The Unusually Unusual Farmchick

Ming the peke, earns her keep.

2012-02-01T08:28:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was beautiful. Bright sunny sky with puffy white clouds. Even a tolerable wind making just a thermal & jeans adequate attire. Perfect day for cleaning out the chicken coop.

Ming the Peke accompanied me outdoors even though I knew her short 3 inch legs with that long white coat meant a bath would be in order. I let the chickens out to roam knowing they would be fine with Ming. As mentioned in the past, she is rather fond of sniffing them and they have come to accept this without any fuss.

So I busied myself with hauling the winter bedding over to the garden as a top layer to the decomposing Fall leaves while the chickens busied themselves with a bug hunt. Ming being not far behind. She seems to enjoy watching them. Every once in a while I would look up from my job, checking to make sure everyone was where they should be. During one such "head count", I thought it appeared as though Ming was preventing the hens from straying too far from the run. Of course not. That's just silly. So I dismissed the idea as I fetched the clean straw for the coop. But then, as I peaked the hill drive, I could not believe what I was seeing. She was herding the chickens! Just like a trained dog does with sheep. My little white dog was making side to side passes pushing them closer towards their run gate. I stood their for a moment thinking it may very well be a coincidence.

Boy, was I in for a shocker!

Roo Beer is still the Harem leader and despite allowing Ming to hang out amongst them, on occasion he tries to put Ming in her place. As if that ever works....

She just keeps on going like nothing happened! She is determined. Diligent with what ever she is doing. Should any of the gals stray out of her intentional clutch, she breaks from the group to corral them back in.

She was moving so fast and I was in such amazement, besides forgetting to snap the button at times, she looks like a blur of white zipping about. By looking at her face, you can see she is rather happy with her "job".

Once all the chickens were in the pen, she plopped herself right there in the middle of the gate! Looking back over her shoulder as if to say "all done mom!". I still can not believe what I had seen. I mean, the breed is not known for such things and I never trained her to do it. I would joke and tell her to round them up. Earn your keep!. The extent of her actions would be sniffing their bottoms and laying amongst their group in the yard.

I know this is not the frst time she has done this. Today was the confirmation she has been doing this for some time, just not while I am paying attention. I would let the chickens out as I worked in the yard or garden, to only find they were back in their run within a short period of time. At first I dismissed it to comfort. They do not free roam very often outside of summer. I thought Roo Beer would call them back in being he was tired of watching the skies for falcons. I now realize, all this time it has been from our little pekingese dog. The self assigned Chicken herder. Maybe it is her "everything has a place" personality as well as her natural trait of being in charge that brought this about. Whatever the reason, I now have a proud chicken herding Pekingese who takes her self assigned job very seriously...with a smile on her furry face.

With such a nice day, we ventured out into the side woods for determining the perfect spot the kids can build their fort plus get that Zip line back up.

Of course, being all greenery has died down for the winter, the velcro burrs attacked my boots as well as covering the underside of Ming. I could not help but laugh as I looked back to see what was causing her to lag behind.

She was flopping her legs to the side, trying to shake them off. Poor thing. I felt sorry for her.

After all the hard work she had done with the chickens and the pathetic frustration I could see on her face from burrs irritating her paws, I scooped her up into my arms like a babe and carried my Ming back home. I spent a good portion of the evening combing & pulling those burrs from her long coat as she laid on her back, nestled into me on the couch.

I have a new appreciation for this short Diva dog. I have always had great love for her even though she has issues with strangers that set my nerves on edge. But today, in my eyes, all is forgiven.

Ming the Peke has now earned her keep.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

The Cottage Herbals :1

2012-01-24T11:30:00.001-05:00

The herb world is a vast amazing realm once you step past the culinary doors. True, they hold great importance for flavoring of foods and drinks but one should never stop there. Come... Step into our Cottage herbal garden series. Be sure to close the gate. Black Cat, whom roams our woods and follows us about at times, may find it a welcome site. She came with the house and rather enjoys the herbs. Our catnip is most tempting.

Have you ever had a toothache, soar throat or gum's? How about cavities, Thrush or Athletes foot? Then you simply must see this plant. It has many names like Eye Ball plant, Spilanthes & Peek a Boo, but I prefer it's traditional use name. The Toothache plant.

See the round cone yellow flowers with the blood red circle in the middle? That is where it received the name Eye Ball plant. Long ago, people noticed they looked like eyeballs jutting above it's greenery, making the nickname more memorable to many. Such a fun name. My children became intrigued when I mentioned we were growing the Eye Ball plant.

Beyond such a fun name, it has an effect many do not believe until they dared try it. Making a tea or chewing on the leaves/flowers of this herb have an analgesic effect. Numbing the mouth, gum's and throat. This plant also contains bacteriostatic, helping to fight tooth decay. You can also make a mouth rinse from the plants extract. If used daily, it will promote gum health. Make a tincture from the dried leaves & flowers with a very potent alcohol such as 80 proof or higher Vodka. Fill the jar as much as possible with the plant, then cover over with the alcohol. Shake a few times a day, stored in a cool unlit area such as an often opened {and re-mindful} kitchen cabinet such as one for dishes, would be ideal. I direct you to this link for further instructions on making your own tinctures *.

It is suggested depending on the purpose~

Internal: 20 drops twice daily, in a little water. External such as ringworm, athletes foot, etc: Dab liberally onto the affected area, undiluted 2 to 5 times daily.

As a mouthwash: 30 drops - gargle for one minute, 2 to 4 times a day

If you grow & save this plant for use, the antique advertisement below would make an adorable label or tag. You can edit the how to use it portion in a pic editor for your very own how to. I do have a much larger original if you are unable to obtain it from clicking on the one above. Just let me know.

In my search for more use on this plant, I happened upon the blog of Growing Hermione's Garden.*A most captivating site for those interested in growing their own medicinal garden.

"chewing as little as a single bud of the plant can numb the mouth and reduce the pain of toothache for up to 20 minutes depending on the sensitivity of the person."

Its application for this is still widespread in Taiwan and many other parts of the world.It is actually well known in the Chinese medicine circles.

She mentions much more on it's use and antibacterial qualities as well as a bit on it's use for relaxing stress wrinkles.Can you imagine? I have not used it as such but one can not help to wonder if it has a tingle effect on the skin as it does for oral tissue.

It is included that it has no particular odor, but when eaten it has an interesting flavor that slowly develops from pleasant and salty to a strong, tickling-burning pungency that leaves a numb feeling in the mouth. An interesting tidbit to add is that In India, the buds are used as flavoring in chewing tobacco.

Imagine how fun to see the faces of those unknowing individuals whom grab a leaf or flower head in the garden, to only have their mouths tingle & go numb. Go ahead. try it!

A few more herbs to share in this short Cottage Herbal series.Simply ones I find of importance for every garden to include. Or, as I have done, slowly add. I'm still waiting on my small package from England. My Baker Creek order arrived yesterday. For the first time, I included flower seeds. My only let down is discovering that the Peony poppies I ordered may not flower until the following summer. sigh... Wish that would have been in the description.

I have my Garden layout to tweak some more and a visit to the Terrain website I hope to order that Boot Knocker* from. Actually, I desire much more but that knocker would be darling on my potter shed...that no one ever see's. I DARE you to TRY a visit to this section* and not come away wanting...Oh how I adore their items. Thankfully the knocker is budget friendly but it may have to wait until all the plant & mushroom orders are done.

Sweetest Dreams,

~Tammie

**I am not a medical professional nor am I a certified "herbalist". I merely share what I know & do and in no way will be held responsible for your decisions, effects, failures, injuries or any other issue of any kind should you try anything I share. Experiment and do on your own risk. Sounds so scary but it must be included since not everyone uses common sense such as you & I.

Winter surprise spoutings

2012-01-22T07:40:00.000-05:00

Before the big snowfall, I had the big idea to begin my bentwood arch in the garden. Big idea that I got as far as the main arches. The wattle weaving will have to wait until we get some more odd warm & dry winter days. The arbor is a tunnel effect for when you enter the garden, just past the River stone & sand entry I put in last Fall. As you can see, we have yet to paint the inside of the picket fence. {So ignore that eyesore}. If I come into anymore brick, this path will go the entire length of the enclosed garden.

Back to the Bentwood arbor area. As I dug the ground for putting the arch ends in, I noticed greenery popping up from under the leaf mulching. I had noticed them earlier in the month but thought for sure they would have died back with the intense change of weather. I was wrong!

Looks like I have around 5 chamomile sprouting up in the area they grew last Summer.

There is one in the pathway which will be transplanted if it holds on until Spring. Weird really. Until this house, I had never had much luck with Chamomile. Now, it's sprouting by itself with vigor!

I made my way to the kale bed and found the rabbits must not detect them, being all tucked under more leaf mulch. The warmer days have the Red Russian seedlings we began in the ground last Fall, popping past their blanket.

I made my way out to the Elderberry patch for some inspection for determining IF they were spaced enough to move them further apart. My fear was their root systems being so close it would kill them to do a separation. We have been clearing the area not far from their spot in hopes to move a few into a row verse their wild sprouting of a cluster. The weather has been playing tricks on them as well. Green buds have begun to grow past their protective dormant shell.

Now off to inspect the Apple trees on the South yard side. I adore this apple tree which sits on a slight hill of the front yard. It's lower trunk branching is dreamy. Pictures do not do this gem justice. With the one long branch reaching out, it's the perfect spot to climb up and lean back, gazing into it's intricate display above.

And the moss... Oh I do love the ground around this apple tree. Portions of it's root system poking through the surface with patches of Moss interspersed amongst it's feet.

Now if there were just one apple tree in the South side yard I could only keep, it would be that one. Why say such a thing? Because they are under attack! Well, not this gem but an apple tree closest to our house on the south side is smothering in Oyster scale! At first I thought the tree had a disease but with further research & a helpful forum post, I found our culprit. Despite looking like an apple tree disease, it is an invasive insect.

Oyster scale is not a disease on apple trees but an infestation of an insect exoskeleton of the female insect. The shell is protecting the eggs she has laid on the tree, which will hatch in spring of larvae.

This is just a 6 inch area of a very close snap shot. Compared to a tiny grain of rice, imagine the 8 ft of trunk from ground to first branch COVERED in these.

If the Oyster scale can not be eradicated with the organic oil methods then I must discuss with Mr. & Mrs. J the possibility of cutting her down to prevent this from spreading.

For now the ground is covered with a thick layer of bright snow. The only wondering about I will enjoy is to the woodpile and back for some cozy by the fire reading.

OH! I am most excited for my next trip out to White Willow's home. We have decided to learn some West Coast Swing dancing. Of course we could never afford lessons in a studio, so I found a few DVD's at the local library we plan to try out. Although I do not foresee us hopping the dance floor in public anytime soon, it is surely to be a blast learning the basics. Who knows, maybe I can talk Her & Dirk the Dude into some swing music for the outdoor nuptials reception.That gives us 1 1/2 yrs to look like we actually know what we were doing. After all, it would go perfect with the Vintage Nature theme we are coordinating.

I have something special on it's way from a small Nursery in Lincolnshire England. So keep watch for a special posting on my anticipated package.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Part 4: Cottage Pantry Potentials

2012-01-18T10:51:00.001-05:00

Before the advent of the potato in most of Europe, Parsnip was a staple of roots. Poor things have received a bad rap in our modern time demand of taste. Some hate them. Some love them. Most... have never even had one.Their flavor is matured by a good frost. The grocery store kind have been chilled in the modern "cold box" way. Steady cold temps and a manufactured environment. This new crop will be the test to possibly determine if it alters the natural garden taste {which I am sure it does but experimentation is far more fun}. Soil & environment does affect taste as we all know as gardeners. Do not judge the parsnip until you've tasted some homegrown roots. Do not bother harvesting until winter has set in. You want home grown taste, then go all the way with it. I'll get into that in a moment.
Parsnips are not very hard to grow. They bring valuable nutrition to the table as well as store exceptionally nice. Marine, My sister in law, would be aghast at this next comment being she is a huge potato lover..look away Marine... look away!.... Parsnips can be used in place of potatoes and have more nutrition value when it comes to Folic acid. That much needed essential for pregnant moms.. cough cough someone I know....
We are growing the half long Guernsey parsnip from...yeah. Baker Creek Heirlooms. Sorry my friends for the once again mention, but THAT is whom I have ordered from the last few years.

The Guernsey variety was the most popular parsnip of the 19th century. Introduced prior to the 1850’s, this variety is medium-long, and has thick shoulders and smooth white skin. Flavorful flesh gets even sweeter after a good frost in autumn. In 1898, Nebraska Seed Company of Omaha said, "As name indicates, not as long as the Hollow Crown. Quality very sweet and delicate."

A review on their site posted by SmellyCat{ Can you hear that? Phoebe from Friends singing Smelly Cat in the coffee shop..I swear I did not make it up} anyway. They wrote: They are probably the sweetest parsnips I have ever tasted, they roast well too. Added to potatoes they're excellent!

Take in mind, we are not discussing the WILD parsnip. No. No. No.Cultivated varieties are the only ones you can eat. Wild are poisonous! Some people who have grown the cultivated variety have experienced a sensitive reaction to their greenery, so I advise take care and do not tend their area in a small halter and do not even consider trying au naturel tending until you know if you are amongst the few sensitive to their greenery. Think blisters like poison ivy for those rare sensitive humans! I'll spare you the picture but feel free to look it up for yourselves.
Modern society Americans have turned up their noses at this once Upon a time Regal root. It has pedigree, in a way. At a time in history, the Parsnip was looked upon as a delicacy. Frequently treated as an exotic dish and in some circles, held a very high demand. In Medieval times, they were a fast day food, particularly popular with the poor. The Elizabethans admired the sweetness of it's flesh & it was amongst the Virginia colonists' Old World introductions.
Modern diets are overpowered with sugars and processed staples. Our minds & mouths have become accustomed to such textures & tastes that when simplicity of a natural diet come along, people shun it. Proclaiming the "twigs & berry" attitude associated with health foods due to ignorance of many levels.
Away from such talk. Lets focus on why this has been selected for spotlight in the Cottage Pantry Potentials.Besides having a Worthy Nutritional value consisting of the many B vitamins and so on. This link* will provide far more nutrition information then I have room to share today.

Parsnips growing in the Soilman 's garden
The seed is slow to germinate & unevenly sprouts.Sow in early spring being sure it is shallow as one would a carrot. Instead of wasting seed which will end up being thinned to every 6 inches, be a bit more articulate and alternate in the row with a small heading lettuce- Parsnip then lettuce. Parsnip then lettuce..So on & So on. The lettuce will come up before the parsnip, marking the row as well as providing adequate space between each parsnip. Remember, Parsnip is a root crop and planting the above surface lettuce just 3 inches from each parsnip will provide a very nice coexistence. Saving space & empty appearing spots. Not too mention, keeps one from planting them too close causing the roots to intertwine.
DO NOT freshly manure their space. Just as in carrots, this may cause "forking".

Would you like to know a simple trick to achieve show quality parsnips? "Bore" a broom handle into the spot of Parsnip sowing up to 2 feet {YES! TWO FEET} deep and 12 inches apart. Move the handle in a slight circular motion so the "bore" is an inverted cone shape and about 6 inches wide at the mouth of the hole. Don't plop that seed in there yet! Fill the "bores" with potting compost/sifted soil and pack it firmly in the hole you just made all the way to the top. Now you can sow your seed & lightly cover with soil. This is the traditional method of obtaining show quality produce as shared in "The art of the Kitchen Garden" written by Ethne Clark. Seems like so much work but if you were afraid of work, then you would not be gardening.
Now lets point out the nutrition value mentioned as well.
I could not find a single source for exact 100% listing of their complete nutrition value. Some have forget to to mention the hefty vitamin K value with the listing too. So here is a round about idea:
"Nutritionally, parsnips are low in calories, about 130 for a whole one 9" in length, and contain no saturated fat or cholesterol. That same 9" parsnip can boast a 6.4 grams of fiber, 93.1 mcg of folic acid (that's nothing to sneeze at), 59.2 mg of calcium, and 46.4 mg of potassium, and lesser amounts of vitamins B1, B2, B3, vitamin C, iron, and zinc." {*direct quote source}
I direct you to...That British Woman *! She has 50 + 1 parsnip recipes in the post linked above*.
This simple looking dish from BBC food looks to be a keeper! PLUS, it includes celeriac. Parsnips & Celeriac casserole*

How to harvest & Store your Parsnips.
If you have some ambition and time, you could make yourself a backyard root cellar the old fashioned way:

I direct you over to the blog of Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford new york {*link above} to see & learn more of their set up above.
Or, you can leave them in the garden, nestled under a thick mulching layer of straw for the winter. Taking them as the need arises. The only problem one may foresee is their tops will have died down, making the spotting of your roots a bit of a guessing game. One can always mark them off with twine tied between 2 sticks of the row just an inch from the ground. Lay your straw carefully over the twine and harvest through the winter starting at one end, lifting the string as you go down the line. Just twirl the excess string around that ends stick marker, resetting it where you stop harvesting. marking the continuation line for the next winter dig.
Harvesting is like with Carrots. Their a root crop, so the mentioning of how to harvest a root is more common sense. I will add to all of this, Parsnips are relatively free from disease, unlike carrots, which can be ruined by Carrot root fly. plant your carrots by your tomatoes. Remember, Carrots LOVE Tomatoes. Their companionship helps deter those nasty root flies.

Parsnips have been neglected far too long. They deserve today's long post and your consideration of inclusion to your Food garden.
Now my mind is turning back to that root cellar.... Wonder if Mr. J would indulge me that one?.... Maybe?....

Sweet Dreams,
~Tammie

Part 3: Cottage Pantry potentials

2012-01-14T04:52:00.001-05:00

This next Cottage Pantry addition tempted me with it's multitude of uses in addition to it's storing potential.

(Hibiscus sabdariffa) A valuable plant for making cranberry-flavored bright red beverages, jelly, pie and tea. Much grown in Asia and the mid-east as the flavor is wonderful. A tasty sauce can be made by boiling and sweetening the fleshy calyxes; the leaves are also used to make a drink. The entire plant of this Hibiscus is red and very beautiful. Start early, unless you live in the far-south. Citrus-flavored flowers are delicious on frozen deserts. This plant has too many uses to name here. Collected in Thailand.

This is the Thai red Roselle * offered by Baker Creek Heirlooms. I became rather intrigued with the thought of a new twist in our teas & summer drinks grown on our own vs. buying. Upon more research, discovering this plant has an amazing array of uses & potentials, I KNEW I had to share & of course grow it ourselves.It has a cranberry like taste, not sweet, but not overly tart and of course rich in Vitamin C as well as antioxidants. Although Wikipedia's source * shares a massive piece on it's uses & growth, let's delve into a few here. Between medicinal, fiber & blow your mind array of EDIBLES!

lets hop straight to dessert with a Hibiscus infused Lemon tart!

The mingling of lemon & hibiscus in a creamy light textured tart with this amazing flavor filled crisp crust won us over from first bite. Not too mention, a great way to incorporate some of that homemade Limoncello!

Maybe you prefer cheesecake? Then how about a fat free Oatmeal Cocoa Crusted Hibiscus Cheesecake! Topped with a Hibiscus Jam & syrup...

From Cafe Nilson with the cheesecake baking challenge. The recipe link is here*

Who knew you could make a great tasting JAM from Roselle Hibiscus? Wonder how it tastes with peanut butter... or even better Nutella! {We are planting hazelnut trees this spring due to the insane love our kids have for this expensive alternative to peanut butter}.

This is one useful flavoring flower! Everything from Hibiscus infused salt for Fin Tuna to Popsicles , a multitude of drink varieties, as well as ice cream and cookies. I found over 60 recipes for Hibiscus at this link* {http://www.tastespotting.com/tag/hibiscus}

As for growing Red Roselle ,aka Hibiscus, one must take in mind it is not a northern acclimated plant. To grow in the north, we must start the seed indoors as early as January or February. Do not plant out until temps are staying at least 65-70 F degrees. When the temps are getting cold, well before that first frost, pot a few up * place under grow lights so you are able to let the smaller later blooms go to seed. Replenishing your supply for the next year. Mother Earth News has a very nice article for further reading on growing your Thai Red Roselle over at this link*.
For reading more on it's medicinal use as a tea for ailments such as high blood pressure, lowering of cholesterol & prevention of liver damage from acetaminophen, I direct you to yet another link* due to the mass of information.

