A surprise in the potager

Can you guess what they are? 

Déjà Tagged

--Didn't we JUST do this???

--Well, actually, we did this back in March. And since then we've ignored a couple of tags.

--Oops. Alright, alright. Here goes. But we're going to be BORING and stick to garden factoids.

THE RULES

1. Post the rules.
2. Write six random things about yourself.
3. Tag six people.
4. Let the people know they've been tagged.
5. Let the person who tagged you know you post is up.

THE FACTOIDS

We've only killed one perennial and a few annuals this year. R.I.P the Australian mint bush, some verbena, one purple cauliflower plant. Not dead yet, but looking less than green, are the baby bay tree and the agastache rupestris 'sunset hyssop.'

We have the world's ugliest hedge along with some of the fugliest shrubs we've ever had the misfortune to lay eyes on. Seriously.

We've FINALLY figured out how to start tackling the western border of the yard. The goal is a bed with reds, oranges & yellows. Daylilies, cape fuschia and monarda will get us started.

We have so-called 'dwarf' grey sugar snow peas towering over the monstrous bronze fennel and exceeding the top of the 6ft trellis. The beautiful purple blossoms are giving way to many green pods.

Because we love to cook, we have 4 thymes (variegated lemon, orange balsam, silver posiee, and Foxley), 4 sages (garden, tri-color, pineapple and purple), and 4 mints (peppermint, pineapple, orange and ginger).

And finally, in the interest of world peace and domestic harmony, it is best if we work on construction projects, such as building the cloche, separately.

WHO WE'RE TAGGING

YOU! If you're reading this, and this sounds like a fun activity, then we invite you to play along.

Pennsylvania Dutch Traditions and Festivals

Life is full of funny and wonderful surprises.  While reading Eating Well magazine and enjoying my morning coffee, I discovered an article about Whoopie Pies.  Imagine that!  A classic Amish and PA Dutch favorite treat of my childhood featured in a national healthy eating magazine.  Of course the good folks at Eating Well magazine adjusted the recipe to make it healthier... I'll have to try it and see if the new version is as tasty as the old. 

Photo from What's Cooking America

What's a Whoopie Pie, you ask?  It's a delicious treat made of two chocolate cake-like cookies and a fluffy white filling.  Where did the name come from? 

According to Amish legend, when children would find these treats in their lunch bags, they would shout "Whoopie!" (whatscookingamerica.net)

I'd certainly shout "Whoopie" if Curmudgeon put one if my lunch bag!

I also read about an annual Whoopie Pie Festival at the Hershey Farm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  I had no idea! I just might have to head back to visit in September and enter myself in the Whoopie Pie Eating Contest or the Whoopie Yell Off. 

 

Speaking of festivals, the Kutztown Pennsylvania  German Festival is coming up soon (June 28 to July 6). This festival celebrates and recreates the folklife of the Pennsylvania Dutch (German farmers and settlers) of Berks County. The photo below is one of the prize winning quilts from 2007. Click on the quilt to see more of the 2007 winners.

Growing up nearby, attending this festival was an annual summer event. "Eat 'til you ouch" signs hang over many of the food stands. Trust me - that is quite easy to do!  The festival features many delicious, traditional PA Dutch foods, including chicken pot pie, schnitz un knepp (dried apples, ham and dumplings), sausages, potato filling, pepper cabbage, chow chow (pickled veggies), milich flitche (milk pie), shoofly pie and birch beer. I grew up eating many of these dishes and introduced Curmudgeon to them when we visited the festival two summers ago. She turned to my mother frequently and asked her while pointing at me, "Does she know how to make this?  Can you give her the recipe?"

In addition to the food, the festival features handmade arts and crafts, incredibly beautiful quilts, hex signs, music and dancing, farming tools and implements, and barnyard babies for children to meet.

(Banner, quilt, pickled veggies and hex sign photos above are all from the Kutztown Pennsylvania  German Festival  website)

Wing Nut's mother is a craftswoman at the festival. She is a seamstress and makes the world's best baby bibs, beautiful aprons, placemats & table runners in a variety of fabrics for every holiday or season, Christmas tree skirts, handy kitchen towels and much more.  Her business name is Bib-A-Lot. If you stop by and say hi, tell her the Weed Whackin' Wenches sent you.