Untitled July Post

Wildflower...
Amazing Cloud Action...

Unknown Flowering Ornamental Shade Tree...From the Salmon Creek School Plant Fair ...I Picked this up several years ago...I do not know its name but it is a beautiful and hardy ornamental. The blossoms reminds me of snapdragons.....Does it have the word "monkey" in it's name? Maybe...you tell me...
Satsuma Plum...I have thinned and thinned, and this plum tree is still absolutely laden with fruit. They are already cracking open from the rain. So far, the Greengage, and Santa Rosa have shown no signs of splitting. We are eating lots of plums. More pics to come...
Poppy...
Wild, BlackCap Raspberry...
Apples...
Glads...
Lavender Soon Over...In the afternoon light....
Day Lily Show: Part 2....
I am loving the Sunflowers....and below, rare RED California Poppy, preparing to pop.
What can be said? The days are long and time is short. The weather has been cool and somewhat cloudy since our big rain on Wednesday. The sun tried to shine today but it was barely warm enough for shorts. I continue to water even though the ground is moist all over. The rain was sweet, but even though it rained hard enough to runoff, the ground is moistened only about 3"-4" down. Still, many of the cracks in the earth did swell some, and the garden feels fresh and moist. I am using these overcast days to deep water, and mulch. I am amazed at the beauty of the last week. Many flowers are coming out, the fruit is luscious and plentiful, and with the rain, everything is moist and inviting. We made a fantastic mulberry crisp today. It is one of my favorite quick, and EZ desserts, for when there is a bounty of fruit that needs to be consumed.

FRESH FRUIT CRISP:
Preheat the oven to about 350*. Line the bottom of your pan with fresh whole berries, thinly sliced apples, sliced pears, peaches or plums, or combination that you have in abundance, or seems appealing to you. Generously dot the fruit with margerine or butter (for low fat, simply omit) and top with 2-4 TBS sugar OR honey. (If using pears or apples, I always add cinnamon) In a separate bowl, combine equal amounts of margerine/butter OR oil, and sweetener, such as brown or white sugar, maple syrup or honey. Add to this, equal amounts of oats, flour, and finely chopped walnuts. This mixture should be crumbly, not wet. (APPRX> 1/2 cup oil, and1/2 cup sweetener, to about a 1 cup each, oats, flour, and nuts...) Bake your crisp until it is bubbly on the bottom, and a crispy golden brown on top. Cool. Enjoy! (Fresh fruit crisp is especially good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or dollop of Brown Cow (Cream on Top) yogurt!)
Have a bloomin' good weekend!

Jj