Another use I discovered which is non edible related, Hibiscus is also used as a Natural bright red dye for fabrics. I am experimenting this winter on natural plant derived dyes on cotton and hope to make my way to the art of hot Batik. I have so many plants & flowers we grow that are great for naturally dyeing fabric. I'm starting with Flour sack cotton towels to use as a cover for my rising yeast breads. My SIL has an embroidery machine so I may send some off to her for putting a few Black silhouette roosters on the edges...

Who knew that the main ingredient in red zinger teas would be so versatile?! From drinks to desserts to condiment flavoring. Lots of potential packed into a plant that will also look outstanding with it's purple red hues against all that greenery in the garden.

Our next & last Cottage Pantry Potential is coming soon. Not as exotic or rare but often overlooked for the winter Pantry, being American diets have turned away from their "Roots"..

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie

1/18/2012**I must add this to my post, when brewing the hibiscus, steep it in hard boiling water {take water off the stove once at hard boiling level then add the roselle} by itself for at least 10 minutes before adding any other tea ingredients. I have personally found that by doing this, the Roselle gives a much "deeper" berry taste before adding Rooibus to the tea pot. I also add a hefty tablespoon of Rose hips when I do the roselle hibiscus. The 2 make an excellent tea which the children & I agree it is much like a berry juice! Just a tad of sugar or honey for balance is all you will need. This has become a huge hit with our tea times and I find myself having to make a dash to the co-op for more Hibiscus now that the large Jar is almost bare. Not the average tea taste. Very fruity, Berry like. Sure to please almost any non tea drinker.

Bentwood projects & Living Mulch

2012-01-09T17:42:00.000-05:00

Here we are in January yet the days have provided temps comfortable enough for pruning a few apple trees. Plenty of "tree suckers", straight & long which had me thinking of Rick Pratt the Willow Furniture maker. Remember him? He was the first Adventure video I attempted to make. Not the best of filming & editing but plenty of great info & tips on using wood to bend & shape.

All those cuttings had me dreaming up what I would do with them.This year I will attempt to build an arched arbor tunnel based on this one for inside the garden:

This will be for the climbing beans & peas to twist & turn on this summer. Simple and pretty. A bit more saplings will be woven on the sides providing more spots to cling on. I envision about an 8 foot long section lined on the garden path starting from where my sand, brick & river stone entry ends.

I'm also going with Trellis style tomato supports made from bentwood. A bit ambitious, ay? No worries. I've got the time.

A short how to for a twist on the style I am after, found at this link* from Vegetable Gardener.

Being I will have 30-35 Amish paste tomato plants, mine will by far be simple yet useful being they will grow from one end of the garden to the other. O.k, maybe not too simple in looks. More like this style in 5 ft long sections:

The Captain & I paid a visit to the library where I picked up a great book I have previously poured over titled: Making Bentwood trellises, arbors, gates & fences Author Jim Long . If you can access a copy, I highly recommend it for some bentwood inspiration.

Now on to the subject of living mulch. I have tried hand tilling weeds out till I threw my hands up & walked away. I've tried Weed blocker cloth which just had weed seeds growing ON TOP & rooting down through the breathing holes. I even fell for & did the cover crop of winter rye grass , said to be a weed inhibitor {by the way, that method was worse then any of the others.}. And now I have come to the conclusion, I have nothing left to lose by trying one more method of weed prevention & soil health improvements. Crazy? Yeah. I think we settled that thought a long ways back.

I know what your thinking. Clover? Really Farm Chick? People try to get RID of clover, not encourage it. People! Hear me out. It has so many con's going for it and the downsides are not that worrisome {see winter rye & hand weeding belly aching comment above}. This whole idea came about while looking through one of the many seed catalogs {for like the 7th time}, when I spotted white dutch clover with a bar table describing it as a "living mulch" that it also did not go higher then 8 inches. hmmm. My interest is peaked. More like I couldn't stop thinking about, which is another reason why The Captain took me to the library. I was driving him crazy with "growing stuff" chatter and something about forest floors & Polyculture. Of which he thought I somehow switched to wine making and polyculture was a new kind of yeast I wanted... anyway, there was not a single book in the entire section on this matter. So I took to my personal library... The internet. Where I found this win me over post & encouraging reference point for the next weird step I take in experimenting with how my garden grows. Actually, they did my homework for me, with other forums & sites echoing all he shares.

Less Weeding
Retains Moisture
Withstands Traffic
Nitrogen Fixer
Improves Soil Tilth
Attracts Pollinators

As for it competing for nutrients, they had this to say {& I quote}:

On a side note, here’s a good read about polycultures being more productive than monocultures from a recent study at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science:

“…analysis shows that plant communities with many different species are nearly 1.5 times more productive than those with only one species (such as a cornfield or carefully tended lawn), and ongoing research finds even stronger benefits of diversity when the various other important natural services of ecosystems are considered. Diverse communities are also more efficient at capturing nutrients, light, and other limiting resources.” (Source: ScienceDaily.com via Virginia Institute of Marine Science)

Thanks to Seattle Homestead { :http://www.seattlehomestead.com/136-6-reasons-i-chose-white-clover-as-a-living-mulch/ , } our garden takes on another experiment.

Let's hope this one works out in our favor.

Oh! And did I ever mention how this last summer during the many road trips I had taken our children on,I seemed to always end up with getting us lost BUT never failed to discover a chicken statue on the road side EVERY time? Well marine was visiting & of course I took her on a mini road trip that I of course got us lost on the back roads. And what did we spot? Another chicken statue!

I guess that's my new thing... Not the getting lost {as if that would ever stop} but the Chicken statues. Wonder how long the streak will last...

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

Part 2: Cottage Pantry Potentials

2012-01-06T07:49:00.003-05:00

How any one person can say they do not like squash is beyond me. With hundreds of different varieties, there is bound to be at least one or two fitting to such picky taste buds. In this house, we prefer the more sweet potato varieties. Well... The captain does enjoy Spaghetti squash but I have yet to find one that is more "unique" from the grocery aisle variety.

Today, we focus on an unfamiliar acorn squash I came across whilst dreaming of spring soil. I decided to go grow acorn squash this year being my Mother In Law is rather fond of them. I thought a new variety would be nice to share with her while also adding to the pantry storable choices.

This year, we've decided on Thelma Sanders Sweet potato squash.

Excerpt from SSE: "Family heirloom from Thelma Sanders in Adair County, Missouri. The seed was passed from neighbor Everett Pettit to Sue and Tom Knoche, Ohio squash collectors and two of SSE’s earliest members. Wonderful cream-colored acorn squash. Sweet chestnut flavor, enormously productive. Our favorite two-serving baking squash. 85-90 days."

Don't ya' just love edibles with a story? Hopefully seed companies will catch on & begin to give a bit of history lesson as well as basic description with each of their offerings. That would be nice.

photo by Seasonal Ontario Food

This variety is said to be a VERY good pantry storing squash, according to abundant life seeds*." One of the longest storing winter squash we have grown." Impressive. Especially being Acorn Squash are said to not be more then an avg of 2 months in storage.

Over at the SSE forum*, I found this very helpful advice on storing the Thelma Sanders by a member named bcday:

"The hardness of the shell is the indicator. This is a winter squash and should have a hard shell like a pumpkin. It won't have its full flavor and it won't store well if it's harvested before it has matured with a very hard shell. I wouldn't use either the color or the stem as an indicator. In my NY climate we don't harvest winter squash until a few days before the first expected frost."

I am sure you can manage to grow winter squash without my input. Not that I do anything special for each kind of plant. Leaves, grass & compost on the whole thing. I know there is a section more sandy where root crops grow best. There is a section with more clay that is slowly working its way to more versatility by adding the compost and of course there is a spot rich & dark. No science class needed or top soil trucked in}. Just some Common sense.

So lets get to the Harvesting.

Do not cure acorn squash. The high temperature and relative humidity during the curing process actually reduce the quality and storage life.

As for WHERE to store them? I have heard of people placing a sheet under their bed, where the squash hang out until cooking time. Great idea for those with limited space. Others can make room in a garage or basement, using shelves from floor to ceiling. How about a shelf 2 feet below the ceiling all the way around the room? Up & out of the way, without taking up floor space.

My basement has a wall of closet like pantry shelves, built from the original owners sometime in the 1940's. Plenty of room for squash & jars. And one of the reasons I am in love with our little cottage.

Simple shelves like these from Farming for life* are all you would need:

Rather soothing of a site. I am rather fond of such a basic set up, adorned with the winter edibles. Must be rather uplifting to venture down while the wind is howling & icicles hang from the gutters, to hold the many colors from your summer garden, untouched from their original form.

I did take note many people eat winter squash rather simply. Baking with a pat of butter. Some with the addition of simple seasonings like pepper or cinnamon. They are far more versatile then such primitive forms. Majority of winter squash can be substituted for each other in any recipe you choose.

There is Gratin*, Savory Squash rolls*, Puree & mashed*. Heck, there's even a Squash cookie recipe* with addition of oatmeal!

Expand your Squash savoring with a new variety along with plenty of new recipes for your discernment this upcoming season. Go beyond the tomatoes and other canned goods. Think simple preserving. After all, taking a quote from my Son whom was talking to his father about why he didn't eat breakfast with 5 box's of cereal in the pantry :
" A man can only eat so many cheerios dad! That's all there is. Cheerios. Cheerios. Cheerios."

I gotta agree. The same old thing gets tiring real quick.

Sweet Garden Dreams,

~Tammie

Cottage Pantry Potentials

2012-01-02T15:21:00.001-05:00

'Tis now the season to garden dream.

Not just of greenery & fresh salsa, but of the potential DRIED goods for pantry storing. Take note of items you use during winter, such as soup beans, that can be grown instead of bought. The best time to realize what you SHOULD grow and WILL use up.

We are veering the Food garden towards 95% items that can be preserved & stored. Many do pickles, sauces, green beans, etc. But how many actually think of DRIED beans in abundance? Winter soups contain this staple yet I rarely read of it's importance in other blogs or forums discussing gardens & the storing of food. So here it is. The Take Notice & Plan it out post all about our future Dried beans. Besides, what a fantastic way to utilize all those OLD antique mason jars no longer approved for canning. I know I have been grabbing all kinds of old ones, like this spring top latch beauty, every chance I get. Perfect portion size for family favorite soups & a great excuse to tell the Hubby "No, I need those for storing dried beans in".

This last year, the Garden Gods spared me heart break with a single plant of Borlotti beans {Italian Variety for use in Fagioli soup}, growing full force despite the fate of it's row mates. The others had rot away from the intense wet Spring, taking the last of what seed I had stored. Of that single plant, I was able to harvest 30 seeds for this next year.

We have also poured over our baker Creek heirlooms {rareseeds.com} catalog, coming to the conclusion we will also order 2 packets of Extra Precoce A Grano Violetto {a dark purple Italian Fava/Broad bean that according to many sources, they retain their purple after cooking}. We have never grown this kind of bean, nor had we thought of it until the decision for more sufficiency reared up this year. A cool weather bean, perfect for southern winters & Fall planting in the North.

"This extra early variety produces long pods that are filled with 6 large beans that are a pretty purple color and are sweet tasting. A unique and colorful variety from Italy. "

If you scroll down to the Fava section of this link, you will see another deciding factor for us to include this Purple gem. I especially enjoyed the authors sentiment of this Violetto from his childhood as well as the suggestion of a simple dish:

This variety’s name means extra early purple seed. There are also green seeded varieties of Favas, but I grew up eating the purple kind so I picked this to carry. We always ate them simply cooked in a bit of water with garlic, pepper, salt, olive oil, and a touch of butter. Accompanying them was always good hearty Italian bread. You used the bread to sop up the juice. (I’m getting hungry writing this.) Unlike regular beans Favas do well with cool weather. Having a short season variety is nice since so many areas like here go from cool to hotter than Hades right quick. They can also be planted in late summer for a fall crop in places south of here. In places like Florida, they can be planted as a winter crop.

Growing beans for drying is super easy! No need to pick them until they have dried on the vine. You can always cut the stem close to the ground & hang over paper in a room or garage should the rains start making undesirable conditions.

Forget those plain grocery store varieties and explore the amazing world of varieties. besides, after a taste of home grown difference, you'll be letting the kids make Bean art with those bagged things:

Or just sprout those things for a chicken house winter treat....

This is not an ad for baker creek, I assure you {if it was, I would not be adjusting my... umm... tall order, so as to stay in budget of what we have agreed upon for seeds this year}.... Just a simple nod to the amazing world they have opened up & introduced for so many of us enjoying the fruit of their hard labor. Preserving heirloom varieties for the future. For each & every one of us to enjoy & grow.

Through them, our family has opened their minds and mouths to such amazing food. From our cherished Long Pie pumpkins used in our Fall Empanadas, to the current exploration in dried beans. Much love to them. Much gratitude. What better way to say Thank you then to spread that love via The Unusual Farm Chick.

Looking for more inspiration on filling that pantry? I recently discovered this blog and thought I would share.Some very thought provoking topics for those who garden & adventure towards self sufficiency. * I now want to cover my jars with parchment & twine like their linked photo below... :

This is the year where everyone should go "outside of the box". Try something new. We are expanding our palette and tastes with the help of Baker Creek & many other heirloom seed suppliers. Once upon a time, dried beans were a less frequent pantry staple due to tiring of the same old kinds available. Now, the kids are begging for more bean soups, depleting what little I had. They are now suffering through with store bought and take great interest in selecting new varieties for the winter Pantry.

Suddenly, we have become Bean snobs! There is a debate on adding one other drying bean, which may have to come down to a rough & tumble game of Rock, Paper Scissors...

Not only are we growing the above beans, But Parsnips, Beet root, plus an herb I am saving for a new post which is used for teas & drink flavoring. {nope, not mint!}. Gardening has taken a sudden new outlook & path with my family. Not sure if it is the amazing Garden Porn {baker creek heirlooms} The Captain has been caught snagging from my pile or if the children finally realize the importance of taking back control of what we eat {or you get stuck with less then healthy &/or boring foods}.

I leave you with a quote from Jere Gettle of Baker Creek Heirlooms:

"Beans are the most important types of food on earth & are packed with fiber, protein, calcium, iron, & potassium.

Dried beans can be prepared a myriad of ways & are a great & inexpensive pantry staple."

Take the time to spend your evenings & laid back days exploring between the covers.

Planning what new to you or old forgotten favorites are waiting to grow in this years garden.

It is never too early or late for such simple pleasures.

Sweet Garden Dreams,

~Tammie

P.S Many thanks to Dinahs Garden for the tidbit on how they cure/dry their beans. My post was lacking the info on this step & feel it is of importance to share in the main post & not just leave in the comment section:

"To me there is almost nothing more relaxing than shucking beans. Once freed from their pods we leave the beans in mesh colanders to further dry/cure, hand mixing them daily. We all love the mixing, a tactile play of sorts."

The looking garden...inspiration for our indoor days

2011-12-19T17:25:00.000-05:00

We should make space not only in our garden{s} for plants. Living greenery inside our homes has been known for decades to aid in cleaning our air, which we all know during winter with the house all shut up, the air can get rather stale.

"The good news is that a classic NASA study found that common house plants could improve air quality. In fact, they reported that houseplants were able to remove up to 87 percent of air toxins in 24 hours. The recommendation? Use 15 to 18 "good-sized" house plants in 6- to 8-inch diameter containers for an 1,800 square-foot house.

Plants can remove a variety of toxic air emissions including ammonia, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, benzene, xylene and trichloroethytene. Remember-the healthier the plant, the more purifying it will be." sourced from sixwise.

Spice up the average house plant look with a recent added interest of mine. SUCCULENTS! Their not just for "green roofs". Oh yes, the Earthy upcoming wedding has spurred this all on. Imagine, one of those moss planters from my last post with a few added succulents of purple tinge Rosettes, coordinating with the color scheme she has chosen. They would POP against the moss & odd Sedums.

This succulent bowl, arranged with candles, is a look I may very well incorporate to the outdoor decor. Very possibly, in my home before & after the big day:

Now lets hop away from the average containers used for our house plants and check out the
Living Walls! or more like Framed living art!

The best part of this version is that by using a picture frame and chicken wire over the moss, you drastically reduce the Modern art look by giving it more of a "Country Living" influence. PLUS by spreading out the low amount of succulents you may have {they do average just over $3 each online}, you spend less when combined with a Thrift store Frame. Just allow time to provide babies for filling it out. An ever changing piece visual.

YOU can make this Living indoor art by clicking over to Ready Made* for all the How to.

{ http://www.readymade.com/projects/framed_vertical_succulent_garden/next_step#steps }

Psst. This would be the time to start begging and passing word you are on the hunt for some succulents. Tell all your friends, your mom, your brother. The Post lady and your/their coworkers. There is bound to be someone willingly to bear these little gems into your hands. They are easy to care for & there is always someone thinning out the babies they produce. Oh! & if you come across an extra amount,especially purple ones, .... Feel free to send them my way! I promise to share their final locations in planned projects. sigh..the downfalls of being a semi hermit Lady... So few to beg succulents from!

Want something a little easier that even those who claim a black thumb can enjoy? Air plant living wall art!!

This style is far too modern for me but the idea & concept is rather Impressive by Flora Grubb Gardens.

How about combining the two in a Living wreath?

"So your getting a Wreath & a little Garden, all in one".

The how to for this Holiday Everlasting wreath from Flora Grubb gardens " The Cutting Garden ":

{ http://floragrubb.com/cutting/?p=400 }

I especially like the very detailed, {cough. cough ...lots of pictures} tutorial for an all out succulent wreath over at Sparrow Post for this one :

http://www.sparrowpost.net/oldschool/wreath.html

Be sure to check out the proper zone & needs before ordering succulents online.Explore away and get creative! Let the pieces above inspire you to experiment with things around you. Like the bowl idea? Why not try making a light weight Hypertufa bowl or make the trough shape to fit along that odd corner of a room? Fine Gardening has a very nice how to with visuals {did you really think I would have it any other way?}. The possibilities are endless.

The Holidays are fast upon us and I find I am not as productive in projects as I would like. My goal is to get some bowls & troughs made up this week as well as Help little Man BEGIN his present for Panda in the wood shop. He is making Bedside "Dog steps" for use by Ming the Peke being Panda's Bed is set very high up. He is using cedar shingles for the stepping portion with sides a solid wood, painted in the color of her theme. Now Ming the Peke can hop from bed to bed throughout the night without waking anyone up with her falling and whining. Maybe I can put an order in for my bedside as well...

Sweetest Dreams,

~Tammie

Making and Loving Moss recipe {plus a sneak of wedding plans}

2011-12-12T13:38:00.000-05:00

The love affair with woodlands has no known beginning for me. I have always been drawn to Ferns, forests, Moss and creek beds. Something of recent has brought me to step into a direction of incorporating them into our home. I have tried to raise ferns which seem to not favor our interior environment of old homes. In winter, they always die off. I will try again soon but my topic today is MOSS! Soft luxurious green moss with their irresistible earthy appeal.

The love of moss is everywhere! Once I began looking for it, I noticed it is almost everywhere I go. Why, just check out this link for Wow adoration on Green Graffiti. Moss is amazing and rather GREEN for so many uses.

So what has brought this on of late? I am planning a wedding! Not mine but a dearest friends. We are so similar in our likes and ways plus she has asked I be a bridesmaid as well as help plan this wedding. So of course I jumped feet first and loving every minute of it. The feel is so very hard to describe being most hear "hippie" and it's just not the same as her vision. Semi casual, earthy, outdoor and intimate are just a few words I would use. With a twist of Bohemian romance & woodland feel.

Now the moss comes into play where decor is needed. I have it in my head to whip up some troughs of various wood and cement structures to grow and fill out for setting around the outdoor reception. centerpieces as well. Like this one:

and this one:

Moss is easy to whip up with a decent backyard source like mine and plenty of time {a year and a half} to tend to their growth. I have found 2 ways to grow it. {Share Courtesy of About.com in gardening by Marie Iannotti}

............................................................

1. The easiest way to get a patch of moss started is to take a piece from somewhere else and move it. Rake and scratch the surface of the soil you’re going to be putting it on, so that the filaments make good contacts. Wet the are and lay the moss on top of it. Press is well into the soil. It even helps if you pin it in place or put some light rocks on it to anchor it. Newly transplanted moss will need to be kept moist for the first few weeks. You can tell you moss as taken when it doesn’t lift with a light tug.

