Are you all in for Fall?  Perhaps a trip to your local orchard for apples, pumpkins, squash and cider? I made a stop at Arends Orchards, Route 78, Laura, Illinois.  Most orchard "pie" apples are good but Arends is my favorite.  Plus, the cider is straight from the apples - no processing, preservatives or added sugar.   This morning I decided to make an apple pie.  In the last few years, I've been using my 9-inch ceramic quiche baking dish instead of a traditional pie plate.  It holds more filling and less chance for it to run over while baking.   Her ..read more

 If you look closely at gardens created by designers, most have some tall annuals.  They will be single plants or at times in a grouping.  Some in the ground - others in pots. Because most of us think in terms of annuals no taller than 12-inches, it takes a change in perspective.  Plus, many times these tall annuals are more expensive than a six-pack of marigolds, but, the bang for the buck is BIG.   Rather than talk on and on about tall annuals, I'll give a few examples: Sunflowers:    Elephant Feather:   Elephant Ear: Banana Tree: Kin ..read more

 I have a small (ish) patch of asparagus "Purple Passion".  It gives me enough to eat each week from early spring into fall if I keep it picked. Today I made Asparagus-Custard Pie and it was a resounding success.   I learned how to prep asparagus from a Jacques Pepin lesson.  When I pick my asparagus, I only take it down to where it crisply pops off, then rinse, shake and peel the stems with a vegetable peeler.  For this recipe, I chopped the stems in 1/4 inch pieces and left the top flowers. Asparagus-Custard Pie Line a 9-inch single round cake pan in pie dough ..read more

The colder the weather here in mid-Illinois, the more the birds in my yard like suet combos.   Real suet is hunks of solid fat cut from meat during the processing.  I don't use animal rendered fat as it spoils easier and the birds aren't as fond of animal suet.  I use fat such as Crisco which is made from palm or soybean oils.    I never put my recipe out in weather above freezing because it will melt and over time it could spoil which will harm wildlife.     I make a version of the packaged bird suet packages.  I don't have measurements because i ..read more

Following is an article I did for a local group on my daylily passion.  Where your passions lie, there also lies your pictures.  Those of us with grandchildren know how that works.  We can’t resist taking pictures of their every expression, age and event.  AND THEN, showing to anyone who will stand still.  It’s our passion. Grandma with Cameron, Bradley, Aubrey and Elsie Grandma with Kaydence, Katherine, Grace, Donny, Kane and Max Hobbies are another passion as those of us who garden, sew, paint, craft and etc.  We po ..read more

Parch - Parched - More Parched!  It's dry in some parts of the country and dangerously dry in some Western states.  Stats from the weather folks say we're in a dry period in parts of Illinois.  What's the difference from other years? Other years, we most always have lack of rain in the fall.  The ground gets big cracks, some things wilt and others go dormant.  It's Fall in the Midwest.  Usually this period has followed a nice wet spring and most perennials are thriving off the underground reserves.  This year is different. Although we did have spring rains ..read more

Original work by Jerry Sutton, Native American Cherokee “Persistence can change failure into extraordinary achievement.”  Marv Levy “There is a power in nature that man has ignored. And the result has been heartache and pain.”  Anasazi Foundation, The Seven Paths: Changing One's Way of Walking in the World “Never give up, never give in, and when the upper hand is ours, may we have the ability to handle the win with the dignity that we absorbed the loss.”  Doug Williams "A good way to start thinking about nature, talk about it. Rather talk to it, talk to the ..read more

1952 - My farm family I grew up on a farm in rural Indiana.  Today, I don't live on a farm although I live in the country.  It feeds my spirit and nurtures my introvert nature.  My need to see beauty is supplied abundantly.   I'm Blessed to have had the same group of farmers surrounding my few acres on three sides and they are "good people".  They have no idea but they are a touch to my Indiana roots and their work, the progress through the seasons and friendly wave are a valuable part of my life in rural America. My mom referred to our home as   ..read more

Say What: My daffodil flowers have stayed strong and beautiful through being frozen solid and an 8-inch snow.  A good lesson on spitting in the eye of adversity! There's a difference between (1) ineptitude (2) differing opinions and (3) evil.  The ability to differentiate takes maturity.  Does patience involve not complaining?  Asking for a friend. . .  We are taught "problem solving" our entire school years.  Those that failed are elected to congress.  Those that fail at being elected work in media.  And thank goodness for exceptions!   When ..read more

As a garden blog, I've decided to share the bouquet love on this "Blessed reminder that Jesus died, rose and saved my soul kinda' day!"   Note:  To page through the pictures, click on the first one and then they can be viewed larger and be paged.   ..read more