When I say that I had a busy weekend, what I mean by that is that I met some friends to run Saturday morning, and then spent the rest of the day with my nose in a book! I haven’t done that in forever, but it was a much needed break. A friend called us late Saturday evening and asked if we wanted to go pick her friend’s garden, so we said “Sure!” I’ve never picked veggies at twilight before, but it was a fun outing and great to spend time with her. We’re still loving the home grown produce, so let’s have a look at this week’s menu:
One Pot Keto Sesame Chicken and Broccoli – New Recipe! Since we don’t own a microwave, steps 1 and 2 become: 1) Saute the broccoli in a large skillet until tender-crisp. 2) Remove from skillet and set aside. https://recommended.tips/one-pot-keto-sesame-chicken-and-broccoli/
These sundae cups were favors at our niece’s sweet sixteen party….*gulp*….14 years ago!
Have a great week, everybody!
Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!
From time to time, our little running group likes to change things up and hike instead. There are so many amazing sights and experiences in SW Virginia, that sometimes I take them for granted. One such view that is practically on our front doorstep is McAfee Knob.
What can I say about McAfee Knob that hasn’t already been said? It’s one of the most photographed spots along the Appalachian Trail and for good reason; the views are breathtaking. Watching fellow hikers get too close to the edge of the knob is breathtaking too, but for different reasons.
From 311 to the knob is eight miles, round trip. Our group chose to take the fire road up to the trail, because most of us aren’t actual hikers. We’re really just in it for the social aspect of the outing.
And the pretty pictures.
Because I’m trying not to trip while staring at my feet anyway, I might as well enjoy the flowers along the trail. And look for heart rocks.
Because there are so many hikers on the mountain, you’re not likely to see a lot of wildlife along the way. Which is just fine with me. No snakes or bears.
After about two miles, we transitioned from the wide, easy fire road onto the more technical Appalachian Trail. Some in our group hiked a slightly longer route and approached the knob from the east. How they got over there, I have no idea, but they were advised to go that route by a fellow hiker because it had “a way doper view”. I hear that trail skirted the cliff, and their views focused on foot placement so as to remain on the mountain, not enjoying the “way doper view” from a freefall.
Don’t expect solitude while taking in the views at McAfee Knob, especially on weekends. If the weather is nice, the knob will be jammed up like a Disney park during spring break.
Not to worry, if you chat up the other hikers, you’ll meet some fascinating people and maybe even hear a crazy story or two. We met a few through-hikers and loads of day-trippers. One group was leaving as we arrived mid-morning. Maybe we drove them out? I wouldn’t bet against it. They were hiking the 28 miles of Virginia’s Triple Crown (Tinker Cliffs, McAfee Knob and Dragon’s Tooth) all in one day. *gulp*
Be sure to bring water and a snack. This is a good spot to re-fuel for the trek back down the mountain.
After resting awhile and soaking up the views, it was time to head back to civilization. We gave our knees a good pounding on the rocky trail, and then rewarded them by taking the more hospitable fire road for the duration of the hike.
Pro tip: When hiking the knob on the weekend, get to the parking lot on 311 early. Like, 6:30 to 7:00 AM, early. It fills up quickly. If you’re hiking in a group, I recommend meeting at the park-and-ride lot (Orange Market – intersection of 311 and 419) and carpooling to the lot at the trail head on 311. We finished our hike about 11:00 AM and there were people literally blocking our parking spot hoping to snag it as we left. There were friendly volunteers directing traffic, trying to smooth out the parking situation. But fair warning, weekend parking at 311 is dog-eat-dog.
Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!
Last weekend I harvested our first large batch of basil. Because there is no way we can use this much fresh basil in a timely fashion, I decided to try my hand at preserving it. The first method I’m using is to simply dehydrate it.
I don’t have a fancy schmancy dehydrator, but it’s been blisteringly hot and sunny here lately, so I decided to put the weather to good use. I washed the basil really well and picked it off the stem. Mind-numbing work, right there.
Then, using freshly scrubbed window screens, I simply laid the leaves in a single layer and topped it with another screen to keep bugs out. My plan was to leave this in the sun for a few hours and collect my dried leaves, crush them and store them in an airtight glass jar.
Mother Nature had other plans. While Mark and I were spreading the basil on the screen, we heard thunder rumbling in the distance.
