Fresh Eggs

Just two miles down the road lives a family that raises chickens for a hobby, selling the eggs to whomever passes by.  Fortunately, my travels take me right past their farmette at least once per week.  I usually try to time my trips for when the eggs need to be replenished.  They are more expensive than the grocery store [...]

Llama Limericks

Talk about a staring contest!  In addition to this fierce-looking llama, the local berry farm has pygmy goats and sheep, as well as the more typical farm animals like horses, chickens, herding dogs and many cats.
In my mind, instead of the knee-jerk reaction to name him “Larry” (Larry the Llama is so-o-o predictable), a limerick is percolating [...]

Design Star HGTV

For the first time, I have paid a modicum of attention to this summer’s edition of HGTV’s Design Star.  Didn’t watch the first two seasons, but after the fact have caught a few of the episodes that each of the two previous winners has presented.  Watched David Bromstad’s show several times, but just cannot appreciate his artwork, [...]

Yellow Squash Buttermilk Bisque

A bowl of delicious chilled soup is the perfect answer to the dog days of summer.  The sauteing can be done in the cool hours of the morning, keeping the kitchen comfortable in the heat of the afternoon.  Refrigerate until meal time.
In a large soup pot, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat,  Saute 2 finely chopped [...]

Found Things

    
Walking through the yard, little nothings will catch my eye and eventually find a small niche somewhere for as long as it lasts or holds my fancy.  The knotty wood piece reminds me of some version of a space alien.  
The “C” (for Coco, of course) is the newest addition.  A large limb recently fell from [...]

Organized Grocery Shopping

Pennies saved are pennies earned.  Eating what is in season and what is already available in your ’frig and cupboards will stretch your grocery budget.  A huge money waster in many household budgets is the very bad habit of throwing out and wasting food.  Food that has already had the effort exerted to pick out, cart home and store.  Not only is money wasted, [...]

Frugal Gardening Tip of the Day

Gardening on a steep slope?  Instead of digging and raking at those awkward angles on every square foot of that difficult slope, buy some halved wine barrels.  Drill drainage holes in the bottom.  Dig deeply, sinking them into the slope.  Fill with a good soil mix, then plant.  This saves the expense of amending all the soil [...]

Night and Day

The juxtaposition of these two businesses always makes me laugh.  Each is distinctly and unmistakenly opposite of the other.  One is decidedly for adults.  The other is decidedly for children.  How they ended up next door to each other would probably make an interesting story, but I have lived in this area long enough to know that the exotic [...]

Cat IQ Test

Our beloved Oriental Shorthair, Lily was a once-in-a-lifetime-cat.  Loving, loyal and too smart for her own good, she was determined, never giving up on anything she wanted to accomplish.  A few people could take a lesson from her, but I digress.  Ultimately she outsmarted us more times than her nine lives.  Here is a perfect example:  The top [...]

Italian Sub Soup

This recipe came from Rachael Ray’s TV show.    She called it Italian Sub Soup with “The Works.”  The day it was on, I was not paying strict attention in the beginning, so the exact amounts of each ingredient are sketchy.  Just did a search to find the exact measurements, but couldn’t find the recipe.  Having [...]