And Here We Have Idaho

Last week my sister, brother, and me did our first sibling trip since we have all been married. We decided to explore a part of Idaho each of us had only driven through. What a scenic trip we had. 

We started the trip from Montana and Lolo Pass and then drove along the Lochsa River.

We stayed along the river for two nights enjoying the quiet beauty of central Idaho.

Next we explored the Selway River which joins the Lochsa to make the Clearwater.

Taking pictures is a big part of what we love to do when we get together. There was never a lack of photo opportunities.Here is my brother at the Old Lochsa Forest Service Station.

Here is my sister at the Selway River. It was a relaxing trip and it gave us time to laugh, talk, share concerns, figure out things that needed figuring out, time to eat good meals, have good drinks, and sit around and start the day on the deck of the cabin drinking coffee. Not bad at all.

Road Trip Food: Monster Cookies

About fifteen years ago our family set up the Oregon coast as a central gathering place for a family vacation. Any time we travel we have good meals and lots of treats. That trip I made Monster Cookies. A parent of a student had shared this recipe about twenty years ago. My friend Gigi at Rose Lake made them for band bake sales for her children at University High School. I loved to make them, but I can't remember the last time I did.

That has all changed. I am preparing for a sibling road trip on Monday that will take us from northern Idaho, through Missoula and Lolo Montana, then down Highway 12 to Three Rivers Resort. I couldn't think of a better road food than Monster Cookies. I can also leave some home for Everett, take some to my mom, and leave some with my sister's family.

Monster cookies were first called these because people made them really big for bake sales. Sometimes they are called Kitchen Sink Cookies because you can add whatever you want for the add-ins. Most of the recipes have the same basic dough. You can do a search and see lots of variations. This one at
Just a Taste  was the closest to what I made.

I used regular sized M&Ms and chips. Other add in ideas:
white chocolate chips
raisins
pecans
peanut butter chips
rice krispies
peanut M&Ms
and the list is a bit different in seaching other recipes.

They are really worth a try and they freeze well. Enjoy!

The Science of Canning

I really enjoy canning and preserving food. It is such a sense of accomplishment to take food and prepare it and put it in jars and can it. I used to think there was a science to all of it. I heard horror stories about botulism and other poisoning from my mother and Mrs. Macri, my junior high home-ec teacher, if it wasn't done right.

I follow recipes by the book. I give my jars a water bath or put them in the pressure cooker. So far... no deaths.

Whether it is pickling beans, making jam, or trying my own recipe for salsa, it is always rewarding. There is also something about canning jars that make good photos also.

My Mother's Garden

I was able to spend time last week-end working side by side with my mother in her gardens. I love the way we move seamlessly in conversation from names of plants to times of bloom to effective fertilizers.

We were quite a team. I had lower back pain and couldn't bend over. Mom had a sore hip and ankle and couldn't get around as well as usual. We played on our strengths as we planted, deadheaded, watered, weeded, and moved plants.

Every time I drive up to my childhood home I am in awe of the beauty Mom has created in the front of the house. Her plants are lush and healthy. Everything grows twice as tall at her house.

Then when I move to the back it is the same thing. We gave her this rose as a small plant a few years ago. Amazing how much it has grown.

I never get tired of the wide sky, sunlit morning, fresh air, and the scent of flowers.

My Essential Summer Garden Plants

After taking a daily walk through our gardens I reflected on what has worked and not worked as we have planted, unplanted, moved, dug up, and replaces plants through our years of building the landscape. Especially if you are just starting as a gardener or need to do some improvements, let me tell you what works for me. ( We have sandy soil that has been amended and amended and have lots of sunshine and heat in the summer.)
If I was only going to pick a few, here are my essentials:

1. Lilies.
For the time they last, lilies are an inexpensive bulb. They provide that burst of color in July and August. Each year we plant a few more in the fall, but they are a must-have in the summer garden.

2. Sedum.
Sedum comes in all shapes and sizes. It grows just about anywhere and can be a ground cover or a lovely blooming plant by itself. I especially love Autumn Joy sedum.

3. Roses.
I always thought roses were difficult to take care of. Where I live if you water and fertilize them they do just great. My favorite types of roses are "Nearly Wild", " America", "Fourth of July" and " Honey Perfume".

4. Lemon Gem Marigold.
This is an annual you can grow from seed or find in a nursery. This marigold has small yellow flowers and the leaves are lemon scented. Nothing like that smell of lemon when you rub your hands over the leaves. I always keep these close to where we sit in planters to enjoy the fragrance.

5. Lavender.
It is hardy, It doesn't require a lot of water, It looks beautiful when in bloom, It smells good, It fills in as a great landscape plant. What is not to like?

6. Geranium.These traditional favorite garden plants are on my list because they winter over so well. We keep them going all winter in the greenhouse and have them already blooming when they move back outside. I love big containers full of geraniums.

7. Honeysuckle.
We knew we also wanted plants that grew up when we planned our landscape. These plants are hardy, colorful, and fragrant. Three things I like to see in a plant.

8. Begonia.
Another plant I used to be afraid of. Once I learned not to water it too much and keep it in the shade, we have gotten along fine.

9. Coleus.
If you want texture and color to fill in areas of your shady garden, coleus is your plant. It can be found it a large number of varieties that are colorful and full of texture.

10. I am a sucker for dahlias. I used to think it was so much trouble to dig up the bulbs each fall, but now I think the result is worth it.

It was hard to narrow this down and I have many more types of plants, but this is a starting points.

Lily Time

I know it is July when the lilies begin to show their grand colors in my gardens. Love lilies!