#67 Persistence
This poem/comic is a lie.
I am not comforted.
The war in my garden is not going well.
In the battle of weeds vs Anne one side is clearly more dedicated.
I’ll give you a hint.
It’s not the side with the opposable thumbs.
And we are not just talking about the weeds but the lawn which, having been ripped out and displaced by vegetables, is fighting back with all its might, dreaming of dominating my landscape once more.
Then there’s the weird ornamental grasses, the origins of which were a mystery to me until my daughter pointed out that we used to have a bird feeder in that spot.
Note to bird lovers - that stuff you are pouring into your feeder is not only going into bird stomachs. Birds it seems are messy eaters, flinging extra seeds all over the place, thus setting the stage for hours of manual labor in your future as you struggle to rip out whatever exotic plants the bird seed makers saw fit to saddle you with.
I have tried lots of remedies but the truth is, when you are talking about a garden that is meant to be eaten by humans, weed killers are not really an option. It comes down to good old fashioned yanking and dredging.
I have grown weary.
And the weeds know it.
They know they have nothing better to do than to keep pushing themselves up out of the ground every minute of every day and every night while I slack off doing things like working and eating and sleeping.
But a reckoning is coming.
Today I’m feeling ready to wade into the fray.
Opposable thumbs and all.
If you don’t hear from me next week send in the cavalry.
Copyright© 2024 Anne Morse Hambrock All rights reserved.
The battle has commenced…
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Kenosha Book Festival
If you want to grab copies of the new book in person, come to the upcoming Kenosha Book Festival Sunday July 28. Details of the fest here.
If weather permits I will also have a harp and will be serenading passers by in an attempt to lure them into my booth :-)
Knock Out Bruschetta
‘Tis the season of fresh tomatoes and basil. Which means 'tis the season to make Bruschetta.
This is the recipe I've come up with over the years after some tinkering.
Knock Out Bruschetta
Ingredients:
2 good sized garden tomatoes like beefsteak or 4 smallish "on the vine" grocery store tomatoes or one pint grape or cherry tomatoes or 6 roma tomatoes, chopped into small pieces.
2-3 tbsp balsamic vinegar (the older, the better)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey
6-10 good sized leaves of fresh basil, chopped
coarse salt
freshly ground pepper
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 small ball fresh mozzarella, diced into fairly small pieces
Or
2 oz fresh parmigiano or asiago cheese julienned
Put everything except the tomatoes and cheese into a medium sized bowl and mix together thoroughly making sure the honey dissolves completely.
Cut the tomatoes into small pieces on a cutting board (not in a food processor) and try to drain off as much of the extra juice as you can before adding to the oil and vinegar mixture.
Add the cheese and mix all together.
Let sit for about 15 minutes before serving so that the cheese and tomatoes get sort of marinated.
Quick easy version: serve with Breton Crackers
Full gourmet version: Using the best baguette you can find, cut it into diagonal slices. Then rub each slice with a clove of garlic (one clove should do several slices), brush lightly with olive oil and broil until lightly browned.
Note: Eating Bruschetta can be a very messy business so I try to keep the bread pieces small enough for 2 bites. The same for serving on crackers - the less fragile the cracker and the fewer bites it takes to finish, the better.
Extra note: As the quantity and type of tomato vary, so will the exact measurements of the oil and vinegar mixture. There should be enough of it to coat every bit of cheese and tomato, and enough vinegar and garlic that you can taste the bite.
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There Might Be Giants
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