Author Archives: Laurie

Goodbye Linden Tree

Posted on by Laurie

We used to have a beautiful American Linden Tree in front of our house. That is, it was in front of our house until this morning and it was beautiful until last summer. Even though we watered it regularly last year, it suffered from drought and heat stress as was evident by the fact that it dropped its leaves late in the summer rather than after they had turned golden in the autumn as it had in previous years. That worried me. Then, to my relief, this spring it set leaf buds. Unfortunately, it set them just in time for the buds to get frozen when we had snow in early May. That was it for our Linden tree. Though it tried to come back, it was mostly dead. The city came and cut it down this morning, since it was on the city’s easement. Now part of the front yard will receive much more summer sun than it has in years. I shall have to observe this area in the coming weeks to determine whether any of the perennials need to be moved to a cooler location. I was sad to see the tree go. I had been pruning it for the past 13 years and really liked its shape.

The Linden tree last summer, lush with leaves …

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Its leaf buds, killed off by cold temperatures in May …

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The tree did manage to produce a few little shoots on the trunk after May’s freeze, but they were not going to be enough to allow it to thrive.

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And so it went …

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I’m not used to seeing our house without the tree in front. This will take a little getting used to. Luckily, there are still a lot of tall trees around.

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Have a great day!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting

Posted on by Laurie

I took this photo last summer when my mother and I were visiting Gull Pond. I am not sure what we saw scurrying across the surface of the water. We thought that perhaps a school of fish was causing a swarm of insects to flee, but we never saw any fish rise. Whatever it was, it was interesting to watch. It only lasted a few minutes and then was gone.

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Weekly Travel Theme: Peaceful

Posted on by Laurie

The other morning, I noticed some beautiful early light starting to peek through the plants, so I captured this shot of it illuminating the autumn ferns in my shade garden. It was a very quiet time of day and, I think, produced a rather peaceful image which is why I decided to share it for the Weekly Travel Theme by Where’s My Backpack?

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Chimichurri Sauce

Posted on by Laurie

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This morning I noticed that my cilantro has been growing quite nicely with the relatively cool weather that we have been having, so I decided to pick a bunch to make Chimichurri Sauce. (Once it gets hot, cilantro goes to seed quickly.) Chimichurri Sauce is an Argentinian condiment that is traditionally served on grilled meats, especially grilled steak. It can also be used as a marinade, dipping sauce or salad dressing. Shown above, I have served it on a grilled portobello mushroom with salad greens and avocado. Yum! I hope that you enjoy the recipe!

Chimichurri Sauce

2 c. fresh cilantro, packed

5-6 cloves garlic, peeled

2 T. chopped yellow onion

1 fresh Fresno chili pepper, chopped

1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. fresh lime juice, or to taste

1/4 – 1/2 t. sea salt, or to taste

1. Wash cilantro and remove any large stems. Blot leaves dry with a paper towel.

2. Place cilantro, garlic, onion, and Fresno pepper in a small food processor. Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped. Transfer ingredients to a medium size bowl.

3. Stir in olive oil, lime juice, and salt to taste. Refrigerate until serving.

Variations: Substitute flat leaf parsley or spicy oregano for part or all of the cilantro; substitute lemon juice or red wine vinegar for the lime juice; substitute red pepper flakes for the Fresno pepper; add cumin, thyme or paprika; add tomatoes or red bell peppers.

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“Marilyn Monroe” Rose

Posted on by Laurie

Last summer, during the worst of the drought, I purchased a Marilyn Monroe rose at a local nursery. I knew that I couldn’t plant the bush then; but since it was on sale, and looked gorgeous in the photo on the tag, I decided to buy it and do my best to keep it alive in a pot until I could plant it in cooler weather. It took some t.l.c., but my chance paid off.  In the autumn, I planted Marilyn next to my Mr. Lincoln rose, which is a tall magenta red, and that is a lovely pairing. (Unfortunately, this morning I wasn’t able to get just the shot that I wanted to demonstrate this point, but I’ll keep trying.) 

This gorgeous, apricot-colored, hybrid tea rose has sturdy, substantial blooms reaching 5 to 7 inches across and is a variety known for tolerance of heat and humidity and for its disease-resistance. Its only drawbacks as far as I can tell are that its fragrance it quite light and it is rather thorny … but what a beauty!

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Fresh Peach Frozen Yogurt

Posted on by Laurie

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Fresh Peach Frozen Yogurt

2 c. whole milk Greek yogurt

1 c. pieces of ripe, fresh peaches (no skins)

1/2 c. honey

1 1/2 T. fresh lemon juice

1. Place ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Taste. At this time, you can add a little more lemon juice, honey or peaches, if you want to adjust the flavor. Process again until smooth.

2. Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and follow machine’s instructions. I use a Cuisinart ice cream maker and run the machine for 30 – 40 minutes and then put the yogurt in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Homemade frozen yogurt is tangier and less gummy than commercial frozen yogurt, and it is so easy to make. Enjoy!

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Penny’s Garden

Posted on by Laurie

Today is Penny’s birthday, but she didn’t take the day off work. Here she is inspecting “her garden” lest there be some bunnies or squirrels that need to be chased away.  Good job, little girl! Happy Birthday!

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Livin’ Easy Rose

Posted on by Laurie

Livin’ Easy is a floribunda rose that I planted last year; so this is its second season in my garden. Even though it has only a light fragrance, I am fond of this rose because it is vibrant and cheerful – and, of course, a pleasure to photograph. Its small, bright coral buds brushed with gold at the base, open to fluffy many-petaled roses which soften in color to a soft apricot as the 4-inch blooms fade. 

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Wishing you an easy and pleasant day …

 

Spaghetti with Asparagus & Herbs

Posted on by Laurie

Spaghetti with Asparagus & Herbs

This dish is designed to highlight the flavors of its fresh ingredients rather than overpowering them with heavy tastes. Serve for lunch or a light dinner with bread, fresh fruit and a light cheese. (Makes about 3 servings.)

Approximate measurements:

12 oz. spaghetti

1 lb. fresh asparagus

2 oz. extra virgin olive oil

1 oz. white balsamic vinegar

4 fresh lemons

several twists of fresh ground green and red peppercorns

1/4 t. sea salt

1/4 c. fresh golden oregano

1 T. fresh flat leaf parsley

1 1/2 t. fresh thyme

1. Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of lightly salted, boiling water.

2. About half way through the cooking time for the spaghetti, put the asparagus on the stove to steam. Cook until crisp tender. Remove from pot then rinse asparagus with cold water and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, combine olive oil, vinegar, juice of 2 of the lemons, fresh ground pepper and salt. Set aside.

4. Submerge herbs in a bowl of cold water to remove any possible dirt or insects. Remove herbs and rinse well. Pat dry. Strip herb leaves from stems. Discard stems and any damaged leaves. If there are any thyme flowers, set them aside for garnish.

5. When the spaghetti is cooked to desired consistency, drain well. Add the olive oil mixture to the pot that the pasta was cooked in. Return spaghetti to the pan and toss with the olive oil mixture.

6. Divide spaghetti between serving bowls. Top with fresh herbs and then with asparagus. Squeeze a little more fresh lemon juice over asparagus and then grind a little more fresh pepper over dish. Garnish with thyme flowers if available. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

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Weekly Photo Challenge: In the Background

Posted on by Laurie

My husband thinks that I post too many photos of our dogs; but this one always makes me smile, so I had to share it when I saw this week’s theme. I was attempting to take a photo of Abbey when puppy Penny came bounding in. “Hey, whatcha doin’ Ma?”

I hope that this picture brings a smile to your face, too!

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