Shawna Coronado's Blog, page 21

Best Vodka and Soda Cocktail with a Scent Hint

You all know I am currently living the anti-inflammatory diet for my osteoarthritis. Frankly, there is no way we can consider liquor anti-inflammatory. Yet I have found that I can occasionally have a cocktail without it disrupting my chronic pain if I keep it simple – a straight vodka and soda cocktail with no extra syrups or sugars works as long as I do not go overboard. Watch the above video to see how I make my favorite Deep Eddy Ruby Red Grapefruit vodka and soda (if you get this post via email and can’t see it, simply click the post title and it will take you to the web page). Just to confirm the extra half shot I give it at the end is absolutely ridiculous, but I swear it makes the drink taste better. ::grin::

One of my secrets for a delicious cocktail is what I call the “Scent Hint” — put a sprig of freshly cut herb, such as the purple basil in this video, and the added scent actually improves the olfactory experience making the cocktail taste as beautiful as it looks. Give the scent hint a try in your favorite vodka and soda cocktail and experience a delicious wave of herbal yumminess.

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Biltmore Estate at Dawn in Asheville North Carolina

Silently I walked through the wet lawn in the pre-dawn summer morning. Before me stretches acres of grass leading down to the grand Biltmore mansion, America’s beloved Vanderbilt castle, on a gorgeous 8000-acre estate in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. As a photojournalist, I was invited to the house and gardens to photograph the light at dawn. While I wait, bats come out of the trees and fly above me catching insects. As the sun slowly rises I hear birds singing their morning revelry and smell the freshest smells of grass and trees and nature. There is a full moon and as the sky gradually lightens, the mansion reflects the blue of the morning and I am captivated in it’s magic (above).

As I wander down to the gardens I am mesmerized by the mountain light and work to capture every moment before the sun rises above the mountain peaks to make its full force known on the countryside. Artfully created container gardens await the sun (above). Blue light gently kisses the cherub sculptures in the Italian Gardens (below). I breathe in all that beauty and in my heart all is right with the world.

This dawn post begins a season-long series of wellness and garden stories that will feature Biltmore – I spent five days exploring the property from top to bottom and I am excited to share the gardens and conservatory, the food and recipes, the cut flower art, and of course the mansion with my peeps. Stunning views of the mountains can be seen all around the estate (below).

Special thanks to Biltmore and their amazing team for hosting and allowing me to photograph the estate – it was an astoundingly beautiful experience and I have lots of tips and ideas to share with my readers that I learned from the gardeners and chefs on site. If you would like to learn more about Biltmore, go to this link – www.biltmore.com – and check out all the details.

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Care for Trees

We are coming upon the time when drought is a concern in parts of the country and care for trees is super critical. Trees provide shade for our homes and can reduce our energy bills so keeping them well cared for is an investment for our homes. According to the experts at Davey (see the above infographic), the best way to water your trees is with a drip system. It saves water and prevents fungal problems compared to trees that are “sprinkled” regularly. Young trees in particular, need regular and deep watering to help them establish deeper root systems. Mulch your trees well to help conserve water, but do not “volcano” your mulch as that can damage a tree at the base. Drought symptoms include wilting, curling, and browning leaves or limb death from the top and outsides of a tree moving inward, suckering at the base of the tree, and extremely heavy seed production.

Pruning My Honey Locust

Davey recently came out to prune my trees and they have made a beautiful difference in my back garden. I have this Old Man Honey Locust which we call the “Stick Tree” because it is always dropping dead sticks on our heads, particularly after a storm or winter, but really any time he likes.  He hangs droopy and full of dead branches in the back garden and I was worried that perhaps the flagstone path surrounding the tree injured it somehow. When the Davey tree experts reviewed the tree on their initial assessment visit they reassured me that the tree is acting normally for an old man and has little to do with the pathway below. We could cut him down, but he still has lots of life and shade left to give, so the trick is to keep our old guy comfortable until his last breaths. Pruning all the deadwood out and lifting up the heavier branches on a tree that has never been trimmed regularly should revitalize him and he should continue on for many years. A good haircut makes me feel great too, so I approved of the work for Old Man Honey Locust and we began the process.

