2 really. J's favorite clematis is one called "Crystal" - it really looks like a lotus, I think. The picture isn't a very good one. The color of the clematis is a very very pale blue, almost transparent.

I hope you are having a wonderful time in your garden too!

May Garden Report

Petunias. I love this color combo.

Well, Miss J was off to South Carolina, helping with grandbabies last week. While she was away, I worked like a demon in the garden. As a result, I am now to the part of the gardening year where I describe our state as being, "almost finished." Almost finished is some kind of weird gardening calculus where you get closer and closer but never actually finish. My list of "to-dos" includes:

• Feed the roses (we have 9 bushes)
• Move a day lily
• Buy and plant 1 or 2 tree peonies (depends on if I can convince J that we really need 2!)
• Plant some small black-eyed Susans so I have more flowers in the fall
• Weed
• Cut back the spent tulips
• Tie up the spent daffodils
• Plan 30 little zinnias that will grow to 30"
• Buy and plant some smaller zinnias
• Move the birdbath
• Unwrap and set up the fountain
• Buy and install 8 -12 bags of mulch
• Deliver the bachelor's  buttons I dug out to our neighbor

And that's just this week's list! 

April Garden Report

We are enjoying a very early spring here in Rochester. Well, I guess I should modify that statement a little. Here is Rochester, we enjoy good weather very very much. But we always have that sensation that a meteor is speeding towards earth when we do. There is just that little bit of, "Oh wow, we are going to pay for this!" in the back of our minds.  My garden, however, has no guilt, and just blooms it heart out when the weather turns warm.

From what we refer to as the "plum tree".

Last Fall I put in about 150 new bulbs, mostly daffodils, but also some tulips, allium, and lilies. I put in 50 tulips -- a lily form tulip -- in front of the house. They are going to be the last of the bulbs to bloom, I think, because it is shady and cool there. That's ok with me. I like the blooming season to be spread out throughout the season. Most of the bulbs were daffs because I decided I wanted to represent all of the eight different types of daffodils in my yard. I get my bulbs from Zimmerman and McClure, by the way, and their stuff is absolutely the best! You can find them on the web here. Be sure check them out.

I won't tell you how much this cost.

Most of the daffodils were something like $6 for 6, but this one -- my absolute favorite -- was a lot more. No, I'm not going to say. Go look it up for yourself. I love the way the white petals have yellow at the centers. It looks like either the cap is reflecting on the white, or has somehow rubbed off on the white. The effect in person is stunning.

J's favs

Joanne's favorite this year are the daffs with peach colored cups. I wasn't sure how much I was going to like those, so I didn't plant very many. But I'm going to add another dozen or so this year. Also, I planted these outstanding peach tulips that have yellow at the base of the flower. I think a bunch of those with the peach and white daffodils would be just amazing. I'll be doing a bouquet next spring, you can be sure!

I got about 100 of the lily form tulips, and as I said, only about half could go in front of the house. So I have them spread about. I got an assorted group. I love the two-tone jobs. When they open up all the way, they are just spectacular! J seems to like the traditional shaped tulips better, but I am pretty fond of these.

Robin's nest in our climbing rose. Sweet!

One exciting thing to share with you -- a mama robin has built a next in one of our climbing roses. I saw her going back and forth yesterday evening, caring in bits of grass and such. I can't wait until the eggs are laid. I want to climb up and take a picture of the eggs in the next. Of course, I'll have to be very careful and will abort the mission if it seems to distress the bird at all. So sweet! This rose is an extremely prolific bloomer. I can't wait until the nest is wreathed in blossoms!


I hope you all are having a lovely spring, and will be able to get yourselves out into the garden soon!

Philadelphia Flower Show

One day I came home from work in a decidedly grumpy mood. I used up all my vacation time having fun in the Summer and Fall, and now there isn't any time for a Spring vacation. I suggested that maybe we should go to New York for a weekend. So Miss J told me that she was planning to take me to the Philadelphia Flower Show for my birthday! What a treat!

The Garden Show was amazing. I visited Philly in the fall, and the conference I attended was at the same convention center. It's huge! I was really glad that we got over there just as it was opening on Saturday. At 9:00 AM it was just a little bit crowed, but by 11:30 it was jammed. We saw examples of every kind of flower possible. We've had an early Spring here, but not so early as to have things blooming like they were at the Flower Show. 

We are making our project list right now for this year's gardening, and we got some interesting ideas at the Show. I am absolutely dying to put in some kind of a rock garden. I saw these home made planters made from Styrofoam and cement that end up looking like that volcanic rock, tufta. They looked spectacular. J isn't as enthralled, but I think I might be able to get her on the bus.

I bought myself a new pair of gloves, a pair of flower snips for arranging, and a "frog"  - a round piece of heavy metal (brass I think) with pins sticking out of it that you can use for flower arrangements. I've already used all three!

