The Meandering Gourmet

That should have been the title of the last post with a nod to the Galloping Gourmet, Graham Kerr whose TV cooking show we watched as kids.

Squash blossoms filled with herb
and garlic goat cheese

Baked 15 minutes at 425°

As promised, I made the baked, stuffed zucchini blossoms recipe that I linked to in the previous post but cheated a little by using herb and garlic seasoned goat cheese. It overpowered the delicate flavor of the blossoms. Several new blossoms have popped up, so I'll try it with blander cheese next time. Fortunately, the recipe is easy and fun. You put the cheese into a zip lock bag, cut off 1/2 inch from a corner and then squeeze the cheese into a little slit on the side of the blossom.

Tonight's dinner was more successful: my husband's Pesto made with basil leaves direct from the garden.

Beautiful New Arrivals

Hibiscus

Magnificent Lily

Morning Glories

Picking, Pulling and Pondering

There's no better time to think about deep issues than when you're weeding. And for the last two days, I've been thinking about the NPR piece that suggested weeds are under appreciated. 

These are the things I ponder:

Chleome--so pretty
and prolific

• Is poison ivy considered a weed -- or a hazard?
• Does poison ivy have any redeeming value? 
• How would that author like to have some in his yard? I've got plenty to spare
• If I eat organic food but use an herbicide to kill poison ivy, does that make me a hypocrite or a pragmatist?
• Can I consider blackberry bushes and brambles weeds when they are so overgrown, I can't pass them without their sharp thorns attacking me and attaching to my clothes?
• What is the value of uninvited wisteria vines winding their way throughout planting areas and strangling the plants that were put there on purpose?
• At what point does a gorgeous, deer resistant flower like Chleome that is a prolific self-sower become a weed? (I used to have it in Boulder and it was so overwhelming, I pulled it all up. Now it is everywhere in this garden).
• Why do I enjoy weeding so much? (My friend, "B" says that every weed you pull is a tiny victory. If that's so, I should feel like a champion by now).