Monday, August 12, 2013

around here....

around here...

the beans help Gramps harvest vegetables from his garden.




around here....

 I look for color among the fading areas of the garden.






around here.... 

I visit other gardens to study what is blooming.


 Lobelia "Monet Moment"

 Blue Paradise Garden Phlox






 Miss Ruby Butterfly Bush


Honeysong Purple Stokes Aster

 Blue Fortune Agastache



around here...

sisters are making music together.



around here...

I'm working to create as many unprocessed snacks as I can for my beans.

Oatmeal Bites



Oatmeal Cookie Bites...

1 and 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 and 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups oats
1 cup raisins 
1 cup chopped walnuts

Beat wet ingredients in a mixer.  Slowly add the dry ingredients and walnuts (good with or without nuts!) Mix the raisins in by hand.  I like to make them small for the beans but large are awesome too!  Cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.



around here...

I feel so lucky to have met all of you talented folks!!!  You inspire!!

Joining Sarah for...

Grab button for CHANTILLE FLEUR


37 comments:

  1. You and I are like two peas in a pod!! :) We've been trying to stay away from the processed food too. I'll have to try your recipe. Love the garden. Enjoy the green before it fades, don't worry about the lack of color. Lol.

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  2. Oatmeal cookie bites! Yum! Glad I'm back to the blogger world. The beans dresses are presh!

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  3. Lovely post Nicole - those carrots look so good! We've just started harvesting the radishes, but carrots a while away yet :)
    Those oatmeal bites look SO good! I'll have to try them! Thanks so much for sharing & linking up!
    Sarah xxx

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  4. The beans dresses ate so cute! And oatmeal cookie bites! Mmm! It's good to be back in the blogger world and visit your lovely garden diaries. :) God bless!

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  5. Well now I feel a bit guilty for letting the kids eat cheese puffs and cheddar brats today!!! The oatmeal cookie bites look really good. I think my garden needs a lot more color too. I love looking at other gardens and seeing what else I can add to mine ~ there are some good ideas out there!

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  6. Around there, looks like you're having a FABULOUS summer, even if the colors ARE fading. Those Beans make my day - what smiles! Happy Tuesday, Nicole - XOXO

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  7. What is the colorful structure I see in photo #8?

    How old is the littlest bean? She looks so cute trying to reach up to big sis.

    How amazing your father's vegetable garden is.

    How colorful all the flowers are.

    Oh, why did you make me crave oatmeal cookies? I have a great recipe I just might make tomorrow. There are enough kids on the street I can share them with so we won't eat them all.

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  8. Love. May I go grocery shopping in your garden? I could stop at Liz's garden, too. lol Hopefully, I can get a small garden started next year. Growing ones own food taste so much better and healthier.

    Your kids are ADORABLE! :)

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  9. What a sweet little beens helping grandpa harvesting in his garden! I agree with you unprocessed snacks are the best for the beans and the recipe of the oatmeal cookies sounds delicious.

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  10. Adorable pic of the sisters! I bet those fresh veggies made a good meal.

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  11. Gorgeous garden and your kids are so cute! Also, those cookies look delicious.

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  12. Nicole your Oatmeal Cookie Bites couldn't have come at a better time! I went on a rampage today and threw out EVERYTHING processed in the pantry and fridge! Thought to myself that if I'm nourishing my body then I need to do the same for my girl too. Would love to see more child friendly recipes if you have any up your sleeve or filed away somewhere I haven't yet discovered :)

    Sophie xo

    P.S. Sunny is always out in the garden with her Grandpa! Don't you just love watching their connection and relationship :)

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  13. Love the shot of the sisters at the piano! Great inspiration for late summer gardens in this post Nicole. The oatmeal bites look yummy!

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  14. What amazing memories harvesting with their grandpa! Warms my heart! Thank you for the healthy snack recipe! Making it today! Hope all is well! xo

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  15. I LOVE that first picture.
    And that pink lobelia is gonna have to find a home in my yard. :)

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  16. Kids in the garden and making music! Love!!!

