Mom.....Guess What is Blooming Today !

I garden for many reasons but the # 1 reason is because it brings me close to family near and far and most of all to my wonderful parents, grandparents and relatives that have moved on to the next chapter in their lives.

I use to call Mom everyday when I was working out in the garden and tell her what was blooming, she loved it and would ask me many questions. Most of the flowers I grow are connected with someone or a story.

I have been really missing Mom so I am going to blog to her and everyone else when her favorite flowers are in bloom. I know she will be smiling and loving it as I pass on her wisdom and love of flowers.

So we just returned from a wonderful trip to Disney with Jake and Megan and our precious grand-babies. Callum and Thatcher were great and enjoyed visiting Mickey's house but I think they enjoyed the pool and splash area the most!!!!

But pulling into our driveway I was thrilled because the Iris were popping out. I remember helping Mom compose special bouquets of iris as she got them ready for competitions. She showed me how to arrange them in small vases, pick off the dead buds and leaves. Mom had such a good sense of what looked together and she always
won....well at least that is how I remember it! (These are the Bearded Iris)

Then in late July Mom and I would divide her iris that were crowded. We dug the rhizomes up, disregarded any soft ones , divided when needed but not before giving them a quick bath in a weak bleach water bath. I hated the slimy bores that were sometimes hidden inside.

Then we would replant. Mom told me never to crowd the iris, and that they really like their own space !! She would instruct me on how to plant them just under the surface and not to mulch because that would make them too deep.

My Mom, Virginia liked the old fashion iris... Not all the new varieties. She really loved the deep purple ones. So that is what I grow. I remember taking vases of iris up to Grandma Goldie and I continued the tradition of taking vases to mom when every I made the journey to Columbus.

So the tradition continues as I took some to my daughter Kalee on our way to Florida. The iris have such a sweet innocent smell. I love it.

















I know Mom is smiling ....this is how I will keep Mom's love in my heart, mind and soul forever.

Stay tuned for the next favorite to bloom!!!!!

Location:Becky's Garden

Cast Iron Love

With warmer weather forecasted, I was excited to grill out!!  I pulled a flank steak out of the refrigerator to defrost and rushed off to work. Returning home after a long day, I was confronted with several major obstacles. #1 I have not used flank steak very often and did not realize 90% of the recipes called for at least 8 hours of marinating.  #2  It was very windy and cold!!

So thanks to my trusty I pad I searched out recipes and found one that sounded interested and included two of my favorite things....my cast iron skillet and herbs.

So I gave it a shot, and it was delicious.  Here is the recipe, I adapted it a bit (as usual)

Roasted Flank Steak with Olive Oil-Herb Rub

I preheated the oven to 400, then went outside to pick my fresh herbs. I combined  1small bunch Greek oregano, 1 small bunch Italian Flat leaf parsley, and a couple sprigs of French thyme.  I chopped the parsley and oregano ending up with about 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs. I just laid the thyme sprigs on top. ( It is very tenuous to pull the little leaves off the stem, so I simply put the whole stems in and the leaves fall off naturally. Just make sure to pick out the stems after it has cooked.)

To the herbs, I added 2 teaspoons plus Olive Oil, fresh grated lemon rind, and 1 clove garlic minced.

Then I liberally salted and peppered the flank steak, which I had brought to room temperature and seared it on both sides in my cast iron skillet. I used a combination of saved bacon grease and coconut oil. ( I have been eating Paleo style...no preservatives, with great success....down 20lbs)

To  this I added a liberal 1/4 cup red wine and 1/4  cup beef broth and let this simmer for about 2 minutes. I then placed my herb combination on top of the seared flank steak and placed in the oven.
I baked it for 12 minutes and then let it rest with a foil cover for 10 minutes.

We sliced it very thin and diagonally across the grain and put the sliced beef back in the pan sauce.

This was delicious and very tender!!   I will defiantly make this again!!  So my cast iron skillet saved the day!

Yellow is Popping out all Over

Over 20 years ago I was driving to visit a good friend, when I spied pops of yellow on the hillside. Upon closer inspection, I discovered an amazing Spring Beauty, Stylophorum diphyllum . Commonly called Celandine Poppies or Wood Poppies.

Flash forward to my now emerging Spring garden and this plant plays a commanding role. The bright yellow blooms combine so beautifully with the purple wind anemones, daffodils, money plant, Dames Rocket and other spring bloomers.

It is not only the eye-catching blossoms that will wow you, l love the fuzzy buds and lobed bright green leaves as well.

Blooming period in my garden is from March to May, however in shady areas the bloom may continue a bit longer. The leaves do eventually fade and disappear with the heat of summer, but have no fear they will reappear after a long winter's rest.

They grow to about 1 to 1.5 ft. in height and have a spread of about 1 ft. wide.  They are a perennial and thrive in light to medium to full shade.

I love this plant mixed with my early spring bulbs and perennials: but beware this yellow baby does spread and jump around the yard a bit. But no worries, they are easy to transplant and neighbors love them!

Let the Love Continue.

So we continue to fill my mothers room with daffodil love. Janet,my sister and Ben,my brother went out to our property in Brown County and picked masses of the daffodils that our mom and dad have planted over the years.





Then took them over to Greentree. This is where mom has so happily lived with her cat Burky for the last 8 years or so. What a great place this has been for mom.

She loved to give all the tables a vase full of her yellow love. So Janet and I have vowed to continue to carry on this tradition.

My Mom

So what do you do when you know you are losing your soul mate , your best friend and in my case my Mom. Today my 95 year old Mom was moved to hospice. This is a blessing. I want my Mom at peace but I still cry over her physical presence soon leaving me

I know every time I walk in my gardens see all the daffodils, she is there. She gave me the love of gardening. She blessed me with her gift of writing and her gift of loving life.

I will miss her so deeply when she has moved on to a better place but I know her spirit will be in my soul and heart forever. She is the most amazing person I will ever be blessed to know. She loves her family, her grandkids and great grand kids more than anything

Every time I plant a flower she loved, pass on a big bunch of daffodils or write an article about gardening, I know she is with


me. I am taking these to her tomorrow. She may not be able to acknowledge she sees them but I know she will know how deeply I love her


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Why I grow Daffodils

I have had a very sad couple weeks. My beloved 95 year old Mom is critically
Ill. Mom and my father both loved daffodils so this is what I have taken up to the hospital for her.






She cannot talk right now but I pray she can smell and see the beautiful smiling faces of her favorite flower. I love you Mom. My Daffodils are blooming the best they ever have bloomed......just for you and Dad!!

One can never plant too many Daffodils

Wow oh Wow my daffodils are blooming. I have so many varieties that will bless me with blooms until May. I plant new varieties each year. I can't help it it is in my blood. My father and mother planted daffodils every year. I will continue that tradition. Enjoy, they are only beginning to open.















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