Philly was just lovely -- I hope we get to return there some time soon. I've got a couple more posts on our dinners there. The food was only second to the flowers!

Four Signs That It's Spring in Rochester, NY

I love Rochesterians in the Springtime. Everyone is so HAPPY that it's over. It being winter. People are practically giddy. Rochesterians really appreciate the good weather. Where else do you have at least one festival of some sort or another every weekend from April 15 - October 1. Most weekends there are several, especially once the volunteer fire companies start their "Firemen's Field Days".

So here are the four signs that say Spring is definitely arrived:

 Red Winged Blackbird from Wikipedia!

1. Red wing blackbirds have returned! I know some people think it's the first robin, but we had the first robin in February. I think that's too soon. Miss J insists it's the return of the Junkos -- but I've never seen them. They seem to come while I'm at work and only Miss J is around. Hmmmm. The Canada Geese (not, as frequently labled, "Canadian" geese.) also return and pair up for breeding time. Soon we will look like a page out of Make Way for Ducklings as all the babies hatch out and doing what Canada Geese do best: make goose poop!

Our little piece of paradise!

2. I arrive late for work. I don't leave the house any later, and in fact, I might even wake up earlier than in the winter. But I can't seem to get to work on time because I start "touring the grounds". I have to see what in our rather extensive gardens is starting to come up. Right now we have crocuses and snow drops blooming. Daffodil buds are swelling, and I expect blooms by the weekend if we really get those 60 degree days that are promised. The new tulips I planted across the front of the house are up. I'm thrilled they didn't all end up as squirrel snacks.

3. Love is in the air, at least for the squirrels. I'm not going to include a picture so this blog will remain "safe for work." All I can say is, "bow chicka bowbow!"

Spring Peeper, thanks to Wikipedia

4. The peepers start singing. My friend Lois used to say, "The peepers have to freeze three times before it is really Spring!" I think we are a ways out from peeper time, but soon I'll start driving home with my windows down, straining to hear those peepers. Then count 3 freezes and I'll know for sure that Spring has arrived and Winter is gone. Lois is gone now, and I miss both her and her hubby, Bruce. Especially when I hear the peepers singing.

Pretty Damn Amazing Carrot Cake Cupcakes

J loves carrot cake, and believe me, her standard is high. Last year I probably made 4 different recipes, and there was something that could have been improved on every one of them. Saturday, I decided to give it one more try. But because I am supposed to be loosing some weight, I made cup cakes. I thought it might be easier to control portion size with these.

I started with a recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I wanted to be sure I had the chemistry part (baking soda, eggs, flour) right. Then I made my own edits. I cut the recipe in half (there are only 2 of us, after all!). I substituted a zuccini for some of the carrots. I think zuccini is the answer to almost everything. You can't taste it, but it makes food a lot juicier, and I mean that in a good way! I also used coconut oil for the fat. I like the Living Foods brand - it has a nice flavor and texture. You can order it here. I'm doing an experiment to see if using coconut oil has a positive effect on my bad cholesterol. More about that later. I reduced the sugar. I swapped out some of the flour and substituted almond meal. (By the way, the reviews I read of almond meal on Amazon.com steered me AWAY from Bob's Red Mill brand for almond flour.)

Next time I make these, I'll add more veggies and I think I'll grate an apple and reduce the sugar further. I'll use more almond flour and less wheat.


Beauteous Carrot Cupcakes - makes 12 cupcakes

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2/3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups grated vegtables - I used 3 peeled carrots and one peeled zuccini
1/4 cup unsweetened grated coconut
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup raisins

1. In a medium size bowl, mix the flour, almond meal, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, ginger.
2. In a large microwavable bowl, melt the coconut oil. Mix in the sugar, and then one at a time, the eggs.
3. Grate the vegetables.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the oil/egg/sugar mixture and stir until well mixed. Stir in the veggies, walnuts, coconut, and raisins.
5. Scoop the mixture into baking cups in a cupcake pan. You can fill them up quite a bit because they don't rise a lot.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Shot this on my cell phone and it's a little dark.

I just returned from Concord, CA where I spent a lovely long weekend with my dad, who was celebrating his 84th birthday. We had a lot of fun, going to see Cirque Du Soliel's Totem, eating numerous yummy meals out, playing scrabble. Mostly we just enjoyed one another's company!

Benicia Park

It was especially sweet for me to see my dad and daughter together. Life throws unexpected things at us, and it is important to enjoy the good times when they occur, isn't it? The cool fall day we all went to Benicia Park for a picnic of shrimp salad sandwiches, lovingly made by JD, will forever remain in my memory as one of the happiest of times. Happy Birthday, Daddy! Here's to many more!