Saying Hi

Not too much to report around here. Work has had me busy and I've been I've been continuing with tearing apart and replanting the garden. All the field stone in the walk toward my house had to be reset due to some puddling that I wasn't happy with, plus with the regrading of the front lawn, there was no choice. I still have to add some stones but it's looking much happier now. Now the task of figuring out what to do with the gardens near the house. I'd like to create a garden that looks good in the winter because the house looks so blah when everything is dead around it. I had my first Lupine this year, purple, I was so excited, they are so pretty. Pulled out all my Artemisia that completely took over the garden...wow that stuff spreads fast and furious! I was given a Knockout Rose Bush by a client (now friend-- Hi Jan) that I'm excited to have because it's low maintenance and blooms all season. I was also given a ground cover planting that I have no idea what the name is by a client (now friend -- Hi Aileen!) that has a pretty leaf and small purple blooms. Aileen is a very knowledgeable gardener -- she's been at it for 40 years and her gardens look so pretty. I'm soaking up all the knowledge from her that I can retain. I recently found out that Nepta is also low maintenance, so there might be some of that going in. Slowly I am learning.

Want a sweet?

I made cookies this a.m.

We always called them T.V. Snacks, I don't know if they are of another name. Very easy, cooked in a pan on the stove top. Here's the recipe:

2 sticks of butter

2 cups of sugar (I cut it to 1 1/2 this time around as they are very sweet)

1/4 cup cocoa

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup coconut (I've often made it without this but added a little bit of oats to make up for it)

3 cups quick cook oatmeal

Put the first 4 ingredients into a 2 quart sauce pan, bring to rolling boil, boil 30 seconds.

Remove from heat, add vanilla and peanut butter, stir until melted, add coconut and oats.

Stir to mix. Drop spoonfuls of mixture on waxed sheet or foil (don't let the mixture get too cool when you do this, as it will start to be a little crumbly.)

Let cookies cool. Enjoy! Very sweet but yummy.

Busy day today, lots to do this morning and then off to a birthday cookout and it's supposed to be a beautiful 80 degree day. Yeyyyy the rain went away just in time.

Have a great weekend.