THE VILLAGE VOICE

"The summer night is like a perfection of thought." - Wallace Stevens AUGUST SUNSET ( Hubbard Lake ) ___________ Steal o'er the lake's warm breast, And the ancient silence follows The burning sun to rest. The calm of a thousand summers, And dreams of countless Junes, Return when the lake-wind murmurs Through golden August noons." William Stanley Braithwaite ( By an Inland Lake ) (Last evening's August gift) ____________ "Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you." ~ Maori Proverb

"May all your weeds be wildflowers." ~ Author unknown Queen Anne's Lace (Wild Carrot) ( Daucus carota ) Gardener's Note: "Queen Anne's Lace, also called Wild Carrot, is tall with stems covered by tiny hairs. Once a European garden plant, it has escaped to the wild and is considered a week because of its aggressive growth. Flower clusters dry and curl, forming the bird's nest shape often used in dried flower arrangements. its long taproot can be dug, roasted and ground as a coffee substitute. During its first year, the roots are soft enough to eat. It is thought to be the ancestor of the common garden carrot. TAKE CAUTION: Queen Anne's Lace is sometimes confused with deadly WATER HEMLOCK. Look closely for Queen Anne's CENTRAL PURPLE FLORET . A host plant for Black Swallowtail butterfly caterpillars." ~ Stan Tekiela WILDFLOWERS of MICHIGAN Queen Anne's Lace Her body is not so white as anemone petals nor so smooth--nor so remote a thi...

"A man taking basil from a woman will love her always." ~ Sir Thomas Moore BASIL (ocimum basilicum)

"I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers." ~ Claude Monet August Abstract (Zinnia & Verbena) ______________ GRILLED POUND CAKE with BALSAMIC PEACHES ~ uniquely different and summer delightful! ( Bon Appetit - July 2005) _________ 4 1/2 Tbsp. (packed) golden brown sugar 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint 6 ripe large peaches, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices 1 cup chilled whipping cream 6 slices good pound cake 3-4 Tbsp. room temperature unsalted butter Prepare grill (medium-high heat). Whisk 3 Tbsp. sugar, vinegar, and mint in large bowl to blend. Add peaches and toss gently to coat. Let stand at least 5 minutes and up to 30 minutes. Beat whipping cream and remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar in another bowl until peaks form; refrigerate. Spread cake slices on both sides with butter. Grill until lightly browned. Arrange cake slices on 6 plates. Top each with peaches and syrup, then whipped cream. ______________ "People discuss my...

"When gardeners garden, it is not just plants that grow, but the gardeners themselves." ~ Ken Druse PURPLE CONEFLOWER ( Echinacea purpurea ) CONEFLOWER (Echinacea 'Big Sky') Rock Garden (Black-eyed Susan, Sedum, Daylilies, Hardy Geranium, Hosta, Zinnia, Verbena, Red Begonia, Streptocarpus, Moonbeam Coreopsis) Streptocarpus formosus (Cape Primrose) SHASTA DAISY (Leucanthemum) Black-Eyed Susan ( Rudbeckia ) Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) also called shrub althaea Hydrangea (Annabelle Hydrangea - H. macrophylla ) Hosta 'Sum and Substance' Back Corner Garden ________ "A garden really lives only insofar as it is an expression of faith, the embodiment of a hope and a song of praise." ~ Russell Page

"Just for one's health ... it is very necessary to work in the garden and to see the flowers growing." Vincent Van Gogh PURPLE CONEFLOWER ( Echinacea purpurea ) 'NOT YOUR ORDINARY' BLUEBERRY MUFFINS ~ On the lighter side, these are always a family favorite from ... PICNIC! Recipes and Menus for Outdoor Enjoyment 1 2/3 cups flour 1/3 cup wheat germ 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 t sp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 cups MICHIGAN blueberries (preferably small wild ones) 1 cup buttermilk 2 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter Preheat oven to 400-degrees. In large bowl, combine flower, wheat germ, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Add blueberries and stir to coat. Add buttermilk and butter. Stir until just mixed. Spoon batter into greased muffin pans. Bake 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pans for 2 minutes. "The purple coneflower isn't really purple at all. The large, eye-catching flowers are bright rose-pink. Each flower has a bristly iridescent orange cent...

"I am the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the Valleys." - Song of Solomon 2. 1-17 Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) also called shrub althaea GENERAL INFORMATION Scientific name: Hibiscus syriacus Pronunciation: high-BISS-kuss seer-ee-AY-kuss Common name(s): Rose-of-Sharon, Shrub-Althea Family: Malvaceae USDA hardiness zones: 5B through 9A Origin: not native to North America Uses: container or above-ground planter; near a deck or patio; trainable as a standard; specimen; no proven urban tolerance Availability: generally available in many areas within its hardiness range DESCRIPTION Height: 8 to 12 feet Spread: 4 to 10 feet Crown uniformity: symmetrical canopy with a regular (or smooth) outline, and individuals have more or less identical crown forms Crown shape: upright Crown density: open Growth rate: slow Texture: fine

"All gardeners need to know when to accept something wonderful and unexpected, taking no credit except for letting it be." ~ Allen Lacy Hardy Hibiscus ( Rose Mallow ) "Put a grain of boldness into everything you do." ~ Baltasar Gracian FROZEN WHITE CHOCOLATE PIE with RASPBERRIES Almond crust: 9 oz. (1 1 /4 cup) blanched toasted almonds 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup Grease 9-inch glass pie plate. Chop almonds into 2-3 pieces each. Transfer to bowl with butter and corn syrup. Stir and spoon into prepared plate. Press onto bottom and up sides. Freeze. Filling: 10 oz. coarsely chopped white chocolate 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1/3 cup evaporated milk 3 Tbsp. creme de cacao 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla 1/4 tsp. almond extract 1 3/4 cups whipping cream 2 room temperature egg whites 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 1/4 cups raspberries (or favorite seasonal berries) Melt chocolate and butter with milk in double boiler over simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove and set in bow...

HUBBARD LAKE, MI 'WA-GI-DAA-KING' (Hubbard Lake, MI)

"The summer night is like a perfection of thought." - Wallace Stevens Hubbard Lake Sunset FROZEN GRAND MARNIER SOUFFLE ~ Delightful 'remains of the day' summer dessert slightly adapted from The Lark ( Savor Michigan Cookbook ) __________ 2 1/2 cups sugar 1 cup water 18 organic egg yolks 2 quarts whipped cream (from 1 1/2 cups heavy cream) 1/2 cup Grand Marnier cocoa powder Framboise Sauce Mix sugar and water in a saucepot and bring to a boil. Cook until mixture reaches 250º on a pastry/candy thermometer. While sugar is boiling, whip egg yolks until light and fluffy. Slowly add sugar mixture while whipping on low. Continue whipping til cool, approximately 10 minutes. Fold into whipped cream. Add Grand Marnier . Gently pour or pipe filling with pastry bag into soufflé pan (like springform ) or individual flan pans lightly dusted with cocoa powder Freeze. Remove from pan and serve with Framboise Sauce. Wine Suggestion: Kir Royale (Champagne and Frambo...