A Child In the Garden

My five-year-old granddaughter Kaila was actively involved in planting her first garden last year. She was responsible for planting all of the vegetable seeds that were sown, and she busily weeded between the rows last summer, keeping her crops neat and organized.

This year, she wasn't around a lot to do the planting, so I carefully got the heirloom seeds into the ground and took care of the weeding. Last week, she joined me for a day during my vacation and helped me with the garden. She had new garden gloves, and quickly got to work looking at the peas and beans, and deciding what everything was and when it would all be ready. She seemed to remember quite a bit about her experience last year, and enjoyed this year's progess of the plants.

She'll be over next weekend to help me pick apples, and we'll make applesauce and apple pies for our Labor Day barbecue. I'm hoping she'll one day enjoy gardening as much as I do, and I'll add to her gardening memories each year as we try new varieties of vegetables in our quest for the perfect garden!

Flowers from the Farmer's Market

Every Saturday, I get up, eat breakfast, and head down to the Farmer's Market in Woodinville. They have a very small market, but the flower stands are wonderful, and the fruit and vegetables are all grown locally in the Woodinville and Snohomish Valleys. It's a great way to start the weekend, and I come home each time with two large bouquets for my French pine dining room table and my living room coffee table.

This week, a white bouquet with blue accents graces the living room, and the arrangement for the dining room table is a vibrant mixture of yellows and oranges, reminscent of French textiles and linens, and summery tablecloths. The dahlias are my favorites, and take center stage all week long.

I'll miss the market flowers and produce as the season winds down, but I'll have other things to grace my home as the holidays approach.

The Shade Garden

For many years, the southwest corner of our property was a spot we didn't know what to do with. The previous owner of our place used this spot to dump yard waste and rocks that had been dug up in the yard. It took me a full two years to sift through it all, take the refuse to the dump, and move the rocks to a pile which became flowerbed borders and garden boundaries. It was backbreaking work!

Finally, the area was clean and as empty as a blank canvas. There was a birch tree coming right out of the middle of the pile of dirt, so I made that the focal point of the area. Year after year, I planted shrubs and flowers there, and by the middle of summer, they had all withered away.

At that point, we did some research on shade gardens, and after more months of bringing in three-way garden soil and bark, we were ready to buy some plants for this 'shade' area (this spot gets less than three hours of sun per day). A trip to Flower World yielded two Weigela and five Heucheria, a small lilac volunteer, and a transplated Honey Locust sprig that's turning into a viable tree this year.

I received an antique plow from a school friend, and I positioned it beneath the birch tree, hung a couple of birdhouses and a hanging begonia basket, and stood back to admire the new space. The project was a long one, and we learned a lot about finding the right plants and flowers for the existing conditions in this area of the pasture. Our shade garden was beautiful this year! It was worth the wait.

The View From the Gazebo

As Summer is winding down, I find myself spending more time in the gazebo, lounging in my canvas lounge chair or in my newly-discovered wicker chairs (a great find last weekend at an antique shop nearby). My glass chandelier (bought several years ago during a vacation in Winthropo) hangs delicately from the apex of the gazebo, and I light the candle in it after the sun goes down. From the gazebo, I have a perfect view of my shade garden to the west, the house to the east, and nothing but lovely trees and flowers to the south and north. It's the best spot in the whole place, and many a summer novel or a paperback book was read there this summer.

The big black labrador we have loves to spend time there, too, rolling in the cool grass on hot days and just relaxing with me. She follows the sounds of the birds and a bold squirrel as they talk to us from the trees. A cool breeze is always present, and when the house gets too hot from a day of 90-degree weather, the gazebo is a great place to eat dinner or enjoy a cool glass of Perrier.

Long after the cool weather chases us indoors by a roaring fire, I'll remember my favorite summer days outside in my summer shelter. As someone once said, the two most beautiful words in the English language are "summer afternoon".

