Whit, Jess, and Sara time...

Whit, Jess, and Jess's sister, Sara, arrived last night around 7:30 after uneventful flights. They flew into Spokane and drove through a very scenic part of Idaho to get here. Luckily, they were able to do this on our prettiest day so far. Today they may have taken advantage of their last nice day with us to take a hike to Our Lake. Deep snow prevented them from reaching the top, but they made it almost all the way before having to turn around. They're here until Wednesday, when they'll go up to Glacier for a few days.

I continue to work in the yard. My new neighbor, Laurie, said I have school-teacher syndrome; I try to make up for being unable to work in the yard all year by trying to do it all in a week when school is out. Since we were having cold, rainy weather, I told her I recognize transplanting weather when I see it. I moved all my hostas out of the deers' path and into my secret garden. I also moved some plants from previous years to new, sunnier locations. I've spent days digging up the plant from hell. It is truly evil. My friend, Sharon, says I should pull up all my perennials and shrubs and put them in pots, spray the weeds, wait 2 weeks, and put my plants and shrubs back. I think I'll keep digging. The plant has rhizomes that are deep underground, which is why it spreads and is so hard to kill. I've taken advantage of the wet soil to use a shovel to dig it out. I'm sure this is only a temporary fix, but I have succeeded in getting most of it out of one bed after doing this for several years. I need to get flowers planted before the 4th of July.

A sunnier location for my day lillies and irises.

A new, safe and shady place for my hostas. Perhaps this is the year I'll finish the rock path.

On another note, another recipe from my garden harvest. I love pressure cookers. We ate this last night:

Black Bean and Kale Soup

2 c. dry black beans, soaked overnight (mine were grown in Glendive, Montana)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
4 c. chopped kale (from my garden!)
5 c. vegetable broth
1 large carrot, sliced thickly
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 tsp. salt

Heat oil in pressure cooker. Saute onion, garlic, and pepper, add kale and saute until wilted. Add broth, beans, sliced carrot, and seasonings. Close cover securely, and cook 12 minutes with pressure regulator rocking slowly. Let pressure drop on its own accord. Open carefully and mash some of beans to thicken soup. Serve with a fresh lettuce salad from my garden, too!