Plant Sale!!

I have been working overtime to pull my gardens back into shape. It seems a year of neglect has given way to weeds as tall as myself. I am making an effort to stream line and reduce so that I can enjoy the gardens and write, cook and travel more. So I am having a Plant Sale. I am going to send out emails to people I know are interested. I will set up appointments and dig the plants they desire to buy. This way they are getting Plant information as well as tips! I hope to be able to do this Fall and Spring...along with adding Garden Antiques to sell out of my over 200 year old out building. I have attached the flyer I am sending out! Wish me luck or better yet come over and buy some plants!

COLONY SPRING FARM
PLANTS FOR SALE
SHELBYVILLE,KY
I am a Garden Addict …….
and I have collected plants over the last
30 years…..But I need to downsize. .So I am going to divide and sell. I will have plants to sell, but you can walk the gardens and I will dig the plants for you.

I will give you information to help you make my plants thrive in your gardens.

Great Prices, great information, great plants… Please call or email to schedule a time
502-682-6412 blitzbecky@aol.com

Tomatoe Recipe

Ok...here is the 2nd great recipe for tomoatoes. I have used it twice now and it has gotten great reviews. Thanks Giada!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/tomato-vegetable-casserole-recipe/index.html

Southern Living Cookbooks

I love all the recipes I have ever gotten from Southern Living. I guess I have had that feeling since 1982...I have all the Southern Living Annual Cookbooks minus one or two since 1982 thru..2009. I am trying to decide what to do with these books. Any one interested in them? I guess I have gotten spoiled by the Internet...put in the ingredients and it gives you multiple ideas...

ANY INTEREST IN THE HARDBACKS: EMAIL beckykirts@gmail.com

Tomatoes,Tomatoes and more Tomatoes...

I have been blessed this year with an abundance of tomatoes. I have made all the classic tomato combinations, so I decided to explore as many different recipes using my valuable edible resource. So far, there have been two that were big hits!

The first one was so easy and made such a great use of all the varieties of cherry tomatoes that I have been growing. The best result of this recipe was the next day I took the whole shebang and turned it into a tasty sauce for my Spaghetti Squash.

Thanks so Jamie Oliver for this great recipe that allowed me to double dip!

4 1/4 lbs ripe cherry tomatoes, mixed colors are great!
2 sprigs each fresh thyme, rosemary and bay.
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
12 good quality course Italian Sausage
Extra-virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic vinegar
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the tomatoes in a single snug layer in a roasting pan. Top with all the herbs then drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar. Turn this to make sure the tomatoes are covered. Lay the sausages on top and then roast for half hour. Give the tomatoes a shake and turn the sausages over. Put back into the oven for additional 30 minutes.

I served this with a green salad, fresh bread, and a glass or two of a good wine!!

I'll share the next recipe, after I go weed some...today is such a nice cool day, Irene is being kind to us, but my heart felt concern for all in her path.

Shade Garden Sunday

On a recent sweltering Sunday, I decided it was time to focus
any outdoor efforts to the Shade. I have three Chimney Pots from England that are temporarily gracing their presence in my Shade/Native Garden. They have inspired me to pull this wonderful space together. I love the Hellebores/Ferns/Hostas/ Hydrangeas/Toad Lillies/ and many unusual wonderful shade lovers that grace this garden with their interesting foliage and sparks of bloom color. I mulched this area with Pine Straw which just seems to show off the "shadies"while adding some acidity as well. I am compiling a list of all the different varieties of plants in the is a garden, which at this point numbers over 30! Who every said Shade Gardens are boring has not seen mine!

Athens Farmers Market

Saturday morning my daughter and I journeyed to the Athens Farmer's Market. It was by far the most beautiful Farmer's Market I have seen. All the booths were artistically layed out. I was mesmerized by the vegetables and fruits all looking so tempting.

What a gift to communities to have Farmers' Markets. It is a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

Wild Trip with Wildflowers!

Today I am in Athens Georgia, visiting my Daughter and Son-in-Law. What was suppose to be a very simple 7 hour drive down turned out to be a "wild" drive. One wrong turn and I ended up going through Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina and finally Georgia.

Feeling very frustrated, not only with myself but Mr. Garmin as well..I finally got onto the right track only to be rewarded with views of the most glorious Wildflower Beds along the highways.

It turns out that North Carolina has a Wildflower Program. It is sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Look it up!

It helped my trip down to Athens become a blooming success!