This weeks pretty

I found a tree.

I want it.

It's scent grabbed me from down the street and carried me on a cloud.

I can not go on with out this tree.

The scent, the beauty... I need it all.

No one loves it where it is. The propery is vacant. It would be in good company if it moved here. I would visit it everyday. Have picnics under neath it and read good books in its shade. Really I would.

I brought home some of its beauty.

So pretty.

The few blooms that I have, fill the room with its sweet scent.

I looked it up. It is a fragrant flowering crabapple. They are not all fragrant. I have a non fragrant one already. I showed it to you before. I love it too. But it does not have THIS fragrance. You can only understand my pure adoration if you too could smell it.

Have you ever been this in love with a tree?

What pretties have you found this week? Anything lift you up on a cloud? I hope so.

What do you get for $2.98

About a month ago I picked up a little 8oz paint sample of Valspar Sweet Mint paint from Lowes. It's purpose was to paint some terra cotta pots for my Swedish ivy that I rooted.

Well I painted 3 of those pots. I love them and adore this Sweet Mint Color.

In the mean time, I had now painted two of my bottom kitchen cabinets twice. Neither time happy with the color. I was a bit.... irritated.

The other day I was admiring the Sweet Mint pot with the yellow of my kitchen. As you can imagine that sent off a blinding bright light from my head!

Well I took that $2.98 8 oz Sweet Mint paint and slapped it on those cabinets and guess what? I am swooning!!!!!! I just love it! I just need my black and white flooring and butcher block counter tops now!

 

The hubby and I discussed it the other day and I am going to paint the other sides bottom cabinets this color as well. Right now those are Annie Sloan Old White (as are the top cabinets on both sides) and I like it. However, with kids and pets, those bottom cabinets need washing down a lot. I figure the Sweet Mint may not look so abused, so quickly.

I am currently also working on another project I will share soon, that is using the same $2.98 8 oz paint sample of Sweet Mint... I still have some left too. Although, I will probably need another for the rest of the bottom cabinets. 

The best $2.98 I have spent in A LONG TIME!!!!! 

Auction scores!

How was your Earth Day! Hopefully unlike me, you did Earth Day types of things..... I planned to, if that counts. I had a list of how we were going to revamp the cluttered garage and set up recycling boxes and then I would propagate some more plants and all that good Earthy stuff..

BUT, if we are being honest, I had work and kids and life. It just didn't happen the way I wanted. Me and the munchkins, we didn't paint little Earth balls, nothing got planted and the garage, it didn't get another look.

I don't feel bad because these are things I do all year. So if I missed official "Earth Day" So be it!

Now lets talk about my Auction finds!!!!  I totally scored. Really I did. I only go to one local auction. They are open twice a week. If I am on a roll, I go both nights. Also, I am pretty sure when I walk in, in their heads, they say, "Here comes tight wad!" Seriously. Lets be clear though. This is not a swanky auction (or I wouldn't go). At this country auction, which I love dearly, they serve fries and burgers. The best fries in the world! And you shovel them all in your face WHILE bidding. My kind of auction. There are also jokes told. Lots of them. Again, my kinda auction.

I have totally started to ramble. I want to make this a weekly post though and have things more organized and less, well, random. So I feel the need to give you some background.

When I walked in this weekend, I was over the top excited. It is rare that they have old quilts. This time, they had a few. I was stoked. I kept my eye on those quilts to see if anyone else had their eye on them too. This way, I could trip them and they would have to leave. KIDDING... but the thought did cross my mind.

Well he brought up the first one and opened it up. I was in love. I would totally duke it out over this quilt. So I bid and then someone else bid, and I rebid and they bid and I bid and then......... they backed out! SCORE!!!! Totally mine!

 

I was beaming!

 

Now the second one, I didn't like as much and after a few bids I let the other person have it.

 

On my list of searches, I also have an old rolling pin. Did I mention, I was cheap. I want it but I want to pay very little for it or it really has to be special.

