Minestrone Soup

When the “Celebration” is over, the party guests have gone home and exhaustion finally sets in….what’s a person to do?  Why make soup of course.  The wedding venue is cleaned up and friends and visitors have said their goodbyes.  The bride and groom are on an 8 month world wide adventure. Most of us experience a little bit of a let-down when the festivities are over.  We have spent aRead More →

Herb Bouquet

I love flowers.  I often think that I should have been a florist.  You don’t have to be a “professional” however to enjoy and display the flowers and natural elements growing in your yard and garden.  Not only do I grow flowers for bouquets, I also use my herbs in those displays as well.  Oftentimes, I make an all herb bouquet to enjoy. I want to show you how easyRead More →

Market Tray

As the temperatures are heating up so is the abundance of produce from the garden.  How do we deal with the overflow of cucumbers, tomatoes and the never-ending zucchini?  I want to share a few suggestions with you for dealing with this feast of bounty that you are growing. As frustrating as it can seem I would say first and foremost… “Be Grateful”.  What a wonderful blessing your bounty is. Read More →

Hydrangeas in the garden

We are in the middle of summer.  The heat is on and the garden is growing.  We are finally starting to get zucchini, cucumbers, peppers and green beans.  However we are still waiting for the tomatoes.  This time of year is a little bittersweet to me.  I love the summer and the growing months.  I so enjoy working in my garden.  As we move into August though, I realize thatRead More →

It’s time to use some of that wonderful Rhubarb in one of the most perfect of foods….pie.   I have been harvesting some of my rhubarb.  I pick it a little over time instead of all at once and it will last me most of the summer.  To harvest the rhubarb just twist the stalk at the base and it should break free.  Be sure to discard the leaves becauseRead More →

4th of July Wreath

Do you like to decorate your home with wreaths?  I have no less than 6 wreaths displayed in my home and garden.  Although I enjoy wreaths of all kinds, some of my favorites are made from book pages.  I currently have 2 different book page wreaths on display.  Today, I want to show you a 3rd wreath that I created for a friend.  This wreath also has touches of red,Read More →

Walk away Stress

I don’t know about you but my life has been crazy busy this season.  There are so many activities going on….year end school, graduations, weddings, sports activities and work projects.  The busyness seems endless and stress seems inevitable. For me, I have one child who just graduated from College and a second one who is getting married in September.  I recently hosted a Bridal Shower in my backyard for her. Read More →

Refreshing Cabbage Salad

My husband is not fond of mayonnaise so I have never fixed a traditional style of coleslaw.  However, I enjoy eating a variety of salads and using shredded cabbage is easy and nutritious.  My cilantro is finally at the picking stage. That means that it’s time to use some in my favorite refreshing cabbage salad.  This salad makes a great side dish for tacos, burgers or even sandwiches.  Honestly, IRead More →

How to avoid ticks when hiking the hills.

You spent a relaxing day at the park, hiking the hills or working in your backyard only to find that you have become a tick feast.  Ticks are definitely not something that we want on ourselves, our kids or pets.  My husband and I have recreational property in the Blue Mountains of Eastern Washington and we are frequently exposed to these pesky creatures.  I want to share a few suggestionsRead More →