More Goodwill hunting...

I was at Goodwill again the other day. They get shipments on Friday's, so I usually try to hit them on Friday and walk around while they unload all the loot. Just hoping to be the first to happen upon a treasure. So when I walked up to go inside the other day, this piece caught my eye. It was sitting there, in plain view, in the window for everyone to see. But no one was looking at it. Of course, it intrigued me to no end. When I walked inside and begin to inspect it, I realized that it wasn't actually an old piece, but a new piece made to look old. And the price was $15.50. So I left it. Before leaving the store, I walked back over to it and looked it over again. But $15.50! It was more than I usually allow for one item, unless it is something really grand. I mean come on, it is Goodwill after all. A place of bargins and low prices. And I really didn't need this, Truthfully, I didn't even know what it was actually. For that matter, where I would put it, or what I would do with it. So I went home empty handed.

But it kept calling to me...I searched the internet trying to find something like it. But I had no clue what it was called, or what it was used for except to look interesting.

I finally gave in and drove back to the store, and there it was, still waiting in the window. No one else even seemed interested in it. But I was on a mission. It was to be mine. So I bought it. Paid $15.50 and carried it home. Now that it is here, I still don't know what to do with it, or how best to use such a piece. So if anyone out there has a suggestion, please I need some suggestions. If you know what it's called or what it could be used for, I need to know. I need to be able to justify giving $15.50 for---something---that I don't know how to use. So for now, it sits high atop my hutch along with a variety of baskets, large and small, waiting to be useful, waiting for me to understand why I was so attracted to it, why I needed to pay $15.50 to bring it home with me.

Pots de Creme

I made the most delicious and delightful dessert the other day. I got the recipe here.

It was so easy. The only thing I will do different next time is pour the coffee much slower so there won't be the froth-y-ness on the top.

New Life

Little birds that hatched in my hanging ivy on my front porch.

Sickie weekend...

Well it is official...I feel like Cr*p! I don't normally use that word in my everyday speech, and as you can see, I couldn't bring myself to spell it out. I suppose it goes back to my upbringing. When I was growing up words like that weren't used in our home. We weren't allowed to say things like ain't or shut-up. They were considered curse words in our home. So it still rubs me the wrong way when I hear someone say something like that. But that is the best description of how I feel this morning that I could express.

It all started out as allergies, I suppose. Noah and I both were sufferning from seasonal allergies and then it turned into sinus, and sinus infection. I suppose mind did also, I took him to the dr and continued to self treat myself. The dr put him on an antibiotic. After a few days, he broke out into a rash! An allergy to penicilin! So he was taken off the antibiotic and put on Zyrtec, with instruction to bring him back if he wasn't better after the weekend. Well he isn't and I am definately not either! He started running a fever again and feeling like me Cr*ppy! So much for a holiday weekend.

We were suppose to go to Tennessee the weekend to a family reunion. But events that took place a Andrew's work prevented us from going. He had to go in and work some today. They are trying to get this job finished and have a deadline to meet. So people had to work over the weekend to get it done. He had to go in today to make sure it got done and to direct the next steps in the process.

I have to say, that due to the way I feel and the way I assume Noah feels, it was for the better that we were home over the weekend. It is bad being sick, but worse being sick and away from home! Or having to travel while sick!

So, unless something changes drastically today, Noah will go back to the dr tomorrow and try another antibiotic to rid himself of this infection. And I suppose I may break down and go to the dr also. I don't think I can deal with this much longer. I just hate going to the dr...it makes being sick even worse to have to go to the dr's office, sit and wait; because you always have to sit and wait, and wait, and wait!!! Then to have to go to the pharmacy and wait for the meds. Not only that, but you are around other sick people when your immune system is at its lowest. So not only do you have what you originally went to the dr to get treatment, but you now bring home germs from other illnesses! Now your germs are throwing a party and inviting all manner of germs into your home! Maybe that's just me and my phobic tendencies!

