Springtime delight

After a whirlwind week of board meetings at work, I am finally back to the norm and paging through my camera to see what I've yet to tell you about... Although some of my friends have already shared pictures (see Janet and Miss M) from a weekend trip to Dumbarton Oaks, I needed to get in my requisite sky/roof shot. This is a favorite angle of mine - my trips to places like Biltmore, Kentuck Knob, and Bacon's Castle have received similar documentary treatment. I really should have them all printed and framed and display them as a growing record of the fabulous historic houses that have charmed me.

Well, that was last weekend and this past weekend summer set in with 90 degree days - yet today we're back to spring. I'm very confused. My cats are very confused (they were just getting used to laying about dramatically in the oddest places like bathtubs and atop the coffee table). And most of all my garden is very confused. I watered my front beds last night since the plants looked desperately parched (despite a weather forecast that included rain; but only a 30% chance).

At the farmer's market (because I don't talk enough about it)... for the second week in a row my CSA was missing from the vendors. I hope this isn't a permanent change. A new vendor appeared, however, another organic farm: Blenheim Farms from out on the Northern Neck of Virginia. Their asparagus was the first I'd seen yet at the market and I definitely treated myself to a big bunch. Grilled with a little olive oil and salt on my Le Crueset grill pan and some whole wheat toast for dinner that night to my great springtime delight. Oh, how I have grown to love asparagus. I think I may try to buy a bigger quantity this weekend and see about freezing some for the coming months.

This weekend also brings another fun outing: my second annual trip to Richmond, Virginia for the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden plant sale. Check out the garden's blog - lots of fun to read about what they are doing to educate children about food sources and nature; plus, they have a project this summer where they are growing produce to supply a local area food bank. I will definitely be picking out some fun new plants for my garden. We'll see what catches my eye!