Summer in Virginia

Tags

Albemarle County, dreaming, garden, home, life, summer, Virginia, Zen

When did you last take time to lie back

to watch clouds

and hawks soar?

Copyright © 2017 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

August garden

Tags

Albemarle County, Central Virginia, garden, home, life, lifestyle, plants, summer, Virginia

There is one word that describes the month of August in central Virginia… steamy. Not unlike steam room cloying temperatures and humidity with dew points in the 70’s.

August skies over Swallowtail Cottage

This year does not disappoint. Any Virginia gardener knows this month requires resolve and fortitude and multiple trips to the shower. If Mother Nature holds back quenching storms, this gardener must rise before dawn to drag hoses around for blooming plants, inviting nectaring insects and butterflies to have sweet tastes. Newly added plant material must be monitored for even moisture, if they are to survive and put down healthy root systems.

Despite these character-building conditions, I want to share with you the beauties that dot my landscape this month…

The Chinese Lycoris squamigera, more commonly known as Naked Ladies, are plentiful around here (zone 7a) as summer beauties yet are extremely persnickety. They send up tall, flat leaves in the spring that die off, then tall spikes appear this month. With multiple flowers on plain or naked stalks reaching 36″ tall, they are quite the show stopper. They never need staking, yet when I transplant them to other garden areas, many never bloom. Go figure…

Formosa lilies are native to Formosa and grow easily in my gardens where they readily self sow… the original seed came from Tufton, a property once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

The Formosa seed pods during winter, with actual seeds removed. Stunning, yes?

This Honeybells fragrant hosta and nine sisters were gifted to me last year. Now blooming and 48″ high, the steamy August garden is blessed with visual cool and fragrance. PS: generous applications of spent coffee grounds around the base of early leaves completely stopped the onslaught of slugs…a Whole Foods Barista was happy to give me their dregs any time that I asked.

A close up of this dreamy hosta Honeybells. Too bad the biting ants like the flowers too or I would cut stems for the house and market.

The only phlox I grow here at Swallowtail Cottage, Davidii stands tall and does not succumb to any mildew. Incredible.

Another gift from Kate. The Celadon poppy blooms early spring and again this month. I am told this poppy is invasive, yet tucked back in the rear garden, I invite a bit of delicate color and naughty.

THIS is a thug. Rudbeckia triloba…I do not remember ever planting it, yet this year a huge area of the butterfly garden is filled with these 6′ tall bloomers! I took many bunches to market and will stuff the rest in the burn barrel, as they have needles along the stems and are as rough as a cob. OUT!!!

Autumn Joy sedum attracts flutterbyes by the dozen and is an easy-care perennial. A classic in any garden. This was on the property when I bought it in 2001, and I have shared many clumps with neighbors.

Ahhh, my summer delight. The Natchez crape myrtle. One double trunk grows in the front lawn, and a five-trunked specimen thrives on the west side of the house. These beauties provide dreamy shade during summer months, have refreshing blooms where honey bees bury themselves, and in fall, leaves change to a brilliant hue. Did I mention the peeling bark during August? This shed reminds me all is well with much visual interest.

The shedding bark layer curls and twists, revealing the baby smooth leather-like under bark. I often find myself stroking the trunks as the sensation is like no other.

I laugh every year when this silly PJM rhododendron blooms in August…All of its companions bloom in the spring, when they should, but here, no. I really do not like pink of any kind in the garden, yet planted PJM’s years ago for their winter bronze leaf color.

Let me introduce you to a new variety… Black Diamond crape myrtle, added to my front garden this summer. Notice the wonderful deep leaf hue and pleasant color of the flowers…this plant blooms multiple times per year and the plant tag promises a mature height at 12′. I look forward to many years with this new variety…

And Babe, the topic of my last post, survives despite its weird appendage in front of its right leg. After emailing photos to the Wildlife Center, they too are stumped and suggest that as long as Babe is eating well, to leave it in the wild. Although Babe continues to molt and look rather pathetic with its shabby coat, I eagerly wait to see what sex it is…can anyone guess?

