Sunday, June 9, 2013

Garden Glory~A little long~

Another..dans notre jardin..




Everything is coming together nicely..I must say it frightens me how the perennials are a bit ahead of their time..All the rain we have had has made things very lush and as soon as the sun pops out buds bloom..
Do you know that in one hour things can look different?
I am sure my neighbors think me strange to walk them several times a day.
But things do change in my zone..rapidly.


This Iris looks in flight~


This one with it's rain drops:)


You cannot pick favorites out of these cancan dancers:)


Most of my mauves..blues..and rose ones live in a front bed with the Baptisia..Roses..Clematis.(tulips are done..) lillies,Lilac tree..Monkshood,Peonies..Russian Sage...
At this time of year it is my favorite bed..I see it out our bathroom window..looking towards  3 of Alphabet boys house..




Out back..later in the afternoon..this little guy was waiting for me..



I was quite far and he only stayed but one bit..:)

On the table..  those  delish 6 week muffins I have told you about many times..I have  a very   similar recipe in my book Suncoast Seasons..
Jacques has taken over making them..
They look 100 times better than mine..
And we have discovered a trick..
When you take out your mix..as you should have ap 6 750 gr containers..(we use empty yogurt ones)..add plumped raisins of dates..  FRESHLY..to the mix..  even better!


I love the fact that you mix up a big batch..and then simply bake as many as you need  every time..until you begin again:)
We also add flax seeds and cinnamon to the original recipe..



The Herb Boat is filling in nicely~

I added it to my journal..seemed easy enough to try..this time I used my Micron pen and then filled in w/ watercolors..
There are so many techniques..
It's fun to practice with different ones..
I found a very cute site you might enjoy..

They Draw And Cook~

It's really cute..recipes are submitted with art..enjoyable!


Gracious thanks for the Finnish carte Postale texture..J'oublie from where!

And remember..


They do...

PS..I know these garden posts are a tad tedious..but it's a way of my keeping a journal..I do this every year at this time..
Winter is devoid of blooms and color.And ours is long..
I jump on this bandwagon:)

38 comments:

  1. Mon my dad used to use that expression..
    you should most definitley enter your art..recipes♡

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  2. God those muffins look good! Xx

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  3. I've been wanting to capture a Cardinal myself but we're just not either at the right place at the same time. I envy you :) I will immediately go to that site you suggested (They Draw and Cook)!

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  4. Oooo la la!
    An aquarelle...trés bien Madame M!
    Love these iris too so fun to paint
    Miam miam

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  5. Your iris are so pretty Monique and love the shot of Mr. cardinal. What a wonderful idea to keep a garden book. You can nibble on one of those muffins while you draw in your journal.
    Sam

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  6. I love to take a stroll through your garden with you, Monique. It is always so beautiful. I was just looking at this muffin recipe the other day and thought about making it. It is so handy to have the delicious batter in the fridge all ready to bake.

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  7. So beautiful...your garden...is magical! Your Iris are spectcular! Love them...mine are over now! I need some things that will flower in the summer...
    You inspired me to order some new micron pens...
    Love that website...I will really explore later.
    You should enter a little drawing and a recipe...i love your drawing of your herb boat...
    That saying is so true...they do indeed dance!
    Bisous!
    L xo

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  8. I wish you would take out your pens and watercolors:)

    It would be a treat..

    I may try something at one point..just to see if I can..not to submit..
    My iris are like yours were:) I saw!:)
    Cathy with all your company..they would be GREAT:)
    While you peek at my garden..I'll enjoy your Paris:) and home..

    Summer.. annuals sadly.. onto perennials..rudbeckias.. roses..lillies..hostas are all season really..different clematis..Geranium Rozanne..etc..hydrangeas..

    ANEMONES:) Japanese..

    Linda..again:)..
    Your peonies must have bloomed..you are one step ahead of me..mine are buds ..


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  9. Nana you are a multi-talented person. I love it that you do sketching in a journal. The muffin recipe sounds great. It like something I used to make many years ago. Good reminder.

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  10. It made me smile when you said you used the yogurt cup. I have been reading about Grandmére cooking and the French yogurt cake, a cake my grandmother used to make. It is base on the yogurt cup. 1, 2, 3 – 1 yogurt, 2 sugar, 3 flour, eggs and leavening makes a Grandmére cake, but I guess you already knew this.

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  11. I just recently..in the last few yrs heard about this..From Laura Calder:)
    Thanks:)

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  12. A dreamlike garden! I'd love to eat one or two of those muffins while sitting in your fabulous garden.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  13. Your garden is beautiful, Monique. I love looking at your photos.
    Your herb boat was such a good idea and your watercolor is adorable. You are so talented! Such a pleasure to visit you.

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  14. Our iris have buds, but the peonies have bloomed. Isn't that reversed for you? I made the stuffed frittata from They Draw and Cook. Love that site. The muffins look great ;o)

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  15. It is the reverse! And I ahve peony buds in my fridge:) Tis a very cute site!
    Thanks:)

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  16. Total bliss - your garden. Give me a pup tent and I think I could live in it!! beautiful.

    Photo collage: Third row left; first picture - what is the name of the tree with white flowers?

    Have searched locally for Solomon's Seals and no one has; did find a source online for variegated Solomon's Seals - Roots only - they are on sale so I think I will order some.

