Green Stuff in my Backyard

 Hey YOU!

You might or might not know that I am living in a major city on the East Coast ... yeah, lucky me! NOT! I will not name the city, but if you read the name of my blog, you might get the hint!

I am not here to tell you all about the crime, the parking, the noise, the smells or whatever else is wrong with city life, but I am here to tell you all about my little sanctuary in the middle of this concrete jungle ....                                                                           

                                                                 my backyard!!!!

I have a few neighbors who for one or the other reason want to kill every green little leaf that is growing within a mile of their home! WHHHYYYY???? "Well, there are fleas in those bushes" was one reply I received. "The racoons can't hide if I cut all the vines off my fence" was another. Thats when I stopped asking..

Yes, my backyard was just a small slap of concrete with a raggedy bare wire fence (that's just what the previous owner wanted)  No, there is really nothing I could do about the concrete, but my fence isn't bare any longer! Of course my neighbors hate me for letting things grow, but I am loving it!! 

I have butterflies and bees visiting my yard .. I have green all around me! I enjoy the smell of my Lavender, Honeysuckle, Lemon Thyme, Sage and Rosemary. Last year I grew some cucumbers and this year I have Cherry Tomatoes and Jalapenos and hopefully some Honeydew Watermelon later this summer.

bee visit

cucumber baby

moonflower

honeysuckle

jalapeno bloom

lemon thyme

common sage

rosemary

pineapple

baby praying mantis

bee visiting lavender

honeydew watermelon blooms

cherry tomatoes

bumble bee buzz

jalapeno 

aaaaaaaaahhhh... green! 

and last but not least 

my harvest of tomatoes so far

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I know it's too early yet, but I am planning to grow some onions and garlic next year. And most likely I will add more spices too. Any suggestions???

Oh So Good Strawberry Muffins

What do you do when you have a craving for fresh fruit salad? Of course you go and buy a juicy pineapple🍍, kiwi, watermelon 🍉, grapes🍇 , bananas🍌 , peaches, strawberries 🍓 etc.. You peel, slice and dice.. and then you dig in and it is so yummy! 

But oh NOOO... There are so many strawberries left and you can not let them spoil!!! Well how about some Strawberry Muffins???

Yield: 12 muffins

• •

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk

1 cup fresh diced strawberries (with the juice)

1/4 cup crushed salted peanuts 

Directions

Lightly grease muffin pan. 

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 Degrees C).

In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix in eggs until light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder and soda into the mixture, and mix thoroughly. Add 1/4 cup milk and slowly fold in strawberries with juices. 

Fill batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 25 to 35minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Oh, they are so good, so yummy.. so strawberry, so fluffy and juicy! 

And the varieties are endless: Add bananas .. Top them with chocolate .. Make Peach or Pineapple Muffins ... 🤤