From the category archives:

Southern Gardening

Southern Defense

by Christi on June 25, 2010

Yes, today I am defending the oft maligned – mimosa tree!

The beautiful, fragrant, puffy pink clouds in the Mimosa Tree (sometimes called a silken tree) have gotten a bad reputation for some! Not me, I love those pink puffs. Some call it a “dirty” tree. What kind of silly name is that? Yes, it re-seeds prolifically. Yes it sheds a bit, but how can you resist those pretty pink puffs?

They remind me of my childhood and I look forward to seeing them every year! Those palm-like leaves just look so luscious amidst the pink fluff.

If you have them around, you know you can’t get rid of them (even if you are so misguided as to want to!).  They attract butterflies and hummingbirds galore!

Okay, so the fluff falls off and does make a bit of a mess. I have even read that some neighborhood associations ban these beauties! What do you think? I love them and always will.

Hope you are having a wonderful Saturday and hope you are enjoying a

Pink Saturday

Pink Saturday with Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

Today’s Lagniappe: Mimosas
You had to see this one coming :)

Today’s Lagniappe: Mimosas
Don’t forget the drinks. What fun to have champagne for breakfast!

Champagne
Orange Juice
Grand Marnier (or other orange liqueur)
Sugar
Strawberries for garnish

Pour a little Grand Marnier in a shallow saucer. Put a little sugar in another shallow saucer. Dip the rims of champagne flutes in the Grand Marnier and then in the sugar. Fill the champagne flutes halfway with champagne and the fill the rest of the way with orange juice, add a splash of Grand Marnier. Cut a slit in a strawberry and place on the rim of the flute if desired for garnish.

Enjoy!

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Southern Home Farming

by Christi on June 15, 2010

The weather is getting hot, hot, hot and that is a great time to skip turning on the oven and just use veggies from the garden!

So many wonderful possibilities springing from a few seeds! Tonight, I want to tell you about a wonderful site set up by Triscuit. Yes, Triscuit! Those wonderfully, delicious wheat crackers. They are promoting something close to my heart – growing your own HOME FARM! Check out their great site at http://www.triscuit.com/homefarming for some great ideas and tips on how you can grow your own home farm! They are even including seeds with their promotional boxes of Triscuits. You know, even if you have already planted herbs, you can still plant more to extend your herb harvesting season!

Triscuit was so kind to let me know about this program so I could pass it on to you here. They sent me 2 boxes of Triscuits – both original and reduced fat. By the way, there is very little difference in the taste of the original and the reduced fat – gotta love that! They also sent a $20 gift card to help pay for some potting soil to plant the wonderful seeds that were included with the Tricuits! One card of dill seeds and one card of basil. I didn’t have dill already growing, so I am really looking forward to that. I did have basil growing so I will use those seeds to extend the season.

Growing herbs and veggies from seed is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have! Thank you Triscuit for encouraging this activity! Y’all enjoy your time in the garden – even if it is just a pot on your patio!

Today’s Lagniappe:  Classic Caprese Toppers
Something else yummy from the Triscuit website!

Prep: 5 min Total: 5 min

8 TRISCUIT Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil Crackers

1 oz. POLLY-O Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, cut into 8 thin slices

4 grape tomatoes, halved

8 small fresh basil leaves

1/4 tsp. coarse black pepper

TOP crackers with remaining ingredients.

Makes 4 servings, two topped crackers each.

Information: 60 calories, 3g total fat, less than 5mg cholesterol, 75mg sodium, 7g carbohydrates, 1g dietary fiber, 0g sugars, 2g protein

Enjoy your Wednesday and be sure to check out:

Outdoor Wednesday with A Southern Daydreamer

and What’s on the Menu Wednesday with Dining with Debbie!

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Southern Garden

by Christi on June 1, 2010

Just a few shots from my garden in pots. First off, the marigolds. Planting marigolds in your garden improves the soil for the other plants:

Love the combination of red and orange. Below, you can see the cherry tomatoes are just beginning to take on a hint of red.

