Black Eyed Susan's Kitchen

PROGRESS IN THE COMMUNITY GARDEN

                My husband pointed out to me this week that the community garden might be the best he has ever seen it...and he would know. Not only is he the real gardener in our family, but he has been doing this for most of his life.
Personally, I always get that little thrill when I see the "firsts" come up...like this first zucchini, and this 
first pepper. It is a little trickier this year to get good pictures in the garden because everyone has encased their plot of land in deer preventive netting 
making some of my photos look like I am on the outside, trying to get in. Last year the deer were a huge issue...eating their way through many a green bean patch, so nobody is taking any chances. 
I am impressed by how well these gardens are being kept this year and how interesting and inventive the gardeners are. 
In all the years we have been gardening, I have never seen anyone put tomato cages around their eggplants or stake up their cabbages with string around them to keep them together. These may be brilliant ideas that need a closer look. Like a science experiment on the precipice of the end result and great reward, this garden is producing not only fine food, but eye candy for those who can appreciate it and that feeling of accomplishment for those who might need it. In our everyday working lives we don't always get a pat on the back for those accomplishments, however, I would like to say to any of the gardeners who might read this post...Very good job...it is all so impressive this year. You guys and mother nature are making magic happen right before our eyes!

I am linking this post to A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday.

♥, Susan

QUICK INFOMERCIAL

               For all who read this post about my purchasing an Arthur Armour tray on Craigs list, I wanted to write this update. The tray did indeed arrive today and it was in very good condition.
Thank you to the person who completed this transaction...my faith in humanity is fully intact today. The tray received is number 25 and has a rose of Sharon motif...now I wonder if these trays were purposely made to be a series. I do know that there are at least 5 more motifs that I don't own in the same size...the hunt continues!

♥, Susan

SEEING BLUE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

              I could not resist  a quick picture of the eye popping blues in the neighborhood...
some from this weekend and some from last weekend. I am the person in the lower left hand corner wearing a blue blouse and sporting the sun hat and glasses. Happy Blue Monday to all!

This post is being linked to Blue Monday at Smiling Sally's.

♥, Susan

CONCENTRATING ON A COLLECTION...VINTAGE DECORATIVE ALUMINUM

              Some things in life are full of color, and some things in life are just plain black and white. This post will concentrate on a collection in the palette of gray...silvery gray. Most of my readers already know that I have been collecting decorative aluminum for a very long time. Over the years I have been lucky enough to see other serious collections some beautifully and artistically displayed.
A subject that I have touched on in other posts about hammered aluminum and collectibles in general is how other people display those collections. Many of the home decorating magazines show houses with walls of bookcases laden with mid-century pottery. Beautiful both as a single color scheme or arranged in a rainbow, blues next to greens next to yellows, etc. When I had my store several years ago, some of my customers collected specific aluminum items based on a maker or motif. I have met a lot of aluminum collectors through the shows that were held in Allentown Pennsylvania in the late 90's. Amazingly, I also met some collectors who live within a 10 mile radius of where I live. 
All of these pictures came from an on-line catalogue of items to be auctioned off in July. I vaguely remember meeting  the couple who amassed this stunning collection many years ago at one of those aluminum shows. Their collection is just beautiful, and I am so glad that it will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. This gives all collectors a level playing field. Many of these items I have owned and sold over the years, and some I still have in my collection. Frustratingly, I believe they will be auctioned in lots, and the few pieces that I actually want will require me to buy them with the others and pay for the shipping for all. Clearly, I am on the fence about whether I will bid on any at all. One other thing about this collection, although stunning, it did not include any Arthur Armour trays that I am still looking for.
At any rate, I enjoyed being able to "play" with the original pictures from this aluminum collection. I hope that you enjoyed the mosaics that I made from the pictures.

This post is being linked to Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. If you would like to learn more about this auction or decorative hammered aluminum in general, please visit my friend Dannies blog at The Aluminist.