After my approval, a pruning team came out on the scheduled day to trim the tree. You can see the certified tree experts from Davey Tree in the photo above, from left to right, Salvador, Brad, Brandon, and Cesario. They were fantastic. Salvador climbed up the tree first (below) and I was totally impressed, he’s just like Batman climbing buildings in Gotham City. Brandon climbed up next while Cesario and Brad stayed on the ground to check ropes and make sure all was clear for the limb drops. Safety is very important to the Davey team – they have daily morning meetings on safety, annual training on safety and technique, and regular checks on their certifications.

While they were here we reviewed some issues with the tree. For example, it’s an older tree that is intersecting other trees in the garden, so can be sensitive to fungus. My honey locust has scale, a condition where little bugs infect the stems with bumps, and is doing okay but will need a little care as he grows older (don’t we all). They trimmed all the dead limbs away which helped the look of the tree tremendously and should prevent a lot of those dead sticks that kept falling from injuring anyone.

Care for trees involves making sure that your trees are pruned properly, watered regularly, and planted in the right location from the beginning. Before planting, for instance, do some research and make sure you have the right tree for the right location by consulting with an expert arborist. Pruning is too challenging for me to do on my own, so bringing in Davey to prune and trim helped me a lot. If you would like to learn more about pruning trees and when it is best to do it, watch the video at the bottom of this post (or go to this LINK).

One of the benefits of having the Davey team come in is I did not have to climb trees, clean up the enormous post-trim mess (above and below), or even break a sweat. They did it for me, then ground the branches into mulch. Special thanks to the experts from Davey – Salvador, Brad, Brandon, and Cesario – for coming out to take care of my Old Man Honey Locust. You can see by the “after” photo (below) that he appreciates it as much as I do.

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Sunrise on Lake Trillium Over Mount Hood

Yesterday I posted about the Trees of Mount Hood on Lake Trillium in the Oregon Mount Hood Territory. Rainy and cold on the day I hiked, I totally enjoyed the paths, and the trees, and the silence of nature while I was there. When a local told me there was a mountain above that lake I did not believe it as my hike was cloudy and visibility was low ( a.k.a. “What mountain?”).

Tucking myself in at 9 pm, I got up at 4 am the next morning, skipped breakfast, and raced to Lake Trillium to see if the mountain myth was true. When I arrived, my jaw dropped – this was truly one of the most beautiful natural scenes I have ever witnessed. There were several photographers waiting at the far end of the lake. We jockeyed for the best position to shoot our dream photo then waited for the sun to rise. As the colorful hues started to play on the clouds (above) we photographers grew quiet and intense as we lined up our shots. We were witnesses to a beauty that only a small percentage of human beings ever get to see in person. The silence was deafening; it was heart-stoppingly beautiful.

As the sunrise grew, the clouds and mists off the lake changed. Colors grew less pink and more blue. Then the sun crested over the hills (below) and the lake was a mirror reflecting the mountain. Stunning. Beautiful. A moment in time I will never forget. Standing there along the banks of the lake, heart in my throat, tears in my eyes, I realize that describing Lake Trillium in the Oregon Mount Hood Territory is impossible with words. You must go there yourself to feel all the feels and see the majestic nature that is Oregon for yourself.

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The Trees of Mount Hood National Forest

Welcome to Tree Week at ShawnaCoronado.com — I’ve been immersed in them lately as they have made my soul feel good and I wanted to share a my tree adventures with you. Traveling to the Oregon’s Mount Hood Territory was an unexpected tree surprise. I hiked Lake Trillium, which is in Mount Hood National Forest at about an elevation of 3,600 feet, and was tremendously overwhelmed at the beauty of trees. I got up at 4:00 AM and drove alone up to the lake anxious to hike the trails. When I got there it was raining and cold; there were two fisherman and a dog on the lake and I was the lone hiker. Everyone else was hiding out under a blanket afraid to get wet, but Shawna the Adventurer was up for the challenge, so I popped up the umbrella, grabbed the camera, and off I went. Since I had never been to a northwest mountain, I did not expect to see the masses of trees on the trail, nor did I expect the reaction I felt deep in my heart.

What struck me most significantly is that it was quiet. Not the kind of quiet you have when you are alone in your home – that quiet is filled with electronics and lights and human noise. This was hushed quiet. Still. Alone. Magical. Present in my magical moment were the rain drops on the leaves and the lake, lulling the animals and birds into a type of rested silence that brought tears to my eyes and made me feel like I was in a holy place.

Nature can do that. Make you feel well. Since my earliest book I have been doing research on the wellness power of trees and nature. Standing on the banks of Lake Trillium with a gray cloud hanging over my head, rain drops on the water, trees all around me, and not another living soul near me, I felt like I could actually breathe. Really breathe. I took a deep breath and felt all the worries and troubles that were in my soul disappear. This is the type of wellness that trees and nature can bring.

