A River Runs Through It

I love this time of year.  The world is green instead of black and white and everything is so new.  This is Mountain Creek running past our house headed for the Columbia and the Pacific Ocean.

  All my hard work planting is starting to show with little sprouts popping up through the soil.  In the back ground are the peas, Sugar Ann, Montana Marvels, and Green Arrow.  The strawberries are covered with blossoms in the foreground, yum, strawberry shortcake soon.

I moved my babies to the greenhouse.  They are just covered in little baby tomatoes.  I worried about my babies during the night.  They are not used to temperatures in the 30's.  I sure hope they like their new home.

 Does anyone know what these white flowers are?  Their foliage remains green all winter and the flowers are some of the first to bloom.  Could they be candy tufts?

 My creeping thyme is blooming.  I love the lavender flowers and the great smell.  I put thyme in many of my soups especially those with a cream sauce as in potato or asparagas. 

This will be my last post for awhile, I am headed to see my family in Ohio where you can grow just about anything you want.  Oh well even though my gardening is limited I love where I live. 

Spring = Rhubarb, Yum

I know everyone else has already enjoyed their daffodils but mine are just now blooming and I love them.  They have had a rough week trying to look beautiful through cold, winds, snow, rain, and hail.  Each day I would go to the garden to find more daffodils pressed to the dirt.  I rescued them and brought them inside to brighten the gloomy days.  A few survived the week and are soaking up the sun today.

Spring is back and what a beautiful day!  My garden is rototilled and ready to plant.  In fact I planted lettuce and spinach this morning.  It just makes me feel good all over. 

The rhubarb is up and ready to eat.  There are so many uses for rhubarb: pies, muffins, bread, sauces, jams, and yes, cake. Rhubarb Crumb Cake is fast and easy and very yummy.  It has a crumb topping therefore no frosting to deal with.  I cut back on the sugar in the topping and used 1 cup of whole wheat and one cup of white flour in the cake. 

          Rhubarb Crumb Cake

Cream:      1/2 cup of shortening

                 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar

Add:          1 egg

                 1 tsp. vanilla

Combine:   1 tsp. baking soda

                 1 cup buttermilk

Add alternately with:

                  2 cups of flour

Stir in:        1 1/2 cups of rhubarb cut into 1/2    

                  inch pieces

                  1/2 cup chopped nuts

Place in a 9 x 13 inch greased and floured baking dish.

Sprinkle with topping:

                   1/3 cup of sugar

                   1 tsp. cinnamon

                   1 tsp. butter

                   1/2 cup chopped nuts

Bake @ 350 for 35-40 minutes 

Check out my blog down the road for more rhubarb recipes.  Happy Spring!!