This plaque, found in a shop at Tryon Palace, reminds me that the garden teaches forever.

Twice per week this time of year I run errands and make deliveries very early, then confess to enjoying short afternoon naps in the air conditioning. Heat is hypnotic. Reclined on the loveseat, dozing between paragraphs of a Baldacci novel, I later rise and do indoor chores. Then around 7PM I dress for insects and head out weekly to mow and perspire. Soon. Soon. Very soon, there will be lower dew points and garden clean up, as the blooming show will be mostly over until next spring. And this gardener will sigh a large exhale.

Thanks for reading along. Your comments are always enjoyed.

Copyright © 2016 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

gardening is all about change

Tags

Albemarle County, Central Virginia, garden, home, landscape design, letting go, life, lifestyle, nature, Virginia, virginia countryside

and hanging on and letting go…

As I flailed around during May, reeling from Mother Nature’s multiple challenges while wringing my hands as beloved plants took hit after hit, I reminded myself: #1 I have no control over Mother Nature, #2 all things are temporary, #3 a gardener must be resilient.

My love of the earth and passion for most things beautiful and fragrant, began decades ago. Before the age of seven I remember lying under the tall patch of blooming Persian lilacs at our Long Island home, content never to move again.

in 2014 the hummers enjoyed sips from the pineapple sage…

At age eighteen, I left home for college, and was away from lush gardens. I quickly learned that a sunny park across from my dorm could fill my need for green. As a BFA graduate, my first job took me to Portland, Oregon where I was mesmerized by the artful Japanese Gardens and the historic Portland Rose Gardens. I could have stayed there forever.

the narrow gravel path is embraced by tightly shorn boxwood hedges.

Alas, years later, with roaming days behind me, I found myself working on Capitol Hill. Whenever possible during lunch hour, I strolled the magnificent grounds of Congress designed by Frederick Olmstead, and frequently lunched on the edge of the marble fountains outside the Supreme Court. Those were the days.

Heirloom Tiger Lily provides nectar for this Swallowtail

In 2000 I departed the urbane, and put down roots at my first country house. The abode turns out to be a needy box, yet the half-acre provided me with a tabula rasa. No more containers on the postage stamp balcony.

Fruits of my labor…homegrown blueberries…as the pan’s contents bubbled, the color deepened

Once the mistakes of former owners were obliterated, my gardening intuition prevailed, as it does today, sixteen years later. Following numerous consults with garden experts, I quickly surmised that my intuition was the light to follow. Recently, as I glanced at my archived plant tags, I removed 50% of my original purchases. Either the plant tags lied and specimens quickly outgrew their place, or plants failed to thrive without frequent spraying. As a master gardener who is intolerant of needy plants, garden edits are becoming an annual ritual.

March garden edits included a stump grinder. The rug junipers became a garden thug in many areas, yet hand removal was impossible. Thanks to my arborist and his great tools…

Hours in the garden provide solitude amongst the songs of wild birds, handsome toads, and the occasional reptile. When the sun rises above the cypress trees, I step indoors and enjoy views out every window. The passage of time in my gardens is what sustains me. The beauty of thriving plants inspire me. Ten thousand photographs later, I attempt to share moments of bliss.

This handsome creature posed for me in the very hot sun for ten minutes! I adore moments like this when nature provides fleeting glimpses of my garden residents. 

Every garden reflects the gardener, and often inspires on well after the person who tends it; or for that brief moment in time, a place comes alive in this time, and perhaps lives on in memory.

exhilarating moments

Planting and working the soil teaches us that there is hope despite adversity, that during the most difficult times, all things are temporary, and as in life, a gardener must learn to accept change, hang on to every fleeting moment when perfection finds its way, and to let go with grace.

a telling proverb

Copyright © 2016 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

 

the May that floats

Tags

Albemarle County, Central Virginia, garden, life, nature, spring, Virginia

Normally, May is one of my favorite months as a gardener. Normally, the gardens burst with color, texture, and fragrance. Normally, May is a time for celebration and a time to bid farewell to the cold of winter. To date friends, 2016 weather continues chafe the best of my patience and optimism. Is it time to throw in the towel?

