Kefir. Does anybody know about this stuff? A friend gave me some “kefir grains.” They look like gel bubbles. You just put them in milk and set it on the counter for 24 hours. Magic–kefir! It is easier than making yogurt. But the thing is, you have to keep feeding those darn kefir grains. Its too much for one person! It makes absolutely great smoothies. I think I like it better than my yogurt smoothies. Here’s a website with more than you ever wanted to know about kefir.
Here’s some of the things that are happening in the garden this week.Some yellow petunias and blue lobelia. This is the most success I have had with the lobelia.
A second bloom on my new rose bush. I really love the color and the smell of this rose.
The day lilies are having a good year! Maybe they like the watering system.
The daisies are leaning over. It looks like they are the blooms on my little azalea.
A close-up:
The hydrangeas are finally starting to bloom. It seems like they are later than usual this year. They are HUGE!
Close ups of the two types of blooms:
Did you know these common little begonias will come back year after year? I didn’t know that. Free flowers are always so fun 🙂
And here’s something I do every single night–I wash all the eggs that I’ve gathered for that day. One of the fun things about having chickens is finding the occasional unusual egg. See that giant oblong egg? Yeah, that’s going into my quiche tonight 🙂 And that tiny little one? I’m giving that to my friend who does the Pysanky eggs.
And that’s it for another week, friends. Hope all is well with you.
debby weighs in 
I love that fringed daisy! Also, I have a terrible visual of the poor hen who was laying that oblong egg…
You can hibernate the kefir grains in the frig indefinitely. When you have enough kefir to keep you for a while (mine produces about a mason jar a day, and in 4 days I’ve got more than enough for quite a while) just put the grains in a large glass jar and add one cup of whole milk for every week you’ll be hibernating them. Then put it in the refrigerator. I use a large glass jar and put four cups of milk in it – which is enough “food” for the grains to hibernate for a month. If you reach the end of 4 weeks and are still not ready to resume production, just strain out the milk (it’ll somewhat resemble kefir but they say to discard it, which I’ve always done) and add more cups of fresh milk. But the rule of thumb is one cup of milk for every week you’re going to hibernate the grains.
Thanks for that info! I started making just 2cups at a time.
That pink rose! It might be my favorite thing in your garden this year. I’m with Shelley on the poor hen who laid the oblong egg lol.
So pretty!! I know nothing about kefir, except I know a little bit about Keifer Sutherland, but that’s as close as I can get.
I loved your friend’s egg art! That looks like fun!
Love the garden tour. Are those “lacecap” hydrangeas? I didn’t know the begonias self-seeded. that’s a new one for me. Your lobelia is electrifying this year. I checked out the egg art site…wow that’s intensive but beautiful work.
The hydrangeas both look like lacecaps to me. However, I swear one was a regular and somehow it morphed into a lacecap!
Oh I forgot to say I think the little begonias must have tubers like the big ones. I don’t think they self seed because it’s always a single plant that comes up in the same place it was the year before.
I tried kefir once and didn’t care for it too much. I’m not a fan of fermented foods anyway, so I’m not surprised I didn’t like it. I love the colors on the hydrangea! I wish the begonias would over winter here. Sadly it’s just too cold.
I did kefir grains for about nine months. My friend attributed grand healing properties to it. When I went away, I asked my friend to babysit mine for me. She FREAKED at milk sitting out on the counter. The garden looks great! I just got back from Butchart Gardens…a feast for the eyes, for sure.
Hi Carole! I think a lot of people freak out about milk sitting out. My friend that gave me the grains was telling me that originally people left the kefir out for months! Butchart Gardens!, I’m jealous 😍
Haha! It’s true!