End Of June~ Canada Day Weekend Gardens~

Pond/Fairy Garden~

All the stages in one bunch♥

Sun Sugar first to show flowers..Hi Pea!!

On their last breath most of them:(~

So we caught up well..


Lots gone already ..still some to happen..

It's a lot in 3-4 months..

a lot of prep..a lot of care..a lot of upkeep..

When my girls were young..

I had flower boxes and half barrels lol..period.

All the same flowers..impatiens..tuberous begonias geraniums.
Had no clue what to do.


It's when we moved in 86..that I started getting into it..

Our girls were 11 and 9..so maybe a few years after.

I met a friend who inspired me so much..she had been a client..and my first ever manager Rosemarie Faber.
They gave me my first love of gardening..

And so I started and had beautiful goutweed and grasses and obedient plants..all of which are not obedient;)

But wow the profusion..Got rid of all that..well meaning gardeners had offered me some..what the heck did I know..
Our home at that time was on a garden tour in AUGUST.
By then my gardens were done..parched and ugly.

NEVER AGAIN.

Then we moved in 2001..
to here..
and I met Gardenbuddies♥
And my love of gardening..and buddies online..blossomed.

And here I am..lots of mistakes..would do so many things differently.
But at 65 I am not starting over ..LOL..

I have added loves..

Too many;)


One of them..garlic..
I collected the first batch of scapes and chopped many and froze..

then a friend of my daughters suggested garlic scape pesto♥
On pasta..ohmygosh good.
I used the NYTimes recipe w/ sunflower seeds.
Have a great weekend and Happy  Canada Day to us and 4rth of July to our friends across the border~

In the summertime when the weather is fine..~

Things have certainly improved garden wise..yet still a lot was lost so some bare spots where they were full!

The peonies..the first 3 opened today..at least 100plus  to come..
I don't count these creamy white ones..they last but a few days..they were my seed started ones over 15 yrs ago..I have ap 7 plants in a circle around the round cutting bed.
The Iris have been fab because they came before the rose chafers this year.
My roses are about to pop..
I pray the chafers stay away .


I have painted but a bit..a vase of my mom's..it's on my other computer:)

No stitching except for 2 dishcloths for someone:)

I did receive a lovely gift from my fave company ever:)

I had painted a little something that the Director appreciated.
I appreciate her:)

Also I am sure I have shared this recipe before..
It's Ricardo's Shrimp..Merguez..and couscous..
but I made it again twice this month and both my girls make it too..
So I felt I shoud go on about it again;)

You can find the recipe here..

Listen though..you don't need the cauliflower although I love it..you can use broccoli..
I keep my onion pieces larger .
My Merguez is thin..
You have to SEASON this dish..add more oil..be generous w/ the smoked paprika..garlic..parsley etc..

It comes together in no time and is so flavorful.

Can you believe I still have a few garlic bulbs left?
Well over 100..but we are at the end;)
Gratefully 2019 crop is promising.

Then I made another Diane Morrisey dish from IG..you can find the recipe by going to IG..her stories..

It's richer than what I usually make..and J got most of the sauce..(It's a butter wine sauce you add upon serving..)
It was delicious.
I didn't have ham..used bacon..a new one I love..Round..Fortin.

So basically..you start by blanching asparagus.
I pre-cooked my bacon.
Then you panko bread thin chicken breast cutlets.
You know how that works..a chicken breast sliced horizontally..seasoned flour..egg..panko..
fully cook on the stove top..
assemble as above..
top w/ provolone..Broil..
Parsley..little new potatoes..the sauce..
Wow. For a rainy Thursday night;) 
♥
Bon weekend..I'll be watching my garden grow..and weeding~
And baking and painting~
Thanks to everyone who inspires me all the time.

More of the same old same old ..freakin' fall weather:(

Wow ..how about this wet and chilly Spring? After a freezing icy tundra winter?

Is it everywhere..or just here:(

The show must go on the Iris are saying..

the poppies continue to get ready..the peonies too..

Still..

so freakin ' cold.

I know this too shall pass and really it's just weather.

NOBIGDEAL

That cute ever so cute cuppa and plant was sent to me by Terry's grand daughter♥

She is a budding artist.

Who doesn't love snail mail?

And charming snail mail?

I LOVE IT.

The dish above I have made twice now..it is from that girl:)..Diane Morrisey again.

Google Instagram..and Diane Morrisey..you are there.

