Under the Tulip Tree

Backyard Harvest 8/30/11

Things that were harvested from our garden this week and what we made with them:

Russian fingerling potatoes for breakfast burritos.

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Italian plums for my mom (we were at the beach and not here to eat them all).

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Dark green zucchini and Russian black plum tomatoes for Stuffed Zucchini with Tomatoes and Mozzarella, Italian parsley for Chicken Marinated in Garlic Oil, and winter squash for… I don't know yet. What does one do with a lone winter squash?

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Stupice tomatoes for my mom (see above) and serrano chili peppers for salsa.

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The veggie garden is both starting its wind down and fruiting like crazy. The lettuce, cilantro, and peas are all gone but the zucchini and squash are thriving and the onions and carrots are practically begging to be picked. Yumm. I can't wait to pick the last of everything and start thinking about my winter vegetable plantings. Did I just say that? Yes, I did.

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Shady Planter Box

Last year, you gave me suggestions for my "very-difficult-to-grow-things-in" brick planter next to my front porch, remember? Here's the old picture:

There were great ideas for making the planter into a sitting bench, and turning it into a koi pond, and adding plants in pots. And then there were suggestions for planting mint or wild ginger and that got me thinking about invasive plants. Great idea! I thought. Plant something invasive so it can invade that barren planter box! Of course, I wanted something only mildly evil that would take over the planter box and not the whole Oregon landscape. I tried mint but believe it or not, it wouldn't take. I was going to try wild ginger but it was too pricey to get a lot of (around here anyway). I tried sweet woodruff (not invasive but good and fast growing for shade) but that didn't take either. I finally settled on something I remembered being easy to grow in one of my old gardens— Creeping Jenny.

I think of Creeping Jenny as a plant for sun but even in the shade it's perky, stays green all year, and still grows like a weed (a controlled weed, though). It took a little doing and a lot of watering in the beginning but now it's finally starting to take off.

And dripping over the sides of the planter like I'd hoped it would.

In a sunnier spot, Creeping Jenny would be a lighter, almost lime green with little yellow flowers. It doesn't get enough sun for that here so instead it stays this even, grassy green.

And that works for me.

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Eight of Us

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There are seven Smith-Ieronemo-Paulson's on the West Coast, but there is still one Ieronemo out east. She makes an appearance here every once in a rare while. Will you tell her to do that more often? We like eight of us better than seven.

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Miss A's New Shop

Did you hear? Miss A opened her own Etsy shop! A few of her little creations are now for sale—including Duncan the Dachshund here. If you've seen her blog you know she tirelessly draws, sculpts, crochets, and makes, but you might not know that she's been wanting her own shop for a very long time. This girl is serious about her art.

If you get a moment, I do hope you'll peruse some of her new wares.

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Summer Is Where The Living Is

The air is changing. So is the light. The cilantro is going to seed, the zinnias are fading. Nightfall is coming just a tad bit earlier now. Swimming lessons are almost over. Talk has turned from sleepovers and play dates to school supplies, locker assignments, and junior high. I, however, am clinging to summer in the same panicked, desperate way I do every year—wringing out every last drop until it's bone dry. I can't help it. Summer is where the living is. Summer is where the life is. And there are still two weeks left of August and another week after that until school starts (which is really almost a month in some circles) so what I'm saying is, summer isn't over yet. Not at all.

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Backyard Harvest 08/15/11

Things that were harvested from our garden this weekend and what we made with them:

Dark green zucchini and serrano chili peppers for Zucchini Quesadillas and Zucchini Bread Cookie Sandwiches.

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Blueberries for pancakes and waffles.

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Stupice tomatoes, mixed lettuce, basil, and Italian parsley for off-the-cuff salads and homemade pizza.

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It's such a great feeling to pull food right from your own ground and cook it (or eat it) within minutes. But you probably know that already. You probably know how completely satisfying and wonderful that is! I wish I had been recording my backyard harvests all summer but, alas, this is the first, and so far only.

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Dressing the Part

You've got to love a girl who gets dressed up in costume for the first and only Harry Potter movie her mother has ever let her see in the theaters — a month after it opens. She went with her dad and her grandma (another Harry Potter and Tween Fantasy Literature enthusiast) and she said going to the movie was the best thing that has happened to her in recent history.

Who would've thought a book series could accomplish so much?

(Crocheted Hedwig by Grandma)

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