All About Food

While I've been slacking taking outfit photos - a little unfortunate because I've worn some pretty creative stuff - I've been absorbed with food. I'd had quiche on the brain since Paris because I was eating some nearly everyday. I finally made myself a vegetable quiche on Friday and it was so satisfying.



I'm hoping to practice a lot of my class recipes ahead of time at home. This past weekend I made Choux Pastry Swans, something we had seen our Chef make at the Cordon Bleu but that we didn't do in practical. It's scheduled for us next week now, and it was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be and I'm quite happy with how they came out.



 Next time I'll try to make the necks thinner and the 'heads' less bulbous. I brought some over to a friend's and gave a bunch to my parents - I really just wanted to make them, eating them interests me less - and everybody was suitably impressed. Then I do things that impress myself - even if just a little - and whip up tasty dinner dishes like chicken in a spicy mango pineapple sauce on lovely red quinoa.



I've also been cooking up foods with lovely vegetables from my garden. Unfortunately frosts have started at night, which means the garden season is basically over. This wasn't exactly an ideal year for gardening and I can just hope next year is better temperature and weather-wise for me. I've been pulling up potatoes and a few green peppers though, and there are still tomatoes on my covered plants.



My ornamental corn is also quite lovely and I have to finish drying the cobs. I'll definitely be planting more of it next year, it's just so pretty. I love the variety of colours and the rich purple that can grow in the stalks. I'll be planting more varieties of potatoes too, for certain. They actually have really pretty plants and flowers and that surprised me.



Anyhow, I need to get ready for my baking class. We're making three kinds of cookies today and hopefully it all goes smoothly. I hope you had a great weekend. Cheers!

Dirt Under My Nails

Here are some photos of my garden as it progresses. I don't have a whole lot to say about it except that I'm very happy. The garden got a good weeding a few days after taking these photos so it'll look neater come the next round. Things are flowering though, which is great!

I had no idea a potato and green pepper flowers could be so pretty!

My yellow beans are climbing up the ornamental indian corn like crazy, this one in particular has this stalk in a death grip! That's why I planted them together though, and it's working wonderfully.

 

Even in the few days since I've taken these photos, the plants have grown tremendously. The changes happen in leaps and bounds, it always amazes me to notice the changes. It's almost more exciting at this stage than it was waiting for things to sprout and begin growing. I hope those of you who garden are enjoying things are much as me! Cheers!

All's a Garden

I've actually been wearing some really cute outfits lately, but I've been too busy/lazy to take photos. My garden is getting plenty of attention though. I'm at the point where little wildlife is coming to live in and around the garden and that pleases me more than I can say. It was one of the things I'd been hoping for so it's wonderful that little creatures are making a home there now.



Toads are some of my favourite animals as it is, but itty bitty toadlets really take the cake. They're just so tiny and hoppy and cute! Perfect for eating all the little insects in my garden that might be harmful to my plants. My compost pile has been attracting other animals, mainly Northern Red-Belly snakes, my most favourite Ontario species of small snake. They're completely harmless and don't get much bigger than the one in my photo below.



They're another fantastic species to have in and around a garden because they mainly feed on slugs and small snails. I found this little fella living in the dirt directly inside my compost heap. There must be plenty of delicious things for it and its little snake friends in there because I've seen one almost every time I'm out there adding to my heap or turning the compost. I hope you are having a good week. Cheers!

Grow Garden Grow

I was very happy to find my very first red strawberry in my garden this Tuesday. All my tomato plants are covered in green tomatoes too, I'll be eating them soon enough. My potatoes are growing like mad and even the yellow beans, zucchinis and cucumbers are coming up well now. The only things that seem to be stunted and unchanged are my green pepper plants, but oh well! There's plenty of summer yet for them to grow bigger.



I'm really looking forward to my ornamental corn growing big and tall. The stalks already have gorgeous colours - I was surprised that even their roots share the purple tint. This whole next week is going to be hot and sunny, so as long as I keep my plant-children well watered, they should grow grow grow!

While I hadan inkling that I would really enjoy gardening, it brings me more joy and satisfaction that I had imagined. I love watching the plants grow and change and mature. Watering them in the evenings in a wonderful time for me to commune with them - and yes, I am one of those people who baby-talks to their plants. "That's it little pretties! Drink up! Grow big now!" I hope you are all having a good start to your July. Cheers!

Rainbow Garden

After all the rain we were having recently, I have absolutely no complaints about all this gorgeous sun! I've already got a bit of a tan and a sunburn haha... Things went from winter to summer and sort of skipped spring, which is a bit confusing, but I'm getting used to the heat.

Dress - Purchased from Siam2u on Etsy

Sandals - Fluevog

Necklaces - Thrifted from Value Village

With the help of my parents, I've made a lot of progress with my little garden. I'm kind of early, but the weather is so warm that there's really no fear of frost. I've got potatoes, green pepper plants and some strawberry bunches planted already. I'll be putting in so catnip seeds later today, both as a treat for my cat and as an added insect repellent along with the marigolds I planted around the edge.

I never thought gardening would be for me, but I've found it more fulfilling and enjoyable already than I ever thought possible. I really like digging around in the dirt, putting down little living green things, planting seeds that I nurture and tend to as they sprout. It's exciting!

The only thing I could wish for right now is that the lake were warm enough to swim in already! But there's still ice, floating to and fro depending on the direction of the wind. Not to mention all the rivers and creeks are so high and rushing into the lake with their cold water, it'll be a good long while before it warms up enough for comfortably swimming. Something to look forward to though. I hope you all have a good Saturday. Cheers!