A chair and a cake

My best buddy asked me to make a cake for her two year old's birthday party.
Since I love her... I agreed.

I thought it turned out really cute!!

You simply must try this white cake recipe.

I had a lot of frosting left over because I am a frosting over achiever.

So, I am gonna make another cake soon and photo document all of it to share the process.

You will be able to whip up this cake any time...no cake mix necessary!!

AND...

I ran over to an estate sale the other day and saw this chair tucked back in a corner.

Initially I was able to resist it.

Walking back past I made the mistake of pulling it out of the corner and sitting in it.

It is wide and squatty, and I love it!

You must look past its obvious imperfections to imagine what it can be.

I will find a wonderful fabric and recover it, then I will sit in it to open my mail.

Just wanted to let you know that!!

A quick update

I know I don't have to tell you that there are just not enough hours in a day to accomplish all we want to.

I have wanted to come here to visit all week and write about so many things, but other things have taken my time...and rightly so.

Summer is coming, so I hope...wait...I know that will free up some hours!!

So, here are a few quick tidbits from my week.
At some point I will have pictures to post.
(My husband pointed out that it is much funner to read this blog with photos. Though I doubt he used the word funner, it is just the overall idea I got from him.)
Keep your expectations of this blog low for a few more weeks, okay!

Our pond got to the livable point last Sunday, so the fish got moved in. They are darting about and finding all the hidey hole places that were designed for them.
We put in the cattail which was a tiny nub of about a half an inch, and as of today it is a foot tall. Crazy growth in one week!!!
The fish seem to like rubbing past it as well as viciously attacking the bulb of the water lily. This particular behavior needs to stop or they won't have any lily pads to enjoy.

I have been painting the Martha Stewart color "okra" in my living area downstairs. I have spent hours and hours doing that and still really, really enjoy the color.
You looked at it and thought it was too dark, didn't you.
That's okay!
The room has a full wall of windows which lets in light all day long which makes this color possible. I know it is a bit dark and bold for most peoples taste, but I love it.
Someday I will have rich warm pieces of furniture in this room and you will want to come over and relax with a glass of iced tea in this room!
Furniture is way down on the list of purchases so don't expect an invite for living room relaxing for awhile. Not that I won't have people over...I just won't have them over to relax in my living room.

When I stand in my closet I can hear nothing else going on in the house.
A little bit wonderful, a little bit frightening.
I don't have any toddlers in the house to worry about.
I should be able to enjoy this little benefit.
I will get there.

We have a lovely collection of birds who come to visit our feeder. It is such a joy to witness this display of God's creation. We also now have a foursome of very fat squirrels as well.

Someday I will have bedroom furniture.
Right now we are enjoying our new mattress!!! oooooohhhhh, aaaaaahhhhhh

My mailbox is farther away.
I am glad.
I need the excercise.
Hey, I walk there fast...that is excercise.

My husband chose a paint color for his office about 10 years ago. (really!!)
His office space is now that color.
I totally love that for him.
It makes my heart swell.

You know how you just wonder if some things will work or not and just can't let it go til you try it out??
Throwing the laundry over the rail from the second floor is not the answer to the upstairs laundry quandry.
I admit it, I tried it when I was home alone.
Don't judge me too harshly, I had to know!!

I hate to close with that particular confession, but have no more time to spend on this venture today.

Off to bake a cake and paint some paint.

More to come later!!

A little more dirt talk

So, as I said in my last post, I was off to plan an herb garden area. I figured I did need to write about it, drama or no drama, just because it may turn out to be an integral part of my life and cooking. I am crossing my fingers here and hoping hard!!!
This is the plot of land I chose, just outside my back door.

Yes, it looks like a harmless piece of property, but lurking beneath the tranquil soil was deeply rooted evil.

Okay, maybe you should know a few things about me before I continue this post.

I am not much of a manual laborer. I mean I can work hard like the best of them, and do in fact consider myself a hard working person, but...
Well, let's just say digging ditches is not the job for me...unless you bring along a backhoe or front loader or a nice fellow with a shovel.

Luckily, I snookered, I mean lovingly convinced my sister in law that I needed her help on this project, and let her have a go at the hardest parts of the work.
(I mean, she is a good 15+ years younger than me and much better suited for hard labor, right?? right!)
Also, I hate the feeling of dirt on my hands. I know some of you think it is groovy, but not me. Now don't get me wrong, I had my share of days in the dirt.
I distinctly remember shaping little dirt clods, and making cute little families with them. Pretending the day away!
I have gotten past that.
I must say that I really didn't even enjoy my pottery classes in college for this very reason.
So, you get the point there, I imagine.

