New Wheels For Crest Avenue

We finally decided last week that it was time to retire "Chug" and get a new set of wheels for Crest Avenue. Chug was a 2004 Suzuki Forenza in Fantasy Black.

I loved the style of the body of this car.  It was designed by the Italian firm of, Pininfarina.  Pininfarina S.p.A. (short for Carozzeria Pininfarina) is an independent Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy. It was founded by Battista "Pinin" Farina in 1930.

Very stylish.  We bought Chug, brand new, in 2004, so she was with us for ten years.  And for most of those ten years, she was happy.  But lately, well, ... she was not a happy girl.  Maintenance costs were out of control, so we decided it was time to retire her.

We decided on the Toyato Scion iQ.

Here is a picture of the front.

And one of the back.

It is a very handy, two-door city car.  Baxter loves it because his seat is now up front so he gets to ride right beside me.

These are very economical cars.  Inexpensive to run and maintain.  And good for the environment as they pollute the air much less than conventional cars.

Finally, a shot from the second floor of Dewey Street which she will soon call home.  We have decided to name her Bug.  

New Wheels For Crest Avenue

We finally decided last week that it was time to retire "Chug" and get a new set of wheels for Crest Avenue. Chug was a 2004 Suzuki Forenza in Fantasy Black.

I loved the style of the body of this car.  It was designed by the Italian firm of, Pininfarina.  Pininfarina S.p.A. (short for Carozzeria Pininfarina) is an independent Italian car design firm and coachbuilder in Cambiano, Italy. It was founded by Battista "Pinin" Farina in 1930.

Very stylish.  We bought Chug, brand new, in 2004, so she was with us for ten years.  And for most of those ten years, she was happy.  But lately, well, ... she was not a happy girl.  Maintenance costs were out of control, so we decided it was time to retire her.

We decided on the Toyato Scion iQ.

Here is a picture of the front.

And one of the back.

It is a very handy, two-door city car.  Baxter loves it because his seat is now up front so he gets to ride right beside me.

These are very economical cars.  Inexpensive to run and maintain.  And good for the environment as they pollute the air much less than conventional cars.

Finally, a shot from the second floor of Dewey Street which she will soon call home.  We have decided to name her Bug.  

Beautiful Seedlings

On Tuesday of this week, we posted about the final seed packs we planted over the weekend.  I have great and wonderful news.  We already have seedlings sprouting.  Just look at these beautiful pots of six different plants which will eventually yield wonderful, fresh edibles.

The Rainbow Chard has really taken off.  This member of the beet family is tasty if you roughly chop the leaves and finely chop the stalks, then saute in olive oil and dress with fresh lemon juice.  You could also prepare it like asparagus - steam and serve with a hollandaise sauce.  I have a wonderful hollandaise sauce recipe that is done primarily in the blender.  So simple and so delicious.  We'll talk more about that later on once the chard is harvested.

You cannot see from this picture, but of the six pots we planted, the Burgundy Okra is the one which has produced the strongest sprouts.  In each of these pots, we covered the seeds with about an inch to two inches of soil and lightly tamped it down with our hands.  Don't press the soil down too firmly.  Leave it a little loose so the sprouts can push up through it like you see in this pot of Okra.  Okra is used as a thickening agent in gumbo.  It can also be fried, steamed, canned or pickled.  Dried Okra pods can be used in floral arrangements too.

Wonderful Sweet Corn.  We all know how to prepare this - a big pot of salted, boiling water with a little milk and sugar to help bring out the sweetness.  Or, if you prefer, simply placed it on the grill.  I prefer it done in boiling water.  And no matter which way you prepare, rolled in butter.  I'm getting hungry.

Peacock Broccoli.  This is a broccoli-kale cross. It has all the best qualities of both a kale and broccoli with the glamour and splendor of a peacock's display. Expect loose heads of purple florets encircled by deeply serrated, fuchsia veined leaves. The greens are extra tender when young, and sweet as the tastiest kale as they mature. Side shoots provide a continuous harvest of delicious florets.

Flashback Calendula.  Calendula is applied to the skin to reduce pain and swelling (inflammation) and to treat poorly healing wounds and leg ulcers. It is also applied to the skin (used topically) for nosebleeds, and inflammation of the lining of the eyelid (conjunctivitis).

So there you have it.  A primer on the many use of our latest plantings.  Again, many thanks to my BFF, Bev, for giving me such a wonderful Christmas gift.  Now she must come and help me harvest all of this once it matures!

