Spring Dreaming

Now I am sure Spring is really on its way; I’ve been to the Nashville Lawn and Garden show!  Every single year we try our hardest to make this exhibition.  

I mean really… how can you not love walking thru the door to this?

Or this great backyard fireplace?

Or this shabby chic secret garden?

Have a stump?  Turn it into a fairy house!

Love this ‘tea party garden’!

The landscapers go all out with their displays.  

I get a lot of ideas I can use for my yard.  With all the ice storms this winter, I have a major supply of tree trunks to make planting beds.

Some ideas I just dream about…

…and some ideas I might just be able to tweak into something I can do.

I like this homemade lattice work.

But this wine bottle fountain is a bit too ‘Disney’ for me!

Himself caught me getting ready to snap a photo.

An amazing lawn swing.  It would take an engineering degree to make the stand but I think I could pull off the swing itself.

This would be cute on the porch… if I had me a porch.

There is always a nice display of orchids. 

They are so lovely.  A couple years ago I picked up an orchid at Whole Foods and it lasted thru last fall. 

Another regular display is the floral arrangements.  This year’s theme was “Wine and Roses”.

The arrangements are just brilliant.  I think my favorite was the red pouring bottle.  So clever!

And of course there are tons of beautiful flowers absolutely everywhere.

And a few strange plants too…

Anyone have any idea what this tree/plant is?  
(Edit -- I found out it is called a Monkey Puzzle tree.  Looks like a pine & thistle hybrid to me!  LOL)

Then there was shopping…

The man section was full of dreamers.

And tire kickers.

There were a half dozen dealers of metal art with items ranging from elaborate and elegant…

…to very simple and cute.

There are plenty of food vendors to tempt hungry attendees.

This one got our attention.  Himself liked the Tuscan Vegetable and I like the Sundried Tomato Bacon best. 

This booth of garden bird silhouettes caught both of our eyes.

They were nice.  They can be ordered at http://www.rustybirds.com/shop/  

A few different ways to use the ‘tilted pot’ idea.  

Little Hoss would love this!

One booth was full of things for making a lovely fairy garden.

Other booths offered plants…

… of all sorts.

Himself with his treasure of the day; a decoration for his bird garden.

We came home with a few treasures.  I bought some hardy prickly pear and a striped yucca for the cactus garden we’re putting in this spring.  There was a give-away of red bud saplings so we each got one.  I found some scented geraniums for 3.50 each – three different ones jumped into my bag.  And I came home with one of those cute metal dragonflies (they were only $5!). 

The thing I came home with the most of was all sorts of fun ideas to try in the yard this year.

Bring on the warm weather!

Knock It Off! An Anthropology Inspired Necklace

I love a lot of stuff at Anthropology…but those prices… oh my goodness!  What’s a girl to do? 

Why, make it herself of course!

Here’s my inspiration piece.  

And here’s my Anthro knock off!  It didn’t cost me a cent to make.  The scarf is a vintage Italian piece that was my grandmother’s.  The large pieces were brooches I already owned.  The chains came from my jewelry making stash. 

I can’t wait for a chance to wear it!

http://www.atthepicketfence.com/2014/03/flower-easter-egg-tree-a-spring-party.html 

Salud! at Whole Foods: Romancing Rome (with recipe Spaghetti Carbonara)

On Valentine’s Day, Himself and I volunteer worked a class at Whole Foods called “Romancing Rome: Wine and Dine Like a Local”.  

The tables were elegantly set up for the couples who were taking the class.  The rain that evening seemed to make the room feel a bit cozy and romantic.

Several recipes were prepared by the students.  My favorite of the evening was spaghetti alla carbonara. 

The trays for each recipe were set up and waiting for the students.  

It is a speedy recipe once you get your prep work done.  

A quick mix to bring it together.

And dinner is served!

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

2 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks at room temperature

1 oz (about 1/3 cup packed) grated Pecorino Romano, plus additional for garnish

1 oz (about 1/3 cup packed) grated Parmesan

1 Tb spoon olive oil

4 oz pancetta and/or bacon, sliced into pieces about ¼ inch thick by 1/3 inch square (use good quality bacon).

12 oz spaghetti

salt and coarse ground pepper

Pre-warm serving bowl with very hot water.  Set to side to end of food preparation.

While water is coming to the boil, whisk together eggs, yolks, Romano and Parmesan in a mixing bowl.  Season with a pinch of salt and generous black pepper.

Then in large skillet on medium heat, add pork and sauté until the fat just renders from the meat…crisp but not hard.  Drain off excess fat.  Set aside.

Bring large pot of water to a boil.  Cook until almost at al dente.  (While pasta is finishing, you warm the pork but don’t overcook.)  Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and add to the skillet with the pork over low heat.  Stir for a minute or so.

Empty serving bowl of water and dry.  Add hot pasta mixture.  Stir in the egg-cheese mixture, adding some of the reserved pasta water if need for creaminess.

