Sudden gear shift - apple tarts and a book review

 I had a mind shift this week. It came down to this: I wanted to help a friend who has cancer.  I have no large sums of money laying around, nor am I a doctor, but I do have this training in pastry. So I switched gears for this month,  and grabbed the apples in season and developed a tart that combines the idea of an apple stack cake and a french tart; and combines sweet and tart apples. Its not vegan nor gluten free, I have yet to find a crust I'm happy with, you see, that meets those requirements.( I have a few yet to try. )

Then I put it up on all of my social media. I'm getting some bites already. And I feel so good about helping out. I'll be baking up a storm this month!

So where did this new idea about building a japanese garden come from? It's from this book "Buy yourself the f*cking lilies" that I am reading.

 There's this chapter on giving yourself permission to light up your soul with inspiriation. She asks what is something you've always wanted to do but never took the time? Japanese garden popped into my head. 

To be honest, I've been hooked on them since high school. I would spend so many days wandering Dow Gardens as a teen and wished it was my back yard. It was so peaceful there. It felt new everytime I went. 

And when I first saw the back yard of the house we live in now, it seemed very magical with all the pretty delicate flowers growing and so on. I want to bring that magic back. 

Not sure where to start, but promised myself this week to visit a garden store for some ideas. I've been talking to friends, too about it. I think the more you focus on something the more likely it is to come to fruition. And wouldn't it be cool if at least part of it was edible? Like kale in many colors and ginger growning on the bank of a little stream... 

So much to think about. 

Let me know, dear readers, if you have ideas what kinds of foods would make a beautiful japanese garden. I could use the help. 

Vicky