On these wonderful warmer summer days, I've been walking earlier than usual to avoid the intense sun. This week I climbed up Christmas Hill for a wonderful view over the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The mountains in the distance are on the Olympic Peninsula of the USA. The band of fog lies where the land meets the sea and is a typical feature of high summer weather.
Some years I like to try growing different things in the vegetable garden. This year it was onions. They took little work. A week or more ago the tops fell over, all of them, overnight, it seemed - a sign that they were done growing and could be harvested. I pulled them up and laid them on a table to dry for a week. Yesterday I braided them and hung them for further drying in the barbecue shelter. I'm rather tickled with the effect. This amount of onions should last us for a few months, at least.
Using garden produce is the theme of meals around here. I made a zucchini tart - pastry with goat cheese spread on top (mixed with herbs and lemon zest), then thinly sliced zucchini that had been salted and left to drain for an hour. Brush the top with olive oil and bake for 50 minutes or so. Sprinkle with more fresh herbs. Lovely for a light meal.
The figs are ripe! We don't harvest huge amounts of them - but we're learning how to prune to increase the first harvest and hope for more in the future. We will get a couple dozen this year. Mary, from A Breath of Fresh Air posted a recipe for these lovely fig tarts yesterday and I immediately pulled out some frozen puff pastry to thaw. Crispy, not-too-sweet, and a perfect dessert.
We enjoyed them with a daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter last night. They signed up for Disney Plus over the summer and invited us to watch the musical Hamilton after the 8-year-old went to bed. We enjoyed it very much, but I've been doing some research about the historical accuracy, just to keep things straight in my head.
A work colleague invited me for an outdoor visit this week. She clipped a beautiful rose for me as I was leaving. Orange and blue make a striking pair. And I leave you with the words of our Provincial Health Officer, who closes each update with "Be kind, be calm, be safe.
What a beautiful view! Both your zucchini tart and fig tart look wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYour zucchini tart and fig tart look delicious! And what a lovely combo of your apricot rose in the blue vase. Yes those words by your Provincial Health Officer are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend,
Brenda xo
Wonderful view across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. That zucchini tart looks delicious. I just was gifted a zucchini and I might just have to try to duplicate it. Sounds like you had some nice gatherings. I just harvested our garlic and hung it to dry!
ReplyDeleteYou have lovely views to enjoy. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
ReplyDeleteLove your header. Your tart looks picture perfect.
ReplyDeleteSuper post, Lorrie. Your capture of the hummingbird is perfect, how often does one do? Bravo!
ReplyDeleteI'd love a good hike, we had a great time doing it in Asheville. My back is acting up so I wouldn't be readily able, and Asheville will be out of the question for the foreseeable future. I'm still feeling very blessed...I haven't contracted Covid, nor has anyone I am close to. Amen!
Love to you, my friend. Stay safe!
I have only ever seen hummingbirds in Brazil - so tiny and colourful, I was thrilled by them. You are fortunate to have them in your locality.
ReplyDeleteI must try Mary's recipe too, I normally make a savoury pastry tart with my figs using goats cheese, and honey.
Our latest update message from Boris is rather more prosaic 'Hands, face, space'.
Everything looks and sounds so wonderful! Nice views. A very good capture of the hummingbird seeing as we don't often see them resting. I saw Mary's post about the tart. Yours seems to have turned out just right. :) Have a blessed day.
ReplyDeleteDear Lorrie, the photos from your walk are beautiful, especially of the hummingbird. They are so dear. I always marvel at how something so tiny can travel the distance they do. Nature is truly magnificent.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing your onions, I remember when we had a large garden we would braid our garlic in the same way you did your onions. Your tarts look delicious.
Have a beautiful day and week ahead. Stay well.
I made almost the same tart today for lunch, but with the addition of some fresh sliced tomatoes and some thyme leaves.. It's so easy and pleasnat to eat.
ReplyDeleteWhat a loveey combination the orangey rose is with the blue vase.
Love the sound of the zucchini tart. Will have to give it a go. Love the scenic view. B x
ReplyDeleteAmazing hummingbird capture.
ReplyDeleteYou food looks delicious.
We are not enamoured with Disney anymore. Since they signed a partnership deal with Colin Kapernack. He, the well paid football player, who began the Athletes Kneeling thing. Things like this, deserve a check on too. Along with how much of Hamilton was accurate.
