Putting the Garden to Sleep

I don't ever remember being so sad about removing spent flowers from the garden. This year was different because of the wedding and all of the wonderful memories. Alas, the work needed to be done. The sunflowers were reluctant to be released from their strong grip in the soil even though they looked like goners. I felt like I was pulling teeth. The zinnias went more easily. Three more quadrants need to be done but it was a start last Sunday. Anne found one last bouquet of straw flowers to take home and dry for winter enjoyment.

Grapes that really smell like grapes .......

Earlier this month Anne and I went to Eddy's Fruit Farm in Chesterland to pick Concord grapes. We picked 26 pounds which we made into 20 pints of the best-smelling jelly ever. Thanks to Joan Elliott's juice extractor from Finland, the work was made easy. I meant to include a picture of that contraption, but we were too busy the rest of the day to remember to take any pictures!

Then there were the tomatoes........

We were lucky not to have lost our tomato crop to late blight, as many neighbors did. Considering that we grew so many flowers for the wedding, it was amazing to get any tomatoes at all. There is nothing quite as nice as smelling chili sauce simmering. (Well, pumpkin pie, Jim Lahey's bread or pizza with fresh pesto are pretty nice, too.) Had to make some salsa for the dead of winter, too.

Fall is here, nights are getting cold, and Terry's focus has moved to the re-building of the shed. The garden is going to sleep soon, but not before we pick the rest of beets, carrots and lettuce. The rain has perked up the rhubarb.... but wait, I think I still have frozen rhubarb from last year. There aren't enough hours in the day to get to all of this.

Pears

While Anne was still home, but before she left for Indiana to learn all about making goat cheese, we harvested the pears. Last year I learned that you have to pick them BEFORE they ripen or else they rot from the inside out. So, by testing them with a sideways turn, you take the ones that snap off at the stem. We picked enough to make 41 pints.

Anne made puff pastry on top of which she spread almond cream and poached pears. Grandaisy, this is your loss!

Life After the Wedding

I can't believe that it was Aug. 5 since I last updated this. I have been busy...really. My part-time job gets in the way of doing fun things. The beets just kept on coming after the wedding. Hannah and I spent a day pickling 52 pints using two recipes - one plain , the other with spices. We are enjoying them in salads and sandwiches. Hannah is worried that we didn't make enough.

Mark and Patty Jenks' Artistry

The wedding arch was crafted by good friends of Hannah and Ian's. The structure in the back had metal tiles wired to the frame, two "hands" holding a candle and a bell at the top. Just before the ceremony Patty added fresh flowers. As if that was not enough,Mark also made a"Wish Basket" which was planted in the lower perennial garden. Attached to the frame was a clipboard with papers and pens so that guests could write their wishes for Hannah and Ian and put them into the basket made of rusted garden fencing. Mark made the wire look as soft as fabric. Eventually, these will go to Hannah and Ian's yard in Tremont, but until then, we are enjoying this very special garden art.

July 25, 2009

It seems like a blur, but the wedding was spectacular, if I must say so myself. There was so much LOVE in the tent and garden... no one wanted the evening to end.... so it went on until 3 A.M. The band quit at 11 after a touching rendition of "Goodnight Irene". Hannah and Ian danced while the rest of us swayed arm in arm in a circle around them. Then the party continued around the firepit where Phil, Claire, Benny and Carl serenaded us with astonishing guitars and a ukelele. Phil played the entire Beatles White album as we sang along. From there it was Paul Simon, Greg Brown and after Terry and I went inside at 2, Janis Joplin. I wish I had some pictures from the campfire, but I don't. (Laura does - maybe she will add them to her blog: www.lbinsb.blogspot.com. She has such a way with words and pictures.

In these pictures you can see Liz and Anne picking beets for the salad (Ken was such a good sport to use our LOCAL produce), Ian and his Dad building the dance floor and platform for the band, Laura and Anne making the centerpieces from our flowers in the garden, and of course, the bride, just before the ceremony. That is when I put my camera down for the evening and just enjoyed the party. If I can figure out how to use others' photos here, I will include some from the reception. A wonderful time was had by all.

Angel's Trumpets

These pots of Brugmansia, also known as Angel's Trumpets, will be used near the wedding arch that Mark and Patty Jenks will build for the ceremony. They bloom for a week, rest, re-group and bloom again. I am showing you them here just in case their timing is off on July 25. We could possibly be looking at urns of green leaves that day.

