A commentator on NPR, or perhaps from our local KUFM station, remarked that English is the only language with two words for this season – autumn and fall. But two words would not begin to describe the cacophony of colors our gardens and wild landscapes elevate to a final indispensable level of beauty which gives us this last season of glory before being covered with frost and snow to wait for spring.

We all recognize the standard change of tree leaves from green to gold or crimson but are less apt to notice the gold and rust of peonies or the yellow and black of an aster finished blooming as the plants themselves change. Sometimes the changes are subtle and surprising like these bright red willow seedling stems creating an abstract pattern over the rocks along the Blackfoot River, or spectacular like the panoramic views of foliage above the river or on the mountainsides, either of which could rival the much vaunted colors of Vermont, New Hampshire and the other hardwood forests of the East.

Here are just a few of the spectacular color scenes I’ve found around Missoula the last week or two.

Thess first two are on the hillside above the Blackfoot River just above Bonner and except for the lumber roads looks much like the photo of the Great Smoky Mountains on my business calendar.

Looking up the Jocko River Valley from Mary's garden east of Arlee, ...

... and looking up towards Mt. Jumbo from Terry and Sue's backyard. (Remember the garden tour last summer?)

From the top of Council Butte you can see all the way back to Missoula and Mt. Sentinel.

Summer food

Gloriosky Zero! What a display. This is my Rudbeckia hirta display at full bloom in late August. Not really relevant here with the recipes except I couldn't think of how else to include it. Without a doubt these are one of the easiest perennials going. No ferilizing or pruning or watering. Just plant them and let them go.

Summer and fall have been so busy I’ve had a hard time getting back to the blog. I was going to include these recipes far earlier, and at a better time for rhubarb recipe users so you could try your own rhubarb cake and rhubarb-ginger “ade” which makes a great and different summer drink with a terrific dessert.

I should make a disclaimer that I cook somewhat like I garden -- things should come out approximately what they should be like. Flowers cut back to fifteen inches or sixteen is basically the same; five cloves of garlic or six doesn't change much. So here are three favorite summer recipes.

Rhubarb-Ginger-Ade
8-10 cups chopped rhubarb -- short is better if you are going to use the "jam"

2 to 6 or 8 tablespoons chopped FRESH ginger -- basically, to taste

2 - 3 cups water

1 1/2 cups sugar -- more or less, again to taste

Bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer about 20 minutes, covered. Let stand and cool over night. Drain through a fine sieve. This may take awhile. I think I waited all day, and then again overnight for the second batch. Use the syrup for drinks. Good with club soda, Seven-Up (use less sugar), plain water, etc. A nice cocktail is the syrup mixed with vodka, club soda and a lime twist. You might need to add a bit of sugar to this, or use a mix of 7-Up and club soda. The "jam" part makes a good spread for toast, muffins, etc. I made a torte with it. You could probably mix it into muffins as well, or drop a spoonful on top of the muffins just before they go into the oven.

Rhubarb Cake

Mix together and pour into 9” x 13” cake pan:
1 yellow cake mix (Western Family is fine)
3 eggs
¾ cup oil

Mix together, and sprinkle over cake mix in pan:
4 cups chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb*
1 cup sugar

Pour 2 cups half & half** over cake mix and rhubarb.

Bake about 35 - 45 minutes at 350 degrees and check to see if center is set.

* If using frozen rhubarb, thaw and drain off excess juice.

** If using fresh rhubarb you may want to reduce half & half by about ½ cup. Or bake the cake longer -- until the center is completely set. This may be an hour or longer.

One of the best things about rhubarb is that everyone has their own favorite recipe, and while it will not necessarily replace apples and peaches in pie, it is nevertheless a remarkable and truly hardy fruit. So hardy in fact that Ray and Tudi have theirs growing in wooden half-barrels until they can find a permanent place in the garden. It was such a good idea that I’ve decided to try it also. Time will tell if it makes it through the winter – it did last year in a much smaller pot – and how productive it will become.

Some friends from orchid club stopped by to pick up some plants one evening and I sent home a container of fresh Pesto I had just made with this summers basil. They liked it so much they strongly suggested I send the recipe to the orchid society for its newsletter, and I thought I'd also include it in the blog.

Italian Pesto Sauce

Fill the cup of your food processor with fresh basil leaves, packed somewhat tightly. This is probably about 4 cups. Add 4-10 cloves peeled garlic. I like it more on the 8-10 clove side. (My recipe in the book says to use one clove for three cups of leaves. That must be the Norwegian Lutheran version.) Also add about 1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted or not. Toasting gives them a different flavor is all. It's up to you. A good sprinkle of salt, probably no more than 1/4 teaspoon. About half a container of grated parmesan cheese. And a good quality extra virgin olive oil. I start with about 1/2 cup but usually use about 3/4 of a cup or more. Last time I used most of a 17 ounce bottle for two batches. (So, what was wrong with the bottle being 16 ounces?) The pesto should be a thick but somewhat liquid paste. Pulse the mixture until blended and all the leaves are chopped. Don't over blend or it can get bitter.

Store in air tight containers. If storing for awhile it can be covered with a thin layer of olive oil so it doesn't oxidize and turn black. If it turns brown it is still OK. It also freezes well.

Serve with GOOD! pasta as the sauce. About 1/4 cup will sauce a pound of spagetti, linguine, fettucine, farfalle, or even ravioli. It can also be used on pizza, as a flavoring in soup, and so on.

About a week ago my pickup turned over the 200 thousnad mile mark. I didn't have my camera with me at the time. Fortunately I was close to home and took this picture upon arrival.