First, late killing April frosts affected many precious plants. Early tender perennials became steamed lettuce mush. Can you imagine?

Relentless May rains saturate even the best soils, threatening bulb rot and setting the stage for massive fungal issues in coming weeks. Harvesting six-hundred stems of heirloom peonies while dodging rainfall is, at a bare minimum, unpleasant for both me and my flowers. So much for garden delight. Rain days at the farmers market greatly reduce revenue, as only the hardy shoppers appear, and they typically are not in the mood for delicate stems. So much for my May cash crop. Currently, my flower fridge is overflowing and another few hundred stems beg to be harvested. Do you feel my pain?

Typically, June brings relentless heat and humidity to my Virginia gardens, seasoned with biting midges, ticks, and mosquitoes…for months. May is normally the time before June’s wickedness — inviting blissful strolls, the discovery of transcending scents, and the ability to see the fruits of my labor. Ha! At least my automobile is not floating down some side street, as Texans endure the spring from hell.

Ok, enough misery.

Is it time for the “For Sale” sign? Or shall I persevere? My inner voice whispered many times recently, “if it ain’t fun, don’t do it.” Well, I ain’t havin any fun as a gardener so far this year. Yet I am not ready for a condo. Been there, done that.

Do I publish this or press delete?

How about some comments from my followers?

From a drenched blogger/gardener in central VA. 

Is it time to hang it up?

 

this is why I grow daffs and tulips…

Tags

Albemarle County, Central Virginia, flower farming, garden, home, life, sustainable living, Virginia

These images show a glimpse of what is blooming now at Swallowtail Cottage. The real challenge remains with capturing the essence of each flower…

Another face not seen in my inventory. I am thinking Thalia, based on the catalogue photograph, c. 1916

These tulips have survived for fifteen years here. Moved numerous times, they were inexpensive, yet provide dramatic, elegant color in the late March gardens. Greigii Queen Ingrid.

These two beauties are new to my gardens this spring. I must refer to Brent & Becky’s Bulbs catalogue to name names, as they quickly became a blur.

Last fall I converted all five raised beds from veggies to heirloom daffs and tulips. These two are newbies to Swallowtail Cottage. The white is Erlicheer, a sweet smelling heirloom; circa 1934.

Notice the cup of this miniature newbie…the delicate rounded edges…awesome! As I check my inventory, I do not see this one listed…can anyone identify?

This daffodil is so old nobody can identify it…they are prolific here and I am delighted to admit I rescued them…Any ideas? The white daff is Mount Hood, c. 1937.

This wild-child tulip’s name is Honeymoon. I may need to add more to my beds, as they sold immediately at market yesterday.

Although Mother Nature ruined the first day of the farmer’s market yesterday with cold and rain, these flowers brightened my day as I shivered in place. About one third of the stems came home, so sadly, what I don’t give away, will become compost…ah the life of a flower farmer…

Stay tuned for more images of my gardens. Afterall, home, garden, life is what it is all about.

Copyright © 2016 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

~ share the love

Tags

Albemarle County, Buy Fresh Buy Local, Charlottesville, city market, fall, farmer's market, key lime pie, lifestyle, shop local

Fall arrived right on time, yet I did not want to let summer bounty slip by without sharing numerous market images, taken this month. Enjoy!

Attending a local farmer’s market as a vendor or as a customer, is a very special event. It is a community who follows the seasons with dedication and appreciation. It is a place for sharing and educating; coaxing the senses away from the routine — nudging compassion to full fruit.

outrageous mushrooms from our local shroom man. Freshness like this is only found at your local farmer’s market!

