In Need of Flower

Happy Friday!  I hope you have a moment to sit, relax and enjoy the day.  My mom is in town for a visit!  We have a weekend full of art, estate sale shopping, markets, and eating loads of delicious food.  I will see you all next week.  Hopefully with new finds.   

Backyard Garden: Cut Worms

I walked out to the garden this morning as I have every morning to check on the progress of my plants.  Much to my surprise, my broccoli, which had big, beautiful leaves yesterday all of a sudden resembled swiss cheese.  What could have possibly munched on my broccoli that quickly?  After a closer inspection I found this.

I thought this guy has got to be full because most of my leaves are gone.  Of course he had help.  I pulled close to 20 worms off of ONE plant.  I felt betrayed.  Such a silly feeling, I know, but things were going along just fine without them! 

I promptly got out my organic gardening book for natural solutions.  One recommendation says to put a saucer of stale beer near the plant.  The smell wards off pests.  They climb up the stalk from the soil so adding a protective barrier around the base of the plant such as a straw or paper tube can keep them from climbing up.  I think I'll be trying both.

Do you have any solutions? 

Join the Food Revolution

Several years ago when I was a naturalist leading 5th graders through the woods of Possum Kingdom teaching them about nature and life cycles, I was surprised at the amount of children that had never picked up a bug, seen a rabbit, or played in the mud.  They saw nature for the first time, and for some probably the last time.  It was even more startling at meal time when our lessons moved to the origin of food and after asking questions, I would get responses such as "meat comes from the grocery store."  I knew then we had a big problem. 

I grew up taking food for granted.  I knew where it originated and I assumed everyone did.  Spending time in the fields and barns was just something we did growing up on farms.  This experience taught me the value in real food through nourishment of my body and of my community.  Unfortunately today, the number of urban kids far outweighs the number of farm kids.  This is the future of our food system in America. 

Jamie Oliver is campaigning to change that.  His show, Food Revolution, documents the struggle of educating a society whose health issues have become an epidemic.  The show is factual, entertaining, and most of all, relevant.  It airs on ABC every Tuesday at 8/7c.  

Peaked your interest?  Join the cause here and watch the show tonight.





top image from abc

Chocolate Frosting

taken by my mom

I hope you had an enjoyable Easter.  My day was full of goodness.  One of the best moments of the weekend was talking to my nephew in Nebraska about his Easter egg hunt.  He is four and just as fun as my brother was back then.  They live in a town of about 270 people.  The city does an egg hunt at the park every year.  All the kids stand on the curbs surrounding the park which covers a small block.  There are eggs everywhere in the park.  As soon as the fire department sounds the whistle all the kids take off running and screaming.  They fill their baskets full of eggs and their bellies full of candy.  This is what I love about small towns.  Needless to say, I heard most of this story from mom.  He was too busy painting eggs when I called, so the phone was handed over. 

On another note I was in charge of frosting the Easter cake this weekend and chocolate was the choice.  Since all the cocoa powder went into the cake I had to scramble for a recipe that didn't include it.  I was very pleased with the recipe I found from this website.  I'm not a big chocolate fan, but I would certainly make it again. 

4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate

1/4 cup  (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened

1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar (about 4 cups), divided

1 tsp.  vanilla

1/2 cup milk

MELT chocolate in saucepan on very low heat, stirring constantly; set aside.

BEAT butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add about half of the sugar, beating on low speed after each addition until well blended. Add chocolate and vanilla; mix well.
ADD remaining sugar alternately with the milk, beating until well blended after each addition. Use to frost your favorite cake or cupcake recipe.

Enjoy the rest of your week. 


2nd image by Charles Schiller for Country Living