Is it really Fall???REALLY????

I can't believe that it really is Fall ~ the impatiens are still looking so colorful and so very healthy! Outside in the garden the last of the cauliflower is starting to poke it's head out from the leaves, just in time for one of our favorite side dishes here ~ cauliflower with sharp cheddar cheese sauce ~ YUM!!!! I just hope that our little visitor remembers to leave us some.



And for those of you who have been wondering what the NJ coast looks like during a 3 day Nor'Easter..... "The human heart is like a ship on a stormy sea driven about by winds blowing from all four corners of heaven."
Luther, Martin

I am SOOOOOO behind on posts !!!

As you can tell I am in the garden, trying to savor the sweet rewards of Spring. Roses never look or smell as good as they do, the first few weeks in Spring ~ I guess after a long sleep they have reason to look smashing :o)



We are just about ready to start the second half of the backyard project. If you look at where the old posts are you will see waaaaaaaaaay in the back, the first transplanted grapevine...our missiion......to become true winos ~LOL...seriously, this is the year of the berry and the grape. Pretty soon our mulberry trees will be weeping tears( errrrrrr make that berries ) of joy.



Chipotle-Mulberry Sauce:

1/4 cup red raspberry vinegar
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 cup crushed mulberries
1 chipotle in adobo, minced

In a sauce pan, combine the vinegar, garlic, mulberries, and chipotle and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree if you want a smoother sauce. This will be intensely purple!

Use to glaze the chicken or ribs, but if you do them on the grill watch carefully because the sauce is sticky and will burn quickly.

Makes about 1/2 cup

Let's see, what else? Well, they make an awesome cobbler, but mush up a bit too much for a pie unless you mix them with rhubarb or peaches or maybe even apples. Well, that's my opinion, anyway, my Grandpa would argue, he loved mulberry pie. If you do make it, be sure to cook and thicken the mulberry filling before filling the shell so the crust doesn't get too soggy.

I also think they'd make a pretty lavender colored ice cream, and might be good if pureed and strained and added to lemonade.
Credit for this smashing recipe given to ANNIE at:http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cooking/msg0415122012507.html
Now Gussy dog........GET OUT OF THOSE BERRIES!!!!

Happy Memorial Day!

Dad & Mom, before he left for Europe, during WWII.


Wishing all of our veterans, and those currently serving in all branches of our military peace!





On this Memorial Day, I have a special request for those visiting...
please visit our good friend Becky's blogspot today. It will mean so much to her and her loving family. We love you Becky! Special prayers for all of you today, especially for angel Jordan!Sweet Cottage Dreams: Posting Of The Colors On This Memorial Day#linksIn Flanders Fields
The original inspiration for veterans to sell paper poppies for Memorial Day came from the famous poem below, which was written by John McCrae in 1915:

In Flanders Fields


In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead.

Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

In 1922 the Veterans of Foreign Wars became the first veterans' organization to sell poppies nationally for Memorial Day. Two years later their "Buddy" poppy program began selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans.

What Sweet & Tangy Finds Today!

It's the first radish of the season ~This calls for a recipe:

Spring Radish Tea Sandwiches
Thinly sliced radishes
16 slices best-quality white bread*
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

* Choose the best-quality white or wheat bread as possible. Never serve end slices. Freezing the bread before cutting and then spreading makes for easier handling.

Spread one side of each piece of bread lightly with butter.

Top the buttered side of the eight (8) slices of bread with the sliced radishes and top with the remaining bread slices, buttered side down.

Carefully cut the crusts from each sandwich with a long, sharp knife. Cut the sandwiches in half diagonally and then cut in half again.

Yields 8 whole sandwiches or 16 halves or 32 fourths.

Our resident robin is checking it out ~ hope it knows how pinchy that veggie is!

Our neighbor's kitty is taking time to smell the roses....err,make that azaleas ;o)

First we find momma and baby titmouse in the yard........

Then we see the first bearded iris in bloom.....

