Summer is for....

....happening upon something so breathtakingly beautiful you have to pull the car over and take a photo.


It happened twice.


As seen outside of Silverton, Oregon. Flowers grown for seed.

Queen of the Kitchen: Can I get a woop? Woop?

This photo is from the photo archives of OSU: it was taken in 1914 at Crook County High School Day. These are the Queens of the Kitchen of Crook County Oregon! Holla!

Food Not Lawns!

I really need the Food Not Lawns bumpersticker. It's so true. Why do we grow oodles of the monocultured lawngrass instead of the myriad of other things we could grow and eat? Or grow and gaze at their beauty? Or both? The combo is my personal favorite, but now I'm getting off topic.

The term "urban farming" is a phrase banded about with a lot of focus in white, gentrified neighborhoods. But urban farming, at its roots, is about the people doing what they will with their own and public space. Taking back control of their food system, building community, working together, and celebrating the bounty of what our earth can grow.

Check out Karney Hatch's Kickstarter project, a movie-in-the-making:

How much do you love those hard working Peruvian ladies? Of course people wanted to come in: gardens are beautiful! I love hearing stories like this.

If you want to hear more about Karney's project and help him see this movie through, visit his Kickstarter page and give a little money. I like his vision, and I have a feeling, a lot of other people will too.

Super simple summer: appetizer of my summer

I don't want fussiness this summer. I want the time...Time in the sun, to play, to laugh, to be with friends and family, to read, to swim, to paddle, to run, to explore, to climb, to breathe big. You get my drift? Simple.

That's why I'm in love with this super simple appetizer: kebabs made from fresh basil from the garden, cherry tomatoes (different colored ones make for beautiful kebabs, and beauty is half of the magic of food, right?), and small mozzarella balls, all placed on small skewers. Drizzle with really good extra virgin olive oil, a little bit of balsamic vinegar splashed about, and fresh cracked black pepper and fleur de sel.

These kebabs are so easy to eat, casual finger food, great for guests or just a plate to share with family. Later in the season we'll have big juicy heirloom tomatoes (hopefully!) but cherry tomatoes are much likely to fruit in our cooler Northwest summers, making this an earlier and safer bet. Summer on a skewer. Super. Simple.

I'm on Facebook

Just a quick post to let you all know you can connect with me and other readers on Facebook. I've finally bitten the bullet and made a page for Lelo in Nopo/The Sassy Gardener.

There I'll share little daily tidbits of things I see on the web, observations from the kitchen or garden that aren't quite full blog post worthy, and ask you lots of questions. Like what are some good ideas for all those sugar snap peas that are producing right now? I shared a yummy salad I made with sugar snap peas over there.

Just click on the "LIKE" button at the top and you'll see my updates and conversations. Now about those peas....

Virtual Garden Tour: The Hangout in Back

Look how I just left you hanging and didn't even end the Virtual Garden Tour. What can I say? I got distracted: beautiful weather, time to play outside in the beautiful sunshine. We have to take it when we get it. But I'm back now to wrap up this Virtual Garden Tour and give you a peek into our private hangout in back.

You can see a bit of it above. As you enter the back from the Side of Calm, this area is benefiting from a newly shaped lawn. This is what's left of the grass, and it's easy to water and care for now.
AdRi can sit here in this new little sitting area in the shade and take in her grass:

Looking back at the Side of Calm:

Looking back at the far corner:

You may have wondered about that robot in the corner. It has a heart. And hops growing up its leg.

And a solar light on its head.

Looking back at the house, yes, there is a house in this garden.

If you're looking for me this summer, you'll likely find me here:


Can you find Wink?

The Wall of Scent has been ablaze with jasmine and roses, and hummingbirds.



Lots of pots on the back patio...



And more places to hang out. Thus, The Hangout.

To see all of the photos for The Hangout...

And that concludes the Virtual Garden Tour. You'll notice I have not included the weeds, bare patches, piles of pots nor uncoiled hoses. But know, they're all there, just beyond the photographer's frame. :) Happy gardening!