Everyone Loves Buddelia

At the suet feeder, the catbird, the chickadee, the downy woodpeckers ,and the tufted titmouse jockey for position.

In the garden, hummingbirds come every day, feeding off the six foot tall buddleia, also known as butterfly bush. We’ve also had cool butterflies stopping for a visit, yesterday a swallowtail that just didn’t want to leave.

We seem to have at least a pair of hummingbirds (eating without a squabble) and another interloper who was constantly chased. The birds are so tiny and pugnacious they almost break my heart. They stop to perch on the green metal trellis. Honey bees also cling to the buddleia. What a great plant. It even looks good from the street.

Yesterday I made Salpicon, a recipe that’s been in my file for many years, also a good Mexican restaurant in Chicago. Tasted great, but produced heartburn, etc. All those raw jalapenos, onions, and cukes. The plan was to cook a pork roast on the grill tonight, but the weather is rainy, and I’ll roast it in the oven with the traditional marinade of olive oil, lemon juice, thyme and garlic. Can’t be beat. Green beans, applesauce and mashed potatoes. Yay!

More romantic suspense in Festival Madness when Jean Claude comes to town to see my protagonist. I found JC in the New York Times magazine a few years back. He is such a hunk, nice too. One can create whatever men one likes. JC had a penchant for discussing former wives, which rather horrifies my character, but so far that is his only fault. Mon Dieu! I have had a lot of fun writing this. A bit of fluff to be sure.

Time to put the roast in the oven. Bon Appetit!

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