I Fiori (The Flowers) on La Bella Vita!

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Hello Dear Amici,

The roses are blooming so abundantly this spring. I have had to spray for black spot due to all of the rain and moisture. It's not something that I like to do, but it is certainly a must-do for roses in the SE when it's moist. The beauty of these roses is so worth the time and effort that they take to care for!

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So far this spring, the weekly rainshowers have resulted in a magnificent display of flowers of all sorts. The daylilies are just now opening up and the roses are still in full bloom. It's been spectacular!
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"Guacamole" hosta -- what a perfect name; the lime green color just shouts out in the garden; it is absolutley one of my favorites!..

"Renee Michelle" Azalea -- one of our perennial winners every spring!

Purple-blue iris given to us by W.D.'s late father's Ohio garden 25 years ago; I don't know the name though. However, it is a very special flower to us.

PPerfect "Stargazer" oriental lily! Just amazing, huh?

..HHuge "Great Expectations" hostas and other varieties
surrounding the bird bath!
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"Nellie Moser" clematis climbing the lamp post to happily greet everyone!
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. CCheeCheerful, friendly, happy, blue Colombine that always leaves such a
good feeling inside to see in the spring!

.TOur Bleeding Hearts naturalize more and more each year and
are just a delicate joy in the front garden!
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Stately Foxglove that stubbornly grows in our garden; they aren't easy for us!

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And finally, a loving mother bird in her nest under the porch tops it all off

for life on La Bella Vita!

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Happy Gardening everyone!
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Amore',

~ bella

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Our Beautiful "BELLA" Vegetable Garden!

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Hello Dear Amici,
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Our veggie garden is doing so well this year; just look at the lettuce! Gorgeous!

Some herbs are in the front and tomatoes are in the back. That's a lone hollyhock that went to seed in the garden, so we just let it grow; it's huge!

Another shot of the rhubarb (in front) and some mint in the back.

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I hope that you're having a wonderful, rewarding, and bountiful garden this year too!

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Amore',

~ bella

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Strawberry Chambord Sauce

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I don't know about you and your area of the world, but boy, have we ever had a BUMPER crop of strawberries this spring due to all of the glorious weekly rains that we have received. So W.D. and I have just been whipping up all sorts of dishes to use these precious red beauties in. Trust me, we don't eat gourmet every day; in fact, we eat more simply on a day to day basis than otherwise.

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I'm married to a simple guy who loves simple things. Don't get me wrong, he loves it when I cook gourmet recipes; but he's just as happy with a simple dish any day. So here's one for you: a simple strawberry sauce to drizzle over just about anything. In this case, the sauce is drizzled over a strawberry layer cake with a cream cheese frosting. Nothing fancy at all, but made fancy by the addition of the strawberry sauce. How easy is that? And how yummy?

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Strawberry Sauce with Chambord

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2 pints fresh strawberries

1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup sugar

2 - 4 Tbsps. Chambord (raspberry liquor) or Framboise or raspberry brandy

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Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries.

Process with a food processor or inversion blender (we call it our 'boat motor')

Add the sugar, lemon juice, and liquor.

Blend until smooth.

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