THE VILLAGE VOICE

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within ." Elizabeth Kubler -Ross COLEUS ( Solenostemon ) 'Mint Chocolate' "In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary. " ~ Aaron Rose

"Beauty without colour seems somehow to belong to another world." ~ Murasaki Shikibu Asiatic Lily (popping potted lily for late summer interest) ________ " We only part to meet again." ~ John Gay

"When gardeners garden, it is not just plants that grow, but the gardeners themselves." ~ Ken Druse PURPLE CONEFLOWER ( Echinacea purpurea ) CONEFLOWER (Echinacea 'Big Sky') Rock Garden (Black-eyed Susan, Sedum, Daylilies, Hardy Geranium, Hosta, Zinnia, Verbena, Red Begonia, Streptocarpus, Moonbeam Coreopsis) Streptocarpus formosus (Cape Primrose) SHASTA DAISY (Leucanthemum) Black-Eyed Susan ( Rudbeckia ) Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) also called shrub althaea Hydrangea (Annabelle Hydrangea - H. macrophylla ) Hosta 'Sum and Substance' Back Corner Garden ________ "A garden really lives only insofar as it is an expression of faith, the embodiment of a hope and a song of praise." ~ Russell Page

"Just for one's health ... it is very necessary to work in the garden and to see the flowers growing." Vincent Van Gogh PURPLE CONEFLOWER ( Echinacea purpurea ) 'NOT YOUR ORDINARY' BLUEBERRY MUFFINS ~ On the lighter side, these are always a family favorite from ... PICNIC! Recipes and Menus for Outdoor Enjoyment 1 2/3 cups flour 1/3 cup wheat germ 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 t sp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 cups MICHIGAN blueberries (preferably small wild ones) 1 cup buttermilk 2 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter Preheat oven to 400-degrees. In large bowl, combine flower, wheat germ, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add blueberries and stir to coat. Add buttermilk and butter. Stir until just mixed. Spoon batter into greased muffin pans. Bake 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pans for 2 minutes. "The purple coneflower isn't really purple at all. The large, eye-catching flowers are bright rose-pink. Each flower has a bristly iridescent orange cent...

"Let no one think that real gardening is a bucolic an meditative occupation. It is an insatiable passion, like everything else to which a man gives his heart. " ~ Karel Capek ~ Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) • Family: Aster (Asteraceae) • Habitat: fields, open woods, roadsides •Height: 1-3 feet • Flower size: 2-3 inches across • Flower color: yellow and dark brown • Flowering time: June to October• Origin: Midwestern U.S. ________________ “If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, Rejoice, for your soul is alive." ~ Eleanora Duse

"A Garden is the best alternative therapy." ~ Germaine Greer ~ Rose Mallow (hardy hibiscus) Hibiscus ____________ LIME MOUSE PIE ~ Tropical in flavor, this bold tart compliments a hot summer day . Keep it handy ( Bon Appetit 1991) as I have for over 18 years _________________ Crust: 8 whole graham crackers 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut 7 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter Filling: 1/2 cup amber (gold) rum 1 1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin 4 large eggs 1 cup sugar 2/3 cup fresh lime juice 3 Tbsp. grated lime peel 1 cup chilled whipping cream Sweetened flaked toasted coconut For crust : Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Process graham crackers in processor until finely ground. Add coconut and butter and pulse to blend. Press crumb mixture on bottom and 1 3/4 - inches up sides of 8-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown on edges, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. For filling : Place rum in small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand 10 minutes to soften. Whisk eggs, sugar a...

"Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle ... a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to the light, a bud straining to unfurl. And the anticipation nurtures our dream." - Barbara Winkler ~ Quilled Daisy Mum _____ CABBAGE BISQUE "The underrated cabbage is transformed into a fresh, nutty and creamy bisque. Serve with a salad of field greens with cranberry mustard vinaigrette and crusty french bread." ~ adapted from The Northwoods Table ____ 1/2 lb. sweet butter 1/2 cup minced onion 1 lb. finely shredded cabbage (commercially prepared cabbage cole slaw mix works very well) 3 Tbsp. sweet butter 1/4 cup flour 2 quarts organic chicken stock (or vegetable stock) 2 cup heavy cream 1 tsp. nutmeg In a 4-quart stockpot, melt butter and saute onion and carrot for 3-5 minutes (do not allow to brown ). Add cabbage and mix thoroughly. Saute over low heat for 5 minutes In a 1-quart saucepan, melt 3 Tbsp. sweet butter. add 1/4 cup flour and whisk c...

"I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the Valleys." - Song of Solomon 2. 1-17 ~ Rose of Sharon

"NOTHING IS MORE COMPLETELY THE CHILD OF ART THAN A GARDEN." ~ Sir Walter Scott GRILLED SHRIMP GYROS with HERBED YOGURT SAUCE ~ Adapted from a worn Southern Living Magazine clipping * 1 1/2 lbs. peeled & deveined medium shrimp 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano or marjoram 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil juice & zest of 1 lemon 6 (12-inch) wooden skewers (soaked 1/2 hour in water) 4 (8-inch) pita or gyro rounds Herbed Yogurt Sauce 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 4 chopped and seeded Roma tomatoes 1 thinly sliced English cucumber Combine herbs, lemon juice, zest and olive oil in heavy-duty zip-lock bag. Add shrimp, seal and chill 30 minutes. Remove from marinade and thread on skewers. Grill, covered, over medium coals about 5 minutes on each side or until shrimp begin to turn pink. Wrap pita rounds in damp cloth and microwave on HIGH 10-15 seconds or until soft. Spread 1 side of each pita round with Herbed Yogurt Sauce. Top evenly with shrimp, feta, chopped tomato, an...

" Birth, life, and death ... each took place on the hidden side of a leaf." ~ Toni Morrison