Mother's Day dessert, spring planting

Here's dessert after a lunch of roast chicken and potatoes 

Slice of lime cake, some Greek yogurt, blueberries and pure cane sugar.  

I got some sewing supplies organized for Pine Ridge 

Lovely walk Sunday morning, beautiful warm sunny day and walking in the morning means shade. Greeting neighbors on their patios. I went about two thirds pondwards before deciding I needed the rest of my energy to get home.

Then a period of sitting doing niksen on the deck in morning shade. 

This afternoon Gary wanted to get going planting so I gave him a few tiny sprouting potatoes to set out. Many questions. Which way up, how deep, what size pot, knowing he'd do what he wanted anyway! I don't worry if my advice gets wafted away on the wind. 

I already had some potatoes going, so I decided the linited amount of planting I could do Sunday was this. I'm taking Rita seriously and trying not to overdo.

Chives to restart after my ancient ones didn't make it, wildflowers to just throw about, this worked last year, honesty seeds from my own plant. Note the grabber within reach. And the container with the blue lid is the squirrel deterrent. 

It's essential peppermint oil, and qtips. I soak them in the oil and push two or three into each pot. Squirrels don't like it and stay away from your seeds.

That's Sunday's gardening done. I put Chris's morning glory seeds to soak before I put them in, maybe Monday. They'll go in the ground this year, near the shepherd's crook to give them something to climb. And there's a pot ready for some other flower.

And that's today's Hope Springs Eternal Gardener's Hour. I just had to water the seeds in and I was ready for a cup of tea.

And for supper the world's easiest stew. 

Can of diced tomatoes, can of cannellini beans, with what's becoming a go to seasoning, umami mixture and smoked paprika.

The aqua faba from the beans is saved for baking as an egg substitute.

Happy day everyone. Plant seeds, real or metaphorical. Real toads in imaginary gardens.

Gardening is an art. Mine's on the artisanal good enough for gummint work side.

Ted sez. 

Shut up, Ted 

Billie sez

Improving the shining hour

This morning was planned for PT but Therapist Emil got stuck in Philadelphia with something that overran its schedule. So I got a free morning.

Which I put to good use, baking a cake and roasting those chicken drumsticks.

This is Beatrice's lemon cake with some changes. I didn't have lemon zest so I used lime zest. Saved on eggs by using aqua faba, quarter cup per egg. And as you see, it came out fine

Very tender because it uses oil -- I used avocado, which is very good at lightening baked goods. And the lime zest worked lovely. Nice flavor.  See the dense crumb here, where I sliced the (cook's privilege) first piece.

A couple of neighbors will help me with this. And thank you Beatrice!

The drumsticks took advantage of the stove already being hot, just oil, some ground kosher salt with seasonings, and basil and salt.

This will be good when I need a drumstick with this evening's crisp roasted cheesy potato dice.

Lovely gentle rain overnight for the first houseplant I put out, the coleus swinging and looking happy.

The sage is budding up now, before bursting out in purple blossoms.

And buds are starting on the rose which I think was planted by birds 

I'm not seeing any signs of life on the hibiscus, but this time last year I didn't either and it bust out some great flowers later.

Happy day everyone, bust a move, it's Friday!

Sez Ted