Monday, May 30, 2016

Memorial Day


The words feel inadequate, but thank you to those who gave their lives for this country.


Memorial Day always comes at a busy time (the end of the school year), and it is nice to take a breath and a step back, and celebrate the day by doing what is most important - spending the day with those we love.

Today my guy and I went to his parents' house to eat and spend the afternoon with them and his grandparents. Our contribution to the meal was a rhubarb compote (made with fresh-picked rhubarb from the garden) served over vanilla ice cream. We made the compote together in the morning (we used this recipe).



Then we went to Andrew's parents' house, where we spent the afternoon in their lovely garden.




They live on a pond, and it is just beautiful there.











His dad grilled, and we ate outside on the patio. Everything was delicious!




Our compote in action!



After our meal, Andrew and I walked through the woods to the pond.



We saw a turtle!


It was so nice to take a break and relax together. I hope you were able to spend the day with those you love, whether celebrating Memorial Day or not!

xo,
Katherine

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Still Working on Spring Cleanup...


Irises are in bloom!


At the rate I'm going with the spring clean-up over here, it might get done just before our first snowfall...


Earlier this week I actually had a few evenings off! I'm done with my spring semester and have a short break before my summer semester starts for grad school, so I'm squeezing in everything I can before the homework starts up again!

One of the nights I weeded under our bushes, and then planted a bunch of hostas. My mom and her neighbor have both been thinning their gardens of hostas and giving them to me (and her neighbor gave me irises too, though not the ones pictured above). There were a few in there already, but it was nice to fill in the space!






Our potted veggies are growing and doing well!


I also filled this little planter with Hawaii Blue Ageratum and Clear Crystal White Alyssum. It's looking pretty!


Today I weeded our alley garden and planted annual marigolds in with the perennial lilies and daylilies. But I somehow forgot to take photos!

xo,
Katherine

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Gregor Farm and Greenhouse


Recently, my friend Melissa and I went to a new-to-me greenhouse (though it's not actually new at all - it's a family-owned business celebrating 40 years this summer!).











It was a gorgeous day, and absolutely beautiful there. I kept alternating between snapping photos and snatching up herbs, veggies, and flowers to put on our cart!









I also got to feed the chickens! Melissa keeps her own chickens, so that was maybe slightly less exciting for her. ;)






They can jam there as well, and I couldn't resist taking a jar home with me (I chose Dolgo Crabapple, which is an absolutely beautiful jewel-toned jam - and it tastes delicious too!).


And they have three silkies! How cute are these guys?!













We left with a trunkful of plants and our heads full of plans for our own gardens!


xo,
Katherine