For a while, I have been wanting a beautiful urn for the back garden. Even mature gardens are still always a work in progress. I am delighted to have found this lions’ heads piece which coordinates with our fountain in the front yard. I chose to plant it with bright coral pelargoniums to add cheerful color contrast to the oregano around its base.
Having noticed earlier today that my sage has started to bloom, I realized that it is time to start thinking about harvesting some herbs. It is hard to believe, given that just a few weeks ago we had snow. It is generally recommended that if one wants to cut sage for drying (or freezing) that one do so before it starts to bloom. I love to see the purple flowers, though, so I disregard that rule and instead collect some stems before they go to seed. It is best to cut them in the morning after the dew has dried but before it gets hot for the day. One should not cut more than about 1/3 of the height of the plant. Sage can be hung in bundles to dry, but I prefer to spread the leaves out on a baking sheet and dry them using the pilot lights in my ovens.
After serving breakfast, I went outside to do some yard work and realized that I just had to take some photos first. The one below is my favorite of the morning. Unfortunately, I don’t know the name of this variety of iris, but up close and in the right light it is utterly striking. And now, I must get back to weeding. Have a lovely day!
A few pictures from the bed and breakfast as we celebrate Kansas State University graduations this weekend with our guests …
Wishing the best to all of the new graduates out there!
(For the buttercream recipe, see my Wild Blueberry Cupcakes post.)
Stately and fragrant, irises are one of my favorite flowers. Though delicate-looking, in the right location they are highly dependable. I can count on ours to bloom every year for Kansas State University graduation. I am especially fond of the white irises. They look so crisp and fresh and do a lovely job of greeting guests walking up to the bed and breakfast.
Since not much will be blooming in the garden for the next day or two, after breakfast I decided to play around with getting a few photos of our fountain. The sun was quite bright -so nice after the long winter we had.
A toast to all of the wonderful mothers out there … especially mine! Happy Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 12th!
Bellini
Fill a Champagne glass about 1/3 of the way with chilled peach nectar*, then top off with chilled Champagne. Enjoy!
* If you can’t find peach nectar, try fresh or frozen peaches pureed with a little peach juice, or use peach sorbet for a sweeter cocktail. Another variation is to add a splash of Peach Schnapps and a little lemon juice before the Champagne.
A beautiful rose … for A Word A Week Challenge which this week is orange.
What a difference a day or two makes. After the beautiful Spring day we had for the garden wedding on Sunday, this morning we are back to winter. With snow falling and skies getting darker by the minute, it feels more like January than late April. Brrr …
On April 24th, from 2:30 to 4:30, we’ll be hosting a book signing with Tama Matsuoka Wong for her book Foraged Flavor: Finding Fabulous Ingredients in Your Backyard or Farmer’s Market, written together with Eddy Leroux. Together the two have identified wild plants that are not only edible, but also flavorful. This cookbook brings together botanical illustrations, tips for identification and collection, and recipes such as Chickweed Crostini, Bee Balm Spring Rolls with Lettuce and Dipping Sauce, and Lambsquarters Rigatoni Casserole.
For a while, I have had an interest in growing edible flowers and herbs and a few vegetables, but have not previously paid much attention to whether other plants (and weeds) in my garden are edible. Reading Foraged Flavor has opened my eyes to the possibilities of cooking with other plants such as creeping jenny and juniper.
Tea and treats will be served at the signing … with any luck, featuring some ingredients gathered from the garden.
Ms. Wong is the official forager for Daniel, Daniel Boulud’s 3 Michelin star restaurant in NYC.
A Taste of Morning 