Now in Oregon and Chive Blossom Vinegar
We have been in Oregon a little over a week. Long days in the yard still don’t show much effort but the work goes on. Last year in December our little area on the coast received 20 inches of rain, that could possibly be four years of moisture in Arizona.
The garden has been mole proofed. My husband dug down the inside walls of the garden and installed wire mesh all around to help thwart any break-ins and a mole and gopher sonic spike has been installed. Well see who has the last laugh, I think it might be them, but there is always hope.
Still have not finished the planting but I’m getting close. My rosemary, sage and chive plants quadrupled in size. Below is a picture of the rosemary.
With the chive blossoms I made chive blossom vinegar. I first saw this on the Marisa's blog, Food In Jars, a few years back. The method is so easy, you really don't need a recipe. First cut the chive blossoms off the top of the stem.
Next clean the chive blossoms by soaking in water a few hours. This should help remove the dirt and bugs. Spin the tops dry in a salad spinner. Add 2/3 of the blossoms to each jar, then pour distilled or white wine vinegar to top. Seal jar and set in a cool dry place for about 2 weeks. Strain and enjoy. Marisa makes salad dressing and other things too, check out her website here.
We hike somewhere every day. Today it was the Cape Perpetua area. Always so pretty.
On the beach there was someone drawing Garfield the cat, pretty talented.
These pink columbines will be adorning our table tonight.
This should be a full week-end. Happy Memorial Day to everyone and a heartfelt thank you to all that serve and have served. Take care!
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Good luck with the anti-mole campaign. I hope that they have sense enough to stay out of your vegetable patch.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
HaHa! I hope so too, if this does not work we will try something new next year.
DeleteI love using chive flowers and this is such a great idea. Good luck with the moles 😀
ReplyDeleteThanks Tandy, I feel like I'm in a cartoon fighting the moles everyday, they are quite clever.
DeleteLooks like a wonderful place to settle in to. Gorgeous, really. I look forward to hearing about more of your adventures while you're there, and your recipes of course! D
ReplyDeleteThanks Dena, we are settling in nicely. Hope you are having a wonderful week-end!
DeleteHad no idea chive blossoms were so beautiful! Bravo on the homemade vinegar...Hope that Garfield is far away from the water =)
ReplyDeleteGarfield will be gone in hours as soon as high-tide hits but this guy was very talented.
DeleteLove chive flowers....clever to add them to vinegar!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful holiday weekend, Cheri!
Thanks Barbara you too!
DeleteFighting critters is quite an endeavor. We sometimes have temporary victories against the squirrels but then a clever young one figures out a way to eat the birdseed and we start all over. Good luck with that!
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Hi Mae, yes it is but they always seem to win in the end.
DeleteDear Cheri, you know of course that great minds think alike. I saw chive blossom vinegar the other day and told my husband that I would be making some this year! It looks like a wonderful recipe to try!
ReplyDeleteHope you are spending a wonderful long weekend with your family!
Andrea
Yes I am Andrea and having a wonderful time to. Take care!
Deletewonderful chive flowers ! what a good idea to add them to vinegar :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Hafsa, nice to meet you!
DeleteGreat photos! The Garfield the Cat being drawn on the beach is impressive. I never think about the destructive habits of moles and gophers, as we don't have them here. I enjoyed reading about that.
ReplyDeleteYou are very lucky, they are very cunning, though I have not seen sign of him yet.
DeleteI have a whole bunch of chive flowers, I will make some vinegar. Thanks for this.
ReplyDeleteYour welcome, I've been wanting to make this vinegar for awhile now, so glad I finally did. Have a great week-end Suzanne.
DeleteHi Cheri, Sounds like all is well, and most productive beginning your summer in Oregon! Good Luck on the Moles. Love your recipe. I know Marisa, she lives in Philadelphia making your choice on the vinegar especially fun! Your rosemary looks beautiful! Enjoy your time.
ReplyDeleteHi Peggy, how cool that you know Marisa, she sure seems like she knows everything about canning. Turn to her site quite often.
