Y’all, the cactus collection at SummerHome Garden is awash in ruffled, jewel-toned flowers. I visited a few days ago and spent two hours photographing the garden in morning light.
Yep, two hours. I simply couldn’t tear myself away from backlit flowers of prickly pear, claret cup, and other spiny beauties.
They grow in a crevice garden against the sun-blasted, south-facing wall of a garage, backed by an upright slab of rock that evokes the nearby Rocky Mountains.
Hot-pink prickly pear flowers and pale-pink penstemon harmonize nicely.
A closer look at a purple prickly pear with Derby-hat flowers
Shazam!
The red one is claret cup cactus.
A closer look
One sprawling prickly pear with orange spines is erupting with yellow-orange flowers.
I can’t remember what this pink-flowering cactus is called. Some type of hedgehog?
Pollinators were zooming in for the bonanza.
I was zooming in too.
One more — a peachy-pink prickly pear
Here’s a wide view from the very back of the garden.
Plenty of other flowers beside cactus are in bloom too, like blue flax.
And Palmer’s penstemon (Penstemon palmeri)
Pretty pink pennants
Apache plume with a honeybee
Cupid’s dart (Catananche caerulea) and a green sweat bee
The garden features several “bug snug” tepees, which shelter overwintering insects.
A furry visitor (leashed dogs are welcome) gets a pat from garden owner Lisa Negri.
A trough of pretty succulents Lisa rescued from a nearby home that was being torn down
Cupid’s dart seedheads, I think
Lisa is passionate about helping pollinators. A large bee hotel provides nesting cavities for solitary bees and other insects.
A few small ‘Sucker Punch’ chokecherries add verticality and burgundy foliage, a nice contrast with all the silvers.
Chokecherries and backlit Mount Olympus sage (Salvia ringens)
Mount Olympus sage (Salvia ringens)
One more
There’s always something to see at SummerHome Garden, and this Saturday, June 13th, it’ll be featured on the Garden Conservancy‘s Open Days Tour. Get your ticket here and check out the garden — you’ll be inspired to add a few pollinator and waterwise plants to your own garden.
Lisa Negri, owner of SummerHome
Lisa is such a great advocate for gardens that work with nature instead of against it, and so I’m especially honored that she has a copy of my new book, Gardens of Texas. It shows how gardeners across the Lone Star State are designing and growing with sustainability in mind for our changing climate. No matter where you live, you’ll find the gardens to be beautiful and inspirational, with relatable takeaway ideas to bring home to your garden. You can get your copy at bookstores and online. π
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If youβre reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!
__________________________
Digging Deeper
My new book, Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State, is here! Find it on Amazon, other online book sellers, and in stores everywhere. It’s for anyone who loves gardens or the natural beauty of Texas. More info here.
On a late afternoon walk at Denver’s City Park, I found myself at Duck Lake, which backs up to the zoo. The setting sun was illuminating a trompe lβΕil mural that really does fool the eye into seeing a crumbling wall and half-revealed Roman ruin.
Haven is the work of Oregon muralist and illusion painter John Pugh, who transformed one of the zoo’s concrete walls — the back of an animal enclosure, presumably — into a fantasy of post-civilization ruins where wild animals co-exist in Edenic harmony.
Bring your binoculars to discover all the different animals painted in.
Duck Lake is also home to a large cormorant rookery. As evening fell, they lake-swooped and settled atop snags and manmade roosting platforms.
You can imagine the chattering.
Coming in for a landing
Duck Lake is a peaceful place — even with cormorant chittering — to stroll or just sit and observe.
And after all, it is called Duck Lake, so no surprise to see a few fuzzy ducklings here too.
I welcome your comments. Please scroll to the end of this post to leave one. If youβre reading in an email, click here to visit Digging and find the comment box at the end of each post. And hey, did someone forward this email to you, and you want to subscribe? Click here to get Digging delivered directly to your inbox!