At first I thought I might hike just part of the lake because I was not dressed properly for the 40 degree weather, but because of the magic I hunched down in my jean jacket and explored the entire trail in the cold rain.  While I could not see much of the surrounding hillsides because of the rain and clouds, what I did see was the breathtaking under canopy of trees combined with powerful images of the lake in a gentle rain shower. Without a doubt it was truly one of the most magnificent nature experiences of my whole life. My fitbit recorded that I walked the trail in about 15,000 steps. My mind recorded that I walked the trail releasing about a month’s worth of stress.

When I circled back to grab a cup of coffee after my hiking experience in the Oregon’s Mount Hood Territory, my waiter asked me about the view of the mountain from Lake Trillium. Dumbfounded, I replied, “What mountain?” He started laughing and said, “It must have been too rainy to see Mount Hood from Trillium my friend – you HAVE to go back tomorrow. It’s amazing!” ::palm to face:: I missed something important. “But the trees were breathtaking!” I said. He just smiled.

And indeed he was correct – tomorrow I will post Shawna the Adventurer does Lake Trillium Part Deux so you can see more of the Mount Hood beauty.

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Pond Tour in Chicagoland 2016

There is something magical that happens when you sit next to a pond or running water feature. Your heart rate decreases, you breathe easier, you touch nature a little more closely, and of course, you smile. When I first began investigating ponding and fountains it was in the category of garden beauty. I wanted some beauty in my garden. After living with the sound of a rain water cistern and fountain in my garden for six years now (above), I can say that water in your garden represents something much more than beauty; it is about wellness and calming. I have found it immensely therapeutic. (Follow this LINK and see how my rainwater cistern and fountain were built.)

Aquascapes Inc. invited me on a recent preview pond tour that gave an overview of some of the ponds that will be shown on all their amazing summer 2016 Aquascape Water & Garden Showcase through the Chicagoland area. Each pond was different and special, be it a naturalistic woodland pond (above) or a suburban water feature (below), they were all beautiful, but more importantly they were special because of the wellness aspect. Standing next to a pond, while breathing it all in is a special kind of magic. If you’ve always wanted a view of the water, you don’t have to move near a lake or river to live your dream. Instead you can attend the 2016 Aquascape Water & Garden Showcase tour in the Chicago, Illinois area.

Each of four community events this summer features private properties, all open to the public. Visit at your own pace, one home or all. The free, self-guided walks are open-house style and take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays in Geneva (June 18), six homes; Elmhurst (July 16), five homes; and Naperville (Aug. 20), seven homes. The showcase culminates in St. Charles (Sept. 17), with tours of six properties between 2 and 7 p.m., followed by an evening celebration from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Aquascape, 901 Aqualand Way in St. Charles. Each walk features complimentary refreshments at a “Pond Central” location, where experts will share inspiration, tips and design ideas. Suggested on-site donation for the evening event is $10 per person with proceeds supporting The Aquascape Foundation, developed to promote awareness of water as one of our most precious resources through environmental, educational and philanthropic efforts. For more details about the 2016 Aquascape Water & Garden Showcase – including maps, descriptions and locations – visit THIS LINK.

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Cabbageworm Damage and Organic Control

Have little green worms on your vegetables? These might be cabbageworms and they can damage a vegetable crop. Cole crops are the most susceptible – kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, collards, and brussels sprouts for instance. They bore into plant heads and eat holes in the structure of a leaf. Find the cabbageworms, then control cabbageworm damage organically. Below are the three top indications that you have a problem.

#1 – Your Plant is Shredded and Filled with Holes

Below is an image of one of my precious dinosaur kale plants totally shredded by a couple cabbageworms. They can completely consume a plant in a matter of days, so once you spot the worms, you need to take action immediately. Signs include holes in leaves and complete defoliation.

#2 – Cabbageworm Poop

Yep. Poop. There it is in the photo below – dark green bunches of poop balls all over my dinosaur kale. Because of the green color of worms it is often easier to find worm poop than it is to find the cabbageworms.

#3 – Cabbageworms

They are green. Search for them stretched out along the ribs of the plants, which is the easiest place for them to blend in and stay hidden.

