flynn070

I have been enjoying the beautiful fall-like weather and planting up a storm. I will share what I've been doing in a future post. I actually took time this morning to take a few photos for Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day which I usually miss altogether. The above photo was taken out front along the foundation. It is kind of a hot mess of Fleece Flower (Persicaria 'Red Dragon'), hostas and Solomon's Seal - more of a foliage shot but at least the Fleece Flower is blooming. Speaking of, it is a sprawling mess right now and I will move it later in the fall. I don't think it gets enough sun. Actually, I will be moving a lot of plants this year. Live and learn! Some of the potted plants first - 'Dragon Wing' begonia by the front door We love this little begonia and I don't recall the name of it. It is a little blooming machine, doing perfectly fine in full shade. I hope I can overwinter it. Now on to plants in the ground - The blooms have been a bit stingy ...

According to the local weather folks, the hot weather could be out of here! All told, I would guess that we had a total of about 10 days above 90 degrees since July so we are not complaining at all. We love the Pacific NW weather.  Of course there are a few drawbacks - tomatoes did not begin to ripen until mid-August, the puny canteloupe I planted has fruited but seems to be at a standstill and some of the heat-loving flowers like Hyacinth Bean vine, lantana and marigolds have been small-growing. However, this is not a bad price to pay for a humidity-free climate. Gardening-wise, the most difficult thing for me to adjust to is the dry summers. We have not had an inch of rain since mid-June! Even though I water faithfully, I honestly do not know how plants are still alive, especially the ones that grow in the wild. It is typical weather in this maritime climate though. Tomorrow we have an 80% chance of rain and we got a good sprinkle yesterday and today. Persian Ironwood (Parrotia p...

A highlight of any day here is catching a glimpse of Mt. Hood in the distance. It is easy to see from various locations, including on my way to work. The thing is you can't always see it because of clouds or hazy days. But when you can, wow! It is especially beautiful with the evening sun illuminating it. The drive to see it up close is about 90 minutes away. A few days ago, I finally visited it with Rebecca, McKenzie and Rebecca's father, who is visiting from Alabama. It was a hot day but as we approached the mountain, the temperature started falling rapidly. We could see the indicator changing inside our car as we drove up the mountain. Much of the snow had melted. Rebecca said that it was way down on the slope the last time she saw it, which was earlier in the year. I have to confess that it does not look as imposing up close as it does from home. The opposite view captures a glimpse of another volcano. I do not know the name of this one. The trees were spectacular!   Timber...

Our one zucchini plant has been quite productive! Even if wasn't giving us anything food-wise, the plant itself is quite attractive, don't you think? We have been gathering around 3-4 zucchinis per day. This adds up quickly so I have been in search of recipes. I got a lot of good suggestions from my Facebook friends and I am gathering those for the future. I found the following recipe on the King Arthur Flour website . They were delicious. The dip itself is soooooooo good - it could be used as a salad dressing. It was a tad sweet so the next time I make these, I will cut the honey down a bit. DO caramelize your onions at very low heat - it will take 15 minutes or more. Your kitchen will smell like a restaurant! Baked Zucchini Sticks and Sweet Onion Dip Dip 1 tablespoon butter 1 medium sweet onion, about 1/2 pound, peeled and sliced 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon prepared mustard 1 cup mayonnaise salt and pepper to taste Zucchini sticks 3 medium zu...

I cannot believe it is already August. It has been quiet around here. It is also very dry - we have only had a brief sprinkle in mid-July and I cannot remember when the last rain was before that. That is normal as the dry season begins in July and goes through September. Therefore watering is an ongoing chore.  I have been faithfully keeping the new plants, the pots and the vegetable garden watered but, like of a lot of other residents, I left the lawn to fend for itself. That is - until yesterday. I got so tired of looking at the parched grass that I have decided to give it a sprinkle now and then. I could not stand looking at the desolate brown stuff any longer. I was concerned about the trees that I have planted. They seem to be doing well. This is one of the two Japanese Maples planted next to the deck. They are not big enough yet to give us any significant shade but they have grown quite a bit since they were planted back in March. The vegetable garden is wonderful - I still c...