Luckily we didn't run into any grubs.
Ick, that is the biggest reason not to dig in the dirt.
Blech, ick, gross.
Grubs are so disgusting, especially if you happen to chop one in half accidentally.
Imagine me doing the cringing, head shaking, jumping around on both feet, wringing my hands dance at this point. Grubs and roaches...ick!
This was just way out of my comfort zone for so many reasons.
BUT, I figured it was gonna be up to me to make it happen, as the cute fellow with the shovel happens to work all week and has lots to do on the weekend besides planting a few herbs. Not that he wouldn't, but I figured I could take that job off his list!

So, we cleared this area of the square concrete blocks that were covering it and looked on it with promise.

Then we started digging. Oh boy!! Just look at this...



Do you see that big daddy of a root right there??? Notice how it compares to the size of the rakish type tool over to the right. The crazy thing is that we had no idea this would be there, as there is no corresponding tree in the yard. I mean, not a tree in any direction. Apparently this root used to have a tree to belong to. After talking to our neighbor I found out that this lot lost quite a few trees in the past few years and hurricanes.
Well, this root was still firmly holding onto the ground despite having nothing growing above ground to need its support. I am sure there is a lovely analogy there, or a deep meaning we could attach to it, but I just don't have time for that type of meaningful banter today.
So, my awesome sister in law hacked away at it with our rather dull axe until "we" got it to a reasonable size!
I am sure a master gardener type person would have taken the time to completely remove the root and put down topsoil or something, but I am no pro here, I just wanted my herbs in the dirt as quickly as possible so I could go in and wash my hands!

Here are a few of the things we planted.

Orange mint


Oregano


Here is a bit of an aerial view so you can see how it is laid out. Those two big plants in the middle are not herbs, but they got stuck in the dirt that day too. They are yellow and orange bell pepper!! YUM.


Notice the scroll work garden stakes behind each plant? Yeah, that is an attempt to keep my neph-dog Dexter who likes to come over to play off of the plants directly. It may or may not help, but it made me feel better. He will get some training on this matter soon!

I also got cilantro, variegated lemon thyme, lemon balm and a very struggling cutting of rosemary put in.
As of today, a full 5 days later all but the rosemary (which is fully brown and kinda crispy-ish) seem to be happy in their hastily made new home.
The peppers both have a little nub of a fruit (okay I know it is actually a vegetable but work with me here). The cilantro has new growth which is actually standing up and not laying on the ground looking weary!! This is progress!
The lemon and orange herbs look like they have been to a day at the spa, I think they really like it here!!
Well, I am sure I will keep ya posted on how this turns out, as well as what I will be cooking up with these willing participants!
Today the lemon balm is gonna get thrown in with a chicken, lemon pasta dish! Speaking of that, I better get busy on that, it is almost lunch time!

Oh, and Big J, sorry I killed the rosemary! More please???

A book to read

I love to read.
I have always loved to read, as far back as I can remember anyway.
I remember curling up in the back of our van on road trips as a teen, completely absorbed in book after book.
I devour books.
I am a voracious reader and don't mind admitting it.
I used to read almost anything. Suffering through to the end even if the book wasn't good, in honor of the author and the time they had committed to writing a book.
I don't do that anymore.
So, I suppose in my old age I have gotten pickier and want to read books that are well written and capture my interest and hold it well. If it takes me longer than a week to read a book, it either means I am insanely busy, or the book is just not good and therefore not holding me captive with single minded fury.


Sometime just over 12 years ago I had a friend loan me this type of book to read.
I was in the throws of first time mommy-hood.
Overwhelmed, lonely, emotional, and yet deliriously happy to be taking care of a little life.
I immediately fell in love with the main character, Claire. She is a strong, independent, brave and yet tender woman who finds herself in a myriad of situations, designed to keep you turning those pages.
I have recommended this book to so many people, hoping (and yet knowing) that they too would ultimately love Claire and all of her many adventures that capture your heart.
And, having Jamie Fraser be a part of that doesn't hurt one little bit either!!
This first book in the series is a good 3 inches thick; full from cover to cover with adventure, intrigue and an amazingly impossible love story. And, the 6 books that follow come pretty close to being just as large and fantastic. So, it is no small feat to get through this series. And, she is currently writing yet another, oh the woe in having to wait!!

