Farmer D

I've decided this summer to try my hand at a tomato plant. I have not purchased the little buggar yet but saw that a local garden place has some on sale.
I don't know for sure why I am tackling this project. I think mostly because S has expressed a desire to have a vegetable garden. So I thought to go with the easiest one I could think of: tomatoes. (Are they really easy? I don't know for sure but will find out!)
Also, I like the idea of having something home-grown. Just walk outside and pick a tomato right off the vine. Yum!
I'm the only one in the family who really likes tomatoes but I can use them for salsa and I have a super easy bruschetta recipe that I would love to serve at a party.Homemade spaghetti sauce maybe? Something that would also be first for me. I also read briefly that tomatoes can be frozen and then thawed in the microwave halfway and then tossed into a stew. Yummy!
I don't even want to think about canning. Yet. Maybe I'll try it but honestly, I'd rather give them away first! :) (So let me know if you'd want any from my harvest, should there be one.)
One concern I had about doing a garden was rabbits. I don't know that they are fans of tomatoes but I don't want to take chances given that we do have them in the neighborhood (You should have seen the lawn after the snow melted!)
I've decided to try a container garden. It won't be the super cool enclosed, raised garden hutch we saw at Sam's, though. From what I've read I basically need a 5 gallon container with drainage holes, put the soil and other things in, add the plant and keep it well watered.
Sounds easy. I will see. I hope S will enjoy the experience with me. I don't really have a green thumb but I do appreciate flowers and vegetables and lovely things so I hope this project will work.
It makes me also think I should get a cucumber plant and maybe some herbs.
OK. I know. One step at a time.
I'll be sure to journal my efforts and include pictures.
Anyone with advice on container gardens, please feel free to contact me!

He said it!

The other day C and I were watching an episode of Ace of Cakes, in which the crew went to Hawaii to make a cake celebrating the 100th episode of LOST (and a Blackhawk helicopter cake for a military family appreciation day.)
During the episode, C said he would go to Hawaii before he goes to New York, a place I've said we should visit one day.
Well, heck, I'll take Hawaii any day! When are we going, sweetie?? Maybe that will be our 10th wedding anniversary trip. Or 15th.
First we have to get through our upcoming trip to Chicago! We are going to spend at least a couple days there, checking out some of the attractions.
So Hawaii can come next. After that Walt Disney World? Or maybe New York?

Just for Moms

Check out THIS blog from last fall, where I linked an acoustic version of Steven Curtis Chapman's "One Heartbeat at a Time."
Listen to it. Have a hanky on hand. Listen to it again and let the words flow through and encourage you. It is a perfect song for Mother's Day.
Remember, Moms, we do a lot but often feel like we don't accomplish much or get appreciation. But years from now, we will see we have made a difference and impacted our families.
As a verse in the song goes: "You are changing the world, one little heartbeat at a time. Making history with every touch and every smile. Oh you, you may not see it now but I believe that time will tell how you, you are changing the world one little heartbeat at a time."
So don't give up! You are doing the best job EVER! Hang in there! And find a support network of other moms so you don't go crazy!
Happy Mother's Day!

Wonderful freebies!

I had to smile when I opened a small box I got in the mail yesterday.
"It's not every day something cute and great smelling shows up at your door," read a card that cane with my free sample of Dove's cucumber and green tea anti-perspirant/deodorant.
I also got another surprise: an Escape from Winter Gift Pack, which included a Glade PlugIn Scented Oil Warmer and a vial of Hawaiian Breeze Scented Oil. It also had a couple great coupons and a packet of Forget-Me-Not seeds, which I hope to put in a container for the back patio.
Speaking of containers, I am hoping to do a little bit of a container garden this year. Looks like I won't be getting the cool enclosed garden hutch thing from Sam's....:) But I would like to try my hand at growing some basic veggies like tomatoes and some herbs. I think a container garden might help to deter the bunnies. If anyone has any tips and advice on container gardens, please let me know!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day came early to our house this year given that on Sunday I will be at church first thing in the morning, which would conflict with my traditional Mother's Day breakfast in bed. :)
On Sunday, C woke up early and he and the girls (who were already up) went to McD's to pick up hot cakes. Yum! Then they "surprised" me with breakfast in bed. It is so sweet. I got to get a half hour of peaceful sleep before they got back home. The meal was served up on a tray and I was surrounded by my sweet girls and loving hubby as we ate breakfast.
The girls each made me a beautiful card. S gave me a butterfly garden decoration and M gave me a book by Max Lucado.
C's gift to me is the promise that we will take a family vacation to Chicago!! I can't wait! He already got approval from his boss to take the time off and we've been searching on-line for hotels and info on various attractions like the Shedd Aquarium, Millennium Park, Lincoln Park Zoo and more. We'll probably spend a couple days, at least, there. I can't wait.
I love Chicago!!

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

I was inspired today to cook semi/home-made food for Cinco de Mayo. Maybe inspired is the wrong word. I was looking at the Ortega taco kit and can of refried beans and thought I needed something else. So Spanish rice popped into my mind. Usually I make something boxed. But, since I didn't have anything in the pantry, I decided to make it.
My good, Old Betty Crocker cookbook came in handy once again with a Spanish rice recipe. But then I found a recipe at http://www.recipezaar.com/Easy-Spanish-Rice-354641. It's not the same as my mom's but it looks, smells and tastes good.
The ball got rolling after making the Spanish rice. I used a Betty Crocker recipe for pinto beans, which I haven't decided if I am going to mash into refried beans.
And, once the girls get up, we will make flour tortillas.
I'll make up some taco seasoned ground beef and we should have a tasty Mexican meal. I have to say the house smells great!!

In memory of Junior

Yesterday my mother and step-father had to make the tough decision to put our family cat, Junior, down.
Apparently there was a blood clot in his artery, which was causing him severe pain and the inability to walk or function properly. According to my step-father, who was home at the time, it all happened suddenly. One moment he was fine, happy to be petted. The next, he was yowling as if in pain and struggled to get up and walk.
My step-father rushed him to an animal hospital and was given the news. He called my mother, who was on her way to Ohio to run a marathon, with the news and they made the decision.
They are both hurting over the loss. Junior was about 18 years old.
Technically, Junior was my cat. But, since I've been gone for a long time, only seeing him on weekend visits, he has been the family cat.
I remember when we got him. A friend brought over a bunch of kittens and we selected a couple to add to the two we already had, Whiskers and Midnight.
We selected a gray one, who was Smokey, and an orange one, who we named Junior.
Eventually, we had to give away Smokey because we were told by the city that we had too many cats for an in-town home. Whiskers later had some medical complications and had to be put down. Midnight passed away suddenly.
Junior was all that was left. By that time, I was out of the house. My brother and sister were soon to follow for college and then careers.
As I said, he became the family cat. By that time, he was an indoor and outdoor cat. He loved to be outside, often hanging out under the back porch. Often, it was hard to coax him back indoors. Neighborhood cats would come to visit or fight. But Junior toughened up and learned to hold his ground, if needed.
He was a sweet cat with a sweet meow, who loved to be petted. Above all he wanted to be petted or to sit by your feet.
I am sad to know he is gone but he had a long life and I am glad he was not alone.