Arthur in the Garden!

As someone who likes order and structure in my life and things around me I wouldn’t make a good baker. Baking needs precise measurements to get things right. I am more of “a little of this, a little of that” type of cook.

The day after Christmas here in the States and it’s chilly and wet outside. No yard work today! When I arrived back in Raleigh yesterday afternoon from the coast the sky was blue and the sun was shining. The temperature was a little chilly but it still was a good day to walk around the arboretum.

The prunus Mumes and witch-hazels were beginning to bud out. I need to add a few to my garden!

The mahonias, too, were blooming.

The winter flowering irises where beautiful and always a nice surprise!

For some unknown reason I wanted potatoes and onions this morning which brings me back to the point of this post. I had no recipe in mind. I sautéed onions and garlic in some oil. Added a few cut up potatoes and some spices such as cumin, turmeric, a few drops of tobasco, and red ground pepper and half-an-hour later my tummy was full!

Thank goodness for the spice rack!

Back to the garden. Winter is the best time to do the hardcore maintenance. I will be working soon on the brick boarders and stepping stones. It is also the time to look at the basic structure and layout of the garden. It may be time to tweak the positions of those plants which grew larger than expected!
Xxx