Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia Hirta)

The black-eyed Susan plants in my wildflower garden are getting ready to bloom. I love them because they bloom all summer long and provide so much color in the garden.

Black-eyed Susan, or Rudbeckia Hirta, is probably the most common of all American wildflowers. They are native to the eastern United States, but have spread throughout North America. They are also called Gloriosa Daisies or Coneflowers. They have bright yellow or gold flowers and can grow to a height of 12-24".

Rudbeckia Hirtas are excellent plants for butterfly and wildflower gardens. They grow well in zones 2 through 11. Often grown as cutting plants, the flowers will last 6 to 10 days in a floral arrangement. Plants are best propagated from seed. Seeds should be surface sown and will germinate in 5-10 days from sowing. The plants reseed by scattering the seeds in center of the flower heads. Therefore, do not remove the flower heads during your fall cleanup.
They grow best in full sun to partial shade, in well drained soil. The plants should be watered well and allowed to dry before watering again. They are drought tolerant, but perform better with regular watering and fertilization with compost.

Thanks to Susan, of A Southern Daydreamer, for hosting Outdoor Wednesday.

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Mediterranean Omelet

This healthy and delicious omelet is a family favorite at our house. It's perfect for serving at a brunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup organic grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped organic baby spinach
• 2 tablespoon chopped vidalia onion
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon sliced black olives
• 2 large organic eggs
• a pinch of oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy.
2. In an 8 or 9-inch, cast iron skillet, heat olive oil on top of the stove on medium. Add egg mixture.
3. Top with spinach, onion, tomatoes, sliced olives, oregano, salt, pepper and crumbled feta cheese.
4. Cover skillet and cook for about 6 minutes over medium heat, until egg mixture is firm.
5. Using a spatula, loosen the bottom of half of the omelet and fold in half. Cook for another 1-2 minutes.
   

Enjoy!

Growing Daylilies

The daylilies in our front garden are already in bloom. They typically bloom in July here, so they're a couple of weeks ahead of schedule.

Daylilies belong to the genus Hemerocallis and are not true lilies. This Greek word is made up of two parts: hemera meaning day and kallos meaning beauty. The name is indicative of its flower, which lasts only one day. Daylilies are native to Asia.

The leaves of daylilies are long, slender, and grass-like. They form attractive clumps of arching, thin foliage of various sizes ranging from 12 to 30 inches tall by 12 to 24 inches wide. When blooming, they commonly reach 12 to 36 inches tall.

Daylilies thrive in fertile, moist, well-drained soil. Amending the soil with rich compost will produce healthy plants and blooms. Avoid piling heavy mulch directly on top of or against the base of the plants, as they need to breathe.

Daylilies prefer full sun to partial shade. Once established, they can withstand heat and drought better then most commonly grown perennials. Generally, they can be grown without many insect or disease problems. However, aphids, crown rot, leaf spots, leaf streak, rust, and spider mites may occasionally become problematic.

Daylilies can be planted from the early spring to late summer. Loosen roots slightly and plant no more than 1" above the crown. Space them about 18" to 24” apart as they will nearly triple in size each year.

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Staying Cool in the Summer Heat

Today is officially the first full day of summer, and it sure is hot here in New England. Here are a few frugal tips for staying cool when the mercury rises:

• Wear less clothing.
• Wear light colored, breathable, natural fabrics, such as cotton and linen.
• Remove your shoes when you go indoors.
• Keep curtains and blinds closed during the heat of the day.
• If your house has multiple levels, spend most of your time on the lower levels, where the temperature is the coolest.
• Minimize the use of your oven by cooking outside on the grill or in a crock pot.
  
• Wait until after the sun goes down to run your dishwasher, dryer and other heat-producing appliances.
• Use a clothesline instead of the clothes dryer.
• Use ceiling fans to create a breeze and to recirculate air.
• Drink lots of ice cold beverages, especially water.
• Eat cold items, such as chilled fruit or frozen yogurt.
  
• Run the bathroom fan after you shower to pull the humidity out of the house.
• Trade in your hot shower for a cold one.
• Let your hair air dry and enjoy the cooling effect of wet hair while you wait for it to dry.
• Lighten up your bedding.
• If you have a pool, buy one of those chair floats that allow you to get wet. These really cool you off when you float around in them. If you don't have a pool, you can always set up a kiddie pool in the backyard and take a dip.
• Make sure all air vents are free of obstructions.
  
• Head to the mall to enjoy the free air conditioning there.

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A Father's Day Tribute to Dad

My father passed away last December, and it felt so strange not buying a card for him for Father's Day this year. I miss him and am especially mindful of him today.

I have such fond memories of Dad. He definitely had a creative mind. When I was very young, Dad decided to build us our own hot dog stand in the backyard. It looked like the real thing, with signs and all. I remember he hung brightly-colored flag garlands on it. He also built a barbecue pit nearby. It was fun grilling hot dogs and eating them at the hot dog stand counter. In the fall, we'd make our own apple cider out there. Dad had an old fashioned, wooden cider press, which we filled with apples from the trees growing in our backyard.
Another time, Dad took an old wooden rack used to dry clothing and made it into a tent for us. I was probably about 3 or 4 at the time. I remember spending hours playing it it. I thought our tent was just the coolest thing...until it was invaded by earwigs after a rainstorm.

Dad also taught me the importance of family when I was growing up. He never missed any of my school events, even if he had to miss work to attend them. When I was married with a family of my own, Dad was especially proud of his grandchildren. Both of our children have such fond memories of all of those barbecues and Christmas Eve celebrations at Grandpa's house. Dad never missed any of their birthdays and even came to some of our son's football games when he was growing up.
Dad also taught me how to laugh, love, garden and to help those that are less fortunate. I remember how he would always help out a needy family during the holidays, something I find much joy doing myself as an adult.

