The Mr and I had the pleasure of attending a lovely wedding this past weekend. My cousin is now happily betrothed and the whole family is breathing a sigh of relief (we love you lil'T!)
As with any major event we try to attend, there was the normal distribution of snafu's. The first being that we were running late (not a new thing, but worth mentioning). With an hour drive ahead of us, we just made it on time.
The second of the day, 30 minutes before we HAD to be out the door, I'm putting on my dress and the strap broke. Yay. Luckily I can sew. A few minutes and stitches later and I was back getting ready.... I then proceeded to stab myself with the mascara wand, leading to an extended makeup session.
But, despite all that, we made it. Fully dressed, shaved, made up, and ready to witness the wedding of the decade.
One of the hardest things about the day was deciding what to put in my purse. I downsized for the occasion, so I had to be rather picky as to what I would take with.
Here's how it ended up:
* white and black thread (black was for me, white..just in case)
* sewing needles
* knife (or small scissors...I couldn't find mine)
* lipstick
* camera
* extra batteries
* driver's license
* cash
* card (Congrats card for the couple)
* pen/paper
* house keys
All of that in a clutch, with room for a few extra essentials, depending on what you need to take. If I had needed it, I probably could have wrangled a diaper and a couple of wipes in there too, but it would have been tight. Now that I think about it, wipes probably would have been a good idea anyway...
What are your thoughts? Is there something you always carry? Is there something you wish someone had brought to your own wedding?
Monday, April 11, 2011
Friday, April 1, 2011
Garden Stuff - Starting Seeds
Like everything else, I was late starting my seeds this year. Not that I'm super down about it, it's been too cold for anything to be outside anyway. Luckily I did get a couple spring beds in early, and we have sprouts popping up all over. I love seeing so much green!
I put off starting my summer stuff this year, like every year, mainly because of the bad luck I always have starting from seed. The poor little seedlings always die off, usually from lack of water. Not this year though. Let's work backwards and start by looking at what I end up with. (My apologies, this is the only picture...I was trying to do this while the kids were still up)
This seed tray came from the Dollar General, it cost $4 plus tax and has 72 cells (meaning it will hold 72 seedlings). The seed starter you see is a mix of seed starter from the DG ($1.50 x2= $3 for 4 qts). This years starter impressed me for the simple fact that they used real vermiculite and not styro to hold water. This is an improvement of huge proportions.
Mixed with the 4 qts of store bought seed starter (which I highly recommend) is about 2-3 qts of sifted, sterilized homemade compost. (I had about 1 qt of mix left over) There are many good books and websites that tell you how to make compost, so I'll let you do your own research. I will also being a doing a post about how we make ours, so look for that.
*Sterilizing is important because once you put the warm water in the container and put that lid on, if there's something funky in your dirt, believe me it will multiply faster than rabbits. In the process it will kill your seedlings (aka damping off).
More material gathering... I needed something to mark what was planted where, and I didn't have the money (or the desire) to back to the DG and find something. Craft cabinet...nope, no popsicle sticks (checked the freezer too. nothing). can't use paper, because it will get soggy. I tried a number system once before, having a paper to refer to...way too complicated. Plastic markers (as much as I hate plastic) were the way to go, I figured. I do not have the knife skills to make little wooden shims all the same size and big enough to write on, for those of you wondering where my inner hippie had gotten to... so I did the next best thing, I recycled.
The plant markers were made with pieces of old plastic mini-blinds. I hate mini-blinds. They are ugly, a pain to clean, ugh. Can't stand them, don't care what they're made of. I have removed most of them from our home, but there are a couple left up. My gold mine! If you don't have any that are already starting to crack (they will), just snip a couple from the very bottom (being careful not to cut the strings) nobody will notice, trust me. It took me about 3 of them, I think, with very little scrap. Just make sure they're short enough for the lid to sit on there properly. Write the names on there with a permanent marker.
So yeah, that's all I used, other than warm water and seeds. Our seed collection is a little ridiculous, so there's a lot of stuff in this starter. I planted 2-3 seeds in each section, and at least 2 of each plant. If you want to do a smaller set of seedlings, go for a smaller container. They had one that came with starter material already in the individual sections, it was half the size and the same price ($4). Don't start too large, or it could become intimidating and make you want to give up (been there too).
I hope your garden experiences this year are happy and fruitful. Let me know if you have any tips for starting seeds, or if there's something you do differently.
Thanks for reading, drive safe.
I put off starting my summer stuff this year, like every year, mainly because of the bad luck I always have starting from seed. The poor little seedlings always die off, usually from lack of water. Not this year though. Let's work backwards and start by looking at what I end up with. (My apologies, this is the only picture...I was trying to do this while the kids were still up)
Mixed with the 4 qts of store bought seed starter (which I highly recommend) is about 2-3 qts of sifted, sterilized homemade compost. (I had about 1 qt of mix left over) There are many good books and websites that tell you how to make compost, so I'll let you do your own research. I will also being a doing a post about how we make ours, so look for that.
*Sterilizing is important because once you put the warm water in the container and put that lid on, if there's something funky in your dirt, believe me it will multiply faster than rabbits. In the process it will kill your seedlings (aka damping off).