Then there are the herbs:

Can’t wait to start harvesting. And a look at the sky is nice too:

Lovely!

Today’s Lagniappe:  Garden Salad

For the dressing:

* 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
* 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
* 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

For the salad:

* 1-1/2 cup salad greens
* 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
* 5 cherry tomatoes (home-grown if possible) halved
* 2 tablespoons sliced black olives
* 1/2 cup large croutons
* 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Combine all the dressing ingredients and 1 to 2 tablespoons water in a blender or food processor; puree until smooth.

Place the salad greens  in a large bowl and top with the remaining salad ingredients. Drizzle with the dressing.

A few outdoor pics for Outdoor Wednesday with A Southern Daydreamer and Rednesday! with It’s a Very Cherry.

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Southern Sunday

by Christi on May 23, 2010

Happy Sunday! I am remembering a past post where I just took a stroll around the yard and enjoyed God’s majesty!

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the
glory and the majesty and the splendour,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours,
O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.
1 Chronicles 29:11

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Join Chari at Happy to Design for Sunday favorites and Charlotte and Ginger at Blogger Spirit for Spiritual Sunday and enjoy your Sunday!

From June 16, 2009

Southern Stroll in the Yard

We have had a lot of rain lately. This afternoon after the rain, I took a stroll through the yard and snapped a couple of pics for Outdoor Wednesday with A Southern Daydreamer.

Click on the logo to see some great outdoor pics.

Click on the logo to see some great outdoor pics.

Okay, so here we go for the stroll.

Here is another pic of the little robin teenager looking for worms. We are so glad that they have stuck around. Apparently, they will stay within 1/4 mile of the nest.

Here is another pic of the little robin teenager looking for worms. We are so glad that they have stuck around. Apparently, they will stay within 1/4 mile of the nest.

Here is the garden. A little soggy,but loving the rain.

Here is the garden. A little soggy,but loving the rain.

Can’t wait to harvest some of the vegetables out of the garden. They are growing really fast. I usually already am able to harvest by this time but got a little bit of a late start this year.

I've had this for a long time. I just moved it to the veggie garden.

I've had this for a long time. I just moved it to the veggie garden.

You can see the clover, as well as the veggies, love the rain.

You can see the clover, as well as the veggies, love the rain.

She Who Loves A Garden
Has A Very Special Treasure
For She Has Found Her Private Paradise.

Today’s Lagniappe: Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
This recipe is very similar to the Lemon Thyme Cookies, only with Rosemary. Hmmmm!

By the way, a friend asked what a lagniappe is – it is “a little something extra.”

  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons white sugar for decoration
  1. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and 2/3 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour salt and rosemary until well blended. The dough will be somewhat soft. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees F). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into rectangles 1 1/2×2 inches in size. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the lined cookie sheets. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the tops.
  4. Bake for 8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden at the edges. Cool on wire racks, and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
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Southern Table in the Garden

by Christi on April 28, 2010

As I have been working today, I have noticed the pink flowers pouring over the fence in the back. It reminds me of when I put in my garden last year as these flowers were blooming. Alas, I am not putting in my regular garden this year. I am gardening in pots. Too much going on right now for the full blown deal.

Last year, as I was putting in the garden, I enjoyed resting near the pretty pink blooms. Here is that time revisited:

Working in the garden can really tire you out. I think I really need a nice place to take a break. This is my tablescape entry this week in Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Y’all stay tuned. There are robins building a nest on my porch and I’m taking pics of their progress that I’ll be posting.

A nice place to take a break.

A nice place to take a break.

A little lemonade.

A little lemonade.

A couple of cookies - gotta keep up my strenght!

A couple of cookies - gotta keep up my strength!

A couple of my favorite gardening books.

A couple of my favorite gardening books.

My garden gloves.

My garden gloves.

My garden trowel.

My garden trowel.

Some seeds.

Some seeds.

A watering can with flowers.

A watering can with flowers.

Hey, there's a bunny in my watering can!

Hey, there's a bunny in my watering can!

Everything I need.