Organic Control

There are a few forms of organic control; hand picking and biological control are both organic. Hand picking is easy – simply pick off the worms and put them in a bucket of soapy water. Do this until you see no more worms. White cabbage moths are what the worms transform into, therefore, if you see white butterflies flitting around the garden you will soon have a fresh batch of cabbageworms. Keep an eye out for both worms and their flying brethren.

Using row covers helps protect the plant from the cabbage moth and discourages egg laying. Clean debris up in the garden at the end of the season to help prevent any eggs from over wintering.

Spraying Bacillus thuringiensis on the plants can work extremely well, be sure to follow package directions for applications. Parasites such as tachinid flies, trichogramma wasp egg parasites, pteromalus puparum, apanteles glomeratus, and microplitis plutella all work, but application must be followed precisely according to recommendations for strong success. Bacillus thuringiensis, in particular, can help cabbageworm damage control while avoiding a negative effect on the cabbageworms natural enemies, so might be the first choice.

 

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A Garden Bar

You all know I have this fascination for herbal cocktails. And no, herbal cocktails are not a part of my anti-inflammatory diet I set up for my osteoarthritis. Yet mixing up cocktails for my friends and sitting out in the garden contemplating birds, and trees, and life is one of my favorite things to do. That’s why I dreamed of a garden bar. You know — a bar that has an herbal garden growing in it so that while I’ve pulled myself up on the bar stool I can actually reach over and pluck a hint of scent for my glass. Love me a good hint scent. For years I fantasized about how I would build my very own garden bar. Then Gardener’s Supply reached out to me and told me they ALREADY HAD THIS ASTOUNDING CREATION – a premade Plant a Bar. Be still my heart – a real garden bar is going on my patio!!!!

Once we assembled the Plant a Bar garden bar, we placed it in position on the front patio and filled it with soil. This season’s soil of choice is the Organic Mechanics Potting Soil which is earth-friendly, peat-free, and 100% organic. The Plant a Bar holds 180 quarts of potting mix, however, I used a little less than that so I can add more amendments next season (above). Below you see additional amendments I added to help prepare the soil; Dave Thompson’s Organic Healthy Grow® Vegetable and Herb organic fertilizer and Organic Mechanics Worm Castings.  Be sure to follow package directions and mix in thoroughly. I like the Ergonomic Cultivator from Radius Tool (below) because it works well to spread and mix the ingredients around.

Plants Used For This Garden

Basil ‘Italian Large Leaf’
Beet ‘Bull’s Blood’
Lemon Grass
Mint ‘Mojito’
Rosemary ‘Roman Beauty’
Supertunia ‘Vista Fuchsia’

While rosemary and the supertunia prefer part-sun to full-sun, they do surprisingly well in this part-shade location due to a large amount of reflective light from the street and patio. Experiment with herbs and leafy vegetables in your garden to see which one’s perform well outside of their traditional sun recommendations. I have discovered many herbs and vegetables do extremely well in part shade (here’s a to a list of my favorites). I am curious to see if the ‘Roman Beauty’ Rosemary from Monrovia will flower in it’s current part-shade situation – I will let you know soon.

Lay the plants out for the garden in advance so that you can make sure the plants all fit the garden bar layout. I used a combination of herbs, colorful vegetables, and a few flowers (see links in above list). Essentially my goal is to build an ornamental edible display that is practical as well as attractive for the garden bar.

When my friends sit down at the bar on the retro bar stools I want them to see color and be physically wrapped in delicious herbal smells so whether I serve cocktails or lemonade, they will feel a little better about life because they have this garden up at nose level. You can see my rainwater harvesting fountain from the seating area and the water sounds add to the cocktail concerto. The garden was remarkably easy to assemble and I have an automated drip system attached to water every two days so I do not have to water. Look for great martini recipes coming from this patio very soon. This is the perfect garden bar for entertaining on your patio or balcony and brings eye- and nose-level scent as well as color to your garden.

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Poached Egg Recipe

Being on a no dairy, no grain, anti-inflammatory diet can be intensely challenging when I travel — lots of places cook with soy or corn oil and most everything is served with bread. I typically eat eggs, fish, and chicken with an occasional pork serving and lots of vegetables as part of my anti-inflammatory diet. Here’s a tip for when you are on the road and seeking something with no dairy and no grains — breakfast is easy to work around as I simply ask for Eggs Benedict with no bread and no hollandaise sauce. Most restaurants will substitute vegetables instead of the bread and the poached egg yolk functions as a bit of a sauce. It’s also possible to cook the vegetables and meat in olive oil instead of soy or corn.