Beautiful Seedlings

On Tuesday of this week, we posted about the final seed packs we planted over the weekend.  I have great and wonderful news.  We already have seedlings sprouting.  Just look at these beautiful pots of six different plants which will eventually yield wonderful, fresh edibles.

The Rainbow Chard has really taken off.  This member of the beet family is tasty if you roughly chop the leaves and finely chop the stalks, then saute in olive oil and dress with fresh lemon juice.  You could also prepare it like asparagus - steam and serve with a hollandaise sauce.  I have a wonderful hollandaise sauce recipe that is done primarily in the blender.  So simple and so delicious.  We'll talk more about that later on once the chard is harvested.

You cannot see from this picture, but of the six pots we planted, the Burgundy Okra is the one which has produced the strongest sprouts.  In each of these pots, we covered the seeds with about an inch to two inches of soil and lightly tamped it down with our hands.  Don't press the soil down too firmly.  Leave it a little loose so the sprouts can push up through it like you see in this pot of Okra.  Okra is used as a thickening agent in gumbo.  It can also be fried, steamed, canned or pickled.  Dried Okra pods can be used in floral arrangements too.

Wonderful Sweet Corn.  We all know how to prepare this - a big pot of salted, boiling water with a little milk and sugar to help bring out the sweetness.  Or, if you prefer, simply placed it on the grill.  I prefer it done in boiling water.  And no matter which way you prepare, rolled in butter.  I'm getting hungry.

Peacock Broccoli.  This is a broccoli-kale cross. It has all the best qualities of both a kale and broccoli with the glamour and splendor of a peacock's display. Expect loose heads of purple florets encircled by deeply serrated, fuchsia veined leaves. The greens are extra tender when young, and sweet as the tastiest kale as they mature. Side shoots provide a continuous harvest of delicious florets.

Flashback Calendula.  Calendula is applied to the skin to reduce pain and swelling (inflammation) and to treat poorly healing wounds and leg ulcers. It is also applied to the skin (used topically) for nosebleeds, and inflammation of the lining of the eyelid (conjunctivitis).

So there you have it.  A primer on the many use of our latest plantings.  Again, many thanks to my BFF, Bev, for giving me such a wonderful Christmas gift.  Now she must come and help me harvest all of this once it matures!

Tomorrow, ... On Welcome to Crest Avenue

Tomorrow, we are going to take a look at the seeds we planted earlier this week.  We are already seeing little sprouts of Okra.  And a couple other pots are starting to show signs of things starting to push up the soil.

Also, we decided that it was time for new wheels at Crest Avenue!  We purchased one of the new hybrid vehicles which we hope will, at least in some small way, help reduce pollution of the earth.

Make sure and check out our Friday posts.  Have a great Thursday!!

Tomorrow, ... On Welcome to Crest Avenue

Tomorrow, we are going to take a look at the seeds we planted earlier this week.  We are already seeing little sprouts of Okra.  And a couple other pots are starting to show signs of things starting to push up the soil.

Also, we decided that it was time for new wheels at Crest Avenue!  We purchased one of the new hybrid vehicles which we hope will, at least in some small way, help reduce pollution of the earth.

Make sure and check out our Friday posts.  Have a great Thursday!!

Lush Banana

We wanted to end our posts today with something positive.  The Banana Tree.

Isn't this amazing!!!  The winter was so harsh and we have had many difficulties in the landscape as a result. I was concerned that possibly the ground became so frozen this winter that it did in the banana tree corms. But not so.  And for that I am very grateful.  These will be going with us to Dewey Street next spring so we can still continue to enjoy and write about them for many years. 

Lush Banana

We wanted to end our posts today with something positive.  The Banana Tree.

Isn't this amazing!!!  The winter was so harsh and we have had many difficulties in the landscape as a result. I was concerned that possibly the ground became so frozen this winter that it did in the banana tree corms. But not so.  And for that I am very grateful.  These will be going with us to Dewey Street next spring so we can still continue to enjoy and write about them for many years. 

Our Boxwood Blight Continues Unabated

We just cannot get ahead of the problem with the boxwood along the front sidewalk.  The problem started last year.  We started to notice sections of the boxwood which were dying.  At first, I thought maybe they were not getting enough air circulation because they were too tightly interwoven.  So, in September of last year, I trimmed those branches which were touching the ground.

I posted this picture last September.  You can see how we cleaned up the low-lying branches from the left side of the picture.  On the right you see the section that was still uncut.  We made our way along the row, opening up this area to allow the sun and water to penetrate the ground and hopefully invigorate the root system.