__________________________
Digging Deeper
My new book, Gardens of Texas: Visions of Resilience from the Lone Star State, is here! Find it on Amazon, other online book sellers, and in stores everywhere. It’s for anyone who loves gardens or the natural beauty of Texas. More info here.
Arroz caldo is one of the most comforting dishes in Filipino cuisine β a rich, gingery chicken and rice porridge topped with crispy garlic and a soft-boiled egg that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time you need something warm and restorative. This version swaps the traditional glutinous rice for quick-cook oats, adding a hearty dose of fiber and whole-grain goodness without sacrificing any of the dish’s signature warmth and depth of flavor. If you have never tried arroz caldo before, consider this your introduction β and if you already love it, consider this your new weeknight shortcut.
Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes
Oatmeal Chicken Caldo
Ingredients
4 tbsp (56g) coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (6g) minced ginger
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
3 cups water
1 cup (80g) Quick Cook Oats
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 boiled eggs, halved
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Juice of one lemon or calamansi
Directions
In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and fragrant, about 7 minutes β watch carefully as the garlic can turn from golden to burnt very quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside.
In a medium pot, heat the remaining 2 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat. Add the ginger, onion, and remaining garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside, about 3β4 minutes.
Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the oats, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the porridge reaches your desired consistency β about 3 minutes for a looser texture or up to 5 minutes for a thicker, more porridge-like result. To confirm the chicken is fully cooked, insert an instant-read thermometer into a piece of chicken β it should register 165Β°F (74Β°C). Season with the fish sauce and black pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Ladle the caldo into four bowls and top each with the crispy toasted garlic and chopped green onion. Arrange two egg halves alongside each bowl and finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon or calamansi juice. Serve immediately.
Arroz caldo is one of the most comforting dishes in Filipino cuisine β a rich, gingery chicken and rice porridge topped with crispy garlic and a soft-boiled egg that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time you need something warm and restorative. This version swaps the traditional glutinous rice for quick-cook oats, adding a hearty dose of fiber and whole-grain goodness without sacrificing any of the dish’s signature warmth and depth of flavor. If you have never tried arroz caldo before, consider this your introduction β and if you already love it, consider this your new weeknight shortcut.
Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes
Oatmeal Chicken Caldo
Ingredients
4 tbsp (56g) coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (6g) minced ginger
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
3 cups water
1 cup (80g) Quick Cook Oats
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 boiled eggs, halved
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Juice of one lemon or calamansi
Directions
In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and fragrant, about 7 minutes β watch carefully as the garlic can turn from golden to burnt very quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside.
In a medium pot, heat the remaining 2 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat. Add the ginger, onion, and remaining garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside, about 3β4 minutes.
Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the oats, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the porridge reaches your desired consistency β about 3 minutes for a looser texture or up to 5 minutes for a thicker, more porridge-like result. To confirm the chicken is fully cooked, insert an instant-read thermometer into a piece of chicken β it should register 165Β°F (74Β°C). Season with the fish sauce and black pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Ladle the caldo into four bowls and top each with the crispy toasted garlic and chopped green onion. Arrange two egg halves alongside each bowl and finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon or calamansi juice. Serve immediately.
Arroz caldo is one of the most comforting dishes in Filipino cuisine β a rich, gingery chicken and rice porridge topped with crispy garlic and a soft-boiled egg that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time you need something warm and restorative. This version swaps the traditional glutinous rice for quick-cook oats, adding a hearty dose of fiber and whole-grain goodness without sacrificing any of the dish’s signature warmth and depth of flavor. If you have never tried arroz caldo before, consider this your introduction β and if you already love it, consider this your new weeknight shortcut.
Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes
Oatmeal Chicken Caldo
Ingredients
4 tbsp (56g) coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (6g) minced ginger
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
3 cups water
1 cup (80g) Quick Cook Oats
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 boiled eggs, halved
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Juice of one lemon or calamansi
Directions
In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and fragrant, about 7 minutes β watch carefully as the garlic can turn from golden to burnt very quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside.
