More June Colors in my Flatrock garden

Finally finished up all my "weeding, planting and putting down new mulch.  Now I can just relax and enjoy it.  I can hear the chuckles from all you gardeners out there.  Gardening is a labor of love.  It is a lot of hard work.  I do get so much back from gardening though.  I am totally relaxed when I am crawling around weeding and planting.  I often stop to realize that I am actually humming.  My greatest pleasure is when my plants start to blossom and flower.

Here are a few shots of some of the different colors around my garden.........

 

 The next two shots are of a large flowering shrub in our front yard.  I don't know what it is, but

 if you do, I'd love for you to let me know!

 

 

Chairs--Cheers, ha ha!

:)

Rhubarb Custard Squares

I get so much pleasure from going into my own backyard and cracking off a few long, crunchy stalks of fresh rhubarb.  I actually love to eat it, right from the rhubarb patch !  The tartness, and crispy texture of uncooked rhubarb is so fresh-tasting and delicious, and it always reminds me that summer is just around the corner.

I remember that when I was a child, I always loved eating rhubarb.   My mother would tell me not to eat too much, because I would get a stomach ache.  Now, I feel so lucky because I can eat as much rhubarb as I like......and I do.  I am constantly nibbling on little chunks of it, as I prepare it for recipes.

I love to bake with rhubarb, and make jams or relish. My late mother-in-law was one of the best bakers I ever had the pleasure of taste-testing for.  She was also an avid berry picker, and loved to make different and delicious treats from whatever berries or fruit was in season.  The rhubarb was the first to be ripe, in early to mid-June.  She would go on a "baking marathon", baking anything and everything rhubarb.  I pulled out her "Rhubarb Custard Squares" recipe this morning, and gave it a try.  I've put the recipe at the end of this post. 

Here's how my rhubarb looked before I picked it..........

How many pieces did I eat, while chopping?????? (ha ha)

 Here's the recipe------simple and delicious!!!

RHUBARB- CUSTARD BARS

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter softened

1 1/4 cup flour

Blend crust ingredients and press into 13"x9" pan.

Bake 10 minutes at 350F and remove from oven.

Filling

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

4 eggs beaten

5 cups rhubarb

Combine these ingredients well. Pour over crust.

Continue baking for 1/2 hour.

Cheers
:)

June Colors in Flatrock

I just returned from a week of training, for my work, in Halifax.  I was really taken by how lush all of the plants and shrubs appeared.  When I went for a little stroll in my own garden this morning, I was surprised to see the progress of my plants in just five days.  Take a peek......

After lunch, I went to the nursery.  I am really excited about planting my kitchen garden.  There is 

a perfect spot right off the back deck that appears to have been used by the previous owner for 

annuals.  I bought, chocolate-peppermint, spearmint, dill and chives.  We also have three different 

varieties of tomatoes, and two different types of cucumbers for the greenhouse. 

I am already looking forward to making green and red tomato salsa and different types of pickles.

Cheers from Flatrock

:)

The Grotto in Flatrock

The Grotto in Flatrock is a magnificent site.  It is quite the tourist attraction during the summer months as well.

I drive by it often, but only went in to visit it last week.  Here are a few pictures........

and here is the view from the grotto.............

Cheers

:)

A whale of a time.........

On my regular evening walk along the ocean's edge, look what I happened upon.........

Of course, I didn't carry my camera backpack, with all my lenses.......wouldn't you know it!  

********

I am so lucky to be able to go for walks along the ocean, only two minutes from my

house. and see such beautiful displays of nature.

Cheers

:)