Within a few minutes, we were moving the basil onto our covered porch and scrambling for cover ourselves. Not to worry, we figured we’d just wait until the storm rolled through and put the basil back out when the sunshine returned.
Guess what didn’t come back for three days? Yep. My solar basil dehydrator is kaput. We’re trying to salvage this batch by drying it in the basement where we run a dehumidifier 24/7. We’ll see if this works. Gardening (like life) is all one giant experiment, right?
For the second preserving method, I’m freezing a small batch of clean, destemmed and blanched purple basil in olive oil. The blanching process goes like this: Dip the basil into boiling water for two seconds (yes, two!), and transfer it immediately into an ice bath. I used a large, mesh strainer as my scoop for this process.
After blanching the basil, I chopped it finely in the food processor and spooned it into ice cube trays. Add a splash of olive oil to cover, and into the freezer it goes. Once the cubes were frozen solid, I popped them out of the tray and into a freezer bag. These basil cubes are perfect for adding to soups, sauces and homemade salad dressings.
I’m planning to experiment with oven drying fresh herbs later in the growing season. But while it’s hotter than blue blazes in Virginia, I’ll do nearly anything to avoid heating up the house.
If you have a favorite method for preserving herbs, leave a comment. I’d love to hear about it!
Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!
This weekend has been all about catching up on home and garden tasks. I’m behind on weeding the herb garden, so it’s gotten a little out of hand. Even the cilantro got tired of waiting on me to clip it, and bolted instead. Oops!
While I was busy processing an enormous batch of basil, Mr. ArthurizedHome sat down and developed this week’s menu. I think he did a nice job of planning meals around what is fresh in the garden, and on sale at the grocery store. Let’s dig in!
Summer Squash Oregano – This old Southern Living magazine recipe is a favorite. It’s so old that I can’t find the recipe online! I’ve searched. We’ve got oregano growing like crazy this year, and fresh summer squash from Pa Kettle’s garden.
Summer Squash Oregano 3 T. butter 1 onion, minced 1 garlic clove, minced 1 small, green bell pepper, chopped 1 T. chopped fresh oregano 3/4 lb. yellow squash, sliced 3/4 lb. zucchini, sliced 4 tomatoes, chopped 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Melt butter in a large skillet; add onion, garlic and bell pepper and saute until tender. Stir in oregano, yellow squash and zucchini. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. Stir in tomato, salt and pepper; cook, uncovered, until squash is tender. Spoon into a serving dish, sprinkle with cheese.
Southwestern Squash Casserole – Yum! To make this gluten free and lower in carbs, I’m substituting gluten-free baking mix, coconut flour, arrowroot powder for the wheat flour. https://12tomatoes.com/southwestern-squash-casserole/
Tomato and Cheese Pie – We didn’t get to this one last week! We had too many leftovers and other produce we were trying to use before it spoiled, so this one is back on the menu.
Tomato and Cheese Pie adapted from The Supermarket Diet Cookbook Prep: 20 Minutes Bake: 30 Minutes Makes: 4 Servings 1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese 4 large eggs 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 tsp. salt, plus additional for sprinkling 1/8 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper, plus additional for sprinkling 1/4 cup milk 1 T. cornstarch – I use arrowroot powder 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped 1 pound ripe tomatoes (three medium), thinly sliced
1) Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, with whisk or fork, beat ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, salt and pepper until blended. 2) In cup, with fork, stir milk and cornstarch (arrowroot) until blended; whisk into cheese mixture. Stir in basil. Pour mixture into 9 inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Arrange tomatoes on top, overlapping if necessary. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper. 3) Bake pie until lightly browned around edge and center is puffed, 30 to 35 minutes.
Garlic Butter Sauteed Spinach with Salmon – This spinach is so bright and flavorful. Even better, you can have dinner on the table in 20 minutes, start to finish. Salt and pepper a salmon filet, squeeze some lemon juice over and pop it in the oven skin side down (450° for 15 minutes or until it flakes easily) and saute the spinach while it bakes. So good! https://www.eatwell101.com/garlic-butter-sauteed-spinach-recipe
Snacks: Keto cucumber slices, celery sticks or boiled eggs for me. I know I’m making this sound like prison rations, but I’m generally not hungry between meals on keto.
Hubby will nosh on his glorious, carb-laden watermelon, cherries, peaches and popcorn.
Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!