Serve immediately, dressing with a bit of additional Romano and pepper.

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/2014/03/foodie-friday-march-28th.html 

This Protestant Is Observing Lent

I’ve been thinking about Lent and what it is supposed to be for.  Growing up Protestant with Catholic friends, I had a decent idea of the practice of Lent.  But since my church didn’t follow the practice, I didn’t either.  In fact, many of my church friends made fun of the observance; “What are you giving up for Lent?”  “Brussels sprouts!” 

So I have not given Lent much thought over the years that have passed.  That is, until a few years ago.

Out of curiosity I studied on the Catholic practice of Lent.  Why they believed and did as they did.  There was some powerful stuff there.  Then I studied what I could find on Protestants observing Lent. 

I’ve been mulling on this for a long time now.

And I have decided to observe Lent. 

Not as a ritual, not following man-made rules (there is no Biblical requirement to observe Lent), not half heartedly.

I am going to observe Lent as an ‘adjustment of my sails’ so to speak.  As a time of thinking of Jesus and what He’s done for me.  And how He wants me to live for Him.  

There will be fasting… but not of something frivolous (and in my opinion insulting to God) like sweets or sodas.  That is one of the things that has always disturbed me…all the way back to the words of my snarky young friends.  Lent is supposed to be contemplation of Jesus’ suffering and dying for us, and we honor it by giving up candy bars for 40 days???

I want to be absolutely serious about this.  I want this Lenten season to bring me closer to God and Jesus.  To refine me. 

To that effect, I will be fasting pleasure time on the computer.  The computer will be only a tool…not a form of entertainment.  I will replace that time with different ways of serving Him.  Getting my home in order.  Entertaining others in my home.  Participating in mission-hearted activities.  And whatever else He brings to the table.

Also there will be a fast of attitude.  This one will be the hardest.  I will be fasting from negativity. 

Yeah…

No snarks, no gritching, no hissy attitudes.  

And there will be repentance.  I believe that this is the ultimate outcome of Lent.  To become aware of your failings and to apologize and to turn away from them.  That is what repentance means… turning away.  Stop doing it.  “Go and sin no more”. 

This is the heart of Lent.

March Photo Album

With my busy month at home, I didn’t get many photographs in February.  But there are a few good ones to share.

A tobacco barn taken from an old cemetery.  

This pretty paint mare is 36 years old!  She is the lawn ornament at Lylewood Inn.  

Himself’s boy (red bellied woodpecker) in our sycamore tree.  

Who doesn’t love a cozy fireplace?

Overnight Kidnapping to Lylewood Inn B&B

For quite some time I had been planning a ‘kidnapping’ of Himself for Valentine’s weekend.  This time we stayed local… heading out to Lylewood Inn B&B (http://lylewoodinn.com/ ) in Indian Mounds, TN.  It is owned by Mandy Williams.

I had found out about the inn this summer when I started buying those wonderful CSA veggie boxes from Mandy.  And it was at Lylewood I took the canning class.  

To get there, I brought us around the route via the Cumberland City ferry. 

It was a short but fun ride.  Himself enjoyed talking to the ferry captain, who was working the deck to give the hand some training time ‘driving’. 

Next stop…

Lylewood Inn.

We headed up to our very pink Valentiney room to put our suitcase away.  

Relaxing in the prime spot in front of the fireplace.  

Mandy had a goodie basket for us.  Fresh baked sugar cookies, homemade candies, and biscuit mix and jelly for later.  

We had another little ‘goodie’ in our room.  Mandy’s opinionated calico knew cat people when she saw them and was in our room any time the door opened.

We had about an hour before supper, so we headed out to explore the grounds.  

Love this swing!  I might try something like this for our yard.  

This swing is fun too.  The rope is one long piece, coiled around the tree’s branch.  I’m not sure if this is a good idea or not…

However, most of our time was spent this way…

…throwing sticks for Gabby.

She could have done this ALL day.

“Keep away” was another game of the afternoon.

And “tug of war”… when Himself could get the stick.

He’d spin her around so fast her feet were off the ground; her tail was going like a chopper blade.  

After quite a while of this we headed back inside to warm up.  The gathering room is cozy with a fireplace and all sorts of games to play.  We played a few rounds of ‘Blokus’.  Fun game… I need to buy it.

Finally it was time for dinner in the romantically decorated dining room.  

Audrey, Mandy’s daughter, dressed in period clothing to serve our meal.  

The menu for the evening.

Fried banana peppers and homemade chips and salsa.

Chicken Cordon Bleu, fried green tomatoes, glazed carrots, and home canned corn.  

We finished with blackberry cobbler. 

Oh my goodness… we were stuffed!  We weren’t sure if we’d even be hungry the next morning.

But come 8am we followed the wonderful aroma wafting up the stairs to the breakfast table…

…where we promptly stuffed ourselves again! 

It was a great get-away.  If you are ever in the Clarksville area I can highly recommend a stay at Lylewood.