More material gathering... I needed something to mark what was planted where, and I didn't have the money (or the desire) to back to the DG and find something. Craft cabinet...nope, no popsicle sticks (checked the freezer too. nothing). can't use paper, because it will get soggy. I tried a number system once before, having a paper to refer to...way too complicated. Plastic markers (as much as I hate plastic) were the way to go, I figured. I do not have the knife skills to make little wooden shims all the same size and big enough to write on, for those of you wondering where my inner hippie had gotten to... so I did the next best thing, I recycled.
The plant markers were made with pieces of old plastic mini-blinds. I hate mini-blinds. They are ugly, a pain to clean, ugh. Can't stand them, don't care what they're made of. I have removed most of them from our home, but there are a couple left up. My gold mine! If you don't have any that are already starting to crack (they will), just snip a couple from the very bottom (being careful not to cut the strings) nobody will notice, trust me. It took me about 3 of them, I think, with very little scrap. Just make sure they're short enough for the lid to sit on there properly. Write the names on there with a permanent marker.
So yeah, that's all I used, other than warm water and seeds. Our seed collection is a little ridiculous, so there's a lot of stuff in this starter. I planted 2-3 seeds in each section, and at least 2 of each plant. If you want to do a smaller set of seedlings, go for a smaller container. They had one that came with starter material already in the individual sections, it was half the size and the same price ($4). Don't start too large, or it could become intimidating and make you want to give up (been there too).
I hope your garden experiences this year are happy and fruitful. Let me know if you have any tips for starting seeds, or if there's something you do differently.
Thanks for reading, drive safe.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Give Bees a Chance
PBS aired a (rerun) episode of Nature a few nights ago. This episode was concerned with honey bees, what's happening with them, and why. They also touched on where we are headed if things do not change....
I love animal shows so when I saw the bee show coming on (with a rather obnoxious groan from my other half) we sat down to watch. It was a truly enlightening and kinda scary story.
Here are some of the best parts, a'la me :)
People in China who produced pears in the mountains, without the help of pollinators! The bees just left in the 1980's, and the government (in all their glorious wisdom) said to the local farmers, "You must do the work of the bees if you want to feed your people." And that's exactly what they do.
Every spring they go out and gather the male parts of the flowers. They bring them home and strip off all the pollen, which they put into little jars. Tying chicken feathers to a stick, they recreate "the fuzzy body of a bee". Then they go to the real work.
Workers go out with jars and feather sticks in hand, climb ladders, and hand pollinate every flower!! Amazing!! The narrator said that one worker could pollinate 30 trees in one day, which sounds like a lot right? Not really...
"These top pollinators are responsible for 80% of all our fruit, nuts and vegetables, and a single hive of 50,000 honeybees can pollinate half a million plants in just one day!"{AES} This, obviously, did not come from the show we watched. I was double checking my data, and have found somewhat conflicting reports on exactly how many flowers one hive can pollinate in a day.Since that's kind of relative, I went with the smaller number so that I didn't come off sounding like a crack-pot (anymore than I usually do, anyway).
New reports show that 96% of 4 species of bumble bee have died off in recent years.{2} And if numbers continue to decline the way they are, all the bees will be gone by 2035. That's right, ALL of them. GONE. Think about how many plants in your own garden are pollinated by bees and other flying critters. Yep, pretty much all of them. No bees, no food. Plain and simple.
So, what's to do about it? Other than wait for scientist to try and find out why, there's LOADS of things that will help the situation. Here are some:
You can start by not spraying ANYTHING else on your yard or garden. Bees are highly sensitive to pesticides, and mostly likely herbicides too (it does have "cide" at the end of it after all...and would you drink Round-Up?)
Give them a place to call their own, and something to eat. Kinda like "if you feed that dog, he'll just keep coming back", only the bees won't tear up your trash. Here's a pretty comprehensive list provided by the wonderful people at UC Berkley. They also have lots of information on their site about helping/raising bees. Check them out.
And one last piece of advice that I hadn't really considered before...Let a few of your veggies bolt, or go to seed. Per Mother Nature Networks article, "5 ways to help...", letting a few veggies go to seed in the fall will help provide valuable food for the bees during the winter.
....Yeah, bees are pretty friggin' important. And yet, people are still doing things that we know are terrible for them. People continue to support the Big Ag companies and the Chem companies, and all we are doing is shooting ourselves in the foot.
Bees need real food, not GM crap, and they need a huge variety of it. They need clean food, not something sprayed with a chemical that the average college graduate could not spell, or probably even pronounce. They need shelter, and they need a chance. Can you help give them one?
photo taken last year, by me at Savanna's Garden Treasure on Irby St. in Florence, SC. Plant pictured is Mountain Mint.
I love animal shows so when I saw the bee show coming on (with a rather obnoxious groan from my other half) we sat down to watch. It was a truly enlightening and kinda scary story.
Here are some of the best parts, a'la me :)
People in China who produced pears in the mountains, without the help of pollinators! The bees just left in the 1980's, and the government (in all their glorious wisdom) said to the local farmers, "You must do the work of the bees if you want to feed your people." And that's exactly what they do.
Every spring they go out and gather the male parts of the flowers. They bring them home and strip off all the pollen, which they put into little jars. Tying chicken feathers to a stick, they recreate "the fuzzy body of a bee". Then they go to the real work.
Workers go out with jars and feather sticks in hand, climb ladders, and hand pollinate every flower!! Amazing!! The narrator said that one worker could pollinate 30 trees in one day, which sounds like a lot right? Not really...
