Real Mail.....

It's a treat to get something in the mail from people you love. Yesterday it was a sweet thank-you from my grandson, Tyler and a recipe from Maureen, my friend in Metropolis Illinois.

In case you want to bake on this 100 degree day, here's the recipe that she makes for her grandson and his boss and co-workers. She doesn't have a computer but she really needs to be warned that she is going to have men following her all over town if she keeps baking for them. (They may be already doing that.)

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

1 cup flour 1/2 cup milk
2 tsp. baking powder 1 cup brown sugar
1/4 teas. salt 1/4 cup cocoa
3/4 cup sugar 1 and 3/4 cup hot water
2 Tbsp. melted butter 2 Tbsp. cocoa



Mix and sift flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and 2 T. cocoa. Blend in butter and milk. spread batter in 9 x 9 pan. Mix brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa and sprinkle over batter. Carefully pour hot water over batter. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 9 servings (what a joke).

I (Maureen) double it and bake 1 hour. Hope you like it. It's not pretty. I never could make a pretty cake. I buy them!

Love Maureen.

Petite Monarda...

My Mother moved to Michigan in the late eighties, and living out in the country, never before had had an opportunity to "trash pick" like we do here in the city. She found this old chair and we have given it the opportunity to grace our garden since then. The chair is getting old but a prop here and there keeps it looking good. I miss her, there was never a dull moment.


And the lilac flower is petite monarda which PJ gave me. It stays really short and bushy and doesn't mildew; it will bloom for quite a while, longer than the tall monarda. The white flowers are coneflowers. No complaint with them either, just wish they would spread so I could share them. Only pink coneflowers do that.

I hope my neighbors have finished with their fireworks. It has been like a war-zone here. I hate to be the neighborhood scrooge but they were so loud I couldn't watch JR on Dallas last night. Happy Thursday that seems like Monday.

America

Thanks everyone for the good wishes of Independence Day. If you go here you could revisit John Michael's Pledge of Allegiance in case you missed it.

My greatest wish on this July Fourth is that this country will always be to our children, what it has been to us.

Too late for me...

Knowing my kids, it wouldn't have worked anyway. I found this on Facebook from a grade-school classmate, Carolyn. Maybe it would work for you though.

We had rain ..all night and still this morning...the grass and garden are singing praises! Happy Tuesday.

Larkspur and Silvery Fir Tomatoes....

Larkspur is the easiest flower I know of. I save the seed and scatter in the very early spring and that's it. It will soon be going in this hot weather but this clump is getting afternoon shade.

Silvery Fir tomato from seed by Botanical Interests. This is three plants, the foliage is very nice and we will see how the tomatoes are. There are lots of green ones. It looks nice enough to be among the flowers.

Big Momma and Ain't I Pretty

I would love to do something like this but it probably involves welding which I don't think I should take up. I would probably burn down the garage.

HOLD THE PHONE and Euphorbia....

More from the Lafayette Greens. We liked this plant but didn't know its name so I emailed those nice people.

The metal sculptures are by artist Tim Burke. They have also had days that they have guest chefs at the gardens. I keep up with the activities by email, not as good as being there though.

It is a very hot one here today as I guess it is also where you are. Everyone is home from Michigan safely with good memories. Happy Friday. John and I are enjoying a popcicle.