The Backyard: 2/19/16

I've got some random happenings from around the backyard in today's post.  It's still super wet, so as eager as I am to start moving things around, I'm using willpower to wait until the ground dries out a bit more.

I need to get out with my bait.

I had to pull a slug off this poor guy before taking the pictures.

Yes, he died.

More of the little daffodils have started to bloom.

I moved my birthday stake outside.

The Bleeding Hearts are comin' along and I even spied some buds this weekend.

The willows are all starting to show green.

My favorite little Barberry is brightenin' up the joint.

The monster Hellebore is finally in full bloom.

As is Maddie girl's Hellebore.

And that's the latest out back.

I'm ready for a load of compost!

Valentine's Day Dinner 2016

Geesh, where did the last week go?   It's officially spring here, so I've been out in the dirt.  :)   I guess I had best be gettin' this post up and running.

The stomach flu went through our house the week of V-Day.

Good times.  

The kids were all better by Friday, but then The Dad got it on Sunday.

Sooooo, after prepping food for two days, I packed everything up and we had our Valentine's Day dinner after he got home from work on Monday instead.

Then I got the bug on Tuesday.

Gotta love all the sharing they do at school.

Instead of a cocktail, this year I did champagne with pink cotton candy in the glasses.

For appetizers, I did cantaloupe and honeydew hearts, a nibble platter, and Baked Brie and Fig Jam Bites.

I cut the hearts for the brie bites out of flat bread.

I had everything ready for when The Dad got in the door.

Candles lit at the table.

The kids were, not so patiently, waiting for Dad so they could dig into the snacks.

Busted sneaking.

My attempts at getting them both together for a photo that actually turns out.

Ha, fat chance.

At least one of them is always making a face.

Back to the food....

I did this Roasted Beet Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, and cut the beets into hearts.

I also added blood oranges this time around, 'cause I happened to have them.

I made the salad ahead of time, then put the dressing on when it was time for dinner.

The main dish was something I had been wanting to try forever.

Cheesy Italian Rigatoni Torte.

I made Bolognese sauce the day before, because it's literally an all day affair.

Then on Saturday, I assembled and baked the torte, thinking we'd be eating on Sunday.

It ended up sitting in the fridge until Monday, which probably made it even that much better.

I just covered it with foil to reheat it.

Pretty dang good.

We had bread, as always, and I made little Parmesan cheese hearts for everyone.

And, of course, here's dinner on my plate:

And last, for dessert we had the Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie that I shared last week.

And that concludes the Valentine's Day festivities at our house.
Bring on the yard posts.