The Frugal Gardener

Holiday Cheer

Winter-Time
 
Late lies the wintry sun a-bed,  
A frosty, fiery sleepy-head;  
Blinks but an hour or two; and then,  
A blood-red orange, sets again.  
  
Before the stars have left the skies,
At morning in the dark I rise;  
And shivering in my nakedness,  
By the cold candle, bathe and dress.  
  
Close by the jolly fire I sit  
To warm my frozen bones a bit;
Or with a reindeer-sled, explore  
The colder countries round the door.  
  
When to go out, my nurse doth wrap  
Me in my comforter and cap;  
The cold wind burns my face, and blows
Its frosty pepper up my nose.  
  
Black are my steps on silver sod;  
Thick blows my frosty breath abroad;  
And tree and house, and hill and lake,  
Are frosted like a wedding-cake.
by Robert Louis Stevenson

Although there is frost and chilly weather,  a few brave flowers cheer the garden.

 “The main reason Santa is so jolly is because he knows where all the bad girls live,” said comedian George Carlin. My favorite Christmas fairy looks as though she could be mischievous!

"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!" By Charles Dickens

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” By Marcus Tulles Cicero

“Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead.” By Oscar Wilde

A Gift From Your Garden - Tussy Mussy - Bouquet with Meaning

Flowers have long been a part of human celebration.  They deliver a message when spoken words seem inadequate.  Associating a specific meaning to a flower has a long history, drawing on mythology from around the world.  Most familiar today is the red rose symbolizing true love, but at one time this language of flowers was part of daily life. 
During the Victorian era, proficiency in floral arts was an element in every young woman’s education. Classes in florigraphy, the study of the language of flowers, were popular. 

Every common flower and herb was assigned a specific meaning. For example, lavender stood for luck and devotion, and sage denoted good health.  

A common gift during Victorian times which incorporated the language of flowers was a  petite bouquet called a tussy mussy.
Today, tussy mussys make wonderful gifts. And you can make them large or small.
The above photo is a small tussy mussy, and it is a perfect size for a hospital beside, or to carry into a restaurant for a birthday gift.

 This larger size bouquet was not only for a birthday, but for a friend to give to a triathlete that had been diagnoised as terminal. Of course, we are all terminal, but hers was a pressing, tragic, time frame. Sometimes when words fail, flowers can fill a room with scented love. See the below list for what I gathered for the bouquet.

Tussy Mussy
Flowers with meaning
Ivy = Friendship, Affection, 
Zinnia (white) = Goodness,
Lavender = Luck & Devotion
Lemon verbena = Brings Love,   
Rose= Love, Rose leaf= hope
Zinnia(yellow)=Good Thoughts
Marjoram= Joy & Happiness 
Mint= Protection from Illness 

   The above photos highlights lemon verbena in the tussy mussy.
 I love the braided textured look of Dittany of Crete. I have several plants in garden beds and pots, so I can use the blooms in fresh & dried arrangements.
Just add a tag with the sentiments expressed by your floral design, and it will cheer anyone up!

15 ~ Minute Ratatouille ~ The Taste to Temper the Official End to Summer

                       Tastes like summertime
This recipie was adapted from Chez Nous by Lydia Marshall (1995)

    This recipe was given to me by Dot Gerek, who taught me that fabulous food can be easy and still taste gourmet! After all these years, ten or more, I continue to use many of her wonderful recipes (cheesecake, Blanco pozole) and her hints for preparing food in a stylish yet easy manner.

  

Ingredients:
1/4 cup good olive oil
2 medium onions chopped
4 garlic cloves grated (the smaller the pieces of garlic the better it is for you, according to recent nutrition reports!)
1 pound ripe tomatoes (about five big ones, and it never hurts to add a few more)
1/2 pound of eggplant (about two small or one large)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup packed, julienned, fresh, basil leaves

Directions:

1. In a large deep skillet (use one that has a lid, or you will be scrambling around for one later) heat the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook over medium heat for five minutes.
2. Add tomatoes,sugar, salt,cayenne, and basil. I added one small diced Serrano pepper, and, of course remember to remove the ribs and seeds. Stir, then cover with the skillet lid for five minutes on medium heat.

3. Open the lid carefully and tilt to allow the condensed juices to flow from the lid into the skillet with vegetables. Add the eggplant and stir. Then, cover and cook for 5 more minutes. Voila! You are done. Make sure the eggplant is soft.Eat hot, or at room temperature. This dish can be stored for one week in the refrigerator.

Serving thoughts:

I put ratatouille over pasta, or on top of thinly sliced bread, like Ciabatta, or any artisan, local bread you prefer. You can use it to fill an omelet,or mix ratatouille with beans and couscous, or quinoa.  grilled chicken breasts are wonderful if you pour warm ratatouille over them and grate sharp Parmesan on top.
     Truthfully, I like it best the next day, after it has cooled in the refrigerator and all the tastes have become best friends. I toast thin slices of the previously mentioned bread, and rub a garlic clove over the slice. In a 350 degree oven, pop a cookie sheet filled with the bread slices kissed by the garlic. Toast until they are lightly crispy and barely tan. Scoop room temperature ratatouille over warm bread, and savor the taste of your summer. Serve with a nice, light, white wine, like Pinot Grigio. Add some fall flowers and you are set!

Savor this long, luscious week end, the last of summer. Soon the nights will be cool enough to make soup. Happy Labor Day weekend.

Cool Plants For Hot Days

 

Cosmos always look as fresh as a daisy. I love them in all colors. The single petal varieties seem to be impervious to heat. Society Garlic (Tulbaghia violate) Like ordinary garlic this plant belongs to the lily (Alliaceae) family. Experts day it should be considered a mere "cousin" of true garlic and that this plant is more closely related to the narcissus flower. Society garlic does have a distinctive, pronounced garlicky smell.
Despite it’s strong aroma, society garlic is an attractive ornamental plant for the garden. I use several plants to create a ruffled bordered, away from the path, so their smell stays a secrete. In the dog days of August, the leaves look refreshing.
Hardy geraniums can look ratty after they bloom in spring. Cut them way back, and they quickly re-bloom and grow new perky leaves. Especially, if you add mulch, organic fertilizer and give them a deep drink. Lemon Verbena (Aloysia triphylla) is a hot weather lover. In fact, the leaves don’t sprout until the days and nights warm. Even during the hottest days, the leaves never wilt, and the frilly blooms look fresh. Many herbs come on strong even during heat waves. One of my favorites is Dittany of Crete (Dictamus origanoides). It blooms all through the hottest weather, and it has dramatic unusual flowers. ‘Goshiki’ or False Holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus) is my new favorite hedge option. The varietal name ‘Goshiki’ translates from Japanese as "five colors", and this plant is colorful.  The new leaves emerge cream or red and then turn multiple shades of green. The leaves appear splashed with spots of creamy white, yellow-green and gray-green. My plant is still in a small pot.  They say it will have fragrant tiny white flowers in the fall. It likes moist soil and  afternoon shade, and I am amazed that my false holly has done well in a small pot in the heat. I try to water it daily...but despite my neglect it keeps getting new leaves! During heat waves, I appreciate my tough volunteers. Common lobelia and sweet alyssum seem to pop up in sweet spots regardless of the heat. In fact, I just discovered these wee treasures blooming by my brick path where they thrive even with reflected heat.