"These top pollinators are responsible for 80% of all our fruit, nuts and vegetables, and a single hive of 50,000 honeybees can pollinate half a million plants in just one day!"{AES} This, obviously, did not come from the show we watched. I was double checking my data, and have found somewhat conflicting reports on exactly how many flowers one hive can pollinate in a day.Since that's kind of relative, I went with the smaller number so that I didn't come off sounding like a crack-pot (anymore than I usually do, anyway).
New reports show that 96% of 4 species of bumble bee have died off in recent years.{2} And if numbers continue to decline the way they are, all the bees will be gone by 2035. That's right, ALL of them. GONE. Think about how many plants in your own garden are pollinated by bees and other flying critters. Yep, pretty much all of them. No bees, no food. Plain and simple.
So, what's to do about it? Other than wait for scientist to try and find out why, there's LOADS of things that will help the situation. Here are some:
You can start by not spraying ANYTHING else on your yard or garden. Bees are highly sensitive to pesticides, and mostly likely herbicides too (it does have "cide" at the end of it after all...and would you drink Round-Up?)
Give them a place to call their own, and something to eat. Kinda like "if you feed that dog, he'll just keep coming back", only the bees won't tear up your trash. Here's a pretty comprehensive list provided by the wonderful people at UC Berkley. They also have lots of information on their site about helping/raising bees. Check them out.
And one last piece of advice that I hadn't really considered before...Let a few of your veggies bolt, or go to seed. Per Mother Nature Networks article, "5 ways to help...", letting a few veggies go to seed in the fall will help provide valuable food for the bees during the winter.
....Yeah, bees are pretty friggin' important. And yet, people are still doing things that we know are terrible for them. People continue to support the Big Ag companies and the Chem companies, and all we are doing is shooting ourselves in the foot.
Bees need real food, not GM crap, and they need a huge variety of it. They need clean food, not something sprayed with a chemical that the average college graduate could not spell, or probably even pronounce. They need shelter, and they need a chance. Can you help give them one?
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Celebrating the Green-ness
Happy St. Patty's Day to you! I don't do good accents in person, so I won't attempt one on here either. :) I do hope you are enjoying your day, and please remember to wear something green, or you might get pinched!
Now, as we are a kid friendly household, we can't celebrate like we use to (cough*more beer*cough) so we will be doing some other things 'green' today.
We will be planting our first garden bed today, using mostly organic seeds and homemade compost. All of our seeds this year came from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in Virginia. We ordered everything from them because of their selection, the quality they offer, and their proximity to us (as opposed to other companies carrying matching quality products). If you are a little further west, I would recommend Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds of Missouri. We have ordered from them in the past and they are always a pleasure to deal with. Their selection is hard to beat, and their seeds packets almost always come adorned with very pretty art.
Also on the green-ish list for today is our dinner, which will include some sort of beef and potatoes (no, I don't know how to make corned beef. *sigh* maybe next year) Nothing fancy about the food, it came from the closest grocery store to our house, which is another way to keep it "green" (both environmentally and economically).
Okay, I guess that's about it. Our kids aren't old enough to get anything more than clovers and leprechauns anyway. How are you spending your day?
Until next time, DRIVE SAFE!
NB: links in this article are NOT affiliate links. I have used both companies and recommend them whenever I can.
Now, as we are a kid friendly household, we can't celebrate like we use to (cough*more beer*cough) so we will be doing some other things 'green' today.
We will be planting our first garden bed today, using mostly organic seeds and homemade compost. All of our seeds this year came from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in Virginia. We ordered everything from them because of their selection, the quality they offer, and their proximity to us (as opposed to other companies carrying matching quality products). If you are a little further west, I would recommend Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds of Missouri. We have ordered from them in the past and they are always a pleasure to deal with. Their selection is hard to beat, and their seeds packets almost always come adorned with very pretty art.
Also on the green-ish list for today is our dinner, which will include some sort of beef and potatoes (no, I don't know how to make corned beef. *sigh* maybe next year) Nothing fancy about the food, it came from the closest grocery store to our house, which is another way to keep it "green" (both environmentally and economically).
Okay, I guess that's about it. Our kids aren't old enough to get anything more than clovers and leprechauns anyway. How are you spending your day?
Until next time, DRIVE SAFE!
NB: links in this article are NOT affiliate links. I have used both companies and recommend them whenever I can.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Organizing with the Chronically Disorganized
DVD's and CDs - Toss those cases and invest in one (or many) of those handy-dandy cd wallets. Big box stores usually stock them in the media/electronics area, and at just about every check out line (how considerate of them, really).
You can have one for the whole family to share, or divide it up. Right now ours goes something like this: the biggest one holds all the kids movies and sing-a-longs, the little ones hold our movies, and the majority are "stored" in piles next to the dvd player... hey, the truth hurts.
It may be difficult at first to let go of the movie/music cases and the insert art that sometimes comes with. I have not found a great compromise here.
With CD's its easier, just put the insert in the same pocket as the cd. Maybe one day whoever designs dvd cases will get a case of green-itis and decide its time to start using less packaging. Here's an idea: design the cover art to fit into the square and not that obnoxious rectangle they have now. Who came up with that anyway?
Do you keep your cases and organize differently? Do you even have a tv? Thoughts are welcome. :)
<--this is pretty much the same one the kids have. I think theirs holds 60, the one in the picture holds 100.
--- and this is what we will probably get, now that I know the system works for us. It holds 360 discs.
You can have one for the whole family to share, or divide it up. Right now ours goes something like this: the biggest one holds all the kids movies and sing-a-longs, the little ones hold our movies, and the majority are "stored" in piles next to the dvd player... hey, the truth hurts.