Everything I need . . .

for a nice break from gardening!

for a nice break from gardening!

Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did! – Christi

Today’s Lagniappe: Garden Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Something light and easy to enjoy.

Use your favorite salad greens and veggies and dress them with this lovely mustard vinaigrette. Easy!

* 1½ cups salad oil
* ½ cup white wine vinegar
* 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
* 1½ tsp Kosher salt
* ½ tsp ground white pepper (or freshly ground black pepper)

1. Combine the mustard and vinegar in a glass or stainless steel bowl and whisk them together briefly.

2. Place the mustard-vinegar mixture along with the oil and seasonings in a blender and mix for about 10 seconds or until fully combined.

3. Serve right away, as the oil and vinegar will begin to separate as soon as you stop mixing.

Makes 1 pint of dressing.

Don’t miss a lot of wonderful tables at:

Tablescape Thursday with Between Naps on the Porch

with Between Naps on the Porch

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Southern “Herban” Renewal

by Christi on April 18, 2010

Every year, I plant herbs. Sometimes I plant them in my her planter. Sometimes in my garden. But, always, I must have herbs in the garden.

This year, I have put herbs in pots. Sorry I didn’t get the before pics. I got busy moving the huge pots and then planting them!

I moved my perennial herbs from their spot in the planter to pots and added a few additions.  They thyme and chives are from previous plantings. The rosemary is new (last years planting did not last through the winter and I added some  more parsley as well.

Can’t live without the herbs that I grow in the garden!

I also planted some cherry tomatoes along with some basil. They are great companion plants. I plant to get some marigolds to plant along with them as well. Planting marigolds with any garden improves the soil and is good for the other plants.

I call my new herb plantings my “herb-an renewal”! What renewals have you got going on?

Metamorphosis Monday with Between Naps on the Porch


Today’s Lagniappe: Chimichurri
A wonderful way to use parsley from the garden, this sauce is great over grilled steaks!

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

In a blender or food processor, combine the parsley, garlic, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper. Mix well, but do not puree.

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Southern Sunday

by Christi on April 11, 2010

Soon, it will be time to put in the garden. Gardening is an act of faith. Planting a seed and watching it grow is always miraculous to me. Man first met God in a garden.

“Now the Lord God had planted a garden in in the east, in Eden;
and there he put the man he had formed.”
Genesis 2:8

Jesus prayed in a garden.

Entering the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go yonder and pray.” Taking with Him Peter, James, and John, He went deep into the garden, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then, He said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here and watch with Me.” And going a little farther, he fell on His face and prayed,
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me;
nevertheless, not as I will but as Thou wilt.”

A garden is a very special thing! This post is from April 24, 2009:

garden-hoe

This is the weekend I put in my garden – starting today. I’ve planted my seeds, tended the seedlings, transferred them into bigger pots and now, I’m ready for the real deal.

I will be tilling the plot, getting rid of the grass and weeds, amending the soil, making rows, then TA DA!!!, planting the vegetables and flowers. This is a pretty labor intensive way to save money, but, it is a labor of love. And, it is well worth it.

Nothing tastes better than home-grown vegetables that you have tended with your own hands. Not only do I get to have yummy veggies and lovely flowers, I get to have the pleasure of accomplishment, the gratitude for the blessing of the earth and a connection to generations and generations going back forever who have planted seeds to grow food and flowers for their homes.

Here is some gardening wisdom from Mary Anne Potter of Herban Renewal Farms of Ponca City, Oklahoma. She is an herbal gardener who wrote a lovely book called Herbal Pleasures. Her words of gardening wisdom are wise words for life as well.