When Dad was hospitalized before he passed away, I remember reminiscing with him about the fun times I had when I was growing up. I am so thankful I was able to tell him how much I appreciated having him for a father before he passed away.


Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful dads out there who inspire their children and grandchildren!

Time for a New Computer

I haven't been able to blog lately, as my laptop's progressively-slowing crawl finally came to a screeching halt this week. While it was trying to download automatic updates to Windows Vista, it crashed. When I restarted it, after ten minutes, it crashed again and would not allow the Vista updates to install. Each time I restarted it, it continued to do the same thing. I couldn't understand what was going on, as I am pretty diligent about keeping the security software updated and running regular virus and spyware scans. I decided it was time to reformat the hard drive and install a clean copy of Window 7.

I've done plenty of clean installs on PC's in the past without any problems; however, this time, it was not an easy task. After backing up my files and reformatting the hard drive, I couldn't get Windows 7 to install. Each time I tried, my computer froze during the install. I spent a couple of days on Microsoft's website, trying every suggestion on their tech board, including changing several bios settings, without success.

I finally gave up trying to fix my computer and considered taking it to the professionals at Geek Squad over at Best Buy. However, after some thought, I reconsidered this, as the computer is a few years old. In addition, it is missing a key and several others are sticking. Also, the battery no longer holds a charge, and the power supply needs to be replaced. (I must admit I am rough on laptops, as I use mine for work, as well as for blogging and surfing the Internet.)

After considering the above issues, plus what it potentially would cost to fix it, I decided it was time to replace the computer. Before buying a new computer, I did my homework. I knew I wanted a Gateway, so I searched online for a good deal. I found one from Gateway's NV53 series on BestBuy's website. It has a AMD Athlon II X2 Dual-Core Processor, 4GB DDR2 memory, a double-layer DVD±RW/CD-RW drive, plus a 15.6" LED-backlit high-def widescreen display, a 500GB hard drive, and of course, built-in wireless, mic and webcam.

This sweet laptop came in several colors, but I discovered that I could save $50.00 if I bought the midnight blue, instead of the black one. (I would have bought one in neon green, if necessary, in order to save $50.00; I figured I could always buy an inexpensive skin to cover it if I didn't like the color.) I headed over to BestBuy and bought one in midnight blue for $429.00, which turned out to be much prettier than the black ones.

I am finishing up installing all of my software and configuring the settings to my liking. It's great to be up and running again!

Thanks for stopping by!

Spinach Salad

This delicious, easy-to-make salad is great to serve with grilled fish.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1 pkg. organic spinach
• 1 bottle Cains raspberry viniagrette dressing
• 5 slices Oscar Mayer turkey bacon
  

Directions:

1. Cook bacon and crumble it.
2. Remove stems from spinach; wash and spin dry. Transfer to a large bowl.
   
3. Wash and slice strawberries, then arrange them on top of spinach.
4. Sprinkle bacon bits over spinach and strawberries.
   
5. Serve with raspberry viniagrette dressing.

Yields 4-5 servings

Healthy Information:

Spinach is a rich source of vitamins A, B complex, C, E, K, manganese, iodine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, calcium, folate and beta-carotene. It is also high in folate and magnesium. Folate lowers levels of homocysteine, a protein in the blood that damages arteries. Magnesium is a mineral that can help to lower high blood pressure and also protects against heart disease.

The A and C vitamins in spinach, plus the fiber, folic acid, and other nutrients, help control cancer, especially colon, lung and breast cancers. Spinach is also rich in flavonoids, which help protect against age-related memory loss.

To read about the health benefits of eating strawberries, go here.

Enjoy!

Hawaiian Calzone

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. Healthy Choice ham
• 1 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks
• 1 pkg. Sargento Reduced Fat Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• fresh dough (recipe below)
• 1-2 cups marinara sauce for dipping (optional)
  

Dough Ingredients:

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (110°F)
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
  
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the yeast with water, olive oil, sugar, and salt; stir well to proof. After 5 minutes, add half of the flour and mix well. Add all remaining flour except 1/2 cup and mix well with your hands. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding enough additional flour as necessary to form a smooth and elastic dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and turn it to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on a floured surface. Layer the filling ingredients on one edge of the dough. Roll the edge over and keep repeating the process until you come to the opposite end. Pinch the edges of the dough together all the way around. Brush the top with olive oil and bake for thirty minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for ten minutes before cutting.

Enjoy!

Bountiful Summer Salad

This colorful salad is perfect to serve during the warmer weather.

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. mixed salad greens
• 1 orange
  
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1/2 cup almonds or walnuts
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup raspberry vinaigrette dressing
• 1/2 cup sweet orange marmalade
  

Directions:

1. Mix dressing and marmalade together. Add approximately 1/4 of it to a large zippered bag or container; add chicken and refrigerate to marinate for at least one hour.
2. Peel and section the orange, then cut each section in half.
3. Wash the lettuce and remaining fruit. Cut the strawberries into quarters.
   
4. Grill the chicken; when done, slice into bite-sized pieces.
   
5. Mix the chicken, lettuce, fruit and nuts together in a large salad bowl and serve with the remaining dressing.
   

Enjoy!

Beach Retreat Tablescape

This week's tablescape goes along with the Cape Cod Beach Retreat Deck theme from Monday's post. I received $10.00 back in Kohl's bucks on the cushions for our deck, which I used to buy the matching dinnerware the following week.





I layered sisal placemats with the blue plaid dinner plates and striped salad plates from Kohl's. For napkins, I used navy bandanas and shell napkin rings; I found both on eBay.

A matching striped glass and everyday flatware completes each place setting.











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