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.

Our Mother's Day gift! 

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

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

In Our Garden - Mid May

Happy Sunday! The kitties have really been enjoying the porch weather...

Here's what's blooming now in our garden. The cherries are still green:

So are the serviceberries:

The peonies (my absolute favorite) are almost here!

The chives are filling in:

I spent today clearing out the herb garden just outside our kitchen door, and then planting the new herbs I got (went to a lovely greenhouse with my friend - photos coming soon!).

Planted in the herb garden:

• Cilantro
• Curled parsley
• Dill
• Italian large leaf basil
• Mojito mint
• Lavender ('Munstead')
• 2 Arugula plants 

Already in the herb garden, back from last year:

• Another type of mint
• Thyme

Also planted some fruits and veggies in pots. We're planning on building raised beds this summer, but don't know that it will happen in time to plant much besides garlic in them, so for now at least we have these pots going...

Planted in the pots:

• 2 'Hansel' eggplants (1 per pot)
• Jalapeño
• Super chili
• Yellow bell (sweet) pepper
• Carolina Gold tomatoes
• Husky Cherry Red tomatoes

Sunday dinner at my parents' house as usual...

And a few shots of my mom's garden. She is the most talented gardener I know, and her yard is always lovely:

xo,
Katherine