it tastes and smells wonderful

Elaine asked about the rapini. It is different from rape seed also called canola. Both have loads of tiny yellow flowers.

This is some store bought rapini, that is quietly getting wilted and will become tonight's supper. It has a strong somewhat bitter, somewhat mustardy taste that I am quite fond of. I usually saute it lightly in olive oil and lots of garlic. Finish with a generous squeeze of lemon and some salt. And it goes well with japanese eggplant and home grown garlic.

I was keen to grow some this summer, and did not realise that the stems need to be pinched off. Mine has gone to bloom and now seed, so it looks like I have to replant the crop.

blooms

Look what I discovered this morning - potato blossoms - I have never seen these before and they are quite lovely. Something has been munching away at the leaves so I have to figure out an organic way to save the leaves.


And the rapini has gone to blossom and seed. These have grown very quickly, and I was not sure how to deal with them. I think the plants needed to be pinched off earlier. I am going to start another batch.



I've been working hard all week in the garden digging. I like digging, it is one of my favourite tasks even though I don't last too long. There is something immensely satisfying about pushing a gardening fork into the earth. It has been cool and rainy this week, more like October than July, and oddly enough quite ideal for garden work. The bed in my 'green room' was over grown, and so I have been digging back removing both plants and weeds, with the intention of redesigning the bed. The plan is to plant the bed with irises, delphiniums and foxglove. And lavender, lots and lots of lavender. A fresh attempt at a cottage garden with a splash of colour here and there, and lots of butterflies and bees.

Not much knitting or quilting is getting done though. I have almost finished the cotton top, with only the edging to go. And the little chair quilt is waiting close to the machine, for the quilting. And I read the most fabulous book called Seduction by Catherine Gildiner. The opening line is "It's really embarrassing to admit, but I forget why I killed my husband."

Well back to the weeds.

stretching

There are times when one needs to stretch and try something new. For quite a while Lucinda's chair quilts have been a source of fascination and delight. So this is my start, and you know what, it is a lot of fun. No pattern, no plan, just playing with shapes and colours.

Lucinda's collection is here.

solstice

The roses are blooming everywhere.and the pototoes and garlic, a first for this summer, are starting to emerge.

peonies,

potted pansies that managed to survived bunny,

more poppies,

and out back the brush is growing thick.

Welcome to summer with lovely long days and shorter nights. It is an odd day here, weatherwise, with intermitten showers and sunny breaks.

Reading:: Sisters in Two Worlds, A visual biography of Susanna Moodie and Catharine Parr Trail by Michael Peterman

for friday

I wait each year for this iris to bloom, and yesterday was the day. The colouring is very soft and subtle, barely there, and yet I find that it has great presence.