That tart looks tasty.
ReplyDeleteYesterday friends dropped off a basket of fresh veggies. I have to say that the zucchini tasted fantastic and home grown lettuce actually has flavor.
My comment just disappeared ... was going to say that this is a lovely post, as yours always are. Calming and delightful, with glorious photography.
ReplyDeleteOur daughter just gave us some zucchini from her garden, and a tart sounds like a great use for some of it.
Our son-in-law says we can’t leave their place without taking at least one zucchini home with us! So that particular recipe sounds wonderful ... most of the ones I have are written for families with healthy growing teenagers, which was us the last time we had a garden. Back then it was easy to use great amounts of garden produce !
ReplyDeleteFirst off let me say that I too have had a message like the one above, no idea where it came from though.
ReplyDeleteThe hummingbird is so well camouflaged it took me a while to spot it, going to try your zucchini tart recipe this week, it loos delish.
Glad to know you're staying safe, Happy MM.
The zucchini tart looks delicious, just the type of food I like. I must try it out. Great to see the humming bird and the wonderful view from your walk. I like the quote from your local health officer:)
ReplyDeleteHi Lorrie. That is a beautiful view of the mountain ranges. Both of your tarts--savory and sweet--look delicious! We have a small fig tree growing in a large pot, so we can overwinter it in our garage, but it is too cool here outside during the evenings and nights for it to produce many figs. We feel fortunate to have about 6 small ones a summer. Your onions look so pretty braided like that--my grandmother used to do that when she harvested hers. Hummingbirds are so delightful to watch and I am always amazed by their speed.
ReplyDeleteNow you have me thinking about tarts...with fresh from the garden zucchini. Love that tile with the Dr. Bonnie Henry quote...one we will never forget. Our kids (daughter and SIL) also signed up for Disney Plus this summer...I think my son-in-law is enjoying the old Disney movies more than the grands.
ReplyDeleteDr. Bonnie Henry's excellent public health communications played a crucial role in B.C.'s effective response to the pandemic. There's a cute photo of her as a 7-year-old that was used as a science poster, "The World Needs More Nerds".
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely supply of onions from your garden.
ReplyDeleteThat is one beautiful early morning walk with view. Hummingbirds are hard to capture on camera for sure.
The peach color rose with the blue vase is gorgeous.
Wow that is quite the view. - You've managed to get a nice crop of onions there. The tart sounds interesting. I only recently this past year tried Goat Cheese, I liked it. The Fig tart sounds yummy too.
ReplyDeleteI can see why your braided onions please you! Your zucchini tart looks delicious. We have quite a few zucchini in the fridge right now, a gift from a neighbor's bounteous garden. Lovely closing words from you via the Provincial Health Officer.
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing view of the mountains! Your photos of tarts made me think I could do a tart with our fresh local peaches! Sad that we need a reminder to be kind, isn't it? We enjoyed seeing Hamilton also. My kids have been fans of the soundtrack and were so thankful to actually be able to see a performance of it,even if it was on tv and not in a theatre!
ReplyDeleteI always love scrolling through your pics and words, Lorrie. Your zucchini tart looks amazing! What I loved the most was seeing tour wedding picture of you and Tim 💕. Happy 43 years of marriage!! You are blessed!
ReplyDeleteLovely post and photographs, your zucchini tart looks so delicious.
ReplyDeleteThe words from your Provincial Health Officer, "Be kind, be calm, be safe," are excellent.
All the best Jan
Lorrie - congratulations on your onions - and I love the artistic look of the braids! It's lunchtime here and all your food photos have me salivating! Off to find some nourishment. Enjoy the rest of your week!
ReplyDelete"Be kind, be calm, be safe"- I love that! It's so much better than "Stay alert, control the virus, save lives". I've just been catching up, your boat trip sounded so calm and beautiful and, belatedly, Happy Anniversary to you both. x
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing those mountains during my brief visit to Victoria. The view was most impressive.
ReplyDeleteSo glad the fig recipe worked for you dear. I have so many right but we've stopped picking as the bees and other insects are coming in droves to eat the ripe ones!
ReplyDeleteThat view is awesome - I love where you live.