National Waco Club and Malabar Farms

We've been chasing WACO airplanes in Mansfield Ohio and counting sheep on Malabar Farm. Dan wanted to go to the National Waco Club reunion at Wynkoop Airport in Mt Vernon Ohio. He is trying to find the original WACO owned by Del Gross, a co-founder of Gross Automotive. Although that particular aircraft wasn't there, we saw other beautiful vintage planes. The next day we went to Malabar Farms---the home of Pulitzer Prize winning author Louis Bromfield. These grounds had an elegant house and gardens AND a working farm and barnyards. And an interesting sidenote----Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were married here. We had a great, relaxing weekend----hope yours was just as great.

My Shade Garden.

Several years ago I started putting shade loving plants under this tree as a "temporary parking place". Then I started tweaking things a little and moving plants around-still with the intention of transplanting someday. This year, however, those little plants have grown up and really look great in my Shade Garden. Last nite we had downpours most of the evening and in the early morning light, the leaves looked irridescent with the moisture on them. I love these Hostas---I love all Hostas!Who knew there could be so many Hostas to choose from. In the 11:00 spot in the picture are a clump of Lillies of the Valley that my mom gave me from her yard many years ago. In the 3:00 spot are Astilbe--I am tying to mass these in a clump. I have 2 white flowering which will soon be moving to a new home to make room for more red ones. And remember-----read the sign and SMILE!

Homegrown Strawberries!!

What a nice dilemna! Everyday a new locally grown fruit or vegetable to eat. These lucious berries are almost too pretty to eat. But homegrown berries have made a nice trade-off. In exchange for being more perishable than those fruits that are made to export---these beauties are soft and full of sweetness. And they HAVE to be used within the day so-----they have been baked into a beautiful Strawberry Cobbler. This was my Aunt Mimi's recipe. She didn't cook often, so when she raved about this recipe--I knew it was a keeper. So I will share it with you! This recipe is about as easy as it gets. Mix it in one bowl and all you need to do is add whipped cream or ice cream to the top. You can use any fruit but strawberries are my favorite.

Strawberry Cobbler

4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
2 cups fresh fruit-sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter in an 8-inch square or 9-inch round pan in oven. When butter has melted, remove pan from oven.
Whisk flour, 3/4 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt in small bowl. Add milk; whisk to form a smooth batter. Pour batter into pan, then scatter fruit over batter. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tb. of sugar.
Bake 40-50 mins till golden and batter is set.

It's Blueberry Time

It's Blueberry Time and we are taking advantage of it. Everything from Blueberry pancakes for breakfast to Blueberry Cobbler for dinner. And as an added bonus---blueberries are considered the most perfect food as far as healthful qualities. And check out the maple syrup container I found at a little antique store!!

Photography Day at TBG

Today was Photography Day at Toledo Botanical Gardens. It offered an opportunity to wander TBG along with equipment and professionals from Castle Photo in Toledo. We were able to try different lenses etc and take seminars in composition etc. I loved the Macro lens and also found out that there is a whole world of settings on my point and shoot that I wasn't utilizing! And it was so calming and peaceful in that beautiful setting. I have been there for the annual Festival of the Arts, but it is so crowded on that day you cannot appreciate the beautiful gardens. We did find some humor in our pictures. The large peonies are actually glass and were made on site at the glass blowing studio. The pink allium were stunning----until one of the students in the class confessed that she is a member of the Garden and they after they finished blooming, they were spray painted pink!! We all laughed at that. The birdhouse was for sale and I was ready to buy it for our flower bed until I saw the sign that warned to be careful of the nesting chicadees. How sweet was that!It was a good day in the Garden and we found out in July and August, they host a Thursday evening Jazz concert. Bring chairs and a picnic supper and enjoy great music. Someone in our group, who worked at the Garden winked and told us they don't check what is brought in the picnic baskets----so we will be enjoying wine with our meal too!!

TGIF!!!!!

Wow--it has been a LONG week! But it is finally Friday. Dan and I found the Greatest New Item today at the grocery store. Individual size servings of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream(actually they have a variety of flavors, but I can never say no to Cherry Garcia). And----it comes with it's own little spoon under the lid(because you never know when you will need Cherry Garcia and you need it NOW). Dan has had his sling on so long now that he has named his excercise ball "Wilson"(a la Tom Hanks in Cast Away) and yes there was some alcohol involved in that idea!. So---we hope your weekend is starting in an enjoyable way, because you deserve it! And Diane Anderson, if you are reading this-----are you coming home for the 4th of July? We would LOVE to see you-----and the party is at your Mom's

The Garden is starting to come into glorious bloom. All that is needed is for the Endless Summer Hydrangeas and the Black Eyed Susans, but we will have to be patient. The Jackmanii Clematis is thick with purple beauties---on both sides of the trellis. And the OakLeaf Hydrangea that we planted last year has come into bloom for the first time. Behind it is Russian Sage which will have wispy purple blooms soon enough. And of course, the one armed gardner is busy at work on the weeds.