♥, Susan 

COLORS OF THE WEEKEND

           With the gardens all abloom, it is easy to write about color and how it affects the weekend. First , however, I have to post this picture of a store window in town this week.
It is an art gallery/boutique and I would be remiss if I saw a pink panther on a leash being held by an angel in leopard spots if I did not post this for you, so happy Pink Saturday...your panther is here.

                    What is making this such a colorful weekend? Well, this...
The hydrangea are in bloom...white, blue and purple! The tiger lily's are also in bloom and I love the orange against the blue. More blue was found at a yard sale this morning in the form of two Spode plates. 
I added a picture of my Ugg sneakers because they are also blue and they are so comfortable that I am still wearing them even though it is now flip-flop weather at the Jersey Shore. We will be taking care of the gardens this weekend and attending a birthday/graduation party for a very special niece. In our down time, we will be watching the lavender grow. Wishes for a beautiful weekend for everyone.

          This post is being linked to How Sweet the Sound for Pink Saturday, Smiling Sally for Blue Monday and Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

♥, Susan

WOULD YOU?...COULD YOU?

             While I wait for the battery in my camera to finish charging, I have a question. Searching for some information on line about Arthur Armour, I came across the Craig's List advertisement below...To bring any new comers up to speed, I have a collection of Arthur Armour trays in one specific size. I am trying to find all of the motifs that this tray was made with. After some emails back and forth, I learned that it was still available, and yes the owner would take payment via paypal and mail it to me. Now this is not ebay or etsy...I have no recourse should the tray never arrive. I took a big leap of faith and sent the payment with postage. So here is my question...would you buy something from a total stranger, sight unseen? I will update when (faith) it arrives. This particular motif I am pretty sure is the Rose of Sharon. It would be the 25th addition to my collection. I know for sure of 6 others that I do not have...the hunt continues!

Ornate 50's aluminum Arthur Armour Serving Tray Beautiful - $25 (Mt Vernon)

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Date: 2011-05-31, 2:15PM CDT
Reply to: sale-unn8a-2413036743@craigslist.org ^{[Errors when replying to ads?]}

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I have a handcrafted Arthur Armour serving tray with ornate flower design. Just beautiful craftsmanship, made of aluminum.

• Location: Mt Vernon
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

SAY PEAS AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH

               Magic is happening in the gardens of New Jersey right now! Short of a new baby coming into this world, nothing amazes me more than when a tiny seed is buried under the dirt and voila...months later we get this...
Very early this morning, I was picking peas, pulling up radishes, and pulling out lettuce. It is all so gratifying! The gardens, both front and back yards were watered, and I was back in the house before the sun was officially up. (The community garden will be watered this evening)

            The lettuce,
will be featured in a salad tonight with this dressing...

                               Vermont Vinaigrette

1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard

1 Tbsp Vermont Maple Syrup

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tsp. chopped chives

Pinch of salt and pepper

Put all ingredients in a jar and shake well. I usually double this recipe and like to use it on a salad with a mix of slightly bitter veggies like radishes and lettuce.

                 Getting back to the garden, The radishes are going to be sauteed in a little oil and finished with a touch of butter, salt and pepper. The radish greens will be cooked with potatoes ...just like you would with chard.

                 Now the peas...I will shell them and freeze half...this is an effort because they are so sweet they could easily be eaten immediately, but oh what a treat to pull that ziploc of frozen peas out in the middle of winter!
The peas will bring their own brand of sweetness to the party of fettuccine alfredo tonight...sauteed up with a tablespoon or so of onion, a bit of pancetta, and of course the peas,...add to a basic fettuccine alfredo or a tortellini recipe and dinner becomes a celebration.