2015 was the first time I raised Sakata’s Lilliput melons…delicious beyond words, yet the plants had mighty fungal issues. The melons did not go to market, but I had to show them off here.

showstopper sunflowers

the first Crenshaw squash appears at market in September

dazzling peppers!

scallions anyone?

vibrant eggplant appear to glow in the morning light!

calories don’t count on weekends!

this fabulous bread is baked in an outdoor wood oven!

coffee makes the world go round, and this vendor peddles his way to market

I could not resist this image ~ an enviable braid

toddlers make great subjects as they free-flow through the market

this young man may have a modeling career in his future

a tender moment between father and infant

lastly, I shamelessly plug my famous key lime pie. The banner drove sales higher this season, quoting what customers named my pie back in 2005.

October’s end marks the culmination of my fifteenth season as a vendor at the largest farmer’s market in central Virginia. If I had an inkling of what I would become when I left a professional life in DC, and returned to my small hometown, I would have fallen over laughing. Life has a way of throwing curve balls, and one must dodge and roll to stay in the game. home, garden, life is my testament.

Happy fall, dear followers. I always enjoy hearing from you in the comments section.

Copyright © 2015 By Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

the morning said “stop!”

Tags

Albemarle County, block wall renovation, DIY, garden, home, home projects, life, paths, pea gravel, rock, summer

After all, it is mid-September.

Most of the blistering heat and drenching humidity is over for another central Virginia season. Many of the annoying, biting insects departed last week when the temperature dropped to 49 degrees F overnight.

look what is ripening in the garden this week! Cayenne peppers. No fungus or insects hang around these prolific plants!

I am in bliss. Can you tell that I am a spring/fall gardener? I delight in the change of light, the tilt of the planet, always keeping pace with the universe. During spring, the slow awakening of plant life dazzles the eye and offers the observant eternal optimism. When fall approaches, the array of home/garden/life chores slows to a manageable pace.

This summer I accomplished more than I planned. My interpretation of a 90′ privacy fence was constructed on the rear property line in January. It would take until August for me to realize that I was once again the designated primer/painter/stainer. Check.

Before it was stained shot of the 90′ privacy fence

photo of stained privacy fence. After a contractor’s estimate of 12 hours labor and $400 price tag (not including stain), I knew it was up to me to complete this job. Six hours over two days delivered one handsomely stained fence to Swallowtail Cottage. PS, pine needles work splendidly as mulch for both sides of this fence…needles collected from a nearby school who was happy to have me rake.

Next 2015 summer project: I refurbished the rear terrace wall that was seriously in need.

block wall on terrace demands attention this year. Drylok Extreme and new coats of paint will restore…I’m hoping…

terrace wall refurbished with Muhly grass showing off on the other side…September is mighty showy here.

Then the front mulched path needed major intervention. For years the sloped property caused mulch to float during heavy rains. So the answer was river rock edges, pea gravel, and repurposed aggregate stepping-stones. All affordable DIY solutions. Of course my labor is free…sweat equity, ahem.

This is the before shot of the sloped path. The Siberian iris are gone! Very invasive gift from a friend…and it nearly killed the man who dug them…gardeners beware!

First the mulch was swept away. Additional river rock lined the mulched side of the path. Then stepping-stones were reused from the rear, and set into the dirt.

Then 40 bags of pea gravel arrived in three separate car loads, as to not break Baby 5. Did I tell you this was another DIY project?

Baby 5 was my perfect companion during this gravel project. She held steadfast, despite my concerns that I would break her.

This was also an aggravating wash area, near the rear garden shed, every time it rained. Mulch was removed. Gravel was the answer. One heavy rain later confirms its success. Gravel will continue to replace mulch where ever it is appropriate. What took me so long???

The front sloped path today…rain runs through it smoothly, leaving the path in tact. My hands and knees are really getting a workout this summer! And that foundation bed needs attention…PJM’s are not happy.