Italian Plum Tree

About 5 years ago, we bought an Italian Plum tree (Prunus domestica) to add to our small orchard of five trees. It was a tree that had a lot of childhood memories for me, as we had one in our yard growing up. My Mom would make plum jam and can the beautiful, purple fruit. It would turn an incredible purple color once it was preserved. We'd enjoy the bounty of that tree all winter long.

This tree ("Fellenberg") is a late bloomer, and it takes it 3-5 years to bear fruit. This is the first year we had more than a half dozen plums on the tree, and we dragged out the ladder this afternoon to pick as many of the plums as we could reach.

The Italian Plum tree will bear fruit for 15-20 years, and provide frosm 3-5 bushels of fruit. I can't wait for future year's crops, but this year I'll make several batches of jam and give them as gifts in the fall and the holiday season.

Each tree is an adventure unto itself. This one was worth waiting the five years for the first harvest.

The First Day of Vacation

This morning was the first day of a week-long August vacation, and one I've looked forward to all year. The weather is starting out just as I hoped it would--clear, blue skies and cool temperatures in the 70's. It will be perfect for all the plans that are swimming around in my head. What should I do first?

After a brisk bike ride and walking the dog, I brewed a perfect cup of Starbucks Pike Place Blend and took it out on the deck to savor and enjoy. I love the unhurried pace of time away from work, and as I sipped the rich, spicy brew, I could hear the birds sing and the squirrels chatter.

I'm primed now and ready to leisurely review my list of things to accomplish this week. I love vacations!

New England Sugar Pie Squash

For my garden this year, I tried a new heirloom variety of squash called New England Sugar Pie squash. The name alone was intriguing, and conjured up images of brilliant colors of the fall and a bountiful crop of all types of pumpkins and squash.

After a June planting, the plants were slow to get started due to cold and damp weather. However, once August got here, the high temperatures and dryer weather gave the plants a boost, and now there are dozens of large yellow blossoms. I can't wait to see what the squash will look like!

These squash are reputed to be the best for pumpkin pies, so I'll cook the squash once it's ready, and freeze it for my Thanksgiving and Christmas pumpkin pies! It's never too early to start getting ready for the holidays!

The History of the Antique Drop Front Desk

The fall front desk can be considered the cousin of the Secretary desk. Both have a main working surface or desktop which does double duty as a cover to seal up papers and other items located in small shelves or small drawers placed one on top of the other in front of the user. Thus, all working papers, documents and other items have to be stored before the desk is closed.

Unlike the secretary desk, the fall front desk's desktop panel is in a perfectly vertical position when in its closed position. Often, there are no additional shelves or drawers above the section which is enclosed by the desktop.

The fall front desk is also called a drop front desk, and sometimes also a drop lid desk. Scrutoire and scriptoire are ancient variations. The "secrétaire à abattant" is a nearly identical form, but usually in a French style such as Louis XV. In the early 19th century, Shaker communities produced a tall and plain variation which is often known as a "cupboard desk".

In 1975, I inherited a drop front desk from my grandparents. It was always the first thing I saw when I visited their 1914 Craftsman Bungalow in Ballard--it was in the entry hall. It was made of mahogany, and my grandfather always had it piled with books and letters.

Shortly after acquiring this desk, I stripped it of its old finish, sanded it to a satiny sheen, and stained and sealed it. It has a simple but elegant design, and today, it is the first thing you see when you enter my entry hall. I have the desk filled with my grandfather's books and watch repair tools, and on the top of the desk, I have a hand-made wooden box made by one of my grandparent's friends, who was a master woodworker. There is also an antique letter opener and the certificate for my grandmother's confirmation in 1898. It's a wonderful place to stop for a moment and take in the mementos of my grandparent's lives.

Semi-Dwarf Liberty Apples

Many years ago when we moved into our home in Maltby, we had a vision for an orchard. We thoughtfully discussed the types of fruit trees we'd like to have, and spent many Saturdays visiting Molbak's and Flower World, looking for the dwarf trees that we thought would do well on our property. One of our best choices was the semi-dwarf Liberty apple tree.

