As promised, it will be a day of shower shots, as a reward (or punishment, depending on your point of view) for all those who have stuck with us during the revamping of the site. Work continues, but we’re getting there.

More to come, more to come…

For tomorrow you’re going to get to shower with me… right here.

That is the question… Honey.

The low-key celebration for my Dad’s birthday consisted of a traditional Filipino dinner, cooked by yours truly – and given the bursting blossoms of the baby bok choy, it arrived just in the nick of time. The main event was a new recipe I was giving a whirl – a sort of bitter beef stew officially christened ‘Sinigang na carne’. The recipe seemed simple enough (though I did need to seek out the Asian Supermarket to get the Tamarind-based seasoning packet for the Sinigang.)

Here’s the recipe if you want to try it out – as I mentioned, there is a bitter element to the dish, which I found refreshing, but may not be for everyone:

Saute onion, garlic, and tomatoes in hot oil until onion browns.

Add beef, pork, and enough water (or rice wash) to cover meat entirely (about 7-8 cups water). Bring to boil, lower heat, and simmer until meat is tender (about 2 hours).

Add salt and seasoning packet, bring to boil for ten minutes.

Simmer, and add bok choy/Chinese broccoli and radishes.

Add more water if necessary, and the string beans. Simmer until tender.

Before serving, add lemon juice. Serve with white rice.

Please note, I upped the portions for this as it was for a larger number of people, particularly on the meat side, so don’t be afraid to play around with it. I also chose fresh beans over frozen (as they are still in wonderful season) and used only Chinese broccoli, which provided the perfect note of bitterness. Adhere strictly to the times, as anything less may result in less tender meat, and that’s one of the best parts of this dish.

All of the above were served with that Filipino staple – a heaping bowl of steaming jasmine rice – and a bit of Pan de Sol. It made more than enough for six people, with leftovers all around – and is the perfect Fall dinner for when the nights start going cool.

This is the Sweet Autumn Clematis, one of my favorite vines of all-time. It’s one of those clematis that you cut down to the ground each spring, after which it makes its leaps, often covering upwards of thirty feet in a single season before blanketing itself in sweetly-scented white blooms. While the blossoms are individually delicate, taken en masse they create a potent sea of petals and perfume, an intoxicating mix that many bees find irresistible.

Despite its delicate appearance, this is one tough vine, coming back year after year with the slightest of care. Of course it does much better when amended with some manure and a cooling cover of mulch, and when given that extra pampering it will astound you with a show like this in the late gardening hours of September.

It’s the perfect plant for covering an arbor, but I’ve also seen it used effectively to soften a fence, or winding its way among spring flowering shrubs like the mockorange – which gives a pretty and fragrant bookend to both sides of the summer.