Much-A-Do About Some Things

Little Black Bowl

2011-09-28T22:28:00.003-05:00

I've been wanting to copy an idea I've seen out in blogland at least a dozen times - the repurposing/marriage of a wooden fruit bowl and a wooden candlestick to

create a pedestal bowl. My need to have one of these little beauties

led me to snap up several possible choices at thrift stores and

yard sales over the summer. Then I had to decide which

pieces would look best together...

and what color to paint it.

I'm loving the black I chose! For that matter I love the whole combination,
especially since it cost me less than $2. The white berry wreath and blue
Ball jar just happened to be handy so I set them in the bowl. Perfect!
I think I need something "fallish" in the jar...maybe some mini-mini
pumpkins? Or maybe some acorns? Ideas anyone?

Pretty sure I need to put a little more autumn into the overall decor of my

antique buffet. Maybe the blue and white need to go away, but I'd rather

come up with a combination that incorporates all the colors here. OK,

maybe not rust-red candles, but I still want

some autumn-y touches included.

The best thing about the decor here is everything is 'old' or handmade. The

buffet came to me by way of a trade for a furniture piece I wanted to get

rid of. I created the wreath, the twiggy bouquet and of course, the

pedestal bowl. Everything else was purchased 2nd-hand at

either a flea market, yard sale,or thrift store.

Even the candles!

So, I'm ready for your ideas on spiffing this little corner up for

fall...please share!

Linking to...

Bedroom Progress

2011-07-31T21:54:00.001-05:00

My daughter and I started working on her bedroom in the spring, but with one thing and another, it's taken until now to bring it all together. Well, truthfully, there is still much on the to-do list, but it's time to share what has been accomplished so far....

Inspiration for the room's accent colors came from the painting - a gift from one of my daughter's art professors. The mirror was a $5 thrift store find. One piece of trim had broken off, so we broke off that piece on the other side too, sanded and painted white - looks great! Those bottles and vintage plaster cat pick up the primary colors from the artwork beautifully. The updated dresser they sit on was the focus of an earlier post.

This sweet little side table was dull, dry, unpainted wood with framed glass doors and brass knobs. It was a great buy at $5 from a yard sale. Now it is fresh and gorgeous with its new white paint, silver knobs (silver metallic spray paint) and "frosted" glass doors. A little thinned white glass paint worked the magic to give the glass a frosted look.

My daughter chose fabrics a couple days ago, then I got busy this weekend and whipped up some pillows. The yellow, red and gray really pop on her white coverlet! I vote for more pillows, but waiting on the daughter to decide if she wants any more.

I did the applique on the front pillow by hand. It took me three times as long to do the one pillow as it did the other two combined! But so worth it to tie all the fabrics together in one.

Yes, it is a trash can, but isn't it pretty in it's silver coat?! It was a vintage piece my daughter picked up at a yard sale. But it was gold and showing its age. Metallic silver spray paint to the rescue!

Last, but by far my favorite of all, is this old armoire. It was a major project thanks to several coats of paint that had to be sanded. But it is glorious in fresh white, with new knobs in silver. We even removed all the old paint from the hinges and spray painted them silver too. Gorgeous and holds a ton of stuff!

Happy Summer Chaos

2011-06-12T07:59:00.001-05:00

Funny how I always think I can keep up with everything, but time after time I am reminded that my time and energy are not limitless. Things have been hopping at my house, which results in my blog being ignored. Birthdays and other family gatherings have been fun and abundant, and will continue to be for the next month. The garden and flower beds are growing and gorgeous and need lots of attention. Of course that 40-hour job that pays the bills around here gets in the way of all the other things I think I need on my list. Plus a number of projects are underway in the daughter's room that I hope can be finished in the next few weeks so I can share. Oh, and those puppies - TEN puppies!

Meet the Terrific Ten: 5 girls: Stella, Sophia, Mercy, Duffy & Carrie Valentine. 5 boys: Shiloh, Shepley, Huey, Dewey & Louie. 4 are Poma-poos and 6 are toy Poodles.

It's impossible to get a lot done around here when 10 little fur-babies are begging for love - they just suck me in with their uber-cuteness! Just a couple more weeks until they'll be heading for their forever homes, so I may as well enjoy them while I can. Some things can wait - puppy kisses aren't on that list!

Garden check-in

2011-05-17T22:34:00.001-05:00

The green beans I sowed last weekend are up...

and the crookneck squash are too...

Pansies in their pots help fill in a flower bed before the perennials start blooming...

And my tiny "wild" strawberries produce the most delectable morsels! I started these from seed about 4 years ago. To my happy surprise they have survived!

Puppy Pandemonium!

2011-05-11T21:55:00.000-05:00

We've had a week filled with PUPPIES! No, didn't mean to have puppies.

Yes, we should have had our girls fixed. But an unexpected, 3 month stay

by my mother's male toy poodle, Lucky (isn't that a fitting name?!) brought

one last round of puppies to our household. And BOY, do we have puppies!

Roxie, our Pomapoo has 4 little Poma-Poo-Poos - 1/4 Pom, 3/4 Poo :)

And Lizzie has 6...yes that's right, SIX purebred Toy Poodles. Oh. My.

So, by now you've guessed what's happened to my projects and the posts that

were supposed to happen. They have taken a big ol' back seat to puppies

and everything else going on around here - like wonderful Mother's

Day festivities, and a whole lot more.

More projects will be posted soon, but for now, enjoy these sweet little faces.

That's what I'm doing :)

Dresser Facelift - Under $25

2011-04-24T21:21:00.005-05:00

My daughter and I found this great little Thomasville dresser on Craigslist.

Good quality, good bones, but abused...a serious dog chew on the base
trim, lots of scratches and scrapes, a missing drawer handle, etc.
At $15 it was still a bargain, plus we had spent weeks looking
for one just the right size for her room, and finally, this was it!

My husband did his part by using an air grinder to smooth down the dog chewed
area and then ground down the opposite end to match. Well, "match" might
not be exactly right, but it was close enough! After removing the
handles, some sanding, some primer, a bit of wood filler and
more sanding, it was ready for paint.

Pure white was my daughter's choice, so I bought a good quality white paint and
gave it a couple of coats with a foam roller and foam brush. She wanted a
clean, modern look, so I located the drawer pulls I had removed from my
kitchen renovation a few years ago (see, there's a reason I hoard :)
and scrubbed them up. They look like brand new - which really
speaks to the quality of things made 40 or more years ago.

Try to ignore the clutter on the floor and next to the dresser - that's another new
storage project for this room - to be unveiled soon! I really like how the fresh
snow white of the dresser complements the cool gray shades of the
floor (painted concrete) and walls.

This room has gone from peachy-country-romantic-girly to calm-modern-mature.

Perfect for my daughter's last year at home before graduating college and
riding off into the sunset with her prince. And still perfect for when that
room becomes our guest bedroom/my crafting space.

Morels the Ozarks Way

2011-04-16T22:44:00.002-05:00

Morel mushroom hunting has been a spring ritual here in the Ozarks for as long as I can remember, and certainly well before that. As a kid I remember my grandpa taking me along with other relatives to wander the woods in search of them. Mom would fry up a mess or two each spring, then that was it until the next year. As an adult it has become an annual tradition for my family as well. We wander the woods near the wet-weather creek on the back of our farm each year hoping to spy morels peeking out from under dead leaves littering the forest floor. I always have to re-train my eyes to discern them from their surroundings - they are masters of camouflage!

Fortunately, most years we are able to enjoy a meal or two of these wonderful morsels. This year is no exception!

They look like cone-shaped sponges don't they? Not very appetizing from that point of view I suppose, unless of course you've grown up like me and think of them as a once-or-twice a year delicacy.

Our tradtional Morel Supper isn't healthy, so if you have an aversion to lots of carbs and fats - look away! This isn't the way we eat most of the time, but for this special treat, we make exceptions!

First thing I do when we return home with a 'mess' of freshly picked morels is rinse them thoroughly, then soak them overnight in salted water in the fridge. They won't last long so I always cook them the following evening. First, I rinse them again, pat them to absorb some of the water, and slice them into halves or thirds.

Next I coat the morels with flour and a bit of salt. I let this sit while I cook all the other dishes for the meal - we want those morels freshly fried and hot! Biscuits are first on the list - we like them drop style...

Next I fry up either bacon or sausage (tonight was bacon) and then use the drippings to make a pan of white gravy - heavy on the salt and pepper of course.

Time to fry the morels! I heat a frying pan with small amount of oil on high and throw in the morels. Best to cook 'em fast so they don't turn to mush...a little crisp is best.

Supper's ready! Not heart-healthy at all - but oh, how happy are our taste buds and tummies :)

Green and Growing

2011-03-28T22:30:00.002-05:00

The last several days have been full to say the least...no new projects to unveil yet,
but lots going on around here. Namely a bedroom re-do for my daughter,

homecoming for my mother who is recovering from a broken ankle, and
a birthday party for the 1-year-old granddaughter. Never a dull
moment for sure! And while all these goings-on have been taking
place, there's been a whole lot of growing going on too....

I'm starting only four varieties of tomatoes this year. Thought I'd stick with my
favorites, because I just can't get enough of those Green Zebras!

Yes - that IS grass....Ponytail Grass actually. It is a beautiful ornamental that bobs

and sways gracefully in the lightest breeze. These will be the centerpieces

of some of my porch planters this summer.

The cherry tomatoes are the fastest growers - though they were sown the same time

as the other varieties they are nearly twice bigger already!

Looking forward to planting these beauties outdoors in a few weeks....

come on spring!

Twiggy Spring Decorating

2011-03-18T22:24:00.009-05:00

I'm seeing a lot of twigs in spring decorations this year.

How great is that?! I have an endless supply of sticks, twigs, limbs, vines and
more here on the farm! An armful of twigs combined with some
tiny wooden eggs and creamy wee blooms now adorn our
vintage screen door monogram on the front porch.

I bought a large bag of miscellaneous eggs at the thrift store last week for $5 -
among them was a collection of tiny wooden Easter tree ornaments, many
of which were itty-bitty eggs. I painted a couple of those in a pretty blue and
speckled them good with a bit of brown paint. Then using twigs from the
yard and a bit of faux moss (another thrift store find - a big bag for $1)

I wired and hot glued them to create a nest.

That was great for one corner....but it needed something to balance it. So out came
my bag of creamy fabric scraps - muslin, burlap, osnaburg - you name it, if it's
off-white, cream, oatmeal, wheat, tan, or anything in-between, it's in there!
I cut simple 4-petaled blossoms to my heart's content. I scrunched them a
bit and hot-glued them to the wreath I'd wired together from the

same batch of twigs I'd used to construct the nest.

Love the twiggy-ness of this! Also love the pop of color from the eggs and the

simple, sweetness of the blooms. But...now I'm thinking maybe my blooms

need some color....they just don't have much impact with the creamy yellow

background of our house siding. They would look gorgeous on my green

wall in the front room...Hmmmm....may have to find a new spot inside for

this wreath and have another go at this spot with more color

So, what's happening on your front porch this spring?

Have twigs found their way into your decorating scheme lately?

Linking up to my favorite linky-parties:

Baby Toms Up!

2011-03-14T21:05:00.001-05:00

Those who know me well, know that one of

my ultimate gardening pleasures is seeing seeds germinate.

I never get tired of seeing the tiny threads of green raise their heads from the soil in search of light. And it's so amazing to me to know that these tiny tomato babies will be standing as tall as myself in a few months, bearing fresh, juicy gems from my summer garden!

I've cut waaaayyyy back on the number of varieties I'm starting indoors this year. I've got too many other irons in the fire to take care of more than I really need. So my tomatoes this year, will of course be, my favorites: Green Zebra, Kellogg's Breakfast, and a cherry tomato I purchased at a plant sale - saved seed because we love this but don't have a clue what variety it is. Oh, and one newbie - German Red Strawberry, from seed my sister saved and shared.

I hope to sow a few sweet peppers this week and that's it for my indoor seed starting this year. Just can't give it up completely though - seeing these babies pop out of the soil is just too good a reminder of all the miracles that take place

around us every single day.

Happy gardening!

Boudoir Organizer or Spice Rack?

2011-03-08T22:27:00.006-06:00

The little spice rack I updated last week went so well, I thought I'd give another dowdy, outdated spice rack a new life as well. I've had this in my stash for 2-3 years - time to do something with it or get rid of it!

Plain, boring, dirty, scuffed - not looking very loved. I'm about to fix that!

My daughter hated the font "Spices" was carved in, so that had to go.

A little wood filler and a good sanding took care of it.

Loved the tag on the back, but there was no easy way to save it...it's

hidden under the paint now :(

Above is the rack after wood filler, sanding, and a couple coats of spray paint - Valspar's Pewter Gray in gloss finish. A very light gray really.

And fast forward to done! This is the finished project after some distressing, walnut stain, and a cute little embellishment was added.

Perfect for the boudoir - to hold girly things like scarves,

jewelry, sun hats, perfume....

maybe I should add a couple of cup hooks to the outer sides to hold more...

And of course it could still work great in a shabby kitchen

with spice bottles lined up on the shelves.

