'Pink Perfection' is the only spring-flowering camellia that I have. I prefer the fall/winter flowering sasanqua varieties ... they're a bit more predictable and less susceptible to unpredictable spring weather.
Pink Perfection looked to be poised for a spectacular number of flowers, till Friday's gale-force winds knocked off most of the big, fat buds. There they are, on the ground. :(
The Dogwood tree at the center of my Hybrid Tea Garden in the front yard is just beginning to open its flowers. It's going to be spectacular by the middle of next week.
I saw the single-flowered form of Kerria japonica at a garden on tour last spring. Mentioned it to a friend, who happened to have a plant that she wasn't going to use. It is now growing on the shady west end of one of my front yard rose borders. (This flower is about the size of a quarter.)
As I was weeding and pruning last week, I noticed this tiny, perfect bud on 'Dr. E. M. Mills". This bud, and many others that have also formed already throughout the garden, hold the promise of a spectacular rose season to come ... in about eight weeks!
2. Mrs. Wren is now sitting on her eggs in the flowerpot nest in my greenhouse. I think she has five eggs. I noticed her camped on the nest, when I carefully peeked at it on Friday afternoon. A quick Google search told me that wrens incubate their eggs for 12-16 days. In two weeks, give or take a day or two, the babies should hatch.
3. Winnie likes to think of herself as a guard dog. She watches for 'intruders' and then she barks and growls to sound as fierce as she can. In this case, it was our daughter coming home this morning from working an overnight shift. As you can see, Ruby trusts that Winnie has the situation handled.
4. Today is chilly and windy ... a stark contrast to the warm weather that we had here for the past few days. My husband had planned to work outside today, and that's exactly what he did ... cutting and securing timbers between the fence posts to form the back border of the Rambler Fence. He deals better with cold and wind than I do.
Ruby is in her window, watching the progress.
5. I have been keeping myself occupied inside today, where it's warm, making big pots of soup for dinner tonight and to restock the freezer with quick, healthy weeknight dinners for the next few weeks.
Cauliflower Potato soup, as seen before I whirled it smooth with the hand blender.
Recipe is HERE.
Black Bean and Pumpkin soup is ugly but incredibly yummy and LOADED with fiber and other good-for-you stuff!
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Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
32 ounces chicken broth
3 cans 15-1/2 ounce cans of black beans (rinsed and roughly pureed in blender with some of the chicken broth)
1 16-ounce can of pumpkin puree
1 can tomatoes w/ chilis (like Rotel original)
1-1/2 cup finely chopped onion
4 finely chopped cloves of garlic (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 rounded tablespoon ground Cumin
6-8 strips cooked bacon, finely chopped.
I dump all the ingredients into my favorite soup pot, and simmer gently for about half an hour. Serve as is, or add a sprinkling of grated cheese and/or a blob of sour cream.