Ahhh…need I say more?

Also, iris coverage.

It’s not only erev, but nearing the end of Pesach.  Since my son didn’t get to celebrate it while in PA, we did a very abbreviated light-hearted seder, with all the traditional Ashkenazic fixings.  Not least was the quite drunken by now but even more superior charoset I saved for him.

He also worked in the office and on the porch, and even got some exercise in, it being a beautiful cool breezy day.  The rest of the south got tornadoes and other horrid weather, which went around us and continued on toward the northeast, as it tends to do a lot lately.  If nothing else, TN is like a storm oasis, albeit an unpredictable one.

Also unpredictable were all the colors of irises that turned up this year, out of nowhere.  You can never have too many irises.  Or photos of them.  Or photos of Misu doing funny cat things.  Or more of same flowers.  Here are some now.

I spent another day working outside, planting, transplanting, moving seedlings outdoors, weeding, watering, starting a new raised bed, and other jobs.  Misu followed me everywhere, and discovered a new water feature to climb on.  E tried making potato latkes for the first time, and succeeded nicely.  New varieties of irises and other flowers bloom every day.

I’ve been so immersed in gardening, I barely have time to post about it.  Rather than bore you, here are lots of flowers and my supervisor, Misu, overseeing.  She has a hard life.

We’re into serious spring primetime now.  Flowers are blooming indoors and out, with flower seedlings waiting in the wings to be transplanted.  Even some radishes are disguised as flowers!  It’s actually time to plant corn and other summer crops.  Bluebirds and other colorful songbirds are lined up on the fence in a feeding and mating frenzy.  Misu is out stalking things.  I’ll be joining her out there soon.

Happy Easter from Misu!  I swear, this was not staged.  This is what greeted me on the doorstep this morning, an Easter gift from the Great Hunter.  It’s how we do Easter bunnies here.  So timely and relevant, I thought.  ;D

It goes without saying that my charoset wins hands down over the competition (Robert).  Avdi would agree if he were in town (he has to, I’m his mother).  We are unanimous in that.

I decided to do things a little differently this year.  I’m making fresh salmon (E’s idea) with fresh dill and white wine, for the entree, and I’m even going to do a very abbreviated actual Seder.  That is, not the “standup” improv version, but the reclining one!  We’ll see how that goes.

The rest is fairly traditional–my version of tsimmes (sweet potatoes, pineapple, cranberries, sultanas, crystallized ginger, brown sugar, and sweet spices), and the obligatory roasted fresh asparagus, with oranges and fresh rosemary.  And of course the seder plate, matzoh, lots of cheap MD “sacred syrup”, and all the seder trimmings.

It’s just us this year in Tennessee, but we’re making the most of the simple life we have.  L’chaim–to next year in a more just world.  Until then, see you under the table!

In case you missed me, I’ve been deep into both gardening and Pesach mode, thus any interludes of silence. Seedlings to be upsized, superior charoset to be made, etc.  We are the champions of charoset!  No contest.

Not to worry, new flowers keep appearing whether they get photographed or not. The tall irises are blooming! Pesach in the north was never this flowery.

Well, back in I go.  To next year in a just world.

I think the extreme weather event has moved on, after some dramatic blowing and spluttering.

My son worked on the back porch, while the wind attempted and failed to remove the roof over his head.

E constructed things for the house.  Meanwhile I pulled out most of the remaining winter veggies and prepped the veg garden for it’s next installments of tomatoes, etc.  Then I did more work on the fence veg beds, where I’ll sow beans, corn, squash, etc.

Misu relaxed photogenically on the deck, and later on her windowsill.  Such a hard life, being ornamental.

Today there’s a line of dire weather stretching from the deep south to the northeast, featuring tornadoes, large hail, very high winds, and t-storms.  We hopefully get to miss the worst of it.  The day’s not over yet.

My son spent the night and is working here, to avoid the inevitable power outage and interruption up in the foothills.  So that’s always a pleasant diversion.  The cats are also happy to see him.

Between storms at the moment, it’s sunny and extremely flowery.  We’ll need a hay baler to mow this jungle, whenever we get the chance.