It is a beautiful day in the neighborhood

The air is fresh, and the sun has come out giving the world that special glow that only comes with a good scrubbing of a prolonged and gentle rain.   Even the grasses have revived and are rising to the occasion!

Don’t you love days like these?

Well, maybe the neighbors dogwood will take a bit longer… 😦

But don’t you just love that brand new tree house!  I makes me wish to be a child again, how about you?  😉

~ Herbs in the garden ~

 

Umbels of Bronze Fennel

The cooling blue of Borage

~ Vegetables ~

 

Asparagus refreshed by the rain arises to catch the sun and store it away deep down underground,  keeping it there in its roots for next spring.

This morning I see that the runner beans, having been stunted and scorched in the drought, now race to catch up.

~ Flowers ~

 

We approach the new gate leading into the goose yard, and beyond are the herb and vegetable gardens.  There stands Miss Becky, a weather tough form of Rudbeckia, who grew to a mammoth six feet tall!  (I suspect her roots grew equally deep into the earth to sustain her.)

Miss Becky!

Turning to go another direction I pass the blackberry vines and discover…

a surprise pair of naked ladies where there were none before!  I suspect they were kicked closer to the surface when Bob rototilled this section of the garden in early spring.   I await their grand opening.

~ The Geese ~

 

My little gaggle will be the first to tell you, that the newest grass shoots are the most tender and fine.  😉  Foreground L to R:  Little Dorrit, Miss Hissster, Polly, Background:  Georgie and Frellnick.

My how those boys have grown!

~ Till next time then! ~

 

Behind the barn with Lil’ Bit.

~ * ~

Lynda’s Summer Garden Pasta Salad

Been enjoying my tomatoes this week!  Here’s a fun summer garden recipe for you!  Sorry, I have no pictures…

WE ATE IT ALL UP!

However, I’m sure you can imagine how beautiful it looks!

LYNDA’S SUMMER GARDEN PASTA SALAD  (all amounts are approximate)

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups pasta* (dry measure)
1 small zucchini grated
1/4 cup red or green pepper – diced
1/4 cup sweet Vidalia or red onion – diced
1 or 2 cloves of garlic – minced
1 cup sweet one hundred cherry tomatoes – cut in half (or any small, sweet, salad tomatoes)
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Your favorite vinegar and oil salad dressing.  Add enough to moisten, and if needed, add more before serving.  (I used Newman’s Balsamic Vinaigrette)

METHOD

While salted pasta water is coming to a boil, grate zucchini, mince onions and garlic, and halve tomatoes.

Prepare the pasta according to bag directions and cook until al dente.  Remove to colander rinse and drain.  Place in bowl and mix in the tablespoon of olive oil to prevent the noodles from sticking.

Add remaining ingredients and mix gently to incorporate.  Refrigerate for a minimum of one hour to allow flavors to meld.

ENJOY!

NOTES:

* For pasta choices you might like ziti, fusilli, spiral or bow tie as these hold onto the juices and dressing nicely!

This salad is easy, forgiving, and open to many variations in fresh vegetable choices.  Other vegetables I have tried are peas, corn, celery, carrot, etc.

You might like to grate some hard cheese, into the salad before serving.  Romano?  Parmesan?  ???

~~*~~

DISCLAIMER:  This is my recipe, and I am sure that variations abound.  If you think it is yours, then all I can say is, “Great minds think alike.”

~~*~~

Do you have a favorite summer salad recipe?  Feel free to share with us!

Just pictures ;)

I have been taking advantage of all the almost perfect weather (it’s been a bit windy) to do  a bit  A LOT of gardening.  Suddenly I realized that it has been two weeks since my last post!

So, without further adieu,

I share my progress with you!

In no particular order…

Want the weeds to go away?  Leave the oak leaves in place!  Herbs, roses, and old-fashioned posies all vie for my affection.

I have forgotten this little girls name, but I love her simple pink petaled face.

The geese chewed this one down to the ground, and look!  You’d never guess!

Even my chicken yard is sporting roses!  They make a nice foil for the ugly storage shack in the neighbor’s yard, don’t you agree?

The native bees were finding these delightful in the morning

Look at all those buds!  The Mermaid is going to be stunning for the first time since I planted her!  Covered in big, yellow, seven-inch blooms everywhere!  She has wicked red thorns…

But the chickens find her shade inviting!

Well, it’s chicken and goose thirty and I need to get busy!  I will post more tomorrow…

~*~

What’s growing in your garden this spring?