 

During the auction, up came this great rolling pin. I was first bidder. Then someone bid against me. I bid again, they bid again, I bid again, they bid again. I shot incredibly dirty look their way! I was shocked at myself, I mean it is an auction. I normally do very well with this. One of the other ladies, who has been friendly with us, she totally saw me do it. She laughed. She thought I was hilarious. Who blames her I think I am hilarious all the time. Most other people do not.... She is going on my list of people to make friends with. Like real friends. (Yes, I have a list of people "I WANT" to make friends with. I am not a people person, give me a break. )

 

I digress, AGAIN.

 

So dirty look shot, and I bid again. they backed out. I won! I was very proud of myself. My daggers won and I still got away cheap!

 

 

 

For later this week, note to self, try NOT to send dirty looks shooting across the room. But in case of emergency.....

 

Happy Earth Day!

   

                                                          Happy Earth Day everyone!

So I had some great pics to share with you..... BUT for some reason my computer is not uploading them correctly................

Soooooo... you get repeats for now... sorry :(

But on this Earth Day, go outside, take a deep breath in and look at the beauty that God has surrounded us with! The Earth, the sky, the flowers and trees! The clouds, the animals, the sea! He has given us each other! No matter where you are, you CAN find beauty. Today, go find it!

And plant some Mint! In a container unless you want it to consume EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pinch often for tea, refreshing water, cooking, whatever! A great easy plant for ANYONE to grow! What a great way to celebrate Earth Day!

Hopefully I get my pics working soon! I have some Auction finds to share and I am repainting my cabinets for the 3rd time! LOL

The World

So I had something else for today's post, but instead I am going to open my heart.

 Call it what you may, but a few years ago, I decided that I was not going to watch the news anymore. I would not play into fear mongering anymore. It was always so bad. My heart was too sensitive.

I have family in Boston. I know they are safe but they are on lock down. Which while very good and safe for them, is also very scary.

So today I weep.

I weep because I am scared.

I weep because I am angry.

I weep because I think about this world we are leaving to our children. The world our children have to grow up in.

It is a scary place.

So yes, yes I choose to stick my head in the sand and live out the fairytale I have created. I will live my life with the goal of showing my children their is hope and good in the world.

God Bless us all.

His Majesty the King

Isn't he beautiful? Don't let him fool you, he is a beast. Does anyone have any tips for keeping cats off the table? He just looks at me and gives me the "PEASANT" look when I demand he gets down. I physically remove him, I have even sprayed him. 5 minutes later, he is back.

Mystery Mania

This plant is one of many that a friends grandma has in her garden. I really like this plant and want it in my garden. However........... I have no clue to what this is. If someone out there could be a dear and let me know what the name of this beauty is, I would be eternally grateful!

Marvelous Mint!

 

I have a love for mint! Maybe some might call it an obsession...

 

Who could blame me? It comes in different flavors, scents, and colors. It is EASY PEASY to grow. In fact if you plant it in the ground, it will take over. No matter the conditions or soil!

 

Look how pretty it is in little vases!

 

It will quickly grow to fill a container. It is SUPER easy to cut, root and have a whole new plant in just a few weeks.

 

You can cook with it. You can make snazzy water with it!

 

Minty Lemon Water

 

a pitcher of water

2-3 mint sprigs

1 lemon quartered

 

Mix together and chill overnight. Mmmmmmmm drink up!

 

It makes great cocktails. Freshens your breath!

 

Me, I love Mint!  

 

This GINORMOUS mint I got for $4 at the local farmers market! It is getting bigger by the second!

I also have, Swiss mint, orange mint, Pineapple mint, apple mint, and last but not least, CHOCOLATE mint :)

Now I have another treat for you .......

 

 

My hummers are not being too shy anymore! This little guy, I swear he was posing! I love him too :)

Weekend joys!

Do you know what this is? It is heaven! A little slice of heaven that God put on this earth to show he was here with us! Coming from a state that could not grow lilacs, I was sooooooo excited when I saw this spectacular beauty in the nursery!!!! People looked at me odd as the noises I was making were a little strange.....

It smells divine and I know this picture does not do it justice, but it is just beautiful!

I planted it right by my bedroom window!!!! Heaven I tell you, heaven!

