Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Home and Garden



I awoke early this morning and quietly dressed and slipped outside to potter in the garden for a few minutes before breakfast. I pulled up the sweet peas that were so pretty and fragrant for so long, but are now a tangled mass of brown vines. Later in the day, I took my camera out and watched a pair of white butterflies flit among the lavender.



A friend gave us a pot of Balloon Flowers (platycodon) that put out bloom after bloom. I'm hoping to do some moving of plants in a week or two and am thinking about where I will place this one. 



Dahlia bloom in perfect symmetry. My dahlias didn't survive our cold and prolonged winter (I didn't lift the tubers), but there was a bag of free tubers in the staff room at school one day, so I took a few, not knowing what would result. These make me very happy. I'm glad they aren't orange!



And another luck-of-the-draw dahlia. They are tall, with spindly stems, but seem strong and aren't drooping at all.



Cosmos growing alongside bright white phlox. This year, the white seems whiter, or perhaps I'm just noticing it more. The blooms stand out so well against our green cedar hedge. 



Faded blue hydrangea blossoms are just as pretty now as when they were bright blue. Each bush is changing in different ways, but all the colours are becoming mellow as they absorb the waning summer sun.



A dozen or so figs found their way into the kitchen this morning. I'm trying to use up supplies just now, before going grocery shopping, so I tried to think what I could make with them. I remembered a fig flatbread that Mary of A Breath of Fresh Air had mentioned, so I looked up some recipes on line. There was some pizza dough in the freezer; I pulled it out and put it on the sunny front porch to thaw. 

I used this recipe as a base. There were enough figs and dough for two flatbreads; both have figs and caramelized onions. One has blue cheese and was drizzled with balsamic reduction and sprinkled with basil leaves.


The second flatbread was topped with cranberry goat cheese. They were both good, but I preferred the blue cheese and Tim preferred the cranberry goat cheese. 

Did you notice the cutting board in the above photo? It's shaped like a book and the title is "Romeo and Julienne." A fun gift.

It's hard to believe we're heading into the last half of August. This has been a different sort of summer, with several shorter trips that make it seem as though I'm always packing or unpacking. The garden has not received as much attention, nor have I accomplished nearly what I'd hoped in terms of house projects. Ah well, there's still a bit of time before school begins. I'll only be teaching afternoons this year, which will free me up considerably. 

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." Henry James 


31 comments:

  1. Lovely photos Lorrie. Dahlias and hydrangeas are the queens of August <3

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  2. The flowers are so pretty, especially the dahlias. The flat-breads look so delicious and I love the unusual combinations. It's going to be nice to have your mornings free. I love mornings - my favorite time of day. xo Karen

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  3. Love the white butterflies flitting against the purple lavender - I am inspired by your fig recipes. I have some figs languishing on the tree, and don't feel like making any conserve having just made a load of damson jam. I will give the recipe a try, but may be use some strong cheddar or parmesan cheese which all I have to hand.

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  4. A beautiful flowery post that has made me feel quite hungry. Might have to get my frozen pizza dough out of the fridge and make some topping. Like the sound of just working afternoons. I'm sure you will appreciate more free time. B x

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  5. Beautiful photos & yummy looking food! I would have gone for the blue cheese, too! LOL

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  6. oh my these flowers are just amazingly GORGEOUS!!!
    yes this year weather sounds little crazy .glad you are enjoying this beautiful month

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  7. What a beautiful white butterfly! I wonder if some instinct tells them they will look lovely against lavender? And your flatbread pic makes me think you are a professional food stylist--very nice! I'll have to find some cranberry goat cheese since goat cheese is the only cheese my husband can eat.

    It's so nice that you'll have free mornings during this school year!

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  8. What time can I get there for the next flatbreads. They look amazing

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  9. Wonderful flowers and very tasty-looking flatbreads.
    It's lovely to have your mornings free. I think "morning" is one of the most beautiful words in the English language. :)

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  10. Thank you for the recipe link!
    I was told when buying figs they go well with goat cheese. The cranberry goat cheese sounds delicious.

