Rhubarb Cake: Sometimes a blind chicken...

Late last summer, I bought a rhubarb plant at the flea market. I have no idea what variety it was -- I picked it up on a whim.  I've tried to plant rhubarb before, with no luck.  By no luck, I mean absolutely no luck.  Bare roots, established plants, seeds -- you name it, I've tried it.  Failure and rhubarb have become synonymous in my gardening lexicon. But, surrounded by milling throngs of bargain hunters on a hot, sunny morning in Indiana, I decided to give rhubarb one more try.  My little last hurrah cost me $2.50.

Poor little plant!  It sat forlornly in it's little nursery pot for several months -- languishing for want of attention and a home of it's own. But, given my poor success with planting rhubarb, I didn't wasn't in a hurry to get it planted let alone established because I wasn't exactly sure where to try to plant this one.  I'd tried many locations in my yard, and even considered planting it in the no-till garden over the winter -- but I wanted to hoop the beds and didn't think that this would be the right environment either.

As the weather grew colder I decided to just heel it into the ground in a fairly sheltered place and move it in spring -- a longshot at best, given my rhubarb track record. I dug a hole between two evergreens, stuck it in the ground, covered it up --  and promptly forgot about it.

During an early spring survey of my garden, I noticed this new plant, that seemed to be flourishing stuck there between two yews.  I knew it was beautiful, knew it was doing well, and from the looks of the earth around it, knew I'd planted it.  But what the heck was it? Then, I noticed the distinctive red-hued stripes on the stalks that held up rather large plate-like leaves and realized that this was my scrawny rhubarb plant from the fall.

It's in partial shade but it seems to love its last-minute home so I think I'll leave it where it is and see how it fares the rest of the season. It may end up living exactly where it is -- slightly off center between two yews, somewhat hidden from view but growing great guns.  What do you know... even a blind chicken finds a kernel of corn once in awhile!

I found this recipe on MarthaStewart.com and decided it was just the perfect rhubarb recipe for my soon to be harvested rhubarb!  Maybe I'll make it for myself for mother's day! To view the recipe just click on the cake image below and it will take you to a link in my  Pinterest feed.

Source: marthastewart.com via Nan on Pinterest

Great Expectations of Spring!

My Freecycled garden table, painted the same cabbage green as my no-tills.

In all this snow and gloom, dreaming of my garden is what keeps me sane.  The thoughts of buying and starting seeds, building new garden beds while protecting the ones I have,  and playing with my most recently purchased gardening toys puts a smile on my face and keeps the winter blahs at bay.

This week, for example, I purchased $100 worth of seeds from Johnny's Seeds, and bought a new Dramm water breaker garden hose nozzle and a nifty looking Touch N Flow Shut off Valve, also by Dramm, both of which look like they're going to make garden watering much easier, especially on the little seedlings.  I hate it when I spend so much time starting seeds only to have them blasted out of their loamy home by water pressure that could blast the paint off a Chevy.  These two little items should prevent any more plant power washing.

Soup, Soup, I Need Soup - the Senate Kind

Winter really takes it out of me.  Since Thanksgiving, I've been dancing with every virus and bacteria out there that can make your life miserable.  Sick of being sick -- that's what I am.  Flu shot be dammed.  I've spent so much time in bed my memory foam mattress has lost it's memory.  There's a permanent hollow shaped just like me in the spot where I recline.

In Harmony...With My Heart

Last week I had the opportunity to watch HRH Prince Charles' gorgeous environmental movie Harmony. It was a visual delight and an inspiration. 

Harmony made me feel as though I'm not just one little guy banging  my head against a wall of indifference in my concern for the earth.  There are others out there, many of whom have greater resources than I and whom one wouldn't think were your typical tree huggers; who are working hard to make a greater impact in the global environmental movement.

Cone Flower Freebie

Contrary to a lick-happy little white dog's opinion, not all things called cones are created just to torment him. Some  provide pleasure. During the height of Summer, I received a nice cone flower plant from a gal on Freecycle®. Freecycle® is a treasure trove of freebie plants.  I bet I snagged 15 or so this past summer.

Of Cones, Cabbages, and Kale

The kind of thing I shoot when I'm working...

For the past three weeks the 2010 World Equestrian Games kept me hopping. In my other life, I'm and equine photographer and writer - someone who concentrates on the equine industry as their photographic and journalistic specialty. Obscure to be true. So for the past three weeks I've worn my other hat exclusively.  I've shot over 6000 frames and posted 230 times on my other site.  I've been working -- working my tail off -- just not here. That's what I love about cooking -- it's not horses...

Last of the Summer... Beans

The days grow shorter.  The sun rides lower in the southern sky. No more birdsong cacophony in the morning.  All that breaks autumn's silence is the chirping of a multitude of crickets - more background noise than nature's song.  No more cicadas droning on... Summer is past. It's time to harvest the last of the summer garden.  Time to finish off the beans.

Blooms, Blooms, Blooms...

Spring in Ohio. It is a riot of color! I think it's nature's way of rewarding us for putting up with a long, cold, and colorless winter.  We go from bleak and gray to absolutely incredible in a matter of weeks. In the blink of an eye all is gorgeous. But then in another blink the blooms are over and verdant, colorful  Summer takes over.  It's a fair and welcome exchange.