What else might you use it for?

Would love to get your ideas!

Leave me a comment!

Cost: $5 for the rack at a yard sale

$1 for the embellishment

Maybe $1 for paint and stain, sandpaper, etc.

Total: A cool $7!

Linking up to my favorite weekly parties!:

Fresh Start for a Vintage Spice Rack

2011-02-28T21:58:00.009-06:00

I liked this little spice rack - especially the bottles it held! I had a plan in mind for the clear glass gems with their little stoppers. Well worth the $2 I spent on the set at a yard sale. So the bottles found new uses, while the wooden rack got tossed in my stash of future projects. That was 2 years ago...or maybe 3. It caught my eye when I was rummaging through the stash last week and I decided its time had come.

The rack was shabby/shoddy for sure. Besides the expected scratches and dull finish from years of use, one of the wooden slats across the back was scotch-taped on. Lovely. and there was a small hunk of wood missing from one corner of the tiny drawer.

A good cleaning, sanding and wipe down, along with wood glue and a couple of tiny brads to replace the tape, and it was ready to paint.

I used Krylon's Blue Ocean Breeze spray paint - the perfect backdrop to the pure white milk glass spice jars I had kept from another spice rack project. My original plan was to distress and antique...but the freshness of the blue just deserved to be left as is. The antique-look can come naturally over time, or by design at some point in the future if I change my mind.

I love that little drawer at the bottom! It's the perfect size to hold small items like matches or keys. I couldn't resist adding a surprise pop of color to the bottom of it with some scrapbook paper. Fun! And I estimate my total cost at maybe $5...$2 for the rack (yard sale) + $2 worth of spray paint + a few cents for the costs of the scrapbook paper, sandpaper, brads and glue.

Maybe spring lurking right around the corner is another reason to keep this piece fresh, bright and shiny as a new penny...to remind me spring with all its new beauty will replace winter blahs and cold soon.

Linking up to these great linky parties:

Antique Photo Frame Repair and Update

2011-02-20T21:25:00.010-06:00

My grandma had her sister's picture in a frame like this for years. Like a
cheval mirror, it could tilt forward or backward on the arms of the base.
As I child I remember thinking my great-aunt must have been like a
movie star to have her picture in such a fancy frame :)
So, when I found this smaller version at a yard sale for
25 cents, naturally it had to come home with me.

The frame was loose from the base because the screw holes had

worn out, but it had some pretty little details...

First thing, I filled the screw holes with wood putty and let it dry,

then sanded those down smooth.

Next, a light all-over sanding and good cleaning, then a coat of dark acrylic

paint as an undercoat - I mixed blacks and browns and even a bit of tan.

After the undercoat dried I brushed on two coats of warm white acrylic craft paint.

After distressing with a bit of sandpaper, plus a light glazing in a warm brown (most

of which was wiped away), it was ready to be re-attached to the base.
Using my teeny-tiniest bit I drilled pilot holes just above where the
original screw holes had been. I put the screws and tiny washers

on and it all went back together perfectly. The glass had

been cleaned and it was ready for a photo!

Good thing I was able to scan a photo and print it to the correct size - this is
by no means standard at 6" x 8 1/2"! That lovely young newlywed

couple in the fuzzy 1940-something photo, were preparing

to embark on their honeymoon as well as a lifetime

together - my mother and daddy.

They still look like movie stars to me :)

Linking to:

From Fishy to Fabulous

2011-02-16T21:15:00.007-06:00

Somebody, somewhere, sometime thought this was a neat design for this little coat hook rack. When I saw it at a yard sale last summer I knew those black porcelain knobs were way too spiffy for a "Gone Fishin" plaque! Giant blunt fish hooks would have been fun...but I'm not really into the huntin' and fishin' look in my decor anyway. So, an easy update was in order....
A little painting and distressing, plus some pretty scrapbook paper cut and modge-podged to the center panel and it's done! I did remove the hooks first so I wouldn't get paint on them. Then I lightly sanded to rough up the surface. I wiped it down with a soft cloth to remove any dust, and slapped on a bit of black acrylic craft paint around all the edges and let that dry. I mixed some blue, green and white acrylic paints until I got the robin egg blue I wanted and brushed that on. Once the blue was dry I distressed it by rubbing with a little sandpaper and some steel wool - letting both the black and the original red show through here and there.
The final step was decoupaging the scrapbook paper on to the front panel. The paper wasn't wide enough to reach from end to end so at first I cut a decorative shape on each end. But, I didn't like the look so I just cut a couple more pieces and added them to each end to fill in the entire panel. Looks much better! I've been debating whether to add some kind of accents. But I really like this look. What do you think? Should I add something? And if yes, then what/where?Right now it hangs across from my pantry holding aprons, but I've got a couple other spots where it would look adorable too, so it may travel a bit.

Linking to my favorite linky party!

Easy Coffee Filter Wreath - made difficult :)

2011-02-09T10:03:00.014-06:00

I know, I know - these coffee filter wreaths have been all over blog-land for the last year. That's about right for me...usually takes me a little while to jump on the bandwagon :) But I'm sharing the one I made last week anyway - because I love it!
Difficult isn't exactly the right word for this project, but as often seems to happen with me, I managed to add several steps to what should have been a super-fast, simple project! But I think it still turned out right for my taste, so, what's a little time, if the end result is great?

I wanted a more vintage/organic design - pure white is a bit too fussy for me. So off I went to buy unbleached filters. White was the only choice available, so I decided rather than go to several stores searching I'd just do white. But really - could I JUST DO pure white? Of course not. So I decided to tea stain the filters. I tossed a half dozen tea bags into a pot of boiling water and added the filters. I removed the pot from heat and let the filters "brew" for about 20 minutes and then spread them out to dry by our pellet stove. Any reason to spend time near the pellet stove right now, watching the flames dance while warming my tushie & toes, is welcome :)All 250 of them layered on my funky, chunky long table...looked kind of neat!
I had a straw wreath form I bought for 75 cents at a thrift store. I removed the plastic. Seemed like the right thing to do. Wrong. Straw bits were flying every direction when I touched it! Six of the coffee filters wrapped around the wreath and secured with hot glue took care of that issue. Not likely I'll buy straw again, but if I do, note to self - leave the plastic wrapper on!

Next I had to decide how to arrange the filters. The crimped look they had before their tea bath was pretty much gone. So I decided to fold each filter in half (sorry-didn't think to take pics of this part), then lightly fold in thirds, creating a fan shape. Then I hot-glued the point of the fan to the form. Repeat about 200 times, filling in as you go....and there you have it!
I knew before I ever started it would look perfect tied to this old frame - which set me back a whole 25 cents at a yard sale last summer. It's almost invisible in these photos, but the detail on the frame is really beautiful. And it was already naturally "distressed"!
And the burlap-ish ribbon was something I picked up on a whim a few weeks ago. Wasn't sure where I would use it exactly, but knew it was perfect for something!
My darling daughter-in-law has some great ideas for a statement wall using this...hopefully I'll get around to putting that together and posted before summer!

Buttons to the Rescue

2011-01-28T20:22:00.004-06:00

Little black canvas flats - comfortable, yes - stylish, no. This is a great little pair of shoes my daughter picked up for walking while she was in Italy this summer. Great for walking, but the cuteness factor was nil. So, a little wooly, woven fabric and a few white buttons come to the rescue. The fabric (from an old skirt) is cut about 1.5" wide and 6" long, gathered a bit on the ends to give it a ribbon-ish look. No hems - the unraveled edges add to the texture. To that I added a smattering of buttons - similar, but in various sizes - using black embroidery thread to add a bit of contrast. Took about 15 minutes, including hot gluing them to the shoes. Cost was pretty much $0, thanks to having all the pieces and parts on hand from other projects.

Printer's Drawer Makeover

2011-01-23T21:35:00.015-06:00

So...I saw a gorgeous jewelry organizer made from an antique printer's drawer and figured it would be soooooo easy to make myself and sooooooo much cheaper than buying it outright. Another of those "I can do that myself" things that wasn't remotely as easy as I thought!
Finding the drawer wasn't too bad - found 3 at one flea market and chose this one...
It was dusty and had some gunky nasty old sticky-glue globs in it, but otherwise it was bigger and in better shape than either of the other 2 trays I found that day. I cleaned, scraped, sanded and then spray painted. Cleaning each of those tiny cubbies took forever! And that old wood really soaked up the paint - probably used close to a full can of spray paint. A little sandpaper and a putty knife made the distressing part easy - I'm still debating on whether I should do a little more. I used a sabre saw to cut out some of the dividers to make longer spaces for a few necklaces. Next, to add hardware. What a pain! First, I had trouble finding just the right size eye-bolts and cup hooks, etc. After visits to 3 different stores, I finally had what I thought would be enough. I gave them a shot of the same ivory spray paint as the drawer. Next I created a template for marking where to put the eye-bolts in each cubbie so they would look pretty consistent. I drilled teeny-tiny pilot holes, then screwed the hardware in by hand. Do you see how many bolts/hooks there are? No wonder my hands kept going numb! And I found I still needed another package of eye bolts - should have counted before shopping :)I thought it was looking a little bland, so I added a colonial style hammered drawer pull to the top, after giving it a shot of the ivory spray paint and a bit of sanding. And then I realized I wanted something extra for my post earrings. The hooks and bolts were great for hanging kidney or french wire earrings, but I wanted something secure to push posts into. That's when the idea hit to add some wine corks. I put some velcro on the backs of the corks and in some of the cubbies so I can easily move them around, or replace corks if they start looking tacky. And do you see that teeny-tiny box on the bottom row? I made that from pieces of the dividers I had removed. It serves as a little storage area for earring backs - and to dangle a pair of earrings from too.For now, my organizer is hung with a long strip of old muslin, but I can change that out with other fabric or ribbon, or it hang it right on the wall.
It's done at last! Who would have 'thunk' this would have been such a big darned deal? I love the end result though, so I'll probably forget all the aggravations pretty soon. And at least the cost wasn't bad. $20 for the tray + approx. $8 for hooks, eye-bolts, paint, etc. And it shows off the gorgeous jewelry my daughter designs along with my other pieces perfectly!Linking up to my favorite weekly linky party at:

Theatre Thrift Finds

2011-01-18T21:04:00.005-06:00

So....I had just returned from a chilly trip to the post office when my co-worker/friend, Debra, pops into my office and shows me the photos on her phone. Stuff. Free stuff. Cool, free stuff just a couple blocks away in front of the theatre props warehouse! Away we went in my wonderful van with the stow-n-go seats. We pulled up and hopped out - treasures for sure! I tried to stow-n-go the seats - - no luck. Too cold to mess with them so I just propped one into a semi-stowed position and we started loading! All the while my keys were in my grasp - and I kept accidentally hitting the lock button which makes my van's horn beep. Beep! Beep!! Beeeep!!! Didn't really want to draw attention to us picking through the trash, but of course I couldn't take a moment to put the keys in my pocket! For some reason, Debra doesn't seem to think I make a good partner for dumpster diving now :)

But it was worth it...love this little black & blue table....the criss-crossed supports are pretty badly broken and may not be salvageable. You can't see the top, for the other table is resting there, but it is covered with paint drips and blobs, and some pretty rough gouges. But I see potential - can't wait for the weather to warm up enough so I can play with it.The white table with the turned legs is upside down - not quite as rough as the black/blue table, but still in need of some intense love. And the little gold stool is very stocky and heavy. I'm imagining it with a hinged lid and attached pillow on top.
But my favorite find was this 3rd table....would you get a load of those crazy curvy legs! It's long and lean with thick shaped legs - very unusual - and screams to me that it wants to be a desk. Or maybe a display area for the wonderful artsy creations my daughter conjures up, like these black & white photos from her last photography class.
There's something about black & white photography that just captures my imagination.
And since many of these pictures are of my lovely grandkids, I'm hoping to talk the daughter out of a few of these. What a great day!

Entryway Mirror for a Tiny Space

2011-01-12T21:37:00.006-06:00

What do you do for a skinny wall space next to a front door that needs a little somethin'-somethin'? My solution was found in a local flea market for less than $3.

It started like this....

A 1990-something mirror with a good solid wood frame - 2 hooks, but one broken - and some kind of "stuff" all over the mirror. Maybe a spray adhesive overspray? A little acetone took the "stuff" off nicely. I removed both hooks and filled the holes with wood putty. A quick, light sanding, then I covered the mirror with newspaper and spray painted a layer of black then a layer of brown spray. Kind of haphazardly. Quick - easy!After the spray paint was completely dried I brushed on a dark walnut stain (Minwax). I didn't wipe off a bit! Just left it on and let it dry for about 4 days. This made the finish a deep, dark espresso color with lots of glossy shine. I bought a couple of simple brushed nickel coat hooks and attached them to the sides. It's the perfect size for this small space and gives a much needed spot for a coat or hat. Turns out the wall had no studs where I wanted this hung, so I attached a small strip of wood to the wall, so screws could go into the wood inside the wall. Then I hung the mirror from that. I'm debating - may paint that wood strip the same gold as the wall. But for now it is a dark brown/bronze. Project cost: about $6 total!