Ten years ago, my sister found this wooden, Pier 1 bar chair for $5 at a yard sale. Score! It had several coats of paint, the latest of which was ivory with some hand painted flowers. So very floral. We gave her a fresh coat of white paint and put her to work at the end of our kitchen island.
After doing hard time in my kitchen, those layers and layers of paint were a little worse for wear. I decided to strip the chair down to the raw wood and see if I could achieve an English pine look. Little did I know how time-consuming this project was going to be!
We used CitriStrip to remove all that paint. I like this product because it does the job without the overpowering smell of most chemical strippers. We used a small wire brush to remove the paint in the carved detail of the legs.
Rabbit Trail: One time, I saw wire brushes for sale at a home improvement store and they were mislabeled as wire “brishes”. I’ve called them brishes ever since. #imadork
While stripping the wood, we were surprised to discover that the factory stain was ebony which was deeply ingrained in the wood. We used Formby’s Paint & Poly Remover to try to remove the dark stain. We applied it and scrubbed with steel wool, but the grain of this wood is so tight that it just didn’t penetrate very well. I would use this product for final cleaning before staining raw wood, not for removing old stain.
After the Formby’s, we used Clorox gel bleach to continue removing that ebony stain. Working in small sections, we applied bleach to the chair and used a small wire brush to work it into the wood. This worked very well and did not leave harsh bleach stains. Note: I would not recommend this on antique pieces or anything rare. We felt okay with risking bleach stains on this piece because we could sand them out if necessary.
Once we were happy with the paint/stain removal, we began to sand the chair. And sand. And sand. And sand. This is the time to crank up the tunes in the garage and zone out. Such boring work. Thank God that I don’t sand furniture for a living! We started with 100 grit sandpaper and worked our way to 220 grit for the final sanding.
Once the chair was a smooth as a newborn baby’s butt, it was time for the star of the show: Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Wax in Clear! I ordered it from Carolina Pine Country Store. This was my first order with them, and I had a fantastic customer experience. They’re very responsive to questions, and even though I didn’t pay for expedited shipping, my order was delivered with lightning speed. 10/10 highly recommend!
Can I just tell you how excited I am about this wax? Using a lint-free cloth, simply smooth it onto the wood, rub it in like lotion and let it cure. It’s amazing. I was concerned that the final finish on the chair would look yellow, but not to worry. This wax delivered on a soft, beautiful finish and I couldn’t be happier with it.
We’ve done two coats of wax and will likely add a third coat. Let’s just take a moment to admire this beauty in her natural habitat, shall we?
See that island? It’s on the short list of furniture needing a makeover. Soon. Very soon. I’m thinking something in the tiffany blue-turquoise range for the cabinet and maybe some more Annie Sloan clear wax for the top?
I’m not in partnership with any brands referenced in this post. I’m simply sharing products that I use and enjoy, and I hope you will like them too!
Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!
Nope, I have no idea how she got her name. But, dang. I sincerely hope that Susan fought back and did a little damage of her own. Kidding. Sort of. Let there be peace on earth, and all that.
In 2009, when my Grandma turned 90, we traveled to Indiana for her birthday party. She had recently moved into a nursing home and her house was being sold. We went over to her property to dig up a few plants to bring home with us. We dug up her pink peonies, which transplanted beautifully, and her lilacs, which sadly didn’t thrive here. In the corner of her yard, we found one small black-eyed Susan blooming underneath a tall, evergreen tree.
Grandma’s peony
We brought her back to Virginia and transplanted her into one of the few sunny spots in the yard. As with all of my plants, I fuss over them for a few weeks with daily watering, monitoring for wilting leaves and other signs of stress. If they look good at that point, I mulch them well and cut back on watering except for the hottest/driest times of the year.
Black-eyed Susans are members of the sunflower family and come in both annual and perennial varieties. If you have an annual variety, don’t worry because they are prolific self-seeders and you shouldn’t have to re-plant each year. They’re native prairie flowers in the U.S. and are fantastic for attracting pollinators.
If you don’t cut them back at the end of the growing season, the seed heads provide food for the birds over the winter. While most growing guides say that deer avoid eating black-eyed Susans, we’ve had a few years when the deer have mowed them down. Punks.
This bed is about 8′ x 10′ and grew from Grandma’s one, tiny flower. We mow around it to prevent it taking over the entire yard. We’ve divided it several times, transplanting to other locations on our property and we’ve given loads of them away to family and friends. I love to hear updates on how these “Hoosiers” are doing in our friend’s yards!