OOo, I have not shared the latest project with you…this time not a DIY other than the design elements. I have never liked the dull, ordinary appearance of the front of this house. Built in the early ’70’s, nothing had changed inside or out until I bought the property in 2001. Following 6.5 years of interior work and exterior landscaping, I usually ignore the front facade and use the back door…until I spent the past week groveling around the front door…oops.

photo of front entrance looking towards new carport, completed last summer: https://dianelasauce.wordpress.com/2014/09/13/three-men-and-a-truck/. Ugly is the only word for the front entry of this home. I never liked the vinyl and shutters, nor the flat plane. The barberry shrubs (overgrown with chronic fungal issues) and rug juniper (invasive) are coming out as soon as the arborist arrives for the annual cypress shearing. I always add a few garden edits while he is here, as his chain saw, muscle, and chipper work wonders in short time. This is the link to the vestibule I found on the Internet. With a few edits, reusing my windows and front doors, and a clever builder, it will become mine..

Photo of former failed rosemary bed (disease from nursery!) now contains 14 heirloom peony plants…soon to be mulched with pea gravel…after the mulch is removed and dosed with BioZome from Jen Neve. This is one steep bed, designed for mountain goats and maintained by one crazy woman!

Back to reality: As for the rock/gravel revelation, the second large peony bed (sloped) is about to get the treatment. If I knew the person who graded this lot back in 1971, I would haunt him till the day he dies…

Despite my huge failure to raise but one monarch this season, due to numerous predatory flies, I strive to learn better ways to outsmart these critters next season. If you need advice, check out my Facebook page for links to many helpful sites.

female monarch ready for release

So my friends, summer quickly draws to an end, and how timely. Not sure if the bod can take much more garden abuse this year. Still, there is green, flat stuff to mow (weeds), and more garden clean up to tend, yet, this morning said, “STOP!” and I followed the call until the temperatures nudged me inside.

matcha is the perfect beverage for morning strolls

I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did composing it. I would love to hear what your summer was like and if you have revelations to share. With this home, garden, life, I am continually reminded that all things are temporary (except rock/gravel), and lessons are endless if we remember to remain open and take time to stop and listen.

Be well and I hope to hear from you in the comments section of this blog.

Copyright © 2015 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

August begins a time of edits

Tags

Albemarle County, August garden, Central Virginia, change of seasons, Charlottesville, Charlottesville City Market, feeding wild birds, garden, garden chores, home, life, P Allen Smith

The month of August is bittersweet.

This year summer evolves especially fast. Spring was long and cool, delaying daffodil bloom long enough to sell cut stems at the April farmers market.

these beauties knock me out every April.  I have a habit of rescuing or inheriting daffodils from abandoned properties or those departed, so I never know the names of each flower, yet every spring, I look forward to their many faces and scents, as my collection now numbers over 2,500.

By mid-May temperatures were in the 90’s, heavy rains fell, then the high humidity set in. Despite this challenging conditions, the peony harvest was especially abundant in May; over 600 stems were sold at market, necessitating the purchase of an additional refrigerator for the basement. 

I did enjoy four days of respite at P Allen Smith’s Moss Mountain Farm outside Little Rock, Arkansas. During the growing season, I tiptoe out of my gardens to catch a flight to this gardener’s dream land as a guest, only to return a few days later to a needy garden…”weed me, harvest me, plant me, mow me, feed me, dig me…”

Allen and I in his one-acre veggie garden at Moss Mountain Farm in May; a special friend in a special place (pallensmith.com)

back in Virginia, these Iris graced my gardens during May of this year. Another rescued beauty who now enjoys life here

and this rescued Iris blooms right along side the deep purple variety. Both flowers have a heavenly scent and bloomed continuously for three weeks during May!

one proud stand of glory

this is an old heirloom, scentless variety of tiger lily (tigrinum), native to China but long ago naturalized in America…these originals came from my mother’s gardens. Bulbs may be cooked and eaten, tasting something like an artichoke, although I have never found the need to imbibe. Prolific black bulbils produced in the axils of the leaves may be shared with friends, though they take years to mature. Blooms appear in July, are 3′-5′ tall and rarely need staking. Butterflies adore the flowers during a rainy month.

prolific Oakleaf hydrangea (paniculata) thrives here at Swallowtail Cottage, and produces abundant offspring from seed, which now fill an entire lower shrub border. There are approximately forty-five species and varieties grown in America.