I don't really have a strong desire to own many books. I am very happy to simply borrow them from a friend or the library. This set, however, I do own. One was given to me by my reading buddy Lynette. One by my best buddy Tara. I found two at a used book store, and the others I have in paperback until the time comes when I can get the hardcover! They just stand up to life better.

Okay...I said all of that to say...
My friend, who I mentioned above, who loaned me this first addictive book has now written a book of her own. See, she already has credibility with me having put so many excellent books in my hands over the years.
I want to recommend her book to you because she is my friend!

But more importantly, I want to recommend this book to you because it is a beautifully written love story. Yes, it is a romance...but for me...the true love story told in this book is between Meg and her Savior.

Laura Anderson Kurk wrote Glass Girl specifically for teens and young adults, and though I am no longer in either category...I found myself carried away to Wyoming, loving Meg, adoring Henry, and realizing once again the beauty of salvation in Christ.

Here is the "product description" copied from the Amazon page.

In this powerful debut, Laura Anderson Kurk offers a rare glimpse into the soul of the often forgotten grieving sibling. Glass Girl is a lovely book that treats with compassion one of life's most trying times, lending honesty to the discussion about the impact of violence on families.

At turns funny, tragic, and hopeful, Glass Girl captures the reality that is Meg's life--the slow, messy heartbreak of grief balanced with the rush and energy of first love. Readers will recognize the gentle, believable journey that takes Meg from Pennsylvania to Wyoming, from loneliness to love, and from sorrow to hope.

The story of Meg and Henry will touch teens who are trying to do the right thing but still feel lost at times. Those who are learning that life is often a slow-moving dance that is exquisite and excruciating at once, but is, above all, beautiful.

Yeah, that is a great description!!
I keep wanting to add to it, but find that I simply cannot do it and still hold the integrity of how the story unfolds. It is something you have to discover and if I say more, I will give away too much.

I was so honored to be able to attend Laura's first (as far as I know) book signing yesterday.
It was a lovely gathering with so many cute yellow details planned out by the hostess!

So, here is Laura signing away on books! What a treat it is to have a signed first edition copy of a book! I had no idea something like that would ever mean so much to me.
I am pretty sure Laura has quite a few more stories to tell, so it was fun to be here at the beginning, breathing in the promise of what is yet to come!

Thank you Laura for a book which kept me up at night and got me reading early in the morning.
I thoroughly enjoyed being led through those awkward teen moments, feelings of first love, and overwhelming grief enough to knock the stuffing out of you. I definitely had some teary eyed moments.
Actually, I will admit it, I had to do the little suck in your breath to get composed thing there toward the end. ( You will know what I am talking about when you get there!!)

Love Ya Laura!!!

I hope you will consider investing in this book. I think you will find that you too, will want to recommend it to others!


Now I am off to plan an herb garden! I genuinely hope it is not interesting enough to write about!!

My Wedding Day: Chapter Five

Wowza, I am up early this morning.
I woke and my brain got to moving before my body could relax again.
I tried, I really tried to go back to sleep, but it just wasn't happening.

Then, I decided...hey, I have never taken a nap in my new home...I could do that today.
That was what cinched it for me and I got up and pushed the start button on my coffee pot!

You have all
(mostly, except for one person who will remain unnamed, but his initials are C. D.)
been so very patient waiting for this next chapter in my wedding story.


If you will recall, we left off with me tired of lugging my dress around, cringing at the sound of the pearls being crushed. You can go here to catch up if you need to. It has been so long since I wrote on this topic, I had to go back and read to see what I had covered, so don't be discouraged if you can't remember either.

Now on with the story.

We finished all of the regular wedding festivities and prepared to depart.
Seeing as how this was an outdoor wedding, on a ranch, we chose to use birdseed as our toss it at the running couple as they leave, farewell item. We intended for this to be tossed lovingly in a gentle arch, you know like something you would see in a well done musical.

Can I just say, never trust a brother or a cousin to toss lovingly.
They just don't have it in them.
In fact, don't hand a boy of any age something to throw at you specifically and then expect it to go well.
Those boys, they feed off of each other somethin' terrible.

Oh, I am sorry that was skipping ahead a bit, let me back up.