It may be difficult at first to let go of the movie/music cases and the insert art that sometimes comes with. I have not found a great compromise here.
With CD's its easier, just put the insert in the same pocket as the cd. Maybe one day whoever designs dvd cases will get a case of green-itis and decide its time to start using less packaging. Here's an idea: design the cover art to fit into the square and not that obnoxious rectangle they have now. Who came up with that anyway?
Do you keep your cases and organize differently? Do you even have a tv? Thoughts are welcome. :)
<--this is pretty much the same one the kids have. I think theirs holds 60, the one in the picture holds 100. --- and this is what we will probably get, now that I know the system works for us. It holds 360 discs. Saturday, March 12, 2011
Garden News
Oh, are we loving this warm weather!! For the last couple of weekends it has been super nice in our lovely spot on the Bible belt. You just can't beat it, especially since in a few months it'll be so hot you won't be able to get off the porch before you stop sweating (I know, lovely mental images. I'm good at those.)
Our garden is getting some much needed attention this year. We've all been diligently working on the new beds (well, I have) and are anxiously awaiting the day we can harvest our first spring meal. I believe we may be little behind, but because of some late freezes this year, I think we made a good move.
Tomorrow we are going to start a "kiddie" garden using, what else, a kiddie pool. Check out this link for instructions. We will be using some store bought potting soil, regular garden dirt and finished compost. The pool will be used to start seedlings that will be transplanted to other parts of the garden. I think Thing 1 & 2 are really going to dig this one (no pun intended). Pigpen will probably just enjoy the getting dirty part...and the eating part. LOL
I talked to one of my favorite garden people yesterday and asked her to place an order for 2 fig trees for me. I know we are getting a Brown Turkey Fig and one other variety. We already have 1 tree that will probably be moved when the other 2 get here (no, I don't know the variety for it either. the hubby bought it for me). Also waiting to see if she has Mulberry bushes available to go on each end of the planned chicken run/pen. Crossing my fingers!
In light of recent events, I have been forced to add to my garden plan something that I hadn't considered, at least not seriously. A living hedge. See, we live in the country, but the other day I saw 2 random dudes just walking by my house! Seriously, they could have looked through my kitchen window! So, needless to say, I am a little freaked out by this. Hence the hedge idea.
We have a small ditch running the length of our property on one side and wild running blackberries (boysenberries) growing in patches along the ditch. My plan is to rig a small trellis system and plant/encourage the blackberries and also add in some heirloom roses for looks. I think it will suffice in keeping out unwanted garden guests, no matter how many legs they walk on.
I am desperately awaiting the arrival of my strawberries. Yes, I could have gone to (insert generic big-box store name here) and taken my pick from their sad looking selection, but I don't like doing things the easy way. So, I went back on the search I started a couple years back. Sparkle Strawberries. Mmmmm!! I have heard such great things about these berries (unless talking to a commercial grower, then they just laugh). Sparkle strawberries do not have good shipping qualities. Hardly any, from what I gathered. They are best eaten fresh or preserved in some way, which is what I plan to do. I do not care that they won't ship, because I won't be shipping them anywhere. So, I found a cute sounding nursery in Illinois Moonshine Designs Nursery with a good rating on Garden Watchdog and I placed my order. My email said they would ship the first week of April, so I'm trying to keep busy til they get here. And just for the record, I had no rhyme or reason for picking a nursery/state to order from. It just sounded cool. :)
Other garden news includes new beds in the front yard that are going in as we speak (or as you read this I guess... depending on the time and such). I am so excited to finally have garnered "permission" from the hubby to garden all over the property and not seclude our food plots out back with birds. I think the tomatoes will be much happier up front where they will get the special attention they need (and deserve!).
I am adding a couple of links at the bottom of this article. These are books that either are or have been in my collection and that I have found useful. These are affiliate links (meaning I make something if you purchase the product after you click the page). Just to let you know :) Thanks for reading. Until next time, drive safe.
Our garden is getting some much needed attention this year. We've all been diligently working on the new beds (well, I have) and are anxiously awaiting the day we can harvest our first spring meal. I believe we may be little behind, but because of some late freezes this year, I think we made a good move.
Tomorrow we are going to start a "kiddie" garden using, what else, a kiddie pool. Check out this link for instructions. We will be using some store bought potting soil, regular garden dirt and finished compost. The pool will be used to start seedlings that will be transplanted to other parts of the garden. I think Thing 1 & 2 are really going to dig this one (no pun intended). Pigpen will probably just enjoy the getting dirty part...and the eating part. LOL
I talked to one of my favorite garden people yesterday and asked her to place an order for 2 fig trees for me. I know we are getting a Brown Turkey Fig and one other variety. We already have 1 tree that will probably be moved when the other 2 get here (no, I don't know the variety for it either. the hubby bought it for me). Also waiting to see if she has Mulberry bushes available to go on each end of the planned chicken run/pen. Crossing my fingers!
In light of recent events, I have been forced to add to my garden plan something that I hadn't considered, at least not seriously. A living hedge. See, we live in the country, but the other day I saw 2 random dudes just walking by my house! Seriously, they could have looked through my kitchen window! So, needless to say, I am a little freaked out by this. Hence the hedge idea.
