When the sunlight hits them, these ice plant blossoms open their vibrant petals for all to see. The ice plant is commonly used as ground cover and to stabilize slopes. Originating in South Africa, large cells in the leaves of these plants sparkle like granules of ice in the sun, hence its common name. These were spotted in Lowe’s over the weekend. Click for a bigger view.
March 2007
Summer Sunday
Wow was it hot today! Especially for a March 11. We clocked the thermometer at a warm 93 degrees in the back yard. Too warm and nice to be inside, so we fixed our Sunday dinner outside. We had baked acorn squash, grilled asparagus and broccoli and the main entree was honey-mustard glazed pork tenderloin. Man was that good!
Meatballs and Gnocchi
Today’s gourmet meal consisted of homemade gnocchi (Italian-style potato dumplings) and meatballs simmered in a simple marinara sauce. This was our first attempt at making gnocchi and (if I do say so myself) they were wonderful. The ground chicken and turkey meatballs, however, came from the frozen foods section of the supermarket. Although the meatballs were OK, we’re sure we could do better — and will next time using freshly ground beef and sweet pork sausage. I’ll probably add this meal to our recipe pages when we make the entire meal from fresh ingredients.
The gnocchi are made by first baking a couple of potatoes (about a pound’s worth). When the potatoes cool down, scoop out the potato and discard the skins. Mash the potatoes and mix with an egg and flour. To make the individual gnocchi, roll about a heaping tablespoon in your hands (use flour so the potato doesn’t stick to your hands). When the gnocchi are ready, drop them into boiling water. When the gnocchi float to the top, they are done. Scoop them out using a slotted spoon into serving bowls. Ladle the meatballs and sauce over the gnocchi and garnish with a little Romano or Parmesan cheese.
Click on the image for a larger view.
Spring Saint Louie Louie Sugarbird
Last spring we had several flowers from what I thought was a Saint Louie Louie daffodil. Actually, it is probably a Sugarbird Daffodil. This year, we’re getting at least two of them, as you can see. Click on the photo for a larger image of these two daffodils.
Alaska Flashback
A couple of years ago, we took a trip to visit Alaska. We flew to Anchorage and spent a day exploring around. The next day, we took the train to Denali National Park, where we stayed overnight before going to Fairbanks the next afternoon.
I took this picture of our Alaskan Railroad Locomotive as it pulled into Denali Station as we prepared to depart to Fairbanks. It looks like it’s raining like crazy, because it was. We were prepared for it, however, since we know that the weather in Denali is extremely variable — changes in weather occur without warning and you can expect sun, wind, rain, and clouds — all on the same day.
And we loved the train rides – we highly recommend taking the train through the Alaskan interior. As usual, click on the small image to see it full-sized.
Spring Chrysanthemums
The chrysanthemum is the floral emblem of the imperial family of Japan. Known to have been cultivated in China as far back as the 1400s BC, it first made its way to Japan sometime in the 900s, and was adopted as the emperor’s official seal. Crown Prince Akihito assumed the Chrysanthemum Throne, the world’s oldest monarchy, after the death of his father, Hirohito, on January 7, 1989.
These mums are now showing on our patio. I just LOVE springtime! Click the image to enlarge.
