What Month is This?

Is it really the First of 2016?   The above photos were taken New Years Eve. I needed some cabbage for my New Years Day recipe and low and behold, there it was in my garden.  I am worried about what the following months will bring. I already have daffodils up 4 to 5 inches, hellebores in bloom and crabapples ready to pop open.  Stay tune......this may prove to be a very interesting year!!

 Here is the Napa Cabbage Recipe I served on New Years Day. Made with fresh Napa Cabbage form my garden. That will surely bring me good luck!!

Crunchy Napa Cabbage Slaw

In a large bowl combine about 2 cups napa cabbage coarsely shredded, 12 ounces snow peas, strings removed and thinly sliced, 1-1/3 thinly sliced radishes, 1-1/3 think sliced green onions including the tops, and 1-1/3 cups cilantro leaves.  add 3/4 of the dressing and 2/3 cups toasted sliced almonds and mix to coat. Reserve the rest of the dressing if needed.

Creamy Soy Dressing
Combine 3 TBLS white wine vinegar, 3 TBLS sugar, 1 TBLS soy sauce, 1 clove garlic peeled and minced, 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1/2 tsp ginger and turmeric, and 1/4 tsp cayenne. Wisk in a cup of mayo.

Color in the Fall

The last several weekends I have traveled through Kentucky down I 75 to North Georgia and also to Athens Georgia.  My trips have all been family related, introducing cousins to each other and gathering family,plus helping with the newest grand baby.

It has been exhausting but wonderful ....however what has been an unbelievable bonus to all my travels has been the colorful show that has been put on by nature.

My path has taken me through the Smokies and into the Blue Ridge Mountains. I have wandered off the beaten paths into the mountains everywhere I looked the trees were blazing with deep reds, yellows. oranges and greens.

I love every season as each has its own glory but this year the Fall has stolen my heart!

SO GET OUT AND WANDER THE ROADS.......IT IS A GLORIOUS FALL! 

October Blooms

I love all my October Blooms!!  

 Lots of beauiful blooms still in my gardens. The garden seems to be thriving with he crisp fall air.  I love the Hydrangeas, Mexican Sage and Shasta Daisy's.

Don't miss this opportunity to add some new perennials to your gardens!!

Tallulah

Trying hard to blog about the garden but the new arrival of my grandbaby girl trumps everything. Tallulah Munro Thompson. We are so excited to meet you.






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Garlic Chive Love

I know they can take over a garden, butt wow they are so worth controlling and having in your garden. I have a hard time handling a lot of garlic but the leaves of this herb finely chopped give the kick without the burn.

I love the garlic chives lining the garden paths. They provide a wonderful border,  a great garlic kick, and the blossoms attract so many pollinators.

The secret is to keep them cut down most of the growing year. Then about the beginning of August, let them grow so the blooms develop. The blossoms make a wonderful herb vinegar, plus are totally edible in salads.

But what they give back is so incredible.... A wonderful bloom for the fall and a tremendous attraction to pollinators.  Once the white blossom is gone and it is turning to seed, you will need to be very vigilante about cutting them and removing them. ( they reseed everywhere).

So don't be scared, I feel this herb as way more positive then negative!!

Finch Food

To you and I, these dead coneflowers just look like a gardener is  not doing her job. But to the Finches in my yard this is a culinary feast.  I love goldfinches and who would not want these beauties in your yard with their bright yellow feathers and cheerful song.  I feed them year round with feeders filled with Nyjer seed, but this time of year I so enjoy seeing them enjoy the seed heads I leave for their diners.

Finches love many seed heads and in fact prefer this to Nyjer in a feeder, this time of year.  So I try to plant plenty for them to feast on. So please don't cut the coneflowers. There is nothing more exciting than seeing  a finch hanging on to a coneflower and swaying in the wind!!