We have a small ditch running the length of our property on one side and wild running blackberries (boysenberries) growing in patches along the ditch. My plan is to rig a small trellis system and plant/encourage the blackberries and also add in some heirloom roses for looks. I think it will suffice in keeping out unwanted garden guests, no matter how many legs they walk on.
I am desperately awaiting the arrival of my strawberries. Yes, I could have gone to (insert generic big-box store name here) and taken my pick from their sad looking selection, but I don't like doing things the easy way. So, I went back on the search I started a couple years back. Sparkle Strawberries. Mmmmm!! I have heard such great things about these berries (unless talking to a commercial grower, then they just laugh). Sparkle strawberries do not have good shipping qualities. Hardly any, from what I gathered. They are best eaten fresh or preserved in some way, which is what I plan to do. I do not care that they won't ship, because I won't be shipping them anywhere. So, I found a cute sounding nursery in Illinois Moonshine Designs Nursery with a good rating on Garden Watchdog and I placed my order. My email said they would ship the first week of April, so I'm trying to keep busy til they get here. And just for the record, I had no rhyme or reason for picking a nursery/state to order from. It just sounded cool. :)
Other garden news includes new beds in the front yard that are going in as we speak (or as you read this I guess... depending on the time and such). I am so excited to finally have garnered "permission" from the hubby to garden all over the property and not seclude our food plots out back with birds. I think the tomatoes will be much happier up front where they will get the special attention they need (and deserve!).
I am adding a couple of links at the bottom of this article. These are books that either are or have been in my collection and that I have found useful. These are affiliate links (meaning I make something if you purchase the product after you click the page). Just to let you know :) Thanks for reading. Until next time, drive safe.
Friday, February 25, 2011
I'm Back
Wow, its been forever! So, what's new with you?
For me, well. I just bought a new car!! (insert happy dance here). I found out that I really enjoy auto auctions, so I may go to a regular auction to see if its just as fun Look for a future post. :)
What else is new...lets see. We are about to start a home renovation project that's probably going to last well into NEXT year. (damn paint's expensive!) We have officially decided to start homeschooling and have located, though not yet contacted, our local group.
Our little man, henceforth known as 'Pigpen', has graduated from crib, to toddler bed, and now to the official big boy twin bed. Pretty soon he'll have mastered the steps and will be playing outside all day with his sisters, Thing 1 and Thing 2.
New new new, well the garden's not so new. Actually, its rather old and decrepit looking at the moment. We did nothing for gardening last year. And I mean nothing. Seems like last year might have been our "grace" period (a euphemism if there ever was one!) to adjusting to having 3 kids instead of 2. We were in a constant state of chaos, which transferred itself over to the house and the yard. Slowly but surely we are pullings things out of the ditch and getting back to normal, whatever that is.
Last year held some rather bumpy patches, not the least of which involving our beloved pet dogs. I will not go into the whole sordid story, those of you who know me know what happened. Anyway, we went from 3 dogs to none in a rather short period of time. This did not sit well with me, as I am one of those people who does not do well without animal companionship. (that's a whole 'nother post). So, after about a month we got another dog, a rescue helped along by one of my family members. Not your typical rescue by any means, but I feel sure he's better off with us than anywhere else he would have ended up if we had not taken him.
I guess that's about it for the new-ness. Really, we aren't that exciting. There is always a lot going on though, and I will do my best to keep you updated on the happenings.
Until next time, drive safe.
For me, well. I just bought a new car!! (insert happy dance here). I found out that I really enjoy auto auctions, so I may go to a regular auction to see if its just as fun Look for a future post. :)
What else is new...lets see. We are about to start a home renovation project that's probably going to last well into NEXT year. (damn paint's expensive!) We have officially decided to start homeschooling and have located, though not yet contacted, our local group.
Our little man, henceforth known as 'Pigpen', has graduated from crib, to toddler bed, and now to the official big boy twin bed. Pretty soon he'll have mastered the steps and will be playing outside all day with his sisters, Thing 1 and Thing 2.
New new new, well the garden's not so new. Actually, its rather old and decrepit looking at the moment. We did nothing for gardening last year. And I mean nothing. Seems like last year might have been our "grace" period (a euphemism if there ever was one!) to adjusting to having 3 kids instead of 2. We were in a constant state of chaos, which transferred itself over to the house and the yard. Slowly but surely we are pullings things out of the ditch and getting back to normal, whatever that is.
Last year held some rather bumpy patches, not the least of which involving our beloved pet dogs. I will not go into the whole sordid story, those of you who know me know what happened. Anyway, we went from 3 dogs to none in a rather short period of time. This did not sit well with me, as I am one of those people who does not do well without animal companionship. (that's a whole 'nother post). So, after about a month we got another dog, a rescue helped along by one of my family members. Not your typical rescue by any means, but I feel sure he's better off with us than anywhere else he would have ended up if we had not taken him.
I guess that's about it for the new-ness. Really, we aren't that exciting. There is always a lot going on though, and I will do my best to keep you updated on the happenings.
Until next time, drive safe.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
WTH? Wednesday
Okay, so this is new to me but after what I just experienced I felt the need. First, let me say, I didn't go out looking for something to bitch about, it just kinda happened.
The kids and I decided that a trip to the farmer's market would do us some good, so off we went. First stop, the new ice cream stand. Everything was going great, the girls were being good eating their ice cream, Baby Boy was crawling around the table. All's well. Then I go to throw their cups away...
