flynn070

It does not seem possible that we are already near the end of February! Daylight Savings Time will begin in two weeks and it will really begin to feel different. The sad thing about all of this is that I don't feel like I have accomplished much in the garden this winter. I have all of these projects planned and I have yet to complete even one of them. Of course, our winter weather is less than ideal for outdoor works this time of year. It is usually wet and cold and, as seen during the past week, some ice and snow. However, on the whole, we have had a mild winter and some really nice stretches of dry and sunny days. So I have no one to blame but myself. One of the local weather forecasters is an avid gardener so naturally I prefer to watch him. Last week he said that he normally plants peas on President's Day. This sent me into a mild state of panic as I realized that I had really been neglecting the vegetable garden and the planning of it for the coming year. This brings me to...

I spent part of this blustery, snow-showered Sunday baking this for my neighbor who has a birthday tomorrow. This is very similar to a pound cake and is very fine grained. Like most loaf cakes I have tried, it is easy to make and there is nothing unusual about it. About the baking time - author Maida Heatter says that it is very long - about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Knowing about her baking times in advance, I questioned this and started checking the cake after one hour. Sure enough, it was done in about 1 hour and 10 minutes. The cake will crack along the top (she says that is expected) so don't be alarmed by that. The cake slices beautifully (not crumbly at all) and tastes wonderful. It is great with milk, tea or coffee. 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate 8 oz. unsalted butter 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 1/4 cup sugar 5 large eggs, separated Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter an 8-cup capacity loaf...

Our friend Cindy is visiting from Alabama and we visited a new spot yesterday - Rocky Butte in Portland. This is a small park atop a hilltop that overlooks PDX airport. You can watch planes coming in for landings. The city where we live - Vancouver, Washington - is across the Columbia River in the distance. That is Interstate 205 on the left. This is the overlook area. Personally, I think they could do some things here to improve the landscaping but I suppose the views are what brings people up here. The clouds prevented us from seeing Mt. Hood which is to the west. On the East side, you can catch glimpses of downtown Portland in the distance. Another view looking west There is some landscaping along the mound leading up to the Overlook. Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy