How Does Your Garden Grow . . .

The pots on my back deck are just wonderful. Nothing like a little steer manure, water and some sun to make everything shine!

Remember my April 22 post when we were all working on the back deck and redoing the pots from scratch? Well ~ here they are now!

Summer in Seattle is a transcendent thing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 63 Everyday Grateful ~

Going out to sit on the deck with a glass of wine.

Ah! Summer.

The Romance of a Lilac Hedge . . .

Holy Cow! What a gorgeous week in Seattle (please don't move here!). While the rest of the country has been sweltering and dealing with power outages, we've had one of the nicest weeks this year. Warm? Yes. Sunny? Yes, that too.

One of the things I learned from my dermatologist when I rushed to her office this week is that because of climate change, poison oak, poison ivy and their noxious pals are moving north. Some time last week, I came in contact with one of these and had blisters the size of grapes on my feet (that's what I get for not wearing shoes). Anyway, it was hideous and itchy.

Don't worry. I won't post a picture. I have standards . . . however low.

In the interim, I've gotten behind on my posts.

Now, about my lilac hedge.

I love the romance of planting fragrant plants, naming my house and generally creating an atmospheric space in which to live. It's all part of creating a flourishing life. As we all know, a luxuriant lilac hedge is a de rigueur for any fairy tale. It is also true, a luxuriant lilac hedge requires a lovely fence. Lovely fences are expensive. Several years ago, I found wonderful salvage lattice cedar fence sections at Second Use. These fence sections are very cool. The lattice openings are square; not the standard diagonal slats. Square openings make for a very handsome fence.

     

There has always been lilac in the front garden. But, since we live in Seattle, sun is a continuing problem. The front fence gets the most sun. So, I've really been encouraging lilacs to grow here. The problem with a hedge along the front of my property is that as it grows and fills out, it can make backing out of the driveway tricky. 

Since my garden is for the most part planted by God, I am darn near an informational novice when it comes to the care and feeding of particular plants. So, I lean heavily on Wives Tales! The classic Wives Tale about lilac is you must prune it no later than the 4th of July. If you prune it later than that, you won't have flowers next year.

Anyway, what with not being able to wear shoes and hobbling around for the last ten days, the 4th of July came and went. I was out working in my yard yesterday when it hit me. The. 4th. of. July! Oh, jeez! Lilacs! Well, the 7th of July is close to the 4th. Isn't it?

I flew into action; a veritable gardening dervish! I pruned the lilac hedge, mowed the lawn in the front and the back (I could have benefited from hiring Rent-a-Ruminant for the back yard), blew off the driveway, back deck and courtyard. Then, I took all the recycle to the eco-center, stopped by the store for fresh wild salmon, cut it up and set it marinating to go into the smoker tomorrow, fixed a lovely toothsome dinner, drank a little Prosecco with a dash of Creme de Cassis, ate on the back deck (no mosquitoes ~ please don't move here) and, when the day was all over, slept the sleep of virtuous.

Gawd, it makes me tired just to read it! But, it's nice to have a really productive day. All caused by a missed deadline!

Maybe next year the lilacs will be back. Hope springs eternal!

Day 58 Everyday Grateful ~

Sunny and completely beautiful.

A reminder of climate change!

Seattle will soon be like Los Angeles in the '50's

~ blue skies, clean air.

Summer may be here! I must water my pots!

 

Easter Sunday Brunch

My friend, Barb and I spend most holidays together. I spent Sunday with her to celebrate Easter. The first thing you should know is she is my best friend. I've known her for forty years. Holy Cow! That sounds like forever.

The other thing you should know is she isn't just a great cook (which she is), she an inspired gourmand. From planning the menu to shopping to preparation to presentation, this girl can jetté and pirouette around the kitchen like nobody's business. Everything she touches turns to culinary gold.

If you were lucky enough to dine at Barb and Rico's lakeside cottage, the first thing you would notice is that the kitchen is the center of their home. And, posted on the front of the refrigerator is the menu for the evening. I mean, really, how cool is that!





