Ceramic Flowers

Ceramic flowers-wedding/home decoration by Orly Pittel
Etsy: http://tinyurl.com/Orly-Pittel

Good Place to Buy Seed

https://averagepersongardening.com/seedsclub/step_2.php

Know Your Numbers

Valentine's Day Message

Happy Valentine's Day

February Notes

Here are four new things that I have learned.

1.  Brown rice syrup can replace corn syrup in many recipes that have a strong enough flavor to disguise the brown rice flavor, which I find to be very mild.

2.  It's time to plant peas.  I'm going to plant sweet peas and snow peas.  I will train them up a naked canopy structure.  It has lost it's fabric by being outside in one too many storms.  It is a 10' x 10' frame that I will experiment with growing vegetables on this year.

3.  I made yogurt for the first time and am waiting patiently to see if it worked.  I even took a long walk and admired the blue color of the bluebirds flying from the small trees down to the fields.

Here is the directions that I followed.

http://foodinjars.com/2012/04/homemade-yogurt-in-mason-jars/

The whole preparation went surprisingly fast.  Results to follow.

I had also attended a small garden class given by the local Master Gardeners at our nearby community center.  I will forward the class notes when I receive them.  It was recommended
to draw up the garden plans on graph paper before you begin.

4.  Plant alyssum with tomatoes to discourage tomato worms!



I also  need to look at my journaling from last year to remember what a certain plant is, since it has lost all its leaves and doesn't look like it wants to come back.  I picked up a small flat rock on my walk so that I can paint the name of the plant on it and put it in the pot so I can remember!

So excited that Spring is around the corner.

Cherry Collection

Since visiting Cove, Oregon and helping my brother and sister-in-law pick cherries last July, I am on a mission to collect cherry recipes.  Then to cook and eat them!

Preserved Cherries

Preserved Cherries

SERVINGS: 65 CHERRIES

INGREDIENTS

2 pints Bing cherries, pitted

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon salt

2 1/4 cups sugar

Juice of 1 medium lemon

1 tablespoon almond extract

DIRECTIONS

Place the cherries in a shallow heatproof glass or ceramic bowl.

In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine 1 1/4 cups of the water and the salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until the salt has dissolved. Remove from the heat; allow to cool for 10 minutes, then pour the liquid over the cherries. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Drain the cherries, discarding the liquid, and rinse them with cold water. Wash the bowl in which the cherries were refrigerated and return them to the clean bowl. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, lemon juice and remaining 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat and add the almond extract. Pour the mixture over the cherries; let cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight, stirring occasionally.

 RECIPE SOURCE

From Todd Thrasher of Restaurant Eve in Alexandria.

Tested by Michael Taylor.

My site to post recipes and garden information and then be able to pin to Pinterest.  Hope you enjoy it as well.