It’s probably wise to take your transplant moss from a similar surface to minimize transplant problems.

How to Get Moss to Grow on Rocks, Bricks or Pots

It’s a little harder to start moss on a rock by simply lifting it and moving it. To grow moss on rocks, bricks or pots, many people have luck cultivating moss by mixing it with buttermilk and painting it on the new surface.

Moss Making Recipe:

2 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt
1 - 1 1/2 cups of chopped-up moss (Fresh or Dried)

Mix until creamy and spreadable. If the mixture is too thick, add a small amount of water. If it’s too thin, add more moss.

Paint the mixture onto the new surface. You can allow the mixture to sit for a day or two, to start the process. You may get mold first, but by about week 6 you should see signs of moss.

**To keep your moss growing well, you need to maintain ideal moss conditions: shade, moisture and a low soil pH. You’ll also need to keep the weeds out. Moss can’t compete for moisture with the roots of weeds.

....................................................

The love for Ferns and woodlands come into play with this easy idea of slicing a log for the cake stand! Perfect even after a wedding. Fern fronds laid about to pull it together. Wonder what cake she will decide on...

What is a Natural setting event without some Homemade favors! Wild Blackberries are abundant {and free} around me & her Mum. Perfect to go with the dark purple flowers she has her heart set on. I must keep my eye out for sales on decorative canning jars. Really do not want to use the everyday kind for such a special piece. I do believe she will adore the label with this idea as well.

The other piece of decor I have set my eyes on long ago when we first discussed her getting married...Chandeliers! Grapevines with moss tidbits and wild grasses. Votives in glass holders secured between the hanging apparatus {not sure if we would use heavy duty rustic rope or rusted chains} for hanging in the canopy dining tents.

So be prepared for much more woodland love coming from this chick. Oh, and I have yet to mention I am planting that back garden I gave up on/downsized from, outside the picket fence, in cutting flowers. Beyond Frogs little strip of flowers I had mentioned previously. Nope. We are going to Market this next summer! Looks like long stem Sweet peas will be one of my main growers. White Willow, the Bride, may be using the DARK purple Sweet peas in her wedding too. This year is the trial garden and I have been devouring so much beauty on this endeavor.... Reneesgarden.com has been seeing A LOT of traffic from this house.

I am succumbing to a sore throat and must hop off to the herb store for lozenge ingredients. This time I am adding lemon extract...and hiding them from the kids. They are THAT good.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

The children of the forest past, come alive...

2011-12-07T16:26:00.000-05:00

For a moment we were little again. Free and wild roaming the woods with not a care in the world. It was cold but not unbearable. It was wet but just a medium thick misting of rain flowed from above. Heavy drops coming down from where the water had accumulated on high branches. A comment was made on how it reminded me of the movie scenes set in the forest wilds of Washington or Oregon. The fallen trees bare of bark with wild mushrooms growing in their formation with the luster of whimsical bright moss patches & wet ferns grouped everywhere your eye would land.

I in my Navy wool Pea coat, jeans,boots, fingerless gloves and a thick beanie. He in a thin fleece overcoat, jeans & Army boots. As well as his small black beanie which barely covered his big head & ears.

A moment we both escaped into as though the last 20 some years were all but a distant dream. It started with a simple invitation to see "my woods". To walk the ridge and look for deer tracks. We walked that ridge and ducked under trees which had been bent by the hand of Nature into M's & U's. We held back thorny berry briar's still thriving with powdery hues of purple & white. Snagged our clothes on wild roses bare of their summer petals and leaves, making our approach a combined effort of movement.Their presence forcing you to be patient and slow as though they demanded you soak in and acknowledge the wonders spread before you.

My baby brother Army... Oh how I adore and love him so. I miss our time together. Just him & me as well as Big brother John Boy. When we would spend from the time the sun was rising until well after it had fallen. Out exploring. Building forts, scavenging for "food" and coming up with the most wild imaginative adventures we, as kids, could come up with. This was a day, like a page direct from our childhood story.

We stood atop the ridge, looking down into the deep ravine. Surveying for a movement. Observing the dips and thick logs laid out in our path. Then he saw it. An arrow! Sticking out from the ground. It's quiver a beacon of pink & white. We did not have to speak a word nor did we for a long period here. We both knew what the other was thinking and gladly descended into the belly of our playground. He motioned we split up. He on the south. I on the north. Scouring the land beneath each branch. Each leaf & pine needle bed. Gently stepping so as not to break the silence with an echo alerting of our presence. One after another were found with alert to the other a simple small whistle and smile of acknowledgment. At one point he had found over 8 which I could not help but motion my hands up and down as though to say "Dang it man!". Both of us smiling with the mindless way we had stepped right back into time without a second thought or hesitation.

The sky was turning more grey, alerting us to head back to the house before we were caught in a down pour. Not enough time to build a pine branch lean-to, as we may have done those few decades ago. Oh, how I would have loved to do just that. Sit beneath our Pine fort. Listening to the rain beat down on the leaves and watch the world stay alive as we hold on to the moment of a big sister with her little brother escaping into the past ways of their childhood.

It was the most enjoyable afternoon. The most heart filling time I have had the opportunity to share with him in a very long time. The bonds of brother & sister never broken. Never dismissed. Just hidden deep inside to be brought out on occasion as one would a most cherished treasure.

There will be more of these times. I feel that deep in my heart. There may very well come a time we may not be able to descend the ravine and stay out in the cold rain as we had once done. A time when these memories stirred by a simple scent on the wind. A sound through the trees and a knowing twinkle in each others eyes will be just enough to fill us with sibling love. Resurfacing those moments forever etched into our being.

Until next time....

Sweet dreams my friends,

~Tammie

Bourbon Ham & Potter shed mini sneek peak

2011-11-24T07:53:00.000-05:00

This Thanksgiving, I am in charge of the Ham. I wanted something different. No pineapple either. I went with the Man who taught me how to make a tender moist turkey which received all around raves. After all, he has yet to let me down. Alton Brown has a recipe for City ham which is a bourbon glaze as well as gingersnap crust. I am omitting the gingersnap crust being I am not a fan of gingersnaps and in the reviews it is mentioned it becomes soggy on leftovers.

A late night trip to the liquor store had me toting home a small bottle of Wild Turkey 101 bourbon{that's 101 proof} for spraying down the ham. Not bad tasting in it's raw form and if you go beyond a little "taste", this recipe calls for 6 hours oven time. More then enough for a little mid day nap.

Alton Brown City Ham Recipe link

I am also whipping up some airy yeast rolls to take over for the dinner. Have you noticed out of all things made for Thanksgiving, the rolls are the most overlooked in the kitchen? I understand it can be hard fitting in the from scratch making & baking with so much more going on in the oven. But dismiss those store bought tasteless "things" and have these yeast rolls ready and waiting so as the turkey is "resting" fresh from the oven, you can pop in the rolls which take just 10-15 minutes for baking. Here's an easy & rather tasty when you add a splash of herbs to it's making, recipe.

Parker House Rolls recipe link.

As for my Potters shed, I have yet to finish it. Our weather has not been kind in cooperation.

I still have some touching up & adding to do before the painting {if it ever dries up enough so it will stick}. I am not a carpenter and being I used an already built frame {the 4 tier pallet}, not everything is exact upon close inspection.

One MAJOR flaw & downside to re purposing wood is that nothing is straight. There are "cracks between almost every piece applied.

Keep in mind, you are viewing something in the middle of it's process. I still have some roofing to do and a door to hang after I finish up the window areas.

One of the 6 pane windows After screwing in the hinges:

Under the window is a potting shelf I put in on one side, which came from some extra pieces I grabbed with those Display tables I had re purposed & gifted Mr.J .

Remember those Privacy fence sections I picked up last year? After making them into my garden picket fence, I still had one left over. I removed the slats & re purposed them into the back wall of the potter shed and to flank the front door- which is that newer pallet wood slat thing towards the bottom. It is laying on it's side until I get the hinges in place.

Can you see what I mentioned about the downside of re purposed wood? Notice the "cracks" between the fence slats? Just another thing I will have to brainstorm on disguising.

Well it's not like anyone will see it with all this land surrounding us... And your not gonna judge me on my "Bag lady outhouse" potter shed, now are you? No, I didn't think so. Your better then that and exactly why I do not mind sharing a little sneak peek despite it's rather rough & tumble beginnings.

I hope each of you have a most wonderful Happy Thanksgiving.

Be thankful for what you do have and no matter what, remember, there is always someone else who has less or worse. We each must make a conscious effort to stay positive in order to prevent the negative from taking over. It can be rather trying at times but it will help you get through and help those around you stay focused on what matters most.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

p.s. Did I use the word re purpose enough in this post? jeesh....

Potter's shed progress, apples from heaven? & pie bread

2011-11-16T19:27:00.001-05:00

The cement block compost bin is still lacking it's stucco finish being I have yet to buy the mesh & such. Instead, I started working on a Potters shed to store all those garden tools I have a horrible habit of leaving out. The notion is to have a spot I can leave them close at hand instead of trudging them the distance from our house to the back everyday. I am using pallet wood being it is so freely available. I emphasize FREE.. I found the perfect frame base already put together, re purposing from a 4 level pallet used by a locally owned garden center for transporting potted plants from their supplier. The perfect size for me to step inside and even The Captain would not woe from hitting his head.

I still have some finishing up to do as well as it's painting to match our chicken coop of a French blue base & white trimming. In it's current state, The Captain keeps chiding me it looks like an old outhouse. I guess it did not help my case being I was dressed in a dark old flannel with jeans and a neon orange beanie hiding my pulled back hair, which he burst out in laughter with first glance, exclaiming "You look like a bag lady building an outhouse!". Thanks Honey. I know I can always depend upon you for putting a smile on my face...

Being the work on my tool shed has been stalled due to the high wind, rain & my kidney stone out patient surgery, I will at least for now share the perfectly small 6 pane wood windows I scored for it's sides:

My potter's shed will sit at the back outside corner of the garden, butting up to the picket fence. Frog is begging for more flower variety so the space between the "bag lady outhouse" and the opposite end of the picket fence will be a 5 foot wide x 12 foot long strip of her flowers. I do believe it will look rather nice being flanked with her cutting flower garden and possibly some more woody herbs on it's grass side.

Little Man & I went into the side woods yesterday looking for fallen tree limbs to collect for the winter fires. When what before our wondering eyes should appear? But apples! Fallen from the heavens, leaving a trail for the deer. O.k, not really from heaven but the very tops of these ancient apple trees gave a beautiful sight of golden apples laid out as though they are urging you to explore down the path.....

We were thrilled to see all the hoove prints amongst them meaning the hunters on neighboring property have not scared off the locals from our woods. We rather enjoy the chance encounters we have with the deer which may also be due to their leaving my garden alone. The two of us collected some of the most perfect organic apples into our button up shirts , backwards tied around our waists, made into a makeshift apron. We left our wagon of logs & sticks for just a moment to release our treasures onto the kitchen counter.Making quick of our work in the woods knowing what awaits us.

We sat in the living room, shredding apples for the delight of a Fall favorite. Apple pie bread! I clipped this recipe from an old Better homes & garden magazine some years ago and have found a link to share with all of you whom may very well find this to be a Fall favorite.

I add 2 teaspoons of apple pie spice when I add the flour in the recipe. They do not mention any spice and despite tasting nice without it, the addition makes it glorious. I also use GOLDEN raisins and on occasion add the streusel topping depending on my supply of walnuts.

The sonic blasting of the largest kidney stone today seemed to go well. I was surprised to discover, just 6 hours after surgery, to have such a blatant "battle wound". Panda was grossed out by it and the nurses told me it would turn even nastier as it sets in with blues, purples/black of healing.

But it's not as painful {yet} as it may look. I can not wait to get back to my workout routine {it's been a month!} and to finish up my outdoor projects without aching. I have another item I scored from a big name hardware store which was used in their garden center and will now be an organizer for the after school throw downs. THAT you will have to wait for as well, which is bare in it's current state. Lacking the layer of paint to tie it in to the living theme & appeal.

Until next time...

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie

Outdoor Fall projects BEGUN!

2011-11-08T17:53:00.000-05:00

Remember that Free cement block I picked up earlier in the year? The cement compost bin has stage one complete! I spent this amazing 67 degree F day getting that off my to do list. I finished the first stage just as the kids got home from school. Keep in mind, it's not finished yet :

Tomorrow {if all goes right}, I am hoping to get back out there to finish the exterior with stucco for a nice finish. {You can see what I am working towards by clicking the link in my first sentence above for that post.} The stucco is stage 2. After that I will add the wood compartment boards for separating into 3 sections which is stage 3 of the project.

As I left the mortar to dry, I began prepping Frog's flower garden. This will be on the backside of my main garden, just beyond the picket fence. We sat here looking through various sites, making a list of all the flowers we dream to grow in her plot that can be used for cut flowers. Reneesgarden.com is full of beautiful cottage like flowers and Frog loves the variety. My pocket book would say otherwise, but we still have time to trim down the list. We even have 5 different varieties of sunflowers which we all know, it's not one of my gardens unless it has the sunflowers thrown in.

I found this blog http://www.debraprinzing.com/ while seeking out ideas on what to plant. She has a book titled the 50 mile bouquet coming out next April.

Her site is not just about flowers. From refreshing decor to even chicken coops of others. A pleasure to read and to view the beautiful pictures. I simply love all the flower inspiration. Such great pleasure in dreaming up what gems we will have to grace the tables, mantle and window sills. And think of all the ones we will have for sharing with friends! I do believe it will be a nice addition to the shared fruits & vegetables as well as the jams & wines we make.

Mr. J has been out planting his big plots of garlic and found it rather entertaining to see that chickens are not fond one bit of garlic. Someone had left their gate open and of course when they see people, they make a mad dash that in some cases, can be intimidating if your not use to it. Luckily, he was already out there when one of the gals spotted him and alerted her crew. He was their new best friend when they thought he had something tasty... Until they attacked the garlic he was planting. Thankfully they did not stay around and scratch up everything and decide his plot was the latest & greatest dust bath spa. Ohhh the wreckage they can do in such a short period of time but his garlic proved to be of no interest and they were back to bug hunting amongst the grass blades.

Their evening treat {o.k more like bribe to get in the pen} consisted of the Jack O Lanterns from our front stoop. I did not think they would make such a fuss over them being Mr.J has been sharing squash from his garden on a regular basis. I guess they really enjoy their squash varieties.

The nights are getting cooler so they have their red heat lamp on in hopes to keep them from not laying due to the energy used for warmth. I'll be adding their regular color lamp this week for extending the hours and again... in hopes to prolong their laying. I waited 10 months for these eggs and no way am I letting them slack off when they JUST begun sharing. They better work for my staying of the ax hand after such behavior!

Frog has her first Father daughter dance this coming weekend. Remember when the excitement was for Panda's Cinderella ball every year? sigh.... They really do grow up so quick. Just a few more years & I'll be taking Panda for Homecoming dresses... yeah. I'll just file that thought away so all the other scary stuff starts coming to mind with her getting older... Now I must be off to get drops in The Captains eyes. He apparently has his first case EVER of Pink eye. Looking rather Egor right now too. Poor guy.

Until next time...

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

A woman collecting firewood? Frost Morn's & Lovely Ladies

2011-11-04T05:39:00.002-04:00

12 truck loads.. That how much free wood logs I was able to pick up & load myself thanks to the county road crew cutting & trimming trees on one of the back roads. Many as big round and almost as tall as myself. I became proud when recognition of the crew's supervisor stopped by as I loaded the last of it. I thought for sure I did something wrong being he came by after all his guys left. We exchanged pleasantries when he got of his truck then commenting how nice it must be to have all his guys cutting firewood for me. I responded "It would mean a batch of homemade cookies and hot coffee if they could cut as fast as I can load.". He knew I meant it in jest as we both laughed. Before leaving he told me "it's pretty cool to see you out here hustling all this wood.. It's not something we see very often. if at all being your a woman.". I took it as a compliment and then understood why his crew seemed so amused with each new visit. { They even shared some anti poison ivy/oak wipes with me.}

I have alot of chainsaw play ahead of me and The Captain will do the splitting. I really suck at splitting. So fair trade in my favor.

We have been waking to many days of frost. An early morning walk outdoors provided such interesting sites for Frog & I.

Russian Kale growing by the picket fence:

Beautifully frosted Oak leaves in the front yard:

And a rare in focus shot with 1 of the 2 new hens! I have yet to send their previous owner pictures due to their evading ways. My brood flock me every time, making it hard to get anything in focus when you have 12 chickens pecking anything they find interesting... like a camera strap, shoe laces, or my wedding ring {sparkly stones are sooo irresistible}.

Our 2 new ladies are a mix of Barred rock & Americauna! See the tufts? The only tell tale sign they are not pure with the only other coming when they lay... BLUE EGGS!

Sweet gals and slowly being accepted. My Andalusian hen tries so hard to partner up with them. She follows them around and stays a few feet away. Never intruding the bond the 2 have but trying so hard to be accepted in their small circle. I guess the one with the other gals left Andalusian at the bottom. She follows them everywhere, slowly at times getting a little closer until they allow her stand by them. Almost as though she is waiting for them to say "come on over".

Time has gone by so quickly and my job has gone from a 1 day a week to a coming soon official manager job, around the first of the year. At least I enjoy it and I get to work out for free. O.k, more like the Ladies have given me no excuse NOT to work out.

Actually, the working out part is on hold this month due to the kidney stones. Did I mention I have NINE of them? 1 being stuck in the tube from my kidney to the bladder? yeah. Fun times. Fun times... Sonic blast Surgery is in the middle of the month, so it wont be long before I'm back to sweating, laughing with the gals over what they say are funny "concentration" faces I make when I get going on the machines. : rolling eyes. Their a trip.

Today is coop cleaning and bread baking. I also have a new Pie bird I can't wait to use! Such a low priced item but not something I see in many places. A trip to the Kitchen collection store produced one so I hopefully can avoid any more burnt pie filling in the oven bottom... Man, that stuff is like cement! Oh yeah.. Add that to the list of my day activities. Cleaning out the burnt black mess of my oven floor.

Until next time...

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Bride of Frankenstein & the Werewolf {Mum & Son dance}

2011-10-22T05:01:00.000-04:00

Lil man's school began having a Mother & son dance last year. This year's theme was The Monster Jam which also meant one of my favorite things. COSTUMES!

I Picked up a Vera Wang bed sheet from the thrift store and whipped up my costume as well as finding platform chunky boots. I refused to wear a wig so when I found a Bump it on sale at the hair supplies store, I grabbed it. Although it did not help that much, I ended up teasing my long hair & I swear, so much hair spray was used to get it to stand that I should have worn a "flammable" sign!

My lil Man went as a werewolf.

I found faux hair we cut into small strands and applied by small pieces to his face & chest. For anyone attempting this with spirit glue as your adherence substance, grab a cuticle orange wood stick! Use it to place the hair onto the face where you applied the spirit gum. It goes on without a hassle & saves you the sticky fingers with hair looking as though you have an issue.

We did have a prosthetic nose but the spirit glue would not hold it on very long {note we also has an issue with the ears but we kept tapping them back in place- having the hair close to their face edges helped keep it miraged}. The pictures do not do justice on how well he looked. He was even elected to be in the costume contest but beat out by the kid in a K.I.S.S mask... I think his groupies followed him, otherwise he would have slaughtered it! They had to redo the crowd loudness vote 3 times between them!

We have 2 additions to the Hen yard and I have a trip to the Mormon cannery to share but tonight I will cut this short. I have not been feeling well and found out I will be going in for an ultra sonic breaking of kidney stones that will not pass. Yay me! {sarcasm intended}.

I will share more on all the latest news on the hen yard, the cannery & such soon. I even have special permission to get some video footage inside the cannery when I make another trip this week!

Now I must go wash my hair a few times and hope the knots come out. Plus I have werewolf hair to pluck from my son's chest & face...

Until next time...

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

Buckwheat harvesting, a Rooster & Holy Beehive

2011-10-12T06:24:00.001-04:00

What started out as a cover crop is now a chance to experiment in a grain harvesting. Mr.J had planted this Buckwheat last July in a new garden plot next door. Mother Nature had her own plans and rain came down preventing it from being cut & integrated into the soil at the proper time. I recently asked Mr.J if he would want to try a small portion for harvesting the grain so it's not a waste. When he said go for it, I could not have been happier. My distraught mood earlier in the summer over NOT being able to make my grain video is still not 100% turned BUT I will do the best with what I have been so kindly given instead of turning away from the gift of opportunity. With the best of intentions to make things solid.