Linking up to:

Dangles and Baubles

2011-01-08T22:07:00.005-06:00

Coming soon...something special to display these beautiful handmade jewelry pieces!

It's taking a bit longer than anticipated (like ALWAYS!) but hopefully in a couple of days I'll share my version of a fabulous jewelry organizer I've been working on. In the meantime, feast your eyes on a few of the lovely pieces my darling daughter has designed recently. You can see her whole line in her Etsy Shop!

2011 - A Year of Sharing

2011-01-01T23:59:00.005-06:00

2010 slipped by with no posts to this blog. It wasn't really intentional. Life simply filled up with so much 'stuff' ... some not so good, along with LOTS of good ... that I didn't take the time. I resolve in 2011 that I will share! Posting is good. Knowing I want to get at least one post a week in means I have to really focus on a project or other share-worthy accomplishment. And I've got a ton of things on my 'want-to-do' list that I hope to share in 2011!

For starters, how about this sweet, vintage, front door monogram? Hubby's parents had those wonderful storm doors with their surname initial that were so popular in the 1950s-60s. The doors are long gone, but this monogram has found a new purpose...
I dismantled the old storm door to get this off, and my dear husband removed a couple of pieces that were still riveted on that I didn't care for....and voila! A wonderful vintage piece perfect for hanging next to our front door to welcome guests to our home. For Christmas/Winter I've added greenery and pine cones. I'll update the look for spring and other seasons/holidays - stay tuned for those!

Linking to my first-ever linky party over at Beyond the Picket Fence!

Putting the Finishing Touches on 2009

2009-12-27T21:42:00.004-06:00

How can it be that 2009 is nearly done? Didn't I just finally start writing 2009 instead of 2008 on my checks? (Well, actually, yes, but that's another issue...) So, it's time to tie up the loose ends of 2009 and start planning for the new decade. Wow.

I guess it's kind of exciting. The next several weeks will be ones of planning. It's too cold and nasty outdoors to do much outside here. Actually that prevents a lot of inside "stuff" too, because we can't leave windows open to air out a freshly painted room, nor do I care to deal with all the mud and ice (and more) that would be tracked in should we try to replace the floor in the "studio". (That's what the artsy daughter calls it - it's the room where my desk and PC and files are. And ALL her art stuff and tables and storage and more.) So, I'll plan out the 2010 garden, order seed for new veggies I want to try, sew, create, dream and plan some more. I'm already in withdrawal because there are no yard sales for the next 8-10 weeks and then only few and far between until April really.

But, back to the creating. I got bit by the "create" bug just before Christmas. I made the daughters and DILs each a therapy bag (corn-filled). Soooo easy and so useful! Then I made these stuffed Owl pillows for each of the granddaughters. It was so sweet to see the little 5-year-old hug hers tightly and not put it down all Christmas morning!
I hope to get a bit more creating done before the week, and the year (and the decade - yikes!) ends. Maybe some earrings....or wrist warmers...or glass-painting...or....

Preparations

2009-11-28T21:59:00.004-06:00

The moment our Thanksgiving festivities died down, daughter #2 and I dove into our work for her holiday jewelry push. With her magazine article hitting stands on Dec. 1, Cyber-Monday just a few days away, and the Christmas gift-buying frenzy well-underway it was time to pull out all the stops! Plus, she is doing her first arts/crafts fair on Thursday and Friday of this coming week. She is busy measuring, clipping, hammering, oxidizing, wire-wrapping...creating all the beautiful designs seen below plus many more. I am busy creating earring cards, bags for customers to carry their treasures in, business cards, displays and all the other behind-the scenes bits and pieces to market her creations. We are both happily exhausted. Just a few more hours and then, let the sales begin!

Working in Circles

2009-11-23T19:37:00.003-06:00

I'm SOOOO proud! My artsy sophomore-in-college daughter has her first published article! She submitted some of her handmade jewelry pieces to Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine and on the very first try - she's got her own 2 page article! It's titled "Working in Circles"....sounds more like ME than her! Of course, that's just a play on words since the pieces in this article are based on hammered copper circles.

She has been trying to teach me how to create my own jewelry pieces. I'm confident I'll never reach her level of artistry, but still it's been fun.

If you enjoy making jewelry, or want to learn, or just love to look at the work of some amazing jewelry artists - get this magazine! Belle Armoire winter edition, available at Barnes & Noble or Borders on Dec. 1, 2009. Oh, and my daughter's article is on page 63... :)

Products of Neglect

2009-09-28T21:12:00.007-05:00

In spite of best-laid plans, my garden was neglected this year - a lot! So I marvel at all it is managing to still produce. Those striking purple Asters have bloomed a whole month later than normal thanks to the unusually cool, wet summer we had - and are prettier than they ever were before. The once over-abundant cucumbers have dwindled to the point that I'm rather surprised to find one as nice as the one shown here. The tiny yellow cherry tomatoes grew volunteer in the melon patch, where they are just now ripening, and should give us more than we can eat right up until frost. The light green squash isn't a zucchini, but a baby neck pumpkin. I'll use it like I would a summer squash, since it wouldn't have had time to fully mature before frost now. And the mini-pumpkin was lurking amongst the marigolds this evening. Next post I'll share photos of what I've been doing with the okra - what an amazing plant!

Simple Pleasures

2009-09-27T20:45:00.005-05:00

I love autumn.
And sunrises.
And sunsets.
And so many, many more simple pleasures.

Today I was up at my usual time (early!), but it was by chance that I stopped my morning routine long enough to glance out the window just at daybreak. I grabbed my camera and ran outdoors. I almost felt as though I should tiptoe; as though the magic might dissolve instantly if 'it' knew I was trying to capture it. Of course the photo doesn't really do justice to the moment. Seeing it, feeling it, breathing it in person is what makes the experience so wonderful, so spiritual. But, still...just look at those gorgeous colors. Can you see the lone star still barely visible? And the outline of the old hay barn alongside the trees on the horizon?

September in the Garden

2009-09-07T20:33:00.011-05:00

How did a month slip by me without posting? I kept thinking I'd find a minute, or get a really great idea for a post. I guess I finally found a minute :)

Thought a mini-tour of the garden might be nice, to show a bit of what is going on now.

Blooms are still abundant. This nasturtium got a real late start, with the first blooms finally appearing in August.
In addition to the various squash and okra blooms, I found some volunteer peas flowering. Evidently I lost a few of the seeds I tried to gather from the Dwarf Greys I grew in the spring. Only a couple of plants, but those sweet young pods will be a welcome addition to fall salads.The watermelon patch was a success! Look at this beauty! It measured 31 inches around and weighed in at 16 lbs. We had a little help from something - rabbit? possum? skunk? - not sure what - but a couple of the ripe melons had the most perfectly round holes eaten into them. Maybe fencing the Great Dane out of the melons was a bad idea...Wonder what I've got here...seriously, I'm not sure. I sowed some seeds for both winter squash and gourds, and I'm sure this must be a squash (tucked in amongst the weeds! I failed seriously in keeping the weeds at bay this year!). But what kind? I thought I had sown Blue Galeux here. And since I haven't grown it before, maybe this IS B.G. But if that's the case, it sure doesn't look like what I was expecting. ID from seasoned squash growers would be welcome!
And the final image is my pride and joy of the fall season. A Pennsylvania Dutch Crookneck Squash. I purchased what appeared to be a Butternut squash with an extremely long neck at the Farmer's Market a couple years ago. The man I bought it from referred to it as a "Neck Pumpkin" and claimed it would make the best pumpkin pie. He was absolutely right! It was amazing how much wonderful orange "meat" there was in it, so I saved seed. Didn't get them sown last year, but happily this year I did. I've got 10-12 of them and most of them are just HUGE! I think a couple will join my other fall harvest decorations (dried colored corn, corn stalks, mini-pumpkins, gourds, etc.), and the rest will go into the freezer for soups, pies, etc. for the winter.

The Cucurbit Patch

2009-08-12T21:00:00.011-05:00

I promised myself that this year I would grow some fun decorative things for fall, as well as try my hand at winter squash and melons. The result is a jungle of vines with leaves in a variety of hues, shapes and sizes - really quite pretty from a distance.
Among the decoratives will be this mini white pumpkin - I've noticed 4-5 so far.
And orange mini pumpkins - again 4-5 are visible. And this is a baby! It's already the size of a ready-to-pick zucchini and it's only just begun growing! I saved seed from a squash I bought at a farmer's market a couple of years ago - the seller called it a "Neck Pumpkin". It looked just like a butternut, but with a much longer neck. Which was really wonderful because the seeds were only in the bottom of the squash. Made an amazing "pumpkin" pie as well as squash soup with it if I remember correctly. I've noticed 4 of these, and expect lots more.
Here is a view of the patch. With the variety of leaves and randomly spaced marigolds it really is a pretty little space.And I couldn't finish this post without a couple of shots of my watermelons! This is the first time I've successfully grown melons. (I'm assuming I've waited long enough to claim success anyway.) This is the one I've named 'monster' - it is already bigger than a basketball! And, here are the 'Triplets'...can you see all three of the Wilson Sweets? I've been told to pinch off the blooms after 2 or 3 melons start growing, but I've got such a crammed-full patch of these that I can't tell which is growing from which vine! I just figure I'll start pinching off blooms and small melons now that I've located about 10 nice-sized fruit, and hope for the best!

Worth the Wait

2009-08-02T21:05:00.004-05:00

This project was long overdue to be done - and thanks to my two favorite handy-guys (hubby and son #3) it is finally complete! My inspiration for this came from a wonderfully talented lady whose blog I love to follow - "Beyond the Picket Fence". She created her shutter planter back in May of this year, and I've wanted one ever since I first laid eyes on hers.Once I decided I was going to make one, I started watching for shutters and wire basket-things at yard sales. By mid-June I had found both for a total of $5.00. I even found three brand-new terra cotta pots in the perfect size, complete with drip bowls for another $1.50.First I removed the small knobs and cleaned and lightly sanded the shutters. Next I painted them with dark brown spray paint. (A can I had bought at a yard sale last year for a quarter!) After that dried I started layering acrylic paint (brushed on) and candle wax according to directions my inspiration blogger has posted. You roughly slap on a coat, let dry, rub a candle over random areas, paint the next color, scrape away a bit of the paint where the wax is, then rub on more wax and paint again. Continue until you have all the layers you want.

After the brown spray-on, I used this blue, then yellow, then green, and finished with a burnt umber glaze I had left over from a previous project.I thought I would have this done and hung by July 4th, but it kept getting put on the back burner. At last, I finished the painting and with the help of my handy-guys got everything securely attached together and hung by our front door. Cost - about $8 (not including plants). Best of all, I finally replaced that tired old wreath I had in this spot with something really eye-catching!

Imposter tomato ripens

2009-07-30T22:00:00.003-05:00

Those "Imposter" tomatoes that were supposed to be German Red Strawberry tomatoes have finally ripened and we're enjoying some every day now. They are pretty good - nice and big so they are great for sandwiches or burgers. But, I was really looking forward to the Germans....oh well, maybe next year. On a scale of 1-10, I'd rate these a 7 or 8.

My New Best Friend is a Hoe!

2009-07-23T21:23:00.006-05:00

I know it seems a bit out there - but it's true! My new best friend is a hoe - as in garden tool - as in "I can weed without breaking my back!" Love this baby! I read about the Circle Hoe last summer and thought it was probably a nice tool to have, but not to the tune of $30. That was before I hurt my back, and had weeds up to my eyebrows. This simple gadget has one small flattened area that is sharpened. The rest is dull edged - so only the sharp part digs in under the weeds and everything around it goes unharmed. And it's more of a pulling exercise than hacking, so it's easier on me too. I am thrilled as are my Okra plants, who no longer share their bed with a tangle of weeds.
So, while we're speaking of Okra, have a look at the Burgundy. Isn't that color awesome? It adds eye appeal to my veggie garden, not only with color, but with the blooms, which when unfurled remind me of Hibiscus. This bud hasn't opened yet and has an almost reptilian look to it!My Tomatillos are heavy with husks! I love these - but cannot for the life of me figure out what to do about the insects (or worms?) that eat a whole in each and EVERY one! I can't find anything on the internet about it. This happened last year and I hoped that was a fluke...but no, here we go again. Guess its time to give the Missouri Extension a call.
And to finish up for tonight, have a peek at my lush and laden Marconi Pepper plant. I have very few peppers this year - only 2 plants are really producing so far. I'm determined to wait to pluck any of these beauties until they ripen to a nice rich red - so delicious!

Vintage Fabric Finds

2009-07-16T21:48:00.004-05:00

Did your mom make clothes for you when you were young? Many of my clothes were handmade. And while I didn't appreciate them like I should have then, I have fond memories of the clothing and the fabrics mom so lovingly made for her daughters. I remember my first mini-skirt - it was actually a dress that was made to look like a top over a skirt. And the dress I wore the first day of fifth grade as I started at a new school - a beautiful lime and light blue dotted swiss number that I was sure would "wow" the other kids.

