Plants that pop up in the garden from seemingly nowhere are referred to as volunteers. These may arise from seeds cast off by plants in the garden, from seeds consumed by animals that survive their digestive system, from squirrels burying…
This hearty meat sauce is a recipe that started as a simple bolognese recipe with store bought marinara sauce then evolved from various sources. I learned the idea of adding chili flakes for a bit of heat from a dear…
I painted this scene the day after Nicholas, my cat of 17 years, passed away. I feel like it’s a fitting setting for the few overcast and occasionally drizzly days that came along with the event. Close-ups:
In the last 38 hours my cat of 17 years passed away. Although his life was nearing closure, Nicholas was in excellent health and I had hoped for another year or two with him. I suspect he caught something after…
I gathered up some late summer blooms for a bouquet, including panicle hydrangeas, butterfly bush, a climbing rose and some ornamental oregano.
Abstract watercolor painting with acrylic ink details. Close-ups:
In early May, I trimmed some of my oakleaf and bigleaf hydrangeas to shape them. I knew I’d be sacrificing blooms on the bigleaf hydrangeas, but I wanted them to fill out more and decided it was worth it. Then…
Beef Stroganoff is a savory comfort food I recall from childhood. Traditionally a Russian dish, It’s a hardy meal that is particularly enjoyable on cool or rainy days when you want something to warm you up. I usually prepare it…
A summery mixed media piece with abundant plants and delicate blooms, surrounded by the heat and dynamic activity of July and August. Close-ups:
If you’ve followed my posts, you’ll know I see cotton tail bunnies in my garden. This year, I’ve seen adults come through here and there and a younger one showed up recently. They can be tricky to spot since they…
This is a special time of year when I gather hydrangea blooms and bring the garden indoors in big bouquets. As I add more hydrangea specimens to the garden and the plants mature, I get bigger yields every year. This…
My hydrangeas are coming into bloom, especially the mophead and oakleaf hydrangeas. Pannicle varieties and a couple later blooming mopheads are budding up and will bloom over the next week or two. I love having the variety of colors and…