The flowering Buckwheat on September 14th

Almost ready but not quite on October 4th

Rain is in the forecast for the next few days so time to harvest what we can before it's a bust. Planting Buckwheat is pretty simple. Just follow the directions you receive with the seed. The hard part is determining when to harvest. I have never grown a grain for harvest and despite the Ag resources, words can only explain so much to someone who has never even seen the stages.

You want to harvest when 3/4 of the grain are ripe, this will help cut down on losing a good amount to the ground from the plants natural releasing. But to know when it's ready, the actual grain, do not depend on the leaves for indication. It's all about the grain.

And this...is the first way I harvested- cutting the stems closer to the ground and with a hand siket {I tucked it in my jeans back since I had no belt for the sheath cover loop} using a sheet or tarp-whatever mode of "holding" you prefer. It was about 1 hour of slow harvesting to get this bundle by myself. The deer had trampled so much out there as well as that last rain we had smashing them down to lying along the ground.

I quickly learned this was not an efficient manner of harvesting. Just over 2 hours of work produced a small amount to which I realized there had to be a simpler method. I quickly grabbed a pot & added a string for a neck loop- as if we were berry picking- then headed out to the field and stripped the grains from the stem directly. THIS was far quicker and also benefited in seeing which ones were ripe or have already released their seed. Grasp the stem lower then the grain portions, between index & thumb, then pull your hand into a cup form as you bring the fingers towards you pulling the grain off the stem & into your lower cupped fingers/palm. Almost twice the amount in under an hour.

The rain began overnight after this harvest so I doubt I will have anything more harvestable. At least the experience & a little grain were gained.

**TIP: as for removing the hull, The grain is spread out to dry, then a jaunt in the oven for 90 minutes at 180 F degrees to help dry it to the proper stage. Once dried, using a manual OLD style meat grinder with the multi hole disk- simply feed the grain through, using adequate hole size disk to grain size, which will help"open" the hull. Then spread out on sheet, spread around a bit, rough it up some. No need to be gentle. Flop around in the sheet, beat it a little, then spread out again. Use a fan, starting on lowest setting angled at level to gently "blow" hulls from the grain kernal. THEN either store away or Bust out the grain grinder Grain Maker and Mill some buckwheat flour. Our entire family can operate the Grain Maker, despite what some much older reviews on other sites have stated. If my 5 year old can turn the handle, then it's not a hard job to do.

Stay tuned for more on this subject coming next week. My trip to the LDS cannery for stocking up on bulk wheat berries & more. **

As for the rooster? Well Sweet Root Beer had an expandable spiral style leg band placed on him this summer so we would know which one we planned to keep. Despite being a large size that was also bought in spiral style for prevention of this very next reason, it happened anyway.

Some how in the last week, the band managed to work its way up to a high point on his leg, causing him a slight limp. When I noticed the new placement I picked him up to remove it,being there is no longer a need for the band. What I found was not pleasant. His leg had swollen due to the pressure and it took some finagling to get off. Once off there was a little clear liquid from the area but at the time, no blood or appearance of an open wound.

The next morning he was limping a bit more and there was an open wound.

I picked him up, swathed in a towel, to clean out the wound with peroxide. I thought I had

some tea tree oil but can not find it. Grrr. So I did a quick search looking for something to help prevent the others or himself from picking at it while it healed. PEPPER! Fresh ground pepper. I had read over on Free range living about the use of pepper which would also help deter them from picking at the wound. and am ever so happy she had shared that tidbit.

The very next day I could see it was far better and on it's way to healing.

I swear there's always something going on with the barnyard.

Oh! Guess what I found has happened to the Beehive?

Not sure how,and know it was not there before but...

There is a hole in the top frame box corner these little buggers have decided was a great shortcut for dropping off their harvest. sigh. Really? And how am I suppose to fix that before Honey harvest when anything I stuff in the hole they will just remove and treat as debris.

I'll figure this one out soon enough but my hopes are that it does not involve me getting stung again.

Until next time...

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie

Fresh garden View & European Potato basket bin

2011-09-28T08:29:00.001-04:00

The garden has a fresh new look , causing a smile with every visit. After the painting of the picket fence exterior, I added a Gothic finial to each post on the sides of the gate. With the help of my little man, I put in 2 permanent herb beds, flanking the front gate.On one side we put 2 lavender and 3 thyme. On the other, we put in all Lavender. I found the Lavender on sale for half the price being it is the end of season for such things to be in any demand.

A sand walkway bordered by brick with large River stone nestled in, have been placed for the Garden entry. I may very well come Spring, continue the path all the way through the the garden, guiding to the back gate on the North & South side.On the back end, I am contemplating a T formation for back lay out.

We put in a Fall crop of Kale, Winter density lettuce, peas & snow peas in the front Carrot bed, which are coming up rather nicely. I anticipate the late harvest with hopefully a decent amount for freezing.

All in all, I am overjoyed with what we have done to make the garden more inviting as you walk out back. Very little cost, but a huge impact of difference. I still have the back arbor area to do, which will be a few more weeks being I am buying materials on my small paycheck.

I am rather excited to have found a U.S source for a certain willow woven Potato basket bin I have coveted for some time now. I have seen them all over sites for purchasing from the U.K

I find them absolutely darling and would be of great use since my hanging basket has fallen twice now due to the weight of our potato consumption. These would also make for great onion or Garlic bin which the source does have a smaller version. I found them online at Bed Bath & Beyond for a range of $30 & $60. I do believe this will be my answer when asked what I would like for the holidays. One for onions & one for potatoes. Although, I may end up purchasing from a place in the U.K if I do not find these in my local store.

I also found an inexpensive source for the {great for beginners} Easy to make Shaker style Onion baskets, which unlike the bins above, these would be hung. How beautiful to have a cellar/Pantry or basement wall lined with these for storing all those Garden onions, garlic bulbs and yes...even those petite fingerling /colored potatoes {after all, ya cant store them all in the willow bin}.

I found the kits complete with instructions for $8.95 over at http://www.basketweaving.com/ . They are named Country onion basket on their site.I am determined to order the kit with the extra materials supply for 5. Being the weather is getting colder and knowing our children, they would highly enjoy making these as we sit by the fireplace, cooking up some soup or such with the dutch oven in the hot embers.

I do believe they would make for unique gifts and would be enhanced by adding a slate, galvanized metal or other writing surface tag attached to it's front. I found these over on Etsy By SweetKate {at this posting} for $5.95 that gives you 2 of them. This is just one of the many styles to choose from.

I have more work to be done before the cold hits this week. Rosemary to be potted up from the front herb and flower bed. Some problem solving of the once again muddy chicken pen {I think sand may be the key for those certain spots they seem to slop up quickly} and of course some intense Mud room cleaning before it's too cold to have my hands in a mop bucket scrubbing floors and walls.

Until next time..

Sweetest Dreams,

~Tammie

Giveaway at Reverie Photography Blog!

2011-09-23T07:26:00.000-04:00

I love love love Reverie. A place for amazing inspiration in children's photography. Not your "everyone say cheese" way of things. The style that makes my heart flutter. Fun. Imaginative. Delightful & captivating.

http://reveriemine.com/

Since I have been working 7 days in a row {not a regular thing but helping out while someone is on vacation}, I have not been able to finish up the latest project to share and though this might interest those of you whom enjoy a different style of things in photography. Remember: it's not the camera that takes amazing pictures. It is the Photographer behind the lens. Not anymore then a stock pot is the reason behind an exceptional batch of soup.

It takes time to learn these things and oh how much fun & joy it brings me as I venture in photography. Even a Point & shoot has the possibility for beautiful photos. Once you learn some basics like the lesson of thirds,setting/background of the subject, Lighting {natural sunshine in my case} that is not casting shadows on faces,etc and proper body/face form for a huge difference in results- you'll be off to a great start.

Reverie has been a source of many lessons and inspiration for me. So today I share with you he last day of course {eeek! you have until 10pm pacific time}, her generous giveaway.

From beautiful frames, amazing accessories such as whimsical hats & outfits {gift certificates for these} to Photography editing tools & Finished extras.

*So head on over to Reverie & check out the giveaway*. Not interested in the giveaway? Then I would advise you check out the dreamy pictures she has shared in past posts that will leave you dreamily amazed and inspired.

Now I must be off and feed the chickens. Whom by the way we have received 1 brown egg, 1 blue egg & 1 light olive green egg so far. It only took them until they were 9 months old... now just 8 more hens to go... Maybe I should start my stockpot discussion to get the other gals motivated...

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

New life & purpose for FREE Garden nursery stands

2011-09-19T03:36:00.000-04:00

While I was out searching in this late season for thyme plants, with no luck of course, I came across a most exciting find. While visiting an upscale garden center, I spotted in the parking lot 2 produce/plant display tables with a free sign. After checking them over & noting the only thing "wrong" with them is the effects of outdoor weather aging them to no longer being in a store fixture value state. I dashed home for the truck & loaded up my treasures. Once home I got to work on refurbishing them for their new use.

~ This one can lay flat or position in 3 various heights. The warped board is on a section you can pull out or tuck back under the leaning top.~

~the 3 sections are multi positionable with a flat small section on the top. Pervect spot for a jar of sunflowers or a small vintage scale.

Where one saw trash, I saw treasure! With a little help of sanding, black spray paint & some diluted Kilz PLUS a few things for the sign display {not pictured above}, I was able to give new life & purpose to something put out in their Free wood broken pallet corner.

After cleaning them off & sanding just a little, I wanted to keep it looking aged, so I diluted white exterior Kilz 50/50 with water and painted the wood pieces. I used a flat black spray paint on the metal.

After dried, I used a fine sandpaper to go over it with a light hand to add some "wear" for extra charm. Hard to see in the pictures but it's there.

As for the wooden display sign, I did the above method plus bought a very thin board of wood, cut it to size & spray painted with Chalkboard paint. Slid it in the side slot & despite the warping top which would have been near impossible to accommodate, it came out just as I pictured.

I left the rust on the tab wing nut being it was a perfect compliment to the aging effect of the job.

I nabbed these for Mr.J to use for his Front yard garden produce stand. He had stopped in the day I brought them home so the surprise was ALMOST ruined. I guess it was a good thing he was able to see them in their raw state. He even made the comment he liked them as they are but... I had bigger plans.

Now they have a fresh clean look that I hope will bring him happiness, catch the eye & buying temptation of passerby's for his Honesty box produce stand.

I finished my garden haven, well almost. Another trash to treasure project with a few new items complimenting my Warmer season haven. Catch me next time for a trip out to the garden!

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

The repurposed fence, Fall cleanup & Elusive find

2011-09-14T20:51:00.000-04:00

We have had such beautiful weather of late and the cool comfortable weather looks like it will be staying awhile. Perfect for cleaning out the garden & getting some projects finished.

Last year I was able to get free & old privacy fencing to re purpose. Although it is not much of a change in it's use, I am rather happy to now have it as a Picket Fence around my garden. We are just now getting around to finishing up the white paint job. As you can see, we are still working our way towards the back. It's not perfect but it is for my own pleasure and viewing. Just another bonus of living where we have no side or back neighbors. As for the rabbits, the bottom portion of the fencing inside will get chicken wire stapled all the way around.

This shot was taken first thing in the morning before I straightened the gate & began making the thyme & Rosemary bed which will go along the front , both sides of the gate.

I am laying landscaper cloth over the ground with the plants coming through a small hole which will have black mulch laid on top & a plastic edging border to keep out the grass. It seems to creep in fast so I got creative & decided this would also enhance it's appearance- Note that the ground is uneven all around the garden so my fencing is not straight. I can deal with that by adding the front border of woody herbs.

I reduced my garden in half to now a 20 feet X 34 feet. This next year will be the first of doing intensive planting. I will NOT be defeated again.

After weed whacking the garden down to the ground, I tilled it over & have been sifting out the roots by hand. It has been so pleasurable to work in the garden after such disappointment this year. As I sat in this very spot, the sound of Root Beer crowing, the breeze flowing through the trees, the sounds of nature echoing around me & my dog laying on a her favorite river rock... was a moment of such peace I wish to enjoy forever. It was in that moment and in so many I have had of late, I knew. I am home. For the first time ever I truly feel I have found Home.

So much left to do such as painting the inside of the garden fence and finishing the grape arbor/pagoda as well as the cement stucco compost Bin & rebuilding a proper stone Bonfire pit for The Captain. That man loves his weekend fires sitting under the same star pattern he looked upon in his childhood, just a few blocks away. I am slowly gathering the materials so it may not be until Spring for that one. The old will have to do for the rest of this season.

Oh! The Thrift store find I spoke of last. Well to understand the thrill you must know the tale. I have searched high & low for so many years trying to collect glass kitchen items that no longer come in glass but are plastic or metal. One of each kind for each of my girls. My daughters, my future daughter in law & for my most cherished Sister in law Marine. I inherited a glass canning funnel from The Captains grandma & cherish it immensely. I really did not think it would be almost 6 years before I would spot one in the thrift store but when I did..I truly GRABBED for it. Carrying it around in my purse before checking out so afraid it would break due to the adrenaline rush I received.

Silly, ay? Yeah. but thats just a part of who I am. It's the little things...

This one will go to my sister in law. This amazing woman who shares so much of the same interests & quirks with me. I joke with my baby brother that he married someone like his sister. He could not have given me a better gift then to have this woman as my sister. So she gets my $2.50 rare & elusive find. Lucky girl. {I say that in jest but know she will appreciate it}. Just 4 more to go {Thankfully I have about 10 years before needing the next one for the rest of my girls}.

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie

Hermaphrodite Chicken & loving my Kale

2011-09-11T08:34:00.003-04:00

Nothing like the sound of rooster crowing as the sun comes up...that is, if you have just a few and one of them is not a rather confused...hen?! Yep. The red splotched Deleware is not only a genetic freak in it's color but is also a whole lot confused. "Hermy" started out as a hen but before she could lay any eggs, she started taking on the look of a He. Hermy was bigger in size like the other roosters but did not start growing rooster neck/hackle feathers until after the others. Hermy does not have a rooster tail, as you can see below. Nope. A hen feathered tail with the other half all rooster. As for the crow? Well it is truly pathetic. A different tone and the only way I can think to describe is to say it sounds as though someone is trying to choke her as it tries churn out a crow along with the beautiful tone of the others.

Why is it I always seem to end up with the funky animals? The change happens when an ovary is damaged - causing testosterone levels to soar and turn the ovary into a testicle.It's very, very rare - about a one in 10,000 event which seems to be I am always the "1" in so many things.

Ya gotta laugh though. As Hermy tries so hard to mate with the girls, it is far obvious it is just not happening. But Hermy has now taken on stalking me. I can see it watching everywhere I go. it peers out at me through the pen yard fence as I clean up the garden. It does the wing dance when I go in to tend to their needs. It even jumps me if I turn my back on it! I make Frog go in with a stick, watching my back so I can get things done without fearing the 3 roosters circling me. It's as if they think its a game. Hermy always begins it then the other 2 join in. so now Hermy has got to go! Either to someone who will be amused by this funky chicken or to feed the family some awesome Chicken & dumplings.

I must share I harvested my first crop of Kale. I grew red Russian kale this year and along with only a few other things, it blossomed well under my unintentional neglect.

I will add, if you have not tried this variety you should put it on the list of must haves. My children are not fans of "leafy greens" but they asked for seconds on this stuff. I added a huge amount to a pot of Fagioli & they gobbled it down. Next is to try it in some chicken, wild rice with Kale soup & possibly transition them into trying it fried with a little onion. Such a different sweet green flavor.

I found the Cherry Gal store while searching out a source of this seed in organic NON mutated supply. A great price at $1.25 per packet & discovered the store has more then just heirloom seeds. From body to kitchen and even antique household items. A pure delight perusing. They do not advertise, so word of mouth is how they get around. I gladly share being they will be the source for more seed in my home this winter.

Potato Fest this weekend and of course it's wet & mucky. Grabbing the muck boots & getting my Perogi fix on! In my next posting I will share the very rare & elusive item I have been searching for in the thrift stores for MANY years. I finally found one and it only set me back $2.50 {U.S}! But don't tell my sister in law how cheap it was. I got it for her and am still on the hunt for 3 more. Although I do feel after searching high & low for this long, avoiding the $20 or more price tag with ebay, I deserve the steal of a deal.

Until next time,

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

Maiden Voyage with Panda & a Mothers Love...

2011-09-04T08:42:00.001-04:00

Lil man & I scrubbed the Rowboat down just enough to be suitable for her maiden voyage. He was so excited, he stuck with me through the entire cleaning. The Captain & Lil man were the first to take her out, so the girls & I followed in the car just in case they needed help launching. While he parked the truck, we let the kids row her, staying close to shore. Which you can see, lil man was such a gentlemen and manned the boat so the girls could lounge.

While the boys were fishing, the girls & finished up the tomato sauce I began canning that morning. I am so fortunate to have kind & gardening landlords. Despite the failure I endured this year, I have managed to put up a small amount from tomatoes that were closing in on their end of salability from his roadside stand & restaurant customers.

Once the boys made it back home, Panda & I jumped in the truck & took off for the lake! We are both just as excited as our men to have this new vessel. Our floating lady is very much appreciated and will continue to be enjoyed for hopefully many more decades.

I wanted to experiment with photos on a boat since the lighting while doing lake photos has been a bit of a problem for me.

She happily obliged as well as realizing the benefit of that parasol I brought along.

It is the little moments I have with her that I cherish the most. To see her smile and laughing after we managed to talk like pirates for 5 minutes straight, had my motherly heart swelling with love & happiness. I love this girl with everything I have. I missed so much of a normal childhood, having her has given me so much happiness on things I have missed out on. Just by viewing her smile & laughter, her interactions with friends & the giggles of many tweens carried down the hall may seem trivial to others. But for me... It's pure bliss.

Once the sun had set, we headed in to shore. I noticed with this photo,trees that were green just a month ago have already begun showing Fall colors. I love when they begin their change. Now we can experience the beauty from a new angle.

Panda is taking an interest in my new camera which I feel was fine...while on land. The row boat is managable by one person, so I got to work loading her. I will say my choice of a long skirt was not such a wise decision being I wore Muck boots for stepping in the water during the move. Panda though it was hilarious when I decided to bring the back of my skirt up between my knees & tuck it into my waistand. What a sight I must have been to the shore fishermen. As if an ankle length skirt & muck boots were not enough.

It took some muscle, with barey a tad of help from my shutter bug, but I got her in there and we were off in no time.

We had such an enjoyable evening together. Panda had never rowed a boat before so she gave it a try & did great. Can't wait till our next jaunt out.

Now I must be off to tend to the storm ravaged yard. Some hard winds had blown in & of course, it has to be the full can of recyclables laying victim to it's strength.

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie

Has it really gone by that quick?

2011-08-30T21:12:00.001-04:00

I can not deny, it has been hard to stay away. So many things I would think of writing and have held firm to give myself the time to just breath. I'm not sure if I'm back yet. I just wanted to share I am taking the time to retrain my mind & eyes into enjoying the little things and not worry so much.

Some new things happening around here... I got a job outside the home. Now before you think I've gone all career woman, it's just once a week working for a women only fitness facility. I really like it with hopes of acquiring a few more days but am content with what I have.

Our little Frog has begun Kindergarten, the last of my wee ones going off to enrich herself. THAT is taking a toll on me with a bit of the empty nest feeling. I will adjust soon enough.

As for the Bee's they appear to be doing great. I only managed to get stung once with the last hive inspection due to my own stupidity. No veil & no smoker.. not the wisest decision I have made but it did leave a painful reminder.

The chickens? Well at 8 months I have yet to see a single egg. I've done the trouble shooting and have sunk low with threatening them in my best Queen of hearts accent "off with their heads!". I do not think they were all that impressed. They never are when I pull that one.

We got around to weed whacking the garden. Yes. it was exactly as you most likely are picturing. An embarrassment as well as a source of sadness to me. I did manage to salvage a few banana melon plants still thriving and am allowing to finish ripening. Without their weed coverage I hope it does not kill them off. There are a few black cherry tomato plants still going strong and I am looking forward to making the green ones into my delicious Green tomato chutney recipe from a few years back.