Recently I got the chance to purchase a few pieces that remind me of "back when" which was the 1960's-70's. Love this cotton print with daisies scattered about.
And how about this paisley stripe...I remember using fabrics like this in the early 1980's to create crafts.
This retro print reminds me of my grandma and the 60's. Mantle clocks and vining flowers - who came up with that?
There are several other pieces in the batch I bought, but I think my favorite is this abstract rose print. The colors are so vivid on the pure white background. It would have made the perfect 1960's sheath dress (think Jaqueline Kennedy) with a colorful belt and handbag and heels to compliment the colors.
Not sure yet what will happen with all the pieces - I've posted a few for sale on Etsy. And I have plans in mind for a darling pink dotted swiss piece to become something sweet for my granddaughters. And, my youngest daughter has been eyeing another daisy print with a turquoise background. (I knew she would probably stake claim to some of it!) Hopefully I'll eventually get some of this made into fun new items and post them here.

Odd Lobed Tomatoes and More

2009-07-01T21:44:00.000-05:00

After a couple of weeks with a minor back injury (but it felt BIG!) I'm back in the middle of things! Like my job, my garden, and finally, my blog. Catching up in the garden has been a real trick, but I feel like I'm starting to get there finally. With help (drafted, but help none the less!) from family, and a stool to seat myself on while I work so I'm not bent, I may just get back on top of this.I'm a little puzzled by these tomatoes. My sister started them from heirloom seed, and told me they were German Red Strawberry tomatoes. The are fun looking - pear shaped with multiple lobes. Funny thing though - I can't find an image online of that type of tomato that looks like mine....hmmm. Wonder what I have here - maybe a cross of some sort? As long as they taste good, I don't care one bit. Just curious.The crookneck squash always amazes me - the leaves are simply HUGE! You can see blooms and a couple of tiny yellow squash under the monster leaves. They grow so quickly, I hope to harvest our first squash sometime over the weekend. That is if my battle against squash bugs is successful. I've used wine in bottles to attract and kill them (no captives yet, but I'm not ready to give up yet). Also a concoction of cayenne pepper, garlic, onion and dish soap. And by simply picking them off and crushing them! And I sprayed eggs and hatchlings with a dose of hairspray. I'm serious about this! I love my squash.
Happy little watermelon plants. Actually they're well on to a growth spurt. And I am hopeful onward to a nice blossoming of flowers. This plant is growing in our newly created watermelon patch. A huge tree blown over during the May storm created a deep hole. Hubby filled it in with soil from the old cow yard. Then I added some sand, blood meal and mounded it all up. Grandson poked the seeds into the mounds and we watered it. Hopefully we're on the right path to get a bunch of juicy sweet melons in August/September!

Inspiration Corner

2009-06-14T21:00:00.000-05:00

I should have taken a "before" photo...but I think I can explain. This little wall is just one section of a fairly large room that serves a variety of purposes. My desk, filing cabinets, computer, printer, etc. take up nearly 1/2 the room. A TV, VCR, DVD player and toy chest create an area for the grandkids to enjoy. One tiny spot is the workout center - for the treadmill. And the closets are filled with out-of-season clothing, wrapping paper, craft supplies, and so on. Needless to say it can be a bit distracting for someone (namely artsy daughter) to focus on her jewelry design, sculpting or paintings with so much going on. So, I encouraged her to make this spot her own. I didn't have to say it twice! Naturally it had to be done on a bare-bones budget. Not a problem for a junk-savvy kid with plenty of imagination.

A small dresser-turned-cabinet hides shelves for storing her supplies. The little table was a freebie from her brother's roomie - rough enough to be charming and allows her to work without concern for damaging the finish. Great space for bigger tools, paintbrushes and a lazy susan.

The window frame was 25 cents at a garage sale - it was horrible! Someone had sponged it with purple and green paint and glued plastic flowers to it. It's now a warm chocolate brown with cool pale green highlighting the openings. Old white porcelain insulators attached across the top ($1 yard sale find) serve to hold the necklaces she creates. An old porcelain doorknob (25 cents-yard sale) attached at bottom center will be useful as another hook of sorts.

The oak box with gold tone handle and corners, to the left of the table, is a wonderful little tool chest found at a yard sale for $7.50! It is even lined with felt, and holds some of her more delicate and treasured tools, as well as some finished earrings.

Brown curtains and rods ($34 total at a liquidation store) hide the closet openings. Robin's egg blue paint ($15) provides a calm, soothing cool background for the creation process.

Even across the room, deep in thought, clicking away at my keyboard, I find myself turning to gaze at it. Definitely a great spot for dreaming up new ideas and then bringing them to life.

Planting and Harvesting

2009-06-03T21:09:00.000-05:00

My kitchen garden still looks a little empty. I've been sowing and planting for weeks, but there is still lots of blank space while I wait for everything to take off growing. Most of the peppers, tomatoes and tomatillos are gaining steadily, with some even starting to bloom. Others, like this little okra seedling are still in the very early stages of growth. And I still have a few seeds I need to sow, like the edamame and corn.Of course there are some things we are enjoying right now - like leaf lettuce, pea pods and the green onions shown below. On either side of them are carrots and beets - I've never grown either one before - but I'm thinking I won't be harvesting from them for a few more weeks. The Magenta head lettuce is new to me. It's very pretty with it's ruffled, red-tinted leaves, and looks to be doing well as far as I can tell. I thinned this tub and transplanted the thinnings into the kitchen garden and I think they are going to grow for me. I'm tired of buying lettuce - hoping these will be ready to harvest in another week or so.
And beyond the garden is the mulberry tree. I loved those berries as a kid and still do today. No thorns to keep you from picking as many as you can reach! Unfortunately this is probably the last year for us to enjoy these. The big windstorm nearly 4 weeks ago broke this tree so badly it probably won't survive. Funny thing is, the fruits on the most damaged limbs ripened first. I wonder - is that some sort of survival mechanism?

Sunday Stroll

2009-05-31T22:07:00.000-05:00

I just finished a week off the job - and worked way harder than usual! We had major clutter stacked up so a yard sale had been planned. It took 5 days preparation, 1.5 days of selling, and a 1/2 day to clean up. We got rid of a ton of junk and gathered a few dollars to go toward the new fridge I've been wanting. Then the last 2 days I've spent trying to catch up with mowing, trimming, weeding and planting! But I stole a few minutes today to stroll around the yard and snapped these shots of some of our current blooms...First, the peas that climbed my bedspring trellis are blooming (and producing delicious, sweet pods!).
Some uninvited blooming going on here....but I've always loved the beauty of Queen Anne's Lace. It always manages to spring up behind the barns, sheds and the perimeter of the yards.
Here we have one of my front porch planters - filled with violas in creamy yellow, midnight blue and tangerine as well as some pansies and petunias - and my new favorite grass "Ponytail". The way the wisps of it nod, flip and bow in the breeze is so relaxing to watch.
My first Hollyhock buds - it looks like they will have tons of flowers. I have no clue what color(s) they might be so I'm extra anxious for them to bloom.
And the rose bushes are laden with buds and blooms. These both were grown from those mini-bushes found in discount stores around mother's day. And both always bloom profusely - all summer long.

Rustic Never Looked So Good

2009-05-24T20:53:00.000-05:00

If you like jewelry - original jewelry - you need to see some of the pieces my darling daughter has created. She is inspired by rustic, natural, earthy materials - twigs, stones, antiqued metals to name a few. And, her proud mom is continually in awe of the pieces she creates.... Like these dangle earrings - both were custom made for a repeat customer. (Not me! - though I love them!)
How about this warm golden stone, wire-wrapped and dangled below twig, copper and red accent beads?This Geode is just gorgeous with its streaks of crystals intermingled throughout A great piece for guys or gals.
And sometimes she shares her whimsical side, like with this version of a bird in flight.

There's much more to see of this young artist's work - you can visit her etsy shop with a click right here and peruse some of her other pieces. (Tell her 'Mama' sent you!) :)

Blooms all around

2009-05-23T22:02:00.000-05:00

Blooms are everywhere right now. In the flower beds and in the veggie garden, not to mention scattered around the yard. My 3 different mini-roses are all covered in buds, one yellow, one coral and this one, a brilliant red.
And while garden blooms aren't usually as showy, these Dwarf Grey Peas certainly have notable blossoms - a pale creamy pink on the outer petals, and a dark velvety burgundy inside. Beautiful in the veggie-patch, and gives us hope for the pods to start forming soon.
The Pak Choi has shot up flower heads - too hot already I guess. I'm letting it go so I can collect seed. And the bright yellow blooms give a nice color-pop to the garden area.
No blooms here - but the Magenta Lettuce is showing signs of forming nice loose heads, and with the red tint and ruffled edges, it does resemble flowers somewhat. There are a few other plants sharing this pot - the 2 blue-green "weeds" in the middle - lower edge - are Nasturtiums. A few others are sown around the edges and when they are big enough, will be transplanted elsewhere.

Sweet William

2009-05-22T18:07:00.000-05:00

I had no idea what I was creating. When I sowed the seeds in 2008 I knew these wouldn't bloom the same year. And I've always found it difficult to invest that much time into something knowing there would be no instant gratification - I like a return on my investments pretty quickly. And, I had no previous experience growing Sweet William or Hollyhocks, so I was not really prepared for my first go at it to turn out like this.

It's been worth the wait, just for the Sweet William! I am enamored with all the varied shades of the blooms. Some are a pure, snow white (looks like the perfect bridal bouqet) and others range to the deepest fuschia; some of solid color and others with 2 tones, of the eleven or so plants I have, no more than 2 are just alike. I'm hopeful that their round, squat, mounding habit will be the perfect border for the towering Hollyhocks. The Red Wonder Wild Strawberries add some visual interest, not to mention sweet treats as I pick the occasional weed and admire this bed.I think I got this bed right! And glad of it - it's the first thing to see from the driveway - very welcoming I think.

Overnight Visitor

2009-05-17T22:08:00.000-05:00

We had an overnight visitor last night. And in spite of good manners and a pleasant stay, we were glad to see him go.

You see, the visitor was an adorable little ball of black fur, that had been found trotting down the middle of the highway, oblivious to the danger he was in. And with no ID tag, it wasn't easy finding his owners. Turns out a few well-placed signs in the neighborhood where he was found were the highlight of his owners' day. Their call to us about an hour after we put up the signs was hopeful - and then joyful - when we confirmed from their description that this was indeed their baby.

He was a wonderful overnight guest - and our girls - Lizzie the Poodle and Roxie the Poma-Poo - were delighted to have a new playmate. But the joy and appreciation of his owners was the best.
Seems Bear, the 1-year-old Yorkie Poo, escaped by breaking his leash and ID tag at 5 am Saturday morning. In spite of their efforts, the darkness and rain prevented his owners from being able to find him. (The photo is not Bear - but could pass for his long-lost twin!) So, that's how Bear began his weekend adventure.

Love knowing we had a hand in helping - it just feels good! A great end to a wonderful weekend.

Mother's Day 2009

2009-05-10T08:59:00.000-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the mama's, grandma's, step-moms and moms-to-be out there! My mother was treated to breakfast yesterday morning by my sister, my daughter, and myself. Yes, she is the sweet-faced lady pictured below. Mom, holding my grandson - one of her 19 great-grandchildren!

Mom and Dad married in 1950. We lost Daddy in 2003.
Mother - a fresh-faced beauty at 18 - her high school senior portrait.
And, as always, my kids have been very good to me this mother's day. Lovely flowers in a gorgeous pot, a wonderful vintage-look tin wall pocket, gift certificate for a pedicure, and an adorable cup my daughter custom created for me with a mama bird and baby bird and gorgeous glaze in blues/greens and chocolate. I am spoiled - thank you sweeties!

Aftermath of the Derecho

2009-05-09T17:26:00.000-05:00

Ever heard of a Derecho? Definition of 'Derecho' according to Wikipedia: "A derecho (from Spanish: "derecho" meaning "straight") is a widespread and long-lived, violent convectively induced straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms ..."

And may my first encounter with this type of storm be the last!

Friday morning one of these crazy storms blew through a chunk of the midwest including my little area of the world. These big 50+ year old trees in our front yard were blown over. Three were ripped from the ground, and several others lost huge limbs. This elm limb I photographed a short time ago is now gone. Huge limbs from another tree hit the top of my husband's school bus, smashing 3 windows and denting/dinging several spots.

This is part of our wrap-around front porch - where winds ripped the soffit down and the blown-in insulation along those walls mixed with rain and then adhered to our porch walls, windows, floor, and wicker furnishings like a thin layer of dirty paper mache.

Another view of the porch where you can see our roof is now missing some shingles.
I am thankful none of my family was hurt - thankful much of the damage can be managed by a few strong men (wonderful, amazing, beloved sons and sons-in-law!) with chainsaws and a tractor - thankful insurance should cover the worst damage. And really thankful the last 24 hours without electricity is behind us! (I'm a little ticked off that my freshly sown strawberry seeds are MIA - the whole thing - just disappeared! - but, of course, that can be replaced.)

So many others who were in the path of this monster have much worse damage, suffered physical injuries, or, in a few cases, lost loved ones. I pray for them all.

So yes, I feel very fortunate. Still, I would prefer to never encounter another Derecho!

