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The Gardens of Mien Ruys - a book review

I don't know how I missed her, but I was totally unfamiliar with Mien Ruys. A beautiful new book The Gardens of Mien Ruys details her life and work. Born in the Netherlands in 1904, she was the daughter of Bonne Ruys, who founded Moerheim Nursery in 1888. She grew up in a liberal atmosphere and encouraged to learn and study. She found great comfort in the natural world around her and learned all the plants in her father's nursery at a young age. After leaving school at the age of 19, she knew that she wanted to work in the garden center. The Moerheim Nursery, in addition to selling plants, had an on-site design studio where they published a detailed catalog and sold landscape design plans to customers. It was in the design studio where Ruys first began to work and she was soon encouraged to venture beyond her country and study abroad. Her father's connections helped her secure a traineeship with Wallace & Sons Nursery in Tunbridge Wells in England. There, she met Gertr...
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Michael's Southern Home Cooking


I'm surprised that I've never written a post about Michael's delicious Southern cooking. He is an excellent cook. His mamma taught him well! While I consider myself a good baker, I'm not that great at regular cooking and unlike him, I have to have an exact recipe to go by. We went to the Farmer's Market Saturday morning and bought fresh okra. We had okra, peas, fried green tomatoes, corn and of course, cornbread. We only eat like this about once a week, otherwise we would both be the size of the house.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. DJuly 5, 2011 at 10:03 AM

    Phillip, not only looks wonderful but sounds delicious. Love okra but have not grown it in our vegetable garden... brings back many fond memories of living back east. Tell Michael he can whip some up for us anytime. :)

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  2. F CameronJuly 5, 2011 at 11:56 AM

    He did learn to cook...just like my granny used to make! Yumm....good stuff!

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  3. rebeccaJuly 5, 2011 at 12:34 PM

    What a beautiful plate of food and I know it tasted even better than it looks, somehow.

    I love all your fiesta dishes. So pretty. Are they new?

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  4. Lisa at GreenbowJuly 5, 2011 at 12:35 PM

    Now I know why you love Michael so much, it is his cooking. YUMMMMMM I can't bake much of anything but I can make a mean dinner. :)

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  5. AnonymousJuly 5, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    Does that look fabulous!! I just had 'Southern' today, LOVE IT!!!!

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  6. CrystalJuly 5, 2011 at 7:14 PM

    That looks like the sort of stuff my Grandma in Arkansas used to make! My family roots are Southern on both sides, and I do love the cookin' down yonder.

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  7. serial tillerJuly 5, 2011 at 8:07 PM

    This plate envies Paula Deen's and I know...I ate at her restaurant. Now all you need is a glass of sweet tea. I put a sprig of mint in mine..have you tried that? I also stole that idea from PD. Looks dee-licious!

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  8. GailJuly 5, 2011 at 9:04 PM

    Delicious!

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  9. RandyJuly 6, 2011 at 9:35 AM

    Mmmmmmmmm mmmm! That looks delicious, but I'm not surprised. He always cooked delcious food when I was there.

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  10. Rosedale GardenJuly 7, 2011 at 3:53 AM

    Fresh mint tea and fresh lemonade mixed half and half. Mary

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  11. UnknownJuly 8, 2011 at 3:04 PM

    Looks like a heart attack on a plate, but what a wonderful way to go!

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  12. aquablueroseJuly 8, 2011 at 8:30 PM

    Oh wow..that looks So Delicious!!

    You are a Lucky Man!!

    You are both so talented!

    Hugs to you and hugs to Michael!

    gerri XXXX

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  13. KrisJuly 9, 2011 at 8:44 PM

    It does not get much better than that. I love southern cooking.

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