Oh! And not too long I spoke of the desire on finding us a row Boat. I have caught The Captain dreamily looking over ads & in store displays. I knew he so badly wanted one and after I received my Nikon D3100 {DSLR camera} a few months ago {from the selling of all that awesome vintage finds a friend helped me on}, I found a treasure for my captain... It is one of those stories where it seems too good to be true but Lady Luck smiled down upon me and granted one of our great family desires.

Now the story is that this boat has sat unused for 35 or so years. It hails from Chicago where it had been barely used when bought new then placed in a barn by it's 70 yr old owner where it would sit almost 15 more years. When the owner passed away, a relative came into it being no one else had any interest. So the man hauled it all the way out here in Ohio and promptly stored it in his {immaculate!} barn back in 1993. It sat until 2002 when he cleaned her off and finally got around to buying the sticker license with intentions to get her out on the lake. But instead..she sat. Right up until I walked by and the Tempest lured me in with her vintage AlumaCraft sticker and vintage aluminum body in amazing condition. She's filthy but a little elbow grease & she is sure to be a beaut!

Lets just say I got one heck of a deal that would knock the socks off many. The house & barn are up for sale with a Widower who just wanted things gone from the barn. I was happy to oblige.

To see the face of Little Man when I showed him this picture after saying "Wanna see what I got today?" made it even more worthwhile. A simple "hand reeling in the line" motion from The Captain has Lil Man jumping up & proclaiming "I'll get the stuff". He knows it's time to fish with his daddy. Enriching moments & times they both will cherish long after the boat is gone.

For now, I will gradually make my way back into blogging here but I have a secret to share. I've been cheating on you... I began blogging {to no one really being it is an undiscovered nor shared site} sharing my progress with my photos. Nothing big. Just every session i do with the kids I post a few favorites on there so as to keep track of my progress.

I told you it was hard to keep away...

Until next time~

Sweetest Dreams,

~Tammie

Taking a Sabbatical.....

2011-06-26T16:44:00.000-04:00

2 posts in one day but I had contemplated which one I would do. I have posted both with this one nudging me to just do it.

In recent times, "sabbatical" has come to mean any extended absence in the career of an individual in order to achieve something. In the modern sense, one takes sabbatical typically to fulfill some goal, e.g., writing a book or travel extensively for research.

So that is where things have led for me.

I'm not sure where I go from here but after 5 years I need to walk away for a while.

It has been a consideration for some time but I kept pulling away from the idea. After a wonderful heart to heart with The Captain I feel it is the best thing to do.

If you do not already subscribe to my blog, receiving it as an email, and wish to be alerted on future posts & news, then please do so now.

See ya around.

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

Oh and I might turn off all comments at some point since I will not be checking email as often as I have in the past. Just a heads up.

moments in time..

2011-06-26T14:24:00.001-04:00

An amazing encounter with a fawn in our backyard, walking right up to me:

Standing within 10 ft before scared off when the children began coming out the back door:

The next day we took advantage of the clear yet over cast day, & spent it enjoying Lake Erie beach. The waves were a bit choppy, but I knew a spot that I call "the lake lagoon", which pours out into Lake Erie.

We hunted for Beach glass and Heart shaped rocks, walking away with a few nice pieces.

Now for some not so great moments..... Feel free to skip it.

The Spring has been off the charts crazy. I am sick of the constant rains & all that has come as a result from it. On top of that I have been trying to come up with solutions to a situation a company has put me in. They are not a sponsor for the videos but were going to be one of them. After months of promises they back out last minute leaving me dry on the promises I have made to others no time to get things done in time. And I mean back out as in not returning my phone calls or emails after multiple conversations confirming they would supply the main needed items for the small scale grain growing series. They are a well known company and are into the organic movement. A company I will not publicly oust but...SHAME ON YOU. I have kept mum on this in hopes I would find a last minute sponsor but have come up dry. Now I must alter things that will also bring the end of the videos. Calling it frustrating is being kind.

I'm working towards some more changes {when am I not doing so} and FINALLY have some answers and Cooperation with the captain. Hopefully the nudge {O.k more like a grab the bull by the coononies}will stop the circle we keep running.

Anyone looking for a mid level management guy with a B.A in industrial logistics & 11 yrs exp that actually pays good?
Man this job market gets harder and harder with each passing year. Thankfully the horizon has been opened to include the Carolina's.

More rains coming this entire week so I'm evaluating the supplies and planning the new creations.

Sweeter dreams,

~Tammie

Join me down the Rabbit hole...

2011-06-22T17:03:00.000-04:00

Imagination. Fantasy. Enchantment & Whimsy. From the freedom to roam, romp & play as a child to the magical moments that very well may take your breath away. A perception so unique to the individual that others who might share the "space", may very well not be able to feel or see as you do & have.

Children, unlike adults, do not have the inhibition's. Maybe not as many children as there once were, but, it is the place adults need to nurture for the joys of childhood. Playing with a child, they envelope you within their world. You can "see" the non see-ables. You can hear the "silence". YOU... are in their WONDERLAND.

I have not lost my child self. She still climbs trees & swings her sword. Fortunately, I have 3 other children to keep her alive. That's where my love of costume making can come into play.

So what has all this rambling & Jibberish have to do with today's post?

I have been coveting all these wonderful mini top hats & fascinators that have been trending for some time now.

Picture of items made by Topsy Turvy Designs via Styleamor

{Styleamor, linked above, has a very nice post from 2009 on the mini hat and fascinator trend surge}

I fell in love with the whimsy Vintage inspired accessories, searching for more styles online. So I got in the zone, looked up a few tutorials that eventually formed the outcome of the Felt Top hat and my burnt edge fabric flower.

I'm rather content with how it came out, being my first try at this whole Hat stuff.

Is it wrong to have enjoyed playing with the candle, burning the edges of the fabric

flower? Kinda soothing during the wee hours of the morn.

I whipped this mini top hat up for the purpose of Camera fun with Frog & Panda. I still have a few more to play with as well as some of those fun Feather fascinators! Think of all the fun Tea parties these could accompany! The different outfits and locations fueling more inspiration!

I'm thinking up some Fun style Ties for Lil man & a few other whimsy Boy theme additions as well. So many Photo ideas flying through my mind, I just HAVE to satisfy them while I can.

Are you feeling inspired for some crafty fun but prefer them in fabric with cardboard?

Then check out this easy version of the Mad Hatter mini top hat can be found here:

http://diyfashion.about.com/od/diyhats/ss/Make_a_Top_Hat.htm

Mine is made from felt squares which I shaped on a Mayo Jar. Yep. An old school mayo jar, a blow dryer and some watered down Elmer glue. If you prefer the felt version, then just do a search for how to shape & stretch Felt into a hat formation. Even the subject of fabric flowers will bring plaenty of How to's.

If your coveting the Mini top hat & Fascinator look but do not have the Craftability, I Suggest checking out Topsy Turvy linked above for adult size but if your looking for mini size, I say head over to Lisa's mini Mad Hattery. The original start to my must have desire for a mini Hat.

Sunny Dreams,

~Tammie

Calling all shutterbugs!

2011-06-20T09:52:00.000-04:00

Just a heads up to the amazing, heart throbbing, leave me dreaming Giveaway over at the Soulographer.
Blog Giveaway link : http://www.soulographer.com/

Can ya tell I am oh so stoked for the chance to win?!

Of Late, my thoughts have focused on Photography. I even DREAM about it! Finding Skye Hardwick Edmonds has sent my inspiration into a whole new realm.Her Work as a Childrens photographer is top notch! Seeing all the talented and amazing people who are participating in the giveaway has made for some enjoyable Rainy day down time. The laundry may be lacking but when I get to it, I now have plenty to entertain my thoughts.

I envy the winner of the prizes. Skye's professional experience Workbook with posing guide, the Photo editing actions. The brilliant accessory & prop option delights and so much more.

So what are you waiting for? Take your creative Photography to the next level and Check out the Soulographer and the participating companies in the giveaway! {oh, should you have problems getting the page to load, try using an alternitive browser connection like Firefox. You can also check out more on her Work of Heart project on the Facebook page : http://www.facebook.com/index.php?lh=467068d04b04df941708ef947760c2cf&#!/Soulographer?sk=info }

Sunny Dreams,

~Tammie

Blind as a ...Mole?

2011-06-13T08:17:00.001-04:00

Moles are considered a pest in most Countries due to their shallow tunneling of the earth. Lawns can be destroyed, garden plants left dead from the root disturbance and other species such as weasels and voles may use mole tunnels to gain access to enclosed areas or plant roots. Contrary to popular belief, moles do not eat plant roots.

Over all, not something positive to find just 10 ft from my garden.
*Post Correction: Thank you to Secret Creek who shared with me these are not moles, but rather Voles. Something I had never known on what the difference is between them, nor seen a picture identifying the difference. She shared: "These babies are Voles...see the rodent looking feet. They live above ground like mice..just a bit bigger than a mouse. Moles have almost no eyeball either."
Thank you Secret Creek for the correction. {Hopefully I'm not the only oddball in the room who never knew the difference. lol}

We were working on the last part of my garden fencing when The Captain lifted one section revealing a Garter snake. O.K, no big deal. Just let our Lil Man the snake charmer grab it and release in the other direction.

Then before he lifted the second panel an adult mole come running out. Hmm. Thats wierd. A snake & a mole in the same spot?

So then we lift the third panel just 8 ft away and found the above. Now it all clicked. Momma Mole was most likely luring the garter snake away from her nest and now here we are disturbing the home she made.

5 baby moles all snug in this above ground spot now exposed to the elements and predators. I know what your thinking, at least most of you. So what did I do?

I told them I would spare them and in return I expect exclusion from their presence in or around my garden. If you choose to disregard this immunity pact your life shall not be spared so kindly as it has this day. Enjoy your freedom, far away from this spot and may we never meet again....

O.k not exactly what I said. More like "I just cant kill 'em. I just cant. Dang me for having a heart!".

Some may think that was a great thing, others may be left shaking their heads. After all, baby moles grow into adult moles and we are not exactly sparse in that department. I feel I interrupted nature enough with the moving of our fence panels. We laid some rocks around the spot so we do not step on the nest and will let Mother Nature do what she does. Maybe my good act of Karma will return as a great garden year. Maybe the moles will selectively destroy the roots of those pesky weeds, bypassing the veggies and fruits. Maybe things will work out in my favor....Maybe.... Hey a girl can at least hope!

Sunny Dreams,

~Tammie
P.S Although the mole can be eaten, the taste is said to be deeply unpleasant. Has me wondering if that snake was either very hungry or just in the wrong place at the wrong time...

the Garden gives, beating the heat & row boat paradise...

2011-06-09T09:12:00.000-04:00

Frog harvested her first bit of french breakfast Radish, which is only enjoyed by her & The Captain. Whats nice about these is the quick to harvest timing. Gratification for small children who do not have the capability to think months ahead as with items like tomatoes & melons.

I am re thinking the whole garden after this years experience with weeds, taking in previous year issues. At the end of this year I will bite the bullet and by the thick black plastic for ground cover. The cloth has done nothing to stop the growth of grass & such. It's to a point I'm throwing my hands up and do not even want to be in the garden anymore. I am that sick of weeding and it's only the first half of June. Not that the garden looks like I have done anything, making it all the more reason I am left frustrated.

So what better way to take a break from things and beat the heat?

Grab the kids off the buss and pack them{and dog} up for some fishing!

The breeze coming of the lake while standing on the dock was better then air conditioning. {Which I refuse to use unless it becomes unbearable}. Lil Man was in the lucky spot and caught 8 bluegill in 45 minutes. Yes, I know those things are easy, but for an 8 yr old boy, actually catching fish is the bright spot.

Our dear Ming who does have some peculiar behavior around strangers, like walking as far away from them on walkway as possible, looked to be enjoying herself as well. From trying to intimidate geese 4 times her size to wading into the water which she quickly discovered the shore is far enough.

Instead of a dog bowl, she has a child size china tea cup she drinks from. Rather funny to see being she is so small and such a tiny cup fits her needs perfectly.

I am determined to find an aluminum small boat for rowing around the lake this summer. I do not mind sitting back and watching them fish. I have my own plans on making the small boat style I have in mind comfortable for lounging as well. A good book and a large parasol...

I can see myself going out on the lake alone as well, just to read and float about...

Sunny Dreams,

~Tammie

Being a part of a community & importance to family

2011-06-03T10:45:00.000-04:00

This was my post for after memorial day which I had not published. I am late in sharing but the message is still valid.

Now that we are back in the community we have participated in from afar through the towns Jaycee's and which happens to be my husbands hometown, I see even more of the importance to the structure of family.

We live in a small town, a farming community rich with history of families still here, tied back to it's forming back in the late 1700's. Families whose ancestors have streets named after them. Houses and Farms that are still in the family namesake, created up to two hundred years ago.

We spent our memorial day helping out the township league {no longer the Jaycee's which had a limited age of participation}. From 8 am at the Boy Scout Pancake breakfast to the prepping of the parade. We hung signs, prepped the flags lining the street on every electric pole and in between, someone handed me their camera & asked I get some good shots of the day for sharing on the towns league site. The kids were with us all the way and had a blast doing it. Their task was to be sure everyone had a flag from one end of our main street to the other.

Frog & panda handing them out by our fire department, next to Town Hall:

And when the crowd really started to fill out, it was time to ride in the golf cart, reaching the far ends of street a mile down. They especially liked this part {and of course the driver went slower then we could walk but just all the more reason for the kiddos to ride}:

Our children were taught many important lessons this day. They learned about community, the hard work put into such town events and our proudest point was the enhancement of understanding one should have for the American flag. To see war Vets who fought to give us the freedom we do have and to respect them for the sacrifices they have made as well as for the soldiers who are doing so now. They have had problems understanding why their Uncle Army was so far away and could not call very often or come home to see them. The importance of his role and ALL soldiers in trying to keep us safe back home became more clear with the days activities and involvment. It's not about politics. It's about Honor, Respect & Responsibilty.Family & Community.

By being a part of our community, participating with volunteer work that gives not only us, but our children a feeling of Pride. Pride in their community & Pride for their country. Something that can not be taught with just words but actions and involvement by those who are the role models and Parents.

This is their Home town and by example we are teaching them many important life lessons that will carry on into their adulthood. Honesty, truth, dedication and commitment. Things we see lacking in many of those with each new generation. If a child is raised without the feeling of responsibility for more then just to themselves, it will come into play as adults. A Man's word can no longer be trusted as it once was. Responsibility to family & community can only be taught through example and not just by one's words. They learn by example.

After all their hard work we ended the day with family friends. To see so many smiling faces, children running through the sprinklers & playing with water guns in the 90 degree day. Adults enjoying great conversation with good company.A fitting end to a great day.

Full of lasting memories of a happy childhood.

School is almost out for the Summer and the Skies have given us the Sunshine we have been begging for. Time to make more great Summer memories and have some Family fun.

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie

This Week's Round up & I KNEW I should have built that ark years ago...

2011-05-22T09:36:00.001-04:00

Remember the Robin eggs we found not too long ago?

Well it must have been a nest that was washed away in the Ohio monsoons since a rather determined mother robin has built another nest exactly where I thought one had been.

Now that the weeping cherry trees have filled out with their green coverage, her nest is much safer from the down pours.

We have had about 45 days out of 60 producing rain. I am not kidding when I say the garden looks like a beach where the tide had gone out. I can not retill being plants & seeds have already been sown and thanks to the moisture content, i have had to pull back all the black weed cloth to prevent anymore green mold growing underneath.

The rains have been so bad that our trip to the Backyard Mushroom grower has been put off for a few more weeks. The area where we would be standing is in about 1 foot of water! Although it may be entertaining to you, seeing me dog paddle through her backyard, I opted to move the visit for hopefully sunnier days.

I know they say the rains are good for the flowers & trees but with as much as we have had it looks like it is only good for drowning them...and preventing any road trip adventures. So frustrating that here we are almost to June and I have not been able to do any video destinations or projects.

The good news is that The Captain is almost done with all the posts for my garden fencing. The chicken pen has grass finally growing {well in most of the areas}.Plus I was able to swing for a new Sony Cyber shot 560 point & shoot after my 4 yr old digi dropped out of my garden basket,unbeknownst to me, and was destroyed in one of our hard rains. I'm still saving my pennies for that Nikon D3100 and am half way there. Just taking a little longer then I estimated.

Now I normally do not share much about my children's personal lives outside of our playing farmer but this time how could I not share? Little Miss Frog graduated Pre K Friday and during her graduation she was given an award. What award? For "Fashionista"! Thanks to all of her "original & colorful choice of outfits" she so often wears to school. THIS is one of my top favorites and will help give you an idea of why she was awarded "Fashionista" by her school:

The award, the above picture & her "diploma" will go into a Framed custom collage for hanging in her room. I hope she will always hold on to being independent in thought,behavior & hopefully...always remember to never fear standing out from the crowd.

The rains have really bummed me out so I best focus on getting some Mojo back to spice things up a bit. Maybe a trip to an estate sale or even a country market will get us back in touch.
Until next time...

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

Garden Knee rails, coop peek & out smarting hungry chickens

2011-05-11T19:53:00.000-04:00

One thing I dislike about the beginning of garden season is the bareness of it all. Which has brought problems with mysterious child like foot prints, appearing in all the newly sown beds. Of course no one knows where these prints come from and usually are accompanied by tiny paw prints as well.

My solution in hopes to curb the trampling is these rustic "knee rails" I whipped up the other day. I salvaged pieces from last years garden obelisks. The white Birch will look so nice when things have grown up and out a bit.

In the future I may need to add some "Chest rails" about 5 inches from the ground. ..to help with those tiny paw prints popping up as well.

I began my Long Pie pumpkins & various melon seeds far too early this year. The black cloth to the left in the above is their intended home, so remains bare for now. I am shocked at how quick they sprouted from seed this time around. I planted the seeds in the flat around dinner time 2 days ago. A few melons were already 2 inches tall just 24 hours later! I Kid you not!

I know it's been a while since I brought the new chicken coop home and although it is ALMOST in it's final state, I thought I would share a little peek. Not as Fancy as I had envisioned but FAR nicer then any coop I have had before:

See that dirt in the dutch door bottom? Yeah. Umm. That would be from the wood apparently swelling so we have had to kick it into the door frame when being closed. Gotta break out the jigsaw and take a little off the area. It will have to be on a day that someone else can entertain these chickens. They are like little kids, following me EVERYWHERE with their curiosity and of course determination I have food hiding somewhere on my person.

Why just the other morning I went to let them out of their coop but made the mistake of not bringing their food with me. I walk towards the gate. 17 chickens ~~walk~~ Run towards the gate. I stop. They stop. Feathered bodies between and under my feet all the way. So I make a mad dash back towards their coop, thinking I could shake them by going around the coop, after all they are not the best at taking corners ,then RUN for the gate. Slam! tiny little heads popping out the chain link. I could not help but laugh. Most people run from A mean rooster. Me? A mob of breakfast hungry chickens.

What makes it worse is when you go in the ....barefoot!

And gosh forbid your nails are painted {even as chipped and in need of refreshing as mine:

Oh! I forgot to mention, it's egg watching time! Coming up on 5 months in 2 weeks. I wonder who will be the first? Will I actually find the first few eggs in the coop or will they be in their yard wherever the "urge" hits them? Will it send them all into a clucking competition as they try to figure out what just happened? What about "Root Beer" the Rooster? Will he Crow for the first time or will he continue on with just sweet chatter to his ladies??

Silly chickens. They never cease to amuse me.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

2011-05-05T08:30:00.000-04:00

Giveaways can be so much fun, even better when it's something that keeps on giving.Thank you to all who have entered. Comments are always a joy to read. Having an Unusual prize made this one rather exciting.

I wish I could give everyone of you a prize. To have your own mushrooms growing just outside your home. Truly I do. So easy, so delicious and rather "Unique" as our winner said in her comment for the contest.

Panda & I sat down before the school bus came so she could do the Randomizer, for a computer generated winner. So when the number came up, she counted down the entrants and announced "Sharon Lovejoy is the winner! Does she really live in a sunflower house?" Which made me laugh and I explained the meaning behind it.

