Lemon Blueberry Tarts

the lemons and blueberries at The Avila Barn looked so good i had to get some

i got out my tart pans and got busy in the kitchen

made fresh lemon curd

and filled the shells with a taste of midsummer

these are my blueberry and lemon tarts that were featured in COUNTRY LIVING GARDENER magazine a few years back ... good bye july....it's been FUN !

July Is Fading, My Friends

teddy and i took a walk out in our garden last night...the light is changing now...

we got a really good close-up of this little guy on my berries and cream rose....
if you have a minute click on for an amazing view of him.

most of the roses have faded by now...

i don't know what this is ... it looks like blueberries but this is not a blueberry bush...it is my spring showers plant... it makes pink sprays of flowers in the spring .. one of my first flowers to bloom...

fading away...

my night owl rose is just about done blooming too...

some of my elderberries are starting to fade ....

and some are still blooming ... i just LOVE these. this plant was in a one gallon can when i bought it and it now hits the rooftop...

slipping away....

my sunflowers are about gone ...

i am going to miss their smiling faces greeting me each morning as i sip my tea...

a few peaches off my santa barbara peach tree that was planted in memory of my sweet, sweet Buddy... i got Buddy in santa barbara..so that's why the santa barbara peach. Buddy was the color of a peach...he was my little peach. i miss you Buddy .

the days are growing shorter now...it was 6 in the evening and the light was fading over terrace hill...

my sunflowers are looking tired...

and i planted alot of these the other day because i love the color.... and if you look really close...do you see somebody in the background ?

Calico Corn and My Kitchen Window

my kitchen windowsill on this late July afternoon...

the pottery is from my dear friend, julie whitmore http://juliewhitmorepottery.blogspot.com/

click on the picture for a closer look at julie's beautiful work.

i have really been enjoying this middle summer corn and decided to make my CALICO CORN...

you start by cutting the corn off the cob...

at the farmers market i got all different kinds of colored sweet peppers and some cilantro..

i got some flat leaf parsley out of my garden... diced the peppers and added them to the corn along with the herbs, a splash of good olive oil and a squirt of lime juice and some salt and pepper. this recipe is good served cold or sauteed in a skillet and served hot.

Nothing Fancy Tonight

that's me...good thing i am alone in here. well....me and teddy...wearing blue shoes and socks and a cherry apron with an old tea towel hanging from my apron string... my standard kitchen wear. 

i got some beautiful eggplant at that saturday farmers market and decided to just make an old fashion eggplant parmesan... i got the bread crumbs ready...

sliced up my eggplant

dipped them in...

saute and lay in the tomato sauce...

sprinkle with cheese...

bake and serve. do you see dande ?

The First Apples !!!!!

i went to the san luis obispo FARMER'S MARKET this morning and look what i found...the FIRST OF THE SEASON GRAVENSTEIN APPLES. i am making caramel apples for tonight... i am kind of cheating with the wrappers but the package was cute and they sure make it easy ... i know alot of you are roasting in this heat wave...maybe this will help...

these are from SEE CANYON...just up the road...

they had the first crop walnuts too...

and i just had to get this little guy out...wishing cool breezes coming your way ....

A Birthday Party And A Puppet Show

we had a birthday to CELEBRATE around here yesterday.... the gift was a beautiful birdbath so we went with a bird themed party...

we let the little ones decorate the cake...we even picked little daisey flowers to edge the cake with...and LOTS of sprinkles....you can never have too many sprinkles !

strawberry lemonade and little candies...

we even had a PUPPET SHOW !!!

what could be better than a birthday party on the PERFECT SUMMER DAY !