Black-eyed Susan make beautiful cut flowers as well! Easy peasy! Just snip them, remove any leaves below the water line and plunk them into a vase.
If you are #soextra like me, (just ask my niece) and believe that more is more, jazz up your black-eyed Susan bouquet with other garden flowers. Have some fun with them!
Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!
Happy Monday to you! If you are new to Arthurized Home, you may wonder why I only plan 5 dinners each week. That’s done in order to leave room in the schedule for eating out or having a leftovers night. Throwing away food that’s expired is a huge pet peeve of mine!
The produce is rolling in from Pa Kettle’s and Wanda and Ed’s gardens (thank you!), so we’re eating all the veg this week!
Easy Baked Enchilada Chicken with Green Beans – That name makes it sound like this came out of an Easy Bake oven. Remember those? I couldn’t find a green enchilada sauce that did not have canola oil, so I reduced a mild salsa verde on the stove and used that instead. This chicken bakes up moist, tender and delicious! https://www.eatingonadime.com/baked-enchilada-chicken/
Tomato and Cheese Pie adapted from The Supermarket Diet Cookbook Prep: 20 Minutes Bake: 30 Minutes Makes: 4 Servings 1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese 4 large eggs 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 tsp. salt, plus additional for sprinkling 1/8 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper, plus additional for sprinkling 1/4 cup milk 1 T. cornstarch – I use arrowroot powder 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped 1 pound ripe tomatoes (three medium), thinly sliced
1) Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, with whisk or fork, beat ricotta, eggs, Parmesan, salt and pepper until blended. 2) In cup, with fork, stir milk and cornstarch (arrowroot) until blended; whisk into cheese mixture. Stir in basil. Pour mixture into 9 inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Arrange tomatoes on top, overlapping if necessary. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper. 3) Bake pie until lightly browned around edge and center is puffed, 30 to 35 minutes.
Keto Snacks: Mousies! – My grandma referred to these little ham, cream cheese and dill pickle appetizers as “mousies” because they look like little mice when they’re wrapped inside the ham! She certainly wasn’t afraid to be a little wacky; and we loved her for it! https://kalynskitchen.com/easy-recipe-for-ham-and-dill-pickle/
Not the most photogenic snack, but tasty nonetheless!
Beautiful Carbs for Hubby: Fresh Cherries *sniff*, Bananas and Watermelon
Treats: Raspberry Cheesecake Fat Bombs – I’m still loving fresh berries as a treat, but I’m going to keep a batch of these in the freezer. I used one stick of butter, one 8 oz. package of cream cheese, 6 oz. of fresh raspberries and 8 packets of green stuff to make approximately 2.5 batches of this recipe. I refrigerated the mixture until it was firm enough to scoop onto a Silpat using a 1″ cookie scoop. My batch yielded 28 bombs. https://hungryforinspiration.com/raspberry-cheesecake-fat-bombs/
Have a fantastic week, everyone!
Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!
I’ll just come right out and say it. Blue Ridge is the best race. Regardless of which distance you are running, this one will keep you coming back year after year. Spoiler alert: It will beat you every time.
Isn’t ‘insanity’ doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Maybe so, but you will love this insanity! Blue Ridge truly has something for everyone: Carilion Children’s 1 miler, Anthem Star 10k, marathon relay, half marathon, full marathon and for those of you with zero good sense, the double marathon! Seriously. You really can run the full, twice in one day. You’ll earn a sweet double finisher gift if you do.
Blue Ridge boasts of being America’s Toughest Road Races for good reason. Unless you’re doing the children’s 1 miler, you will encounter some crazy elevation gain and loss throughout each race course. Forget PRing this one. Just focus on finishing it, and enjoying the gorgeous views and the outpouring of community support along the way.
The pre-race expo is always a good time. Bring some extra pocket jingle to buy race gear like the hoodie my husband, Mark is wearing here. If you see something you like, buy it. Race merchandise is limited and sells out quickly.
Pre-race smiles…and jitters. Let’s get this party started!
Mark chose to interval this as his first full marathon with twin goals of staying on course and beating the sweep. His walking pace is faster than my running pace. Also, you can’t get lost at Blue Ridge. They do a great job of marking the course and there are helpful course marshals everywhere. Just follow the arrows that match the color of your bib.
