Garden 2011 - Spring

A lot has changed in the backyard since last year.  I planted grass, for one thing.  This is the first time I have ever planted grass in my entire life.  I have killed a lot of grass over the years, but NEVER planted it.  Turns out it is kind of difficult to grow.  Well, if you have a puppy that insists on running across it and trying to dig it up :)

The pond.  The white trellis fell over a couple days ago.  Well, actually it was picked up and twisted around by the wind.  It was a strong wind, because that is not a light trellis. 

The water lilies over wintered with the fish in the pond.  They seem to be fine.  I replanted them and there are many leaves already floating on the water.  Soon water lilies!  I also added some water lettuce, water hyacinth and parrot feather.  I also added 40 Japanese trapdoor snails.  There is a toad that lives in the rocks around the pond.  So lots of wildlife in/around the pond.  I wonder what happened to all the salamanders and frogs I added to the pond last fall?

Only 6 garden beds.  I took out 7 beds.  I wanted to cut back, because it seems like - yes I can grow a ton of food in my backyard - but why am I doing it?  A lot of stuff went to waste last year, because I didn't have enough time to care for everything.  I want to have a garden that is productive and looks good too. 

View from the porch of the grass.

I'm really happy with the changes that I made.  It's pretty and now I have more time to enjoy it, instead of only having time to take care of it.

Can't remember what the garden looked like last year?  Neither could I :)

Click on the links below if you want to see the yard last year.

Garden Sept 2010

July 2010

June Garden Update 2010

May 2010 - easiest on this post to see the difference between this year and last year

Apricot

The apricot tree is in bloom!  I think I might get some fruit this year, if the weather stays warm.  Last year it was warm too early and then we had a late frost that dropped all the tiny apricots.  Being the lazy gardener that I am, I didn't manage to prune any of my fruit trees.  I got the cherry tree half done, but didn't even touch the other ones.  There are a lot of crossed branches, so hopefully I can do a little green summer pruning after the fruit (fingers crossed for fruit)!!!

Some More Birds

I took these pictures this morning.

There are a lot of birds in the garden this year.  Even more than last year.

Mourning Dove

This mourning dove visited the pond yesterday.

Signs Of Spring?

The cardinal that nests in my neighborhood is back.

I took these pictures from inside my house through the sliding glass door.

He and his mate (who is very shy) have been nesting here for years.  I've lived here for more than 6 years - they come back every year.

There are also blue jays in the neighborhood, but they stay on the other side of the street. 

There were 2 woodpeckers in my front yard yesterday and a HUGE fat squirrel.

Soaking Mushrooms

Lobster Bisque

This Lobster Bisque is made with 'Lobster-flavored seafood'. 

Lobster Bisque

8 oz pkg Lobster Classic

2 Tbs. butter

1 med onion - chopped

1/2 lb. mushrooms - sliced

2 Tbs. flour

3 cups milk

1 tsp. lemon peel

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup half and half

1/4 cup sherry

1 Tbs. chopped celery

In saucepan melt butter, and saute onions and mushrooms.  Add flour and stir until smooth.  Slowly add milk and cook until slightly thickened.  Stir in remaining ingredients, heat gently, but do not boil.  Season with salt, pepper and a dash of nutmeg.  Makes 4 servings.

Pup-sicles

This is a dog (or cat) treat recipe.  Although you could eat it - I guess.

Pup-sicles 

Ice cube tray or silicon candy tray

canned salmon

yogurt (I used Greek style)

or

anything your dog likes to eat - I've used frozen vegetables and kibble.

Press salmon into the bottom of each compartment.  Layer yogurt on top and freeze until solid.  Remove from tray and put in a zip-loc bag.  Keep frozen.

When I want to keep Tibby busy I give her one of these.  They don't last as long as a frozen Kong, but they are pre-made, so I don't have to remember to stuff and freeze her Kong. 

Tibby likes them!

Mini Pita Biscuits

I like the idea of biscuits. 

 The easy to roll out, perfectly round, individual portions - in other words the Perfect Biscuit.  However, I have never discovered this holy grail.  Most recipes leave you with a messy counter, crumbs of flour and butter and are hard to mix together.   If a recipe says anything about 'pea sized' bits of cut in butter, I know I won't have fun making that recipe (even though I will probably suffer through making it).

Yesterday, I was planning on making pizza, so I started to make some dough.  I only had 2 hours to make it from yeast poof to eat, so I decided to make my favorite pita bread recipe for the crust.  Then I thought, "Why can't I make this dough into biscuits?" 

And Behold!  The Mini Pita Biscuit was made!

This dough is really nice and easy to handle.  It is dream dough!  The pita biscuits are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside AND they still taste great the 2nd day.

Mini Pita Biscuits

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp instant (also called: fast acting or bread machine) yeast

2 tsp baking powder (secret ingredient!)

2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 cup water

2 Tbs veg. oil

Combine all the ingredients to form a shaggy dough.  Kneed dough for 5 mins. in an electric mixer or 10 mins by hand, until it's smooth.  Place dough in a lightly greased bowl and let rest in a warm place for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 500F degrees.

  Turn the dough out onto your work surface - kneed gently a couple times- Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick (the thick the dough the higher they will rise in the oven).  Cut into circles with a biscuit cutter or squares with a pizza cutter. 

Place biscuits on lightly greased cookie sheets and bake for 5 mins until golden brown.

Remove from oven and enjoy!

Say What? - Recipe Translation

I was helping my Mom look for a flatbread recipe online.  We wanted an authentic recipe, so we tried searching in Swedish.  Here are some of the funny translations courtesy of Google Translations:

"flatbread has always been important in our family and is among the tastiest I know. Works great for a dip in the pot! "

"Lubricate it with a little margarine"

"Bake one cookie at a time over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Turn the mid-term."

"1 1 / 2 tablespoons cumin supported "

"remove the bite-sized substances which may rise under a cloth for 30 minutes."

" A very good advice!  If you're new to share rate of 10 times.  If you make a dough of 10 liters degspad should be used baker and have at least one helper who bakes bread. "

"Cottage Cheese Clamp"

" Upload thin loaves and place on the arugula and meat."

Watch Tibby Live!

Tibby has her orientation/interview day at doggie daycare tomorrow.

You can watch her play with other dogs all day long!

I will be there around 7am to drop her off and around 3pm to pick her up, so you might see me too!

Here is the address for the web cam:

Woof dah!

I'm really nervous she will get rejected, but she loves other dogs, so I think she will have fun playing all day long.

It's too bad the daycare is so far away. It will have to be an only once every couple months and for overnight boarding when I go on vacation treat for Tibby. If anyone wants to open a Woof dah! type doggie daycare near me I will be their FIRST customer.

Creepy Moon

Woooooooo creepy mooooooon........

Just wanted to share a few creepy moon pictures!