Sharon Lovejoy is a wonderful Author & Illustrator. One can not help but be inspired not only by her words but the sight of her beautiful Art. The actual inspiration behind Panda's own Sunflower house many years ago before I "met" Sharon in Cyber world. My writing of her could never justify such a gift of a person she is to all us.

Rather fitting she has won, being she has given so much to many many families with her writings. An amazing & inspiring woman whom now can add Mushroom Gardener to her diverse activities.

Congratulations Sharon! May your adventure with Mushroom growing be as pleasurable as the moments you have inspired for so many.

And a thousand Thank You's to Field and Forest, Proud to be a part of this Rotting world! They so kindly sponsored this Unusual Giveaway. A true asset for Backyard & Larger scale Mushroom growers, coming highly recommended by many fungi growers I have spoken with.

Just because your number did not come up here does not mean you can't grow your own. Check out their informative & easily navigated site for your Backyard start up. For under $20, you could have your very own 2 pounds of Wine Cap Spore in sawdust delivered right to your door. Giving Many years of edible, delicious Adventures.

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie

It's the Bee's Knee's and beauty of Spring Storms

2011-04-30T08:14:00.002-04:00

Before I begin, Just a reminder to get your comment in on The Backyard Mushroom spore Giveaway in my previous post. Deadline is May 4th, so be sure to get your name in the ring for a chance to experience your own growing of Easy edible Mushrooms!

Our bee hive has been very active. With this hive, I am able to sit within a foot and at times just inches of their entry spot. It became so fascinating to watch their activity with the most amusing being the traffic jam of having just the finger width hole for entry & exit.

If you had read my last post from setting up their hive, you will remember I placed grass in the 1/2 inch spot where my entry reducer was just a tad too short on one end. {can be seen in the picture of our hive in that post}. The "House keeper" bee's have been very busy removing it all. Rather endearing to watch a small insect pulling a long blade of grass from the hole, so determined to get it done as others were constantly walking and bumping into it. Then you have the workers... What a thrill it was to notice the many different colors of pollen on their legs. Hues of bright to mellow yellow. Dark brown oranges to almost a neon orange in color. You begin to wonder where are they traveling to? What plant have they found that gives them such a color?

Not too mention, look at all the different sizes of their pollen collection. The larger amounts almost look like Saddle bags:

You can see the brighter color pollen collected on one of the bee's in this picture below. Not sure why, but the ones with the brighter color yellow's and Oranges were harder to catch for a photo. This is a poor example for sharing of brighter colors. Truly, there were many with more Neon color Nectar.

The winds picked up yesterday so Frog & I walked to the back field for some camera fun. The blades of field grass were bending so beautifully. Waves across the green. The clouds were beginning to get that stormy look as well.So full with variations of white and grey. The sun brightening their back drop. One of the most beautiful things in a Spring storm is when it has a long build up like this one. Air is so warm yet the strong winds have a slight coldness as they whip through. The clouds appeared almost as though they were racing above us. A perfect time to grab a blanket and wonder out to the field for some cloud watching and allow Frog to practice picture taking. She has taken a big interest in it of late. Being 5 1/2 she has not fully comprehended all the skills but has surprised with some of her random snapshots:

Now if this recent over pour of Rain will stay away for the weekend, I may actually get the chicken coop painted with it's final coating of color. I might even get The Captain to do the post holes for my Garden fencing. Yay!

Experimenting with a potential oh so cool project this week. I had read of it's doing in a book published for Ladies in 1890. Of course deciphering a certain material was nothing but a quick trip to my friends at Abruzzo's, my Favorite Home Brew shop. It's not what ya think, so stay tuned for a little tutorial and what to do with all those first time mini chicken eggs.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Backyard Mushroom growing GIVEAWAY!

2011-04-24T07:58:00.001-04:00

Been thinking about growing mushrooms but have not made the leap to include them in your adventures? Well then I have the PERFECT thing to help get your toes wet.

Not too long ago a reader had emailed, inviting me out to their place. She has been growing mushrooms in her backyard for a few years now. Generously she has offered to share some start up for growing our own Wine Cap & Shitake mushrooms once her 'Shrooms start to show face in the next few weeks. The more I learned of her set up the more I knew she would make a great spotlight video. If I am inspired just from our writing and her pictures, then surely you too will be hopping on the mushroom growing adventure.

Backyard Mushroom growing will be our first Video of 2011.

So in the spirit of what is to come I contacted a Mushroom spore & supply company whom has been recommended by MANY of those I have spoken to who grow backyard mushrooms.

Field and Forest is giving away 1 two pound bag of Wine Cap spore in sawdust

{Plants 25 sq. ft of chips or sawdust 3 inches deep. Includes instructions.}

to ONE lucky reader, RIGHT HERE on my blog! Ya wont find it anywhere else people.

Your prize will be mailed to you directly from the company. You MUST provide an actual residence address if you are the lucky winner*please see small print rules below*

Wildman Steve with Wine cap Mushrooms he harvested from the wild

"Wine Caps are some of the easiest mushrooms to grow and they are really beautiful. The mushroom features a robust white stalk with a port wine colored cap. These are crisp, slightly nut flavored mushrooms that are great for cooking and grilling.Keep the beds watered to keep the chips moist but not saturated. Regular garden-style watering is usually enough. In a few weeks you should detect the strong white mycelium growing out through the wood chips. Fruiting occurs late summer through fall, then again the following year around Memorial Day. Add fresh chips to the bed after the spring fruiting to keep it fresh and create new beds periodically by transferring shovels full of inoculated chips from the established old bed to new locations. If you have a gardener’s eye you’ll soon see potential Wine Cap beds everywhere you look!"

My sincere gratitude to Field and Forest for participating in this giveaway. Such friendly people and their prices?{you know I'm all about saving the green} You will be happy to note that they are very agreeable in their pricing with superior stock and an AMAZING wealth of information. They do not just sell the supply on their site. They explain, teach and share a wealth of information in a very understandable format. Not to mention, when I called the company for the first time, the OWNER answered the phone. Now how often does that happen with companies out there? Be sure to check out their site {highlighted words or just enter http://www.fieldforest.net%7dand/ grow mushrooms in your backyard!

Oh yes, of course. How can you win your very own Wine cap mushrooms?

Just leave a comment, a simple just throwing your name in the ring comment will do.

You have until midnight EASTERN time May 4th 2011 to get your comment in. Tell your fellow bloggers as well. This is a great opportunity to begin or simply experiment with Mushroom growing. Easy, fun & interesting. Not too mention...EDIBLE!

The small print "rules":

Winner will be picked by number randomizer. 1 comment per person. Play nice. To enter you MUST have a public profile PLUS a way for immediate contact {via email on your profile}. You will have 2 days to respond to my email of your winning & if no return contact is made in that time I reserve the right to randomize another winner. MUST have a street residence mailing address for prize to be recieved. NO P.O box, etc.

I reserve the right to make any changes I feel are neccasary with this contest.

So what are you waiting for?! Leave your comment entry now!

Sweet "Mushroom" dreams,

~Tammie

Finding Robin egg's & the weeping Cherry tree's

2011-04-21T18:48:00.000-04:00

Here at the Stone Cottage, Spring has been sharing many delights. The weeping Cherry trees are in bloom and the Weeping Willow has begun showing it's green leaves.

Frog & I began doing some Spring clean up. Edging the driveway was our first duty. As usual, Frog began to play around under the weeping Cherry trees and soon she found a beautiful surprise!

I assume a Nest robber has been at work since upon our inspection, there were no nests above where the ice cold egg was found. Soon we began searching the other weeping cherries and found another cold Robins egg just 2 trees over. The closest nest to where the eggs lay was a good 25 to 30 ft away. Although it does appear as though there may have been a nest in the one tree between where the eggs were found. All these rains may very well have destroyed the nest, Winds or the action of falling, causing the eggs to go in opposite directions.

We decided they would have a new home in the Birds nest I found a few years back which contained some of our Beloved Chia's Hair. The one I found that Spring after her death.

I began thinking of that old Girl today. Between the beautiful weather, dandelions showing their golden faces, then the robin eggs. Flashes of past Springs from the old house come flooding back. I was hit with the most intense heart ache as soon as she came into my thoughts. I miss her terribly. Probably far more then I should after all these years.

I thought of the May day Dandelion crowns we make every year and she always ate her crown after indulging me for a few moments. Who will wear the crowns we make and be our May Day Queen? Who will I have to keep me company as I make my way through the early Spring chores? Spring always reminds me of her. From the walks in parks with my Goat on a leash to the delight as she scratched off her winter coat with some amazing acrobats.

I miss that silly old goat. Maybe it's the rarity of her personality that I fear will never be found again or that I will compare others to her, never letting them be on her "pedestal". I only hope she comes back to me when I have it in me {and the ability} to take goats on again.

For now I have the beautiful memories. A beautiful Spring to enjoy. And of course plenty of projects up ahead.

Sweetest Dreams,

~Tammie

Magic of our first hive

2011-04-15T20:20:00.002-04:00

What a gorgeous day for a mini road trip, while picking up our grouping of bee's. High 60's F. Sunny clear skies. Could not have asked for a better day to travel the hour drive to Mantua.

The drive home had my car filled with the buzz of our bee's and the intense joyful scent of bee's wax from my new hive set up.

I quickly got to work setting the hive up and making the sugar syrup before the kids got off the bus. I never noticed before how light can be seen through their little bodies. As I peered in watching their movements, I could see their little bodies light up a brownish orange as the sun sat behind them in the Eastern sky. Amazing!

As soon as I had everyone tucked in, well most of them anyway, Lil Man crept in for a closer look. There were some stragglers in the screened box that would just not let go, after I "knocked" the lot into the hive.

There were a few things missing from the set up I bought. I was unaware they were not with the hive until I began setting it up.

No entry reducer which I quickly found a proper width piece of wood & whipped the reducer up with the jigsaw. And then ...there was the Feeder setup. Rain was on the horizon so I had to brainstorm quick. No waiting around or buying one in time {which could take days if not a week or more.} So I grabbed 2 of the chick waterer's, filled the reservoir with gravel and screwed on the sugar syrup filled jars. I also placed the can, of their water feed, inside since it still had a good half of the liquid left.

They quickly converged on the queen in her cage, completely covering her from any recognition of even being there. Beautiful and amazing.

So now we wait. 1 week before we take a peek inside to ensure the queen has been released from her marshmallow corked chamber. The problem with waiting is...I am not known for patience. Add in inexperienced bee keeper.

I have gone out every hour since their homing, to assure myself they have not run away. My imagination got the better of me and I would picture them slowly clinging to a branch, more and more joining, leaving the queen behind. Leaving me with an empty hive. I was afraid I had read the Book wrong and should not have left that finger width space open on the reducer. Maybe it said to keep it closed for the first week? Reread and of course it says nothing about bee's swooping out as soon as the new beekeeper walks away. Of course there is nothing in there saying it wouldn't either... So like a new mother checking on her sleeping baby, I would pacify my worry with the hourly visits. Only to find they are accounted for {not that I counted but the stragglers were still inches from the entry & plenty of buzzing & guarding going on}.

I am sure as I lay down to sleep my over active mind will bring dreams of an empty hive or chasing a swarm of bee's like a runaway flying chicken, too high to reach in the tree's. I will try to sway the dreams with a few chapters of garden chatter. Maybe stories of country life. THAT should help my mind focus on something less stressful. But just in case, I might take a quick look through my Beekeeping book.

Just to reassure myself this sort of thing is not likely to occur ....

Sweetest dreams,
~Tammie

The Table that took 6 months to build...

2011-04-10T20:32:00.001-04:00

No, that is not an exaggeration. It truly took 6 months from start to finish. Not because the table actually required that much work. No, it's more like I refused to brave the cold & work on it during the winter. Yes, I dislike being cold that much.

I first mentioned this Project last September, showing a beautiful upcycled barn wood table. It had a rather alluring bottom shelf for the Farm House table. LOVED IT! So begun the construction which did not end looking like the one in the picture. None the less, it is unique and huge! 8 ft long and 3 ft wide.

I did not like square edges on the end, so I cut a slight crescent into the frame corners and round the top corners. Then applied a light layer of white paint just to the base.

I'm not Bob Villa but I am very happy with how it came out. I made it so the top sits at 34 inches high, perfect to prevent slumping over the top in normal dining chairs. Once my new dining chairs are finished with their new cushions, our old table chairs will be transformed into wood bottom {removing the cushions} for using with this table outside, under the future Arbor.

I also managed to finish tilling under the winter rye cover crop in the garden. To feel the cold soil freshly turned under my feet, was exhilarating. BUT it came with a consequence. Within 1/2 an hour I soon broke out in a massive case of itchy red skin & hives all over my body.It felt as though my skin was really crawling. I could feel a swelling in my throat & saw my limbs begin to get puffy.I grabbed the benedryl, which was followed with the antihistamine induced nap. I woke up as though I had partied the night away.Headache, sensitive stomach. Ack! Lesson learned. Do not till winter rye while barefoot.

The chickens are loving this recent turn of Mother Nature. Their coop is still awaiting it's final home INSIDE the chicken pen, but they stay with a 10 ft range of the coop despite not having barriers. Dust bathing, playing "who's got the worm now football" and of course flying in circles testing out their wings.

Moving the coop is a matter of awaiting for the person whom is doing the job to get the time to come over. Supposedly that will tomorrow. I truly hope so. I would like to finish the painting & decor soon.

I got the call today.Our Bee's will be ready for pick up on Thursday, which I will not be able to drive the hour there & then back until Friday Morning. Being my first time doing this alone, I decided to take you along for the ride. I did not realize there is not much at all in the books I have about bringing them home & what to do that day/night. They concentrate on once you have them settled in..

Hopefully I can get enough good footage of all that will be happening as to make a video for sharing. Gas has been keeping me close to home and of course plenty of none returned emails/phone calls to destinations. lol.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

A request for herbal wisdom~ Folk lore, recipes, charms...

2011-04-07T08:12:00.000-04:00

First I must share my excitement is getting to over flow. Sometime around the 15th of this month I will be traveling out to pick up our grouping of Bee's and a new hive. For the first hive we will go with the traditional stack box style. Then when it's time to split them, we will use a top bar hive.

Now as for my herbal request, it has to do with something I have been slowly making for some time now. I have been compiling a Wise woman Herbal book for my children. The only herbs in it are ones we can grow ourselves or harvest from the surrounding area. I was once told "It is best to know 40 uses for one herb then to know 1 use for forty herbs". After much dilemma I have had when locally buying herbs I decided not to include herbs we could not provide ourselves.

swinging upon the outstretched limb of our Magic Tree next to the old garden, June 2009.

I have my list compiled of herbs for the book. Roots, leaves, trees, etc. for making it easier to write in alphabetical order, but the book itself is no where near complete.

I found a few folklore "charms" in a book titled :Mugworts In May by Linda Ours Rago

I am looking for simple backyard {Ohio grow able} ingredient herbals. Especially little sayings to go with each herb such as the one found in the above "In Dock Out Nettle. Don't let the Blood settle".

The book has helped in my understanding of what the masses thought of as "Witch Charms",which were actually knowledge passed down from mother to daughter in Rhyme. In a time when women were uneducated, unable to write, they passed the knowledge of herbs in rhymes. Making it easier to remember & repeated with their application, again reinforcing the memory.

May Day Basket 2006

I would also like to include the source of the knowledge shared from you and if in the future I decide to make this compiling of Herbals more public, ask of your permission to share & be able to mention the source. It would be through self publishing since I would like to share a copy with friends & family, meaning I would be downloading my finished compilation through an online self publishing site. Keeps pricing low for publishing a book with color pictures and durable cover.

I will share here when all is done should anyone else like a copy.

Feel free to share either by comment or Via email. If you go to my profile, you will find my email below profile picture.

I must Thank you ahead should you choose to share your herbal wisdom/ rhymes. One or ten, or even a suggestion of where to find what I seek. All are appreciated.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Cement compost bin a week of hard labor

2011-04-02T20:56:00.000-04:00

With the few sunny days over the last week, we have accomplished clearing out the South side strip of our woods.Lots of overgrowth, debris and brush. The bad part of it...I gave my son Poison Ivy...

So as I'm chopping vines, pulling dead tree logs & raking the mini forest floor~ I unknowingly threw Poison ivy vine into the brush pile they were picking up. Poor guy has it all over his neck & face, arms & leg. He's mending well but we did end up seeing the doc for some medicine.

I have some kind of immunity to poison ivy & oak.{I call it one of my "secret super powers" when the kids wanted to know why I've never had it}. I hear all the time, rather smugly "there will be a day you get it after all these years of immunity. It does not last forever". When it happens then so be it, in the mean time...I'll keep playing Jane of the Jungle.

In the beginning of the week we traveled out to Massillon for a truck load of freebie {intact} cement blocks. The guy had used them for a raised garden bed & we are now using it for the future planned Compost pile. The cement block is mortared together, a felt sheet applied to all of it's surfaces & then a cement like plaster is applied. Giving it an almost stucco smooth appearance.

Photo from book:

I found the how to in the book " Easy Concrete:43 DIY projects for Home & Garden by Malena Skote" . I was very happy to find it on the new release shelf of our library. Lots of inspiration & really cool projects in there.

AND speaking of projects, I am ALMOST complete with my farmhouse table. I had a little issue with the flat top slats...as in I bought them a few at a time and all 3 trips produced 3 different lengths. Yeah. Not a surprise but at least it is something I can fix with the saw. It's almost done minus the above & some little touches. I have a few other projects like removing the paint from Bike of Sunshine now that it is all disassembled and more clean up before we begin the Grape Arbor on the south side of the Garden by the Bonfire area.

The Captain lost all his Hops with our move last summer and is excited his new order came in. I had to share with you how their simple packaging held such charm compared to many such things we have ordered.

Simple burlap but far more charming then newspaper and a plastic bag. {and a welcome surprise of an extra Rhizome in one of the bundles}.

I truly can not wait for it all of this to be done.Not because of the work. No, it's final product I desire. I keep picturing it in my head. Trying to hold on to the image. Many a sore back, freezing body & numb finger moment, melted away knowing all this work will be worth it. Summer evenings spent by the Bonfire. Meals under the Grape arbor and on my 8 ft long Farm house table. Views of cleaned and tended mini forests and wildlife habitats.And a garden that is not only fruitful of edibles but bountiful of pleasure.

Instant smile and plenty of work to get the body heat pumping.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

The chicken...hot tub?

2011-03-27T09:05:00.000-04:00

It all began simple enough. Bring the chickens hot water in a plastic container in 25 degree weather.Nothing new. The Captain reports as soon as he put that steaming water down, they went crazy. Knocking each other over, screaming and then... they discovered the warmth. One chick decided to sprawl out next to it, with it's head over hanging into the container. As though it were enjoying a facial steam. Then another decided to just hop in and sprawl out...like it was a hot tub. Just laid there as others continued to drink.

He laughed and said "stupid chicken". I said "wow, a chicken hot tub".

The problem came when The Captain went back 15 minutes later and discovered our "hot tub chicken" almost dead. Apparently it decided a walk outside their coop was in order after such a relaxing dip.

Feathers had icicles. The Captain thought it was dead for sure.

He scooped her up and brought her inside. You could barely see the weak shake in her legs as I got to work. A few minutes more outside and I'm not sure my effort would have worked.

After letting room temp water bring up her exterior temperature, I wrapped her up in a towel and used the blow dryer on low. You could hear the weak peeps begin to escape. 5 minutes more, her eyes would open up for a second or two. Ming, who tries so hard to play with the chickens {much to their horror}, has a most disturbing and insatiable desire for...chicken butts. How do you break a dog of that !?

She was quick to Hop in & help. Licking her legs and head, seeming to stimulate the freezing chicken. She laid claim and we nicknamed it Ming's "Precious". Once dried, she went into the now empty container she used as a hot tub. A heating pad underneath for extra warmth.

Ming would not leave her side. She laid on the ground towel and kept as close as she could .

Eventually her "precious" was strong enough to hop out of her warm nest and strolled around the living room, never more then a few inches from her new friend. She earned her "bracelet" which is reserved for special chickens. Like the one nice rooster out of the 4 I have counted in this batch.

Ming did try playing with her and that silly chicken could care less. Brain damaged or a strange bond between dog & poultry? Time will tell.

They strolled together a good half hour before I felt she was well enough to go back into chicken world.

It was best she went back out. After all, seeing Ming check out that chicken bottom became a bit disturbing.

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

My Kitchen herbal nook...