Green Super Bag

2009-05-05T06:26:00.001-05:00

My artsy daughter has been toting her jewelry-making tools and supplies with her everywhere she goes these days. She decided she wanted a BIG bag to carry them in, but didn't want to pay a big price for it. So....a set of 2 like-new placemats in fun colors (yard sale - $1), a jute and leather belt for the strap (2 yard-sales later - same day - 25 cents), and an hour at the sewing machine and....voila! The Super Bag! It's green - a very pretty green and cream on the outside and brown/cream on the inside, with a fun trim around the edges - and it's "green" as in repurposed from items that were no longer needed/wanted for their original purpose.
And best of all - she loves it!

Treasures From the Past

2009-04-30T19:59:00.000-05:00

Beautiful old silverplate pieces were going to be discarded - egads! I couldn't bear the thought! So, I'm on a mission to find them good homes. Not my home, mind you. I adore their form, the ornate details, the patina. But they don't reflect who I am. But I have faith someone out there will embrace them - either as they are or as a project to rejuvenate or repurpose. This tea and coffee service is missing the top piece of the coffee lid and I'm pretty sure the lid on the sugar doesn't really match - but it's a suitable replacement.

And this highly ornate pot is a feast for the eyes!

These pendant lights were a rummage sale find. I love those milk glass globes! Again, doesn't really fit my home and style, but I can't help but appreciate the beautiful details in both the glass and the metal pieces.

And finally - a map! Actually it's a wooden puzzle with a copyright from the early 1920's. I considered keeping it to help my grandchildren learn their US geography (minus the one missing piece in the northeast). But then again, do I really want to risk it getting chocolate fingerprints and kool-aid spots added to the felt tip marker that's already been used to outline each piece? Hmmm...and I can't imagine how exactly, but I'm sure it could be used in an artsy/modern mixed media creation to become something wonderful and treasured. Just have to get it into the right hands.

A Dry Weekend At Last

2009-04-26T20:06:00.000-05:00

At last - a weekend without rain! And I put it to good use. The yard is in dire need of attention so I managed to fit in mowing and trimming, but more importantly I got to play in the garden. Some of my tomatoes and peppers got to enjoy the outdoors, but protected from the wind inside this wonderful mini-greenhouse. There was only room for about 1/3 of the plants I started indoors, so I'll have to switch them from day to day. I found the old aluminum storm door panel with the "S" to be quite useful in keeping the plastic door from whipping against the tender young seedlings when the wind was gusting. Our last name starts with S so I use this as part of my front porch decor, though usually in a different way!

I tidied up this flower bed a bit as it needed trimming around the perimeter and a dead plant and couple of weeds removed. I am so proud of how it looks already this year, and it should only get better. Next to the concrete blocks are Sweet William and Red Wonder Wild Strawberries. I started both from seed last year. The strawberries actually bloomed and produced berries late last year, but the Sweet William won't bloom until this year. The white blooms in the photos are the berries - and they already have several tiny fruit forming. Buds are just beginning to show on Sweet William - couldn't capture in the photo, but it looks like there will be both white and pink.
Next to the wall, the yellow leaved plant is a eunoymous, which will become more green as the season continues. The other plants are Hollyhocks - and I'm so anxious to see them bloom this year! I've never grown them before. I started these from seed last year, and because they won't bloom until their 2nd year, I've been looking forward to them for what seems like forever. I had some more Hollyhocks in the veggie garden, but needed that space for more veggies. So another chore I tackled today was to create a small bed for them next to our front porch and move them. Got that done, so if I didn't disturb them too much, their blooms should be visible to passers-by instead of hidden behind our house!

I have several items to decorate my gardens, and just created this fun tipsy watering can totem. I was inspired by Dottie over at D+G Gardens and Crafts Blog. She is wonderfully creative, and shares the how-to for her creations on her website. She has some beautiful crystal totems that I want to copy as soon as I get all the pieces gathered. She also does tipsy pots and tipsy tea kettles....the inspiration for my tipsy watering cans. I had been collecting them over the last couple of years with the intention of using them on a giant grapevine wreath I have. I still have yet to complete that project, but there are more than enough left over to do it too.

Vintage Junk Crazed

2009-04-23T21:12:00.000-05:00

It seems I'm vintage/junk-crazed these days. Not that I haven't loved old stuff before now, but it appears to be growing....now including items from the 50's-60's and even the 70's. I'm a yard sale junkie and I find myself zeroing in on the vintage and broken/rusty/crusty stuff and turning my nose up at the new.

Good news is, I'm not alone. From websites like Etsy to The Junk Revolution, to the tons of blogs out there authored by those with the same addiction, there is a growing population who are enamored with old stuff. Some because they are old enough to be nostalgic, others because of the "green" element (reduce, reuse, recycle), and others just because they're getting caught up in the fun!

I've posted previously about aprons, bowls and plates and such. Now I'm caught up in cut glass, and crystal pieces, and milk glass. Love these! I changed out from a lot of darker, heavier pottery pieces for these lighter, brighter pieces for spring. Just need my flowers to start blooming so I can fill the vases!

Wander Through the Woods

2009-04-13T21:48:00.000-05:00

We took a little time out over the weekend to go to the woods on the back of our property. I visited the pond and wandered around while DH searched for morel mushrooms.
This gorgeous plant looks like a giant bloom, planted at the base of one of the towering oaks. I'm not sure what it is called. The leaves are a very soft, fuzzy texture making me think of a plant I've seen called Lambs Ear.I captured the tracks of one of the many woods-creatures. I think likely a raccoon or skunk.I should have taken photos of the morels DH found - but those were supper tonight and are long gone! There were at least 40 of them - bountiful compared to most years. Dredged in flour, salt and pepper, then pan fried and served with bacon gravy - heaven on a plate!

Elm at Dusk

2009-04-10T09:41:00.001-05:00

The title pretty well says it all. I saw it - I liked it - I shot it....and sometimes that is all you need.

Green and Growing

2009-04-02T17:12:00.000-05:00

I've been away from my blog for a bit longer than usual, but have a good report to share now on the green, growing going on around here.

All 12 tulips I planted last fall are up now, though the 2 on the north-most side of the bed came up 3-4 weeks later than the rest for some reason. Two are at the bloom stage - one is a nice bright gold, but this one has a rosy tinge that I'm anxious to see more fully. (And yes, it's time to fire up the hateful weedeater - but the blooms on those weeds in the background are kind of pretty...don't you think?)

The raindrops glisten on the strawberries....and what is that peeking out? Blooms???? Yes! Blooms!!! These Red Wonder Wild Strawberries may have been a bit of a challenge to start from seed last year, but what a treat they have proved to be. I can hardly wait to enjoy the tiny but unbelievably delectable berries - if I can keep them from getting frozen! Forecasts call for another freeze this evening and unfortunately, this could keep happening for the next 4 weeks - ugh.

My indoor garden is filling out too. As the sweet peppers are leafing out, I've been transplanting so there is only one per cup. The tomatoes got started later, but they'll catch up soon. I've had a few minor disappointments - the Tam peppers never sprouted - but I only wanted one plant for salsa anyway. I may only end up with one or two of a few specific things because of poor germination, but I knew some of my seed was 2-3 years old. All in all, I'm pretty happy with the turnout so far. And knowing I have several things growing in the wintersown jugs and coldframe tubs outdoors is a bonus. Yeah spring!

Support your local peas

2009-03-22T21:54:00.000-05:00

I love peas fresh from the garden - whether using the whole pod or the mature shelled peas. But I haven't grown peas in a couple of years because we were avoiding high-carb foods. Well, they are back in my garden since I learned we can still enjoy the immature pods without overly-high carb counts. I sowed 8-10 Dwarf Grey Sugar peas a few days ago - they were from a seed-swap where typically you just get enough seed for a sampling, so that was all the seed there was. And in anticipation that they will germinate and grow well, I've designed a unique support trellis. Old bed spring coils! I scavenged these old rusty springs earlier this month and have had several ideas for using them - a rusty "Spring" wreath, a rain-chain, wind-chimes, etc. But right from the start I had thought they could work as an unusual support for my peas and bring a fun junk-twist to the garden.
This last photo is enhanced to show the coils better. I'll post more photos as the peas start climbing (I have faith they will!).

Chamomile, Marjoram, Thyme and More

2009-03-15T18:51:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I wintersowed and within only 2-3 days the Cosmos were sprouted! That was fun - until the temps went from 70's to 20's in a day's time. And all the little Cosmos that had sprouted, turned brown and wilted. Good news is not all the seeds had germinated, and more are coming up even today. Plus I have more Cosmos seed and plan to direct-sow some in May. Other wintersown seedlings popped up this week too - Marjoram, Thyme and Chamomile survived the cold snap quite nicely.

The 4 plots of greens I sowed in the tubs-under-glass are coming along nicely - Kale, Arugula, Komatsuna, Endive and Spinach - and I'm guesstimating our first salad of the season may be in the works within another 2 weeks. I sowed Pak Choi last weekend and am seeing good germination there too. This is my first go at Pak Choi and I can hardly wait to taste it!

I had some help in my garden rounds yesterday....Roxy (aka Roxzilla), the 4 1/2 month old Pomapoo, joined me for a bit of serious sniffing and inspecting. I think she approved. Isn't she too cute?!

What's up?

2009-03-14T16:26:00.000-05:00

Colder temps bit hard last week, but a walk around the yards to see "what's up" proves spring is breaking out of winter's tight grip.

This forsythia is blooming bright at the corner of the front yard. I love their cheerful yellow and have at least 6 others scattered around our grounds.
The flowering almond's tight buds are rosy-tinged right now, but will soon open into puffs of cotton-candy pink. This bush is probably 50 years old, maybe more!

The Weeping Willow has leaves and some sort of bud that I don't recall seeing before, though surely it has appeared in years past.

A tulip pokes its strong points out of the bed I planted 12 of them in last November. I'm looking forward to the orangy-golden blooms the photos on the bulb bag promised.

And Easter Lilys bloom in clumps along the edge the old coke cooler.

All these signs of spring have me in a gardening state of mind! Next post I'll share "what's up" in the garden.

Sweet! I've been given an award!

2009-03-08T07:54:00.001-05:00

A big hug and thanks to Midge (aka junkermidge), of
Having fun with Junk (and Life in general)
for presenting me with this blog award:

As a recipient of this award, I must list five things I'm addicted to and then pass this award on to five other blogs. So...here goes....

Five Things I am addicted to:

1. Gardening - obviously! There's something about newly sprouted "babies" that just gives me a real kick. I love seeing newly sprouted seedlings as much as preparing the delicious, organic goodness that goes on our table.

2. Yard Sales! I'm borderline crazy - at least according to my family - when it comes to yard sales. I plan out my route using craigslist and the local ads the night before, then get up reallllly early to hit 'em hard by daylight. What a rush!

3. Creating. OK, that's a bit broad, but then so are my tastes! A lot of this is DIY stuff - like refinishing a great piece of furniture or cabinetry. It also covers creating crafting, photography and re-purposing great items from junk.

4. The outdoors. Whether it be a bright, sun-filled day or a star-filled full-moon night, my stresses just wash away with a sweet breeze and the song of the birds and the peeper-frogs. Better than all the therapy and anti-depressants in the world!

5. The computer. My family would say this anyway. And, no doubt, they must be right for here I am! I make my living on the computer, communicate with friends and family via the computer, learn wondrous new things on the computer, and meet fabulous new and talented folks - again on my computer.

Now to pass on this award....drumrolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
.......................And my 5 blog awardees are:
1. Fluffy Flowers
2. The Clicks of My Shutter
3. Bloom Right Here!
4. The Waste Not Shoppe
5. Daffadowndilly's

Congratulations to all 5 of you and your wonderful blogs. Please accept this award from me, proclaim it to all your blog readers, list your 5 addictions, and then pass the award on to 5 other blogs of your choosing.

Thanks again Midge - be sure and check out her blog and website - she is one awesome, creative lady, and is always sharing lots of junk inspiration!

Teresa (aka luvmygarden)

Spring exercise on hold

2009-03-05T20:05:00.000-06:00

March is here at last, bringing the occasional sunshiny day and the desire to break the winter blahs with some outdoor exercise. And when a group formed at work to walk at noon a couple days a week I was happy to get on board. Our first walk was yesterday, and we had a choice of one of several predetermined routes, or our own. I opted for the 1 mile, thinking that would be a good way to start, and eventually work up to the 3 mile trail. My body, however, made it clear I chose poorly. Halfway through the walk I noticed the muscles in my left leg tightening up. Not a big deal really - might get a little sore, but I could handle that. By the end of the walk I had some mild pain. By the time I got home last night I could barely walk. Uh-oh.

And this morning it was only slightly better. I stayed home, on the sofa and babied my leg and foot. And, thankfully, I think I'm going to be back at work tomorrow. I did manage to sneak outside for just a few minutes late this afternoon. Perfect timing - the tiny purple crocuses were waiting for me - a nice end to a pretty boring day. So, I'm thinking I may have to back off on the group-walking for a week or so....maybe start with a block-walk next week and work my way up. I'm paying for not staying active over the winter....and finding it gets a little harder each year to jump back in come spring!