The Liberty apples were developed to be disease-resistant, and they have thrived in our pasture's environment. Year after year, they produce the most beautiful blush-colored apples that I use to make applesauce and apple pies. This year, even with our late-arriving summer and very cool spring, these apples have thrived.

Apples conjure up memories of my childhood, having been raised on a city-acre that my parents fully developed for gardening and harvesting of fruit. We had two cherry trees, a crabapple tree, three apple trees, and an Italian plum tree. I can remember climbing up into the mature apple tree, getting comfortable sitting between two large branches, and eating as many apples as I could.

The Liberty apples will be ready to pick in the next few weeks, and I'm looking forward to using them to make my Maltby Apple Pie and applesauce. But before I cut them up, I'll put several of them in a cut-glass bowl on my farm table and admire their perfect shape and their rosy hue. They are almost too beautiful to eat!

French Country Stoneware

Several weeks ago, my mother-in-law Grace sent me a box of beautiful dishes that she purchased in 1998 in Virginia. She brought them home and unpacked them and never used them. They've been sitting in her cupboard all these years.

They are the loveliest dishes I've ever seen. They are made by Villeroy and Boch, and the name of the pattern is Manoir, which translates from the French as "large country manor house". They are white stoneware, and look at home in my French Country kitchen.

Also included with the white set of dishes were 8 small dessert dishes, also made by Villeroy and Boch, called Jardin D' Alsace Auberge, which means "a garden at the inn in Alsace". They are the same shape as Manoir, but have delicate green sage centers and rose-colored rims. As you can imagine, these dishes conjure up wonderful images of sun-soaked flower and lavender fields, and burnt umber-colored brick hotels and inns opening onto narrow cobbled streets in the French countryside. I think of these things each time I take down a dish to use for a meal or dessert.

Of all the things that Grace could have given me, this set of dishes was more meaningful than anything else I could have imagined. I appreciate the aesthetic sense she possesses, and her generosity in sharing this gift with me.

Checking In on the Garden

Come take a walk with me this evening as I meander through the pasture to the picket fence that surrounds my garden. The garden gate creaks slightly as I open it and step into the garden.

The cool evening has been kind to my plants, and everything is lush and green. The corn is getting high, and the peas and beans are growing out of control, spilling over their supports. There are tiny cucumbers forming, and my granddaughter's pumpkins are coming along. There are lots of yellow blossoms that will soon be summer heirloom squash.

The hanging petunia baskets are bright purple and pink, and create a nice backdrop for the garden. The herbs are doing well, and I'll have to use some of them this week in a pasta dish. The evening is quiet, and it feels good just to stand there and take it all in.

As I head back to the house, I pass the orchard, where the apple trees are loaded with fruit. The Italian Plum trees will bear enough fruit for some jam this year. The Asian Pear has some fruit on it, but nothing like last year. However, it will all be enough at harvest time.

I love this time of year, when summer is high, and fall is not yet in our thoughts. I'll savor every moment of this month of August, and celebrate the beauty of the days in my own way.

An Angel in the Garden

Several years ago, I attended the Swap Meet at the Monroe Fairgrounds. Once a month, they have a large group of vendors congregate, and we peruse the rows and rows of merchandise and find something special to take home.

On this very chilly Spring morning, I spotted a small cement statue of an angel. I carried it over to the proprietor and paid for it, and lugged it to my car. I couldn't wait to get it home--I had the perfect spot for it!

When I graduated from college six years ago, my mother gave me a lovely stone bench for the front yard garden. It's situated under the Asian Pear tree, which creates a lovely shade garden. I placed the angel on the bench, and it was a perfect pairing.

When I graduated from Seattle Pacific University, I received a small sprig of ivy during the Ivy Cutting Ceremony. I planted it in the front yard against the white picket fence. Over the years, it has traveled at least 20 feet, and this year, it finally reached the angel. I guided the ivy vine around the little statue, and loved the effect that it created.