Anyway, I suppose today will be spent just hanging around the house taking meds every few hours and feeling like, well you know what!

Hope everyone has a safe Memorial Day!

Things that make me laugh

While lying in bed tonight with he sound of thunder in the background, Noah asked,



"Does funder (thunder) make bubbles?"




You silly boy! We both laughed.

I just love my little boy blue!

I made yogurt!

I made yogurt yesterday! I used the yogurt makers on a batch of goat milk yogurt. I just placed them in the fridge to chill, so I can't wait to try it!

Thursday the kids and I went 25 miles or so north of us to a U-Pick Strawberry patch to pick some delicious strawberries! We had a great day. You won't see Lauren in any of the photos because she was the self appointed photographer. That kept her from actually having to pick strawberries! Noah is learning the fine art of strawberry pickin!

Here he is trying to decide whether he wants to pick or eat them!

Beautiful summer bounty

"I helped my mom pick strawberries...."

Lost in the strawberry patch

Here I am!

It started to drizzle rain, so we had to call it a day on the strawberry picking. Noah is taking an antibiotic for his sinus infection, so I figured we better keep from getting wet.

"Wow! Can I drive the tractor?"

After leaving the strawberry patch we drove a little further north to visit Ms Karen at Calm and Gentle Farm to get some fresh goat milk.

Noah was trying to catch the horse so he could ride, but the horse had other ideas!

Instead he decided to try to befriend the baby goats.

Farmer Noah on the prowl

How precious!

After getting our milk we said good bye to Ms Karen and the goats and headed home to enjoy the strawberries. Here are a few that made it home!


Megan about to enjoy the sweet, fresh fruits of her labor!

We had a great day and are now enjoying the strawberries and milk. I used the milk to make my first batch of homemade yogurt. I can't wait to taste it topped with the fresh strawberries...

Yummy, summer is such a delicious time of year!

Yummy breakfast treat!

Strawberry-Banana Yogurt Parfait

Slice banana's and strawberries and layer on bottom of dish

Spoon yogurt on top of fruit

sprinkle granola on yogurt

repeat the process to fill dish

top with fruit and granola

eat and enjoy!

City Homesteading

As some of you know, I am a country girl stuck in the city for the time being. So while I am here, I have decided to do the best I can to have a small city homestead. I don't have a lot of experience growing herbs but have always wanted to have an herb garden. Here is a small bed I turned into my herb garden.




This is my container garden, or part of it anyway. I was blessed by my landlord with the 5 gallon pots. He owns a landscaping business and let me have as many as I needed. It would have been too expensive to have purchased so many large potting containers in the store.
I have planted egg plants, tomatoes, squash, and peppers so far. As you can see, Sadie looks as though she has been digging in a garden. Her paws are so dirty!

Here are my snap beans. I am hoping they will florish and grow up the fence.

Here are some cucumbers that I planted. I placed them on an old stump where they can grow out and over onto the ground.

This is the bed that I posted about several weeks ago. I was looking for something to fill it with that would look nice. I planted a couple different things there, and most of them are looking well. A few of them died, so I will have to replace them. I don't care for the fencing, but that was an attempt to keep the big dog from climbing into the bed to sleep.

Here are some herbs that I am growing in a basket on my deck. They seem to be doing well. I planted some in a basket and placed them on the window sill of my kitchen, but most of them have died. I don't know if it was not enough sunlight or if they were to confined. The tall plants are Stevia. I have never used it but some people really like it.

Here are my lavender plants. I have to decide where I am going to replant them. I know they need more space. I have always wanted to grow lavender and make lavender sachets.


I have been using our stainless steal "outdoor" kitchen for my potting table. I need to clean it up and find a place to do my potting other than the area we will be preparing food!

