Summer Bounty Sandwich

I may not be a creative cook, but I am a good reader.  Rachel Ray hit it out of the park with this summer specialty sandwich.

Grilled eggplant, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil on a chibatta roll.  I added the side of padrone peppers and a bit of sangria.  Yum!

Wednesday Workday

The children are leaving home.  

 

I know they do this every August or September and as good mothers we push them out the door - out to make their way in the world.  If we've done right by them, they will prosper and hopefully multiply.

It only took a few minutes to dig out half of two large clumps - clearing the walkway and creating nearly a dozen rhizomes to share.

Shake off the dirt, let them dry over night in the shed, and they are ready to box up and send off.

Off to new homes in Florida and Rhode Island.  Travel safely!

August Garden

Not much new or fun happening in the garden.  

Partly it's the cooler and wetter than usual weather we are having has pushed some things to start (and therefore end) earlier than usual.  And, partly, I am realizing, it's that I have not done a good job of choosing plants for bloom time.  I usually choose by color (any shade of pink or blue, with a bit of pale yellow and white thrown in) or just fall in love with something and plant swaths of it!

The annuals are helping - zinnias going full force right now, as is the one remaining dahlia - but I just have a noticeable "down time" between late July when the day lilies end and September when the fall things start to bloom.  The sedums are covered with buds but not ready to start their show and the chrysanthemums are getting fuller by the day.

Pineapple Lily (Ecomis 'Katie').  This needs to be moved to a more visible spot.  The monarda totally hid it this year and I nearly missed seeing it. 

So, as the catalogs start appearing in the mail box, I am paying more attention to pink (and blue, pale yellow and white) flowers that say "August" in their descriptions.