Thursday, August 27, 2015

Book Review, Recipe, And Gardening This Week



Let's sit and rest for a spell. It's a beautiful, unseasonable cool
morning. My bike ride met with a slight wind from the north.
Can it be? Do you feel it? The ever so slight change, a variance 
perhaps but the season is about to change. Oh not right away,
mother nature still has some hot days left in her, but a change
will happen. The morning light is subtle, the dew in the grass
heavier, and did I actually see a few leaf changes. When I
spotted the squirrel with a big walnut in his mouth scurrying 
up the big maple tree my mind jumped to FALL…it's around 
the corner. Anticipation of all things autumn began to play
out. But I stopped that train, yes I think I'm ready for glorious
October but I don't want to lose the warmth of today, the joys
of porch sitting, cutting fresh flowers from my gardens, ripe
tomatoes just picked. It will be over soon enough. So I'll note
the seasonal signs, the cues from mother nature and smile at
the anticipation of what's about to happen. I'll just ride my
bike and journey into the next seasonal happening.



Now for my book review and quite timely thank you. This
is a fantastic seasonal go to book for decorating, displaying,
showcasing your garden areas through an evolution of the
seasons. If you like home-spun, rustic, crafting from nature,
if you like seasonal changes in the garden, holidays, collections,
and ideas galore, this book is yours. It's warm, personal, and
I'm in my happy-place when I read, no devour, this book.
I love it! 


From Seven Gates Farm, where James Cramer and Dean Johnson
lived and created the most beautiful surroundings of garden 
wonder. You'll move from the decorated spaces of the various 
gardens, green-house and their home, filling you with idea 
after idea of primitive composition. It's my very favorite 
decorating book. From 1996, I've had it for years, recommending 
it to everyone who share the love of seasonal home decorating 
and gardening. 



A really big shout out to my most wonderful children. August 
babies they are celebrating birthdays, Wednesday the 26th 
and Thursday the 27th. Shakira and Ben in a favorite picture 
that I keep pinned up on my bulletin board. I look at it everyday 
with love. Ron and I are blessed. LOVE you guys.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Now, how another zucchini recipe? Well this one is very easy to 
make. Chocolate Zucchini Cake from a great website I read 
regularly. To view this website go to www.onsuttonplace.com 
You'll find all kinds of wonderful ideas. Thanks Ann. See 
EARTHLY DELIGHTS for the recipe. It was delicious and 
it uses no eggs.





Now just a few words from the garden. With the weather being 
at its best for outside work, that's where I spent my mornings.
It was such pleasure being outside. Weeding continues and I've
also begun pulling up some annuals, deadheading, and trimming
small bushes. My climbing rose needed some clean-up and I'm
trying to rework the long branches through the arbor. Last year 
we severely cut it back when we had to replace the arbor. I had
my doubts whether it would survive, but it's coming back slowly
and there are roses. I'll keep you posted. You can visit a very
early post showing what the rose use to look like, I was standing 
underneath. It was beautiful and filled with red roses. I'm
doing a turnover of the mulch for a final time, this allows me to
get at the many weeds too. Also, I'm starting to put away the
yard decor, undress my garden ladies, and then tear down the 
fairy gardens. I'll transition to fall decorating as soon as the
summer stuff is tucked away. This will take a couple of weeks.
I'm still cutting zinnias and hydrangeas for bouquets, they are
producing nicely. Today I harvested more lavender to dry, and
cut some black-eyed susans to dry as well. They look so pretty
in a dried flower arrangement. I'm hoping for some rain, we
really need it. 
                                               



next up: the lawn

thanks for stopping by


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