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A Closer Look at Winter Damage

But first, take a look at this gorgeous rainbow that we had on Friday! The five-day stretch of warm temperatures last week really jump-started the garden. Now that plants are putting out new growth, it is easier to see what kind of damage the winter left. Back in mid-January, we experienced five straight days of below-freezing temperatures. This caused much damage in Portland and areas where frigid winds were a factor. Here, we were fortunate to not get the wind and the cold temperatures were dampened by a blanket of snow. That said, it was a tough time for the garden and there are noticeable casualties but no outright deaths that I have seen. The bottlebrush ( Callistemon 'Woodlander's Red') did not like the cold at all. It was planted six years ago, in the north-facing garden no less, and I've not experienced die-back on it until now. A local expert said to cut it all the way back so that is what I did. If it doesn't make it, I won't be too distraught. It is

Apple Crisp


One of the few trees already existing at our house is an apple tree in the middle of the hedge that runs along the back fence line. For the past several weeks, it has been loaded with apples and with them, flocks of birds. The scrub jays are the ones that seem to be enjoying them the most (as well as disrupting the peace and quiet with their incessant cawing).

I have been picking a few of the apples, thinking that they were probably no good, but it turns out they are okay for the most part.

I made an apple crisp this afternoon. 

The late summer sun here looks just like autumn in the South. It is very strange but wonderful.

Apple Crisp

  • 4 or 5 medium tart apples, peeled and sliced
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1/3 cup butter, softened
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease an 8x8 pan with butter or shortening.

Spread the apples in the pan.

Combine all the other ingredients and sprinkle over the apples.

Bake for 30 minutes (or until the top is golden brown and the apples are tender).




Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

Comments

  1. That Apple Crisp looks delicious. I want a bite...or two.

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  2. Yum! I have an apple tree, too. My apples are not quite ripe. I'll return to this recipe when they are! Thanks for the reminder!

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  3. Yummy! It won't be long before we will be harvesting apples from our two trees. Lou likes to bake apple pies. (They are OK, not great.) He bakes so many our friends run for fear he will foist another one upon them!

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  4. My all time favorite dessert, warm with ice cream! Drool...

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  5. Dang. That recipe looks amazing. It's not apple season here particularly (peach season and blueberry season!) but I'll file this away and maybe try it in autumn.

    Just another hot, humid summery day here. We had a line of ominous-looking storms approach, but they sort of fell apart right before they hit us. We got thunder and wind and some lightning, but only sprinkles. It was anti-climatic.

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