    Muffins sound delish; just saved the recipe.

    Really enjoyed this post.
    Judy/Tex

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  17. Total bliss - your garden. Give me a pup tent and I think I could live in it!! beautiful.

    Photo collage: Third row left; first picture - what is the name of the tree with white flowers?

    Have searched locally for Solomon's Seals and no one has; did find a source online for variegated Solomon's Seals - Roots only - they are on sale so I think I will order some.

    Muffins sound delish; just saved the recipe.

    Really enjoyed this post.
    Judy/Tex

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  18. So much to love here today Monique. I need to plant some Iris's next year. They are so beautiful. When do you put them in the ground? I love your garden posts. I never find them tedious or dull. THey are quite beautiful and those muffins. Yumm. I have a similar recipe. I used to bake them often at the Manor for my boss. She liked them done bite sized. (and then she'd eat half a dozen, lol) Love and hugs to you. always. xxoo

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  19. Tedious? NO WAY! Beautiful? YES!!! I love your photos and sharing Monique, you have such a special way about you! Love those muffins too, I used to make them years ago and forgot all about them, can't wait to try them again, thanks for the reminder!

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  20. Even your pineapple jam would be good with them Chris:)
    Judy..that phto was over exposed..that's why it's in a collage..the flowers are actually mauve..it's a Korean Lilac..but a STANDARD Korean lilac..I highly recommend..would it do well in Texas? Mind you the blooms do not last long..I should go out right now and take a pic in the rain..the colors would not be bleached out..it's a pale mauve..
    Marie you cracked me up about the lady of the manor:)

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  21. Les iris sont des fleurs complexes je trouve, elles sont mêmes étranges je dirais.
    En tout cas vous faites toujours de superbes photos.

    Vos muffins sont tellement beaux! Et appétissants ~ Yumyum!
    J'adore vos petites caissettes!

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  22. Aujourd'hui ..des raisins..infusés de Rhum furent rajoutés:)Merci!
    Les Iris..un attachement particulier pour moi..Et..ce sont de vraies danseuses du Moulin Rouge non?:)
    Elles sont aussi photogéniques..
    Beaucoup plus que moi!

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  23. Tes photos sont Splendides:) Bonne soirée!!xxx

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  24. I love your garden stories - keep them coming! And how I long for that muffin!

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  25. I always like when you share pictures of your garden, it is so peaceful. I have never tried that muffin recipe before. Thanks.

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  26. :) So handy to have around..

    Now all I need is a little buck Julia:)
    Merci beaucoup..Vous..toujours!

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  27. Now this post melts my heart... (well, ALL of your posts do that to me <3)

    Beautiful irises! I have never seen a red cardinal in person (none where I live), wow ~ GREAT job of capturing that one. I don't have much success with photographing birds, too quick for me!

    I love your artwork! I'll have to try that technique, usually I do the watercolor first, then the pen to draw in the details later. Your herb boat is precious...

    Great tip about adding the fruit to the 6-week muffins right before baking. I'm going to try it your and Jacques way, I've never seen that recipe look so perfect!

    I'm so happy to know you have sunshine and lots of colorful flowers ~ so cheerful. Thank you for sharing! xo~m
    P.S. Thank you for the help with the plant ID. The leaves definitely are more (flat) parsley-like than the feathery ones on true camomile.

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  28. Mary I took pics of both types of leaves today..but they are soo similar..
    When in bloom I will take again..and we will see the difference:)
    Birds fly away here also and I don't have a big zoom..Funny how crooked my birdfeeder looks..We see soo much when we take pics don't we?
    x

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  29. I am not a garden girl, not yet perhaps -) Maybe later when my children will grow and I will have all time to myself. But I live around people with "green thump", so everywhere I look it's beautiful, just like your garden. I am very happy to visit your journal, brings me so much positive energy. Thank you!

    Yelena

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  30. Yelena..watching my daughters with children and remembering when I was their age..with young children..I was doing exactly what they are doing.. bought a basket or two..and very few annuals..
    It is in ap 1986 that I started ....my girls were 10 and 11 I guess..and even then I started very slowly..
    My manager at work at the time was so influential..I adored her garden.. then in 88 a client of mine became a friend and she was a gardener..Really it is in ap 2002 at the age of..48:) that I got into it:)
    You have so much time:)
    I never cooked like you..nor photoed like you:)

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  31. Oh, I love the blooms too. What a wonderful yard you have and your irises are fabulous. My spring flowers have come and gone so quickly I didn't have time to journal them. I thought I would have peonies on the table but went out today and they are looking spent.

    What a beautiful postcard and I think I could maybe even do a water color if I penned it in first. You are so multi talented!

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  32. You could do beautiful ones:) You are so good to visit blogs withe everything on your plate Jacqueline..:)

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  33. Tres belle!
    I want a muffin!
    xo. Www.rsrue.blogspot.com

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  34. Your garden posts are always delightful and could never be tedious. Instead, they are inspiring.

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  35. Monique, I love your garden posts. I'm not a gardener so I appreciate the beauty of yours.

    I love the hanging lawn chair in the background.

    ~Ann

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  36. It's Oli's chair Ann:) The other boys are too big for those swings now..and we can't lift them:) So Jacques only installed 1 this yr..Oli's..
    Thank you:)

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