Fresh garden View & European Potato basket bin

The garden has a fresh new look , causing a smile with every visit. After the painting of the picket fence exterior, I added a Gothic finial to each post on the sides of the gate. With the help of my little man, I put in 2 permanent herb beds, flanking the front gate.On one side we put 2 lavender and 3 thyme. On the other, we put in all Lavender. I found the Lavender on sale for half the price being it is the end of season for such things to be in any demand. 

A sand walkway bordered by brick with large River stone nestled in, have been placed for the Garden entry. I may very well come Spring, continue the path all the way through the the garden, guiding to the back gate on the North & South side.On the back end, I am contemplating a T formation for back lay out.

 We put in a Fall crop of Kale, Winter density lettuce, peas & snow peas in the front Carrot bed, which are coming up rather nicely. I anticipate  the late harvest with hopefully a decent amount for freezing. 

All in all, I am overjoyed with what we have done to make the garden more inviting as you walk out back. Very little cost, but a huge impact of difference. I still have the back arbor area to do, which will be a few more weeks being I am buying materials on my small paycheck.

I am rather excited to have found a U.S source for a certain willow woven Potato basket bin I have coveted for some time now. I have seen them all over sites for purchasing from the U.K

I find them absolutely darling and would be of great use since my hanging basket has fallen twice now due to the weight of our potato consumption. These would also make for great onion or Garlic bin which the source does have a smaller version. I found them online at Bed Bath & Beyond for a range of $30 & $60. I do believe this will be my answer when asked what I would like for the holidays. One for onions & one for potatoes. Although, I may end up purchasing from a place in the U.K if I do not find these in my local store.

I also found an inexpensive source for the {great for beginners} Easy to make Shaker style Onion baskets, which unlike the bins above, these would be hung. How beautiful to have a cellar/Pantry or basement wall lined with these for storing all those Garden onions, garlic bulbs and yes...even those petite fingerling /colored potatoes {after all, ya cant store them all in the willow bin}.

I found the kits complete with instructions for $8.95 over at http://www.basketweaving.com/ . They are named Country onion basket on their site.I am determined to order the kit with the extra materials supply for 5. Being the weather is getting colder and knowing our children, they would highly enjoy making these as we sit by the fireplace, cooking up some soup or such with the dutch oven in the hot embers.

 I do believe they would make for unique gifts and would be enhanced by adding a slate, galvanized metal or other writing surface tag attached to it's front. I found these over on Etsy By SweetKate {at this posting} for $5.95 that gives you 2 of them. This is just one of the many styles to choose from.

I have more work to be done before the cold hits this week. Rosemary to be potted up from the front herb and flower bed.  Some problem solving of the once again muddy chicken pen {I think sand may be the key for those certain spots they seem to slop up quickly} and of course some intense Mud room cleaning before it's too cold to have my hands in a mop bucket scrubbing floors and walls.

Until next time..

Sweetest Dreams,

~Tammie 

Giveaway at Reverie Photography Blog!

I love love love Reverie. A place for amazing inspiration in children's photography. Not your "everyone say cheese" way of things. The style that makes my heart flutter. Fun. Imaginative. Delightful & captivating.



http://reveriemine.com/



Since I have been working 7 days in a row {not a regular thing but helping out while someone is on vacation}, I have not been able to finish up the latest project to share and though this might interest those of you whom enjoy a different style of things in photography. Remember: it's not the camera that takes amazing pictures. It is the Photographer behind the lens. Not anymore then a stock pot is the reason behind an exceptional batch of soup.

 It takes time to learn these things and oh how much fun & joy it brings me as I venture in photography. Even a Point & shoot has the possibility for beautiful photos. Once you learn some basics like the lesson of thirds,setting/background of the subject, Lighting {natural sunshine in my case} that is not casting shadows on faces,etc and proper body/face form for a huge difference in results- you'll be off to a great start.

Reverie has been a source of many lessons and inspiration for me. So today I share with you he last day of course {eeek! you have until 10pm pacific time}, her generous giveaway.

From beautiful frames, amazing accessories such as whimsical hats & outfits {gift certificates for these} to Photography editing tools & Finished extras.

*So head on over to Reverie & check out the giveaway*. Not interested in the giveaway? Then I would advise you check out the dreamy pictures she has shared in past posts that will leave you dreamily amazed and inspired.

Now I must be off and feed the chickens. Whom by the way we have received 1 brown egg, 1 blue egg & 1 light olive green egg so far. It only took them until they were 9 months old... now just 8 more hens to go... Maybe I should start my stockpot discussion to get the other gals motivated...

Sweet Dreams,

~Tammie

New life & purpose for FREE Garden nursery stands

While I was out searching in this late season for thyme plants, with no luck of course, I came across a most exciting find. While visiting an upscale garden center, I spotted in the parking lot 2 produce/plant display tables with a free sign. After checking them over & noting the only thing "wrong" with them is the effects of outdoor weather aging them to no longer being in a store fixture value state. I dashed home for the truck & loaded up my treasures. Once home I got to work on refurbishing them for their new use.

