Gardening = Food!

This is just the tip of the ice burg when it comes to the things we've harvested and made from our garden and I am loving it!  

I used the recipe for Raspberry syrup from here plus a little extra water since mine were fresh, not frozen. 

It turned out amazing! Raspberry syrup + raspberry pancakes = LOVE

I whipped up a batch of Utah Scones (aka Indian Fry Bread) to top with butter and syrup and the girls loved it too! 

The same day I made the same Royal Rhubarb Coffee Cake that I make every year. It's in my Taste of Home Cookbook and it never fails me.

I also made a Rhubarb syrup based on the directions for the raspberry syrup above but added a little of the juices from some maraschino cherries I had in the fridge. It turned out to be pretty scrumptious too. 

I love recipes that call for things I have in my garden and regular, normal things that I have in my pantry all the time. Delicious food without an extra trip to the grocery store? I'm all over that!

Upcycled Crib Mattress to Reading Nook

Here's Evelyn's new favorite place to read before bed. 

If you have been following along for a bit you may remember I got this bed for her off Craigslist a few months ago.

We have been so busy with chickens and summer that I haven't done much indoors but this is one thing I really wanted to get done. I though't I'd just pop the crib mattress in there and call it good. 

Wrong. 

It was a few inches too long. So they had to go.

Yep. I had my hubby cut it off using scissors and wire cutters. I used the batting from the part I cut off to recover the top. 

I cut the corners so there wouldn't be a bunch of extra bulk for the next step.

I tucked it all in all the way around. 

I used the last little bit of the only duct tape we had to tape it down. 

It was probably unnecessary but I taped it down both ways just to make sure nothing was going to shift around and to make sure all the wire ends were covered by duct tape too. 

I slipped the part we cut off earlier right back over the top. I would have taped this down some too but  I ran out of tape! 

I put on the same crib sheet we used before and it fit just fine, not super snug like before but good enough that I don't feel a need to sew it smaller. 

Now it fits PERFECTLY in it's space. 

Evelyn has all of her reading needs ready to go in her little nook. 

Total cost for a perfect little nook? 

$0

That's my kind of project! 

Eggciting Things Are Happening Here!

Recently we have had to lock our two big ladies in their chicken coop. 

They have decided they like roosting on the porch which means they have also been pooping on the porch. 

Sorry chickens, but NO. 

This morning when we went to let them out we found this! It's our very first egg and we are super excited! 

We aren't sure who laid the egg but she did miss the egg box by a few inches. 

She did manage to land it RIGHT on top of a pile of poop though and our first egg has a poop stain to show for it. 

For reference here's how it looks next to our store bought eggs. Smaller and brown. 

While I am super excited to have eggs I thought I'd have another month or so before we got any. I haven't quite warmed up to the idea of eating it yet, something about knowing where it came from and what it would be destined for if we had a rooster gives my stomach a little flutter. 

SURPRISE!

Surprise! 

I came home one night from work to this!

OK, so some of you may not be to excited about this but I am. It mean's that my $20 vanity that I found at a yard sale and my "new" sink will be up and running in no time! 

It also means that Plan "A" is coming along nicely. 

Puppy Love

I swear I am actually doing crafty things but life is getting in the way of getting it all up here on the blog. Recently I've decided that there will be plenty of time to craft and edit photos of stuff that happens inside but right now, outside, LIFE is happening! Life like this: 

Lazing around with my best canine buddy. 

Watching Anberlynn chase Indi for the rope. 

And watching Indi try to talk her into trying again :) 

And don't forget about tug-o-war! 

Some things can wait until the snow flies and it's too cold to stay outside, and moments like these are not some of them. 

Summer in Abundance

We are ENJOYING the last few days we have of sun and summer before it becomes dark and snowy. 

One thing on our list is to enlarge the strawberry garden. The fenced in area will now go all the way around where the other rocks are too. 

I never suspected that they would go from one little strip of strawberries to a whole garden that needs stepping stones just so you can get it! 

The goose berries are ALMOST there. I will be ready and waiting with pectin in hand when they are. 

There's nothing quite like goose berry jam!

And the APPLES! There are SO many of them but they are SO tiny! Maybe mini apple pies? 

Something I have started using already- raspberries! I made some raspberry and rhubarb tart-lets the other day and garnished them with mint sprigs from the garden too. They were gone before I could get a picture in! 

We are still getting strawberries every now and then but not fast enough to actually make anything before they hop into little mouths. Hopefully, expanding the garden will help with that next year. 

Something I've never eaten or cooked with- brussels sprouts. I haven't actually seen any of the part you eat yet but the plant is huge and gorgeous! 

I din't take picture of ever thing but we do have carrots, tomatoes, Swiss chard, more rhubarb and arctic kiwi growing too! I LOVE eating right out of my garden every fall. Everything is so fresh and tasted phenomenal- the way ALL produce SHOULD taste. 

Blooms

While I was gone in Vegas my lilies started blooming! I just can't get enough of that cheery red!

And this purple dahlia?

AMAZING!

Anything new blooming in your neck of the woods? 

Hobby Lobby Loot!

Hobby Lobby...I could do some serious damage to my wallet in that store. Thankfully, I was limited by what I could fit in my suit case and what was left of my $200 cash trip budget. 

Want to see what came home with me?

This little not so little locket and keys was bought for me by Tim & Cari. Once I figure out how to hang it I'll be on my way to accessorizing the entry way wall.  

This owl...

Is SO adorable. The owl thing is really growing on me. His little eyes have the perfect shades of blue and yellow to make him bend in just about anywhere in my house.

Now these little bud vases ARE super tiny. Each easily fits into my palm. I was super excited to get them home only to discover that they didn't hold water! I think I could remedy that with something. 

 And since I've shown you just about everything else new on this dresser...

This is the biggest bouquet I have ever had! And the best part? It ALL came from my garden! 

 Last but not least is this little guy. 

Our builder grade tooth brush holder on the wall is starting to come out and the holes never were big enough for even a regular tooth brush to fit it. I love the coral-ish design of this little guy. 

My total was under $11! I could almost cut it in half with one of their 40% off coupons but I didn't have one with me :/