All of our dear friends and loved ones made a path (in yet another cow field) for us to run through to get to the well decorated car.
We hugged and loved and said goodbye, ready to drive away into the sunset of our old single lives and into the unknown of marriage.

There we stood, hand in hand, on the verge of something wonderful... then we started to run!!

At this point I let go of my dress, tired of carrying it and also needing an arm to keep my eyes protected from the stinging birdseed.
And then I felt it.

The tug.

Ladies, you know that feeling when you are wearing a longish dress and sitting in a chair and you go to get up but can't because the chair is on your dress and you feel that little tug that makes you look down to see just where under the chair your dress is caught.

You know, that little tug when, if you get up the chair is likely to tip and crash to the floor, or you may likely fall over.

Yeah, it was something like that, except at breakneck speed, cause we were running for our lives!!
The tip of the toes of my right foot firmly caught the front edge of my dress, I felt that tug, and the next thing I knew, I was flat on my bum with my husband still in the midst of the mad dash.

Yes, unfortunately, my husband was also shielding his face and was very focused on the goal of the car. He didn't feel me go down.

For me, it was like slow motion.
I felt the tug, stumbled on the uneven ground, felt my body twist and turn and found myself facing the opposite direction being literally drug along the grass with my arm out behind me held fast by the strong hold of my husbands clutched hand.
My sister in law recently told me that a "collective gasp" was heard.
Everyone was stunned and dismayed, seemingly frozen with shock.
Well, everyone except the (also to remain unnamed) few who continued to hurl birdseed at us in this tragic moment.

When my kids ask to have dessert, I tell them to get a reasonable amount. I think this is a good skill to peg down.
These unnamed fellows did not have a reasonable amount of birdseed.
Not possible.
I am still planning the revenge.

When my hubby finally realized that I was no longer running along beside him with the wind whipping through my mullet, he stopped and quickly turned to gently help me up.
He felt terrible.
I was embarrassed beyond belief and now had grass stains all down the back of my dress.

We then, red-faced made our way to the car at a slower pace (dress in hand, duh!!) amidst the condolences and wondering if I was okays and drove away as quickly as possible.
Ugh!

We sat there silent for a bit, stunned.
We have laughed about this so many times over the years, but not on that day in particular. We began the drive up the curvy mountain road toward our honeymoon destination, glad to have all of the eyes of our guests turned toward something other than the two of us.
When I finally got up the courage to look at something other than my wringing hands, I realized that somehow, my bag had not made it into the car.

Oh, the sinking feeling knowing we had to turn the car around and drive back into the midst of all those who had just partaken in our debacle.
We seriously considered not going back.
I think my sweet husband would have bought everything I needed to save me having to face anyone.

But, common sense won out and we returned.
Ugh!
I don't know what people thought, but they came running over to the car asking if we were okay.
We assured them we were fine, but I did however need my bag.

Ugh!
I know I already said that, but this deserves another.

It was rushed out to the car quickly by someone who loved me dearly, but I can't remember who. I just know they had to have great affection for me to deliver my bag and get me out of there post haste.
I have blocked from my memory those few moments of waiting in the car. I truly don't remember a single moment of it. I probably conversed in terse whispers with my bridesmaids having them repeatedly reassure me that I would, in fact go on to live a normal life despite this particular incident.

I warned you, right.
Okay, now take a deep breath we aren't done yet.

We drove along, birdseed in every imaginable crevice, to our honeymoon destination which was Big Sky, Montana.
A winter ski resort wonderland tourist attraction. (Not much of a drive, unless you have birdseed in every imaginable crevice.)

The first order of business was to find food...we were starving!! Like many couples we had spent our time mingling after the ceremony and didn't get much more than the traditional bite of cake to eat.
Let me just tell ya, there are not many restaurants open for business late in the evening, in the summer, in a ski resort town.
In fact there were no restaurants open...at all.
We were forced to go to the mounted animal heads galore, very expansive cause it needed to be, cause there was nowhere else to shop, Quick Stop type store there in town to pick up some groceries for our dinner.

On the menu for our first meal together:
Canned Ravioli
Beef Jerky
Doritos and Salsa
Oreo Cookies

Hey, don't judge. We didn't get vienna sausages or moon pies after all.

Since I haven't yet unpacked all of the office type boxes, I haven't yet found the photo that I wanted to scan in to add right here.
When I find it I will.
Oh, yes I will.
Because, it is evidence.
It is evidence of the next wrong to take place.
I truly don't know how I survived it.