Weekend Bargains

2009-03-01T19:48:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was a good junking day, and I have the pictures to prove it. I'm drawn to kerosene oil lanterns and lamps , even though this one is missing the glass. The photo doesn't show it well, but the shelf has a towel bar underneath and is made of metal. I've got some ideas floating around about using that near my front door. The green metal file box has a locking mechanism and lock. Seems kind of pointless as it would be really easy to pry it apart, but I like the way it looks and needed a new file box for tax papers anyway. The neat chrome thing in the middle is an expandable trivet, made to hold various shapes of casseroles, but I'm toying with other uses. The cast iron candlestick is the perfect compliment to another one I bought a couple weeks ago. And the lone little fork - has great scrollwork engraving on it. Should make a cute hook for a coat or tea towel.

This is a scrapbook kit - perfect for someone building or remodeling their home. I'm not doing either and really was drawn to it because of the shapes and tags, but will probably end up selling it on ebay.

Just a couple of days ago I found a website that showed some really creative ways to turn bowling balls into garden art, so when I spied this ball I was really excited. Problem is, it is already a really gorgeous color - no need to add paint or mosaic! Instead I'll just spray on polyurethane (thanks so much to Dottie at gardensandcrafts.com
for sharing how to do this!) to prep it to withstand the sun's ultraviolet rays, and use my creative side to find or create an interesting pedestal to display it on.

This light shade is so feminine, I couldn't resist it! I don't do shabby-chic, or any really girly stuff in my decor though, so I guess this will be resold. I can see it as part of a birdbath or crystal totem creation, if not for its original purpose.

Dish'n it

2009-02-28T20:39:00.000-06:00

I've been longing for warmer weather and the yard sales that will start popping up all over. I've been trying to appease my addiction by hitting a flea market here and there - picking up one thing here, one thing there. But this weekend I finally got a good fix! I found a couple of thrift-stores I hadn't visited before and a community garage sale (held indoors, thank goodness, since it was snowing and hovering in the 20s all day!) in a neighboring town.

Maybe I went overboard on dishes ...hmmm... but I can justify it! I want to get a nice supply and variety for doing mosaics. And each of these just spoke to me!

The brown-eyed susans were really exciting to find - my daughter recently purchased a Monet sunflower print and I want to create a mosaic frame for her. I think a couple of shards with just a bit of yellow petals showing will really marry the frame to the print. And the green and aqua hues of the other 2 saucers are just beautiful.

I rarely even give state plates a glance, but the color and pattern of the rim on this Montana dish just grabbed me.

The delicate feathers in the center of these caught my eye. I've seen lots of wheat designs, but the feathers were new to me. I learned this pattern is "Prince of Wales"....I just know I love the color, feathers and scalloped edge.

And this dinner plate with green rose transfer design holds lots of possibilities.

And there were more - a Lemon Federalist pattern saucer - EXTREME yellow color! And a couple of others with deep, vibrant hues (I'd describe as school bus yellow and key-lime green) but I just couldn't get my camera to capture their true colors.

Next post I'll share the other goodies I dragged home!

Quick, Easy Crackle Paint Project

2009-02-21T11:26:00.000-06:00

I have a ton of projects I want to do, but have been stalling. Deciding which direction to take with these is giving me fits. I'm not sure what types of finishes I want, but I recently learned the scoop on creating a crackle paint finish without dropping a small fortune on special products. I found the perfect test item at a local thrift store - a wooden spindle on a base for $1. The paint on this didn't suit me, but the spindle itself did. So, using the easy method I learned about on one of my favorite new sites, Junk Revolution, I gave it a makeover.

This is the spindle I bought. That outdated finish has to go!

And here it is after a couple of quick coats of ivory acrylic paint and a coat of "Crackle" (this is sooooo easy - 1 part water mixed with 10 parts white school glue). I let the acrylic dry between coats and again before adding the glue mixture. Then I let the glue mix dry just until it was tacky before I painted on my final color.

I used the brown paint I had from my buffet redo and mixed it with enough black to give it a nice dark shade.

And, here it is!
Love it on my ceiling tin shelf. You may have noticed the ball on top has holes drilled in it. I'm going to look for something to pop into those to hold small "antiqued" pictures. But, on a high shelf it really doesn't have to have anything.

Sprouting Success

2009-02-15T10:55:00.000-06:00

My cold frames (or hot tubs?) worked like a charm! I sowed seed last Sunday (see previous post). We had unseasonably warm temperatures most of the week that gave this process a big boost, so by Wednesday the Arugula had begun to sprout and the Kale and Komatsuna weren't far behind. This morning we awoke to a dusting of snow and 20-something temps, but the sprouts should fare just fine in their glass-covered tubs.

I sowed 3 tubs - but only had 2 glass panes so the 3rd was covered with plastic sheeting. That made a difference - no sprouts. So, I finished cannibalizing the 2 old aluminum storm doors that I had "borrowed" the 2 glass panes from. Hubby cut the aluminum frames so that I now have 2 more glass panes, and he has a plan for the leftover pieces, so nothing will go to waste.

So, now the 3rd tub also has a glass lid and has begun sprouting. In typical fashion for us, we used inexpensive and easy means to secure the glass from blowing off if the winds gust - baler twine and bungee cords! And they're easy for me to remove when I water or just want to get a closer look at what is going on inside.

I love seeing new green growth, especially since spring is still 5 long weeks away! Now...where is that spinach seed so I can sow another tub?

Hollyhocks in February

2009-02-08T20:55:00.000-06:00

Ok, so I'm a little overanxious for spring to arrive. Especially when a February day feels like an April day - today was fabulous! As I wandered around I noted there is green growth already amongst the old leaves of the Hollyhocks - isn't that neat!? Of course, too much mild weather right now could be disastrous if the trees and flowers start budding, so I'll enjoy the moment and hope things get back to normal soon.

I celebrated the warm day by sowing seed - indoors and outdoors. I started a few oregano and pansy seeds in seed cells in the house. Outside I worked up the soil in my black tubs and moved 3 of them to a spot where they can make the best of any sunshine that might break through. I then sowed Arugula, Endive, 2 types of Kale, and Komatsuna. I covered 2 of the tubs with glass panes and, for lack of more glass, I used clear plastic sheeting on the 3rd tub. I did this last year and had good results, because basically these work like a coldframe, absorbing the sun's warmth and keeping hardy seedlings warm enough to survive and even grow.

I smile to think of how popular re-using, re-purposing, and living a more frugal life has become. And I'm a huge advocate of that. It's just that I've done that most of my life and suddenly it's cool! My black tubs once held mineral-lick for my brother-in-law's cattle. The glass came from an old storm door. I saved the Komatsuna seed from last year's crop and traded for all the other seed using various other seed I still had from last year. And the soil is a combination of the dirt that was used in the tubs last year + compost created from our yard and kitchen waste. Oh, and the plant markers? Cut from old vinyl mini blinds, of course!

Snow Day!

2009-01-28T20:29:00.000-06:00

Sleet, freezing rain, ice and snow have brought schools, businesses and most normal activity to a halt the last couple of days. With no work or school for husband, daughter and I, we vegged out inside yesterday, avoiding the nastiness outdoors. But today the sun made a nice showing and we ventured out to play a bit.
We each took a spin on the 4-wheeler...what a blast sliding and spinning through the snow! We tried to attach a sled to the back, but it didn't work, which is likely for the best anyway...a trip to the emergency room wasn't in my plans for today.

Clia the shop-kitty ventured outdoors to soak up some sunshine and say hello.

I wandered to the garden...what a difference from now to last July!

And I found the flower bed bunny up to her ears in the fluffy white stuff. The Sweet William and Wild Strawberries are tucked in beneath the snow next to her, protected for now from the icy winds.

What a sweet day, a brief respite from the hustle-bustle of our daily lives...tomorrow, back to our regularly scheduled program.

Wire wrapping

2009-01-27T21:02:00.000-06:00

Artsy college-freshman daughter talked me into taking a jewelry-making class with her last weekend. The results are the two copper-wrapped blue stones in the photo.
She wrapped the big rectangle and I fumbled my way around the darker piece (with her help!). She wrapped the smaller pale one at home after the class, and has another one in progress. And, you can see she already has a nice selection of other stones, some purchased and others she polished in her rock tumbler. She has had a fascination with rocks and stones since she was very small, making this a natural outlet for her. I'm looking forward to where her creativity will take her...and the pieces I might get a chance to wear from time to time!

Seed swapping - A new addiction!

2009-01-25T20:47:00.000-06:00

What better way to pass the time during the bitter, gray cold of January than to get a jumpstart on this year's garden, by gathering seed. Especially fun is seed-swapping - I'm like a kid when the mail comes and I find a packet from a seed swap!

I traded seed for the first time last year and now I'm hooked.

I participate in 2 sites for gardeners and have had great luck making trades. I've shared seed with 10 trading partners and am thrilled with the new seed I've received:

Flowers - nasturtium, foxglove, lobelia, violas and the one I'm most excited about, Teddy Bear Sunflowers.

Herbs - oregano, lavender, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, chamomile.

Veggies/fruits - pac choi, sugar snap peas, kale, escarole, salad burnet, aragula, tomatoes and watermelon.

I don't really NEED anymore...but if you're reading this and interested in a swap, I'm open to more trades! I have available:
*Heirlooms purchased from Baker Creek in 2008: Bloody Butcher tomatoes,Chadwick Cherry tomatoes, Plum Lemon tomatoes, Waltham 29 Broccoli, Love-lies-bleeding amaranth, Five-color Silverbeet Swiss Chard, and Lemon squash (summer).
*Also seed I saved in 2008: dill, cilantro, morning glories, lemon basil, and komatsuna.

I'm interested in spinach, heirloom tomatoes, herbs, melons, and flowers....just let me know!

Kitchen corner decor

2009-01-15T21:24:00.000-06:00

It was an unexpected find, like most of those type of finds, discovered at a yard sale. I had an idea of what it might be, but wasn't really sure. This piece of ornate black iron looked old, and victorian, and with the $1 price tag, I knew I 'needed' it! When I got it home I realized coming up with a bracket to attach it to the wall, that really looked appropriate, was going to be a challenge. So I set it aside and tried to imagine the 'right' look. And to my amazement happened across a black, ornate iron bracket at another yard sale just a few weeks later. Of course, when I got it home, it was close, but not quite right. Enter husband + tools! He did a bit of grinding, bending and painting and voila! It is just a hair off from looking perfect - that's close enough for me!
I love the way it looks. Oh, and the kerosene lamp was a gift from my daughter - maybe 8-9 years ago.

I may have to do some rearranging in that corner, but I love all the pieces....the doorknob key rack, the iron plate holder, the brown drip plate, and the brown pie plate on the bottom - all from yard sales. The yellow platter was a pass-down from a dear friend that I see only once or twice a year now.

A beautiful beginning - 2009

2009-01-02T22:02:00.000-06:00

Today was G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S!
And so what if it is the 2nd instead of Jan. 1?
I'm ignoring yesterday - today was much better!
The sun was shining, the breeze was mild, and I spent hours outdoors. It was perfect!

These luscious hot-pink flowers were a gift from my boss this holiday season. I just learned today, thanks to a website I found (www.flowersforums.com), that this is Cyclamen.
I'm disappointed they won't survive planting in my area, but with a little effort, maybe I can keep this as a houseplant with a little outdoor-time in the summer.

In addition to seeking an answer to the what-kind-of plant mystery, I tied up my Wisteria that had fallen over, mulched the kitchen garden beds with chopped leaves my son had dropped off from his yard and re-potted some aloe that had outgrown its last pot. The odds of many more January days in the 60s is pretty unlikely, so I made the most of it.

Before you buy a pellet stove....

2008-11-29T21:49:00.000-06:00

We've learned a few things since the installation of our pellet stove nearly 2 months ago.
I researched various heating sources before we focused on pellet/corn stoves. Then I studied various makes, models, and manufacturers. We ended up purchasing a Magnum Baby Countryside partly because of the quality, partly because of the price, and partly because of the comfort-level we felt with the seller/installer. Unfortunately, it hasn't been the love-at-first fire that we had hoped for and expected.

First, getting the fire to ignite and then keep burning was a bit of a challenge. We learned that you have to get to know your stove, learn the right ratio of air-to-pellet fuel to get it going and the changes you need to make to keep a consistent flame. Due to the differences in the homes the stove are installed in, it is really a process of learning what works in your particular case. So, we finally got the starting and maintaining down. But even though it's only in the 30s outside, the house is still cold. Yikes! Investigation brings a rude realization - the room we installed this in has little to no insulation. A few years ago we remodeled our old farmhouse. This particular room had been enclosed within other small rooms - the walls had not needed insulation because they weren't exterior walls. And then we remodeled - and removed the exterior rooms, instead creating a wrap-around porch. And frankly, because we "wrapped" the walls on the outside with a foam insulating board before putting up new vinyl siding, we never thought again about insulation. I cringe when I think of the money we burned up in energy costs thanks to this oversight!