And now it is August. Both heirloom tiger lilies and Davidii phlox bloom cycles are finished and spent stems are removed. The lush Oakleaf hydrangea bloom is merely a memory. Why? It seems, we gardeners wait with such anticipation for bloom time, only to have it pass seemingly overnight…every season.

Another native of South Africa, Lycoris squamigera or Naked Ladies suddenly appear in my August garden and seduce the eye with every gaze…they make a pretty cut flower, with elegant long stems and a pleasant scent…

Another late summer bloomer is the Formosa Lily (formosanum). White, funnel-shaped and fragrant with 1-10 flowers produced per stalk that grows to 6′. Easily self sows here in zone 6. Native to Formosa. My first seed pod came from Tufton, a former property of Thomas Jefferson.

Generous rains produced stunning, abundant blooms this season on the spiraea, hellebore, and Lemon lilies.

Lemon lilies in the lower garden

Delayed are the two main 2015 outdoor projects: the oil stain project of the new 90′ privacy fence (both sides) and the necessary reconditioning of the terrace masonry wall.

looming, yet very necessary, the 90′ long privacy fence needs a coat of oil based natural stain (both sides) in order to preserve the blond appearance. Frequent rain and high dew points continue to prevent moi from swinging the brush…

the 30′ block/parged terrace wall demands attention this year. Dry Lok Extreme and new coats of paint will restore…I’m hoping…

Are any of you considering home ownership? This post will be a reality check for you. Since buying this place back in 2001, the projects both large and small, inside and out, are endless. Some days/years I think I am making progress, others, I think I am in a rapid backslide…

Wild birds bring much relief and beauty on a daily basis to my gardens. This year I am hosting hummingbirds, and they come in droves for their plain sugar-water fix and enjoy sips from the Crocosmia.

hummer enjoys a sip from the Crocosmia from the kitchen herb garden in 2014. Did you know that Crocosmia is an herb from South Africa belonging to the Iris family? I rescued these corms and enjoy seeing them thrive.

in 2013 the hummers enjoyed sips from the pineapple sage…

hummingbirds enjoy the convenience of a perch on this sugar syrup feeder in 2015. Photo was taken through solar film and glass, so a wee bit soft…

I feed numerous other wild birds here at Swallowtail Cottage, yet the Bluebirds chose not to nest here again this year. They come in to feed, and I hear their song whilst gardening, yet only a pair of black cap chickadees occupied the BB boxes this season while either a titmouse or carolina wren raised young in the wren box.

nestling bluebirds day nine ~ Swallowtail Cottage 2013. Would you feed them GMO food?

So begins August here in central Virginia. I expect the arborist later this month for our annual chore of topping/shearing the Leyland cypress hedges; I will be glad to see the bagworms vanish into the chipper.

annual shearing of tops and sides of Leyland cypress, as 135 surround my property’s perimeter

One glorious yellow swallowtail graces my garden and poses cooperatively on the verbena. These flutterbyes inspired the name of my property…Swallowtail Cottage. Still awaiting the Monarchs…

Queen Ann’s Lace, hyssop, cleome, hostas, and roses continue to color the landscape as summer winds down for another season. Butterflies nectar on the verbena and Joe Pye Weed. Fat cucumbers dangle from the arched cattle panels, while sweet basil, tomatoes, hot peppers, kale and herbs fill the raised beds. Soon I will harvest my first crop of Lilliput melons, as they meander across the lower butterfly garden. 2015 has been an abundant growing season. Full of edibles, friends, happy memories, and hard work.

end of summer bouquet

And soon, yes soon I will breathe a bit easier; I will sleep a wee bit longer as garden/market chores lighten. As biting insects depart, when there is a chill in the crisp air, I will once again enjoy my lower patio and reflect on another year as a homeowner/gardener.

Did you know that we will lose one hour of daylight in August? While I am still the busy bee today, the planet continues its orbit. Our gardens respond, and indeed so do we. Best now to consider the color of this year’s flannel sheets, while continuing to mow, weed those persistent invasives, and get a handle on those unfinished outdoor projects…

If you have a moment, would love to hear from you either by the click of the “like” button or speak in the comments section. Does my blog make a difference? Cheers!

