Cottage Conservatory

Black Eyed Angels - Delphinium

When I first started gardening on my own as an adult (especially with heirloom varieties) I was interested in seed saving, but kept coming up low on info, and images to walk me through the process for some of my favorite plants.  I mean, I know it's all pretty straight forward; wait for the petals to fall off, pods of some sort to form, and eventually dry out, but I wanted to know what I should be looking for, and when to clip & collect seed pods - whether to wait for them to open on their own, or catch them right before.  So.  Necessity being the mother of invention, I patiently observed what was happening in my garden, and found a method for a couple of my early bloomers that has been successful thus far.

We Want You! We Want You!

We want you as a new recruit!

Deadline for application: July 25, 2019

Well, not "me" we ... I don't actually have anything to do with it, except for spreading the word, really.  Anway, that writer guy, Pat Rothfuss, is looking for a business manager to handle daily minutiae so he can get back to focusing on the things he does best, like ... creative minutiae.  So hop over here, and read the job listing, and if you happen to be an expert at a little bit of everything, you should totally apply by sending your cover letter and resume to jobs(@)patrothfuss.com!  I know a couple of people already who could fill the bill, but it should be noted this is NOT a remote position, applicants need to be in the greater Stevens Point, Wisconsin area, or willing to relocate (I hear it's quite a lovely place).

This is such a great opportunity for the Jack/Jill of all trades, or anyone looking for a fresh start in a new career, or even just a change of scenery.  They are asking for serious candidates only, so if you're in a place where you're half-jokingly just throwing resumes at walls to see what sticks, sit this one out, but if you're really ready for something new, go get 'em, Tiger.

Good luck!

If You Like Piña Coladas

In my neck of the woods, there has been a steady Summer rain falling for the entirety of this balmy National Piña Colada Day, and I can't help but think, somewhere, Rupert Holmes is very pleased.  With that, I give you my personal piña colada smoothie recipe —

Here's what you need:

4 Cups frozen pineapple chunks

3-6 bananas chunked & frozen

1 Cup full-fat canned coconut milk

1 Cup filtered water

1/4 Cup pure, organic maple syrup

1/2 lime juiced

1" knob grated ginger root

1Tablespoon unsweetened organic shredded coconut

Here's what you do:
In a 72 oz sturdy blender place pineapple chunks around the bottom, and fill the pitcher the rest of the way with pieces of frozen banana (Tip: when you freeze bananas you'll want to peel them, and chunk or cut them up first, then bag and freeze).  Throw in the rest of your ingredients, and blend the hell out of it (you may need to stop a few times in order to scrape the sides of your blender's pitcher).  That's it!  If you'd like to enjoy this as a dairy-free "nice cream" option, transfer your mixture to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for 2-4 hours before serving.

This is an incredibly easy, but delicious, and festive concoction to have at Summer gatherings, and is a perfect alcohol-free option that can accommodate a good swath of guests, and their needs without singling folks out, and excluding them from the fare.

Happy sipping!

Say What?

"They say it is better to be poor and happy than rich and miserable, but how about a compromise like moderately rich and just moody?"

-Diana, Princess of Wales