2011-03-25T10:51:00.002-04:00

As I dusted off my little herbal family altar, I began thinking of how rare it is to see such a space in other homes. I wondered if there were others whom had that special space laid in view to all who entered. The thought of sharing it with you came from a post I read over at the Green Woman's blog. My sacred space. My altar of life containing items that span almost a lifetime for me.

On the bottom shelf I have my special trinkets. Items with special meanings also found or given to me through the span of my adult life. To name a few, one is the Glass heart which inspired Panda's Crow girl costume & story of this last Halloween. A special sea stone discovered on Coquina beach walking with an old flame. It has the perfect 8 shape hole in its core, a stone which is said to be of great luck to the finder.

3 antique keys bought during the first Mother daughter trip Panda & I had. And a heart shaped rock found while playing in a creek with my wee ones during a hike not too long ago.

On the second to bottom shelf I have our most often used Apothecary of herbs. From ones used daily in our Tea time to those used medicinally. I have yet to have their labels printed out in the old Apothecary look I have worked on. Not having a printer has prolonged the matter.

There are some herbs missing due to not having enough space but I am eyeing the very top 2 shelves for organizing the left out jars. I have a cherished picture of my baby brother and his lovely wife, just below my most cherished gift from her. A plaque sculpture of the Triple Moon Goddess she picked up while in Ireland, on her return trip to the states after serving our country overseas. {From the works of Wild Goose studios in Kinsale, Ireland } She shared that when she saw it, she immediately thought of me & had to bring it back.

The second to the top shelf holds our array of antique tea cups and ware. I removed the wine glass spacers just for this purpose. I also have special pictures of my children spread throughout this nook. Ones that bring a smile to my face and memories of the moment. The very top shelf houses my never used glass dessert cups of my Naturewood dishes. All the more reason to put them away in a cupboard & use the space for more herbal jars. A few special tokens up there as well. The last yarrow flower of the season hung to dry. A swarvoski crystal clock from The Captains month long trip to Ireland the which he returned from just a week before I met him. The crystal bride/groom given to me from a cousin that adorned our wedding cake table.

To anyone else, these items mean nothing. Maybe even seen as clutter. But to me, it is a nook full of memories & moments. Smiles and love. My altar of family & life.

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

Making seed Tape for the carrot plot

2011-03-22T16:25:00.002-04:00

With the weather dipping back into a more snow friendly range, Frog & I got to work on a new project. Her choice of tending in the garden this year will be carrots & flowers. Frog has chosen a rainbow of carrot colors and an array of flowers to arrange in bouquets for her profiting from the market stand. No problem. Easy enough, right?

BUT there IS a problem when you think of how that carrot planting may turn out with a 5 year old doing the work. Crooked rows, clumped seeding. large bare spots. The thought of her plot outcome had me brainstorming damage control.

Enter The Bathroom tissue paper solution. I have had her at my side whipping these up and although it is easy to make, the time can be consuming with 4 packets of carrot seed {along with said 5 year old}.

A glue solution was made of flour & water. about 1/2 cup of flour mixed with small amounts of water until a glue consistency has been reached. I had an almost empty bottle of basic liquid school glue, which I emptied and rinsed before placing the flour glue into the bottle. The twist top point tip is PERFECT for all ages. Less mess, dependpent upon, how well one's child may create a mess out of nothing.

Then, roll out 1to 2 feet long sections of the bathroom tissue. Put a drop of your glue solution every 2 inches or so down the sides of the bathroom tissue. Place one seed into each drop and lay a second layer of tissue over the first {of same length}. Lightly press down to seal the spots between layers. Let lay flat until dry. Then just roll them up, place in a zippy bag to store until planting.

As for the carrot patch damage control?
In the end, You will happy with the extra effort. Your carrot patch will look so much nicer. But if you are accompanied by an independent 5 year old... be prepared to call it Modern Garden art.....

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Sometimes ya just gotta mess with peoples heads....

2011-03-18T07:52:00.001-04:00

Poor Frog has been sick so I had to enlist the help of a friend for picking up the chicken coop. The Captain {very willingly since he works odd hours}, stayed home with our sick wee one. Upon arrival we discovered the truck bed was not wide enough due to the wheel hubs. We made due & strapped her down good.

We were not a mile into the ride home before seeing the many odd stares & pointing. As with all those I call Friend, Chris & I began joking around. Taunts of it being a new home to live in. Which eventually had us chuckling like a group of school kids choking on giggles and jabbing at each other.

As if this site going down the road was not enough to cause the stares:

Our next move was a cherry on top. We pulled over to check the straps & added my idea for a spoof on the economy. The next hour ride home had brought much laughter to many passersby and plenty of double takes:

"It reads "Home Sweet Home. Thanks Obama"

Call it a political statement, call it being funny. But sometimes ya just have to let the little kid out and laugh. Being serious all the time will just encourage early grey hairs.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Coop almost done update & 1920s dining set {many pics}

2011-03-14T05:34:00.000-04:00

Jim, the owner of Triple Braid Farms, maker of those very nice & affordable chicken coops, has sent me a few shots of my coop in construction. I thought I would share a peek with you before I begin the project of La Poulet Maison.

This is the first picture I opened and instantly "ohhh, I love that window" escaped my lips, despite no one around to hear it.

The nesting box area where I plan to hang my Fresh Eggs sign project, made last week.

We are having some issues with the truck which I am hoping will be fixed in time. I have an hour or so to drive down for picking the coop. Is that not the way it seems to always go? But Larry the mechanic {an old school chum of my husband & brother in law} knows of my ...ummm urgent need, to get the coop. He is trying to get things done so I can be on way my in time.

I must share one of the weekends antique freebie finds.

We outgrew our family hand me down many years ago. Originally The Captain wanted a marble top table where I cared for old charm. One made of real wood and detailed craftsmanship. Things that have become expensive & rare these days. I came into this very nice 1920s dining set for the taking and could not be happier. Well that's not true. I would be happier if I did not have a few chair joints to tighten, match some stain for covering up the wear on edges and the need to refinish its main table top that has scratches & a few water shadow stains. And of course reupholster the chair cushions.

If you lift the main top, 2 end leaves pull out to expand the table for seating 10.

And the chairs? 5 of the original set, plus 2 that must have come later.

Wide with lovely detail .

So the projects are lining up. Not a problem since they are projects I willingly take on with passion.

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

Signs of Spring & bike of sunshine

2011-03-07T16:55:00.000-05:00

I scrapped my post of the day for a brighter subject. I had a weak point which I realized goes against my "brush past the negative & embrace the positive". I am back in my little happy place after a nice walk outside in the bright sun & fresh air.

You know Spring is close when every week is constant change of weather. Cold & snow to warm & sunny then snow all over again. This is around the time of year we become excited with the awakening of Mother Nature. Green sprouts. Bird songs change. The sun shines brighter & air begins to take on the scent of what's to come.

Just last week, the view from our windows looked like this:

sun rising view from upstairs

Suddenly today the sun is shining, melting away the snow and revealing these surprise bulbs I discovered scattered in the front garden beds. I wonder what they will be....:

On the subject of Spring signs, the 3 Canadice seedless grapes I picked up earlier this week have lots of beautiful green leaves. These will go out by the garden for the Grape arbor/pagoda we plan for later this Spring:

And see the little sproutings in the background? Medicinal herbs & many heirloom vegetables. I am very excited that my Banana melon seeds have all sprouted! It's a melon that is shaped like a banana, smells like a banana & even tastes similar to a fresh banana! Seed was purchased through Baker Creek Heirlooms.

We are looking forward to that first fruit off it's vine. Something new & different!

And guess what I have sitting in my living room? Something I picked up a few weeks ago and have not advanced past taking it all apart to clean then putting it back together again. A bright { in need of a paint job & a tune up}yellow " Schwinn Spitfire " bike from mid to late 50's!

Hopefully the sun remains for tomorrow & we can hit the road together....Maybe just a block or two since the front end forks & handle bars are a tad crooked {I could not get the two to come apart. Looks like I may have to call in The Captain's strength for this one}.

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

My "egg" before the chicken {coop}

2011-02-28T07:23:00.002-05:00

Is it bad I have already begun making the decor for inside our new coop? Making my "eggs" before the chicken? The Captain has been smirking that style of his when he is trying to stifle a laugh from bursting forth, with each completed project I have shared with him. I still have 2 weeks before pick up and have 2 signs made plus a "birdcage" style chandelier, that will cover the single light bulb inside the coop. Being it is only 6ft at the peak, I thought it best not to have a normal hanging chandelier. A cage style would work best for the humans and to prevent aerial chickens from busting the bulb with a wing. Nothing too fancy, but not something seen everyday either.

I plan to add more wires between the spaces but I'll at least share a sneak peak of my progress:

I ran out of room on the wood signs for all the letters. Apparently in my excitement, I did not add room for the space between words while calculating in my head the proper size. So I put a crooked "s" on the end with a silly, quirky style. La Poulets roughly translates to "The Chickens". I could not find a sign long enough for my "Le poulet maison" {The chicken house}.

I went with the black crackle finish for the egg sign since the inside will be whitewashed with a lime & water paint. The Ol' fashioned method of painting which also deters bugs. The Black sign will be a nice contrast to the white walls. The brown dash will painted black. Not liking the way it looks in brown.

The Nest boxes will be painted a pastel Robins egg blue. The coop exterior will be painted with an exterior Kilz deep hide due to the OSB {particle style} board. This will hide the texture before I apply the final color of creamy yellow with white trimming.

The chicks have grown so fast. We put some sticks in for roosting, to which very few actually use. They were not impressed with my 4 in the morning picture taking:

I did find a few small decorative pieces while out buying the blank wood for signs. I knew exactly where they would go and now am focusing back to sewing a few pieces for my summer wardrobe. {lOvInG some of these romantic country tops at Aerie. Now to find a pattern {and get over my issue of button hole sewing}.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Chicken coop ordered - Check!

2011-02-22T04:03:00.002-05:00

My previous mentions of a new chicken coop have included the hope for a small "sitting/storage area inside it's walls. So I thought a regular shed would be the answer. We have been in deep discussion on whom to purchase the building from. At first we thought a regular shed would be the right route but despite the rent to own option, I did not feel comfortable with the price tag NOR buying from a company that is not independent. I knew there had to be another way, to which I found it.

I found a local man who builds affordable chicken coops in a rather smart savvy fashion not only in building cost to him but keeping the overhead cost low for the new owner. For the base model of a 4x4 coop he charges $220 at the time of this posting{no siding, just OSB walls which for a very low additional price a choice of siding or barn knot wood exterior} . That comes with nesting box's built into the back wall, a window over the human door and a hen door placed in your desired spot. The roofing is galvanized metal. By the way, he will deliver within 6 states but you can pick it up with a full size bed truck, since these will fit right in the back for moving.

T1-11 siding model

We are going with his 4x8 model with osb walls. I prefer to paint it and knowing how I am, will change colors over the years which makes sense to just go with the OSB walls. I am customizing our coop with a dutch door on one end, a window above the nesting box back wall, 2 windows with flower boxes underneath on a side wall and the hen door on the blank wall-which will butt up to the chain link fence of their run. Our total cost for the new coop? $350! That's it! Now compare that to those sheds out there which do not have all these options AND customized for chickens. You can not find one of quality and customization for anywhere near that price.

One of Jim's coop's in the downtown inner city of Cincinatti, just feet from other homes. The coop owners did a fantastic job customizing it to their urban needs and setting it up the enclosed run.

"Custom design and firm pricing on the finished project - No Surprises. Our Most Popular Item is Chicken Coops Designed out of experience in caring for our own hens and producing eggs in the most cost effective manner. We build the basic shell; equip it with a light; put in hangers for feeder and waterer use wire hardware mesh attached with fence staples securely to 2x2 window frames to make it predator resistant; add some egg layer boxes; and put it under a metal roof - all at a price that is about the only thing the others obviously find hard to imitate. You paint or vinyl side the exterior in a color to match your taste, and seal the floor, toss in some wood chips and the birds, and enjoy producing your own eggs."

If he is in your ideal proximity for pick up or delivery, please do consider him for your chicken coops. And no, I do not get a discount for my post. His price for what all the great things you get is enough for me to say "He deserves to be spotlighted!". Just want to share this fantastic source and support the "little guy" as much as we can.

He had a spot at the local Fair, showing a few of his coops

We placed our order for pick up on the 15th of March. Jim, the owner, is going back to school which funds from the selling of this chicken coop venture help support. I feel so much better with our purchase and very happy we sought out a small business to support.

There will be a few customizations of my own doing once it arrives. You'll just have to wait & see how the plans turns out.

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie
** There are a few edits to correct some errors in picture titles. In a correspondence with Jim, He also wrote: "It is amazing how many people are getting chickens in the city. One home in particular was downtown Cleveland, where the space between the homes was so tight, a coop would not fit through the space to get it in the backyard. To solve this, I took the coop in pieces and assembled it in the back yard. 'On site builds' are not a regular occurance, but there are some people that get an 'onsite build' as a family activity, and help put it together."

Thank you Jim for such a fantastic Source & Opportunity for chicken owners {& potentials}. It is so refreshing to find a product built with quality and purposely set at an affordable price with the customer in mind.

Terra cotta hen, Antique tea cups & DIY plate stand

2011-02-19T07:34:00.000-05:00

Many Years ago, I fell in love with terra cotta chicken. The Captains Nan had 2 Terra cotta hen's {one named Henrietta which The captain has childhood stories of}. I have hunted for one in the same look & size which has proven a bit fruitless. These hens are so charming & captivating even a non chicken owner would love. I have seen a few painted or formed with clay but none satisfied the look of hen I desired. Then while looking to add to our array of Antique tea cups, I spotted her. Sitting upon a shelf as though she were calling out "I'm over here!". The look I was after, maybe half the size then I originally wanted but beautiful in form.

I have yet to decide on what shall be grown in the strawberry pot design. Most likely an herb I can snip from often for use in the kitchen. It's funny how one can look and look, forget about it for a while then that something just pops up out of nowhere. I did find a few tea cups for adding to our collection. Yes, we do use them. What delight would there be to not enjoy it's intended purpose of a hot cup of herbal tea? Such things are fragile to which I do not withhold our children from using. Accidents do & have happened but never a harsh word or scorn is used. I am sure their upset of the incident is enough to remind them of the fragile state and always share "You did not mean for it to break. No tears honey. We will find another to enjoy".

They look forward to their afternoon tea time{in place of an after school snack} which can cause a bit of upset should something prevent them from it's time. As of late, a peppermint Chamomile blend seems to be the favorite.

I am sure most if not all of you have seen cake platters made from antique plates. Tiered or not. Another moment that browsing in thrift stores brings unexpected finds. I would like to share the inspiration one can find from a simple trip to thrift stores such as The Salvation Army or GoodWill. I spotted this lovely wide candle holder {made from Yankee Candle co.} and this rustic blush color plate{from World Market} during such a trip. Total cost $1.98 for the pieces.

Very simple to make with superb results. I used Quick Grip All purpose Permanent Adhesive{water & weather proof} for putting them together. Place the pedestal of your choice onto the underside bottom of the plate, eye centering at first.Measure to be sure it is the same distance from the edges all around before gluing. Let it dry over night and it's done.

Perfect for cakes, finger foods & of course to place that glass dome of which has no bottom.{I am still on the hunt to find a larger dome from the thrift store. As I have mentioned with many things you seek with purpose, C'est la vie... Such is life.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Living in the Wild Garden

2011-02-17T16:11:00.000-05:00

When it comes to reading, I have found I do not have the patience as well more often not the time to enjoy. When I do grab a book that is not inspiration and DIY topics, I go for reads in the style such as People with Dirty hands. Books about gardening which are not so much the science & technical aspect. More of the persons view & interest. Stories about the garden and it's human. Their life with these plants. One such book I recently picked up at the library titled "Living in the wild garden" by Roger Banks is very much one of those entertaining yet sharing of knowledge books I adore.

If I am not captivated within the first few pages, I put it down and never go back. The rare time I do have for a book, better be a darn good one to spend my time on. I found myself drawn into Mr.Banks descriptions and stories. His words allowing the reader to envision the gardens or country side he lovingly writes of. This book is not about the vegetable garden or even flowers. It is about the wild plants around us so many cast aside and or see as a nuisance to their prized bulbs and dahlias. From the eating of stinging nettles to the harvesting of mushrooms from the speedway in England. He brings you along as he recalls points in time of his experience with each wild edible.

He does reference Culpepper on tidbit medicinal information, but he shares the edible side (with some informal recipes here and there). The benefits of their presence in your garden and how to see them not as something to banish but embrace. Intermingle among the Roses and tomatoes. Showing they have their rightful place amongst your heirlooms and pleasures.

Mr.Banks passed away in 2008. The article I did find on him was an obituary of sort. It turns out, he was a bit of a character. Different from those around him and eccentric in almost a homesteading connection. I found myself laughing at pieces shared and smiling to think how grand it would have been to meet him. The moments shared in his book mixed with what I read in the mentioned article gives him the down to earth appeal I adore in people. If you are looking for one of those last but quick good books during the seed starting season, I would recommend giving this a chance.

Sure there are plants we may not have here in states but the stories he shares mixed in with the ones mentioned make it worth the time. Such as their cousin Mary by divorce who came to visit over the Easter Holiday and soon had them on to the stinging nettles.

"She's a cousin of my wife so distant that we once totally confused ourselves trying to work out the relationship, perhaps that's why she's a favorite. When she said 'We must all eat nettles; we did in war. Find me an old glove', we did and there by crossed unknowingly into another,older,more delightful world of people who are always on the the lookout for something free to eat rather then being tied by the nose to the compulsion of shopping. "

If your not big on this style of read, then the beautiful watercolor paintings of these plants will surely please. You know. In case ya only like books with pictures.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Mustache necklace fun

2011-02-15T20:24:00.000-05:00

Am I only one getting a bit of Cabin Fever? I know my children are going crazy with not being able to run around outside. The snow is melting, making a huge sloppy mess out there. Then the temps drop making it all ice. Just not fun. So what better thing to do then get goofy!

Mustache necklaces!

We made these up as well as a few French curl {dali} style 'staches. Apparently they were a big hit at their school with friends, who put their requests in for their own 'Stache Swag.

Of course the morning wake ups of mom flipping on the lights,wearing a stache swag, striking poses and doing a most pathetic version of "the cabbage Patch" while singing "My...Mustache brings all the boys to the yard..." is purely optional with purchase.

Winter blues? Nope. I've gone stir crazy and coming up with wacky things to do with the kids. I am also working with a fussy laptop that is having monitor issues...lets just say it's like a shadow of a screen and to write up this post, I had to McGyver a lamp over my shoulder to illuminate the screen at a certain angle which is very straining on the eyes. If it's not one thing, it's another. So it's looking like a new comp AND that new Nikon 3100 {decided to start with that model}.

I have Frog to carry up to bed since she has fallen asleep with her head in my lap. Time to shut the house down for the night.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Begging for a road trip to Terrain at Styres...

2011-02-05T11:36:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure HOW I found this place but have been plotting to somehow, someway make a future road trip to it's Philadelphia area locale. Terrain at Styres is a 6 & 1/2 hour drive from home. I'm dying here folks. DYING! A look through their online catalog will have all gardening lovers in the same yearning state as I. There is a particular event coming up on March 5,2011 which has me all kinds of flustered.

Ellen Ecker Ogden, co-founder of The Cook's Garden seed company. Author of From the Cook's Garden and The Vermont Cheese Book, whom has also written articles for Country Living, Organic Gardening, and the Boston Globe. Will be there to sign her new book "The Complete Kitchen Garden".

Two great things all at once. Her visit and 2 hour event mixed with the location of a Gardeners heaven of wares. Their array of goods has held me for HOURS perusing their pages. Although their Vintage items are ..ummm.... out of my pocket range. a girl can still drift off into gardening dreams. They have sections for the kitchen, Garden & home full of delight and causes of many major weak inducing moments on my end.

Especially in the garden gear department and their Outdoor decor'. "I'll take one of everything, please". If only they would chain out this way.... These kind of places, are not something found around here. I would actually want a job working in their store. Although the paycheck would go right back into their hands. "Can I just work for store credit to use with my {hopefully}hefty employee discount?".Thanks.

Flowering Oregano in metal pot decorated with vine circles. Rustic Boot door knocker

The metal Chicken box nest {gotta find some new ones for the Fancy Farm Girl Style coop}....

