Time to spice up that old wall with a splash of summer-long color. There is a tendency among gardeners who want to dress up their concrete walls to plant some creeping phlox and be done with it. And why not? Phlox is a perennial that will return to bloom year …
Hummus is easy to make, extremely flavorful, and relatively healthy, especially when compared with sour cream based dips. There are many variations, but my favorite is still the basic hummus recipe.
Is it possible for humans to love animals too much? It has been 15 months since I took my Miniature Schnauzer, Katy, to the vet and had her put to sleep. No, not put to sleep. Let’s call it what it is: I had her put to death. It was …
The portulaca is blooming again–and boy, is it a stunner. I have used portulaca all the traditional ways—concrete pots, flower beds, and as an under-planting for larger flowering plants like zinnias. Once I stuck a handful of plants into the hollowed-out portion of an old stump. That ended up looking …
Easy and delicious tomato-based soup. Yummy Chicken and Vegetable Soup 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts cooked and cut into cubes (mine had been sauteed in mix of olive oil and butter, no batter added, drained and cooled) 2 large cans of whole tomatoes (remove cores and break tomatoes up with fingers) …
It is tough to be a perfectionist in an imperfect world. Several years ago, when I was a pizza restaurant manager, I had a problem. I wanted everything to be perfect. I wanted the restaurant to be spotless. I wanted the pizzas to be made to spec. I wanted the …
Some of my fondest memories are of me sitting at my Grandma’s kitchen table in her old farmhouse watching her cook, and Grandma’s cornbread was a favorite. Grandma gave birth (at home, during the Great Depression) to twelve children. To say that she knew how to cook would be a …
I don’t know how it is with growers in your neck of the woods, but here in the Midwest there’s a race each year for bragging rights. The race is to see who can produce the first vine-ripened tomatoes, and if it can be done by the 4th of July …
It’s Hydrangea time in the Midwest. Hydrangeas are a lovely perennial with either beautiful blue or pink flowers. There are also white varieties. Hydrangea leaves tend to burn in the hot sun, and they are lovers of moisture, so place the young shrubs in a semi-shady location that gets plenty …
The following list contains the top ten most-often-sold items at my own yard sales over the past several years. This is not a scientific study of yard sale data, but is drawn from meticulous listings I have made over a period of several years. I have listed practically anything imaginable …
This week I had a two-day yard sale that went fairly well, considering the heat index approached 100 on both days. Successful yard sales take a bit of preparation, but can be both fun and profitable. There are no hard and fast rules about having a yard sale, but having …
Maybe it’s one of the few perks of climate change–but folks around the upper south are growing tropical plants outdoors a lot more than they used to. And with good reason. Banana plants make good and fast shade The tropical plants most used around our region seem to be elephant …
The blackberry patch in the wild can be treacherous. Left to its own devices, the newer growth rises up to supplant the older dead vines. In this way the young leafy vines rest atop the older, woody vines. In spring the entire patch is crowned with a golden green, then …
Into a blender throw: One handful of blueberries (frozen is fine) One handful of strawberries (frozen is fine) One banana One handful of seedless grapes One small carton of yogurt One cup of almond milk (or soy if you prefer) Blend until smooth and enjoy…YUM! SPR records were created so …
I have one of two things at the beginning of each day, depending on how much time I have and whether I need portability or not. One is a simple fruit salad, and the other (and more travel-ready) is a smoothie. Both are fast and delicious, not to mention good …
This is a bit of a cheat, but delicious! Open a can of condensed cream of chicken soup and get that going on the stove. While that’s heating up, steam or boil a hunk of broccoli until tender. (a hunk is a big handful) A man viagra best buy called …
Since the beginning of the human relations movement the theory that “satisfaction causes performance” has been widely accepted. A more recent theory maintains that “performance causes satisfaction” and has also gained prominence. An even newer theory now insists that satisfaction and performance are not related, but that both satisfaction and …
My favorite perennial, the lovely and fragrant peony, has come and gone again. In our area it buds and blooms almost exclusively in May each year. Does anyone else get excited when this long-lived plant pokes its tiny pink stalks out of the ground early in spring? I cannot describe …
Don’t you just love it when you buy a plant and it rewards you by thriving? Below is a photo of a pot of amaryllis blooming in May and June. At last count there were 40+ blossoms that came and went. Considering how large and showy they are, that’s a …
In the U.S. hot dogs are like BBQ in that everyone has their favorite. It’s mostly a regional thing. I’ve had both all over the lower 48 and most of them were good. But the best hot dog I’ve ever had—by far—was from the Roanoke Weiner Stand on the Market …
