bits of happy...the start of the 2014 garden

This time of year my art is no longer created on canvas with paints, it's created in the garden.  Looking for color combinations, textures, and forms.  

foam flowers and goat's beard

{white spots are organic smelly critter repellent}

the start of our new patio with my corky red chairs

This kitchen garden makes me happy!  Stepping out our kitchen door to get some herbs and greens for meals makes everything good.

a fun place at our local nursery...thought this was a great place to get lost!

and the beans....playing away!

Happy Making, Baking, and Growing everyone!

Here is to a great weekend!

Partying at....

Fishtail Cottage

good day sunshine

Hey folks!  We had the most glorious sunshine today!  Popsicles, sprinkler time, and good old dirt digging! Things are popping on through in the garden though we still have a bit that is delayed from the cold spring temps of April.  I have been working like a dog trying to get the start of the season up and running around here so I apologize if I have not been around for a visit.  That and a pretty nasty bug that I'm just getting over! 

herbs in

The beds are waking up!

containers are being made...Torenia Hybrid, Plectranthus, Millium "Flashlights" {annuals for shade}

color blocking with Coleus 

my tulips

more tulips...my favorite

Another construction area in the garden....a whole new vision...to be continued on this one!

nature adventures with the beans

And a while back I talked about trying new recipes from my Aunt Tina's cookbook.  Here is our latest one and it's another keeper!

Turkey-Stuffed Shells

~ 12 oz package jumbo shells
~ 1 lb ground turkey
~ a dash of olive oil for the pan
~ 1 10 oz package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
~ 2 medium size onions
~ 1 8 oz container of ricotta cheese or you can use cottage cheese
~ 3/4 cup of parmesan cheese
~ 4 tbsp. of butter
~ 3 tbsp. of flour
~ 2 1/4 cups of milk
~ 1/2 tsp. salt
~ 1/2 a cup of shredded mozzarella cheese


Boil your pasta shells.  Meanwhile, in a pan over medium-high heat, sprinkle in your olive oil.  Cook your onions for a few minutes and then add your turkey.  Stirring occasionally until the turkey is brown and the onions are tender.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in....spinach, ricotta cheese, and parmesan cheese.

In a saucepan over low heat melt your butter and stir in flour until blended.  Cook 1 minute.  Gradually stir in milk and salt.  Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce boils and thickens.  (you may need to add a hint more flour if it is not thickening) Pour half of the sauce into a 13x9 inch baking dish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Drain your shells.  Fill the shells with your turkey mixture and arrange them on the sauce in the baking dish.  Pour remaining sauce over your shells and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly.  Turn oven control to broil. Broil your stuffed shells for no longer than 5 minutes until the tops are brown.  And enjoy!

Happy Making, Baking, and Growing!

brick by brick

Isn't it true that things take time?  The garden takes time.  Most days you can find me out back combing my beds like a detective to see what has pulled through the winter.  All the while trying to consciously balance my garden obsession so the beans don't grow up thinking I was completely nuts!  But these days I am beginning to think that we're all a little nuts in our own ways, just trying to navigate this thing called life!

Last year I started work on our garden room but knew that the path had to change due to drainage issues and mud when strolling through.  

After a ridiculous amount of leveling solid compacted dirt I was able to line the path with my pre-exisiting brick, lay down some landscape fabric, and fill with gravel.  Nope I'm not done.  With three beans sometimes 5 with the other little ones I watch, things get done in stages around here!

A lot of brown still!

Just so happens that this spot is completely a hit in the entertainment department.  Trucks and diggers spend most of their days scooping and dumping.

I am finding signs of life everywhere now!  My flower seeds won't be going in until May with temperatures still shifting most days.  And on the subject of seeds, I was able to find GMO free seeds from organic distributors on Amazon!  And very reasonably priced for those of you who are still wrapping up your seed orders.

The Cornelian Cherry showing bursts of sunshine....this tree is actually a Dogwood and its small colorful red fruit is a great song bird attractor.

peonies...

our kitchen garden....carrots, peas, and lettuce are in thus far

My bare-root Autumn Bliss raspberry plants just arrived and in they went.

Hellebores...

Dwarf Viburnum blooming...

 New paths going in...

Bleeding Heart coming up...

And my sweet bean sitting with the daffs!

 Whatever your passion...may it fill your soul with great joy!

galvanized steel wash tub

I have admired steel wash tubs in the garden for a while but have never come across the right one. 

via~Williams-Sonoma

 Today as I was heading to the park with the beans, I passed by a garage sale and there it was!  A beauty waiting to be swept up!  The family selling this tub even had a typed up history about our tub....

Vintage No. 3 Rust, Leak, Fire and Rodent Resistant (will not crack in the cold) Domestic Hot Dipped Galvanized Steel Wash Tub.

F.H. Lawson Co. Cincinnati OH produced metal trash cans and garbage pails.  The company was founded in 1816 and had a successful run for several decades.  However, it became burdened by financial difficulties that were precipitated by a leveraged buyout in the 1970's, and F. H. Lawson Co. finally ceased operations in early 1988.  When plastic receptacles were first introduced by Rubbermaid and Continental, it made business very tough for the F. H. Lawson Company.

The tub is 24 and a half inches in diameter.  I will be lining it and popping some holes in the bottom for drainage.  And then in goes some seeds for salad greens this weekend!

Crocuses are popping up while the daffs and tulips are showing their faces!  Peas are planted in the front yard and more are going in out back this weekend.


Now, I can't say that we have as much going on as you Northwestern gardeners...but hey, it's a start!!!

Some of my crocuses being eaten by our unruly squirrels!

Happy planting folks!

Floral Fridays...Flowers as art

Flowers as art.  There is nothing that inspires me more than nature! So when I heard what the theme was this month for Floral Fridays, I was excited to pull out my paints.  One in the works....

Spring Hellebores 

Have a rocking weekend everyone!!!!

Floral Friday is a monthly photography project with different themes each month. This series is about fun and taking time out to smell the flowers. To play along next time, please email Trishie at Under Lock and Key for next month's theme.