Rosie Makes Short Ribs.

Whenever I'm at the grocery store, I always look for the red tags for food that probably should have been cooked a week earlier. As long as the meat isn't gray I'm cool with it.

A little over a pound of boneless short ribs for $3.44. Not bad.

Into my pot of crock the short ribs went. (That's Sandy-Speak, aka Yoda-Speak.) I added freshly ground salt and pepper, some Montreal Seasoning, a dusting of flour, and about a cup of red wine.

I poured in 2 cups of beef bouillon <shudder> made from cubes. Yes, sometimes even Rosie goes slumming. Cover and turn on high.

Five hours later, I added sliced celery, carrots, potatoes, and a head of garlic. Turned to low and cooked 2 more hours.

I kept going outside then coming back in so I could appreciate the aromas.

The meat was so tender. I put butter on my carrots and taters and mashed them. I love cooked celery.

This is a true comfort meal. My tummy is happy.

Dixie Having Fun.

I decided to take time out Friday after cutting the grass to have some special time with Dixie.

She loves her pool.

I made sure Dixie had a lot of one-on-one time with me in the pool since I knew what was coming.

Maybe I should have sent the Hawthornelets to Hawaii for school.

Rosie Makes A Breakfast Smoothie.

I woke up this morning and once again, my body was screaming at me: "Rosie! Fruit! Calcium! Smoothie!" My body is a temple and I always listen to it. My body tells me what to eat.

I had strawberries, fresh pineapple, a drastically aging peach, and my trusty Magic Bullet.

I put about equal parts more or less, less or more, of peach, pineapple, and strawberry, then added in ice up to the top of my Magic Bullet. I put in about a tablespoon of sweetener and added in 1% milk to fill. Blended it. And I had a little bit of pink heaven in a glass. The only thing better than this is to use frozen strawberries instead of fresh. (I just happened to have fresh and needed to use them before they went past their due date.) The advantage of using frozen berries is that you don't need to add in ice, thus you have a most intense berry concoction. And it is truly excellent.

Just look at all that excellence. You know you want some.

Rosie And Mr. Hawthorne Go To The New Food Lion In Nags Head.

A few days ago, Mr. Hawthorne and I went to the new and improved Food Lion in Nags Head. A fellow Outer Banks Blogger, Russ, of Russ' Outer Banks Journal blogdom recently quipped about it here. I had the pleasure not too long ago of meeting Russ and his wife, Rose. We were introduced by Kathy of Reinventing A Boomer blogdom. We bloggers have to stick together, you know. Back to the new Food Lion in Nags Head. Whenever Mr. Hawthorne drives to a big store with a big parking lot (Food Lion, Harris Teeter, KMart, Wally World, Home Depot), he serpentines throughout the parking lanes, looking for the closest parking space possible, which is usually in between two very large trucks parked in close to the lines so I have to turn sideways and squeeze myself out of the truck. And Mr. Hawthorne and I both have large trucks. He wants to get into that space because he can. It's an aggressive thing, I think. On the other hand, I do it the right way. I park away from cars and I park next to the cart return. That's logical. OK. Back to Food Lion. Really.

If you check it out, Food Lion has the first two spaces marked as handicapped and the third space marked as something I've never seen before. Anyone out there recognize that sign? Anyone? I didn't think so.

Mr. H. pulls in and goes to the nearest parking space. Considering he's not handicapped (at least not legally) and he doesn't have "low emissions," we had to park some distance away.

This picture gives you some perspective of the parking lot/signs/store. My questions is, why would they have a special parking space close to the store for low emissions and fuel efficient vehicles? Shouldn't fuel efficient and low emission vehicles park farther away from the store and the gas guzzlers park next to the store? And one last note here. That parking lot is a bitch. Look how they've done those brick pavers. I know it's for drainage but it's crap. Try rolling your cart over that stuff. And not that I have ever worn high heels, but I can't imagine what it would be like to walk across that in heels. The parking lot sucks. Nice store though.

