A Little of Everything

We got another slice of sunshine today...a sliver between two periods of rain. Mike and I used the time to do some badly needed work in the yard. Mike did some mowing and as I'm writing this, he's outside pressure washing all the green slime that has accumulated on the patios and sidewalks over the winter. I walked outside last night to snip some chives for my linguine dish and nearly slipped and fell. Oy. I can tell you this...at just a few weeks away from my 60th birthday, I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in breaking a bone. Can I get an Amen on that?

Speaking of my linguine, I would be remiss if I didn't tell you that it was so yummy, and so simple. Honestly, don't be intimidated by clams. Nothing could be simpler. Here's how it looked when I served it up:

This is a recipe from Bon Appetit called Spaghetti alle Vongole (which translates into spaghetti with clams...appropriate, wouldn't you say?). I had a package of linguine open, and so I used that. It makes enough for two, and I'll tell you that the recipe calls for a whole teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes. I was afraid it would be too spicy, but it was just right for our palates. I like spicy food, but Mike is a little more sensitive. We both agreed it was a good amount of heat. Anyway...simple and quick. Give it a try, even if you've never tried doing fresh clams in the shell before.

So once the weather warmed up a little I filled the bird feeders, set up the birdcam (Yes! the Goldfinches are back!) and then went to work planting my annuals. Mike helped me heft some bags of potting soil around because some of the larger pots needed more dirt added to them. I planted Gerbera daisies:

Marigolds (things are looking a little bedraggled because I just doused them good with the hose):

Geraniums...I used to plant petunias here, but I switched to geraniums when the squirrels devoured them one year.

Also, I planted a sun sugar cherry tomato in one of the whiskey barrels formerly occupied by tulips (cue a trumpet playing Taps for the tulips...eaten by our friends the squirrels)

And I planted daisies, pansies, and what I've always called a "cock's comb" in the three pots on the upper patio. I've always planted too much in these pots, and so I exercised a little restraint this year. (Does exercising restraint count as one of my four days of exercise for the week?)

These got a little dry sitting in the greenhouse and they kind of fainted. They should be fine now that I've given them some water and some nice new dirt in which to wiggle their toes.

And I've thwarted the squirrels from eating my petunias by putting them in hanging baskets at the corners of the roof on my greenhouse window.

They will be hanging in pretty tendrils of blossoms in a couple of weeks.

Also, I planted some Italian parsley and some sage in the culinary herb garden, and then I was finished. Just before going back inside, I snapped this picture of the Bleeding Heart that is in bloom now.

And then I took the images off the birdcam. Yes! Goldfinches!

Those are all males...Here is Mrs. Goldfinch.

This is a House finch.

And a Purple finch...all dressed up for the ladies.

Looks like he found one...

So, aside from finishing up my embroidery, I didn't do any sewing today. But I did finish up this piece. It's quite small. As I've said before, this is a gift, and so I'm pixelating the words. I'm afraid the words will give it away. This is a design from Jenny of Elefantz.

And with that one done, I'm doing the next section of stitcheries for the Gardener's Journal quilt. There is just one more section after these are complete. This fabric doesn't photograph well, and so these are little hard to see. The first one is "Seed Packets".

This one is a "Violet Wreath". (Looks a little like a crown of thorns today, doesn't it?)

And this one is the "Garden Tools".

So, that's about it from me today. A busy day. I feel like we got a lot accomplished. We didn't do anything special for Easter, but I did pick up a small ham. I wanted it for Denver omelets tonight, and that's what we're having.

I hope you've had a lovely Easter, spent the way you like best.