Saturday Dinner at Preservation Kitchen

We had a lovely dinner last night to celebrate the Memorial Day weekend. Preservation Kitchen had some wonderful dinner offerings, and I chose a Lenore Syrah to go with my free-range Braised Chicken Breast. It had a savory sauce with organic marinated onions, Yukon Gold potatoes and fresh carrots. It was garnished with fresh thyme.

Our appetizer was crostini with tomato bruschetta.

Azaleas, A Part of the Rhododendron Family

Azaleas and rhododendrons used to be made up of two separate classifications--now they are both botanically classified as rhodies. Azaleas have only one blossom per stem, and rhododendrons have many blossoms per stem.

Azaleas love acidic soil, and do well in shade and under trees. I have a lovely pink azalea in my front yard, and it needs little care. It's in full bloom now, and will continue to bloom for a month or more.

The hybridization of azaleas have produced over 10,000 species worldwide.

My New Garden Shed Just Left Ohio!

My "Skyline" 8 x 10 shed left Ohio last Friday, May 20. It's now on a truck headed for my home in Maltby. Once it arrives, it will be built on my site in one day by the owner of Amish Country Originals in Clearview. I'm so excited to have this dream of a shed turn into a reality!

Here is a picture of a similar shed. Mine will have double doors with 'barn door' trim, and I will paint it Cape Cod Grey to match the house, with Country White trim and teal accents. It has one window and a gable roof. Later on, I'll order window boxes and a cupola.

Ornamental Crabapple Tree Blossoms

The crabapple blossoms are at their peak this week, and I enjoyed the lovely colors and fragrance this evening. This is the most beautiful tree on my property.

Garden Reflections

Gardens help us learn to create order in our lives. So much of gardening involves the routine tasks of maintaining order. I spent the weekend cleaning up my garden, preparing it for planting on Sunday. I mowed some grass, also, and picked up the rest of the autumn leaves and put them in the composter.

Our post-modern world rushes us from one event and place to another, creating stress, raising adrenalin levels, and bombarding us with so much information. It's easy to lose touch with the natural rhythm of life. Gardening brings us back to that primal rhythm, and teaches us that delicate balance between action and contemplation.

May Garden and Raised Bed #4

Here is my May garden, with two new geranium baskets up against the fence. Raised bed #4 (on the end near the solar woodshed) contains the following:

Japanese Long Cucumbers

Tom Thumb Lettuce

Rainbow Swiss Chard

Corn Salad Dutch Greens

Lincoln Garden Peas (will grow up against the picket fence)

Aren't the names of the heirloom seeds evocative of bright colors and lush vegetables?

Rosemary and Thyme

My rosemary and thyme are sharing a raised bed this year with the Ruby Red Rhubarb and the purple and yellow iris. I'll be using the herbs in my organic frittatas, a favorite supper dish here at home, paired with homemade honey wheat bread and fresh organic cantaloupe.