I hesitate to put links now because often my accounts are linked ..

She makes larger portions..

I made mine w 2 Italian sausages..

I made a marinara w/ a can of tomatoes..and the usual cast of characters including red wine..you add red pepper flakes..

cream..parm..

2 cups Rigatoni..cooked..I dodn't need to reserve cooking liquid..

Add the cooked rigatoni to warm creamy cheesy sauce..

Serve..top with Ricotta(I jujjed mine)..and I added soft mozza cubes.

It is a beauty upon presentation..

You have to stir it all up..

everything pops..

Not half as pretty yet decidedly delicioso.

Go find her recipe on IG..to get the real recipe.

Once in a while it's fun to be sinful..

I love this dish to bits.

She is getting a Youtube channel..and a book is in the works I think.

Buying.

BTW..this made 4 servings.

We had an overnight jaun to to Burlington VT..

I stocked up on some TJ things..

Cannot cross the border w/ fruits..meats or plants..

So not all the goodies..

Wonder if the Chia/flaxseed peanut butter is discontinued?

Anyone know?

The garlic sauce was sold out the morning we left(Toum)..

I thought..no big deal..I'll make it..

FIASCO.

This is a quick and quirky sketch on Mixed Media paper.

A cute spot I know.

I just have to keep  my hands and mind focused on making..

Darling Max turned 12!!

We had our traditional let's do lunch and shop:)

I love that tradition..it has been years and for all 4.

So many birthdays ..in summer for our family.

He is way taller than me..

The boys enjoyed a weekend in NJ for Football University♥

Have a good weekend and week~

June 8th~

June 8th..I was married 45 years ago today ..The lilacs were in bloom and it was a beautiful sunny day.I was 20..Jacques was 33..
you can imagine the stir that caused when we started dating;)
Things have changed so much!

Now men are 80 and their new wives 20.

I've mentioned the wedding vows were not the vows of my dreams..in city hall in Montreal w/ the most callous justice of the peace you could ever meet.
My wedding was small..
immediate family and very few friends..
In the backyard of my parents home.
Steinberg's did the sandwiches and such..my brother's friend's dad took the photos and Rosaire made our cake.
It was such a beauty of a day..like today♥
Many of you know I had lost my mom 6 months before..I was 19..and my dad died the night of my wedding..
Omgee things were off to a different start..

But soon after..Mylène was born..then Caroline..and I played with my dolls non stop:)My living dolls♥
And then..Lucas..Max..Noah and Oli..more living dolls♥

Let me tell you..speed of light the years go by..even the miserable ones.

In retrospect that is;)


I am up so early these days...the sun rises at 4.30 I think..
It's 7 AM and already a cake is out of the oven..and I am planning a quick jaunt to the market.

Spring took forever to arrive..but it's coming..my seeds are sprouting..we glammed the grass and gardens yesterday..I love the end of the day when everything is done.
I have about 13 beds to maintain and some days are diamonds..some days are dust.
A garden is a must.
A garden is spiritual..healing..zen.
So much beauty..so much..and surprises..awakenings..losses..

Even with the work..the worst is over.Spring and fall are back breakers..the maintenance is less so.
I am watching my garlic ..every new clematis shoot..hellebores blooming after at least 3 yrs..started from seed..
new nasturtiums..
Yesterday on Varage Sale..a lady was giving away at least 20 tomato cages..free..rusted but sturdy..
I was fortunate to be the fisrt to say..me please..thank goodness she had made 2 tidy towers..
even those getting them into my car lol..
There must be 25 as I have placed 10 and I didn't make a huge dent.
I did the second painting from my 4 part class..hope I find the time for the last two..as the gardens call every day.

I make bouquets with what I find..

One thing I adore about June..is a great lobster roll..
I bought 2 this week..2 lobsters..and made rolls.
DIVINE.

Reading Where The Crawdads Sing..my daughter recommended it..so far..a page turner and the writing is so touching.

Also we just finished watching a Netflix 4 part series that Jacques found very harsh to watch..he likes tv to be relaxing..
I was riveted and filled with anger.
Marie recommended it.
It's a show people should watch.
"When They See Us".

The hell those innocent young men lived in unbearable and unbelievable to watc.
Shame on the whole dept that did this to those young men.
SHAME.
And Felicity Huffman..her character is so dirty and disgusting.I don't even have the words.
You really see a different side of human nature.An ugly side.
Those young men.Heroes.Heroes heroes.

Bon weekend~