Mr. Hawthorne, Rosie, and Marion Visit Plant Delights Nursery In Raleigh, NC.

Last Saturday, Mr. Hawthorne and I, along with dear friend, Marion, visited the open house at Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, North Carolina. You gardeners out there should check out their catalog. It is amazing. The gardens and nursery are open only 4 times each year, two weekends each in fall, winter, spring, and summer. First, a bit of history. Juniper Level Botanic Gardens began in August 1988, by Tony and Michelle Avent, when they purchased a 2.2 acre sandy loam tobacco field, 18 minutes due south of the State Capitol in Raleigh. The name, Juniper Level refers to an old black community in the area. Their self-professed goal is to "change the way America gardens by offering the best, the newest, and the strangest fun, garden-worthy perennials to gardeners around the world." The gardens were designed informally, since Mr. Avent felt that formal planting plans limit creativity and can leave a garden without an essence, its soul. They were designed for year-round interest with peak season from late April through mid October. The basic tenets of their gardening philosophy are: "a liberal use of compost and careful monitoring of soil nutrition; no chemical spraying for pests on plants; allowing plants to grow in the natural form without shearing; planting the right plant in the right place; and having fun in the garden. As a matter of principle, we consider every plant hardy until we have killed it ourselves ... at least three times." The initial construction project began in 1989 with an underground irrigation system, the construction of numerous raised beds, and the first plantings. The grotto construction began in 1989 (all hand dug) and was completed in 1994. Plant Delights Nursery began in 1988. From 1988 through 1994, 6 greenhouses were built. In subsequent years, many new features were added - a woodland garden, a bog garden, several rock gardens, a southwest garden, a hardy tropical garden, a sunken garden, several perennial and mixed borders, a 4-5 foot tall alpine scree bed, expanded shade gardens, and in-ground evaluation beds for both new shade and sun plants. In 1996, the Avents purchased 5.25 acres of adjoining property, which allowed for the expansion of the nursery production area, two more wells, and the construction of an expanded display garden. 600 dump truck loads of soil were relocated to create planting berms on the new property, and a 200 foot perennial border and a 10,000 square foot sun trial area were installed In 2001, 11 additional acres were acquired, allowing for expanded parking on open house days as well as more production, research, and gardening capabilities. In 2004, 10,000 square feet were allocated to Trillium trials and production and construction began on a new water/bog garden bioretention area, featuring paved patio, walled rock garden, winding steps, and an ornamental pond. There are two display gardens encompassing over 5 acres, divided into the newer East section and the older West section, containing over 17,000 different plant specimens. Planting in the gardens continues nearly every week at the rate of 1000-2000 new plants a year. The greenhouses and plant sales are located between these two gardens and at any one time will offer approximately 1600 plants for sale.

We began our tour by walking through the Juniper Level Botanic Gardens. These gardens function not only as a display area, but also as a research and development facility. New plants from seed exchanges, from their breeding program, and from their travels are evaluated for their garden "worthiness," their ability to adapt to the Southeastern climate, and their ability to co-exist with native plants. Plant Delights Nursery offers specialty collections, or plant groups to which they have devoted extraordinary time, effort, and resources: Hosta (hostaceae) (As Mr. Avent writes in his catalog, "Our specialty is hostas ... you know, I've got both, the green and the variegated one.") Agapanthus Agave (Agavaceae) Amorphophallus (Araceae) Arisaema (Araceae) Aspidistra (Liliaceae)/(Ruscaceae) Crinum (Amaryllidaceae) Elephant Ear, hardy (Araceae) Epimedium (Berberidaceae) Ferns Kniphofia (Asphodelaceae) Rain Lilies (Amaryllidaceae) Solomon's Seal (Liliaceae/Ruscaceae) Trillium (Trilliaceae) They also have a secondary emphasis collection of: Cacti (winter hardy) Conifers Grasses (ornamental) And here is their Mission Statement: "The mission of Juniper Level Botanic Gardens is one of aesthetic display of ornamental plants, ex-situ plant conservation, plant evaluation, plant identification, plant exploration, plant propagation, and education about the diversity of ornamental plants from around the world. Our emphasis is southeast US natives, especially those of conservation concern and those whose horticultural desirability make them targets of unscrupulous collectors who decimate wild populations by selling wild collected plants." I'll shut up now. Enjoy the gardens.