In another week or two, I will finish planting in this area on the side of the house. It was bare and I did not expect to find such treasure on this particular trip.

The very next day we got more rain which = less watering :)

However, the pollen is REALLY bad right now! When I say bad, think the movie, The Fog but in pollen form! Seriously people! Don't believe me? Check out in the crack of the driveway, see that green stuff? It ain't paint! It is pollen! With the rain it makes pollen puddles everywhere! Everything is coated in this stuff! You can just feel it all over you when you go outside!!!

 

Since it was raining on my parade of other things planned.... I decided to put together my worm bin. We had gotten red wigglers to go fishing the other week. We had a bunch left over and I told my wonderful Hubby (really he is) that I was going to make a worm bin.

So one small rubbermaid container, burlap, some dirt, shredded newspaper, leaves, strawberry tops and cardboard and my worms had the making of a humble abode!

P.S. you need to drill drainage in the container and it needs to be moist inside.

 

 

I started small due to the amount of worms I had (about 25) and my lack of worm growing knowledge.

My hopes are that in a month these babies have reproduced like crazy and I have to move them to a bigger bin. I have a huge desire to use their castings in my gardens!!!

 

While it was still raining, I remembered that I had this weirdo creature in my crab apple tree. He reminds me of Alice in Wonderland (which I love)! I am not sure what kind of caterpillar he is though. Any ideas?

  

 

I can just see him blowing Hookah smoke at me now!

Do you see what I see???

Sooooooo...... I am really sorry for the fact that this picture, well, really... really... stinks! BUT
people, I need you to understand that to get you this picture took me hours. Seriously.

My little hummers are still shy for right now. Or tired and grumpy from the flight back from Mexico. Either way they are being seriously camera shy!

I PROMISE, once they get back to their great old selves again, I will get you a better picture!

In the mean time... can you find him?? Can you? Can you?

Pretty

Spring is full of pretties. It is a time of renewal and energy. For heartfelt surprises. When I came back to my desk yesterday, a munchkin had left these for me.  

 

 

 

They are so beautiful, naturally, the way God intended them. The gift, the thought, the love that munchkin felt to leave them for me, just as beautiful. The way God intended.

 

Soak up those munchkins, while you can.

 

Something else I have been just soaking in, my Crab Apple tree.

 

 

 

It is still young. My, what a show it is putting on this year. Everyday I go out and just absorb in its beauty.

 

It is a show off :)

 

 

What are you enjoying most, this new season?

 

 

 

 

 

Nature Table

                 I am in full Spring mode! It is the season of revival and fresh spirits!

However, since it was raining yesterday, I had to satisfy my outdoor spirit online. While searching all things nature like, I stumbled upon this great website,  http://handbookofnaturestudy.blogspot.com/ . She has some really great stuff on here! By the time I was done perusing through her site, I had some great ideas!

I started meandering through the house.... I knew we had STUFF! Very quickly I was able, to put together a nature table. I was hopeful that when the Littlest Munchkin got home, she would think       I was FANTASTIC it was FANTASTIC and go outside to collect treasure to finish the table.


 I of course was correct! It had pretty much stopped raining when she got home and she LOVED the table! She was ready to treasure hunt!

 

When she cam back in she had found, the requested feather (is it cheating if it came from our chickens?? Pfffff, I think not!), some fungi, bark, and lichen.

 

She is a great explorer!

 

We also have a bird tracking system at the table. As in a paper with tallys and a pencil :) I will let you know next week what we have tracked!

Fried Flowers?

I have to admit, I was pretty excited when I looked in my email to see a message, that herb fairies was coming back! We didn't sign up last year, but this year... I am pretty sure that we most certainly will!

John from www.learningherbs.com and www.herbfairies.com has been sending out recipes and coloring pages as a treat for the upcoming release of the Herb Fairies. Littlest Munchkin and I have been having a blast!

So while I have my fave flowers, that our normal like everyone else.

 

 

I also, really, LOVE, DANDELIONS...... GASP!!!!!!!!! Oh but it is true! I have loved them since I was a child. Those and buttercups and the wild scallions too!