Speaking of outdoor cooking, here is my new grill. I have been wanting one of these for some time and finally broke down and bought one. I love to cook outdoors. So I am now searching for recipes to fill my summer time cooking outdoors. We have already done shrimp, salmon, mushrooms, kabobs, and corn on the cob. Looking forward to many more summer treats from the grill. Now I need a facuet to hook up my sink.
This is Mister Beaux-Jangles just chillin on the deck bench. He is a Shih-Tzu. And the mate to Sadie.

Scout was our goat dog, and now like me, is stuck in the city in a small back yard. Although he is the big dog, he is definately not the alpha dog. That title goes to Beaux-Jangles. And he often reminds Scout who is in charge. For now, they are both just chillin'.

I have more but I will save something to show you later. Hope you enjoyed the photo's from the city homestead. I suppose this country girl will have to make do with this until we can find our place in the country once again. For now, I am going to do the best I can to make a homestead here. Come back again and sit a spell.

Goodwill Hunting...

A couple of weeks ago I stopped at the Goodwill Store and found these great yogurt makers! There were two of them and I got them for $2.50 each! I plugged them in to make sure they were heating and they were both working great! I cleaned them up yesterday and now I am getting ready to make my first homemade yogurt.

If anyone has any words of wisdom or advice on the yogurt making process, please leave me a comment.

Tuesday's Happenings

Yesterday I took Noah to the doctor. He has had allergy problems for a couple of weeks. I was giving him claritin, but it didn't seem to be helping much. He developed a congested cough and started spitting and choking up junk. She said that he had developed a sinus infection and gave him some medicine to take. Hopefully he will be feeling better soon.

After the dr's visit, I brough Noah home and let Lauren keep him while Megan and I ran to the Farmer's Market. We drove the Jeep with the top off inspite of the threat of rain. (more on the jeep later). There is a man that goes to our church that has a large area at the market. I usually buy from him when he has something I want. Yesterday he didn't have any fig preserves so I had to get them from someone else. I just love fig preserves. It reminds me of my childhood. We use to have a fig tree and I would climb into it and pick the figs and my Granny would make preserves from them. Although the ones I get at the market are no where as good as my Granny's were, they are good enough.

This is my haul from yesterday's market visit. I cooked the blackeyed peas for supper with some mini cornbread muffins and I battered and fried up the crook neck squash. I also cut up some Richard's hot sausage links I bought when I went to Louisiana last week. I know it wasn't as healthy a meal as I need to be eating, but boy was it good! Just good ole' country cooking like my Mawmaw use to do. She lived to be almost 94, so it couldn't have been a bad way to eat!!

I plan to cook the green beans and the new potatoes together like my Mawmaw use to do and make a creamy sauce in them. Of course the fig preserves will be eaten on toast. And I am looking at a zucchini souffle recipe that I want to try.

All this talk of food is making me hungry!

Yummy Strawberries...

Yesterday after church, Andrew ran into Kroger to pick up some shrimp to put on the grill for lunch and while in there he picked up some strawberries for me. He knows how much I love them...
So today I decided to make some strawberry preserves with them. It made two pints and they are delicious. I licked the pot after filling the jars. I can't wait until tomorrow to have some on my toast!!! Yummy!
There is a U-pick strawberry patch just north of here. I am planning a trip out there this week to pick. I will be making more preserves and freezing some of the whole berries for later.

Free Sandwich!

For those of you who eat at McDonalds, I saw this today. Check it out.
http://cep.mcdonalds.com/foodnews/sandwich/
They are giving away a free country style chicken sandwich on Thursday May 15th when you purchase a drink. So if you like McDonalds and chicken, or if you are just broke and need a meal, visit your local McDonalds on Thursday!

Away for a few days...

Hey, where are you going? What about me? You can't just leave me here all alone...




Things are busy here. I am having to work four days straight and I am very tired when I get home. So I won't be posting much for the next few days. I am also going to be gone from Monday through Thursday. I will be scarce for a few days so check back later. Thanks for stopping by and come back again soon...