There in the trash can is about 6 pounds of peaches, looking and smelling oh so great (I'm not being sarcastic, these were absolutely ready for eating!). So, I asked the girl working what was wrong with them that they would throw them away. She told me they had bruises or small nicks in them and the nats were on them. Fine, I guess. Throw them away. If she had offered them to me, I'd have brought them home. I almost dug them out of the trash. There wasn't anything around them, in fact I think the only other things in there were boxes. But alas, I paid for my peaches. Didn't seem like the right day to introduce the kids to dumpster diving...maybe when they get older.
So, this incident lead me to my next stop, a local food bank at the farmer's market. Why, I wondered as I carried my box inside, did they not just bring the "bad" peaches over here and let them give them to people who couldn't care less about a little bruise on the peach. Then I got my answer.
I walked up the steps into the warehouse, where about a dozen people were mingling about, not really doing anything, just talking amongst themselves. As I stood there, holding my large-enough-to-be-awkwardly-heavy box, I waited for someone to come take it from me, or at least tell me where to put it. Well, nobody could be bothered to stop their conversation long enough to help me. I actually ended up walking away from one of the workers, who was too busy talking to even notice me standing there. So, to the office I went, still carrying my box. In the office was a woman who had been standing with the first woman when I walked in. She had walked away too, without finding out what I needed. Nobody came out of the office. Finally, I just raised my voice enough to ask through the glass where they wanted the box. Then a lady came out and told me to just set it down. She was kind enough to ask if I wanted my box back, or if I'd like a receipt. No thanks, my kids just might melt in the car if I have to stand here any longer. WTH??
Have you had any WTheck moments today? Feel free to leave a comment letting me know what makes you gripe. Also be sure to check out another pertinent post for today, at MomFiles.
The kids and I decided that a trip to the farmer's market would do us some good, so off we went. First stop, the new ice cream stand. Everything was going great, the girls were being good eating their ice cream, Baby Boy was crawling around the table. All's well. Then I go to throw their cups away...
There in the trash can is about 6 pounds of peaches, looking and smelling oh so great (I'm not being sarcastic, these were absolutely ready for eating!). So, I asked the girl working what was wrong with them that they would throw them away. She told me they had bruises or small nicks in them and the nats were on them. Fine, I guess. Throw them away. If she had offered them to me, I'd have brought them home. I almost dug them out of the trash. There wasn't anything around them, in fact I think the only other things in there were boxes. But alas, I paid for my peaches. Didn't seem like the right day to introduce the kids to dumpster diving...maybe when they get older.
So, this incident lead me to my next stop, a local food bank at the farmer's market. Why, I wondered as I carried my box inside, did they not just bring the "bad" peaches over here and let them give them to people who couldn't care less about a little bruise on the peach. Then I got my answer.
I walked up the steps into the warehouse, where about a dozen people were mingling about, not really doing anything, just talking amongst themselves. As I stood there, holding my large-enough-to-be-awkwardly-heavy box, I waited for someone to come take it from me, or at least tell me where to put it. Well, nobody could be bothered to stop their conversation long enough to help me. I actually ended up walking away from one of the workers, who was too busy talking to even notice me standing there. So, to the office I went, still carrying my box. In the office was a woman who had been standing with the first woman when I walked in. She had walked away too, without finding out what I needed. Nobody came out of the office. Finally, I just raised my voice enough to ask through the glass where they wanted the box. Then a lady came out and told me to just set it down. She was kind enough to ask if I wanted my box back, or if I'd like a receipt. No thanks, my kids just might melt in the car if I have to stand here any longer. WTH??
Have you had any WTheck moments today? Feel free to leave a comment letting me know what makes you gripe. Also be sure to check out another pertinent post for today, at MomFiles.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Kid Friendly Veggie Dish - Tomato & Potato Bake
This is my spin on a dish served at so many family get together's growing up that I had sworn to myself to never eat it again. But, when you really don't feel like cooking, a simple all veggie dish is quick, easy to prep, and easy to clean up.
So, all I did was add some spice and color to the tradition dish (at least in my family) of Potatoes, Mushrooms, and Onions. It is super easy to make, and you can feed a lot of people without a lot of input, either physically or monetarily.
My version goes like this:
4 medium all purpose yellow potatoes (any kind will do), diced to bite sized pieces
1 large beefsteak tomato (any variety with good flavor), diced
1 large vidalia onion, rough chopped
1 large handful baby bella mushrooms, rough chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
olive oil
butter
salt
pepper
sugar/molasses
Very simple. Once everything is diced, throw it in a casserole dish. Top with about a tablespoon of olive oil and a couple pats of butter, salt, pepper, little bit of natural sugar/molasses (whatever you have), and any spices you would like. You could try fennel, or rosemary. Personally, I did not add a whole lot of extra spice to this dish. It is so simple and so good by itself.
Toss everything together again and place in a 350F oven. Once the potatoes get a good crisp top to them, cover the pan with foil and finish baking until everything is tender.
I served this topped with shredded Parmesan cheese. The kids just gobbled it up. Even my dear hubby didn't complain about a vegetarian dinner. Must have been filling. :)
So, all I did was add some spice and color to the tradition dish (at least in my family) of Potatoes, Mushrooms, and Onions. It is super easy to make, and you can feed a lot of people without a lot of input, either physically or monetarily.
