Blackberry Winter and Rhubarb Pie

We are in the middle of Blackberry Winter.  This is what the old timers call a cold snap during black berry bloom and they are fully bloomed out and it is overcast and 50°.

My morning yard tour was in the sunshine which has since disappeared.

From 5/2/16

I still find a few close enough that I can thin to about 6 inches apart.

Nepeta with iris.  There is a touch of blue on the iris....

From 5/2/16

The next is a close up of bloom on nigella damascena/Love in a Mist.  This annual self-seeds heavily in the foundation beds.  I leave all of them.  They seem to be taller this year.

This is another remaining rose that hasn't grown as it should.  I think it is a Hybrid Musk  'Felicia' and is very fragrant.  I am going to try to really take care of the few remaining roses that I have and see if I can get them to their maximum.
 performance.
and another rose, in the old cistern surrounded by chive blossoms.  It is a polyantha rose from Chamblee's Roses in Texas and may be Marie Pavie or Daly.
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Food 

I saw this recipe other other day and wanted to try it.  I always make my rhubarb pie the way Mom did...that means no eggs and all white  sugar.  The pie turned out great and was delicious.  I have made several of her recipes and she takes beautiful pictures of the food.  Thibault's Table. 
At first I thought mine  was as tasty but then the second day, I appreciated it more and liked the way there was no runny filling causing the bottom crust to get soft.  I might just make it  again.....if I can ever get rhubarb to grow here!  This was from my Sis's patch.




Max is even enjoying it.....maybe he is just desperate since I am not baking nearly as much these days.

A Good Day's Work (for me)

Well we have been promised rain but it is beginning to look pretty iffy.....Accu weather says rain in 78 minutes.....we shall see.

Max  and I went out early this morning around 7:30 to begin our chores....his was the cows and mine was gardening.

I wanted to  re-till the strawberries and the east end of the garden before the rains came.  Grass was beginning to grow.  I decided to water the strawberries so I let the sprinkler run while tilling.  They needed it badly;  I didn't water them in when I planted them a few days ago because of promised rain.....

Tilled garden with very dark  red lettuces.  (Note Martin house in upper right hand)


and, at long last and a month  too late,  the Martin House in an upright position.

It took  a long time to get the cow man's attention but he did it!  So I am not complaining.  I will never take it  down again.

I have been working on cleaning the border along the edge of the New Bed and Light Pole bed.  I am happy to report it is done.

This was this morning's work:


and I did this a couple of days ago,



I was happy to see some remaining  peaches and pears after our freezes and  winds.






My first iris is in bloom;  from a neighbor so I call it Lisenby's iris,



Still blooming:  Kerria, lilacs, one lonely self-seeded money plant (lunaria), the ugly iris, two clematis, an odd daff or two.

I will risk planting sweet corn very soon (as the  oak leaves are the size of mouse ears).