 

Yesterday though, was the first time I had COOKED one...and ate it..... and it was.....Good!

 

When Littlest Munchkin got home from school, we started by picking a handful of dandelions from the yard. Which if you would stop killing in your yard every year, you could do too. Then you could eat them, make cool little flower crowns with them and when they go to seed you can blow them all over while making wishes! Then, maybe, you could be cool like us :)

 

Back to business.

We brought them in thouse washed them up.

 

 

This is pre fried!

Are they not beautiful!?

 

If you too want to fry up some flowers, go to www.herbfairies.com to get the recipe.

 

P.S. I would have shown you the picture of the completed recipe but my pic came out lousy.

P.S.S. The whole thing was really easy and took very little time.

P.S.S.S  :)  Please people, do not eat pesticide laden flowers...

Canning

 

As I am planting my seeds, I have a dream. I dream of an over abundant harvest of veggies and fruit! Eating fresh and cooking with and canning mounds and bushels of produce! In preperation for dreams come true, I dragged the hubs with me last night to a canning class!

 

You hear all these nightmare stories about poisoning and pressure canners exploding and the lid flying through the roof and all the way up to space and adding another dent to the face of the moon! 

 

 

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Ok, sorry I got a little carried away. But seriously people, there are some scary stories! However, me, I like to fight scary! So off to the class we went! I am now armed with canning knowledge!

 

FYI! Modern pressure canners, have safety stuff so they dont EXPLODE anymore!

 

Do you have any fabuloso canning recipes? Do you can a lot? What is your favorite thing to can? Win any blue ribbons???? Huh Huh huh?

 

Love to hear from you!

Spring is in the air!

                                                    


                                                      Can you smell it?

I know that some places are still freezing and others have been hot for a month now. Here in my corner of the earth, the air is fresh, the blooms are poppin up, leaves are fighting their way out, birds are singing. It is beautiful!

I had gone so many years with out a change of seasons, I am diving in to each and every one of them!

We have been getting the garden ready and starting to think about canning procedures. I am attracted to plants at the store and along the road like a fish to water!

I am ready for warm days and crisp nights! Fun with the munchkins running around, fishing and exploring!

My waist line is ready for lighter food and cool drinks! Fruit and yogurt, popsicles, Simply Orange, Orange Pineapple juice (Sooo DELISH!) creative salads and BBQ! I made my first batch of homemade limoncello.

I want my hands in the dirt and my feet in the water!

How about you?

How are you welcoming in Spring? What are you looking forward to?

Burlap

 

Hi world! How have you been?

 

Are you enjoying the slow, restful days of winter? Drinking your tea? Taking naps? Sitting by the fire with a book? Taking baths by candle light?

I need to remind myself to do these things. Our souls need them, our minds ache for them.

 

In a perfect world.

 

But at least promise to sip some tea and try to squeeze in a nap.

 

And by golly people, get crafty!

 

In the last post about my table redo, you may have noticed the burlap runner. Yes, I LOVE burlap! I am on the burlap band wagon. I hope it stays forever.

 

I had a large burlap bag hanging out waiting for a plan. So I turned it into the table runner. Easy peasy! A few snips and a little fraying and WALA!

 

Well I am not one to like waste... soooooo I took the scraps and cut them into triangles. I painted my letters on with acrylic paint and found some red ribbon. I glued the burlap triangles on the ribbon with E6000. If you have not tried E6000, go get some right now! Not later, NOW. Seriously it is good stuff. I use it for all kinds of crafty stuff! It worked as a life saver to put back together a broken ceramic ornament at Christmas too. Good stuff.

 

How have you been enjoying the winter? 

Table makeover

My mom and I LOVE to go to a local auction.... like we had an addiction... I say had because with Christmas, we took a break and I have not recovered from the holidays, so in turn have not been to the auction lately. However, before that we were going twice a week, every week... I eyed this table for a good month as it sat in the corner. I had been looking for a round table for our kitchen.

Finally my time came and I bid and won it for $10!!! It was destiny!

Destiny that needed work......

Here is the before.












Now after months of sanding, and sanding,and sanding, gluing, caulking, and staining...... this is what we have!