In a medium pot, heat the remaining 2 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat. Add the ginger, onion, and remaining garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside, about 3β4 minutes.
Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the oats, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the porridge reaches your desired consistency β about 3 minutes for a looser texture or up to 5 minutes for a thicker, more porridge-like result. To confirm the chicken is fully cooked, insert an instant-read thermometer into a piece of chicken β it should register 165Β°F (74Β°C). Season with the fish sauce and black pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Ladle the caldo into four bowls and top each with the crispy toasted garlic and chopped green onion. Arrange two egg halves alongside each bowl and finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon or calamansi juice. Serve immediately.
Arroz caldo is one of the most comforting dishes in Filipino cuisine β a rich, gingery chicken and rice porridge topped with crispy garlic and a soft-boiled egg that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time you need something warm and restorative. This version swaps the traditional glutinous rice for quick-cook oats, adding a hearty dose of fiber and whole-grain goodness without sacrificing any of the dish’s signature warmth and depth of flavor. If you have never tried arroz caldo before, consider this your introduction β and if you already love it, consider this your new weeknight shortcut.
Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes
Oatmeal Chicken Caldo
Ingredients
4 tbsp (56g) coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (6g) minced ginger
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
3 cups water
1 cup (80g) Quick Cook Oats
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 boiled eggs, halved
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Juice of one lemon or calamansi
Directions
In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and fragrant, about 7 minutes β watch carefully as the garlic can turn from golden to burnt very quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside.
In a medium pot, heat the remaining 2 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat. Add the ginger, onion, and remaining garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside, about 3β4 minutes.
Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the oats, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the porridge reaches your desired consistency β about 3 minutes for a looser texture or up to 5 minutes for a thicker, more porridge-like result. To confirm the chicken is fully cooked, insert an instant-read thermometer into a piece of chicken β it should register 165Β°F (74Β°C). Season with the fish sauce and black pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Ladle the caldo into four bowls and top each with the crispy toasted garlic and chopped green onion. Arrange two egg halves alongside each bowl and finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon or calamansi juice. Serve immediately.
Arroz caldo is one of the most comforting dishes in Filipino cuisine β a rich, gingery chicken and rice porridge topped with crispy garlic and a soft-boiled egg that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time you need something warm and restorative. This version swaps the traditional glutinous rice for quick-cook oats, adding a hearty dose of fiber and whole-grain goodness without sacrificing any of the dish’s signature warmth and depth of flavor. If you have never tried arroz caldo before, consider this your introduction β and if you already love it, consider this your new weeknight shortcut.
Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes
Oatmeal Chicken Caldo
Ingredients
4 tbsp (56g) coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (6g) minced ginger
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
3 cups water
1 cup (80g) Quick Cook Oats
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 boiled eggs, halved
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Juice of one lemon or calamansi
Directions
In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and fragrant, about 7 minutes β watch carefully as the garlic can turn from golden to burnt very quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside.
In a medium pot, heat the remaining 2 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat. Add the ginger, onion, and remaining garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside, about 3β4 minutes.
Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the oats, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the porridge reaches your desired consistency β about 3 minutes for a looser texture or up to 5 minutes for a thicker, more porridge-like result. To confirm the chicken is fully cooked, insert an instant-read thermometer into a piece of chicken β it should register 165Β°F (74Β°C). Season with the fish sauce and black pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Ladle the caldo into four bowls and top each with the crispy toasted garlic and chopped green onion. Arrange two egg halves alongside each bowl and finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon or calamansi juice. Serve immediately.
Arroz caldo is one of the most comforting dishes in Filipino cuisine β a rich, gingery chicken and rice porridge topped with crispy garlic and a soft-boiled egg that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time you need something warm and restorative. This version swaps the traditional glutinous rice for quick-cook oats, adding a hearty dose of fiber and whole-grain goodness without sacrificing any of the dish’s signature warmth and depth of flavor. If you have never tried arroz caldo before, consider this your introduction β and if you already love it, consider this your new weeknight shortcut.
Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes
Oatmeal Chicken Caldo
Ingredients
4 tbsp (56g) coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (6g) minced ginger
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
3 cups water
1 cup (80g) Quick Cook Oats
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 boiled eggs, halved
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Juice of one lemon or calamansi
Directions
In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and fragrant, about 7 minutes β watch carefully as the garlic can turn from golden to burnt very quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside.
In a medium pot, heat the remaining 2 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat. Add the ginger, onion, and remaining garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside, about 3β4 minutes.
Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the oats, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the porridge reaches your desired consistency β about 3 minutes for a looser texture or up to 5 minutes for a thicker, more porridge-like result. To confirm the chicken is fully cooked, insert an instant-read thermometer into a piece of chicken β it should register 165Β°F (74Β°C). Season with the fish sauce and black pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Ladle the caldo into four bowls and top each with the crispy toasted garlic and chopped green onion. Arrange two egg halves alongside each bowl and finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon or calamansi juice. Serve immediately.
Arroz caldo is one of the most comforting dishes in Filipino cuisine β a rich, gingery chicken and rice porridge topped with crispy garlic and a soft-boiled egg that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time you need something warm and restorative. This version swaps the traditional glutinous rice for quick-cook oats, adding a hearty dose of fiber and whole-grain goodness without sacrificing any of the dish’s signature warmth and depth of flavor. If you have never tried arroz caldo before, consider this your introduction β and if you already love it, consider this your new weeknight shortcut.
Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes
Oatmeal Chicken Caldo
Ingredients
4 tbsp (56g) coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (6g) minced ginger
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
3 cups water
1 cup (80g) Quick Cook Oats
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 boiled eggs, halved
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Juice of one lemon or calamansi
Directions
In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and fragrant, about 7 minutes β watch carefully as the garlic can turn from golden to burnt very quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside.
In a medium pot, heat the remaining 2 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat. Add the ginger, onion, and remaining garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside, about 3β4 minutes.
Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the oats, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the porridge reaches your desired consistency β about 3 minutes for a looser texture or up to 5 minutes for a thicker, more porridge-like result. To confirm the chicken is fully cooked, insert an instant-read thermometer into a piece of chicken β it should register 165Β°F (74Β°C). Season with the fish sauce and black pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Ladle the caldo into four bowls and top each with the crispy toasted garlic and chopped green onion. Arrange two egg halves alongside each bowl and finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon or calamansi juice. Serve immediately.
Arroz caldo is one of the most comforting dishes in Filipino cuisine β a rich, gingery chicken and rice porridge topped with crispy garlic and a soft-boiled egg that is eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any time you need something warm and restorative. This version swaps the traditional glutinous rice for quick-cook oats, adding a hearty dose of fiber and whole-grain goodness without sacrificing any of the dish’s signature warmth and depth of flavor. If you have never tried arroz caldo before, consider this your introduction β and if you already love it, consider this your new weeknight shortcut.
Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes
Oatmeal Chicken Caldo
Ingredients
4 tbsp (56g) coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (6g) minced ginger
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
3 cups water
1 cup (80g) Quick Cook Oats
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 boiled eggs, halved
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Juice of one lemon or calamansi
Directions
In a small skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden and fragrant, about 7 minutes β watch carefully as the garlic can turn from golden to burnt very quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside.
In a medium pot, heat the remaining 2 tbsp coconut oil over medium heat. Add the ginger, onion, and remaining garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside, about 3β4 minutes.
Pour in 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the oats, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the porridge reaches your desired consistency β about 3 minutes for a looser texture or up to 5 minutes for a thicker, more porridge-like result. To confirm the chicken is fully cooked, insert an instant-read thermometer into a piece of chicken β it should register 165Β°F (74Β°C). Season with the fish sauce and black pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Ladle the caldo into four bowls and top each with the crispy toasted garlic and chopped green onion. Arrange two egg halves alongside each bowl and finish with a generous squeeze of fresh lemon or calamansi juice. Serve immediately.
