The Pie Plant

Rhubarb!  What an odd and wonderful food.  Even though we think of it as a fruit, it is actually a vegetable.  We eat the stalk of the plant, not the "fruit."  Rhubarb is one of those foods it seems that people either love or hate.  I am on the love side.

Here is a picture that I posted of our rhubarb plant in April.

 And here is one I took this week.  Our rhubarb is obviously very happy and productive.  



 
Rhubarb is also called "pie plant."  I once read that this is because it is the first plant of the spring available for making pies.  Makes sense to me.  Also, rhubarb is used in Chinese medicine to keep one's body working regularly, so to speak.  Another interesting thing is that the leaves are quite poisonous, so don't eat them!                                                                                                                                   
Because we have this healthy plant, we are always looking for ways to fix rhubarb...rhubarb muffins, rhubarb coffee cake, roasted rhubarb.  One of my favorites is a family recipe for a sort of rhubarb cream pie with meringue on top.  Paul loves strawberry rhubarb pie.  I just found a recipe for a rhubarb pecan loaf I want to try.  
 
Tonight it is rhubarb crisp, pretty straightforward but with a bit of orange peel added for flavor.  Can't beat it with a scoop of ice cream. 

There is something exciting about the first fresh pie of spring.  Rhubarb season can last as long as it wants as far as I'm concerned.

Tulips and Tragedy

I love tulips.  There are many here in the garden.  Some I planted. Some were hiding here waiting for someone to appreciate them again before they reappeared in all kinds of places.
 

  The lawn, the walkways, under the spruce trees in the grass...as well as around the house in the flower beds I created.  Tulips say "spring" in so many colors. 


One of my favorite tulips is Angelique.  It has a peony like bloom in a lovely light pink.  I planted two clusters of them, one on each side of entry to the garden.  Yesterday, as I mowed the lawn, I was noticing how beautiful and full they are this year.  Then, this morning, I looked out the window toward the garden as I pulled up the blind.  I actually gasped out loud.  I could see no pink Angeliques anywhere.  Closer inspection showed me this.

The deer came in the night and ate off all the blooms, not only of the Angeliques but also two other bunches at each corner of the garden fence.  Now I sprayed those tulips with a repellant not a week ago.  Obviously deer like tulips more than they dislike repellant!  I was so mad I could have spit nails...or shot a deer.  Then my anger turned to disappointment and frustration.  I work so hard to make my flower garden beautiful only to have it destroyed by big rats with hooves.  At least they didn't go inside the garden and destroy that, too.  I don't know what else I can do aside from building an 8 foot tall fence around the whole place.  Part of me would, if it wouldn't look horrible.  

I've calmed down since this morning and am, again, determined to keep gardening in spite of the deer.  I do hate them but I can't really get rid of them so I have little choice.  The one saving grace in this is that the tulips will be back next year.  Unfortunately, so will the deer.

Stepmom's Day

Today is Stepmom's Day.  This is not a nationally recognized holiday but one that Paul and Peter created a few years ago.   Peter asked Paul yesterday why we celebrate Stepmom's Day when no one else does.  Paul explained to him that Mother's Day is really for Moms and since I don't have any kids of my own, I don't get to celebrate it.  He also explained how Peter is really my only chance to have a kid and it's important for him to honor me, too.  (This is just one reason why I love this man).  So, they chose the Sunday after Mother's Day as the official day.

I must confess that I love having Stepmom's Day.  Being a stepparent is not an easy job.  This is my second shot at it and it is still a challenge.  You're not the "real Mom" but still a parent.  As Peter once described it to me (when he was a bit mad), "Here is the real Mom (with his hand about head height) and here is the stepmom (with his hand about chin height)."   Now I would never try to displace Mom, which would be impossible anyway.  But I do need to be respected as a parent and it's nice to be celebrated, too.  Luckily, Paul is completely supportive of me and my role in the family.  Peter loves me and doesn't love me, depending on the situation.  I don't think that's unusual whether you're the "real" parent or the step.  Most of the time, it's good.  

So, the tradition for Stepmom's Day is for the boys to get me some kind of flower for my flower garden.  This year it was pinks to replace the ones that didn't make it through last winter.  I love pinks and their clove-like smell.  But the surprise part of the gift was the little flower Peter picked out all by himself.  He saw it walking into the nursery but was redirected toward the pinks.  But as they were ready to check-out, Peter went back and asked if he could get one of the bright purple flowers he had first seen.  Of course, Paul said yes.  We encourage unexpected thoughtfulness around here.  So, in addition to the pinks, I got a lovely little African Daisy that was unexpected and sweet and all Peter's idea.  That is the best kind of gift.