It is a photo of my dear husband and I the very next day with his ENTIRE family, who had traveled all the way from Tennessee to attend the wedding, at the entrance to Yellowstone National Park. If I remember correctly the count was eleven plus the two of us.

Yes, my friends, we got up the day after our wedding to go hang out with his family and take a leisurely tour the park. I am sure I was a delightful shade of red all day long between recalling the misadventures of the previous day, and the obvious fact that it was my honeymoon!!!!

We toured all of the regular sites at the park. The bubbling hot pots, the gently flowing hot springs, the "grand canyon" of Yellowstone. We picnicked by the lake and took photos of all the wild beasts we encountered.

Please feel sorry for me.
Even after all these years, I still am not to proud to beg for empathy.

And that my friends is the rest of the story. I can't really say "the end" as we are still in the throws of crazy married life. It is 19 amazing years and 3 wonderful children later and I never tire of telling the tale of our wedding day.
I love to hear people laugh, and it is a sure bet!

Okay, go recover. I am gonna go take a nap!

Sigh!

Hello there! Happy Friday. I am not really ready to share too much of my new house with you (unless you came over for a walk thru) because so much is still such a disarray and photos just don't give the right feel.

However, yesterday as I was sitting in my "art room" working...I knew I was gonna have to share this particular area of happiness!
I have long been crammed into shared spaces to do any art work that should come about. For the longest time I was at the dining room table. Which if you haven't been to my house, consisted of a plastic covered 8 ft. folding table. It was so wonderful to work on that big ole space, but all work had to get moved when it came time for homework or dinner. Kind of a bummer on work in progress.
Then I was able to purchase a huge drafting table!!! It was a birthday gift to myself last year, partially funded by a super awesome person. (Yeah, I am talking about you cause I know you come here to read, and I thank you for that, reading...and the table too!)

This 5ft. table was tucked into the corner of our master bedroom where I could now leave out work in progress but, had to work around sleep patterns of the other guy who shares my room. Kinda hard to sleep when those nice bright drawing lights are on.

Well, now I have a whole room all to myself. It is supposed to be the dining room in this house, but I selfishly claimed it as my own. My too, too sweet for words supportive husband agreed and is working on a plan for a wood floor in there eventually. Ahhhh, it makes my heart swell.

So, not only do I have an amazing space to work, I also have a great view of some of my favorite portions of the house. I sit in my drawing chair and just sigh with happiness. I know you won't totally be able to feel the love from these photos, but when you come over I will make you sit in my chair and you can sigh too!

Okay, so here goes. If I am sitting in my chair and look to the left, here is what I see...

That is the long expanse of my kitchen, a window into the backyard, and the new given with love dining room table where eventually I will place the chairs which came with it. Hee hee, gonna get to it. Just out that window is a bird feeder which we are currently using to fatten up the squirrels. arrrgggghhhh.
Oh, and the tulips...yeah my husband sent those to me for Mother's day.
He knows I love tulips!

Now we are gonna stand by the tulips and look back the other direction, so you can see where I would be sitting.


See thru that doorway straight ahead is where my chair is. I get to open the blinds on those three ginormous windows and enjoy the natural light most of the day!! It is a wonder I get any work done at all.

When I look straight ahead seated at my table I have a view of the stairs and entry way. Perfect for keeping tabs on the kids as they meander in and out of view.

Well, this has been a very hastily written post, so sorry for any errors or weird wording, but that is all the time I have for today. I've got places to be and people to see.
Okay, actually I really just need to seriously unpack some boxes.

More later!

My new home

We are in!!! It was a crazy, insane, not at all fun ride, and we made it.

I don't have time to share a lot today, but did want to at least give you an image to start with.

So, I took this photo of the front.



See that window in the middle above the front door? That is where I am sitting now, well it was where I was sitting when typing this entry. That is my husbands office, man cave type area. It is also where the computer is...so I will spend quite a lot of time there, until I can get a laptop anyway...hint hint!
See the window to the left of the front door? That is where my "art nook" is set up. It is supposed to be a dining room, but really who needs that!?! I have a 5ft. drafting table which needed its own little retreat, so it gets to sit there with my long neglected easel.
Wow, my own art room. How I have longed for this very thing. It makes me feel official.

I have to jet now.
I am headed to a very dangerous place today.

The Container Store

I will try to behave
maybe, maybe not.

So, good to be back!