            In addition to our little gardens, I had the privilege this week to take pictures of a friends garden. Last year, I featured Mark and Sue Davis's amazing tomatoes in this post. I hope to write a post about their garden again this year. To whet your appetite even more,
Here are three jars of the heirloom tomatoes that they put up last August. Mesmerized by the beautiful colors, I have not yet decided how to cook them, although I am leaning toward Lucille's Stewed Tomato recipe for one of these. Here is a rerun of her recipe:

Lucille's Stewed Tomatoes

3 lbs Roma type tomatoes

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp salt

3 slices white bread...crusts removed

3 basil leaves

            Pop the tomatoes in boiling water for a minute or two and remove and remove to an ice bath. Peel the skins from the tomatoes and chop each tomato in half or thirds. In a large enough sauce pot cook the tomatoes with the sugar, salt and basil for 20 minutes on a low flame. When they are done, cube the white bread into small pieces and mix into the tomatoes. The bread will melt in and the tomatoes will have a pudding consistency. Serve as a side dish.

            More from the gardens very soon...I am linking this post to Miz Helen's Country Cottage for Full Plate Thursday and Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday.

♥, Susan

THE COMMUNITY GARDEN IN 2011

                One of the best things about living in the little suburban borough that we live in, and there are many good reasons to live here, has been and still is the community garden. 
There is just no way that you can walk through the path that divides the little plots and not smile. Gardeners, I have found are a diverse and free thinking group of people. Inventive and clever, they have been a source of inspiration and amazement to me for many years now. 
Walking through the gardens this past weekend, I was delighted to find a bright red Poppy growing right smack in the middle of a veggie patch. The Marigolds always catch my eye and there was one little garden that could have come right out of the French countryside, with its red and white tabletop and weathered basket. The green-bean tepees are wonderful garden architecture and we have one particular rocket scientist, and I use that phrase lovingly because he is brilliant, who has devised a watering contraption.
Like a giant squid taking over the Earth, it actually makes sense and is a fun addition to the regular rectangular plots.
In another few weeks, the gardens will be so full and lush that it will be difficult to distinguish one plant from another...a blood pressure lowering Eden.

           So why is the community garden so relevant in 2011? My reasons would be companionship and solitude, a place to express imagination, to watch the miracle of a tiny seed sprout into beauty and sustenance. It is a place to wonder, and wander...to touch the ground that holds us and create something that our ancestors taught us. Most importantly, it is a reminder of why we are here in the first place...it is essential to our survival. I am grateful for many things, and living in a community that continues the tradition of the community garden is just one.
This post is being linked to A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday and the Rumson-Fair Haven Patch.

♥, Susan

THE RAINBOW EFFECT

                   This week has been a time of opposites for me....happiness in many things and the heartbreak of learning that a dear friend passed away. This morning, while attending the Ocean Grove flea market for what would have been possibly my millionth time (small exaggeration), I spent more time taking pictures than anything else. 
So much of what I saw reminded me of my friend Robbie. He loved bright colors and was not afraid to use them in his decor. I met him completely by accident one day, many years ago, when I walked into a salon, completely on a whim. He looked at me, took my hand and told me that he could help fix the mess that I had made of my hair...I had colored it myself...badly. You know how sometimes you meet someone and it is as if you have known this person forever? That is what our friendship was like.
We had so many things in common. We bonded over having relationships with people who traveled often. We bonded over a love of cooking and decorating. We laughed together and we commiserated together. When he moved away from this area, I missed him, but we still kept in touch, and I thought for sure that I would see him again.
I thought for sure that one day we would all get together over drinks again and talk about gardening and world travel. I thought I would be mesmerized by stories of edgy New York and partying in New Orleans...but it was not to be.
So, while I walked around the flea market this morning taking pictures of pretty things, I remembered the good times and Robbies great sense of humor. I remembered how much fun it was to be with him and I knew that my life was enriched for having known and loved him. I will miss him, however, I will always be glad for that one day when quite by accident he came into my life and made me feel better about myself. When ever I see a room decorated in bright colors, I will remember the fearless man who was my friend. I hope there is a bright shining rainbow over him today in heaven.

           This post is being linked to Smiling Sally for Blue Monday, Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday, and Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

♥, Susan