SATURDAY MORNING AT THE BIRD FEEDER - 8/31/24 - THE FRIENDLY FEATHERED FRIENDS' CLUB

Mrs. Downy and Mrs. Parrot enjoyed their welcome into the Friendly Feathered Friends Club. The cups of tea and the coffee were outstanding.

And so it goes on a Saturday Morning at the bird feeder.

I WHISPERED TO THAT OLD...

 

I whispered to that old windmill,

Don’t give up! Even though

Your blades are rusty, and

They creak and groan,

Your voice will sing again.

And soar on the wind,

And your notes will weave

Through the rustling trees,

And joy and hope will be 

Felt in every leaf. 

BY PERSEVERANCE…

 “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.”

~Charles Spurgeon~

A NEW ADDITION TO GREEN SPRING GARDENS

I start with a view of the old house that belonged to the owners who donated this land to the Fairfax County Park Authority, with the wish for it to remain a park. We owe them a great deal of thanks. I never fail to take a photo of the house, and that incredible blue sky was too good an opportunity to pass up. If you go to this link you can read a short history, and also see an old photo of how the place used to look many years ago. 

I forgot to share my photos from our last trip to Green Spring Gardens, when we visited the first week in July. The bees were busy collecting pollen. This one was enjoying the Bee Balm.

We were walking along our usual path, and this time I noticed something on our right. A very unusual sight as in all the years we have visited, this is the first time we have seen any kind of construction. We could see something behind the chain link fence... 

and much to my delight and on closer inspection, saw that it was a stone moon gate.

I have seen them before in other gardens on our travels but never thought we would have one closer to home. You can read about them here. Apparently, they originated in China. There's a gallery of them if you scroll down. It was interesting for me to find out that there are many in Bermuda. I read that "Moon gates were incorporated into the architecture of Bermuda in the late 19th century, around the same time that the British territory began importing Easter lily bulbs from Japan for cultivation. Bermudan moon gates are slightly different from the original Chinese designs, as they are often left freestanding or attached to a low wall. In Bermuda it is regarded as good luck for newlyweds to step through the gate."

I am looking forward to going back to the garden to see how it has progressed. 

You can click here to see all my posts on this Moon Gate. 

Thanks for visiting and I hope your week is going well.

ODDS AND BODS 8/27/24

(and thank you Pinterest)

And this sweet little pooch says I hope you all slept well.

How about some pretty art to start off with?

And Buggy art!

One more!

Did you know…

I am a big believer in this. 

I am definitely this.

Today’s dream cottage,

Also this one.

In my fantasy world the bedroom would look like this.

Part of the family room would look like this.

And such a great porch. Just imagine how many birds and squirrels, raccoons and foxes would visit me in the middle of this beautiful forest.  And bears, oh my!

Almost forgot the dining room….

and the kitchen, the heart of any home.

Very true!

Here is a description of…

I love this picture of an ancient oak…

and this poem.

There are times when we all need a hug, whether we know it or not.

And as much as I adore flowers and they fill me with joy, it is important to note that…

And now for something I would like to try sometime…

A little humor! If you can put a popular tune together and fit it to the words, you may be singing it all day.  Sorry about that or you can thank me later.

I love this! So cute!

And in my fantasy world, this would be very natural. In reality not so much but it is a nice dream.

While we are on the subject of bears, isn’t this cute?  I looked for a knitting pattern without success. Maybe you clever knitters out there could figure something out.

Well, I think that’s all for now.

and

With hugs from

MONDAY RECIPE POST - BEST OVEN BAKED SALMON - SERVES 2

I have several salmon recipes on here. You can click on the salmon label below my post. Salmon is my favorite fish, though I do enjoy grilled Rainbow Trout if it is on a menu. I have never cooked trout at home. Don’t get me started on Fish and Chips from this relatively new-to-us restaurant/pub we went to several months ago, owned and run by Brits. We pass by it all the time whenever we go to one of our favorite gardens. On another special treat occasion, we will be pointing our car in that direction. I guess I must be hungry! We have both done a good job of eating healthier, with an occasional detour. 

This week's recipe came from Recipe Teacher hosted by Jason. You can see his original here.

It was one of those meals that was on the table in well under half an hour. Always grateful to our food hosts for these speedy meals. The simple seasonings make a very tasty fish. I always read the original recipe for great tips. It is another food blog I will be going back to many times.

 

Best Ever Oven Baked Salmon - 2 servings

2 salmon filets, 6oz each

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 tbs melted butter

Preheat oven to 450°(F).

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

Place salmon filets on pan, skin-side down, and brush with melted butter. (Melt the butter in a small dish in the microwave for about 30 seconds).

Generously rub all the seasoning over the salmon.

Bake at 450°F for 12-16 minutes (ours was taken out after 17 minutes as our oven runs on the colder side). The internal temperature in thickest part of salmon should register 145°F on an instant read thermometer.

Serve with lemon slices and fresh dill as a garnish.

What did I think of the salmon? It was just for me and I thought it was great, a ten out of ten. I will definitely be cooking it again. Gregg's choice of seafood was a piece of cod and he sauteed his in a frying pan. He said that was excellent also.

When we need some kind of oil, lately we always use avocado cooking spray.

As you can see from our sides, we chose Jasmine Rice and sautéed cherry tomatoes. Those two we never seem to run out of. We squeezed a section of lemon juice over the fish. No dill left from our other recipe. Jason's vegetable medley of sliced yellow squash and asparagus looked very appetizing, and I will try that next time with the addition of sliced mushrooms. He said you can roast it right along with the salmon in the same amount of time. Couldn't be any easier.

Jason's note which I added because I can see this happening quite a bit.

"Leftovers: when it comes to enjoying leftovers or meal planning, salmon filets are perfect to enjoy later. Simply pack in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a microwave, air fryer or oven."

You can copy and paste using the following link if you prefer.

https://recipeteacher.com/best-damn-oven-baked-salmon/

Thanks for looking, have a great week 

and Bon Appetit!