~ This one can lay flat or position in 3 various heights. The warped board is on a section you can pull out or tuck back under the leaning top.~

~the 3 sections are multi positionable with a flat small section on the top. Pervect spot for a jar of sunflowers or a small vintage scale.

Where one saw trash, I saw treasure! With a little help of sanding, black spray paint & some diluted Kilz PLUS a few things for the sign display {not pictured above}, I was able to give new life & purpose to something put out in their Free wood broken pallet corner.

After cleaning them off & sanding just a little, I wanted to keep it looking aged, so I diluted white exterior Kilz 50/50 with water and painted the wood pieces. I used a flat black spray paint on the metal.

After dried, I used a fine sandpaper to go over it with a light hand to add some "wear" for extra charm. Hard to see in the pictures but it's there.

As for the wooden display sign, I did the above method plus bought a very thin board of wood, cut it to size & spray painted with Chalkboard paint. Slid it in the side slot & despite the warping top which would have been near impossible to accommodate, it came out just as I pictured.

I left the rust on the tab wing nut being it was a perfect compliment to the aging effect of the job.

I nabbed these for Mr.J to use for his Front yard garden produce stand. He had stopped in the day I brought them home so the surprise was ALMOST ruined. I guess it was a good thing he was able to see them in their raw state. He even made the comment he liked them as they are but... I had bigger plans.

Now they have a fresh clean look that I hope will bring him happiness, catch the eye & buying temptation of passerby's for his Honesty box produce stand.

I finished my garden haven, well almost. Another trash to treasure project with a few new items complimenting my Warmer season haven. Catch me next time for a trip out to the garden!

Sweet dreams,

 ~Tammie

The repurposed fence, Fall cleanup & Elusive find

We have had such beautiful weather of late and the cool comfortable weather looks like it will be staying awhile. Perfect for cleaning out the garden & getting some projects finished.

Last year I was able to get free & old privacy fencing to re purpose. Although it is not much of a change in it's use, I am rather happy to now have it as a Picket Fence around my garden. We are just now getting around to finishing up the white paint job. As you can see, we are still working our way towards the back. It's not perfect but it is for my own pleasure and viewing. Just another bonus of living where we have no side or back neighbors.  As for the rabbits, the bottom portion of the fencing inside will get chicken wire stapled all the way around.

This shot was taken first thing in the morning before I straightened the gate & began making the thyme & Rosemary bed which will go along the front , both sides of the gate.

 I am laying landscaper cloth over the ground with the plants coming through a small hole which will have black mulch laid on top & a plastic edging border to keep out the grass. It seems to creep in fast so I got creative & decided this would also enhance it's appearance- Note that the ground is uneven all around the garden so my fencing is not straight. I can deal with that by adding the front border of woody herbs.

I reduced my garden in half to now a 20 feet X 34 feet. This next year will be the first of doing intensive planting. I will NOT be defeated again.

After weed whacking the garden down to the ground, I tilled it over & have been sifting out the roots by hand. It has been so pleasurable to work in the garden after such disappointment this year. As I sat in this very spot, the sound of Root Beer crowing, the breeze flowing through  the trees, the sounds of nature echoing around me & my dog laying on a her favorite river rock... was a moment of such peace I wish to enjoy forever. It was in that moment and in so many I have had of late, I knew. I am home. For the first time ever I truly feel I have found Home.

So much left to do such as painting the inside of the garden fence and finishing the grape arbor/pagoda as well as the cement stucco compost Bin & rebuilding a proper stone Bonfire pit for The Captain. That man loves his weekend fires sitting under the same star pattern he looked upon in his childhood, just a few blocks away. I am slowly gathering the materials so it may not be until Spring for that one. The old will have to do for the rest of this season.

Oh! The Thrift store find I spoke of last. Well to understand the thrill you must know the tale. I have searched high & low for so many years trying to collect glass kitchen items that no longer come in glass but are plastic or metal. One of each kind for each of my girls. My daughters, my future daughter in law & for my most cherished Sister in law Marine. I inherited a glass canning funnel from The Captains grandma & cherish it immensely. I really did not think it would be almost 6 years before I would spot one in the thrift store but when I did..I truly GRABBED for it. Carrying it around in my purse before checking out so afraid it would break due to the adrenaline rush I received.

Silly, ay? Yeah. but thats just a part of who I am. It's the little things...

This one will go to my sister in law. This amazing woman who shares so much of the same interests & quirks with me. I joke with my baby brother that he married someone like his sister.  He could not have given me a better gift then to have this woman as my sister. So she gets my $2.50 rare & elusive find. Lucky girl. {I say that in jest but know she will appreciate it}. Just 4 more to go {Thankfully I have about 10 years before needing the next one for the rest of my girls}.

