Thursday Evening Walkabout . . .

"On this June day the buds in my garden are almost as enchanting as the open flowers. Things in bud bring, in the heat of a June noontide, the recollection of the loveliest days of the year . . . those days of May, when all is suggested, nothing yet fulfilled."
~Francis King



Todd and I went for a walk about the gardens yesterday after supper along with Jess. Everything it looking most spectacular. It is always amazing to me how just a few short weeks can bring about a burst of the most glorious colours. They are a gift for the eyes and the scents are glorious. Every step brings a new one to enjoy.



Our feeder has been visited by many fledglings . . . grey tits, sparrows, even starling juveniles. Oh, how I love spring. The bunnies in the garden are also so very cute to watch. We get groups of them in early morning and evening just at dusk. The other night I looked out the laundry room window as I was doing some ironing and I saw a fox sitting there eating cherries that had fallen from the trees.



Living here is sometimes what I imagine living in Eden must have been like. I am surrounded by so much beauty that to open my eyes each morning is a gift and I can scarce take it all in. So lovely . . . so lovely . . .



I managed to get a cute little painting done yesterday. I call this one Celebrate! I'll be posting her in her entirety over at Blossom Time Creations a bit later on, so be sure to check it out. She's a sweetie I am thinking.



This is my first Friday to participate in a new Baking Group, hosted by Susan of Not Quite June Cleaver. Each Friday she presents us with a new recipe or recipes and we have a week to bake them in and then post about it. This week's choice was between Dorie Greenspan's mixed berry cobbler, and Susan's delicious Quiche. I chose the Quiche.



I chose the quiche. Contrary to popular belief, real men do eat Quiche and to be perfectly honest this particular one would be very difficult to resist! I loved this recipe, it was very versatile and you could really adapt it to your own tastes. Here is my delicious version!



*Susan's Quiche*
Makes one 10 inch quiche
Printable Recipe

This was so easy to make I quite enjoyed it and the results were most delicious!

1 unbaked 10 inch pie crust (your own recipe or a good store bought one)
2 - 3 cups of your favourite vegetables (I used chopped ham, spring onions, and red and yellow peppers)
a dab of olive oil and butter
3 cups of grated cheese (I used Strong Cheddar, Red Leicester, and Gouda)
6 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup of whole milk
1/2 cup cream
(Susan uses half and half but we can't get that here)
salt and black pepper to taste



Pre-heat your oven to 190*C/375*F. Line your pie dish with the pastry, fluting the edges as desired. Set aside.

Heat a little dab of butter and olive oil in a non-stick skillet. Add your vegetables and ham. Saute for a few minutes, until they begin to wilt. Remove from the heat and allow to cool while you grate your cheese.

Place two cups of your cheese in the bottom of your crust. Spread the cooked vegetables and ham over top of this. Beat the eggs, milk and cream together. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Pour this over your vegetables and cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese over top.

Place on a baking tray and then bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until nicely browned and a knife inserted near the centre comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.