Red Oak Garden Notes no. 16

Mercy it has been a windy spring in North Dakota.  Windy and dry.  We need rain.  Our watering bill is already ridiculous.   We really need rain to wash away the abundance of pine pollen in the air.  While I was planting the last of the bedding plants Saturday morning, there was a gust of wind and a cloud of lime green pollen blew off our Ponderosa pine tree.  The pollen is very bothersome to the eyes of my husband and daughter.  I'll bet by now I've swept up a billion elm seeds.

But the walleye are biting on the Missouri River and we feasted on some Saturday night, along with fresh asparagus my sister Beckie generously shared from her garden.  Our asparagus bed is not producing because we just re-planted it last year.

This morning I added leftover asparagus to my bacon, mushroom, and parmesan omelette - YUMMY!.

We got the gutter cleaning chore out of the way today and, in the process, discovered something really funny.  On January 31st we didn't receive a Bismarck Tribune.  I suppose we called and they redelivered. When I scrambled up the ladder, I peered into one of the gutters and said, "What the heck!?"  There was a rolled up Tribune.  Our delivery guy must have thrown it on the roof.  Now that takes some talent.

This was around the time when we had another adventure with the delivery guy.  Jim was recovering from back surgery.  This was a big snow winter for us.  About 5:30 a.m. the doorbell rang.  I did not hear it but Jim went to the door.  The guy was stuck in our driveway.  Jim got dressed, took out his big ass chain, hooked it up to his Jeep, and pulled the guy out.  I woke up and went out just as he was coming in and I was astonished, as were my Facebook friends when I told the story there.  You cannot make this stuff up!  How nice a guy is my husband, eh?

But enough whining about the weather.

The windows are washed and it is time for some flower and hosta photos.

Hot Spice Iris

Bloomerang Lilac.  How I wish I could capture its fragrance in this picture.  I planted it right next to the back patio so we could smell it when we sit at the table. 

Yarrow

June Spirit Hosta and white impatiens

Zinnias have sprouted!

Red Oak House

White Bleeding Heart

American Goldfinch comes to the feeder

Jim already has some green tomatoes.  He cheated and bought a large plant at Cottonwood Greenhouse south of Mandan

First Frost Hosta.  Although I used to be more partial to the blue hostas, I'm now loving the ones with gold.  

Limey Lisa hosta.  Notice the shiny penny on the right.  I put pennies down next to the hosta. The copper repeals slugs. I also put down eggshells.  I know my neighbors think I'm nuts!

Lady's Mantle

Allium

Rubra Pasqueflower.  I love a flower that looks as beautiful after the blooms are spent as when it is in full bloom

Time for some supper.  Jim & I are "Foodies" - omnivores who like to grow what we can and like to cook.  Tonight, Caprese as an appetizer, using Prairie Maid tomatoes from Carrington, ND, and basil from out patio pot,

followed by a pork roast rubbed with Penzey's Bicentennial Rub and slow roasted in our oven, what might be one of our last oven meals until cool autumn weather returns.

We're huge fans of the company Penzey's Spices.

Yes, the spices are alphabetized.  Well Duh!

With the last of the planting completed and of the giving-away of our seedlings finished, the back patio is now all ours for enjoyment until the snow flies next fall.