My version goes like this:
4 medium all purpose yellow potatoes (any kind will do), diced to bite sized pieces
1 large beefsteak tomato (any variety with good flavor), diced
1 large vidalia onion, rough chopped
1 large handful baby bella mushrooms, rough chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
olive oil
butter
salt
pepper
sugar/molasses
Very simple. Once everything is diced, throw it in a casserole dish. Top with about a tablespoon of olive oil and a couple pats of butter, salt, pepper, little bit of natural sugar/molasses (whatever you have), and any spices you would like. You could try fennel, or rosemary. Personally, I did not add a whole lot of extra spice to this dish. It is so simple and so good by itself.
Toss everything together again and place in a 350F oven. Once the potatoes get a good crisp top to them, cover the pan with foil and finish baking until everything is tender.
I served this topped with shredded Parmesan cheese. The kids just gobbled it up. Even my dear hubby didn't complain about a vegetarian dinner. Must have been filling. :)
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Garden Glam
I got to spend a lovely few hours recently out in town by myself. Usually I have all three kids in tow, so this was especially wonderful. Listening to nothing but quiet, and a few passing radios.
I ended up stopping at one of my favorite places. A small, inconspicuous shop on a corner of a busy road in Florence. You can not walk in this place without brushing up against something green and usually good smelling. I am talking about Savanna's Garden Treasure, on Irby Street.
I love going into Savanna's. If I've been lacking in the creativity department, a trip to see Carolyn and all her wonderful creations always gives me a boost. Not to mention all the lovely plants.
The craziest thing I saw on this last trip wasn't something I would usually be excited about. I had been there walking around for a few minutes, and hadn't really paid much attention to this massive grouping of plants to the left of the main walkway. As I made my second circle around the front, I happened to notice a very round, very buzzy bee flying by. I watched him, and realized he wasn't the only ones keeping us company.
The mountain mint plants Carolyn is growing are pollinator magnets! I have never seen anything like that, and all the bugs were just as docile as a puppy. Not one was paying me, or my camera any attention. And I had brushed against these plants a few times.
Needless to say, I took a small specimen of the mountain mint home with me on this trip. I love home grown veggies. And if my pollinators love a plant, I by default also love that plant.
So if your garden is in need of some love, either human, insect, or art, stop by and see Carolyn at Savanna's Garden treasure on Irby St. She will surely have something to make your garden smile.
You can also check out Savanna's Garden Treasure's Facebook page and Carolyn's etsy shop for more great information and local treasures.
I ended up stopping at one of my favorite places. A small, inconspicuous shop on a corner of a busy road in Florence. You can not walk in this place without brushing up against something green and usually good smelling. I am talking about Savanna's Garden Treasure, on Irby Street.
I love going into Savanna's. If I've been lacking in the creativity department, a trip to see Carolyn and all her wonderful creations always gives me a boost. Not to mention all the lovely plants.
The craziest thing I saw on this last trip wasn't something I would usually be excited about. I had been there walking around for a few minutes, and hadn't really paid much attention to this massive grouping of plants to the left of the main walkway. As I made my second circle around the front, I happened to notice a very round, very buzzy bee flying by. I watched him, and realized he wasn't the only ones keeping us company.
The mountain mint plants Carolyn is growing are pollinator magnets! I have never seen anything like that, and all the bugs were just as docile as a puppy. Not one was paying me, or my camera any attention. And I had brushed against these plants a few times.
Needless to say, I took a small specimen of the mountain mint home with me on this trip. I love home grown veggies. And if my pollinators love a plant, I by default also love that plant.
So if your garden is in need of some love, either human, insect, or art, stop by and see Carolyn at Savanna's Garden treasure on Irby St. She will surely have something to make your garden smile.
You can also check out Savanna's Garden Treasure's Facebook page and Carolyn's etsy shop for more great information and local treasures.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Yes, I'm Still Here
Wow, it's been forever since I posted anything. It has been one crazy thing after another here recently, but we are starting to get back to normal. DH got a new tank in the Jeep, so it's back on the road. The brakes finally died in my brother's car, so I'm now riding on new brakes (I know everybody's happy about that one).
Our new sweet little puppy has become a bigger destructive force than our three kids all rolled into one. I had a pair of flip flops for less than 24 hours thanks to her. Luckily, they were free. (Thank you CVS ExtraCare Bucks!!)
Little man celebrated his first birthday! Congrats to him! We're so proud! He's saying a little more and acting like he wants to walk...but he would sure rather be carried at this point.=)
We're trying to reorganize the house and get on some kind of schedule before our oldest starts school in the fall. But for some reason, our usually slow lazy summer never showed up and instead we got this crazy whirlwind adolescent acting summer in its place. Oh well, there's always next year.
Hope you all are enjoying your summer. I know I am. My favorite surprise from this summer? Apparently my dad, best bar-b-quer in the state, has become a wine maker too. Two thumbs up from the peanut gallery!! :) (:
What has been your favorite part of Summer 2010?
Our new sweet little puppy has become a bigger destructive force than our three kids all rolled into one. I had a pair of flip flops for less than 24 hours thanks to her. Luckily, they were free. (Thank you CVS ExtraCare Bucks!!)
Little man celebrated his first birthday! Congrats to him! We're so proud! He's saying a little more and acting like he wants to walk...but he would sure rather be carried at this point.=)
We're trying to reorganize the house and get on some kind of schedule before our oldest starts school in the fall. But for some reason, our usually slow lazy summer never showed up and instead we got this crazy whirlwind adolescent acting summer in its place. Oh well, there's always next year.
