Snowdrops and cauliflowers

The snowdrop bulbs arrived this morning, as hoped.  And, as usual in this tiny realm of mine, the first order of business before planting is to remove enough pachysandra to make room.

I love pachysandra, hate seeing bare earth stretching out between plants, much better to me to have plants pushing up with a sea of green around them.  But it is aggressive.

So here's the lovely Dutch bulbs, awaiting my planting, complete with a gift card sort of thing with a stamp closing, all very civilized.
And here's the bucket of pachysandra removed from the future snowdrop bed, and wet down to wait next door 

for friend to plant them in this space

He already put dibs on any pachysandra I pull out.

And the snowdrops, planted, covered with some good organic stuff, watered in.  Watch this space next spring!  it's where my current six bulbs are, but not disturbing them.  I hope that removing the pachysandra will encourage them, too.  Maybe the competition from the new arrivals will spur on a bit of proliferation, too.

Meanwhile, back at the stove, Handsome Son will be coming for dinner, so the menu is all about cheese cauliflower, roast chicken breasts, with tiny pies for dessert.

The chicken breasts I pounded with a mixture of flour, seasalt, pepper, and Old Bay Seasoning.  Thinking about Washington is good for happy pounding, I find.  Hitting something is timely.  So they're in the fridge, and will be started on top of the oven in the castiron pan, then finished in the oven along with the cheese cauliflower.

I made the cheese sauce, using half and half sharp cheddar and shredded Parmigian,  and steamed the cauli.  This steamer was a wedding gift from my MIL.  That was in 1963, and it must have been used daily since then.  Definitely proved itself.  There's a tight fitting lid, which I removed to show you the contents.

Then added one, the sauce to t'other, the steamed cauliflower, and the dish is in the fridge, ready to be warmed through this evening.   

 
Dash of red pepper and shredded cheese over the top after it cooled. 

This afternoon a bit of study of Chinese art, and calligraphy and a spot of practice, too, if I'm up for it.  It's all go!