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  11. You certainly have some beauties in your garden still, Lorrie. Hydrangeas are so lovely when they are fading and dried too. I have seen so many posts about fig recently and your pizza looks absolutely mouth watering. I have never cooked with figs but this looks amazing! Maybe I need to check that out. :D

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  12. Beautiful photos of your garden, Lorrie! And what a yummy recipe! Kisses, my friend.

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  13. My mouth is watering at looking at your fig flatbread. Dear and I still remember the best pizza appetizer we had in Denver years ago with figs and arugula...delicious. Beautiful photos Lorrie!

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  14. While I have perennials and flowering bushes, in regards to annuals this year I decided to go with seeds and wait it out, versus going to the nursery. My first cosmos bloomed today: ) Oh your flatbread looks amazing!

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  15. Anonymous5:18 PM

    I am so happy that August is coming to an end. I look forward to Autumn! Oh your flowers are so beautiful. I can not choose a favorite! And your flat bread looks so delicious! Thank you for sharing with us!

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  16. Beautiful flowers! Those Dahlia's are stunning! Such lovely colors!

    Summer has been busy for us, but we've enjoyed it. We are back to school already, so we are feeling fallish here in our minds. And some of the local trees are already changing color, too!

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  17. Your photos are lovely! Your pink Dahlia is my favorite color pink in the garden. Enjoy the rest of your summer. :) Kit

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  18. sweet cutting board--I did wonder why you had the flat board on a book. I'm glad you'll have more time for your garden and other pursuits in this new school year.

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  19. I am salivating over the pictures of the fig and cheese flatbreads. Thank you for providing recipe.
    How lovely someone left the Dahlia tubers for others to share these beautiful August blooms. It will be wonderful teaching in only afternoons and having the mornings enjoying many of your hobbies.

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  20. Your captures of flowers are so amazing, Lorrie. I enjoyed all of them. Can sweet pea grow well in heat? I've wanted to plant seeds but I was told they wouldn't last through the summer. It was disappointing news as they are so pretty. Please tell me otherwise!

    I want to try the fig recipes. As you say...they go quickly this time of year. Mary has them growing next door. We are quite good friends and she has a lovely home and garden. I'm so fortunate to have visited her and her husband there and we have met up several times over the years down South.

    Happy 'waning' summer to you!

    Jane x

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  21. If only our meals looked as scrumptious when I'm trying to use up what I have on hand! Of course my kids define scrumptious differently than I do... I've tried Dahlias twice and no success to slim success. They are so pretty.

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  22. Lorrie, it's always sad to see the sweet peas go, but you have so many other flowers to make up for them. Your flatbreads look gorgeous!

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  23. Your flowers and photos are so beautiful, Lorrie! Your cutting board is a unique gift! Your pizza looks like gourmet perfection!!

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  24. I'm not sure which flatbread I'd prefer, but I'd be willing to try both! :)

    I love all the colors of hydrangea!

    "A different summer." Ours too. We begin a season with an idea of what it should look like, but then the days happen as God directs and we find good in the unexpected and in the different. As we have, I know that you have had many blessings in this season!

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  25. avec la sécheresse de juillet mon jardin est un peu en friche
    j'aperçois quelques dalhias maigrichons de si de là
    l'automne semble montrer le bout de son nez
    à bientôt
    bisous

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  26. Gorgeous flowers....I have some Balloon Flowers too but didn't know they were called that...what a good name! Your flatbread looks so delicious Lorrie...I love how you write about food! And I love your cutting board...such a special gift. Have a happy week ahead. xox

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  27. Just popped in to see how you've been spending your summer break and was blown away by those lucky dip dahlias, they're simply beautiful, Lorrie. Love the look of the flatbreads, so easy to make but so scrumptious to eat!
    Looking forward to catching up some more when MM begins again in September.

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  28. Your flowers are so pretty and your fig flat bread looks delicious!

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  29. This is the first time I've seen a white butterfly. Cool! As usual, I enjoyed seeing your pretty flowers and your food photos are making me hungry.

    I know what you mean about summer being almost over...and not accomplishing the stuff that you hoped to do during the break. Whoops!

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  30. (Gasp!) Your flatbread is an inspiration! If my figs get ripe I am going to copy you!

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  31. Glad thinking of me jogged your fig flatbread memory!!!!
    This one looks awesome Lorrie - I have a few figs remaining so may rustle up that flatbread for supper this week.

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