This is what we had on Sunday ~

Easter 2012

Appetizers

Triple Crème cheese with honey and crackers

Sushi with horseradish

Green olive tapenade, cream cheese and French bread 

Assorted marinated olives, mushrooms

Salad  Course

 Mixed lettuces, baby heirloom tomatoes,

Crumbled blue cheese ~ Jicama and egg

Homemade Salad Dressings

Honey Mustard Dressing ~ House Balsamic Dressing

 Entrée

 

Teriyaki salmon fillet    Standing Pork Rack

Mashed potatoes and cauliflower ~  Roasted asparagus

Yams whipped with maple syrup and shallots

Artichokes, grilled with aioli and pesto

Applesauce     Pork Gravy

Dessert

Pound cake deluxe with sliced strawberries,

whipped cream and custard in chilled glasses

Drizzled with semi-sweet chocolate

 

Drinks

Gin and tonic with limes

Gin and juice with oranges

Screwdriver ~ Bloody Mary ~ Whiskey Sour

Sparkling ciders

The entrées were wonderful. I don't eat meat but the standing pork rack looked wonderful. The salmon fillet was fantastic. And, oh so beautifully presented. I know, I know ~ there are no photos of the entrée. We were too busy eating, laughing and talking to stop for pictures.

Look at Barb's use of the darling orphan tea cup saucers for the butter. This is a fun and fanciful way to include a lonely saucer missing its cup in the festivities.

If you look closely at the brie, you will notice what looks like honey has been drizzled over it. Don't get scared! Barb and I learned about drizzling honey on brie from The Bear. Barb is Logan and The Bear's godmother. The Bear had just returned from spending the year in Florence when Barb and I traveled to Boston to see the boys. Before dinner, we had DOC Prosecco, brie and a baguette. After The Bear set the cheese board down on the coffee table, he drizzled raw honey over the brie. I have to say ~ my eyebrow nearly flew off the top of my head. And, then we tasted it. Heaven! Try it ~ it's so simple and delicious you may never eat brie plain again.

 

Also, the other thing I do want to mention is Barb is famous for her "tiny triples." Don't even think of signing anything after she hands you a drink.

When we come over to eat at Barb's, we know we will be bringing our appetites and our sense of adventure. Every meal she prepares is brilliant! And, when it is over, we will have spent an evening we will talk about for years.

Day 5 Everyday Grateful ~ dinner with those that I love.

Spring in Seattle

What a lovely morning. I'm getting ready to go my friend, Barb's house for Easter brunch, but I just had to take a walk in the garden again this morning.

Last fall, when I bought forty pounds (or, was it eighty? I forget. Anyway, it was a lot!) of King Alfred daffodils, I imagined how wonderful the pots would look in the spring. As I've said before, planting bulbs shows faith in the future.

Now, we are seeing the results of that crazy idea. It's a daffodil riot outside. And, best of all they are just starting to open their heads. I love the way they respond to the sigh of the wind as it moves through the garden. 

Atmospheric. Transcendent. Hopeful. Beautiful.

My friend, Karen's husband Ron came by yesterday. He's the pressure washing king. He got all the Seattle winter moss and slime off the back deck. We are now ready for breakfast and dinner over looking the back yard.












I love this time of year. Each day, we are gathering light. The ground is warming. The energy of returning life is everywhere.

This next week, let's chat about garden art.

Happy Easter

Day 4 Everyday Grateful ~ a long, laugh-filled phone call

from The Bear.

Beautiful Goddess of the Garden

To paraphrase the great Rodgers and Hammerstein . . . Spring is Bustin' Out All Over

I was walking on my back deck between rain showers this morning and stopped to examine my pink dogwood. It's getting ready to bust!

Ah, dogwoods. Their beauty?
It's a mystery.

Beautiful goddess of the garden.
Translucent petals full of light.
Delicate. Elegant. Graceful.



They have no fragrance, look pretty dismal in the winter and are prone to breakage. And, don't even think of pruning them. When Joyce Kilmer said, "only God can make a tree," he should have mentioned, "Only God should prune a dogwood."













But, in the spring? Glorious when they bloom.

 

Oh, yes . . .

I have complete confidence pink dogwoods

line the path to Heaven

~ eternally in bloom.