So, some $500 later - and thanks to our sons who gave up a Saturday to use the blowing machine - we have cellulose insulation blown into the walls and above the ceiling of that room, as well as additional layers of attic insulation throughout the rest of the house.

Oh, and one more thing. It's messy. Not anything as messy as a regular wood stove or fireplace, but still, messy. The firepot needs to be cleaned daily. And it didn't take long to figure out why there were stove vacuums all over the showroom where we bought our stove. Vacuuming is very obviously the BEST way to handle the soot and fines. We used our house vac at first - but concerns with hot embers and finding that soot gets all over the thing - led us to spend another $200 on a vacuum designed for use with wood-burning stoves, pellet/corn stoves, fireplaces, etc.

Oh, and one more "extra" cost. A non-combustible base has to be under the stove. Naturally, the room we wanted to install it in had carpeting. So, to save money, we built our own tiled base. Pre-constructed bases sell for around $200-$400 depending size and style. We had hoped to do ours for less than $100, but ended up spending about $150.

So, let's see - $2,200 stove + $150 base + $500 insulation + $200 vacuum = $3,050 so far. Oh, and that isn't counting fuel. That's about $3.80 per 40 lb. bag and so far we have used about 30 bags. We've bought 1 ton already, and expect to use 2 -3 more tons before winter is over.

So, yes, it has cost quite a bit more than we planned to start with. And we'll still have to use propane as a back up when we get down into the single-digit temps that are bound to come.

Would we do it again. Well, yes, I think so. We don't want to be so dependent on propane and we love the feel of the radiant heat. It feels good to know we are using a renewable source of energy, in a manner that is very efficient with minimal environmental impact. It's really nice to watch the fire and the stove looks great! And considering that we spent over $3,000 on propane last winter, we are at least investing the money in something that should give us years of service with only the cost of fuel and occasional maintenance from here on out. And we really don't mind the chores that come with using wood pellets - they really don't take that much time out of your day. The insulation should have been done years ago, and it is very obvious that adding it has improved the ability of the pellet stove to keep our home warm. I just want to caution anyone considering a pellet/corn stove to study it carefully. It isn't mess-free or work-free by any means, and there will no doubt be a few extra costs to plan on.

Family Photo Shoot

2008-11-09T21:35:00.000-06:00

Last weekend our family gathered for a photo shoot - for the first time in over 9 years. It was wonderful to get all of them together in one place, even for a short time. We took the pictures ourselves with both digital and 35mm cameras. I'm a bit rusty, so while the results aren't professional, we're still pleased with the outcome. If I could just get us all together again this weekend I could not doubt improve on the photos - but it will probably take another 9 years to get us all gathered in one spot again!

November Gardens

2008-11-03T05:38:00.001-06:00

Over the weekend I spent hours cleaning out the veggie and flower gardens. I always marvel at what survives a hard frost. Of course the tomatoes, peppers and most other veggies bit the dust a week ago when we got our first dip into the 20s. My marigolds died too, and they were scattered throughout all my gardens and beds.

What survived? How about these wild-type strawberries I grew from seed this year. The blooms AND the berries are still fine! With any luck, the berries will finish ripening in the sunshine we expect to continue to have for the next 2-3 days. The berries are small, with the biggest ones being about the size of the tip of my pinkie finger. But oh, what flavor! They are the perfect treat when weeding or watering or doing other gardening chores. I'm not sure if they will send out runners and multiply like I've seen domestic strawberries do, but I hope so. I'd love the flower bed to be full of them.

The Sweet William (foreground) is still a vibrant green. The Eunonymous is still growing - see it reaching straight up there just below the window? And the Hollyhocks look a bit tattered but are still hanging in there. This year I started both the Hollyhocks and Sweet William from seed, and they don't bloom until their 2nd season, so I'm looking forward to next year's flowers.

And the herbs - most anyway - are still looking fabulous. In this pot I have Flatleaf Parsley and Curry and a bit of Marjoram that can't really be seen. The Rosemary in the veggie garden is still perfect, but the Cilantro and Dill are looking a bit weathered. The chives and a few green onions are the only other things I'm still able to harvest.

I love this time of year, even though most everything in my gardens is either dying or going dormant. Fortunately, it doesn't all happen at once!

Poma-Poos have arrived!

2008-10-26T22:08:00.000-05:00

Lizzie's new litter of babies arrived early the morning of October 21st - 3 days earlier than I had predicted. But my daughter was prepared and had been awake for a few hours with the nervous mama. 3 males and 1 female - 2 black and 2 cream/tan - and all appear to be very healthy. This is Lizzie's 2nd litter - her first pups were purebred toy poodles - but this time a Pomeranian papa was selected. And we couldn't be more pleased with the outcome!

It's so nice to have babies in the house again! Of course we spend every minute looking forward...forward to their birth, now forward to their eyes open, next to them walking, then playing, then to them going on their way to new forever homes.

And they will be ready just in time for Christmas! They will be 8 weeks old on Dec. 16th. One is already spoken for, and we plan to keep the female. And I'm not convinced we will even need to advertise the other 2 - seems these little beauties already have lots of interest!

Puppies are a lot of work - or will be in a couple more weeks when mama starts needing our help to keep things cleaned up. But it's nice to have them around for a little while - for cuddling and enjoying their many antics - and the little bit of profit from selling them will give our college-age daughter (owner of the mother) some Christmas money.

Summery October Weekend

2008-10-12T20:48:00.000-05:00

This has been a gorgeous weekend - I really hate to see it come to an end. Partly because it has been so wonderful and partly because I need the time back to finish some things. Things I DID get done: 1. Bought new pants for work for the winter (overdue - last time I bought new winter pants was 5 years ago!) 2. Got the Zebra grass trimmed back and supported so it doesn't lay all over the flower beds 3. Got some yellow and orange marigolds potted up for the front porch flower bed. 4. Scrubbed and deep-cleaned the master bath 5. Picked up 400 lbs. of the ton of wood pellets we bought + asked 20 questions about our new pellet stove that was installed this week 6. Washed and line-dried bedsheets (mmm-love that smell!) 7. Did 9 loads of laundry (uggg!) 8. Moved all the out-of-season and other clothes from hanging in the spare closet, as well as storage boxes and everything else on the end where Larry & Josh installed a pipe to vent from underneath the house through the closet, the ceiling and then out an air vent on the roof. Then put everything back when it was done. 9. Installed the $1 white mini-blind I bought at a yard sale. 10. Started cleaning up the garden beds for winter. 11. Planted the ornamental peach tree my sister gave me 6 weeks ago. Things I wanted to, but didn't get done: 1. Create a bed for planting garlic and onions 2. Create a bed for planting tulip bulbs 3. Reorganize my seed stash and gather new seeds for next year. 4. Finish painting the buffet (will this one EVER get done?!) 5. 20 other things I'm too tired to type There is more good than bad, and I got to see my son and grandson today, and that's always good! Grandson found a toad that he played with for a bit - my daughter got a good shot of that.

Heritage Festival

2008-09-27T20:22:00.000-05:00

The girls and I made our traditional visit to the annual fall Heritage Festival held in a small town about 6 miles away. As always we had a wonderful time, arriving early and making our way through the rows and rows of booths selling everything from home decor items to jewelry to handmade soaps to bird feeders made from old tires. The little ones, ages 7 and 3, had $5 each to spend as they chose - this time bracelets, rings and hair ribbons were the top choices. One daughter bought nothing more than a funnel cake, but brought home several ideas to add to her jewelry and ceramic artwork. The other daughter was on a quest to buy kitchen towels (the kind with a hanger sewn or crocheted so they can be hung from a drawer or cabinet handle) for the upcoming holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I had no intentions of buying anything, but somehow came home with a calendar frame! It simply belongs in my kitchen - it honestly looks as though it was made for it!

This autumn tradition feeds the senses - the smell of roasting peanuts and bbq - the gorgeous fall colors of pumpkins, mums, pansies, gourds and more - the crisp clean smell of the air when we arrive and the bright, warm sunshine that quickly warms us.

Warm thoughts

2008-09-22T21:28:00.000-05:00

Good news - we may just be able to stay warm this winter after all! I've been researching ways to heat our home that would be effective, green, and less costly than using propane. I found a ton of good information, but in the end we decided a pellet/grain stove was the right choice for us.

Meet the Baby Countryside by Magnum - ours will be plain jane - no gold or nickel trim, just a nice flat black. $200 less and I won't be frustrated by fingerprints and such!

Installation is set for October 8th, and hopefully we won't really need it for a few weeks beyond that. I'll post an update once we've had a chance to use it. I'm looking forward to the radiant heat and slightly wood-smoke smell...without all the mess of firewood + knowing this is over 90% efficient with low emissions and therefore low impact on the environment. Oh, and of course if wood pellets become scarce or costly, we can switch to corn, soybeans or other renewable biomass fuels.

Birthday thoughts

2008-09-14T22:03:00.000-05:00

I turned 49 on Sept. 9...and decided the best approach to this last year of my 40's is to turn it up a notch! Grandad Quick always said of his 100 years, that "the first 50 were the best" so I'd better make this last year count. I don't know quite where to start, but I do know I want to feel good about this year when it comes to a close. I'm mulling over some ideas and will post updates later.

Our family has lots of members and so, lots of birthdays, so we usually have one combined birthday party during a month that any of us have one. I got to share mine with grandson, Brayden, who turns 7 in a few days. The oldest daughter invited everyone to her house where she served tacos and an outstanding artichoke dip, while youngest daughter created a fabulous chocolate pecan pie in my honor, and a Spider-man scenario in chocolate cake for the soon-to-be 7-year old.

Our family is big on gift-giving --- too much so I'm afraid, but I can't say I don't adore every single thing! The stainless steel crockpot and the 4-slice toaster will replace those items in my kitchen that were on their last legs and I just hadn't given in to replacing them yet. A beautiful iron bird-seed feeder will grace my front yard and allow us to enjoy watching the cardinals, chickadees and more this fall and winter. The shades of red and yellow in the chairpads my daughter-in-law designed and sewed for me are absolutely perfect in my recently updated kitchen. And the picture frame grouping in deep chocolate brown will allow me to put the whole family on display in new photos. Oh, and I love the gift card to Lowe's for supplies for my many projects, and a gift of $100 cash from dear hubby and $20 more from my mama that I am having a terrible time deciding how to spend - but it's fun anyway! Best of all was the joy of having this warm, happy group of healthy loved ones around me for this celebration. I am so fortunate to have such a close-knit family that not only loves one another - but LIKES each other!

Garden Vigil

2008-09-04T20:26:00.000-05:00

I hate spiders...inside....but, I LOVE spiders in the garden. I don't know how many 'bad' bugs this arachnid has taken care of for me...but I like to think it at least deters a few of those that want to munch on my soybeans and peppers. Though, I'm afraid is isn't doing anything with the squash bugs. I'm still worried those little nasties are going to destroy my spaghetti squash before they mature.

Spaghetti Squash & Burgundy Okra

2008-08-31T22:13:00.000-05:00

Fingers are crossed that this spaghetti squash will make it to maturity! I've had a horrible time with the squash bugs this year - so far they've killed 2 lemon squash and 2 crooknecks - all were big and beautiful and at peak production. I don't know if the little varmints have as devastating an impact on winter types as they do summer types. I saved the seed for these from one I purchased at the grocery - so I was pretty pleased that they grew to start with. I sure hope we get to eat a few. This one is about the size of my 2 fists right now.

The burgundy okra has been a repeat topic on this blog - but it still has me in awe! This plant is around 7 ft. tall now. That is pretty impressive! If it continues growing until frost, I'll have to get a ladder to pick the okra!

Amaranth and Cantaloupe

2008-08-31T21:21:00.000-05:00

Among other new things I tried growing this year were amaranth and cantaloupe. The ropes of the 'Love-lies-bleeding' amaranth are an artful addition to the garden. I notice no scent, but understand the seed can be cooked and eaten like a grain. The leaves are riddled with insect holes, but the plants still seem to be doing well. I had another variety, 'Golden Biscuit', that didn't survive til I could transplant it. I tried starting some with the wintersown method, which worked fine, but it was too long til I could transplant them. This one I started right in the garden from sown seed.

And see the baby cantaloupe hidden beneath the leaves?
I got these out later than I thought I should, but have high hopes at any rate. It's about 6 weeks til frost - will it reach maturity??? I think this one surely will, but it is far larger than any others I've found, so it may be the only one!

Birds & Beads

2008-08-23T21:38:00.001-05:00

Our youngest daughter is at college orientation this evening, and I find myself looking around at her things, excited for her, yet feeling a little sad. She is blooming in so many ways...she had her first real job this summer, working for a greeting card company part-time....she and her boyfriend became engaged this summer and have promised to wait to marry until she has completed her undergrad degree.... and, she has become a jewelry artist, self-taught so far. She has both purchased and created a variety of beads, and while she has finished some pieces of jewelry, she wasn't satisfied and took them all back apart. I think some completed pieces are on the horizon, and no doubt her perfectionist tendencies will pay off with some beautiful work.
She is drawn to birds as a theme for much of her art...and it shows in her jewelry making too. Her bead box has flat bird beads and 3-D birds, alongside a few specially designed birds and various purchased beads and findings. This one calls to me with its outstretched wings and coiled tail feathers.....I'm looking forward to see how she uses this little guy.

