Scenes From A Garden

Approximately 5% of the total basil harvest.

These became delicious catsup.

Tigger Melon.So cute. Did not taste nice at all.

Force ripening the last of the tomatoes.

Springtime Irises

Garlic

Beets,basil, strawberries,and kale.

Purple runner beans

Obscenely beautiful Black Pineapple tomatoes

Sadly, my potato plants did not yield much.

Bounty

The summer of 2014 in Portland has been nearly Iowagian. Usually, we get highs in the 90s for about 2 weeks. This summer, however, we have have endless weeks of high temps, which my garden is just loving. Currently, the tomatoes are ripening as  I watch. I can witness beans growing. My seriously scaled back zucchini are overproducing. I am not complaining, mind you. It just means that CorgiPants spends most evenings trotting around in her fenced in yard, barking at dogs on walks and meeting new friends who wander by. While I can, pickle, and freeze the bounty. A bit of visual evidence:

Bon appetit, and have a bountiful week!

This Week's Harvest

Plucked from the soil this week:

Beets, spinach, strawberries, and so much kale

The garlic! Planted in mid-October, and finally done!

Bon Appetit, and have a glorious week!

An Apology and The Garden Today

First off, I'd like to offer a public apology to the woman I scolded last year for putting dog poop in my trash can. I understand now. It is a very unpleasant thing to carry around, and I now take advantage of any trash cans that happen to live on the curb. I aim for the public ones, but, those are hard to come by in a residential area. So, I am sorry for being mean to you.

Second, some shots of what is growing at Clementine.

Garlic, Pole Bean Starts, and the Requisite Cute Dog Photo

Teeny Weeny Little Meyer Lemon.
Who know lemon tree blossoms were so fragrant? Outrageous!

The Roses are In Bloom.

Seckel Pears, Producing Well in Year Two.

First Year of Strawberries.

Blueberries, Also Doing Well in Year Two.

Kale, Plus Lavender in The Background.

Bon Apetit, and have a lovely weekend!

Aaaand I am Officially That Person Who Got a Dog.

You know the one. The one who posts obnoxious dog videos/pictures/anecdotes ALL THE TIME. Yep, that's me. Here is my first-ever YouTube video. "Lucy's Dinner Review".

Bon Appetit, and have a great week!

Lucy's Had A Big Week

So, I adopted a dog. Her name is Lucy, and she is a seven-year-old purebred Corgi with on-leash aggression against other dogs. Otherwise, she is a little angel. Completely housebroken and somewhat obedience trained. Loves everyone she meets, as long as they are willing to rub her belly. Actually, that is not a requirement. She just loves everyone.

She looks like a killer, huh? More like a Twinkie.

She was surrendered on Easter Sunday because her previous owner wanted to devote all their time to their older Corgi who was going to be recovering from a scheduled surgery.

I spotted this lovely on Tuesday, and when she was still there Wednesday morning (purebreds don't stay at the pound long), I decided to pounce. I called to make sure she wasn't held, and biked my way through rainy, cold weather to go and just meet her. After waiting and waiting and waiting, I met Miss Lucy. What a sweetheart! A few minutes into our meet, she proceeded to roll on her back and splay her legs, as to say "Rub my belly". I was smitten. I put her on hold, went to purchase dog supplies, dog proof the house, and came back later to pick her up.

Most of Wednesday night, she slept. In between, she proved how well-trained (house and otherwise) she is.

Thursday, I came home at lunch to find zero accidents (!), and some very cute little signs that she had been romping. Kitchen rugs askew and draperies pushed to the sides. Thursday night, I received the most excited little canine welcome home. Wiggly butt and all. Sorta like this.

Tonight was vet night. The Humane Society offers a free vet exam for all their animals, however, Lucy was not there long enough to be examined by one of their docs, so we got a certificate for a checkup from a local place. We headed over, and my little pal was so loved by all she came in contact with. Sadly I found out that she is more of a chunk than originally thought. 36 lbs at the vet versus the 28 lbs the humane society published.

So far, so good. My furry little companion is snoozing by my feet, after her peanut butter-filled Kong (a reward for being good at the vet).

The diet starts tomorrow.

Bon Appetit, and have a lovely weekend!

First Flowers of 2014 and An Odd Biking Day

Signs of Spring at Clementine Cottage are quite apparent now. Tulips popping up everywhere and the lilac bushes are in bloom.

The Opening Bouquet of the Season

I love love love flowers, and Clemmy's pre-existing rose bushes, lavender plants, and lilacs only added to her appeal. The lilacs and tulips have decided that this sunny week was the one to start displaying their beauty. And I cannot quite resist wanting to have some of said beauty inside.

Now, onto to odd biking stuff. My commute home involves an uphill switchback, a small hill, a bigger hill, and a brief upward slope followed by smooth sailing. As I was coming off the switchback this afternoon, another cyclist made a move to pass me. As she was doing so, she looked to her right (because she was passing properly) and said, "do you bike a lot?" Not sure whether she was being facetious (as I had slowed considerably), I answered, "I do.Why?" "You have strong legs", she responded, "I just noticed that. Go ahead" and dropped back.

Well, well. Here I am in my fou fou girl dress getting a compliment from a spandex-clad bike warrior. Almost made the young girl who shouted "SLUT!" at me from a car later worth it.

Bon Apetit, and have a beautiful weekend!