Taking a Time Out

Yesterday I realized how exhausted I was from the intensive two weeks spent gardening. I decided I was going to do nothing in it at all. GASP!

How could I think such a thought, let alone do such a thing? By looking around the house and realizing how dirty, cluttered, messy and unkempt it looked. There was lots to be done. From pruning the houseplants to cleaning dog smudges off the front window where Gracie sits looking out at the world.

For most all of yesterday it was a house cleaning type of day. Laundry, dusting, hoovering, cobweb removal, window cleaning (those smudges), bathroom scrubbing, wall wiping, sweeping and mopping. And, pruning of the houseplants.

I did get a few minutes in to do something with all the rhubarb I have been harvesting as you can see below.


Rhubarb and strawberry pudding cake.
Gourmet April 2007

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of water
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup plus
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb stalks (10 ounces) (doubled amount)
1 cup chopped fresh strawberries (5 ounces) (doubled amount)
1 cup all-purpose flour (I used 2/3 cup flour and 1/3 cup cornmeal)
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Butter an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish.

Stir together water, cornstarch, and 1/3 cup sugar in a small saucepan, then stir in rhubarb. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, then simmer, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in strawberries. (NOTE: Because I doubled the amount of fruit I used, I doubled this part of the recipe ie water, cornstarch and sugar mixture.)

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl.

Whisk together egg, milk, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined.

Reserve 1/2 cup fruit mixture, then add remainder to baking dish and pour batter over it, spreading evenly. Drizzle reserved 1/2 cup fruit mixture over batter. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake portion comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes before serving.

It's a hit in our household.

The Gardening Shall Begin

Yesterday was the first day I felt like maybe Mother Earth was starting to awaken from her frozen nap. It's wasn't because of the sunshine, as there was not much. No UV warning from Environment Canada that's for sure. They are the watchdog for skin cancers with their warnings of the UV index and the sometimes "we got the weather right" national weather forecasts. By afternoon it was just grey, overcast and had a cold wind blowing in from the northwest. Required me putting up my hood and putting on my thick winter gloves. I don't think we were ever on the plus side of the thermometer. It was cold, windy and not alot like Spring.

But... I still felt as though the world was awakening. Maybe it's the birds. More birds have returned from down south and a more diverse gathering of birds are at our bird feeders. Whole huge flocks are stopping by. The robins are definitely back and are building their nests. The wild beautiful call of the Canadian geese is heard everywhere. You are turning to scan the sky to find them as they fly overhead in their "V" formations.

So what was it which found me out in the garden wandering and looking and feeling? Was it those little nubbins of rhubarb I saw poking up from the soil? The harbinger of Spring to a gardener? Or, was I just so tired of winter I had to be out and about "doing" in the garden. I weeded, I pruned, I turned some soil and then I turned the compost pile. And, it felt dang good!

Here I stand, my arms flung wide, yelling out loud ...... "WELCOME SPRING!"
Psst.... and don't be dragging your feet anymore. Okay?