Laurie, I like your trees...looking uuuppp!! I didn't realize how the moisture from the stalks of the peonies drops to ground level and really expands the stalks, until the other day when I saw them when I was cutting down the peonies for winter. I thought that this would be an interesting picture... Today as I went for a walk down the driveway I came across this little wildflower. Had to go back for my camera. Of course, then when I was on my stomach my border collie thought that this meant time to play and sat right in front of the camera, on the dandelion. It doesn't look too worse for wear. I came back to the house and got onto my stomach on the cement walkway and took a picture of the veronica spicata still blooming. It is about 1/2" across in reality. Didn't realize how cold the walkway was until I was down on my tummy on it. Brenda

Last week we were in Las Vegas where my DH had the opportunity to take 2 work related courses. When he was in his courses I explored the Las Vegas Strip and went shopping, of course, taking lots of pictures along the way. Here are 3 pictures I took that had leading lines in them. The first is at the Wynn hotel. The grass-like plants on the sides of the paths were not daylilies (shucks) but some sort of grass. This one was taken by the Excalibur Hotel. I love all the pansies that were planted along the path. This was taken when I was exploring the Tropicana Hotel pool area... I just have to throw these two pictures in. They are taken at the Wynn Hotel where it must be easier to plant and mow carpet than real grass. My DH didn't think that we should do that on our lawn here on the acreage. :) We left when the weather was hovering around 0C and I could still see green grass on my lawn. When we got back the temps had gone to -32C windchill and 6" of snow on my lawn. Brings me back to reality really quickly!! Brenda

Without a recipe for the filling, I really couldn't say about that... But... thaw the pastry, and pat it into the tart tins...making sure to get it into all the fluted edges. Then place a piece of foil into the shell, fill it with "pie weights"..sort of metal beads...or use beans you save just for that use...and bake at 375 for about 12 minutes...remove the weights and the foil and bake another 3 or 4 minutes and cool. Now if you are useing a cooked filling put it into the cooled crust ( the filling should be cool too) then just before serving, top with the fruit....I suspect that's what the cherries were for? What a wonderful thing to do!....and now you can make tarts often ...in his memory. I am adding a copied recipe from a mag. of a lot of years ago...perhaps it will give you an idea of how he made the dough...and how you might make some when this is gone. Linda C This from Cook's magazine a lot of years ago......none better! Pastry: 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/4 cup cake flour 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 pound chilled butter in cubes 2 egg yolks....and water if needed. Mix dry ingredients and cut in butter until mix resembles peas. Work in the egg yolks....and if necessare to make a smooth stiff dough, up to 3T of water. Form into ball, cover and chill 30 minutes. Roll dough slightly larger than tart pan.....fit into pan and roll the pin over the edges of the pan to cut off excess dough....Chill at least 5 minutes....or over night. Fill with buttered foil weight with pie weights or beans and bake 10 minutes at 375, remoive weights and foil and bake another 10 minutes at 350. Pastry cream 2 1/2 T. flour 1/4 cup sugar pinch of salt 3 egg yolks 1 cup milk 1 tsp vanilla 1 1/2 T eau d'vie...or liquor that blends well with the fruit youa re going to use. 2 tsp butter. Mix sugar and salt in a heavy pan,beat in egg yolks, gradually whisk in milk, cook and whisk over low heat until bubbles break surface.....boil 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat ands tir in vanilla and liquor. lay plastic wrap on the surface of the cream and chill. Glaze 1 cup of apricot preservs or red currant jelly and 1 T water.... Heat until jelly is melted. Put pastry into shell, cut up fresh fruit of your choice ( strawberries, raspberries, peaches, apricots, kiwi....or a mixture.) Brush with glaze,chill and serve

Mmmmmmmm currants..... My mom used to make currant jelly, my favorite kind! Nice, Eric. Julie