I pre-registered for the half marathon but planned to switch to the 10k, because I was rehabbing a bone bruise in my foot and had not been able to train properly. At the last minute, I decided to stick with the half and walk it. My friend Kelly was walking the 10k, so we adventured together for the first 5 miles, stopping to take selfies with everything and everyone. Race day is a much different experience without the pressure of trying to PR.
Pa Kettle met us as we began our ascent up Mill Mountain.
The community support for Blue Ridge is second to none. Homeowners along the route come out to bolster the runners with music, signs, words of encouragement and unofficial aid stations. Our friends Donna and Lorelie have awesome front yard cheer stations, families offer apple juice boxes and other treats to the runners, homeowners set up their sprinklers streetside to run through. There are some quirky surprises to look forward to as well.
Don’t be concerned about having to walk during the race; nearly everyone walks the uphill sections. You’ll meet some great people with interesting stories to tell if you’re chatty. A few years ago, I met a 72 year old lady who was walking the half with her teenage grandkids and trash-talking them the whole way up Mill Mountain. She was so funny! This year, we met some nice people who were visiting from Pennsylvania and we gave our beer tickets to them. #glutenallergy #designateddriver
Smile for the photographers along the race course! Blue Ridge offers free race day photos. You can search them by your name or bib number after the race.
Made it to the Star!
There’s a party at the star with food, drinks, music and lots of opportunities for picture-taking. Pause your tracking app, take a selfie or two and soak in the panoramic views of the Roanoke Valley.
Once you’ve had a moment to rest at the star, it’s time to head back down the mountain. The “Old Road” is very picturesque and offers beautiful woodland views. You won’t be on it for long before you start to see some curious signs.
These ladies serve up mimosas to the runners at Rockledge, an historic, stone home on the side of Mill Mountain. Whether you enjoy a mimosa or not, pause a moment and take in the stunning city views before leaving Rockledge.
You won’t lack for entertainment during Blue Ridge. There are funny signs along the course.
And musicians to serenade you.
Kelly and I said goodbye at the Walnut Avenue bridge where the 10k course heads to the finish and the half course pops onto the greenway towards South Roanoke. Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Enjoy the relatively flat section of greenway through McClanahan; you’ll start to climb again on 22nd Street and as you wind your way through the rolling hills of SoRo. The calm before the storm that is Peakwood.
Cutest little race supporter! (She’s not in the Witness Protection Program; I just don’t put kid’s pics on the internet without permission.)
Round the corner onto Somerset and enjoy one last water stop before it’s time to climb again. I had just barely started up Peakwood when a man yelled to me “It’s not far now! You’re almost to the top!” Liar. You tell beautiful, beautiful lies.
Yes, Peakwood needs its own welcome! This is the steep section of the half that we all love to dread.
As you climb, you’ll convince yourself that the top is just around the next curve.
Or the next one.
At mile 8.8 there is a short downhill section that, for the uninitiated, may trick you into thinking that was the worst of Peakwood. Don’t be fooled. You’re going to climb again. Even more demoralizing, full marathoners will breeze right past! Resist the temptation to trip them.
And just when you’ve given up all hope of ever cresting Peakwood, there it is! The party in the cul-de-sac! These friendly volunteers will greet you with champagne, fresh fruit and more importantly, with smiles and words of encouragement.
Grab an ice-cold towel to wash the sweat away before you begin the trek back down into SoRo proper.
The downhill stretch from West Ridge Road through Rosalind Avenue is the reward for completing Peakwood.
South Roanoke in the springtime cannot be prettier. These gorgeous views almost make you completely forget the pain that is Blue Ridge.
Almost.
Be sure to stop for a selfie with the mannequin. ‘Cause that’s not awkward at all. I told you there are quirky surprises!
Cresting the bridge in front of Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital on Jefferson Street. One more mile to go. But who’s counting?!
After I finished the half, I met up with our friends Nikki and Michelle to wait for Mark to finish. He earned bragging rights within our circle of running friends by being the first in the group to tackle the full.
I haven’t said ‘never’ to a full marathon, but after watching friends limp around post-race in various levels of pain; let’s just say I’m not currently interested. When I finish a half marathon thinking ‘Boy, I could really go for another 13 miles right now!’, I’ll sign up for a full!
