Happy 4th of July!!

Happy 4th of July everyone!!

God Bless America!!

Wordless Wednesday - Just Hangin' Out!

My Favorite Flower Bed

When we took down one of the Bradford Pear trees a year and a half ago, and had this new flagstone walkway, patio, and arbor built, I got two new little flower beds that run along the path. Last year was a trial on planting, but this year I developed a plan and these 2 beds are now my very favorite flower beds.

I really had to watch the amount of sun these beds would get as that would determine what I planted. I knew there was not full sun, but there is good morning sun. (You can really see the pond "fence" we had to put up in this picture!) In the spring, I had tulips, daffodils and candy tuff. It was really pretty. For summer, I decided I wanted to continue the cottage look with a mixture of all different kinds of flowers.
On this right side of the path I have begonias, zinnias, coneflowers

angelonia, coreopsis, forget-me-nots (from Mother) lemon balm, pinata lavender and mexican mint marigold. This area gets more sun than the left side.
The left side of the path has some repeat plants, but also salvia hot lips, black foot daisies, gaillardia and a red geranium. It is very hard to keep this side watered as the remaining Bradford takes all the moisture.
The right side was designed with a slight slope which makes it easier to water.
I have really enjoyed buying little bedding plants and tucking them here and there in these beds. I was trying to use only perennials, and I do have quite a few, but I always enjoy plant shopping each season and buying some colorful annuals.

I get up pretty early every morning. I take a quick shower and grab a cup of coffee and head out the patio door. These flower beds are just what I need to see to start my day. I didn't know what direction these beds would take this time last year, but I think I have created exactly what I was searching for.

So..do you have a favorite flower bed??

Caught You!!

About 2 months ago my neighbor across the alley told me she thought there was a nest of baby bunnies in her yard. Well, guess who I caught nibbling on the sedum this afternoon? I believe this is either Flopsy, Mopsy, or maybe it's Peter Rabbit himself!
How cute is this! (Sorry the pictures are blurry--I was taking them through the kitchen window) Now before you say anything..I know bunnies are very destructive; and I know what happens when bunnies grow up and start dating...but y'all---I just did not have the heart to run the baby bunny off.
He (she) had a little snack, and sat in the inpatients and washed his (her) face and hands (what a good little bunny)....

then hopped off under the Boston Fern to take a little nap.
I really don't want to be raising bunny rabbits, but I don't mind if the baby lives in our yard for right now--I have flowers to share. But... what do I do when cute bunny turns into troublesome rabbit??? Any thoughts?

"Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries. But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor's garden and squeezed under the gate!"
from The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Wordless Wednesday - Sweet Summer Thyme!

An Interview with Aunt Debbi

Our wonderful and humorous blogging friend Debbi from Aunt Debbi's Garden needed to do some interviews..and I was one of her volunteers.

This is an interview for cooks..well, I have always enjoyed cooking so this is an easy one for me!

Here you go Debbi:


At what age did you begin cooking?

I don't know the exact age, but I was in elementary school.

Who taught you?

My Mother, but I have learned lots of things from friends and other family members.

What type of food is your favorite?

I love fresh veggies and desserts--yum!!


Where do you get your best ingredients?

I like to buy fresh veggies from a family owned produce stand close to my house. I love to buy local honey and jellies when I can find them. I try spices from just about anywhere. Everything else comes from the grocery store.


Do you know any cooking tricks?

No, not really. I am a very traditional cook. I like to cook, but I LOVE to bake. My favorite thing is cookies. When the kids were little, we always had homemade cookies in the cookie jar. If I had a trick to share it would be this: don't over bake cookies--under bake them. Take them out of the oven a couple of minutes before you think they are done and let them sit on the cookie sheet 2 minutes before putting them on your cooking rack.

Will you share a recipe?

Sure...I'll share two!

I love fresh carrots, and this is how I like to cook them:

Glazed Carrots

Cut carrots into lengthwise strips (or cut in half if using baby carrots)

Cook in a small amount of water until almost tender.

Remove carrots from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, combine:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. grated orange peel (optional)

2 T. margarine

Cook this under bubbly, then add the carrots back and cook about 5 more minutes.

Really good--it gets kids to eat their carrots!

Since I mentioned cookies, here is one of my favorite recipes (and hubby's very favorite!)

Oatmeal Cookies

Combine in a large bowl:

1 cup Crisco

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

Add these dry ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 t. salt

1 t. baking soda

2 cups old fashioned oatmeal

(I add raisins--you can also add walnuts)

Mix well, drop by level tablespoons on a cookie sheet ( I use a baking stone) and bake at 375 for about 8-10 minutes. NOTE: Here is an example of what I said before--the cookies need to look a little under baked when you take them out. Let them set on the cookie sheet about 1-2 minutes before removing them to the cooling rack.

So there you have it Debbi--hope this will help you out. All this thinking is really making me hungry..so think I will head into the kitchen.

Happy Gardening--uh..I mean Cooking everyone!

Harold, You're Fired!!!

All spring I thought my goldfish seemed skittish. I wondered if the blue heron was making more visits. One afternoon as I tried to get the fish to come up to the top so I could feed them, I realized one of the blue shubunkins was missing. Darn!! About a week or 2 later, I was walking through the kitchen late one Friday afternoon and when I glanced in back, I thought I was seeing double--2 herons! No, that would be one fake heron and one REAL heron! I watched the live heron pace around the yard until I guess he noticed me watching and flew away. Oh... Harold......"you're fired!!"

I was so mad! One of my neighbors that has a Koi pond told me a blue heron has gotten so many of his fish, he had to net his pond. My friend, Sunrise in Sachse has also had heron problems. She decided to net her pond as well.
I went complaining to hubby who did some research on herons. According to what hubby read, herons walk into a pond (rather than fly into it) and will not cross a barrier. The suggestion was to either net your pond, or use line to create a fence. Hubby decided to try the fence idea.

He bought green metal stakes at Home Depot and used fishing line to create a fence around the pond. He also crossed the top-just in case the article he read was not correct about the herons flying into a pond. This "fence" has been up about 6 weeks now, and so far, so good.
I don't particularly like to look at a fence made of fishing line, but what else can I do? We decided we have 2 options; leave this fishing line fence up, or let the heron use our pond as a diner and buy new fish all the time. To be honest, I don't know what the final decision will be... For now, I will try to look beyond the fishing line and see blooming flowers!
Harold is now unemployed. If he goes out to look for another job, he better not use me as a reference....I will be quick to say "cannot perform duties as assigned!"