Random things

 

Hello, dear friends.  How are you?  I just realized my last post was in August...how did this happen? ~ I guess time flies when we're having fun.  And here it is fall already.  Don't you just love all the warm autumn colors?  I bought a big orange pumpkin today for the front step and yellow and red mums for pots.  

We have had quite a lot going on lately.  September is a big birthday month for us and we celebrated our granddaughter's 2nd birthday with family at Galen's mother's house in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  It's a good central meeting place for all of us since Amy and Bruno and the kids live in New York.  What a great time we had!

And our other granddaughter, Maddie, here in North Carolina, just turned 15 in September. It seems like only yesterday that she was just a toddler, and now, here she is getting her permit for driving!  

Also, in September, I had my  6-month follow-up appointment at UNC Cancer Center.  Everything is good!  A little osteoporosis setting in but that is treatable.  I feel great, and this will be two years cancer free!  I am thankful everyday for my health and that I can garden and do all the things I love to do.  

And speaking of the garden, I planted kale, broccoli and spinach for the winter months, and have harvested quite a few tomatoes and peppers.  I've been cleaning up the flower beds, too.

Just to let you know, I may not be posting on my blog as often as before, but I am still here and will check in occasionally.  

Enjoy this wonderful fall weather! 

'till next time, 

Gardening and an update

As I upload these photos today I am wishing the weather was as nice as yesterday.  A beautiful day in the high 70's, Galen and Otis and I spent the day in the garden.  

As we turned the warm soil in the beds, Otis took a nap in the sunshine, in the strawberry patch, of course.  Silly dog.  

We planted onions, potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.  And I always plant marigolds around the beds.  I put in some chives, too.  

The peach tree is in bloom.  I took this photo this morning, a gray morning, but I think the pink flowers are lovely and so cheery!     

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And an update:

For those of you who have been following my journey these past few years with breast cancer, I want you to know I am doing well.  My appointment on Thursday left me feeling very happy.  A good report ~ no cancer.  I am feeling strong, energetic and glad to have my life back.  Finally, normalcy!  I feel great.

Just wanted to let you know and to thank you for being with me and giving me encouragement when I needed it the most.  xoxo

Wine cork garden markers

Paging through a garden magazine at Barnes and Noble yesterday, I found this cute idea.  Garden markers made from wine corks.  

Gather some corks, then write the name of the herb or veggie with a permanent marker.  For the sticks, they used skewers (used for grilling).  

That's it!  So easy.  

Enjoy your day!  

Liriope

We inherited a lot of liriope, aka monkey grass or creeping lilyturf, when we first moved into our house over 15 years ago.  As you can imagine, it has grown and spread like crazy and now covers way too much of the garden.  To get rid of it, you have to dig it up.  The root system is amazing.  

I do, however, love the pretty blueish purple flowers in the summer.  

So Galen is digging up the liriope along the back fence near our veggie garden.  This will mean more space for veggies this summer.

I am already planning the veggie garden and ways to use the new space.  I hope to get a lot more out of the garden this coming year! 

Delicious Eggplant Gratin

I picked another eggplant from the garden yesterday, a few more tomatoes, and some fresh basil. This is an eggplant gratin recipe.  We loved it!  

Eggplant Gratin 

2 Tbs. pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
1 C chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. lemon juice
S&P
1 large eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 1/4" slices, salted and drained, and patted dry
olive oil
6 plum tomatoes (I used tomatoes from the garden)
2 balls fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced  (I used shredded)

To make pesto, puree in a blender pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, basil, lemon juice and a bit of olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Heat ~2 Tbs. olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Brown eggplant slices on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side, and drain.

Grease a 2-quart baking dish with olive oil.  Arrange half the eggplant in the bottom, top with half of the tomato slices, then spread with half of the pesto and mozzarella slices.  Repeat

Bake 400 degrees 30 to 35 minutes.

SO good!

Bon Appetit!  

Fried eggplant for dinner, and other veggies from the garden

I love being able to go to the garden and pick fresh veggies for dinner.  Last nights menu was fried eggplant, sliced tomatoes with basil and cucumber salad.  

Here is the recipe I used for the fried eggplant:  One large eggplant, 3 eggs, 2 cups bread crumbs, salt and pepper, olive oil.  Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in crumbs, and place in hot oil, S&P.  Fry about 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.  

I sliced up some juicy tomatoes and sprinkled with fresh basil.  

And the cucumber salad is simple:  thinly slice cucumbers in a bowl, add salt and pepper, and Rice Vinegar.   

So good, so fresh, and so simple!  

The July garden

Our garden is growing beautifully this year.  I guess it's because of all the rain we've been having here in North Carolina the last few weeks ~ just really hot humid weather.  We are harvesting tons of tomatoes, cucumbers and banana peppers, so much basil we can't eat it all, and it looks like we will have a lot of egg plant.  

Loving those fresh tomato, lettuce and mayo sandwiches.  

I am planning on canning tomato sauce and dill pickles probably next week.

We are truly enjoying the fruits of our labor!  

Have a great day!  

The flower garden and the veggie garden

 

And Otis, taking in some sunshine.  

Another raised garden bed

....this makes four.  

Galen built this one for me last week ~ he's such a good hubby.  We filled it with bags of garden soil and now it's ready to be planted.  

 I wasn't sure if I wanted this one for flowers for a cutting garden, or for more veggies.  Maybe I'll do a mix.   

The great thing about raised beds is everything stays neat, and the soil is good from year to year.  Another nice thing is there is not a lot of weeding to be done.  Can't beat it!