Gardens And Other Stuff I Think About

Day 4

Peg — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:38:20 +0000

Left over’s tonight. Hm-mm, perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea after all.

Day 3 Take Out

Peg — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:37:21 +0000

Take Out Chinese tonight; Mike selected a delicious menu item, Twice Cooked Pork – mmmmm.

Day 2 Stovetop Baby Back Ribs

Peg — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:35:07 +0000

Last night for our Super Bowl party (party of 2) Mike made a variety of his wonderful smoked baby back ribs. Mike’s a master at ribs and can make them taste fabulous under any circumstances. Since we live in a condo and have no smoker or barbecue grill available he made these in his stove top smoker. Falling off the bone good. Another way to do ribs if you don’t have or don’t want to mess with a smoker is to do them in the oven. Here’s Mike’s recipe and these are scrumptious if done right: http://www.ehow.com/how_4783765_ovenbaked-pork-ribs.html

Sadly the Colts lost and even more sadly the ads this year were not up to par. Nothing like the classic ‘…money coming out of the wazoo…’

Day 1 Wings 2 Ways

Peg — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 01:55:36 +0000

Like Julie Powell I’ve decided to do a foodie blog but unlike Julie I’m not going to cook a gourmet recipe every night for a year, I’m going to get my husband Mikey to cook a gourmet recipe every night and write about that. Well, every night is a bit of a stretch and, well, gourmet is a bit of a stretch too. I think we’ll be eating for the next year though so I should be able to meet that guideline… and so it begins.

Tonight Mikey cooked Wings-2-Ways. One set of wings was his usual spicy wings – taste supreme as always. The other called Savory Chicken Drummettes has a better name than outcome. Okay they were wonderful because everything Mikey makes is fabulous (are you reading this honey?) but the ‘Mikey’s Spicy’ were much better. Since we’re not using Julia Child’s cookbook, or any other cookbook for that matter I’ll put in recipe’s from time to time. Here’s the Savory Drummettes (as Mikey’s Spicys are a secret if you want it you will have to pay):

Ingredients:

8 cloves garlic crushed

2 T honey

2 T Dijon mustard

1 T tamari or 1 1/2 regular Soy

2 T lemon juice

1/4 c olive oil

2 t salt (use seasalt if you’re into that sort of expense…Kosher if you have that, we didn’t)

1 t freshly (this is important) ground pepper

20 Chicken Drummettes

If you want the rest of the directions see Simply Recipes.com because, well, it’s all there.

Serve the wings with celery and blue cheese dressing and a dab of hot sauce if you dare. Don’t drink too much before dinner or you won’t have any leftovers. You also won’t enjoy the savory taste of the wings. You will enjoy the original spicy though no matter how much you’ve imbibed.

Bon’jour and Bon Appétit

A Cry for Help?

Peg — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:39:41 +0000

Standing in the bank today, waiting for Mike to conclude some business, I watched a woman walk away from the teller and break into tears; no not just tears, she was sobbing from the depths of her soul. I wanted to go to her and offer comfort but I was too, what, intimidated? Busy? Indifferent?

Other patrons saw the woman and made eye contact with me as they walked by as if to say, someone should do something here don’t you think? Then went out the door.

I wanted to get more of the free coffee offered in the lobby but the poor woman had stopped there herself to fill a cup and took her time by adding amendments to the brew so she was – in the way. And still crying her heart out. I would have had to approach her and maybe say something comforting or, what? What? What was the right thing to do? I felt for her; felt so bad for her but would I be meddling? Did she want attention or seclusion? I was conflicted.

So I waited for Mike and we both left the bank and said did you see that woman? What do you think? Should we do something?

Moving to Maine

Peg — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:45:48 +0000

We put our house on the market this summer, not a good time but then that has never stopped us. Finally this weekend someone ‘from away’ was looking for a home in our area and came to see ours. Of course we got it all spiffed up and it did look great. They spent a long time here and I’m sure they loved it but for whatever reason they chose another house one which to put an offer. Their loss or ours? As I sat on my front porch that evening I had mixed feelings about it all; the thing is I love this place, no I lurv it. My front porch gives me great comfort and I enjoy sitting of an evening and beholding all that I own – the woods, the gardens, the birds, the solitude … Occasionally I hear an owl or a coyote and I marvel at the fact that I live among nature and actually own a little bit of my own ‘peace on earth’. If you’re thinking of moving to Maine take a look and see but if you decide on another place, I won’t really mind.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/Searsmont_ME_04973_1109941866#Detail

Moose Sighting

Peg — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:15:18 +0000

I have never really seen a moose up here and am usually skeptical of the tales of those who have. Mike has seen moose several times, once deep into our property and a couple of other times on various roads nearby. Well, once I caught a glimpse of what was probably a moose charging out of the woods as my car came around a curve and rather than ramming the car it reared up and dove back into the woods. Well, I think it was a moose, it was big and dark – could have been the Headless Horseman for all I really know. I’m just glad it went the other way.

So last week Mike was coming home and just a block or so down our road spotted another moose on the loose and was ready with his camera this time. The picture’s a bit fuzzy as he had to zoom way in, but it is definitely a moose. So with this as proof I guess I can no longer doubt his moose sightings. The truth is, they’re out there.

Moose on the Loose

Bumbus’s Raccoons

Peg — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:17:21 +0000

There will be no corn for dinner tonight. There was none last night nor will there will be any tomorrow. No corn muffins, corn fritters, corn chowder. There will be no frozen corn kernels for use later in the season; no corn pone (I don’t even know what that is but there will be none). No roasted corn on the cob, corn pudding, corn salsa, creamed corn, cream of corn soup, corn au gratin, or Cajun smothered corn. No corn, none.

You see the raccoons raided my corn patch the other night.

They didn’t leave a single cob uneaten.

They laugh at me. They had their party and left the mess for me to clean up.

The Artist in Everyone

Peg — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:11:42 +0000

Remember when you were a kid and your art teacher (if you had one) told everyone that they all could do the art project and not to worry, everyone has talent? Or some words to that effect? I knew from an early age that I had absolutely no artistic talent/skill whatever and was continually mortified at the results of my efforts. I knew they were lying – it was never my artwork placed on the bulletin board for all to admire.

And even today when I sigh wistfully when enjoying a piece of art, painting, sculpture or whatever and wish aloud that I had artistic talent and invariably whomever I am with says something like “I’m sure you’re artistic! Just give it a try.” I KNOW I have no talent where drawing, painting, sculpting is concerned; I’VE TRIED!

The truth of the matter is that not everyone is artistic; if we were we wouldn’t pay so much for the work of those who really are.

But having said that I must confess that I have in recent years found my talent and that is in the garden. And more, I am convinced that all gardeners are artists in their own right. Oh maybe we can’t all sell our work or skill but I really think anyone who has the zeal (and once you’ve gotten your hands in the dirt you will likely be infected by the ‘gardening bug’) it will show in ways only nature and the elements can limit.

I recently went with my garden club friends to visit the Maine Botanical gardens and everyone of us were in awe of the beauty put together by the artist gardeners there. We couldn’t stop commenting (as one non garden club member of the group observed) at the wonderful arrangements of the many plants we knew and others new to us. We spent hours soaking in the tapestry of colors and textures and fragrances that filled our senses and sparked our creative juices. We rode home a-bubble with ideas and visions of future gardens on our own palettes.

Maybe I don’t know what a true artist is, but then again maybe now I do. I know passion has a lot to do with the creation of a work of art and acceptance of the result is in the eye of the beholder. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a garden I didn’t really enjoy…

Heat Waves and Hot Flashes

Peg — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:46:10 +0000

Oh my hell.