Using the harvest

2008-08-17T21:32:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to use as much of my garden produce as possible, and give away what can't be used or preserved easily. A new favorite recipe is for roasting veggies in the oven. Here we have a pan of tiny (yellow if you ask me, but the name is 'white') cherry tomatoes freshly washed, cut in half, drizzled with olive oil, and seasoned with salt, pepper, chunks of fresh garlic and bits of fresh lemon basil leaves.

I also used some of my pretty, ripe sweet peppers for roasting with all the same preparation and bake times, except to save a few minutes I sprinkled these with garlic powder instead of chopping up more fresh garlic.

Look how great these small ears of colored corn turned out! I need to provide a better growing environment next year to get some bigger, more complete ears. However I'm still happy with what my 10 plants produced. There is also an ear that had kernels that were a deep red plus a creamy yellow - very striking. I'm not quite ready for fall to arrive, but it is kind of neat knowing I'll have some nice colored, dried, corn for decorating when the time comes.

Whispering sweet nothings

2008-08-11T21:30:00.000-05:00

Looks as though the morning glory is sharing some juicy secret with the sunflower, doesn't it? The brilliant golden yellow and purple-tinged blue are striking together.

This view from across the garden shows not only the jungle that has sprung up with all the heat and rain, but the mass of morning glories that cover the cellar alongside the bobbing heads of the sunflowers.

Here a tomatillo has burst from its husk...many of these have burst out before the husk ever lightens in color or turns papery. Is there something wrong, or is it because of the nature of this variety? Either way, the fruits are small and waxy coated. The flavor is best described by my step-daughter who says tomato crossed with green apple comes to mind.

I love the okra! Especially the deep magenta stalk and branches of the Burgundy Okra. They are huge plants so I need to create a new bed just for them next year. I have this one and 2 green varieties, but we just aren't getting enough production to suit us, so hopefully next year I can have between 8-12 of them.

Crooknecks and Edamame

2008-08-06T21:44:00.000-05:00

I was late getting my crooknecks growing...not that I didn't try. The first plantings were munched down - I think by a rabbit. The 2nd seedlings curled up and died after only a few days. So I decided to try them in a different bed, and now we are finally getting somewhere. It worked out OK anyway...we've had a few of the lemon summer squash over the last couple of weeks...now both those plants have died...I'm not sure why. But in a day or 2 there should be crooknecks galore! In this photo you can see at least 5 and I'm pretty sure that plant actually has around 10 on it. And the other one has just as many. So I should get my summer squash fix after all!

And can you see all the beans? I'm going to be rolling in Edamame it seems! Last year I only sowed a few...think I ended up with only 6-8 plants and they were only 1/2 the size of the ones I grew this year. But it was just a test to see how well they might grow, and to see if we really even liked the edamame. Well, can you tell I loved it? This year I planted lots more - something like 50-60 plants are growing - and they are all huge compared to last year's plants. I used inoculant on them this time (didn't even know I should last year) and planted them in succession plantings. That way I can harvest them in waves instead of all at once. There are 6 different varieties, so it will be interesting to see what differences there might be.

Velveteen Bean

2008-08-05T20:46:00.000-05:00

I don't know what I expected my wisteria to produce in the way of seed, but this wasn't it. As if the fact it finally bloomed wasn't surprise enough, now I find this. It is covered in the softest velvety green I've ever seen. About 3-4 inches in length, it seems as though there is likely only one seed or "bean" in the fat end, but then maybe it is a cluster of many seeds. This is the only one I've noticed so far, but I hope there are more. I have no plans to try to start more wisteria - I just like the way they look!

Heating Dilemna

2008-08-03T21:42:00.000-05:00

The 90+ temps we've survived this last week should be enough without stewing over how best to heat our home this coming winter. But, that is what has hit the top of our priority list, considering we spent almost double last winter over the year before. Propane has been our only heat source since 1999, except for a small electric radiant heater (looks like a radiator) we have used on the coldest days to warm the bathroom before a shower.

I've been researching and have found lots of interesting information - maybe too much. It's confusing trying to understand it all, and enlightening to find things I wasn't aware of. Like a masonry furnace. They can be gorgeous, use a renewable resource - wood - and do it very efficiently and cleanly. They resemble a fireplace but work differently in that you burn a very hot fire to burn up the wood quickly and then you are done for the day. The heat is absorbed into the masonry (brick, stone, etc.) and radiates warmth for the next several hours.

Far less expensive is an outdoor wood heater that pipes heat directly into your home through a tube. Cheap, unsophisticated, not pretty - but worth consideration when you don't have a lot of money to throw at this problem. There are other types of outdoor furnaces - mostly boilers that run heated water through pipes - lots more expensive, and far more work to install. Worth it? Wish I knew.

And solar - seems that our house is all wrong for that choice. Our covered porch blocks all the southern sun exposure and gorgeous mature trees in our yard shade the house in winter too! And after suggesting to hubby that they should probably be replaced with shrubs and shorter landscaping and getting a resounding "no way!" I guess that idea will need to be tabled for a while.

We want to avoid high propane bills this winter, and in the future. We want comfortable warmth, for a reasonable trade-off of time and money. We want to be earth-friendly. We want it to be easy to determine which way to turn - and that certainly doesn't seem to be in the cards! Suggestions welcome - especially if based on your own experience!

Berry Blooms

2008-07-29T21:36:00.000-05:00

I had my doubts that I could actually start strawberries from seed. I had more doubts that they would survive the seedling stage. And here they are - with blooms even! I ordered 'Red Wonder Wild Strawberry' seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company's 2008 catalog. There isn't much information in the catalog about them other than to start them indoors like you would tomato seedlings. I know they won't produce much this year - if anything. I should probably pinch the blooms off, but, I don't want to. There aren't enough to do more than enjoy a berry or two anyway, and I still have more seed to try again next year, so, think I'll do as I please!

New Cast Members

2008-07-25T23:03:00.000-05:00

I'm always trying to grow something new. Thanks to a generous valentine gift from hubby, I got to order tons of new-to-me seeds from Baker Creek this year. Meet some of the new characters growing here this year...

Painted Mountain Corn - my family struggles with blood sugar issues, so high-carb goodies like sweet corn are off the table. But growing pretty colored corn for fall decorating is do-able so I selected this variety, even though it is advertised as a "flour" corn.

Lemon squash seems to me to be nearly identical to any other yellow summer squash in flavor, it just has this fun lemon-like form. I have 2 of these in the garden, one full and healthy, but the other wilted. I couldn't ever find signs of vine borers, so I can't say for sure what happened. I feared it just wasn't getting enough water so I watered it well, mulched it heavily, and watered then watered some more. It continued to die a bit more each day for about a week - until the last few days - now it seems the few unaffected vines are growing new leaves! Keeping my fingers crossed it pulls out of it.

Hollyhocks and wild strawberries...odd combination but I'm proud that I started both from seed! The bed these are in have a mixed and unplanned variety of plants, including marigolds, petunias, sweet william, coleus and calendula. The hollyhocks won't flower for another year, and I doubt the strawberries set fruit until then.

I want to make salsa, with the majority of ingredients coming fresh from my garden. So, this year I added 2 varieties of tomatillos to my plant list. I love the paper-lantern look! The verde variety has these husks growing in large numbers. The giant variety has only one husk on each of the 2 plants and the leaves are curled up....too much water? Anyway, the trick is to be sure I have enough peppers, onions, tomatoes, cilantro and tomatillos all at once. We'll see....

So this is Okra

2008-07-24T21:03:00.000-05:00

I've never grown okra before, though I do remember when I was a kid and Dad sent me out to weed the garden, and I pulled out the okra seedlings thinking they were weeds! I thought the whole row was supposed to be green beans....oops! Daddy wasn't mad - pretty frustrated - but not mad.

I love both pickled and fried okra, so I got seed for both Burgundy Okra and Perkins Long Pod Okra. It's obvious which is the burgundy...and the Perkins is HUGE. I had hoped to have at least 3 of each - having no idea how much is needed to feed the three of us. As it turned out 2 of the Perkins and 1 Burgundy survived, so we'll see how that works this year and I can adjust next year.

Sunset this evening from the southeast corner of my garden. I love the peaceful time just before the sun goes down out in the gardens.

Homegrown Goodness

2008-07-23T21:02:00.000-05:00

The payoff for all my effort! A nice, big pot full of fresh veggies from my kitchen garden.

In February I sowed the pepper seeds and in March the tomatoes. The cukes and squash didn't get in the ground until late May.

Here we have a purple bell pepper, Tam Jalapenos - supposedly a mild jalapeno - but they are hot to me! Also a green banana-type sweet pepper that was knocked off the plant in a recent storm. I much prefer waiting for the sweet peppers to turn color - it adds so much flavor - but won't let a green one go to waste.

Lemons? No - but they are fun to look at. The darker yellow trio are plum tomatoes - very meaty with hardly any juice - very mild flavor. And the lighter yellow threesome are summer squash. Perfect to use in any summer squash recipe - I like mine stir-fried with onions, garlic, mushrooms, peppers and tomatoes with a bit of hickory salt, fresh-ground black pepper and a couple teaspoons of the sour cream and chive seasoning we get at the Mennonite store.

And the cukes are going crazy! I had hoped to make some pickles, but there just isn't enough time, nor enough small pickles at once. That's ok - I eat them raw, as refrigerator pickles and share with family and friends. The long one is an asian type called Suyo Long. Very prickly, very long, with lots of ridges. The other type is Snow's fancy pickling - also prickly, though not quite as much. Both are delicious!

Kitchen Flooring Success

2008-07-20T19:50:00.001-05:00

It is done. At last. I'm happy.
We knew it was going to be a huge project, but it went way beyond our expectations. It exceeded everything - number of foreseen issues, extent of known issues, time anticipated to do the work, costs, and - one good thing - final results. The beginning was overwhelming to say the least (see post "From Sagging to Bragging")

But now we have a beautiful, sturdy, nearly level floor. (What can I say - it is an OLD house!) I am grateful for our kids and kids-in-law that helped make this happen. And Josh, son #3, has earned the right to be our "Favorite" for a very long time with all the hours, blood, sweat and tears he put into this!

The floorcovering is a wood laminate in a beautiful walnut that suits my style, my cabinets, my walls - me! If we still love it this much in a year, we may do a couple of adjoining rooms in the same flooring. I need a year to be sure it stands the test of daily life around here - and to get the energy and funds to do more!

Sweet Cherry tomatoes and more

2008-07-15T21:40:00.000-05:00

I loooooove tomatoes! And I love trying new plants. So this year I tried some more new-to-me varieties of tomatoes. And I think I've found a cherry tom that will become a staple in my garden. Small as a marble, ripening to a creamy, lemony yellow - called Matt's White Cherry - these heirlooms are sweet and delicious as they are pretty. The only thing wrong in my opinion is that there aren't more ripe already.

And while my tomatoes ripen on the vine and the cucumbers flower and set fruit, the marigolds are putting on a show with their gorgeous orange (or yellow or gold) blooms. And I believe they really do help repel the bad guy bugs. I NEED to believe that!

Edamame Blooms

2008-07-15T06:35:00.000-05:00

My edamame (soybeans) are doing really well so far. After growing 6 or so plants last year as an experiment, I vowed to grow a good supply this year.

The beans in the background here were planted about 3 weeks ago. Those in the foreground were sowed about 6 weeks ago. There are 4 different varieties shown here, plus another 2 varieties in another bed, planted about a week ago. I'm anxious to see the differences between them all.

The only obvious difference so far is in bloom color. Here we have a creamy white and tan bloom.

And this variety has a light purple/pink bloom.

Tomatoes and other garden goodness

2008-07-09T21:37:00.000-05:00

I've picked a handful of tomatoes already - not because they were ripe - though they were getting close. I picked them because they were SO close and the worms and bugs were attacking! I decided to pluck them a few days early and take them inside where they might finish ripening without being totally destroyed. It won't be long and there will be baskets-full of them, but I can hardly wait til then. The raised beds of my kitchen garden are getting full and pretty, though it rains so often I can't keep up with all the trimming, mowing and weeding that needs to be done. Among the beds you can see broccoli, edamame, squash, peppers, tomatoes, onions, chives, and maybe the okra and cucumbers. There's also tomatillos, dill, cilantro, radishes, lettuce, swiss chard, komatsuna, corn, amaranth, hyssop, marigolds, nasturtiums, watermelon and cantaloupe.

These Lemon plum tomatoes are heavy-laden with fruit! I haven't grown these before, and am amazed out how well they've done. The nasturtiums are there by design - to help repel bugs. And the bottle is painted yellow inside to attract aphids and other munchers. Then I coated it in petroleum jelly so that at least the tiny insects will get stuck! I have a few different sizes and shapes of jars and bottles in varying shades of orange and yellow throughout the tomatoes - hoping to alleviate some of the bug damage.

My catnip bloomed this year, and our outside kitty loves it! Not very exciting blooms, but I like it anyway.