I have the most beautiful clematis that bloomed this week, it’s called HENRYI.

The bloom can be anywhere from 5″ to 8″ across.  By mid summer they should be huge.  So far it’s been a no brainer to grow.  

And notice it’s climbing nicely on my FREE, handmade branch trellis!  (see older post on how to make these)

I transplanted it from my daughters yard in March after a few years of neglect.  It survived without extra watering, amongst weeds and probably a random leftover beer thrown on it (daughter, boyfriend, roommate, college, get it :-).

And a dirty duck thrown in today for good measure!

This is what helps me sleep at night……..fencing around everything that is green and lives in my backyard!

I have fenced anything that can be chewed up, pulled up, pooped on or trampled on.  Boy are they confused!

They just stood there, dumbfounded, while I worked my magic wire snippers…….

But then Kacey comes along and decides that things are just too laid back and too quiet and thus begins THE WALK!

This would be my favorite springtime meal!  And it’s so quick and easy.  It takes just 10 minutes TOTAL time to cook.

                          Start with some fresh caught crappie……or anything else you might be catching.

               The ingredients are simple….. half flour, half corn meal and some salt and pepper in a baggie.

      Heat up some oil in your skillet, I use half olive oil and half canola.  For pure health, use olive oil

          Now, put a bunch of your fish fillets in the bag and coat them (see, your fingers never get dirty!).

                                                                      They should look like this.

Start frying!  I think they cook about 3 or 4 minutes on each side.  Make sure they cook long enough so you can easily turn them over with tongs without breaking into a million pieces.

And while the fish are turning a golden brown, put your fresh picked asparagus into a glass dish and microwave with just a bit ‘o water for about 3 minutes.

                                                                  OMG!  Can you hear them sizzle??

                                                  And look what you have in 8 SHORT MINUTES!

                          Add a pad of butter and a little garlic salt to your asparagus and WA-LAH……

          There’s a PERFECT meal!  Then I started to think, did that really just take 10 minutes???  WELL……

                                                     I guess I didn’t include the afternoon of fishing……..

Or a morning of asparagus picking with my good friend, Henry, and his mom, Maggie.  BUT, I sure had a lot of fun getting my ingredients the good ‘ole fashioned way! (I know my pic is a little large, but Henry is just SO darn cute I wanted to show him off!)

PS.  If you don’t have a pond or lake nearby, don’t fret, fresh/frozen white fish fillets from the grocery will do just fine!

                                                                                                                     ENJOY!

I just can’t get enough! LOVE making these trellises, maybe because they are free, or maybe because I am imagining them covered in morning glories. 

Start with a bunch of branches……

This is where the trellis is going.  I put up some T-posts to attach them.  I’ve already planted some morning glories so they should be up soon.

And it sure helps to have this nifty nail gun. Start from the bottom and add branches horizontally. Nail as you go.

                                                                    Ducks help get the job done. 

Here’s the finished product!  The whole thing is about 10 ft. long and 8 ft. tall.  In a few months I might not even know I have neighbors! 

I’m not complaining about my chain link fence ’cause it’s great to have a fenced yard, but maybe I can trellis around my whole yard, hmmmmmm??!!!!!!!