Empty Poetry Post

Uh-oh!  The poetry post is empty again.  Do you have any poem suggestions or submissions?  Poets, I'd love to feature your original work in my poetry post and on my blog.  Just drop me a line.

New Herb Beds

I don't know about you, but I don't like the idea of dog pee on my salad greens and nasturtium blossoms.  So, we decided to add three new raised beds behind our split rail fence in the front yard.

 Then we rented a sod cutter.  Because I value my back and my marriage.  It only took us thirty minutes to cut the sod in the front and back yard.  Charlie pushed the sod cutter and I pulled on the front bar to keep the cuts accurate around the curves.  

The lawn lifted right up after cutting it with the sod cutter.  I highly recommend using a sod cutter for bigger projects.

After we returned the sod cutter, we put the cut sod in the back of the pickup and took it to H&H to be recycled into compost.

Our front yard slopes down to the sidewalk, so we had to dig in the raised beds to make them level.  Of course we decided to do this during the heatwave.  We bought green fir boards for the beds at Home Depot.  They made all the cuts for us and didn't charge us.  Sweet!  We assembled the boxes with leftover deck screws.   The beds are filled with a mix of soil, potting soil and compost.   

Ta-da!  I'm excited to fill these three new boxes with greens and herbs.  Any greens or herb suggestions?

Victory Garden Menus

I have a new blog, Victory Garden Menus, with the online Columbian Newspaper.  I will blog about how to grow vegetables and herbs and most importantly, how to cook with them. We will have fun feasting on our fresh produce.  What do you love to cook out of your garden?  Are you looking for a new recipe to use up some zucchini?  Let me know!  And we'll figure it out together.  

radish blossom at dawn

Here's the link to my latest post, My Victory Garden. 

The Victory Garden in the evening light

Barnaby Puts the Aww in Awkward

sleepy Barnaby

Barnaby is busy taking a nap right now.

hungry Barnaby

But, I know that at any minute he's going to wake up and deliver his food dish to me, again.  He's either sleeping, eating or asking to be fed, or has the puppy crazies.  There is very little middle ground with him, lately.  

Last week, he took offense to my new toenail polish when I painted my nails.  So he sat on my lap, all fifty plus pounds of him, and barked at my toes until I finished laughing and put on some socks.  

baby Barnaby

Remember this little cutie back in April?  Oh, how he has grown!  This afternoon, I called out to him in the yard and he came running with his jowls drooling, ears flopping, and his legs flailing.  My poor flummoxed camera kept trying to focus on the hosta flowers; sorry about that.   

 Doesn't he put the aww in awkward?  

Would you like a Pineapple Mint Wine Spritzer with Raspberries?

Pineapple Mint and Raspberry Wine Spritzer

My Kid always chose pineapple mint, Mentha suaveolens 'Variegata', as his plant in the garden.  Whenever I see it in the garden I think of him and smile.  I always imagine him at 6 years old, playing outside in his yellow rubber boots with his pockets filled with his garage sale treasures of old watches and rings of old keys;  never as the successful young man that he has become.  

Pineapple mint is beautiful, fragrant, and I love to use it in iced tea and cocktails because it plays a subtle supporting role.   I usually cook the pineapple mint down in a simple syrup.  But this time, I simply rubbed the leaves between my fingers and added them to a tumbler glass filled with ice, raspberries and Red Moscato ($5) wine.  Then I added a slosh of ginger-ale to add some bubbles.

I served it to My Pirate on our back patio.  We kicked up our feet, watched the dogs chew on their sticks, and savored our quiet time together in our garden.  


Pineapple Mint Wine Spritzer with Raspberries 

If you don't have pineapple mint, I recommend using apple mint or pineapple sage instead.

Red Moscato, chilled--we used Barefoot or you could substitute Rose
ice cubes
fresh raspberries
pineapple mint leaves, muddle with your fingers before adding to the glass
(optional) splash of ginger-ale or lemon lime soda for fizz


Fill a glass or pitcher with ice.  Add the mint leaves, raspberries, soda, and wine.  Enjoy.