Maybe I can use the excuse of buying The Captain's Mushroom log kit while I am there. Maybe the most expensive mushroom kit ever bought {include my one of everything Garden gear plus the trip cost}, but I would be like a kid during their first trip to Disney world. Wide eyed, glazed over dreamy look stumbling around in awe. Not knowing what to do or see first.

Maybe my true desire of gourmet gardening may not be seen as a self sufficient form, but the beauty and divine bliss it would create are not just food for body. It's tending to the mind and soul, which many overlook. Creating your own world in your space for escaping the everyday stress induced by life. Letting go of everything else outside your eden.

Organized. Lush. Healthy and organic.

Picture of Potager garden from Country Living site

Although I most likely will not make the trip, I can purchase her book online and continue my search for vintage garden touches I desire for our home and land with the upcoming estate/fle market bazars season.

Starting with the above boot Knocker I covet for the fancy chicken coop!

Sweet Dreams

~Tammie

***P.S***

My dear readers, I will be down and out until mid next week. Time to get this mean wisdom tooth removed. My too small bottom jaw can not continue housing the invader and will be evicted properly & prompt Monday morning. Please excuse any delays in postings until my thoughts are straight and mouth pain free.

The chicks, a shed and vintage Schwinn!

2011-02-01T07:24:00.003-05:00

Our order from Mcmurray finally arrived on Monday. I was shocked they came to our little town post office and not be kept at the central downtown dock. I adore the way these Americauna/Aracauna chicks look! They remind me of owls with those fluffy cheeks. Now if they would just stay still for picture taking, I could share their cuteness...

We have some talking to do with Mr. & Mrs. J about a new shed/chicken coop. There is a Rent to own shed place not far from here where we have been eyeing a 6x10 shed. Very affordable to fit in our monthly budget "extras" section. 32 months at $59 a payment.This model fits the need:

The plan is to place it outside the run, making like a doggie door in the fence/coop where they will butt up to each other. The double doors in the middle will be the splitting point. To separate the 2 sides, we will put in a chicken wire wall. Wood framed screen doors behind the main wood doors. The screen doors serve a purpose for allowing air circulation during hot months. I will put in an additional wood frame large window I have, allowing more sunlight on the other side.

Having the shed outside the run also makes it accessible to me during garden season. A place to store my gardening tools and stop my very bad habit of leaving them outside. I can already envision the set up. White walls with my wood pegs lined up like an indoor coat rack. Watermelon pink Vintage garden tools resting in place with the extra bird bath sitting in a corner, serving purpose of a glove bin. I have a secret obsession..well not anymore, but anyway. I have this thing for OLD wooden handle garden tools. I do have a few plastic type strong duty tools, but my favorites are the wood.

I am a huge sucker when I see these things. In example, I drove over a half hour to buy my vintage pitch fork for $10. Yes, I could have run down to the local hardware and picked one up. But I wanted "Old school". I prefer the old stuff not just for their looks but they seem to last longer and feel better to use.

Oh! Speaking of older being better.Remember that Bike I have been dreaming about? Going down This weekend to possibly buy this Vintage Schwinn {Half the price of a new uncomfortable bike}:

It is suppose to only be cosmetic issues and nothing mechanical wrong. Ready to ride and enjoy. Check out that seat! Wide and comfortable with spring cushioning. Look at those handle bars! Again, wide & comfortable. Higher up then newer bikes, making it a comfortable NON hunching ride. And of course...room for Ming the Peke's wicker basket. { Stop laughing. I truly am serious.lol}.

That snazzy new Vintage bike & Dog basket will not see use until this snow goes away. Warmer air would be nice, too... Nose icicles are not in any way appealing on me.
Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Budget French Country look with Glam Results

2011-01-28T08:20:00.002-05:00

You have heard it all before. I am so in love with our home and could not be happier with our fortunate find. The country cottage appeal fits my dream style. Previous occupants remodeled the kitchen sometime in the 1980's. Lots of cabinets and counter space. Open floor plan. Counter top range and insert oven. Perfect set up but the the green color counter tops need to go.They drive me crazy! Hopefully sometime in the future I will be able to accomplish my own updated touch.
As for you....

There is no need to go out and buy all new cabinetry when what you have is perfectly sound. New hardware is easy as well as a perfect way to update the cabinet style. You may be thinking the same as me. Ugly counters are not cheap to replace on a small budget. That is why I am excited to have found all these great products for going ugh... to wow! in the kitchen. It's a face lift with out the heavy lifting. Like giving walls a fresh new color and not installing new drywall

Taken during our first month here, our kitchen is an L shape. Below is just the main portion of the Kitchen room, minus the bottom of the L:

I found a product from Rustoleum which paints the counter top. The best part? It's $20 a can {at my local hardware store}. Covers 25 linear feet of average counter top space. There are 16 colors to choose from and it contains HomeShield(TM) Antimicrobial Protection which will protect the painted surface by inhibiting the growth of mold and mildew and other odor or stain causing microbes. Cool, ay?

This is the color style I would like to achieve for my kitchen:

Tile range top back wall. A light wall color and one cabinet pair with glass front panels between the sink & range.

As for that yellowing refrigerator? How about some Appliance Epoxy spray! This will give a smooth washable surface, renewing your appliance in your color of 5 choices. For the exterior of appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, laundry machines, and other indoor metal applications (cabinets, tables).For me, it takes away the off white fridge to a black, matching the other appliances.

To add character to it's doors, how about some Chalkboard paint or...this had me shocked to see, DRy Erase board surface paint! {Apply to metal, wood, masonry, drywall}. My wee ones adore the chalkboard Fridge doors they see on the Nick show "Good Luck Charlie", which has them begging for chalkboard surfaces.

This would also be a nice touch to cabinets. Chalkboard paint on the the main face board, leaving the trimming in a contrast color, matching the rest of the cabinetry Perfect for jotting down notes like Buy crackers or Keep out of the cookies! Another WOW factor... How about making those cabinet panels Magnetic!

I wish I could share the pictures of these amazing ideas, unfortunately, the site will not allow picture save. So click here* to go there*. Click on the Indoor index card to see these great Budget friendly Kitchen Makeovers.

Now I must find a product which will clean off the nasty build up and lighten the cabinet color. I rather like the light wood. Much easier to clean with the trimming, compared to a painted surface.Grime & dust appears to build up faster on the face trimmings when painted.

**Rustoleum is in no way affiliated with The Unusual Farm Chick {and vice versa}. They have no clue I am writing this post. Of course, if they should feel so inclined, I am open to any of these great products to arrive at my front door.For experimental purposes of course. Just throwing it out there.

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

NEVER cheat on your seed company...

2011-01-27T11:36:00.002-05:00

Expanding the medicinal herb garden has been looked forward to since cleaning out the overgrown Front garden bed. I had dreams of Mother wort, Lavender, Marsh Mallow and many more filling in the spot below my Bay like window in the dining room. The budget was set for what i could spend on the herbal seed. I searched online trying to find a company that had all the varieties I desired in one spot at a price fitting in the budget. Not an easy feat staying in budget for medicinal herbs. The excitement of receiving the herb seed had me checking the mail everyday, {I normally let the mailbox fill up before I bother going out there- or let the kids get it. As I tell The Captain, I am far to thin to exert my energy on keeping warm in this weather for junk mail.See? Being skinny has it's downfalls too. I look like one of those soup commercial kids going out to sled in the snow but have multiple layers on, they can barely walk.}.

My order was place on January 11,2011. I began to worry when over a week went by before I received a simple notice stating my package has shipped. I was met with big disappointment when the Manila envelope finaly arrived. Not only were 2 of my most desired herb seed NOT in there, the company never bothered to contact me before shipping the package. Instead I open it to find they were missing and on the receipt a highlighted statement "these herbs were unavailable". Their website did not list them as back ordered or unavailable. There was no email detailing they would not be in my order, no phone call nor did they give me the opportunity to make different choices or to cancel the entire order.

The point is, I had a budget and I chose to go with their company instead of a higher priced but Fantastic company here in the states. When I spoke to customer service they could care less about what had transpired. I was told they do not back order things due to it possibly being years before something comes in. Understandable but your site does not list them as unavailable & why was I not contacted before you sent a package minus items? You have my address, email & phone number. Their solution? "Well, you could always send the entire package back?". And HOW is that going to benefit me in anyway or solve the problem? I still have to pay the postage for it to go back, plus wait for the account reimbursement before ordering elsewhere since I have a separate account for online transactions. I spoke with the owner and did not receive much of a better answer then I received from their customer service. He did say he would check to see if those seeds are available...

So now I will be out of budget on my seed orders. More shipping costs endured over my desire to stay within a small budget, for seeds I had hoped to add in the medicine garden.

I will order from the company I should have originally used. The VERY reliable & fantastic supply of Herbals, Mountain Rose Herbs. Seeds are around $1 more per packet but at least YOU do not get my hopes up and smash them.Your upfront and honest.

I feel such guilt straying from you. Never again will I patron another herbal seed company. All others pale in comparison to what you give. Hopefully you will forgive me for my moment of weakness and allow my order to arrive before seed starting day {February 14th}.

The lesson today Kiddos, from all the above rambling? Just because something costs less does not make it a good choice. Saving money is great but you get what you pay for.

Sweet Dreams

~Tammie

Dreamy Chicken coop & The Fancy Farm Girl

2011-01-23T10:28:00.000-05:00

I came across the blog of The Fancy Farm Girl while searching for chandelier pictures. What does the site have to do with Chandeliers?

This:

I am smitten with her Chicken coop! The Captain gave me this look of "Hun, you have hit the top of crazy idea's" when I showed him this picture.Explaining what I have in mind for our Spring Project. I began crunching numbers and drawing plans in hopes to replicate at least the feel of the Coop's interior. It needs to be half of her size. Just a small "sitting area" for me.I plan to have an electric chandelier as she has done, instead of a plain light bulb. {like "normal" chicken coops have}.Making it an unusual Coop, complete with Acrylic crystals. Walls rustically painted in white. An old comfy chair for sitting with my ladies. The chunky wood shelves and other Farm Chic' touches.

I had an antique chair like this, which belonged to The Captains Great Grandmother. Makes me wish he had kept it for the above purpose. For me. Not the chicken.

She does explain, the coop can only stay this clean with daily attention and Biweekly intense clean out. Nothing new to me and easily done since I spend majority of my energy in the garden & chicken run. I have no goal of having one so pristine, but changes in the floor plan hopefully keep the Fancy coop look.

Mine may not be as big. It may not be as breath taking dreamy. But I WILL use her inspiration while making the bigger coop for our new batch of chickens. Our current coop is big enough for 8. A quick built coop from when we moved here last July with only 3 nesting box's.

Now That Mr. & Mrs. J are splitting the chicken eggs with us, we will have around 24 laying hens this summer. Bigger coop and more of what I would like to see. There is no rule of chicken husbandry that states all Farm housing should not be as pleasant for humans as well as the animals.

Seeming over the top and ridiculous to you? After all their just chickens, right?

Wrong. Not for me. I prefer to live this life indulging my senses of pleasure. I would rather have a beautiful coop I WANT to spend time in, then to have one only serving a sheltering purpose. Besides. It's my coop and I'll make it pretty if I want to...

Just think, Rainy day's will never be the same.

I already have a piece with plans of incorporating in the new coop. I was sent a plastic birdbath which was not the same as the description on site. It was suppose to be a fountain birdbath complete with pump. So the company is sending me a different bird bath at no charge. { I have nothing but positive things to say when it comes to the CSN stores customer service. Quick to make things right, going out of their way to help and always friendly.}

Even better, this one comes with a water wiggler that runs on D cell batteries. No electric needed and easily fits in the plan of Garden use.

The first one is nice but does not fill it's original purpose. That means finding a way to make it useful. I plan to use it in the new coop after I do a crackle finish on the exterior. I am not sure if I will use it as a high pedestal feeder OR if I will try to incorporate it as a Nesting feature. I guess that will be discovered once the coop is built and decor has begun.

Be sure to check out more on The Fancy Farm Girl's site. She is a Photographer as well as a true blue Farm Girl. I am currently going back in her archives, catching up on all I have missed. An Unusual Farm Chick, after my own heart.

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

Single candle mini chandeliers

2011-01-21T19:47:00.000-05:00

I spotted these almost Apothecary looking jars while out and about the other day. Instantly I thought of tree chandeliers! I experimented with the wire wrapping and placement, making these vary in their appearance. I still have much to improve & perfect. I think it's not too bad for my first time playing with bead and solder wire.

I used a soldering wire for the top rim band, to dangle the Acrylic crystals from. The bottom rim and side handles are a 3 strand braid using beading wire. Fortunately, I spotted holiday ornaments for 80% off {making them 65 cents each} which had 3 strands of the crystals hanging from each. Perfect for what I had in mind.
What is it about candles hanging from tree limbs? They seem to give a comforting dreamy ambiance, as well as the glow of romance.Changing the atmosphere as the sun goes down and an evening out beneath the stars.
By adding the crystal decor, it enhances the richness of Shabby chic design. I love mixing clean colors and luxury textures with that cottage Country look. I also found a few vintage looking candle items for more projects. More Garden candle chandeliers. More cold winter days filled with uninterrupted crafting satisfaction. Can you tell I am excited to get them started?

I have finished 2 twirly skirts {minus the elastic band} for Frog plus a 6 gore skirt for myself. It is the prototype of a new pattern, so the material is from a king size plain sheet. I refuse to waste anymore favorite material until I find the perfect pattern.
I did finish up the Peasant top from earlier this month. The bottom seam sits too high for my taste, much to Panda's delight. She did not want the embroidery designs I planned. She feels it is too "girly". Ummm. alrighty then.

Hopefully the next one I am working on with a thinner fabric will turn out not so ruffled on the edging and of course, I am cutting it 6 inches longer at the bottom.

Just 4 more weeks until the starting of seeds. Valentines day begins the annual living room take over by

grow lights and soil. My HydroFarm seed heat mat arrived today. I have stevia, herbs plus a few other seeds which require warmer conditions in the house that I can not provide. {our heat is kept at 63 F degrees}.The hope is for my eggplant seeds to sprout and grow into healthy seedlings, preventing me from buying them as nursery plants.The heat mat was highly suggested for my eggplant success. I came to a point of decision, eggplant hated me. I have only had 2 seeds ever grow into plants and even then, just 1 fruit from it's limbs. Eggplants are the Diva of all my gardening efforts and as so, must have their own special attention. Hence, the heat mat. Oh the things we do for the love of Gardening...

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie

Indoor Fairy gardens! & How Bish came to be.

2011-01-11T08:18:00.000-05:00

"You know the willow tree you always love to climb amongst the branch's? The one in the front yard? There is something very special about that tree. More then it's beautiful leaves dancing in the wind, calling for you to come out & play. To sit with your back against it's young trunk as you draw and read with your sister. Beneath the snow covered ground, just below it's trunk, it's a family of gnomes.

There have been generations of gnomes living under the big Oak tree, where you see the squirrels racing for the fallen acorns. Their little paw prints painting the the snow on the tree side away from the road. But a new generation has made their home under the majestic Willow. Living within it's roots are a family of gnomes. Consisting of Momma & Poppa Gnome. Clara the youngest of the gnomes and Bish, her big brother.

Bish loves to explore the property all around us and he seems to be the most curious and mischief finding in his family. Although the humans who live in the big stone home are friendly, Momma Gnome must always remind Bish to stay away from their big birds called chickens and to tread kindly in their garden just beyond the feathered creatures. Would you like to hear a few of his adventures? How about the day he had his first chicken egg? O.k, lay down and snuggle into your pillow as I spin a tale of adventure. Discovery and delight...."

And that my friends, is how Bish the Gnome came about to dance in the minds of my children. A night where no story book would make our little Frog content. He not only receives many requests of tales, but has found a way to bring daily questions and amazing attention to detail in Frogs discussions.

So, I decided we would begin the makings of an indoor Fairy garden to continue the imagination. One that can be in each of the children's bedrooms, for their care and enjoyment. One that will most likely find it's way into their stories of Bish each night. Of course, a gnome door will soon find it's home against this now infamous willow tree as well.

For someone who does not have the space or time for a garden, this may just be what the Garden Doctor ordered! Maybe a gift or group project for a special child in your life.

I discovered a fabulous blog by The Pure Gardener that has the wheels of imagination spinning round as we plan out the indoor miniature plant varieties of their Fairy land.

Inspiration for your Fairy gardens:

http://thepuregardener.blogspot.com/2010/07/another-trip-to-fairy-gardens.html#links

They have an online store that caters to your fairy garden & gnome needs.http://www.thepuregardener.com/

And for their main blog page go here:http://thepuregardener.blogspot.com/

I am in love with this blue door they have put in for their Fairies/gnomes. It adds delightful color along with delight to the inner child. Imagine, walking in the yard and coming upon this site as a child?:

The Pure Gardener is located in Geneva, IL, which is a 6 hour drive from here. I was so disappointed to see how far away it is. I surely would have made the drive would it have been closer to 4 hours. I may just have to make a special summer trip with our children since I can not find another store close to home with such an array of delight. Being they have an online store, I can at least pick a few pieces to grace their gardens and to hide for their Spring Egg hunt.

Sweet garden dreams,

~Tammie

Winter Nature walk & Homesteading Rat race

2011-01-10T08:43:00.000-05:00

Despite temps being 24 F degrees, The sun was shining so beautifully. Frog, Ming the Peke & I decided to go walk the back property. Take in mind the snow had vanished from the a few days of high temps then began falling once again a few days ago. Ming the Peke has such short legs which made the snow almost to her chest. She could care less about the height and hopped through it all, Looking very much like a white rabbit as she lead us to our usual path.

Since most briar's and greenery have died down for the winter, we were able to hike up the hill side, overlooking the State Archery range. Frog was having problems going up but going down, she decided sliding was way more fast & fun.

We discovered rabbit tracks but not a single deer track. Very unusual since I usually see as many as 5 does walking through our background. We also spotted a small birds nest, nestled between tiny branches of a sapling, just 6 ft from the ground. Snow covered the top as though it were an ice cone, according to Frog that is.

We also noticed the rose hips were being enjoyed by the many diverse birds living amongst our woods. The little shells of red were partially opened, revealing the tiny seeds packed with vitamin C. A great supplement to the wild life winter diet.

Ming the Peke has improved so well on her listening skills. She may lead the way but never goes far. Always stopping to wait for us if we strag behind. Coming when called and always checking in with me for reassurance with some head petting love.

Frog's little hands were becoming too cold {since she removed her gloves and decided she was to have the camera for picture taking}. We headed back to the house for a hot cup of cocoa and a roaring fire which we promptly made popcorn with the old fireplace popper before cuddling up on the couch for some good ol' Max & Ruby cartoons created by Rosemary Wells. {I really do not know why I like that cartoon so much. Maybe due to the non violence aspect of the show, unlike other cartoons}.

The week is just beginning, to which I find myself becoming more and more excited for the weekend. We place our order for the baby chicks, to be delivered the end of this month, on Friday. Plus our seed orders which will include a Shitake mushroom kit. The Captain would like to grow mushrooms and has picked his choice of sweet corn from the garden. Although they are not an heirloom, he did so sweetly ask if I would mind otherwise for the year. And ya know what? I did sigh followed by a big smile saying "Honey, if the seed you want is hybrid, then so be it. I'm just happy you're a part of the growing this year." And that my friends was a sacrifice made of love. He may not fully understand my anti hybrid ways but he is trying to be a part of something so important in my life. I will overlook the hybrid choice. Out of Love he has shown a great interest & involvement for my ways. Maybe it is due to my re evaluating of the Homesteading. Trying to focus more on the enjoyment and not so much the way's of so many going for production amount & the level of their sufficiency. Which can make one overlook the simple life of enjoyment. At times, it almost feels as though by visiting homestead forums, people are competing. Belittling others who are not as driven to extreme or of those who are to the max. I got caught in the Homestead rat race and am stepping away. Back to the joy filled times we had when I began my blog in 2006. Simple moments. Noticing the little things in life. The color of flowers. The smell of a fresh picked Black cherry tomato. The laughter of my children playing with chickens.

If hybrid sweet corn is what he chooses for 2011, then it is a small sacrifice I willingly make. My heart is filled with such joy from his trying. What more could I ask for?

Sweetest Dreams,

~Tammie