Spring has Finally Sprung in Central Iowa

The trees are finally leafing out, now to find something to plant in my hanging pots.

The neighbors crabapple is stunning this year, mine has lost most of it's blossoms already.

John tilling the east garden, most of which will be planted with native prairie plants that are useful for my natural dye plants.

Lettuce, strawberries, chard, basil, tom thumb peas, and arugula in this raised bed.

Various herbs along with three cabbage plants that I"m thinking of moving elsewhere, so I can plant more dill in this bed.

Clematis

My clematis, it's a bit thin this year due to lack of rain.

Bleeding Hearts

This years Bleeding Hearts are beautiful, the plants filled out nicely and with plenty of blossoms for the pollinators.

In Full Bloom

Added more trim colors to the porch yesterday.

Sour Cherry Blossoms.

Flowering Crabapple.

Burgandy Peony

They have finally opened!!! The color is much deeper than what's in this photo it is almost a wine color.

Peonies 053011

Opening up, can't wait to see the burgandy ones open up.

The white peony blossoms are all open, and will most probably be done tomorrow.

Hosta

I suspect that I'm the only one here that likes Hosta's this much.

Peonies

I admit the white blossoms with the red edges are my favorite but just had to share this near perfectly white blossom.

Peonies in Bloom

The white ones opened up about two hours ago and I suspect that they are going to bolt overnight so am trying to get as many pictures before the sun goes down as a possible.

I have one pink blossom that is fully opened the others are only half opened.

Unfortunately none of the burgandy blossoms are open yet and are looking a little ratty around the edges.

Dutchman's Breeches

For some reason it's a blood red color this year, not sure why either.

Cranberry Pear Sauce

Cranberry Pear Sauce.

Pears are a luxury for me as they are just priced out of my pay scale ;-) So when one of the neighbors said YES come on over and pick our trees... Cranberry Pear Sauce happens!

I typically make Cranberry Apple Sauce - known to us a saucey or sassy apples. The taste with pears is FAR superior to that of apples so if you have a glut of pears try this one side dish for a treat.

The sauce is still cooking down all told I'll have maybe 12 quarts when it's done cooking.

4 gallons cooking pears cored and stemmed (peel if that's what you like we leave the peels on for the fiber)

5 pounds frozen cranberries

5 cups sugar

1quart water

Put everything into your 5 gallon stainless steel OR enamel stock pot and cook down. NOTE we don't blend the sauce as we like it chunky OTHERWISE using your stick blender blend the sauce until it's smooth.

Process BWB quarts are 25 minutes pints 20 minutes for 1000 feet or less.