A bit of garden whimsy.

Beautyberry.

Now for the greenhouses. Check here for what all was available at the Open House. The word "overwhelming" comes to mind.

This is Greenhouse #4 - Sun Perennials including Adult Ivy, Alstroemeria Amsonia, Asparagus, Bamboo, Baptisia, Butterfly Bush, Conifers, Daylily, Eucomis, Eupatorium, Grasses, Hibiscus, Iris, Kniphofia, Lantana, Lespedeza, Lily, Peony, Phlox, Sarracenia, Salvia, and Solidago.

One of the testing grounds for hostas.

I bought a bamboo - Bambusa mutiplex 'Riviereorum.'

I also bought a Cimicifuga racemosa and I'm looking forward to it getting 7 feet tall. Wishful thinking.

Here's a little fern I bought - Thelypteris kunthii and I'm looking forward to it growing to 4 feet tall with foot wide fronds. This was in Greenhouse #6 with Shade Perennials: Asarum, Aspidistra, Carex, Coral Bells, Epimedium, Farfugium, Ferns, Hellebores, Mondo Grass and Liriope, Orchids, Rohdea, and Solomon's Seal.

This is Greenhouse #8 - home to Hardy Tropicals and Desert Plants including Abutilon, Agave, Bananas, Brugmansia, Cacti, Dahlia, Elephant Ears, Gingers, Palms, Verbena, and Yucca.

This pretty little Elephant Ear caught my eye. It's Colocasia esculenta 'Black Runner.' And yes, I'm anticipating it growing to 7 feet tall and spreading.

Greenhouse #10 has Sun Perennials including Clematis, Dianthus, Echinacea, Euphorbia, Geophytes, Geraniums, Gesneriads, Salvia, Sedum, and Succulents.

Greenhouse 12 has Shade Perennials, including Amorphophallus, Arisaema, Arum, Orchids, Tricyrtis, and Trillium. I dropped some cash in here.

I picked out 2 purple shamrocks. The first is Oxalis regnellii 'Francis.'

The second is Oxalis regnellii 'Triangularis'. I love the lighter purple shading on the leaves.

I also picked out Oxalis regnellii 'Silverado.'

I also selected Amorphophallus dunnii, or Voodoo Lily.

Amorphophallus interruptus.

And finally amorphophallus ochroleucus. Suddenly, I'm thinking of Donna, of My Tasty Treasures blogdom, although I'm not sure why. Are we sensing a pattern here? A theme?

Here's Mr. Hawthorne heading back to the truck with all my goodies.

Many of the greenhouses were cordoned off to the public.

After putting away my purchases, we toured the rest of the gardens.

More garden whimsy.

There are even plants growing on a ledge inside the grotto.

I need my own grotto.

I was pretty much fascinated by and in awe of these gardens and nursery. And I'm looking forward to more open houses for each season. Raleigh is only about 3 1/2 hours away and this made for quite a nice day trip, plus I had the added bonus of being able to bitch about yet another restaurant and I got to see Marion again. For anyone who's interested, here are the next open house dates: 2010 Winter Open House Fri, Feb 26 8am - 5pm Fri, Mar. 5 8am - 5pm Sat, Feb 27 8am - 5pm Sat, Mar. 6 8am - 5 pm Juniper Level Botanic Gardens at Plant Delights Nursery, Inc. 9241 Saul's Road Raleigh, NC 27603 919-772-4794 office@plantdelights.com www.plantdelights.com