Here’s a fast and fun garden quiz, just to see how clever you are on the subject of “How To Revive A Late Summer Garden.” Ready? O.K., take a look at the photo below. Can you spot what’s missing in this photo?
Oops! I see I have a typo in the quiz topic. It should read, “How To Revive a Late Summer Gardener!” Because by the time August rolls around, it’s not just the garden that’s starting to droop, it’s the gardener! And that, my chlorophyll-fingered friends, is what’s wrong with this photo. There’s no one in it! No one sitting still long enough to enjoy some sweet shade on a hot summer day or to watch the birds flit at the feeder. There I was, trudging by with another load for the compost pile, when I glanced up to see what I’ve lately been too busy to notice at all.
Whether your garden is a collection of pots on a patio or a sweeping vista of layers and levels, a la P. Allen Smith’s “Garden Home”, it’s easy to focus on the work and overlook the wonder. What a lovely thing it is to just sit down! Skip the weeding, let the tomatoes ripen one more day, and actually enjoy the little paradise you’ve worked so hard to create.
So…I did my own real-life “editing” on this whole shady porch idea. I think the picture below is a big improvement, don’t you?
Oh, and if you’re going to do some sitting, it’s extra nice with a delightful something cold to sip. My favorite is a little concoction I call “Porch Perfection Coffee Cream Cooler”. You’ll find the recipe below.
COFFEE CREAM COOLER
There’s something so refreshing about this coffee drink — a little creamy, a little chocolaty. Adding the sparkling water on top of the ice creates tiny mocha-black cherry ice crystals along the sides of the glass, especially if you pre-chill your glass and use crushed ice, or at least a combination of cubes and crushed. And it’s highly adaptable. Raspberry sparkling water is a delicious alternative. Even lemon sparkling water is interesting. You can top off your glass with more sparkling water as you drink it down — makes it last longer. Now all you need is a porch.
- Approximately 4 oz. of good strong coffee, chilled or at room temperature (If you like an intense coffee experience, substitute 1 to 2 oz. espresso)
- Low-fat milk (2%, 1%, or non-fat) (Low-fat milk makes a more refreshing drink than cream or Half-and-Half.)
- Hershey’s brand chocolate syrup (and a wee bit of sugar, if you like it sweeter)
- Black Cherry flavored sparkling water (I like Clear American brand, because it contains no dyes.)
- Crushed Ice (You can use ice cubes if you don’t have crushed)
- Mint sprig for garnish, if you like
(This recipe is for a 16-oz. glass. )
Pour approximately 3 inches of coffee into the bottom of a chilled tall glass (or 1 to 2 ounces espresso.) Add milk to just below the half-way point of the glass. Add plenty of ice. Fill to the top with sparkling water and give it a gentle “up and down” stir, so as not to discourage the fizz. Garnish with a slightly bruised mint spring for an enticing whiff of mint as you sip.
Now, sit thee down and enjoy your beautiful world. Mmmm…nice.