Dirt Therapy

Well, who would have thunk it? Those silly weather people, who usually get us all in a tizz over nothing, were actually right this time. We woke up to a beautiful white Christmas. They say that 1989 was the last time it happened. I have not ventured out yet. I took these photos from the windows. Outside the breakfast room window (a tiny room that was once a back porch) is where I have most of the bird feeders during the winter. Michael got me some new ones for Christmas this year so I will have to get them out next week. And speaking of feeding the birds, what is up with the huge price hikes on bird seed??? From the bedroom window - Merry Christmas! Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Until a few years ago, we were heavily into Christmas - trees and decorations in every room, lights all over the place, and a grand party every year for our friends, family and co-workers. Well, it was fun while it lasted but then it got to where it was a chore and not so much fun. So we stopped - completely. We sold most of our Christmas decorations and now only have one main tree, which has not been put up for the past two years. I do miss the decorations but not the work that went into it. And I miss our big party - even though I'm not a party person and it always made me a nervous wreck.  My favorite thing was preparing the food for the party and one dessert I always made was a yule log. I still make it every year. It is beautiful and fun to do and not as hard as you'd think. Most of all, it is quite delicious - the combination of chocolate and Kahlua is divine. I found this recipe somewhere on the Internet and thank goodness I printed it out because a recent search fai...

This cold hardy camellia (to -20!) has compact, upright growth and lovely shell-pink, peony type flowers that begin in late November for us (the above photo was taken the day before Thanksgiving) and continue through late winter and early spring. It was developed by Bill Ackerman in 1987 from a cross between C. x willimsii 'November Pink' x C. oleifera 'Lu Shan Snow'. Long thought of as deep south shrubs, hardier camellias are now a reality thanks to breeding efforts by Bill Ackerman at the National Arboretum during the 80s. When devastating hard freezes hit the area in the late 70s, the Arboretum's huge camellia collection (around 900) was almost wiped out. They noticed that a c. oleifera species (later given the name i"Lu Shan Snow"), introduced in 1948 from northern China, stood up admirably to the cold temperatures. Seeking other varieties in the species, they found another one they called "Plain Jane" and set out to develop new v...

The garden is cold, the kitchen beckons. If you like chocolate and mint, I think you'll like these cookies. I've made them many times and they are especially nice this time of year. They are soft and chewy and the mint/chocolate combination is just right. I've found that Andes mints are the best candies to use for this recipe. They are the right size. I've tried larger mints and they didn't melt easily on the cookies. Enjoy! Ingredients: 3/4 c. butter 1 1/2 c. brown sugar 2 TBS. water 2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 eggs 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 18-20 chocolate mint candies (cut in half) Directions: Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. Unwrap the candy pieces and cut them in half. In a heavy saucepan over low heat, warm the butter, sugar and water until the butter is melted. Add the chocolate chips and mix until the chocolate is partially melted. Remove from heat and mix until the...

I've never made toffee before and I was surprised that it is very easy to make. I made these for a goodie bag that we do for the student workers at the library. If I make it again, I think I'll use a bigger pan so the bars will be thinner - it was too sugary for me and that is saying a lot. I might increase the chocolate as well to make that layer a tad thicker. Ingredients: 2 cups butter 2 cups white sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup finely chopped almonds Directions: In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the butter, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. Allow to come to a boil, and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color, and the temperature has reached 285 degrees F (137 degrees C). Stir occasionally. While the toffee is cooking, cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Use enough to form sides so that it doesn't stick to the pan. As soon as the to...

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

The oakleaf hydrangea has something to offer in every season (flowers, leaves, bark) and they are stunning in fall with their blazing foliage. These photos were taken the day before Thanksgiving, before we started getting rain and cold temperatures. Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy