No matter which day it is, spring is sinking in. I have thrown off the winter glums, made a date with my sister for Saturday and nipped over to the nursery for my annual fix of mandevilla.
After Jan agreed to come help me this Saturday, I went straight to the nursery, at ten in the morning. Me and the rest if northern Summit County. At the front desk I ordered red, white and pink, plus an orange Gerbera for Pig, those coconut basket liners and a bag of dirt. Ahem, soil.
When I left home, the overnight temps were forecast for 31! I decided to leave the cache in the car until Saturday. But the weather man is relenting this last hour or so, and now the temperature will fall only to forty, so I'll unload the plants to the garden stool. I am so excited I held the camera to the window for a picture.
Then I walked around to the other side for another picture:
My days of watering begin.
I had an interesting idea this morning. I enjoy experimenting with my morning jams, and seldom go wrong. A while ago I bought a new "strong" flavor, Tart Cherry. It comes in a little box of four. No possibility of a problem!
As anticipated, the flavor is magnificent! The drawback, the little jar is head to toe, shoulder to shoulder cherries. Jam in the purest definition of jammed. Impossible to spread. My first little jar was consumed "on the side". Now how to use the remainder?
When I opened the refrigerator this morning, for the boysenberry, my eye fell on the eggs! So I bent over to peruse the lower left, and there is a quart of milk! I think I can use the hand blender thing (never really knew the name) to marginally incorporate the cherries and stir the jelly into the milk and have cherry custard. Results to follow.
And to end my report of life on the upswing, Laura's warp has been tied, tugged attached and commenced on a length of denim towels.
Maury Island products don't seem to be carried in Tucson stores. We used to buy them in Seattle, I miss them. I also miss Adam's peanut butter. The mandevillas are lovely, I keep casting about for somewhere to put one that won't be fried by the sun, or eaten by the deer/rabbits/javelinas.
ReplyDeleteSoon when it will be quieter here I too will go to the nursery to buy mandavilas.
ReplyDeleteYael, I lit a candle for your safety.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDelete...orrrr, you could make tartlets as a variation on your fruit pies... then add custard. My mouth waters at the prospect! YAM xx
Yum.
ReplyDeleteAnd how I love the mandevillas - and feel your excitement.
Loving that denim too.
It is lovely to feel that spring is arriving..you can smell the warmth rising from it.
ReplyDeleteWhat pleasure those flowers will bring you this summer! So glad you got them.
ReplyDeleteLife on the upswing sounds wonderful. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteSour cherries, sweet cherries...
ReplyDeleteToo many cherries in that jam! But I guess you could spoon it over ice cream too.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the spirit of spring has really descended on you, Joanne, and that's a good thing. Having too many cherries certainly beats not having enough!
ReplyDeleteLovely flowers.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Christmas in your car with all the beautiful flowers! There is a lot of joy in those flowers. Cherry custard sounds wonderful - I can't wait to hear how it turns out.
ReplyDeleteYour mandeville vines are robust beautiful plants. Give them a trellis and they will provide a wall of flowers for your daily enjoyment. The custard sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteFirst thing I thought of was a cherry smoothie. A cherry custard sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteYour flowers are pretty. I watered outside last night because I knew it was a guarantee of rain, which we needed. The cherry sounds good and the idea of custard is excellent. I hope it worked.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Aren't mandevillas wonderful! In my yard even in the blazing heat they always show blooms all season long. I got three plants of them this year two reds and a bright pink. Every year I have had them they haven given enough blooms to be well worth the extra bit of money they cost over petunias or geraniums. I know you will enjoy yours this spring and summer.
ReplyDeleteI would mash those cherries and spoon some over ice cream and use some in a black forest cake filling.
ReplyDeleteWell I made a note of Maury Island farm, although looks like a local brand and I doubt they sell here. But packed with cherries looks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI like sweet and savoury together, for instance redcurrant jelly and roast potatoes. Your weaving looks lovely.
ReplyDeleteLove the pics of the plants in the car. Makes me want to go to the nursery... which we haven't been to since this pandemic began. As for jams, jellies, and preserves, I've never branched out much with them... do use strawberry preserves with my peanut butter and also with scrambled eggs. The denim towels look great
ReplyDeleteHappy planting to you
ReplyDeleteAhhh... your mandevilla are going to be great!! Happiness is new flowering plants!
ReplyDeleteI grew two Mandevillas from cuttings over the winter and they are blooming but are small. I went to get bamboo stalks for tomatoes yesterday and while shopping saw a good size Mandevilla with both a red and white plant for under $10. I thought of you right away and knew I had to have it.
ReplyDeleteIn my area spring is taking its sweet time getting here, but I know it's on the way. I haven't decided if I will purchase any plants for the deck.
ReplyDeleteI'm headed to Lowe's today for some medium size pots. I'll have to make a list with sizes. been buying zinnias and little petunias for my summer annuals.
ReplyDeleteSpring and warmer weather sure do lift our spirits. I will be out in the garden today doing my never-ending weeding but the sun is shining and it will be pleasant! You certainly will enjoy your flowers!
ReplyDeleteYou are wonderfully springy. Hope you energized yourself even more.
ReplyDeleteI am awaiting the Cherry Custard results! Your vines are gorgeous!
ReplyDeletewell the weather doesn't warm you a very fresh looking backseat in your car. I don't know the custard flavors. Is cherry one of them.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.chowhound.com/post/jam-thick-saved-800934 Here's an article on how to make jam that is too thick spreadable.
ReplyDeleteVery interested in your cherry custard though.
That's an ingenious solution to the problem of the over-cherried jam. I like the idea of cherry custard.
ReplyDeleteI'm keen to hear how the cherry custard turned out.
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful to see people's flowers. I won't get mine until I'm back from my trip. Too hard to keep them watered from 2,800 miles away. ;)
ReplyDelete