Today’s delightful eggs (photo above) were served at Timberline Lodge, 6000 feet above sea level at the top of Mount Hood Territory in Oregon last week. It was a cold day and visibility was zero (see fog photo below). My heart was sad over the lack of visibility, but when I got to the top of the mountain the team at Timberline Lodge plied me with the hottest coffee and a no dairy, no grain, eggs benedict. Poached eggs never tasted so good. I sat in front of the fire and dawdled as long as I could before returning down to a lower altitude. Below is a super-easy recipe for poached eggs. Try a no dairy, no grain Eggs Benedict at home with some vegetables and ham or chicken and fall in love with breakfast all over again.

Easy Poached Eggs Recipe   Print Prep time 1 min Cook time 5 mins Total time 6 mins   How to make the easiest most delicious poached eggs for your anti-inflammatory cooking in your own kitchen. Author: Shawna Coronado at www.shawnacoronado.com Recipe type: Breakfast Ingredients Chicken broth (or water if you want a no-meat option) Eggs Salt Pepper Instructions Fill a small saucepan half full of chicken broth (or water). Salt liquid well. Bring to a full boil, then reduce heat to to a slow simmer. Break an egg into a small cup or measuring glass. Gently - very gently - drop the egg into the boiling liquid. Repeat the process with additional eggs - do not crowd the eggs together. Let simmer for 2.5 to 5 minutes or to preferred doneness. (I prefer a loose 2.5 minute egg.) Pull egg from simmering liquid with a slotted spoon. Serve with salt and pepper. 3.4.3177

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The Blacksmith at Red Pig Tools

Off a quiet winding country road in Boring, Oregon, about an hour away from the majestic Mount Hood National Forest, sits a few lonely blacksmith workshops among the laden green trees of an apple orchard. This is the home of Red Pig Tools which is owned an operated by Bob and Rita Denman. Bob’s passion for tools and tool history is extensive; he tells me about many of the 200+ tools he creates by hand, where they originated, and how they are used. Formerly a marketing and advertising executive, 73 year old Bob is fascinating, intelligent, and fit. Blacksmithing has kept him in remarkable shape and he has the energy and attitude of a man half his age. He repairs tools and builds custom iron creations, but his real work is forging one garden tool at a time. He describes his forging as meditative and prides himself on how each tool is unique due to the art of manufacturing the tools by hand.

When I arrived I rang the shop bell loud and long as instructed by the sign (right). In his shop, we explore all the tools he offers. Bob explains why heavier tools are often better. They may be heavier to lift, but they are easier to use in ground because the weight does more of the work than your back or hands. My favorites are the cultivators, digging tools, and weeders. He reviews tips and ideas for using the tools. I asked him about osteoarthritis and which tool might be beneficial for someone with my condition. He suggested Ball Weeders or Fulcrum Weeders as both have a lever effect that allows you to use less pressure to do a more powerful weeding job.

While we were discussing fulcrum weeders Bob suggested we go back to his forge to see if we can make a tool. Below you can see he revved up the forge (which almost burned my face off – do not stand in front of the forge when it’s being started – just a little tip). Then he began heating a metal rod. He hammered the tip flat (top photo). Then returned the rod to the forge to heat it again. Then after more hammering, cut the tip (below).  With the metal hot, the tip of the tool cut like butter. Then he heated it again to keep it pliable and shaped the rounded fulcrum (below).

While heating the metal only takes a few moments in the Red Pig Tools forge, as soon as Bob pulls the iron out of the fire it begins to cool he only has a few seconds to hammer his creation into shape. Satisfied with the shape after he heated and shaped the tool, he plunges it into the quenching bucket and cools his work of art (below). While he is heating, hammering, and cutting, he tells me the history of his life. How his wife and he founded the company and work together to ship orders out online. He tells me he will never retire because forging tools is what makes him happy; it occupies his mind and his soul.

Bob the blacksmith gives the completed fulcrum weeder to me (below) and it is still warm. I feel as if I have been given the crown jewels. His love for his family and his art is hammered right into that weeder and every time I use it I will think about where it came from. Perhaps I will be more thoughtful when I use his tools because I witnessed all that love that goes into his forging. If you get to the Mount Hood Territory, you must go to Bob’s shop along that quiet winding road, ring the bell so Bob and Rita can come down from the house, and get yourself quality Red Pig Tools for your garden.

 

 

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