strawberry lovelies

So if you are going to go organic and local - all the rage right now - the place to start is the dirty dozen. This fabulous list includes strawberries - in fact they are close to the top of the list. When we first moved into our new house one of the first things we planted in the garden were strawberries - and it had nothing to do with the dirty dozen, but had everything to do with loving strawberries and not being able to get good, affordable, tasty ones in Ely. This is the 4th year of the garden and check out how the strawberries have taken off!


Each year they try to crouch in on the beans and each year, we have to cut them back. This year they said, "screw you - we will grown up instead of out then!" Great! We are not complaining - this means a bumper crop for us. Kevin and I purchase d dehydrator in the hopes of making deer jerky this hunting season, but alas, Kevin did not bring home the main ingredient.

But we do have PLENTY of strawberries. More than plenty of strawberries. We picked a big bowl full this weekend, chopped them up and let the dehydrator do its magic.

I am heading to Chicago soon to see young Leif and I need to pack food for the journey - I make these kick-ass energy bars which Kevin calls "Yeti Poops" and a recipe uses 3 cups of dried fruit. You know where this is going don't you? The strawberries were a LOVELY addition -

poppies

After 2 long years of waiting, the poppies have finally popped. Once upon a time, I went to a far, far away greenhouse with the hope of finding poppies for Kevin. He is the real gardener of the family unit - I pretend to weed once in a while, but weeding is no substitute for breaking sod, hauling in dirt, planning garden design and planting. And he LOVES poppies. Oh yes.

Once a season I choose flowers for 3 planters. I use my little trowel to plant them in dirt that Kevin has already filled my pots with and I call it gardening. In the past, I have gone on excursions with the ladies to greenhouses out of Ely - Swanson's, the Cherry greenhouse (I am not sure of its name and I cannot tell you how to get there, but I can drive you there), and the greenhouse between the two. I have loaded the Subaru with hydrangea bushes, these lovely purple shrubs, a mountain ash tree, tomato cages, and of course poppies. Swanson's the greenhouse closest of the three is still over an hour away so I now frequent the in-town greenhouses - the Fat Chicken and the Ely Feed and Seed more often. The Fat Chicken for their fantastic begonias; the Feed & Seed for succulents.

I only purchase flowers to fill my annual pots (and my NEW WINDOW BOX). Most of the plants we have in the yard are from a previous owner - we have just relocated them around the property - but we have invested in shrubbery and bushes and trees.

I am not sure which of the out of town greenhouses I picked up the poppies - or I would get a few more. They are so stinking beautiful. Tall and majestic. Vibrant and delicate. I was scared to touch the first one that opened - scared that I would crush it - it looked like crinkled tissue paper - ripable and unrepairable But then I put my brave face on and touched it - after I took photos for Kevin.

flowers!!

Last weekend, G and I had a greenhouse adventure - I have only been to a green house a handful of times. And I have never really known what I wanted when I went. Well, last weekend I had an agenda. I needed Hydrangea bushes. I LOVE them! The lovely green bulbs, or the cute pink and/or blue flowers (depending of the acidity of the soil) - they make me think that I have a beautiful southern porch. Don't ask why, it is just a belief that I have.

Kevin and I had a $50 gift certificate from our wedding to spend. I learned quickly that $50 does not go far in a green house. Fortunately, the first greenhouse (out of 3 visited) had beautiful, healthy bushes. I had the pleasure of purchasing 3 of the lovelies - 2 went by the mailbox and one is next to the front stairs.



G and I hit another greenhouse to look for metal pots for her and something fun for me. G purchased a fabulous metal pot (after another woman purchased the blue one we were contemplating from right under our noses) and I found... well, see for yourself.

Then I needed to balance the rest of the yard - so I checked out the Fat Chicken to see what they had to offer. I was able to fill 2 large pots for next to nothing - since not much would compare to the cost of 3 Hydrangea bushes. So far, gardening is fun! We will see how I feel in August when it is so bloody hot and humid that weeding is no fun at all.