Baby titmouse decides to investigate on its own....all in all, a wonderful day filled with all of God's gifts!

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

John 15:5

Why the STRAWBERRY MALLARD?

Welllllllllll......this is why! I can't even remember where or when I found it ~ it had to be at a yard sale or flea market..how many people that you know have strawberry mallards? Strawberry jam, strawberry jars, but strawberry ducks? Adoring our web footed friends here, the way we do, it just made sense!

While we are the subject of STRAWBERRIES, I wanted to share this recipe from an old Time Life Cookbook series..this one is on preserves, which I know you all love to make. The great thing about strawberries, is that they enable you to start hot packing those mason jars in the Spring!



Sun Kissed Strawberries ( makes 2 pints )

4 cups of strawberries

4 cups of sugar

1/4 fresh lemon juice

1/4 water

Mix the sugar, water and lemon juice together. Heat slowly, stirring, and boiling for 4 minutes. Add the berries, heat to boiling, and boil for 10 minutes. Pour into mason jars and process for 20 minutes, or simply refrigerate.
MMMMMM.........good and good for you!

~ No Rest For The Weary Here ~

Seems as though our working crew is growing bigger everyday ~ strange thing is they all seem to be watching all the activity, rather than participating in it! Well, that's ok ~ we can let them slack off a little bit...it is Spring, and love is all around!







HAVE A COLORFUL WEEKEND EVERYONE!!!!

It looks like we made some progress!!!

Time to call it a day ~ WHEW! Good thing our little foreman let us run the show today........wonder who is really supervising who????Until tomorrow ~ g'night...sleep tight...don't let the scottie dogs bite :o)

Foreman Angus Reporting For Duty!

Today we are digging the holes for the posts for the new fence. As you can see Gussy Dog is forever vigilent in his watch. There will be no goofing off today ( except by him !)

A Very Happy Mother's Day To All!

Talk about dating yourself....take a look at that photo...smack dab in the middle of grandpa's garden. No wonder I have a green thumb. I actually still have that little rubber kewpie doll from 19...well you do the math :o)
And YES, those are the original cards given to Mom waaaaaaaaaaay back when.

Wishing all of you a Mother's Day filled with joy!

A very special visitor today!

This little angel has returned for yet another Spring migration, through our neighborhood. A female NE Towhee, which came across the country to feast on our nut and berry mix. We first started to see them in 2000 and like clockwork, they have returned every year. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect frame to snap this picture in! I am going to try and post more pix of our feathered friends tomorrow, after Gussy and I mail all of our parcels!

THE FENCE IS DOWN!!!

What a week this has been! Gussy Dog and I have been working diligently to remove that tired ol' fence, I thought that we would NEVER see the light of day, under all of that debris. Someone PLEASE remind me to wear a long sleeved shirt the next time I tackle the rose bushes........OUCH!

Even with all of the battle scars, it was worth all the work ~ Watching that truck haul away the debris was such a good feeling.

Now the fun part can begin ~ Reinventing the backyard bird sanctuary :o)

Flower bulb delivery today!

Well here it is almost Friday and Gussy Dog and I are waiting for the mailman. He PROMISED that our new bulbs would be here today ( and not a moment too soon !) As our battle with Ginger the squirrel continues, we will attempt one more time to replace missing summer bulbs......yes she may be winning the battle, but we will win the war....I think.

It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring....

Well they say that April showers bring May flowers ~ indeed they do...they also bring back our little migrating mallards. We have a sweet pair that comes back every year, right before Mother's Day. I thought I saw them do a fly over today....must be checking out the garden to see what we have planted for them this year!

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven(Ecclesiastes 3:1)

It's time to garden.........like most of you who live for gardening, I have been chomping at the bit to sink my hands into the soil! Pouring over all of those delicious catalogs in winter paid off. I was able to finally find some fabulous Italian garlic. Yes I know, best to plant in the fall, but procrastinating is one of my other favorite things to do in spare time :o)