Today I had the first sighting this year of a red admiral checking out the blossoming sage, with several kinds of bees, shiny, furry, large, small, not a bee expert.
I had planned on planting seeds today
then remembered I had to soak the morning glory seeds overnight, and one thing and another, after I'd assembled the squirrel deterrent you see on the counter, found the containers, trowel, spare potting soil, cleaned up the upstairs houseplants in search of another container, it seemed like a good idea to do it tomorrow.
I did a load of laundry, changed the bed, wrangled one friend who dropped in with an HOA question, another who called with not so good news about another who fell and we didn't know. Among all these tasks and interruptions, I cooked this terrific lunch.
Spicy sweet potato, cannellini and red beans, onions, garlic, rainbow chard, loads of spices, paprika, cayenne, including what turned out to be a habanero pepper. And fresh picked thyme.
I handled the pepper through a cloth, removed the seeds to dry them, and though the stew was hot, with toasted naan, it was great. The pepper was in a mix of Misfit hot peppers in the freezer, and I looked it up after I'd added it. Oh.
The neighbor who stopped in with the HOA question gave the stew, smelling and looking, many stars, a good review! I'd just set it up to take a picture when she showed up.
Timing, boud! How rarely people see and smell something at its best. I didn't offer samples because this is a nice acquaintance who tends to take more than give. No need to raise expectations. Prudence prevailed.
Enough spicy stew for three more meals.
Lovely afternoon eventually, finishing The Reluctant Widow on the deck, I love that book, and loafing. A bit tired.
Happy day everyone, I recommend prudence in giving, once in a while, and a bit of loafing when you're tired. Do what I say and rarely do! And tomorrow is another day, about stitching and planting seeds.
The Haggard Hawks puzzle solution
SCENIC.
Caro got it and maybe other people who just didn't post a funny clue. Or who posted one so subtle I missed it. That happens, in the Bluebird puzzle group when you're a Robin with ideas above your station.
Sorry about the bad news call but great to get soup delivered.
ReplyDeleteI have all my seeds planted and now I wait.
Cathy
I cooked the stew amidst the interruptions! No delivering hapoened. Maybe I should edit for clarity. I hope to plant mine tomorrow.
DeleteSeeds, that is.
DeleteThe stew looks delicious. I wondered how many meals you got out of it. I’m sure it’s a dish that ages well. Smart of you to not offer a bowl, especially to a taker. I completely forgot I think to give a clever clue previously.
ReplyDeleteThe stew was very good. One of those one pot many stages events, the stages creating the flavor build up.
DeleteWith so many interruptions, it's amazing we ever finish anything!
ReplyDeleteFor someone who lives alone, I certainly get my share.
DeleteThe stew does indeed look good. Have you checked the phases of the moon for sewing seeds😉https://www.haxnicks.co.uk/blogs/grow-at-home/lunar-gardening
ReplyDeleteThis year it's more about the weather. The usual planting time went by too cold and wet for planting seeds.
DeleteI have never seen as many Red Admirals as I have seen this year.
ReplyDeleteI can look forward then. Some years we see none.
DeleteThat stew looks so good.
ReplyDeleteI haven't noticed many butterflies but our birds are glorious and I love our little native bees. Bees are the bees' knees.
I'm thankful to all the pollinators.
DeleteI'd probably jump out of my socks if I saw a Red Admiral. Lucky you! Good to hear you did all those things, and rested just as needed. Seeds have been waiting a while, they'll last another day.
ReplyDeleteI thought that about the seeds, too. One day won't hurt.
DeleteThat stew does indeed look terrific! I like spicy and I think that sweet potatoes are awesome vegetables.
ReplyDeleteOne day will not matter much with those seeds. That is the beauty of them. Well, that and the flowers they will eventually bring.
How's Gary?
Not so good. He had a setback, still in hospital, family attending
DeleteOh no. I figured things might not be so good since you haven't mentioned him. I am so sorry.
DeleteI ama little surprised that you would have to seed morning glories again if you've ever had them before.
ReplyDeleteThey're annuals here. Can't winter over, don't reseed.
DeleteWe've grown one kind of annual morning glory (Grandpa Ott) that re-seeds like mad; and one kind (Heavenly Blue) that doesn't. Now I just weed out 98% of the Grandpa Otts and have given up on Heavenly Blue, as it tends to flower about three days before the first killing frost. Meanwhile, the remaining Grandpa Otts start blooming in late June. Each variety seems to have its own plan.
DeleteChris from Boise
Heavenly blue is the only one I've ever seen available.
DeleteLet me know if you'd like Grandpa Ott seeds - I'll have lots by mid-summer (for next year). But beware their prolific tendencies. Here's their background: https://shop.seedsavers.org/grandpa-otts-flower.
DeleteI know bumble bees but that's my limit. I bet your neighbour was angling for an invite. Some people are like that. I would be if I lived near you!
ReplyDeleteThat thought did cross my mind!
DeleteGreat stew! I love spicy. Maybe it's the variety of morning glory you plant. I planted some at least a dozen years ago and every year they return. They are prolific seeders. I'm sorry about Gary, this is sad news.
ReplyDeleteThere's only one variety available where I shop. I wonder if self seeders are banned, this being an ag state with all kinds of regulations about plants and seeds?
DeleteI'm hopeful the setback is only brief. It's too quiet around here.
stew looks good but with that habanero pepper would have been too hot for me. what happened to Gary? he the neighbor that fell?
ReplyDeleteGary had a recurrence of a thoracic issue, then as he was doing well, a setback. The friend who fell is the one Gary and I visited for mother's day. She's frail.
DeleteThe stew is great! Nothing like plenty of heat to liven up beans. Followed by a cooling dessert, today vanilla pudding.
I’ve seen some butterflies already this year. They looked quite battered though. Hope the seeds were planted like you planned today.
ReplyDeleteYes, hot but done
DeleteI just came in from planting the first row of pole beans and am blog-reading while the sweat dries...in the sunny 80's here again today. Thunderstorm forecast this evening and rain tomorrow, so a rush to get some seeds in the ground before all that happens.
ReplyDeleteYes, same here, rain overnight and tomorrow. I'm so glad you're back reading here. As you know, you've been on my mind, you have a lot to cope with, maybe some new decisions. Got your back!
DeleteGood for you for resisting the thought of feeding your drop-in. In my books it's rude to appear on someone's doorstep when it's quite obviously meal time, but I guess some people just don't think of that.
ReplyDeleteAll those seeds are going to provide you with wonderful colour and lots of insect entertainment over the next few months.
Yes, some people are oblivious. The seeds are starting to germinate
Delete