Here was a picture once we were done.  Unfortunately, this did not help.  We ended up removing a good many boxwood bushes this spring.  When Cindy was visiting a few weeks ago, she cut up all of the bushes and put them in yard waste bags for the town to pick up.  Thank you Cindy.

I noticed yesterday as I was making my way from the driveway that the blight is continuing.  I only removed the dead boxwood early this season.  I left the ones that still looked vibrant.  The one you see above was vibrant and now it too is succumbing to whatever is going on.

And here is some more failing boxwood.  I read somewhere that this boxwood blight is sticky and that is part of what makes it so insidious.

Older, established plantings are only at risk if new boxwood plants have been installed since 2010. The spores of this fungus are very sticky and are not easily spread by wind; long-distance transmission is mainly due to the unintentional movement of infected nursery stock and cuttings. However, those sticky spores are easily moved short distances on tools and equipment, hands and clothing, and by animals that have been in contact with infected plants.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/life/garden/2014/03/15/Fungus-that-causes-boxwood-blight-difficult-to-control/stories/201403150047#ixzz3562Alveu

So, we are going to have to come up with a new landscape plan for the front yard.  All boxwood which have the slightest indication they may be infected must be removed.  That is likely going to mean all the boxwood along the front sidewalk will be removed.  Since the plan is to sell Crest Avenue next spring, we will have to draw a new plan and get it planted rather quickly.

Our Boxwood Blight Continues Unabated

We just cannot get ahead of the problem with the boxwood along the front sidewalk.  The problem started last year.  We started to notice sections of the boxwood which were dying.  At first, I thought maybe they were not getting enough air circulation because they were too tightly interwoven.  So, in September of last year, I trimmed those branches which were touching the ground.

I posted this picture last September.  You can see how we cleaned up the low-lying branches from the left side of the picture.  On the right you see the section that was still uncut.  We made our way along the row, opening up this area to allow the sun and water to penetrate the ground and hopefully invigorate the root system.

Here was a picture once we were done.  Unfortunately, this did not help.  We ended up removing a good many boxwood bushes this spring.  When Cindy was visiting a few weeks ago, she cut up all of the bushes and put them in yard waste bags for the town to pick up.  Thank you Cindy.

I noticed yesterday as I was making my way from the driveway that the blight is continuing.  I only removed the dead boxwood early this season.  I left the ones that still looked vibrant.  The one you see above was vibrant and now it too is succumbing to whatever is going on.

And here is some more failing boxwood.  I read somewhere that this boxwood blight is sticky and that is part of what makes it so insidious.

Older, established plantings are only at risk if new boxwood plants have been installed since 2010. The spores of this fungus are very sticky and are not easily spread by wind; long-distance transmission is mainly due to the unintentional movement of infected nursery stock and cuttings. However, those sticky spores are easily moved short distances on tools and equipment, hands and clothing, and by animals that have been in contact with infected plants.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/life/garden/2014/03/15/Fungus-that-causes-boxwood-blight-difficult-to-control/stories/201403150047#ixzz3562Alveu

So, we are going to have to come up with a new landscape plan for the front yard.  All boxwood which have the slightest indication they may be infected must be removed.  That is likely going to mean all the boxwood along the front sidewalk will be removed.  Since the plan is to sell Crest Avenue next spring, we will have to draw a new plan and get it planted rather quickly.

The Hydrangea Are In Bloom

Back on May 8, we talked about the hydrangea in the front yard at Crest Avenue.  At that early stage of the season, we were just starting to see the beginnings of new growth.

It was at this point that I cut back the wood from previous seasons making a much more compact plant.  I also cut away any dead wood.

A few weeks later, we visited this hydrangea again and were extraordinarily pleased with how robust it seemed.  I believe in this post I wrote that, since I had pruned rather extensively this year, I wasn't certain that we would have blooms; that we may not see blooms again until next year.

Well, ... I was wrong.  We are flush with the most magnificent blooms this year.  We have several which have already opened and many more just starting to peek through the foliage which will eventually flower.

The plant is sheer perfection this year.  Last year it was a mess.  The flowerheads were too heavy for the wood and it flopped all over the place.  This year, it is nice and compact and is clearly a show piece.  If we had a hydrangea society in town, I would most definitely enter this specimen.  And I love the purple/blue flowers.  Absolute perfection.

The Hydrangea Are In Bloom

Back on May 8, we talked about the hydrangea in the front yard at Crest Avenue.  At that early stage of the season, we were just starting to see the beginnings of new growth.

It was at this point that I cut back the wood from previous seasons making a much more compact plant.  I also cut away any dead wood.