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie

Hermaphrodite Chicken & loving my Kale

Nothing like the sound of rooster crowing as the sun comes up...that is, if you have just a few and one of them is not a rather confused...hen?! Yep. The red splotched Deleware is not only a genetic freak in it's color but is also a whole lot confused. "Hermy" started out as a hen but before she could lay any eggs, she started taking on the look of a He. Hermy was bigger in size like the other roosters but did not start growing rooster neck/hackle feathers until after the others. Hermy does not have a rooster tail, as you can see below. Nope. A hen feathered tail with the other half all rooster. As for the crow? Well it is truly pathetic. A different tone and the only way I can think to describe is to say it sounds as though someone is trying to choke her as it tries churn out a crow along with the beautiful tone of the others. 

Why is it I always seem to end up with the funky animals? The change happens when an ovary is damaged - causing testosterone levels to soar and turn the ovary into a testicle.It's very, very rare - about a one in 10,000 event which seems to be I am always the "1" in so many things.

Ya gotta laugh though. As Hermy tries so hard to mate with the girls, it is far obvious it is just not happening. But Hermy has now taken on stalking me. I can see it watching everywhere I go. it peers out at me through the pen yard fence as I clean up the garden. It does the wing dance when I go in to tend to their needs. It even jumps me if I turn my back on it! I make Frog go in with a stick, watching my back so I can get things done without fearing the 3 roosters circling me. It's as if they think its a game. Hermy always begins it then the other 2 join in. so now Hermy has got to go! Either to someone who will be amused by this funky chicken or to feed the family some awesome Chicken & dumplings.

I must share I harvested my first crop of Kale. I grew red Russian kale this year and along with only a few other things, it blossomed well under my unintentional neglect.

I will add, if you have not tried this variety you should put it on the list of must haves. My children are not fans of "leafy greens" but they asked for seconds on this stuff. I added a huge amount to a pot of Fagioli & they gobbled it down. Next is to try it in some chicken, wild rice with Kale soup & possibly transition them into trying it fried with a little onion. Such a different sweet green flavor.

I found the Cherry Gal store while searching out a source of this seed in organic NON mutated supply. A great price at $1.25 per packet & discovered the store has more then just heirloom seeds. From body to kitchen and even antique household items. A pure delight perusing. They do not advertise, so word of mouth is how they get around. I gladly share being they will be the source for more seed in my home this winter.

Potato Fest this weekend and of course it's wet & mucky. Grabbing the muck boots & getting my Perogi fix on! In my next posting I will share the very rare & elusive item I have been searching for in the thrift stores for MANY years. I finally found one and it only set me back $2.50 {U.S}! But don't tell my sister in law how cheap it was. I got it for her and am still on the hunt for 3 more. Although I do feel after searching high & low for this long, avoiding the $20 or more price tag with ebay, I deserve the steal of a deal.

Until next time,

Sweet dreams,

~Tammie

Maiden Voyage with Panda & a Mothers Love...

Lil man & I scrubbed the Rowboat down just enough to be suitable for her maiden voyage. He was so excited, he stuck with me through the entire cleaning. The Captain & Lil man were the first to take her out, so the girls & I followed in the car just in case they needed help launching. While he parked the truck, we let the kids row her, staying close to shore. Which you can see, lil man was such a gentlemen and manned the boat so the girls could lounge.

While the boys were fishing, the girls & finished up the tomato sauce I began canning that morning. I am so fortunate to have kind & gardening landlords. Despite the failure I endured this year, I have managed to put up a small amount from tomatoes that were closing in on their end of salability from his roadside stand & restaurant customers.

Once the boys made it back home, Panda & I jumped in the truck & took off for the lake! We are both just as excited as our men to have this new vessel. Our floating lady is very much appreciated and will continue to be enjoyed for hopefully many more decades.

I wanted to experiment with photos on a boat since the lighting while doing lake photos has been a bit of a problem for me.

She happily obliged as well as realizing the benefit of that parasol I brought along.

It is the little moments I have with her that I cherish the most. To see her smile and laughing after we managed to talk like pirates for 5 minutes straight, had my motherly heart swelling with love & happiness. I love this girl with everything I have. I missed so much of a normal childhood, having her has given me so much happiness on things I have missed out on. Just by viewing her smile & laughter, her interactions with friends & the giggles of many tweens carried down the hall may seem trivial to others. But for me... It's pure bliss.

 

Once the sun had set, we headed in to shore. I noticed with this photo,trees that were green just a month ago have already begun showing Fall colors. I love when they begin their change. Now we can experience the beauty from a new angle.

Panda is taking an interest in my new camera which I feel was fine...while on land. The row boat is managable by one person, so I got to work loading her. I will say my choice of a long skirt was not such a wise decision being I wore Muck boots for stepping in the water during the move. Panda though it was hilarious when I decided to bring the back of my skirt up between my knees & tuck it into my waistand. What a sight I must have been to the shore fishermen. As if an ankle length skirt & muck boots were not enough.

It took some muscle, with barey a tad of help from my shutter bug, but I got her in there and we were off in no time.

 We had such an enjoyable evening together. Panda had never rowed a boat before so she gave it a try & did great. Can't wait till our next jaunt out.

Now I must be off to tend to the storm ravaged yard. Some hard winds had blown in & of course, it has to be the full can of recyclables laying victim to it's strength.

Sweetest dreams,

~Tammie