MIRROR IMAGES...

She looks nothing like me (whomever this caricature may be), but we were both so captivated by the butterfly's attraction to the butterfly bush, that for a surreal moment, I thought she was me.

AND THE TRUMPETS PLAY ON...

Another discovery this summer... Nasturtium! The little trumpet flower and its lily pad leaves adorn the garden with dashes of beauty and... aphid magnets that both are... diligently take care of the tomatoes. Some trail, carpeting the ground while others reach for the skies. Every variety will spice up salads and dishes with smooth texture, prettiness and a sweet, subtly hot pepper taste. 

RECIPE 3:

TRUMPETS A LA MANGO SALAD

Thank you, Nasturtiums! Your trumpets are instruments of unique beauty, and without a doubt, you are a dish! A snip, a bath, and in you go... adding a musical note to salads.

Ingredients:
Music, Imaginary Or Real

Nasturtium Trumpets & Leaves

Spinach, A Bunch
Garden Tomatoes, Red For Color

Champagne Mangos

Boiled or Roasted Chicken Breast

1/2 Garden Jalapeño Or Serrano

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

Directions:

Let the trumpets inspire the music you hear... whether it's in your head or through your headphones. Rinse the spinach leaves and pat dry with a paper towel. Pinch off the pistils from the trumpets and the stems from the leaves. Wash and pat dry. Slice the tomatoes (I used Camparis, but any red garden tomato will give it the color and taste you want... Granaderos, coming soon). Pull the meat off the chicken breast and dice the Jalapeño or pepper of your choice. Stand the mango vertically and slice each side parallel to the pit. Scoop or, with a knife separate the fruit from the peel and cube. If you're alone and no one is watching... eat the excess fruit right off the peel and pit. Toss all the ingredients into a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drench with olive oil. Serve.

CARDINAL RULE!
DO NOT... I REPEAT... DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR VEGGIE SCRAPS. INSTEAD, FEED YOUR COMPOST BIN. IT'S HUNGRY FOR THE NUTRIENTS THAT WILL ULTIMATELY NOURISH YOUR GARDEN (AND YOU).

 

THE MAN ON THE MOON...

July's first quarter moon alerts me to his arrival, and the signs are everywhere. The mid-month full moon warns of his rapid growth. The dreaded tomato hornworm, a master of camouflage.

This otherwise cute caterpillar is hellbent on defoliating and destroying my plants. Disguised in green, he blends in with the leaves and is visible only when he moves and to a trained eye. In a few weeks time he grows from a tiny inch to ginormous 4 inches and more. In numbers, the damage is devastating and the only defense against the offense? My garden whites to help me keep my cool as I enter the tomato gauntlet... my fingers to
pick off as many as I can possibly see... a wish that his worst enemy, the braconid wasp, is active... and cheesecloth as bug netting for me and a protective wrap for the young tomatoes. On one hand, the only way to save the plants is to remove the offender. On the other, this caterpillar morphs into one of the greatest pollinators on earth... the elusive, impressive hawk moth.

 

MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF SURPRISE & DELIGHT...

On a restless night, on a cyber stroll... I wandered into the Springmaid Garden of Surprise & Delight, and like magic, I found what I've been looking for... how to turn my blah space into an Ahhh! space. Just goes to show how flowers and gardens influence our lives. If anyone is looking to brighten up rooms with a garden-fresh theme, these flower beds are for you. www.springmaidgarden.com.

Hmmm! I think I'll have a Lemonade Tea Party!

Lemonade Tea Party

Love Me, Leave Me

Indigo Bouquet

Rose's Garden

WOULD YOU MARRY ME AGAIN...

 

Without you, would there have been a ground to till or a seed to sow... would I have seen sunflowers dance in the breeze or unlocked the secrets of an heirloom tomato... would the miracle of a green pepper turning red have enriched me or would a striped eggplant have amused me... would I have witnessed a sunrise light the mountains on fire or a sunset give way to a million-watt moon... without you, would thirst have taken the garden or would have the fullest moon been celebrated... would I have even set eyes on the dark horse running across its burning brilliance... My chosen one, you are a code undecodable... unbearable at times... impossible at best... yes, I would marry you again and again and again and again, but with a few adjustments and separate vacations every now and then.

SIGNS OF THINGS TO COME...

Brought north from a more southern field, these beauties give a sneak peak at what's growing on in Cardinal Gardens... Aunt Rubies, Mortgage Lifters, and Brandywines (just to name a few).

BLOSSOMS OF GOLD...

Summer 2011, in some ways, feels like a continuation of Summer 2010... new foods, new inspirations, new traditions. Our first harvest... golden zucchini blossoms... were the centerpiece of this past Friday's feast reminding me, once again, of a wisdom my Mom passed on to me, one passed on to her by my Grandfather: Whoever has gold, has food on the table. 

RECIPE 2:

FLORBELLA

 

Almost too forbidden to pick, the blossom's beauty on the plant is short-lived. Opening day and closing night happens in what seems like a blink, so channel your inner Eve and pluck away. Their rushed and momentary beauty, however, can be frozen in time for a day or two at the most. Both male and female flowers are edible, but even the weakest Eves should resist the temptation to remove them all from the plants. No worries if you missed your opportunity one morning; the zucchini plant is so giving, that there's always the next when the new day brings new flowers (see THE LESSON re: perfect timing). Here's just one of the many recipes readily available on the internet (and I intend to try them all). This variation takes on a twist with last year's discovery and this year's new staple... my beloved Jalapeños.

Ingredients:
Failure To Resist Temptation

5 Zucchini Blossoms
1 Jalapeño Pepper (julienned & optional)

1 Egg

3 Tbs Flour
Milk
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

Directions:

Inspect the flowers on the plant. The ones that are open are the ones that you want. Wear gloves! The plants will pinch you if you don't. Find your flower anatomy book... the male has the stamen (single), the female, the pistil (multiple). Pick a female only if it has a baby zuke growing where the flower meets the fruit. "Prune" the male leaving a little bit of the stem. Store in the fridge to keep them fresh (but no more than a day or two). 

Beat the egg and add the milk (for 5 blossoms, about 3/4th of a cup). Stir in 3 heaping tablespoons of flour and the juliennes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip the blossoms into the batter and drench till they drip. Set aside on wax paper and heat the olive oil. Place the blossoms on the oiled pan and remove when golden brown. Serve (in this case) with a side of sautéd zucchini and indulge!

FOR A SONG...

A gem by Neil Diamond is strummed and sung by a local musician at the Farmers Market. With no more than 10 tables set on the town's mini municipal lot, it's fast-food shopping gone fresh and healthy. Great produce and great gab, guaranteed. This one Saturday, the last notes of a favorite song are captured at the Corn Fest, a celebration that welcomes the arrival of the upstate corn season, and for some reason, moves me.

GREEN IS THE NEW BLACK...

Deb McLean from Busy Being Fabulous posted this "Image of the Day" on her blog. Not sure if it's art or attire, but it is fabulous. And proof that a garden is for sowing the seeds of wonder. I tip my hat to its creator!

Deb McLean's Blog:
www.busybeingfabulous.com

THE LIGHT...

Beckoning as it is, you shouldn't always go into it. Just enjoy it from this side.