Ten Days to Go......

Hard to believe the wedding day is fast approaching. Terry spread the mulch all by himself as I twisted my back spreading the first filled wheel barrel. Besides having the worst year ever for Japanese beetles and mosquitoes, the flowers are coming along nicely. This will most likely be my last posting until after the wedding as I feel I am moving into fast forward mode.

The flowers are coming along nicely in spite of the beetles. I am out there every evening with my yogurt container filled with soapy water, flicking them into their last bath. They are even defoliating the rhubarb. It will fun to see the combinations that Anne will use on the tables.

Buds on the wedding flowers!

This week we finally have some progress on the flowers. The sunflowers and zinnias have buds and the ageratum and asters have already begun to flower. Anne should be inspired with this news! I'm hoping that in 5 weeks there will be much for her to work with. Are they flowering too soon? Can they keep this up until July 25? Can we keep the weeds from overtaking?

The beets for the wedding salad are looking good. I sent some pictures to Ken, the chef. As requested by Hannah, he will pair the beets with goat cheese from a local creamery in Hiram and drizzle with some balsamic vinaigrette.

Something from the kitchen...finally!

This week I was forced into doing something with our tiny harvest of sour cherries. Liz's ultimate frisbee friends came last weekend for their tournament and just could not resist picking the sour cherries from our two new trees. They proudly came in with about 2 cups of little cherries which I put in the fridge until this morning. Having just seen a recipe for cherry crumble in this month's Cooking Light which called for 2 pounds of cherries, I attempted it anyway with my 2 cups. the result was amazing. I took a piece over to Connie Thomas while it was still warm. I think she ate it before I was out of the driveway. It reminded me of my very first sour cherry pie which was baked by her former neighbor, Kathy McLean, many years ago... let's just say it was before Hannah was born. Anyway, although it lacks height, it doesn't lack flavor.

Hannah & Ian's Wedding Shower

Last Saturday was the beginning of our celebrations this summer. Twenty-five friends and relatives came together to "shower" Hannah and Ian with good wishes and gifts. The weather was perfect (could we be so lucky again in July?). Janet and John were in town to help with "Parade the Circle" as they do every year, so the timing of the shower had everything to do with that. My wonderful sisters-in-law, Sandi, Ivette, and Joy took over the kitchen and I truly enjoyed the party. Terry proudly led tours of the gardens, as did Hannah, and we all had a good time visiting. Grandma met Ian's parents for the first time and John promised to dance a polka with her at the wedding. She is looking forward to it very much.

What's in Bloom

This week was full of beautiful blooms that you will not see in July so I couldn't help but show them to you now..... the rhododendron along the front walk, honeysuckle on the porch trellis and a clematis on the rose arbor.

Memorial Day Weekend

We finally got every flower seedling in the garden - 800 of them - that's right 800. 20 rows of 40 plants each. AND we planted 21 flats of annuals in the garden beds - that's another 792 plants, for a grand total of 1,592. That's just FLOWERS. This number does not include vegetables already planted such as beets, lettuces, onions and tomatoes. Hopefully, the beets will end up in the wedding dinner salad if Ken (the chef) is up for roasting 25 pounds of beets. How local is that? 10 feet from the tent.

Seedlings

We will be happy when these go into the garden. Terry's task will be to keep the deer away. a neighbor told us about a home remedy that works: 2 eggs and 1 cup of Murphy's Oil Soap dissolved in 1 gallon of water. Mix and let ripen for a few days. Hmm... Splash on plants with a wide paint brush, Jackson Pollock style. As soon as I run out of the expensive deer repellent from Chagrin Pet & Garden I'll let you know how it works.

The Early May Garden

Here is what is blooming in the garden now. Everything will look different in July so I will keep you posted on the changes. Every season is beautiful. The seedlings are looking a bit leggy these days as they are stretching for the light. On mild days I take them out into the sun (no easy task as there are many trays).

Flowers for the wedding

Terry and I started several flats of seedlings. Hopefully, Anne will have no excuse for lack of materials to show off her creativity for the wedding. I will keep you updated with more pictures as things grow! This is about one-third of the flats we started. The rest are under lights in the basement.