Copyright © 2015 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

the kiss system

Tags

Albemarle County, Central Virginia, change of seasons, comfort food, cooking, easy desserts, easy recipes, summer dessert recipe, the kiss system

During the years I worked as a residential interior designer, most of the fabric houses had what they coined the kiss system…attached to the main sample were smaller flags of complimentary fabrics, often making the selection process simple. The acronym translated, “keep it simple, stupid.” These days, I would prefer to drop the last s, as stupid is not accurate, nor kind. Yet, I digress…

Since 2000, I wandered into the world of food, where keeping things simple continues to be paramount. Needless to say, I never offered wedding cakes as part of my repertoire. As owner of a one-woman operation, my mission is: “respect the earth, create memorable food.” Additionally my steadfast slogan is: “there is a fine line between order and chaos,” and the kiss system is still as effective today as it was during the last decade.

springtime has simple written all over it…

As temperatures rise, my appetite declines and I seem to crave cool, easy, no-brainer (stupid?) recipes. If you follow my posts regularly, the last was about chocolate gelato…today, my recipe is even more simple…

Remember the Dreamsicle? Recently, I began craving this flavor and created the following in a matter of minutes:

begin by adding one can of full fat organic coconut milk and one can of organic frozen orange juice to a blender…

add the contents of both cans to the blender with 1/4 up of sugar and whirl…

pour this into a loaf pan or glass cold-proof container and freeze (shown here with cream floated on top after orange is frozen)…this can be then scooped OR

slice the frozen orange gelato and serve with a pretty garnish…no sticks necessary!

When orange is first frozen, add a half-inch layer of heavy whipping cream to the top and freeze again. This is super right out of the freezer, as the coconut milk keeps the texture smooth and not too hard to scoop. Slices make for a nice presentation.

June in central Virginia

OK, is this wee recipe something you might try during these steamy, soon to be summer days?

Happy summer and be safe!

If you have a minute, leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

Copyright © 2015 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

bountiful blueberries

Tags

Albemarle County, blueberries, Central Virginia, growing blueberries, home garden, Sunday breakfast

The best part of June in central Virginia is blueberry harvest.

Botanists estimate that blueberries burst onto the scene more than 13,000 years ago! The little blue fruit that our country has grown to know and love is indigenous to North America and has deep roots in our country’s history. These blue jewels are reputed to have both nutritional and medicinal properties, therefore I consume blueberries daily as part of my kale smoothie.

O’Neil highbush blueberries beginning to ripen

This year I draped the blueberry plants in tulle and used clothespins to hold in place, a  much improved method over bird netting. This idea was shared by a veteran garden friend, Jan Spires. What do they remind you of? Ghosts or runaway brides?

O’Neil blueberry variety is my favorite here in my central Virginia gardens. Large, juicy berries greet me every day for nearly one month in June.

After harvesting in the early morning, I place the unwashed fruit on a sheet pan and let them rest at room temperature for twenty-four hours. Any unripe berries will continue to ripen, and of course, I snitch a handful as I go by during the day! When the fruit fully ripens, I place them in glass jars and place in the freezer. I am not a fan of plastic…

Forget the pancakes, waffles, and crepes…popovers are fast, fun and deelish!

Sunday mornings I crave a wee breakfast that is special; a meal that celebrates the end of a very long week and a plentiful harvest!

can you taste this? Popovers made with almond milk are the best and fresh blueberry conserve, made at home in minutes, is splendid with a bit of whipped cream

Cookbooks bulge with blueberry recipes, as this fruit is a national favorite. If you do not grow your own blueberries, find a pick-your-own farm nearby, pack up the kids, and head out for a morning of fun.

Most blueberries do not require any spraying, making them most desirable. In fall, the leaves turn a handsome scarlet hue. They are also easy grow plants, so why not consider a few for a sunny spot in your garden? Your local extension office can offer suggestions for the best variety in your growing zone and once established, this powerhouse berry will reward you for years to come.

Copyright © 2015 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved