Dirt Therapy

In addition to the trees blazing with fall color, there is more beauty to behold. It is really a colorful season this year. Hydrangea 'Annabelle' and Euonymous albomarginatus Barberry 'Orange Rocket' and Spirea 'Ogon' 'Fine Line' Buckthorn ( Rhamnus frangula ) Pheasant's Tail Grass ( Anemanthele lessoniana ) Miscanthus 'Gold Bar' Jasmine 'Fiona Sunrise' Acer palmatum 'Bihou' Strawberry Tree ( Arbutus ) Cistus 'Mickey' Aster 'Monch' and Pennisetum 'Hameln' Hydrangea quercifolia 'Alice' Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snow Queen' St. John's Wort ( Hypericum inodorum 'Pumpkin') Milkweed Sedum 'Autumn Joy' Sedum thunbergii 'Ogon' Asian Jasmine ( Trachelospermum 'Ogon Nishiki') And last, this beautiful plant that I bought at Gossler Nursery a fe...

I didn't think there was much left to see in the garden but there is. The morning started out with a bit of fog and this beautiful sunrise - And there are quite a number of colorful trees still going strong and some just beginning to change colors. Some of the first trees I planted were two Japanese maples that are next to the deck. These were unnamed varieties but are nice but quite different in fall color. They both change color very late in the season compared to the other maples in the garden. The one on the right side is redder in color...  while the one on the left is more orange and gold - The "Lion's Head" Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum 'Shishigashira') was already planted here when we arrived. I ended up moving it and put it in a large pot. It looks a bit ragged last year but improved this year with more watering. And the color this year is dramatically improved - Lion's Head Japanese Maple ( Acer palmatum 'Shishiga...

Pecan Pie will always remind me of my childhood and family holidays. At every family gathering, it was inconceivable that there not be a pecan pie. Of course, my mother, aunts and grandmothers made other great desserts as well but there would always be pecan pie. In the past, I've made Pecan Tassies which I think is similar if not the same as this recipe. This is like a pecan pie in miniature, much easier to eat in bite-size pieces. It is a bit different though in that the filling is more firm and there are no ground nuts in the filling. These are easy to make and I just used a hand mixer. I would follow the directions on cutting the bars carefully to avoid disappointment. The only problem I encountered was that the filling seeped underneath the foil lining in the pan. There was probably a tear and Maida Heatter advises you to press the foil into place with a folded towel or pot holder. It did not affect the outcome of the bars but I had to use a spatula to get the corner un...