Gardening Wisdom

1. Begin early. But it’s never too late to start.

2. If it doesn’t work, try something else.

3. Life is fragile. Protect it.

4. Life is enduring. Trust it.

5. Life is daily. Water it. Weed it. Prune it.

6. Life is indescribably beautiful. Enjoy it and say thank you.

7. Growth takes time. Be patient. And While you are waiting, pull a weed.

8. There’s something for everybody – different blooms for different rooms.

9. Pruning hurts. Pruning helps you grow.

10. Recycle. Reuse. Restore. Repair. Reduce. Redo.

11. Sometimes the tiniest flowers smell the sweetest.

12. To everything there is a season.

13. Dream big. But try not to let your joy turn into drudgery.

14. Grow what you love. the love will keep it growing.

15. Remember, never kiss by the garden gate. Love is blind, but the neighbors ain’t.

Isn’t that lovely? My mother gave me this lovely little book. Okay, off to the garden. I’ll take pics to show y’all next week.

Have a wonderful and blessed weekend!

Today’s Lagniappe: Garden Veggie Quiche

* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 cup sliced mushrooms
* 1/2 med. zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
* 1/2 small onion, diced
* 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
* 1/3 cup shredded carrots
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 5 eggs
* 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 9-inch pie crust

1. Heat olive oil in medium size pan.
2. Add veggies, garlic, and salt and saute until soft.
3. While veggies are cooling a little, mix together eggs, ricotta, and Parmesan until fully combined.
4. Stir veggies into egg mixture and pour into pie shell.
5. Cook at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

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Join Chari at Happy to Design for Sunday favorites and Charlotte and Ginger at Blogger Spirit for Spiritual Sunday and enjoy your Sunday!

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Southern Renewal

March 21, 2010

Finally, as you can see by the spring countdown calendar – SPRING has officially arrived! Nothing says spring to me more than preparing the garden. I needed a little inspiration today, so I looked back at some of my garden pics from last year:

Another metamorphosis with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch!
That garden is [...]

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Southern Pruning

March 6, 2010

The Crepe Myrtle is one of my favorite trees/bushes. When everything else in the garden starts looking a little tired in the hot days of summer, the Crepe Myrtle still shines bright.
Unfortunately, the beautiful Crepe Myrtle is also one of the most abused of plants. I have seen such abuse in my own neighborhood just [...]

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Southern Sunday Favorite

January 17, 2010

Join Chari at Happy to Design for Sunday favorites and Charlotte and Ginger at Blogger Spirit for Spiritual Sunday and enjoy your Sunday.
Hmmm, last week my favorite was about gardening and so it is again this week. I see a trend here. A garden in just inspiring. In 1912, a scripture inspired C. Austin Miles [...]

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Southern Garden Dreams

January 1, 2010

I really used to dread January. After all of the color and celebration of the Christmas holidays, January just seemed so dull. What changed my mind about January was gardening! Yes, gardening in January. When I finally got around to enjoying gardening, I was in my late 30’s.
As with most things, I got into it [...]

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A Southern Garden Grows

July 14, 2009

I showed you some pictures earlier this week of how my garden has grown. Here is my garden now – a little closer look.

Lily

Zinnia

Corn

Okra

Squash

Tomato

Basil

Mint

Elephant Ear
These are just a few close up scenes from my garden.

It is Outdoor Wednesday with A Southern Daydreamer.

Today’s Lagniappe: Tomato Pie
Courtesy of Carol Shackleford Benson of El Dorado, Arkansas. Carol says, [...]

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Southern Stroll in the Yard

June 16, 2009

We have had a lot of rain lately. This afternoon after the rain, I took a stroll through the yard and snapped a couple of pics for Outdoor Wednesday with A Southern Daydreamer.
Okay, so here we go for the stroll.
Can’t wait to harvest some of the vegetables out of the garden. They are growing really [...]

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Southern Garden

June 9, 2009

Several years ago, I built this herb planter. It originally resided on a side porch. Now it is in my yard.

The thyme that is hanging over and the thyme in the left corner have been there for about five years.  The rosemary really struggled this past winter with the ice storms. It has come back [...]

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Southern Basil

June 5, 2009

I worked in my herb garden yesterday. I love working in the herb garden. It is like aromatherapy. The smells of the thyme and rosemary and basil are heavenly. I am always happy to run across recipes that use these herbs in simple ways. One of my new favorites is those lemon and thyme cookies [...]

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