Dog Gates

This

Keeps this...

Confined to the front porch!  She weighs 12 pounds and unlike most dogs she hasn't figured out that she can actually move the gate out of the way.  Tis ok we like her dumb that way, likewise she hasn't figured out that she can actually get onto one of the kitchen chairs and then onto the kitchen table.  Yes there IS a place in this world for clueless dogs!

The neighbors keep commenting on my gate, they like it which is good because Angel sure doesn't like it!  Actually it's NOT really a gate it's my fleece skirting table, that I built back in 1996 for sorting and skirting fleeces on, but I needed a gate for the front porch, so that Angel could go leashless but not have access to pedestrians, etc.

Make sure you put the zip ties every six inches or so so that  your pet doesn't get caught up and strangled in the netting, and make sure those zip ties are on there and really tight!  Also I used regular mesh netting NOT the wildlife netting which is much thinner and easier for a small dog to break through.  Finally I don't recommend this type of gate for agressive dogs or for large dogs.   This type of gate really works only for dogs that are totally clueless, like mine!!! VBG

Redneck Bird Bath

Or shabby chic bird bath either way it's WAY hot outside right now so don't forget to water our feathered and winged friends along with your plants!

Clematis

My clematis, it's a bit thin this year due to lack of rain.

Garden Update 060912

Praying for rain!  Just finished watering the garden, by the time I was done it looked as if I hadn't even watered.  Tomorrow I'm putting down the final layer of heavy mulch along with the seaper hoses!

My grapevine has grapes on it for the first time in 8 years, mainly because the neighborhood thief didn't shear it off to the quick this past winter!!!  Yes I actually have someone who has been coming into my yard and cutting back my vines, and then stealing them!!! 

Anyway, we'll be putting netting on the arbor this coming week to keep the cardinals, and other birds, from stealing my grapes.  Mainly it's the cardinals that have been causing problems, they did a pretty good job of stripping the cherry tree that's just behind the grape vine, and the cherries hadn't even turned red yet.

New Raised Bed

I need to edit the photos and post them here for this particular bed.  John has been experimenting with several approaches to the whole sustainable garden, one of those is the back to eden method.  In this new bed we layered composted wood chips and leaves on the bottom and then some good soil on the top.  I've planted lettuce in this bed and then once it's up I'll layer in leaves atop the soil in between the rows.

John will build the lid for it tomorrow, this will ensure that the rabbits don't eat my baby lettuce plants and the neighbors cat cannot use it as it's litterbox.

Reindeer

Reindeer display at Scandinavian Days in Story City, Iowa.

It's Clean!!!

Looks like the other photo doesn't want to upload... oh well.  My studio, aka formerly known as the dining room, is now cleaned and organized, I'm showing a view of the path from the main studio, aka formly known as the living room, into the kitchen.  It was inhabited by a very large dresser taking up most of the path space, the dresser is now living in our guest room, that is in serious need of organization!

Garden 051212

Taking a break, spent most of the day outside finalizing garden plans, planted cucumbers, helped John to unbury our stash of wooden fence posts (for my new fence) and retrieve old decking material for constructing more raised beds.  Above: John tilling the north garden with our trusty tiller Rotilla the Hun! 

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm

When I woke him up and asked him if he wanted me to move Pepper so he could go to bed, all I got was "ummm". Needless to say they are still sitting in the chair, both sound asleep.

Seedling Protection

John made this "cage" for me, it has screenwire mesh for the sides, to protect my seedlings from the chipmunks, mice, and birds.  He used reclaimed cedar, from a fence we salvaged, for the structure. 

Garden 050612

Yeppers I have a big ole crab apple tree smack in the middle of my garden, and a grape vine on the west side of the garden.  So far I've planted peas and pole beans, the biggest obstacle was getting the fence set back up.  Looks like it'll be dry enough, late next week, to plant my cold crops and cukes.

High Winds versus the Pear Tree

And the pear tree lost, the Keifer doesn't seem to have sustained any damage though, the truck just a few scratches.

Plant ID

Whatever it is it wintered over, I'm not sure if it's mustard greens or not, ideas???

If you click on the images a larger image will pop up.

When I picked off a part of a leaf it smelled like lettuce or grass not peppery.

Dinner 042312

I made homemade spagetti sauce and meatballs, known as "gravy" if you are italian, for dinner all because I had an eggplant to use up, which I turned into eggplant parmesean.

The recipe for the sauce and meatballs is posted a few posts back.

What's left of the eggplant parmesean.  I baked the breaded eggplant this time, instead of cooking it in the skillet with oil first, and WOW the taste was so much better, I can't recommend baking it first enough!  I also left off the mozzerella cheese this time, and my best friend Brenda brought me some organic parmesean cheese to use, the taste was out of this world heavenly!

Hand Wringers

Blessed are the hand wringers...




OOOOPPPPPPPPPSSSSSSSSSSS That one isn't in the Bible and neither is blessed is the worry worts...



