Pic Today 4/12/11

SPRING HAS EXPLODED

Every plant, every tree is in flower.

Buds and blooms are everywhere.

This is a magnificent Spring.

GARDENER'S RULE in our climate is

"don't plant until the 15th of April,"

which is the end of this week.

And sure enough, the forecast for week's end

is for temperatures in the low 30s.

(Just don't freeze, please.)

"Earth laughs in flowers."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pic Today 4/11/11

A SPECIAL DINNER PARTY

IN A VERY SPECIAL HOME

As honored photographer for the

Rogue Underground Dining Society

(Saint Louis, Missouri),

I was witness to a fabulous

gourmet 10-course meal prepared

by some very talented chefs

(who go 'underground' and remain anonymous)

at a most unique and beautiful home,

with a very professional kitchen.

25 lucky guests were pampered with delicacies, including:

ricotta dumplings, duck confit empanadas,

crispy sweetbreads, butter poached lobster tails,

saffron ravioli with morel mushrooms,

lamb crepinettes, Tuscan braised tripe,

roasted tomatoes with cocoa nib risotto,

brown butter ice cream, strawberry toasted ravioli,

and gooey butter milk shakes.

Yum!

(Everything was made from scratch. Natch.)

I was not one of the seated guests.

But yes, I was able to sneak a bite, here and there.

Double yum!

Pic Today 4/10/11

TULIP BEAUTY NOW

We can thank the beauty of these tulips today

on the time and care we took last fall

to choose and plant the bulbs we buried.

We planted a hopeful rainbow of Spring color.

And now, we are not disappointed.

"How strange that Nature does not knock,

and yet does not intrude."

-- Emily Dickinson

Pic Today 4/9/11

LET THE GARDEN BEGIN

With our mild sunny weather,

gardeners are planting their garden plots this weekend.

Those with 'cold boxes' have a head start, of course.

Their seedlings are plump and healthy

and ready to plant in well prepared soil.

Even with cool nights, seedlings will thrive starting now:

lettuce, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, kale, parsley, most greens.

And it's safe to sow seeds for:

carrots, onions, brussel sprouts, most herbs.

Garlic bulbs and seed potatoes are ready to plant.

(Too soon for tomatoes and peppers, of course.)

Cold boxes are a great way to get a head start

during cold winter months

(which are hopefully well behind us.)

If you don't have a garden spot,

try growing some herbs and lettuce in a large flower pot

on your porch or sunny front step.

(Your garden center will help you get started.)

Happy Spring!

Pic Today 4/8/11

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

Gardens are important.

Where ever you live,

whatever space you have,

indoors or out,

it's good to have a garden of your own.

For most of us,

it's now time to PLAN.

It's now time to PLANT.

A trip to the garden center

to make some decisions on what to plant

and grow . . .

in a container or pot,

or a nice garden patch in the sun . . .

from seed, or seedlings . . .

for flowers, or herbs,

or something delicious to eat.

Maybe raspberries or blueberries this year.

How much fun.

Yum.

(Time for our thumbs to turn green!)