This Week’s Menu

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Deborah

Last week’s menu didn’t work out as planned…we moved Tuesday’s to Friday, Friday’s to Wednesday, canceled Thursday’s outright…and I ended up changing my mind on yesterday’s too!

This coming week is going to be downright hectic as well… with all the hoopla of Easter, throw in the elbowing of crazed grandma’s to get at the best chocolate bunnies, preparing the annual Easter Paska for Easter Sunday Dinner as well as packing to spend the long weekend up at the cottage…. oh…and I think I have an actual job to do in the midst of all of the above…..I have sooooo … Read more...

Today…I am….

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Deborah

B-U-S-Y!

Too busy to create a post…but technically, this IS a post, so it will have to do.

Meanwhile, to keep you amused, I have included the following picture… and if you are feeling exceptionally smart today, your assignment is to create a caption for it…

Have a great weekend!… Read more...

A Happy 200th!

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Deborah

Can you believe it? My 200th blog post in almost a year…. Even more amazing is that I have that much stuff rambling around in my noggin to write about, with lots more to come too….

I do have to thank the people who follow me around and read my blog though, because if it wasn’t for my faithful readers, I probably would be selling fake Persian rugs in a market stall somewhere in Bursa, Turkey…and even though many of you don’t comment all the time, I do peek at the stats counter and I can tell who is watching … Read more...

Spring! Has Hopefully Arrived….

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Deborah

Today marks the Vernal Equinox…better known as
the First Day of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

At 7:02 a.m. EDT, we march into a brand new season filled with warmer temperatures and the rebirth of flora and fauna….

Now will someone tell Old Man Winter to buzz off? I am sick of the white flurries that have been flying around the last 2 days….

Not only it is a Special Day for the beginning of Spring….but it is also a VERY Special Day in that it is also our daughter’s birthday. Laura was born on the first day of Spring … Read more...

How To Plant Your Garden Seeds

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Deborah

WOOOO-HOOOO!

I was waiting….and waiting…and WAITING….until finally…THE day arrived.

Planting Day!

Outside the living room window, the dreary gray skies blocked out the sun and the cold, easterly winds were whipping the branches of my tall Blue Spruce, but inside, it was warm, toasty and with a hot mug of tea in hand, I assembled my cast of characters…

Seed Starting Mix
Potting Soil
Containers by the dozen(s)
Seed packets
Holding Trays
Plant Labels
Watering Can
Garden Journal Notebook and Pen
Paper Napkins

Step 1 ~ and I can not stress this enough…. If you are re-using pots from past … Read more...

This Week’s Menu

Posted on March 18, 2013 by Deborah

Have you recovered?

From all the fun and frivolity of St. Patrick’s Day and all things green? I have, although I kept my beer green-free as I can’t bring myself to drink something that looks like a Leprechaun peed in it.

The highlight of the weekend was enjoying a delicious steak dinner while watching the NASCAR race from Bristol Motor Speedway yesterday, one of the best tracks to watch a race from (which we had the pleasure of attending a few years ago) and while watching the race, I was contemplating what to do with this week’s menu….

I decided … Read more...

St. Paddy’s Day

Posted on March 15, 2013 by Deborah

Kiss Me! I’m Irish!

Ok, I am not Irish, but a part of me (maybe 1/16th) is British…does that count?
Didn’t think so…

So this coming Sunday is Saint Patrick’s Day…some just call it St. Paddy’s Day. Either way is fine, just as long as you do not call it St. Patty’s Day, lest you conjure up the ire of every Irish Man, Woman and Child. ‘Patty’ is a girls name and is never to be used in reference to one of Ireland’s most beloved Patron Saints… I learned this the hard way, a gal pal of mine who lives … Read more...

For The Birds…

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Deborah

Ugh….they have returned….

After a much needed reprieve of the past 5 months, the buzzards have come back.

To turn my outdoor space into a noisy, poop-filled rookery. It may not seem like it, but I actually do like birds and even painted murals of birds on my bedroom walls as a youngster. Birds are fascinating, from the regal and majestic Eagles and Ospreys’ that fish outside our front window on the Homestead, to the teensy hummingbirds that visit my feeder every summer and who doesn’t love the happy sound of the chick-a-dee-dee-dee’s as they flit from branch to branch?… Read more...

Top 5 Herbs To Grow This Year

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Deborah

Today’s lesson on Gardening is all about Herbs. Without Herbs, you would be eating food that tastes like baby food ~ which is fine if you have no teeth I guess…but most of us prefer the food we eat to wow our taste buds. For this we can thank Herbs.

There are Herbs that are easy to grow. Then there are Herbs that make life difficult for you. Worse still, there are Herbs that can strangle your tomatoes and wreak havoc on the neighbourhood ~ ok, just kidding on that last part, but you have to admit it got your … Read more...

Easiest Sweet ‘n Sour Meatballs

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Deborah

Sometimes you just need a no-brainer recipe for dinner, and this fits the bill in spades. These are so easy, even your budding ‘Chopped’ 5 year old could make them. No fancy ingredients by the dozen required either. Only 3 simple, everyday ingredients and a slow cooker are needed to transform ho-hum meatballs into a wonderfully sweet and tart sauced dish worthy of chefs extra-ordinaire Scott Conant or Aarón Sanchez…ok, maybe not actually them, but your family will love them nonetheless!

Ingredients

1 500 ml jar Chili Sauce
1 500 ml jar Grape Jelly
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
50 Meatballs… Read more...