I amsuper happy with the turn out! What do you think?

For the Birds

 

This year, after taking down our Christmas decorations, we planted our Christmas tree in the yard. My husband and littlest munchkin swear it is going to sprout roots and grow happily.... I am pretty sure that short of a miracle, this will not happen.

However, I do believe that right now, in the winter, it is a good haven for the birds. So this weekend Littlest Munchkin and I went to work on making some birds treats to hang from the tree.

                                                     It was messy and we had a blast!
                                         

Afterward, we went outside to hang them up. For what ever reason, I had the urge to go barefoot. And I know it does not look it, but it was, a bizarre 70 degrees outside.

I told Littlest Munchkin to come out barefoot with me. In which she beamed with glory and ran out into the wet clay!

She then said "FINALLY!!!! You let me out barefoot instead of, "Where's your shoes??" I can finally run free!!!!"

This made me think to myself... who have I become??? She is right, we do say that, even in the summer..... Who am I???? When I was kid, I think I was always barefoot!

 

So we mushed our toes in the mud, and wiggled them in the grass (weeds)... which also was peculiar because as you see everything else is dormant... WHY are the weeds still green??????

 

I have vowed that starting in the spring.... we shall be barefoot once again!

 

 

 

To make the bird treats, we collected some pine cones, mushed/spread them with peanut butter and roll them in bird seed. the we tied them in twine.

Cherry Cheesecake Delight for a rainy day

Today it rained all day. I love the rain. It brings me comfort... odd I know. It also makes me want to fill the house with yummy smells.

The oldest Munchkin was after me for dessert. This is nothing new. He is a mini me. He loves dessert... and bacon.

I threw this together and I have to tell you, it is YUMMY! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

6 Graham crackers (or enough crushed to cover the bottom of your springform pan)
2 Tbsp butter melted
1 8oz pkg cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
2 eggs
2 cups frozen cherries
2 Tbsp Sugar
handful of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Crush graham crackers and pat into the bottom of your springform pan. Drizzle with melted butter. In a bowl mix cream cheese until fluffy. Add sugar, vanilla, and salt until well combined. Add eggs one at a time. Beating well each time. Pour filling over crust. Bake for 25 minutes or until firm. Meanwhile in a pot, mix cherries and the 2 Tbsp sugar over medium heat until cherries release juice, stirring frequently. When cake is done, take it out of the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over top. Pour over the cherries and juice. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Slice and serve.

My family devoured this!

To Start a Rainy Day

 

Good Morning :) It is raining here today. I thought we could share some tea.

 

Furry Friends

                                       Peanut Butter Banana Dog Treats




1 egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 banana
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats - bended in the blender until it looks like flour
1/2 cup old fashoned oats - not in the blender

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.Scramble egg in mixing bowl. Add banana and mash together. Stir n peanut butter, olive oil and garlic powder. Stir in all oats. When well combined, dump n wax paper and pat own to 1/2 inch square, cut into desired shape and put on baking sheet. Bakeat 300 degrees for 3 minutes. Move to wire cooling rack to coo ompletely. Fido will love you! e have 3 dogs ad two of them are ealy picky, all of them devoured these!!!

Happy New Year 2013!!!

Happy New Year everyone!

How are you? Did you survive the holidays? The food? The family? LOL!

I did and well I had a great time! I don't have any pictures for you today but I do have a recipe!

On New Years Day you should eat black eyed peas for good luck. here is what we are cooking up today.

Black Eyed Peas Stinky Momma Style

1 lb dried black eyed peas soaked overnight
1 lb bacon
1 onion diced
1 green pepper diced
2 cups kale
1 ham steak cut up or 1-2 cups ham
2 cups tomato sauce
8 cups of water
salt and pepper to taste

fry the pound of bacon in a large stock pot. Once crisp add diced onion. Stir and then add green pepper. Let cook for 3 minutes and add kale, ham and black eyed peas. Add your 8 cups of water and tomato sauce. Bring to boil and then lower to simmer and cook 3 hours! Yum!!!

Here is to a fabulous 2013!!!