A few weeks later, we visited this hydrangea again and were extraordinarily pleased with how robust it seemed.  I believe in this post I wrote that, since I had pruned rather extensively this year, I wasn't certain that we would have blooms; that we may not see blooms again until next year.

Well, ... I was wrong.  We are flush with the most magnificent blooms this year.  We have several which have already opened and many more just starting to peek through the foliage which will eventually flower.

The plant is sheer perfection this year.  Last year it was a mess.  The flowerheads were too heavy for the wood and it flopped all over the place.  This year, it is nice and compact and is clearly a show piece.  If we had a hydrangea society in town, I would most definitely enter this specimen.  And I love the purple/blue flowers.  Absolute perfection.

Seafood Salad a la Crest Avenue

I have a seafood salad recipe I would like to share with you today.  Generally, most of these "sandwich" style salads, be they chicken salad, tuna salad, or seafood salad, all contain pretty much the same ingredients. The base is usually mayonnaise and then there are several other ingredients added for flavor. My seafood salad recipe came about from years of experimenting with the basis recipe until I got it just right for me.  I find it delicious and just the right combination of ingredients.  I hope you will agree and that you and your family will enjoy it as much as I do.

A very pretty salad.  You could add a sprig of parley or even a small sliver of lemon rind for decoration.  For purposes of this post, I did not add any decoration because I thought it was beautiful enough left plain.

So here is the recipe:

Crest Avenue Seafood Salad

1/2 cup mayonnaise (do not use salad dressing)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Creamy Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups cut-up, cooked crabmeat (can be canned, fresh cooked or imitation)
2 medium stalks celery, diced finely
1 spring onion, thinly sliced, including part of the green, but not all.

Mix mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper; toss with crab, celery and green onion.  Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.  Serve on toast points or cracker of your choice.  If using for sandwiches, makes four 3/4 cup servings.  Recipe doubles easily.

_________________________________________________________________________________

If you want to serve on a tray for company, place in a decorative bowl and put out with these wonderful Stoned Wheat Thins.  Oh my, this is a delicious combination.

For the salad pictured above, I used Louis Kemp Crab Delights.

I used about three-quarters Chesapeake Bay Flake Style.

And one-quarter Chunk Style.  But as I stated in the recipe, you can use any style crabmeat you like as long as it has been cooked.  Or you could use shrimp in the same amount in place of the crab.  Lobster would be nice.  Any shellfish could be used in this recipe and it would be delicious.  Also, if you want to use the Louis Kemp like I did and you cannot find or choose not to use the Chesapeake Bay Flake Style, the regular chunk style or flake style will work just fine.

Seafood Salad a la Crest Avenue

I have a seafood salad recipe I would like to share with you today.  Generally, most of these "sandwich" style salads, be they chicken salad, tuna salad, or seafood salad, all contain pretty much the same ingredients. The base is usually mayonnaise and then there are several other ingredients added for flavor. My seafood salad recipe came about from years of experimenting with the basis recipe until I got it just right for me.  I find it delicious and just the right combination of ingredients.  I hope you will agree and that you and your family will enjoy it as much as I do.

A very pretty salad.  You could add a sprig of parley or even a small sliver of lemon rind for decoration.  For purposes of this post, I did not add any decoration because I thought it was beautiful enough left plain.

So here is the recipe:

Crest Avenue Seafood Salad

1/2 cup mayonnaise (do not use salad dressing)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Creamy Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 cups cut-up, cooked crabmeat (can be canned, fresh cooked or imitation)
2 medium stalks celery, diced finely
1 spring onion, thinly sliced, including part of the green, but not all.

Mix mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper; toss with crab, celery and green onion.  Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.  Serve on toast points or cracker of your choice.  If using for sandwiches, makes four 3/4 cup servings.  Recipe doubles easily.

_________________________________________________________________________________

If you want to serve on a tray for company, place in a decorative bowl and put out with these wonderful Stoned Wheat Thins.  Oh my, this is a delicious combination.

For the salad pictured above, I used Louis Kemp Crab Delights.

I used about three-quarters Chesapeake Bay Flake Style.

And one-quarter Chunk Style.  But as I stated in the recipe, you can use any style crabmeat you like as long as it has been cooked.  Or you could use shrimp in the same amount in place of the crab.  Lobster would be nice.  Any shellfish could be used in this recipe and it would be delicious.  Also, if you want to use the Louis Kemp like I did and you cannot find or choose not to use the Chesapeake Bay Flake Style, the regular chunk style or flake style will work just fine.