That corner of my yard is a special place now to stop for a moment, remember the reason for the bench and the ivy, and then be pleased that I found the perfect little figure to pull it all together and finish the tableau.

Grandmother's Farm Table

I recently inherited the farm table that my grandmother Alma had in her kitchen in Ballard for many years. Before I got the table, my aunt inherited it from her mother, and had it completely refinished years ago. It's a beautiful table, with bins for flour and other staples such as sugar. The aluminum top was removed, and the wood refinished and polished to a beautiful sheen. It now resides in my family room, where it provides a spot for my 1898 Seth Thomas kitchen clock.

It means a lot to me to have the table that my grandmother used to prepare meals for her family. My father and his sister used to eat their Sunday lunch on the two serving boards that pull out from the front of the table. I often use these extensions of the table when I am serving a buffet meals to friends and family.

Perhaps my grandmother got this table from her mother-in-law in Oregon. I am at least the third generation to use this table, and it gives me a sense of my place in my family whenever I walk by and let my hand trail over the beautiful, smooth dark wood.

Authenticity

"When we are authentic, when we keep our spaces simple, simply beautiful living takes place." --Alexandra Stoddard

I recently finished reading a book titled Restore, Recycle, Repurpose, by Randy Florke. Randy is an interior decorator with a twist--he believes in using recycled items, repurposing them, and restoring them. As he travels and transforms the homes of his clients, his guiding principles are those that his grandmother taught him. He has set out to prove that we can decorate our homes without spending barrels of money, without doing a lot of consuming, without shipping in costly materials from far-away places, and without adding to the piles of refuse as the nearest dump.

Decorating can have a serious impact on the environment, both inside and outside a home. Randy believes you can still go 'green' without sacrificing aesthetics.

As I paged through this beautiful book with lush photographs of redecorated homes, I marveled at the beautiful interiors and the character of the pieces that had been saved or repurposed or restored. It is a great inspiration to me, and I'm looking for ways to continue to buy only things I need, and to buy something old and with character when I need to re-do a room or change something in my home.

Sunday Afternoon at the Farmer's Market

This afternoon, we headed to Lake Forest Park for their Sunday Farmer's Market. The day was cool and overcast, and we wore jackets for the first time in weeks. This Sunday market is well-attended, and we had to park the truck and then walk to the event.

It's a wonderful market with locally-grown produce from Monroe and Duvall farms, and I am always amazed at the colors of the fruits and vegetables in mid-summer. They are beautiful! There were varieties of turnips and tomatoes and peppers I had never seen before, and cherries and aprocots and all types of berries, even red huckleberries. It was difficult to choose what we wanted to take home, but we carefully made our selections and will be consulting our Farmer's Market Cookbook when we get home.

I'm going to make a salsa from the heirloom tomatoes I found today, and we'll probably eat the Bing Cherries on the way home. Perhaps I can make one more batch of freezer jam out of the apricots...

We stopped at the Harvest Bread store on the way out, and sampled the Cinnamon Chip loaf and the Country White bread. Mmmm.....yummy!

Shucking Corn and Picking Raspberries

each ear gives up its clothes reluctantly

overlapping folds hiss when pulled apart

together were a rich green but peeled

the undersides are white, and deeper in

their outsides are as well, the stem snaps off

decisively, fine silk the last reserve

hiding awkward rows of white and yellow

kernels, their manufacture imprecise

in parts not interchangeable, the lines

imperfect like these now remembering

toweling my small son’s damp corn-silk hair

after a bath, his firm creamy skin clean

as tomorrow’s world eager to arrive

the raspberry patch nears its end of yield

in early August, offering only

a hand-full now instead of pints and quarts

I search among the leaves to find a few

small red globes of lined kernels circling stems

much like corn kernels, imperfect mirrors

each of each, together being berry

a like wholeness eludes us even now

at the slow turn of the season, nothing

lacking except release and belief

which would be Life were they not mistaken

for withholding, wish, and expectation

--Don Brandis