Take me away Tea

Rhubarb tea made compliments of Martha Stewart's recipe treasure trove.   When I go to the Farmer's Market I want to buy every beautiful and fresh offering of spring's bounty that I see.  And often I do just that.  So I had rhubarb but no time or inclination to make the fancy dessert with it which was my  original plan.  Also all the heavy recipes didn't appeal.  So I made this simple and not very sugary tea.  One hour of simmering 4 stalks of rhubarb in 4 cups of water with a bit of sugar made this very pretty drink.  Some mint from the garden to top it off and mmmmh as lovely to drink as to see.  The day is actually cloudy and cool but this drink makes me feel I'm lounging on a sunny lanai in a tropical isle.  One can dream.

Bugged!

Daffodils seen on a walk

Another spring and another garden saga.   I'm beginning to  feel a bit Job like when it comes to my backyard.  I seem to be the lone victim in my neighborhood of various pestilent plants and insects.  I look about my neighbors' yards where everything looks sublimely unruffled and unchanged year to year and whine..."why me".   

The first year of the pests, it was the attack of the bees-actually I think they were hornets.   I believe I was told they were carnivorous.

 They sure acted like they would like to take a chunk out of me.   Walking out to my garden, the angry bees that were buzzing madly about my trees would dive bomb me from every direction.  When the pest man came to see my problem even he looked shocked.  He suited up head to toe before he returned to confront them with a spray.  I took the further step to have the trees taken down.  Garden problem solved.  

Until another spring when a  tall, ungainly and very unattractive plant was sprouting suddenly in my yard.  Growing quickly, it was taking over.  I felt overwhelmed by the sight of them and couldn't get myself motivated to yank them out where they were making themselves at home with my usual weeds.  That year I decided to have someone else do the work.  Good thing because he took one look at the plant and said it was Poison Hemlock.   Holy Socrates!  I never heard of anyone having that in their yard before.   Now I know it when I see it and it grows around Seattle.  Recognize it and don't make a salad from it!

Poison Hemlock grew quickly in my yard

The purple on the stem is an identifier.

http://www.nwcb.wa.gov/publications/poison_hemlock_brochure.pdf This is good information on how to safely remove this noxious plant.  

Next came the march of the ants.  Not just your normal amount of ants.  Oh no! Prodigious amounts.   There were ants everywhere!  I had to buy calf high rubber boots just so I could step into my garden without getting them on my pant legs and having them take a free ride back into my house.  I love nature but I'm not fond of creepy crawly things on me.   I started on a regular spraying program and ants seem to be getting under control.  Maybe my garden trials and tribulations will be behind me.