I’m super proud of this guy. I honestly expected him to be in serious pain by the end of the race. Two blocks from the finish line, he yelled to Nikki, “This is fun; you’re doing it next year!”
No, Mark didn’t run the team relay, we just grabbed the wrong sign. Oops!
After receiving your finisher medal, hobble on over to the the Fleet Feet Recovery Zone and have your aching muscles rolled out by a friendly volunteer, or enjoy a massage by a physical therapist.
Once you can walk upright again, visit the food tent for post-race pizza and other snacks, or head into the Elmwood Park amphitheater for live music, food trucks and craft beer. It’s time to revel in successfully completing one of America’s Toughest Road Races!
For more information on the Blue Ridge races, click here: https://www.blueridgemarathon.com/ While you’re there, go ahead and register for the next race. Blue Ridge will kick your butt, but you’ll love it. Promise.
I’m not in partnership with any brands mentioned in this race review. I’m simply sharing my experience with this race.
Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!
In an effort to stretch my gardening dollar as far as possible, I like to plant easy care perennials; those garden work-horses that will return year after year.
Also, I hate planting annuals. I have no patience for a plant that will grow for one year and then die off. Kiss it goodbye. I’d rather save the time and effort, plant the $50 bill and be done with it. (Our porch is in deep shade and I make an exception for annuals there.) However….
Coleus are tender perennials so they behave like annuals in Virginia. After one summer in the sunshine, they are done. Sadly, I can’t overwinter them because our house has few sunny windows in which to grow plants. (And I need those windows for blog photography!) These plants are showy and worth every penny. They are ridiculously simple to care for. Plunk them in the ground in a sunny spot, water regularly and admire them. It’s just that easy!
While my taste in flowers tends toward ‘cottage garden’; these beauties are a punch of abstract art. The Andy Warhol of perennials, if you will. They provide edgy contrast to my restrained daisies and lavender. Give them a try! I think you’ll like them!
Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!
Y’all. It’s hot in Virginia. Like, surface of the sun, hot. Gimmie all the salads, hot. Too hot for cooking, hot. Maybe we should grill a burger or piece of chicken? Keep that heat outside of the house.
Grilled Burgers on Lettuce Buns – We stopped at Five Guys on the way back from the beach and had their cheeseburger in a lettuce wrap. So good! I’m trying to recreate that at home.
Strawberry Chicken Salad – New Recipe! Don’t let the garlic in the dressing scare you away; you won’t get dragon breath. My avocado was a little green, and I think the dressing would have been creamier with a ripe avocado. Maybe you can catch your avocado during the fifteen minute window of time between unripe and rotten?! https://cleanfoodcrush.com/clean-eating-strawberry-chicken-salad/
Dilled Tuna-Stuffed Tomatoes – New Recipe! My cousin made this delicious tuna salad and shared the recipe with me. Thanks, Ruby! I’ve made it twice three times in the last week. I might be just a little obsessed.
Dilled Tuna-Stuffed Tomatoes adapted from The Supermarket Diet Cookbook Prep: 25 minutes Makes: 4 servings 2 cans (6 ounces each) solid white tuna in water, drained and flaked 5 T. mayonnaise – I like Sir Kensington‘s 2 medium cucumbers, unpeeled, cut into 1/4 inch pieces – or one English cucumber 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh dill, finely chopped 2 T. capers, drained and finely chopped 2 T. fresh lemon juice 1 T. Dijon mustard 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 4 large, ripe tomatoes (12 ounces each)
1) In medium bowl combine tuna, mayonnaise, cucumbers, dill, capers, lemon juice, mustard and pepper. 2) Cut each tomato, from blossom end, into 6 attached wedges, being careful not to cut all the way through. Spoon one-fourth of tuna mixture into center of each tomato.
Snacks: I’ve found that I’m not really hungry between meals on keto. See also: too hot to cook. Delicious carb snacks for hubby: Watermelon, Cherries (Oh my gosh, the cherries are beautiful this year), Tiny But Mighty Popcorn
Treat: Strawberries and Fresh Whipped Cream
Happy Salad Week! Stay cool, everyone!
Disclosure: In addition to occasional sponsored posts, Arthurized Home uses clickable affiliate links. That means that I may receive a small commission from sales at no extra charge to you. As always, my opinion is 100% my own, and I only recommend things that I truly love or use myself. Thank you for patronizing the brands that support Arthurized Home!
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