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  17. Aaah! Such sweetness around there! Cutie pies, pretty flowers, loving grandfather, and yummy morsels. I don't think life could get any sweeter! Hugs xoxo

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  18. Sweet girls, beautiful flowers, and cookies. What more could you ask for?

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  19. So many lovely flowers, your cookies look yummy and what sweet girls.

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  20. I love that your kids are involved in your garden :)

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  21. What a fun activity for the kids to help with the harvesting. The flowers look absolutely beautiful, and the oatmeal cookies so darn delicious!

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  22. You have some happy 'beans' in the garden. My girls love to be in the garden too. Jo x

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  23. Your beans are the best! helping grandpa, playing together... They deserve those gorgeous cookies!! Hazel x

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  24. Those are some fat carrots! Carrots are so fun to grow--there isn't anything more satisfying than pulling them up. And the oatmeal bites look so good!

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  25. Is that red and yellow flower a coreopsis? I've never seen that variety. Nice that your kids go out into the garden to help their grandad. My wife has very fond memories of her grandparents' big garden in Wyoming.

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  26. My goodness! Your pictures are beautiful and your girls are adorable!

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  27. Nicole, your little ones look like they are having fun with their grandpa and he with them. The carrots do look amazing. The pictures of your garden are so pretty and I was surprised to see the aster, as I have a couple of those exact plants in my yard and I love them, as they seem to come back without much fuss every year since I planted them. Those oatmeal cookies look delicious and are probably much more healthy than the snacks we have had around here lately. My husband came in the door earlier with a dozen Dunkin Doughnuts! Isn't that awful?! Thanks for sharing all the lovely pictures of the growing things, including those precious little ones!

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  28. I've just stumbled upon your blog and love your harvesting and cooking. I'm not getting as much out of my garden this year as I hoped - 1 runner bean and 10 tomatoes so far! Not a good year. So, will have to go for the baking instead. Have a wonderful weekend. xx

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  29. What a great photo of the little beanie sisters ;) It looks like your oldest bean is happy to keep her little sister entertained ... they look like great friends! Good harvest in the garden, and your oatmeal bites sound just the ticket for a snack. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Enjoy your weekend ... it sounds like it's going to be really nice here! Wendy x

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  30. I wish I had been able to blog when I was your age and my kids were little. Then I could remember all the fun things you do with little ones whild being at home. I hope you download your blog into books for you. Now my memory fails me as to what all I did. Sweet blog. xo Jenny

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  31. What lovely pictures and that Monet moment with that colorful structure in the background certainly had me drooling! What inspiration...
    And those oatmeal bites... I am definitely going to have to make some of those... my mouth is actually watering as I type this! Thanks for sharing... I think :D
    Hugs and enjoy the upcoming week my friend,
    Beth P

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  32. That's such a lovely way for the beans to connect with grandpa! and wow those oatmeal bites look delicious! Now that summer is nearing an end-ish... have you been thinking about how to store up extra herbs or other things you might have growing in the garden? I'm hoping to jar some pesto to make full use of all the basil...and have a ton of parsley and rosemary... -M

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  33. these are beautiful pictures! love all the pinks! and i love seeing pictures of your beans! they're adorable :)
    have a great week friend!
    xo- K

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  34. The smallest bean in the family has been visiting all summer. He is my slug hunting buddy. I much prefer making my own cookies, such strange stuff in the store bought ones.

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  35. Your garden looks beautiful, Nicole! I enjoyed seeing the flowers from the gardens you visited as well. Your dad's garden looks very productive and I know you'll enjoy those good homegrown vegis. Have a wonderful day!

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  36. Going to go make some oatmeal bites right now!! I need a healthy/wholesome snack! But instead of raisens, I am going to chop up prunes into small bits!!
    I had a bad experience with a box of raisens once and find it hard to eat them now...Oh and I have some dried cranberries too!! Ok will report back soon on my attempt, forgot to say I have always failed cookie making.....cross your fingers and wish me luck!!

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