Blooming February

It has been such a warm month, I offer that as my only excuse as to my blogging absence. I just find so many things to do outside when the weather is this beautiful. I thought it would be fun to go around my yard and blog a sample of what is blooming.

I spent a lot of the month in the garden. Although the flowers in this post are well established, there is still so much to do year round in the garden. Just clearing, pruning, cleaning up and because I am neurotic, moving plants. A garden changes with time and I'll find that my favorite plants are hidden by others grown around them.

With all of this color one might imagine that it is Spring! That would be a mistake, for although I live in California, and I am blessed with many blooming things in my yard, it most definitely is not spring. I was awakened from my dreams of starting the tomatoes early, by the shocking reality that yes, it is February you crazy woman!!

Oh well, Spring will come and I will be ready for it with my garden gloves, spades, seeds and plants! Until then, I think I'll go play in the snow and dream of the blooms to come, sigh...

The Fine Art Of Cooking

My cooking skills are moderate. Partly due to the fact that I grew up in a house of meat and potatoes and not a lot of exposure to adventurous cooking. Then I married a really great cook, a man who would slowly savor the first bite of our dinner and ask me to identify the spices used, (only if he couldn't identify them himself). Then upon learning the ingredients and methods used would only comment with..."hummm". After a few minutes I get antsy and ask that demeaning question, "well, do you like it?" The answer I most often heard was, " it's fine" not with deep meaning, such as, 'her eyes were so fine'.

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I would become envious while eating at someone else's home, a good, yet not gourmet meal, and the hostess comments, "my husband just loves my 'spaghetti' (or whatever)". All the while thinking, my husband wouldn't. My DH has never to my memory said he loves anything I have cooked. It is usually ' just fine, or O.K.'.

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The past several years DH has been working so many hours that he is too tired to cook and relys on my very basic meals to subsist. I have not enjoyed my own cooking. It is boring and kid friendly and lacks all excitement. Then this week I decided, I am intelligent. I can cook wonderful meals. I will not be deterred by picky children or any adult food snobs. I love you sweetie, but it is true!

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I dug out my gourmet cook books, never before used, and planned my meals. I used the ingredients precisely, no substitutes. I have successfully made food that tastes so good it brings back memories of lovely dinners I used to share with my DH in fine restaurants before the arrival of the picky kids. We have feasted on Chicken Marsala, riced potatoes with olive oil and sauteed garlic, breaded Sole fillets, Par boiled broccoli sauteed with olive oil and garlic, tender green beans and Yukon potatoes. I am stunned that I am the chef of these meals. It has been relatively painless, except for the oil burns on my neck and chest, not to mention the second degree burn on left hand... it is a lovely blister now!

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I will get even better with less bodily injury! The most amazing thing is, not only did my DH say that is has all been "very good", high praise indeed, but he has been having seconds! The kids are still picky, but I read somewhere that the waif look is in!