A Welcome Visitor!

Colorful Zinnias grown from last year's saved seeds!

Every year in September I snip some of the colorful Zinnia blossoms from the stems.  The blossoms are dried out and then the Zinnia seeds are harvested and saved for next year's crop.  

The dried Zinnia seeds

The following Spring, usually in late May, the seeds are planted.  Before we know it the little green sprouts have 3 to 4 sets of leaves.  They are on their way to add color to our gardens.

Today it was great to see an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly fly in for a visit!
 

That is a great perk!  The colorful Zinnias also attract Monarch Butterflies and we have seen Hummingbirds visit.  

 Do you have Zinnias blossoming in your gardens?  Do you save seeds to plant the following year?  It is easy to do.

Enjoy!
Happy gardening!

The Month of Blueberries!

Fresh Local Blueberries!

The month of July is the month of blueberries!  Blueberries that are locally grown and available at farmers' markets and also ready to be purchased at roadside stands.  After the "buy local" freshly picked blueberries are purchased it is a tradition for me to prepare many of them to store in freezer bags and place the labeled/ dated bags in our freezer.  I always appreciate just reaching into our freezer to take out a bag to defrost during the colder months of the year.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

Not all of the juicy blueberries find their way into our freezer.  A batch of Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes are always prepared that week and enjoyed for breakfast! It is a favorite breakfast here. I have been making these pancakes for so many years!  Click here for recipe.  Oh, there are definitely extras.  Those extras are placed in the freezer for quick breakfasts on other mornings.  Reheating the pancakes in the microwave is so easy on a busy morning.   

Another treat is to bake a batch of Yummy Blueberry Muffins!  Yummy definitely is a great description for these muffins!  Click here for recipe.  A fresh muffin or two really hits the spot.  After they cool, a few muffins also find a spot in the freezer.  It is a nice surprise to find and defrost a few weeks later.

Yummy Blueberry Muffins

Fresh local blueberries are just delicious!  Delicious for snacking, for adding to cereal and also to use when baking.  Do you purchase fresh local blueberries?

Enjoy!
Yummy!

                

Happy Fourth of July!!

Norman Rockwell's Liberty Bell (Celebration)
Cover of American Artist
July 1976 issue
Courtesy of Norman Rockwell Museum

Celebrating our country's birthday by admiring a beautiful work by the artist Norman Rockwell! 

Have a happy and a safe Fourth of July!!