Radicals in my Garden

Radicals in my Garden

That is an Opium Poppy,  (papaver somniferum).

When I was a very young girl I spent a lot of time out in the country side gathering food for our many rabbits. 

Sooner or later I would run into a Poppy field. 

Often the pods were almost ripe but not quite. 

I would open a pod, empty the many seeds into my hand and hold my hand up toward the sun. 

Within seconds the unripe and green seeds would turn into black poppy seeds. 

Yes those innocent looking black seeds.  The kind you would sprinkle onto baked breads, cookies and cakes. 

As soon as the seeds turned black I would eat them.
All of them. 

All at once. 

I told no one.  

Have a great week dear friends.  

Gina  

Nature has been generous

And I love it all

We never know what kind of year we're going to have.  
It's either feast or famine.

I'm not bashful. I call it what it is,  Fabulous. 

We had to harvest our grapes a few days early.  

The wasps showed up before the grapes were completely ripe. Wasps dessicate our grapes in only two days. 

We had to get up very early, while it was still dark.  Wasps wait until the sun comes out before they leave their hiding places.

They will come after you. 

Juiced by hand, nothing added. 

Raw Interlaken Grape juice.

Picked yesterday morning...

In the freezer this afternoon.

Peaches are next.

I knew it would break...too many peaches for a young tree. 

These peaches will be ripe in about a week. 

Will share with friends...they get the pleasure of picking their own. 

Did I tell you that I love picking fruit, high up on a ladder looking at the blue sky and the puffy, white clouds. 

We also have two older peach trees, "Early Albertas".  They always ripen early.  

Early Albertas are cling free and easy to peel and they have a most superior flavor...in other words they are the perfect peach. 

Late grapes (if they survive) will become golden raisins.

  Papaver Somniferum still blooming in my garden.  
I'm saving seeds.

If you're in the neighborhood.  Stop by.  
The ladder is leaning up against the tree. 

Gina

Summer

And all the fun and work that comes with it.

My new Tayberry bush is doing well.  This luscious fruit needs a special accompaniment

A Sabayon or if in Italy, a Zabaglione is the perfect answer. 
Recipe here

You will need a double boiler and a tireless arm. 

My Basil is perfect for picking and perfect for making Pesto.

It will go to seed in a few days. Must stock up on Pine Nuts and the very best olive oil I can find.

Apricots are ripe, ready for preserves.

Now this is the variety of Opium Poppy I don't like.  
I like simple flowers. 
When these poppies first opened I started to pull some of them out.

But then thought better of it. 

If I had pulled them all I would have missed these Beauties. 

I'm still bottle feeding Liesel.  

Sunflowers are volunteering in the Squash Patch.

Ronde de Nice or Rolly Pollies are ready.
They are the very best Summer Squash. 

And I have been painting a lot of tiles for new kitchens.  


It's another beautiful day here.  
Hope you are enjoying summer.  

Gina 

http://betweennapsontheporch.

I have not abandoned you

As usual, this time of year

I am preparing for  

the Annual Artist Studio Tour. 

See that red Poppy with the black and green center?

That is an Opium Poppy,  (papaver somniferum).

When I was a very young girl I spent a lot of time out in the country side gathering food for our many rabbits. 

Sooner or later I would run into a Poppy field. 

Often the pods were almost ripe but not quite. 

I would open a pod, empty the many seeds into my hand and hold my hand up toward the sun. 

Within seconds the unripe and green seeds would turn into black poppy seeds, yes the kind you would sprinkle onto baked breads and cakes. 

As soon as the seeds turned black I would eat them, all of them, 

all at once. 

Was that Euphoria I felt?

Wishing you a euphoric week my dear 
Blogging Friends

Gina