DeleteYour work in the garden is impressive! Good luck with the critters - I am rooting for you! I love the idea of chive blossom vinegar- will have to wait about 11 months for mine to bloom again, though...
ReplyDeleteOurs were blooming just as we arrived here in Oregon, such luck!! Have a wonderful week-end!
DeleteI know that you must be happy to be back in Oregon. Your post reminded me of each year in May when we would head to our summer cottage in Maine, plant our garden and enjoy all that summer had to offer. Have a great time.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's just like that Karen, it is wonderful to be back.
DeleteNice place dear,feeling like to stay there for few days...away from everything
ReplyDeleteThanks Moumita, yes it is nice, we have to drive to get to most places we want to go.
DeleteHope you have a great weekend! You're so lucky to live in Arizona in the winter, Oregon in the summer. Sounds like you've settled in nicely.
ReplyDeleteThanks Beth, I do feel very fortunate.
DeleteYou are so blessed to have your home-away-from-home - and in such a gorgeous place. I hope the moles stay away and the fencing works well. Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tricia, we love our place in Oregon very much but the kids and grandkids are in Phoenix and I miss them so much during the summer even though we skype.
DeleteHope you are enjoying the Memorial Day weekend, Cheri. It's another season in Oregon for you already! Love to see this peek into what's happening in the garden. That rosemary plant is impressive. Hope you have a great summer!
ReplyDeleteThanks Monica, yes this week-end has been very relaxing, taking a break from yard work. My sage plant is even bigger. Have a wonderful long week-end!
DeleteGreat idea to add chive to vinegar. This is such a beautiful post :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Kushi, can't wait until the vinegar is ready. Will be making salad dressing first thing.
DeleteHi Cheri! Looks beautiful in Oregon! Hope you are enjoying your time there. I am envious of your huge rosemary plant. I just got one to plant in my yard, it's so small still! And those chive blossoms are so pretty. I would LOVE to taste that vinegar! Have a great weekend! : )
ReplyDeleteThanks Anne, I am patiently waiting the 2 weeks for the chive vinegar to cure. will have fun finding recipes for it.
DeleteLove those chive blossoms! They are so good in so many things.
ReplyDeleteThanks Angie, I think so too!
DeleteYour garden looks awesome! We've been working hard to plant everything too and it's so much fun seeing it starting to grow!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, love this time of year! Take care Chris!
DeleteOregon is a beautiful state! The climate and the drizzly rain makes for greenery and flowers galore. Looks like you are doing a really nice job on yard-it looks very nice. The rosemary bush-wow! I think your mesh fencing will keep those pesky moles away.
ReplyDeleteHappy almost summer!
Velva
Thanks Velva, I hope the mesh fencing will work too, so far so good, have not seen any sign of them yet. Take care!
DeleteHi Cheri, I'm sure you're having some wonderful time. Beautiful chive blossoms. Enjoy and have a blessed week ahead :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Karen, I am having a wonderful time. Take care!
DeleteHow did I miss it --- you've moved?? I love Oregon, I'd love to live there some day...and your chive blossoms are gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Sue, no we didn't move we spend our summers in Oregon and every year when we get back there is alot of work to do. Take care!
Deletewhat lovely and beautiful plants Cheri, all look wonderful, that is the lovely of spring !!
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Thanks Gloria, spring is such a wonderful time in the garden.
Deleteyour rosemary is impressive! i really like the idea of this vinegar--i've never had or seen anything like it. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Grace, this is the first time I've made the vinegar myself, first thing I will make is a salad dressing. Take care!
DeleteYou've been busy, Cheri! Your days sound perfectly idyllic! Love the blossoms and hikes and beach walks. So much inspiration for a wonderful meal at night :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Robyn, I'm sure your neck of the woods might be even prettier, we are heading north sometime this summer.
DeleteI love seeing pictures of your yard in Oregon. It is so beautiful! That must have been so satisfying to make chive vinegar out of your chive blossoms. They are so pretty, too. It is good you weren't here this last weekend. Really hot! But it is still nice at night and in the mornings, thankfully! I hope you enjoy your summer in Oregon!
ReplyDelete