A Garden Tour

 

 

A couple of months ago we were asked if we'd like to be a part of a neighborhood

garden tour.  It's kind of hard to know what your garden is going to look like in August

in May.  I was kind of nervous because we've had a  hot, record breaking summer this year.

 

But we watered and weeded and mowed and pruned and the garden

never looked better.

 

Way to go garden!

 

 

 

 

Our window boxes needed water at least twice a day all summer long.

 

 

So did anything in a pot.

 

The zinnias, of course, loved the heat.

 

Come on in to the backyard.

 

 

We had a record setting crop of Asian Pears.

 

 

The perfect spot for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

 

Don't they just taste better outside?

 

 

The garden tour was last week and now the pressure is off.

 

Time to just enjoy the last few weeks of summer 2012 in our garden.

Sunday Sayings

"Anyone that imagines bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed.  The fact is most putts don't drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to just be people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, most jobs are more dull than otherwise.  Life is like an old time rail journey...delays...sidetracks, dust, smoke, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.  The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."  Gordon B Hinckley

Outdoor Illumination

Whenever I find an old light globe at a yard sale or thrift store I usually buy it.

I used to stick a little tea light in them, wrap some wire around the top,  hang

them from a shepherd's crook or hook, and 

light them when we had a get together in our backyard.

Now, in this day of high tech magic, I took apart

a solar stake, ($3.99 at Home Depot), and glued

the solar top part on the globe with E6000.  Wrapped some

wire around the top and hung them here and there.

You could also use Mason jars instead of the globe if you want to.

They collect the sunshine all day and then at night they cast a nice little light up along our 

picket fence.

And glow like miniature moons in our trees.

Really, I like the flicker of candle light better than these solar lights.

But these are shining every night with no effort on my part and they're much

safer in our drying trees.

They make our backyard just a little bit magical on these

beautiful end-of-summer nights.

Sunday Sayings

"Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by

 the seeds you plant."    Robert Louis Stevenson

Easy Cinnamon Roll Waffles

It's been close to 100 degrees here for weeks and it's just

too hot to turn on the oven.

The other day I had most of my grandchildren here for breakfast.

So my daughter #1 brought over the makings for these

yummy little cinnamon rolls that are baked in a waffle iron.

It didn't heat up the kitchen much at all.

We used these, but I think the frozen yeast cinnamon rolls would

be even better.

Baked them for about 4 minutes.

Iced them with the icing that came in the can.

A nice little treat and a cool kitchen.

Sunday Sayings

"The potential for greatness lives within each of us."

            Wilma Rudolph  former Olympic Champion

Behind the Fence

This is the view from my kitchen window.

I love looking out on our backyard in the morning when the sun is just

coming up over the mountains. The sun shines through our huge old walnut

tree that provides welcome shade during this long, hot summer.

Behind that white picket fence is our vegetable garden.

There's also an old chicken coop that was here when we bought our lot.

It's barely standing and when it rains the roof leaks but we're going to try to fix it up enough 

so that we can keep it.  A project for when it isn't quite so warm.

We have a compost pile next to the coop.  It makes great compost out of 

leaves, lawn clippings and kitchen scraps.

We put an old Adirondack double chair back there.

I love little spots in the garden to sit and read or dream and plan. 

We've been collecting fallen branches from our big trees to use in our fire pit this fall.

The mister built a couple of boxes this year.  We weren't sure if

there would be enough sun for vegetables since this area is in shade 

until about 11:00.  If they do well, next year he'll build a few more.

He also decided he'd make his own upside down tomato planter.

We've already harvested a few tomatoes from it.

The pumpkins are spreading out.  The grandkids like to pick them

and take them home when they're ready.  And of course they're

great for fall decorations.

Last year I canned 30 pints of green beans.  This year we have lots

of leaves and no blossoms.

Is it the heat?  Is it the shade?

Tomatoes and yellow crookneck squash in this box.

All the planting, weeding and watering is finally paying off.

The harvest has begun.

Sunday Sayings

"In all of living have much fun and laughter.  Life is to be enjoyed not just endured."    Gordon B Hinckley

Zucchini Cakes

We never plant zucchinis in our vegetable garden because we usually get plenty from our neighbors.

They are always more than happy to share!

I have recipes for zucchini cake and zucchini muffins that my family loves.  

We like to eat them raw with ranch dressing or in a salad.  

Sometimes I slice them and saute them in

a little butter and olive oil with a few thinly sliced onions.  Delicious with some fresh parmesan

cheese sprinkled over the top.  

I'm always on the lookout for new summer squash recipes so when

I found this on Pinterest, I decided to give it a try.  Although I did 

tweak it just a little.

Zucchini Cakes

1 large grated zucchini (patted dry in a paper towel)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 egg

1/4 tsp paprika

1 clove minced garlic

2-3 shakes of hot sauce

salt and pepper

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

Mix all ingredients except olive oil.  Form into patties. 

Fry in olive oil until golden brown.