Kaseys Korner

gingersnap pumpkin cheesecake tarts

Gingersnap tart cups, pumpkin cheesecake filling topped off with cream cheese frosting!!

A little bit of goodness in the midst of so much destruction left by Hurricane Sandy. 

I can testify they are as fabulous a melding of every favorite fall flavor as they sound (a guaranteed pick-me-up) ~ plus I have proof to back it up (if you need it!!!!)

They won a prize at our HOA's Harvest Party!  :-) 

If you are inspired to make your own:

Use a gingersnap cookie recipe for the tart cups.  After mixing the dough, roll it into small balls, place balls into mini tart pans then use this tool (mini tart shaper) to formed it into cups.   Bake 5-6 minutes at 375 degrees to set the dough.  Remove from oven (& use tart shaper again, if desired, to reshape dough.)

Fill cups with any pumpkin cheesecake recipe you like, bake as directed, cool, then top with your favorite cream cheese frosting.

I think I may have just found a new Thanksgiving dessert!!! 

p.s.  Recipe inspired (then tweaked) by one found on my favorite website, Pinterest!!!! 

 

dusting off the snow shovel

2" on Wednesday night followed by 5" more last night :

Waaahhhh. 

At least it stayed mostly on the grassy areas & melted on the sidewalks & roads.

Why am I never ready????

I promised not to whine after our dry, dry summer (and all those scary fires) so that's all I'm saying.   Plus, it could be way worse ~ we could be in the path of Hurricane Sandy!  For everyone who is, stay SAFE!

parting photos of fall

Anyone who watches the weather knows it doesn't always follow a calendar system ~ if it wants to act like winter out of season, it most certainly will.  That's exactly what's happening here tonight ~ with 2" of snow predicted to be on the ground by morning.  Mercy, it seems early!

At least we have warning, right??   Which means the past two days were spent readying the garden for a blanket of white.  You know it wasn't all work tho ~ of course time was taken to capture some last bits of fall!

'Autumn Brillance' Serviceberry for one.  This year it got the chance to truly be brilliant:

As opposed to last year when everything froze and turned brown. 

Above:  The front garden (past it's peak) but the colors really were magnificent.

More pumpkins....

Made even better with the addition of a certain special black cat!

The last of the containers (to be overwintered) were dragged indoors, including Buddleia 'Orange Sceptre' still in bloom:

Another "goodbye walkabout" was conducted.  Feel like deja vu???

It does to me too. 

But this time, it's for real ~ or at least that's what we've been told.  Three nights in the lower twenties should absolutely do it. 

A lone, self-sown petunia (under the mugo pine) ~ barely opened just to face certain death:

for even the overhang won't protect it from this cold.

and I wonder about the ornamental kale too...

Fairy garden pieces including the little birdcage below were also collected (a pink geranium bud is in the background ~ maybe I should have saved it too??)

Despite big plans, a genuine fairy garden never got created this summer.  The pieces just got stuck hither & yon.  Next year for sure....   Gardening is good for that, right??

btw, I told myself I wasn't hauling SO MUCH inside this year but now it feels like the same amount (or more??????)

I really do "need" that greenhouse!!!!  ;-)

Fall garden treasures

The garden is still giving up some unexpected (& a few expected) gifts. 

A newly emerged Monarch butterfly:

was a complete October surprise.  We usually don't see them here this late in the season.  Thank goodness there are still some blooms left to provide a little sustenance.

In a year of strange bloom times (most earlier than normal) Monkshood is running behind, the buds just now preparing to open:

Excuse the spots on the image (my camera is long overdue for a cleaning, hopefully to be accomplished once the weather turns inclement.)

Meanwhile, (it feels like) Brugmansia 'Ecuador Pink' has been competing with Monkshood to see who could bloom last. 

A risky move...

The only way these little buds will reach blooming stage is by moving indoors!

Foxglove 'Camelot Cream' is reblooming:

the pop of white in stark contrast to the rest of the garden, cloaked in autumnal colors.

Canterbury bells are proving extremely hardy, persisting thru the chilly nights to eek out a few more buds & blooms:

Sadly, despite the continuation of blooms, our fall foliage is now past its peak.  :(

More bare branches are visible every day.  The leafless trees already dredging up feelings of melancholy (what's new?) about the upcoming winter.

Trying to stay in the moment tho, with small changes to reflect the season:

Like a 'Cinderella' pumpkin in place of the birdcage planter.

And a pumpkin filled lantern (instead of an umbrella) on the patio table.

I hope there are a few more nice days because my fall bulb order only arrived last week. 

I prefer not to plant in freezing temps!

Crossing my fingers....

frost proof annuals

Maybe I should qualify that ~ not "frost proof" but rather ~ able to withstand a light frost.

All the more important to those who've already experienced their first one (like me) & are seeking "leftover" color in the garden.

Borage officinalis (aka Starflower) pulled thru with no problem:

Calibrachoa's always surprise me with their hardiness.  This one is 'Double Lemon:'

Snapdragons pop up early and leave late ~ perfect annual traits.  Below 'Twinny Peach' totally unfazed by cooler temperatures:

Verbenas are workhorses all summer long so it shouldn't be surprising that cold doesn't bother them.  'Lanai Peach:'

The bees are happy Malva sylvestris isn't afraid of a little chill:

Finally, Phygelius aequalis 'Yellow Trumpet' (aka Cape Fuchsia) has proved a survivor too.

so much so, I'm considering wintering it over.  Better hurry & decide ~ the warm up is most likely temporary... 

p.s.  Feel free to add your "frost resistant" annuals to my list ~ I'm always on the lookout for blooms that extend the growing season!

 

 

forecast for frost

The garden faced its first frost of the fall last Saturday (October 6th). 

About average for us (as far as the date) but bittersweet as always....

Occurring just as many perennials were producing a few new buds (above Clematis 'Hagley Hybrid')

and Phlomis 'Russeliana'.

'Sweet Autumn' Clematis had almost finished blooming (above photo taken earlier) but forecasts with predicted lows of 23 (!!) mean work for the gardener had just begun.

Pots of tender tropicals made the journey indoors, pouting all the way.

Remaining vegetables were harvested with sighs at all the lost potential left on the vine.

It sounds morbid but final rounds were made throughout the garden to say goodbye for another year.  Does anyone else do that?

Particularly sad for blooms like anemones which had only just begun to open. 

Lavish bouquets were cut & gathered.

'Abraham Darby'

Only to wake & see the garden was spared.  Wonder of wonders.  A light frost, taking out only the tenderest of annuals. 

Thank you Mother Nature ~ however prolonged it may be...

 

 

bees+collarette dahlias=♥

There's a reason I ♥ collarette dahlias & it's not just because they're stunning:

Above:  Collarette Dahlia 'Giggles'

Although that cannot be contested.

The reason is simple.  They're BELOVED by bees.

and anything they love, I love...

This time of year every bloom has at least one bee working it over. 

Although "standing room only" is more the norm...

Don't be too quick to deadhead past-their-prime blooms either.  As you see, they are still an important resource.

Reason to love right???

BTW:  Collarette dahlias are so named because of the extra "collar" of petals around the disk.  The collar is perfect because it's not too much to interfere with pollen & nectar collection but enough to provide an extra bit of frill.  You know how I adore some frill!!!   :)