It's been a long day but I've realized one thing that is the most important of all... if you don't have Jesus you don't have anything except worry and hand wringing!

Bleeding Hearts

This years Bleeding Hearts are beautiful, the plants filled out nicely and with plenty of blossoms for the pollinators.

In Full Bloom

Added more trim colors to the porch yesterday.

Sour Cherry Blossoms.

Flowering Crabapple.

Thomas

Spring has sprung and I opened the bedroom windows for Thomas' and Peppers enjoyment!

Dinner 031112

Cuban Black Beans and Rice served with Lime Roasted Pork Loin and Roasted Hatch Chili Pepper and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

Roasted Lime Pork Loin Roast - seasoned, after searing, with cumin, salt, pepper, and 2 limes.  Roasted in a dutch oven for two hours.

Lime Sauce from the roast.

Roasted Hatch Chili Pepper and Roasted Red Pepper salsa that also has cilantro, sauted onion, garlic and my home canned tomatoes.

Family

John, Pepper, and Angel

Love Is...

Kind, Patient, and Generous with ones body heat!  John catching a few zzzz's with Pepper cuddling on his chest, and Angel by his feet... and yes I need to vacuum that carpet yikes!

Spagetti Sauce

Mrs Guidicessi's Spaghetti Sauce:

2- 12 oz can tomato paste 1 medium onion
2- 15 oz can tomato sauce 1 tsp. sugar
1 - 2 lb good stewing meat salt and garlic salt to taste
(you may combine park neck, 1 jar mushrooms, whole or pieces bones, veal, or chicken)

Wash and dry meat that has been cut into serving size pieces and brown in 2 T oil in large saucepan, at least 4 qt. size.

Add chopped onion, cook until soft, watching constantly so it does not burn. 

Add tomato paste with seasonings, be careful of salt, do not add too much, as you can add more if needed. Cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, then add tomato sauce, after it has simmered another 10 minutes.

Add two tomato paste cans of water and simmer for at least 1 1/2 hours, checking it periodically. If it is too thick add a little water.

You may also add 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper and 1/2 black pepper for a spicier sauce. Better to have too thick as you can add water. Altogether cook the sauce at least 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours. slowly, covered. Add the mushrooms with the tomato paste and sauce.

That is the basic recipe. Instead of sugar I use 1 tsp. anise seed ground in a mortise and pestle. Instead of garlic salt I use 3-4 cloves garlic minced. I also add 2 tsp basil and 2 tsp oregano. I also do not use the stewing meat.

Meat Balls
1 lb ground pork butts, lean
1 tsp black pepper
2C bread crumbs
2 tsp sweet basil
1/2 C grated Romano cheese
salt and garlic salt to taste
2-3 eggs (according to size)

Place meat in a large bowl, season with salt and garlic salt. Pour bread crumbs over,add cheese. sprinkle black pepper and crushed sweet basil. Add eggs and mix as if you were mixing a meat loaf. If the mixture is too stiff, moisten with a little milk until it is the consistency to roll into ball. About an hour and 15 minutes before the sauce is to be served roll into balls about two inches in diameter using milk or water to moisten hands. Drop into sauce and do not stir until balls are nice and firm.

Instead I use 1 lb breakfast sausage from Fareway ( local midwest grocery store) and 1 lb lean ground beef. Four slices regular bread turned into crumbs in the blender. You can also make the balls smaller.

Dinner 012912

Thinly sliced hot roast beef on a bun with some Maull's BBQ Sauce and fresh homemade cole slaw.

Roast Beef for Sandwiches

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

I had a serious craving for Pineapple Upside Down cake tonight, I handed John the recipe and he was off making it and with great joy!  He used the recipe at the Betty Crocker site and it was yummy!

Black Eyed Peas with Greens Soup

We had this last night, and tonight, served with pumpernickle bread.  Yummy and very satisfying during this cold snap.

Angel's New Bed

Polar fleece filled with polyfil. 24x34 inches and designed to make a sheltie oh so happy!

Pasta Salad

Made pasta salad for John's holiday party at work, hope they like it.

Dinner 112011

Dinner: florence potatoes (named after a woman named florence) home canned green beans, pickled beets, and honey orange marmalade ginger glazed smoked ham.  Here's the ham sitting atop my 1952 kenmore stove, even though we baked it out on the grill.

Window Trim Colors 111411

There are three colors adorning the windows, ruby red for the crowns, a dark sage for the outer trims, and a very dark blackish sage for the inner window trims.  We'll finish the storms on the second story next spring, as the metal will have to be primed first to accept the paint.

House Update 111411

And now with more trim colors!

My clematis trellis has been removed so John can scrape, prime, and then paint the soffit on the west side of the porch.

The east side of the house still needs another coat of paint and for all of the trim colors to be added.

Almost done, one more week and weekend of warm weather is all we need to finish this part of the porch!