Category Archives: Garden
Hickok, Wild Dill Hickcok
Found this “wild” dill growing under the vitex when I moved one of the benches to a sunnier spot.
The vitex is that taller tree like thing in the back with the purple flower fronds. Bees and butterflies love it but it has to be cut back or it will take all the sun. Wild Dill Hickok is just visible to the left of the big pot of coleus under the vitex.
Tacos for Sunday Lunch
Used the rest of those first cherry tomatoes in a pico de gallo. The taco base is refried beans and chicken, I finished mine out with the pico, chopped lettuce, queso fresco, and my new favorite taco sauce. I like the red, Mrs J goes for the green.
Pizza Pr0n
I picked the first batch of cherry tomatoes, probably about a pint and a half. Mrs J looked at the bowl and thought they would go good on a pizza. She was right.
These are more of those naan loaves we bought at the International grocery. They are about 8 inches in diameter and make great little individual pies. I brushed them with garlic infused olive oil, added pieces of sliced provolone, and the sliced tomatoes. They went into a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Add the fresh basil after they come out. Shredded parmesan works well. I use a microplane grater on a small block of hard cheese.
Do Bee A Dill Bee
I had a fun time trying to remove the heavy breathing from the video. There is a method using the VLC app that I managed to finally get right after a dozen or more tries. I wanted to find a setting on the smartphone to record video sans audio but had no luck at all. I could deny the camera app permission to use the mic but the default Samsung camera refused to load without it. I may go on a hunt for an alternate camera app, but not today.
Mission Accomplished: Fire Pit Ready for Summer
The task:
- Take an awkward space between two stone paths and make it into something pretty. It had been an overgrown mish-mosh of plants growing onto the patio.
- Use all the edging brick I had taken up when I removed two of the flower beds in front.
- Try and use up some of the pea gravel that is destined to be removed this summer
- Use up as many of the landscaping rocks that litter my backyard as possible. And by litter, I mean they are EVERYWHERE. Cannot dig a hole or walk across the yard without running into one…or five.
- Create a pretty fire pit.
The Result:
I need a nap.
Great Dane Gardening: Strawberry Patch
Look what I get for lunch today:
I went out to check to see if they needed water and my one strawberry from yesterday turned into an entire bowl today. Woot!!
I guess I owe Bixby an apology. Clearly every strawberry patch needs a Great Dane to tend to it – dig in it, sleep in it, snuffle around in it. Bixby:1 Me:0
Tidbits
Mrs J made a pass around the blueberry bush and made a better haul than expected!
We made blueberry syrup from them and had plenty left for blueberry pancakes…
…and French toast.
The Day Lilies have busted out. They were hit hard by that late freeze but came out of it pretty well. Of course it was just the green, early leaves that died back. There was enough vigor left in the bulbs to push out plenty more.
Chili! The minced green peppers are of my first jalapeno of the year.
Here is a cute kitteh. He’s about 6 weeks old and has already been spoken for.
Here is another view of the same kitteh. Both pictures show him looking at something above – Ceiling Cat, maybe?
Fun With Spray Paint
I inherited the two large metal chairs with the house. When it came time to spruce everything up, I decided to go full mid-century and go with the ice cream palette. I think they turned out rather nice. Though the green one could have used a bit more sanding. Next year.
Happy Memorial Day
I have been waiting for the red poppies to make an appearance. It seems appropriate about half a dozen opened this morning. Red poppies and Memorial Day.
The oranges ones were very showy today, too.
I hope you have a wonderful day and take a moment, if you will, to remember those who served and died for our country.
House and Garden Update
This little peony is stuck in a dark corner of the yard and I wasn’t sure I was going to save it (I inherited 12 or 13 already) until it opened. It’s too pretty to let go, so I’ll find a good home for it with some more light in the yard.
This week will be one year since my offer was accepted on the house. Since then I have not had a day off. Not only was I busy putting the house in order, but my business exploded and I struggled to keep up. I’ve now hired some awesome help to keep the work load manageable. And with the help of friends and family, the house is also coming together.
See those 4×4 posts? They were here, cemented in – kind of covered with plants and vines. Once we uncovered them I knew it would be where the vegetable garden could be stationed. Bad Horse built the fence and next week I’m going to the salvage yard to look for a gate.
The backyard is really all that’s left to tune up. Then it will be more normal maintenance efforts – still nothing to be scoffed at – but I’ve been working to make things as low-maintenance as possible. Especially the garden beds.
I pulled out all the plants and the walkway in this corner, in order to add more grass for the dogs (and to ease up the backyard maintenance). Once it’s in, I’ll do the same with the bed to the left of it.
It has left little time for blogging, even though I’ve been cooking up a storm. I love my kitchen, but by the end of the day, I’m toast and there is nothing left so taking photos and blogging recipes has taken a backseat.
The beginnings of my garden. By the end of today, I’ll have the rest planted.
The person who lived here before loved Iris and I have an abundance and lots of different colors. Here are a few of the early blooms:
And poppies, lots of poppies. Still waiting for the red ones to open:
And my first strawberries. The bed is looking good – but in the fall I will move it behind the garden fence. Where it will be safe.
That’s if for today. I’ll keep you posted.