Hope you all are enjoying your summer. I know I am. My favorite surprise from this summer? Apparently my dad, best bar-b-quer in the state, has become a wine maker too. Two thumbs up from the peanut gallery!! :) (:
What has been your favorite part of Summer 2010?
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Kitchen Confidential (confidentially, its a mess!)
One thing nobody ever bothers to mention (at least, they didn't to me) is how messy kids can be. Maybe I'm in the minority here, because I never hear people talk about it. Well here it is, in all its glory. Kids Are Messy! They will color on your walls (freshly painted), eat the cake out of the fridge (the one for the dinner party) while in their nicest clothes, they will find the deepest squishiest mud puddle and go play in it (while loading up, and running late, for a birthday party).
They will dump that basket of clean clothes on to the floor with all the puppy hair (again), they will unload your washing machine when you aren't looking (there was a lady bug in there!), they will scavenge all the candy you stockpiled for Halloween (in less than a week), eat all the Ben & Jerry's in the house (before you get out of bed and make breakfast).
Yep, kids are messy. You might as well wrap your kitchen in plastic, and put those covers on your furniture (we don't have them, but we bought/buy all our furniture used...this is why). If you have anything nice that you like, pack it up. Don't put it up high, it will get knocked down. Don't put it in your room, they will play in there while you think they're sleeping. I know, lots of people are going to disagree with me. Well, you never met my kids. They are just like their momma, they are constantly questioning, always curious, and furious little plunderers. Worse than a raccoon when it comes to shiny stuff.
Hope you enjoyed this. Pass it on to any new parents you may know. They really deserve the kindness of being clued in. As for me, I'm off to scrub my kitchen chairs, again. Have a great day.
For more information on cleaning, and kids, check out the links below.
They will dump that basket of clean clothes on to the floor with all the puppy hair (again), they will unload your washing machine when you aren't looking (there was a lady bug in there!), they will scavenge all the candy you stockpiled for Halloween (in less than a week), eat all the Ben & Jerry's in the house (before you get out of bed and make breakfast).
Yep, kids are messy. You might as well wrap your kitchen in plastic, and put those covers on your furniture (we don't have them, but we bought/buy all our furniture used...this is why). If you have anything nice that you like, pack it up. Don't put it up high, it will get knocked down. Don't put it in your room, they will play in there while you think they're sleeping. I know, lots of people are going to disagree with me. Well, you never met my kids. They are just like their momma, they are constantly questioning, always curious, and furious little plunderers. Worse than a raccoon when it comes to shiny stuff.
Hope you enjoyed this. Pass it on to any new parents you may know. They really deserve the kindness of being clued in. As for me, I'm off to scrub my kitchen chairs, again. Have a great day.
For more information on cleaning, and kids, check out the links below.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Crown Royal Facebook Contest and Prize Giveaway
If you like Crown Royal, or know someone who does, then head on over to their facebook page. You will have to allow the application to access your information and sign up for their "society" with an email address. It's easy and it doesn't take long. This week's prize is a SNUGGY made entirely from Crown Royal Bags. Pretty Neat!! They are doing one giveaway a week, not sure for how long. Next weeks prize is a Crown Royal Duffle Bag. Only one entry per person.
Also going on right now with Crown Royal is the book they are putting together. You can submit pictures/ideas of things you have done, made, want to do or make with crown royal bags. Other fans of the site have the option to vote. Winners will get published in the book. There may be other prizes, but I didn't see anything listed. I will keep you posted.
So, once again, head over and become a fan of Crown Royal on Facebook and enter to win lots of neat and unique prizes. Also, check out the awesome stuff others have made.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
I Love Free Stuff!
First, I have to give credit where credit is due. I wouldn't have gotten these freebies without Shelley's Swag wonderful posts I Love My Mailman. (Sorry Shelley, I couldn't get that cute little heart to show up ;)
So, here's my take for this week.
1 Full Day Sample of Parents Choice Infant Formula (walmart sample)
1 small Pedometer and Coupons from Nature's Bounty
1 Huggies Booklet with Coupons and Info (sign up @ www.Huggies.com)
1 3pack of John Frieda Root Awakenings Collection and Coupon
1 Dove for Men+care Body & Face Wash 1.8 fl.oz (walmart sample)
1 2pack of eb5 creams (facial creme and eye cream)
1 Eucerin Lotion pack and Coupon
1 Reusable Grocery Bag and Coupons from Earthbound Farms
1 2pack Prevacid OTC (not pictured, hubby already took them)
So you see, you can get something out of all that time on the computer. :) Even if you can't use something, order it and donate it to a local charity of your choice. That way someone who does need it can get it. And if you get in early enough on the good ones, you can get some freebies that are gift-worthy, thereby saving you some cash, which is a good thing in any economy.
Hope you enjoyed this.
And be sure to check out Shelley's Swag for her list of latest freebies (with links!)
Look for the "Freebies In My Mail" link a little ways down on the left side of the page.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Mingle Monday - Happy Memorial Day!!
Hello again. Just wanted to let everyone know that I am taking part in Mingle Monday, proudly brought to us today by (can you tell I watch a lot of Sesame Street?) Our Homeschool Home.
Thanks for checking out my page. Click the banner above to see who else is participating this week. You never know, there might be blogger just around your corner (or peeking in your window...we have to get our dirt somehow. just kidding!)
Hope to see you on the next go 'round. And if you enjoy my blog, use the link at the right to share it with your friends, either through Facebook or Twitter.Thanks for stopping by!
&
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!
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