Muffins and Blooms

After four days of celebrating turning 27, which included Bull City Burger, a dozen Daisy Cakes cupcakes to last the weekend, and a fair amount of booze, I woke up this Monday morning craving hot tea and bran muffins. Usually, that doesn't sound as appealing as about any other kind of muffin, but these are the fluffiest, moist bran muffins ever. Once again, America's Test Kitchen hits it out of the park. Bran twigs, soaked raisons, yogurt . . . I've had three.

While I had to pull up bolted spinach and cabbage, there's enough happening in the garden to distract my too-hot-spring woes. Behold, the very first blooms and a baby sugar snap pea:

 This pretty purple iris just bloomed this morning. I have no idea how long these have been planted here, but as I see different colored irises around the townhouse complex, it could be decades. I rescued these and some other bulb flowers in February from ivy and other invasive vines choking out everything else. I'm sure I'll have to keep vigilant throughout the summer to keep creeping weeds at bay, but I'm not complaining as this is my neighbors side of the yard - I'm just happy he's never home and doesn't mind me taking over.



My sage is also blooming for the first time. I've had this plant through two winters now and I love the delicate violet flowers.

In other garden news, about two-thirds of the seeds I've started indoors have flopped. The only ones I'm still counting on (and are doing okay) are my bell pepper plants and basil. Everything else, I'll replant directly in the ground in three weeks. I can't believe it's almost time for summer vegetables, and yet, where's the spring salad? Where's the chard and spinach? Such a weird season.