Hello Friends.  I have taken a leave of absence and feel the need to come back and continue what I started 5 years ago.  In 5 years life can change drastically.  If there is anyone out there who reads this, can you give me an indication that you are receiving this?  I will do more if I get some feedback.

Build your own furniture!!!

A friend just put me on this site. I'm so excited. The thing that I haven't laid out much money for is furniture. It's so expensive if you want anything nice and worth owning. This site http://ana-white.com/2009/10/farmhouse-bed-save-158100_7467.html has a talented lady that has FREE plans on building your own furniture. I don't like everything she has, but I like enough of it to get really excited.

We just bought a bed from IKEA that I really like, but it's not my ultimate bed. This lady's farmhouse bed is the one I would love. Check this out. She designed it for us women so we could have what we want by the cheap labor of our own hands.
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There are even plans for this dollhouse bed, which looks like the big real life bed.

Hot Days of Summer

Well, I'm feeling sheepish and ashamed for not being a better blogger. Somehow life takes over and I spend too much time doing worthless stuff and wishing I'd spent my time better. Not to say I'm not doing important things a lot. Just that I could do better.

This is my entry for now. It probably wouldn't do anyone much good at this point, but then again, in lots of places there is time to plant a late garden. This is the first success I've had with basil. It grew and grew and some of the plants I put in the ground were on their deathbed before I left on a trip. I thought they'd be dead when I got home.

So, here is the tip. Although I've heard that herbs don't need lots of rich soil, our soil is really terrible. We found a mushroom growing company that sells their mushroom compost that has already been used. We bought a huge trailer load of it, and for the first time, out garden has grown. Any really good compost would work, but you need lots of it for bad soil. I'm not sure, but I think the more compost, the better, even if your soil is good. The little plants that were about to keel over, caught up with the great big plants I bought at Lowe's and they are all producing like crazy. The key to getting them to bush out and produce is to pinch back the centers and it will make them branch out. As they get bigger and bigger, harvesting them will only make them grow more. I am happy about my basil.



On the other hand, why are my mums blooming now instead of the fall? I guess not all of them are, but on the second pic you can see the mound that has bloomed and on the first , if you can look past the marigolds, you can see just an inkling of the bush that is starting to bud and bloom. This is also the first year I had some mums come back and grow HUGE. I love them. I swear it's the mushroom compost. Ask around if you have trouble growing stuff. I just know that I always want a basil supply for fresh pesto, and there is NO WHERE to buy as much as I'd need, unless I was willing to buy about 30 little bags at 3 dollars each for one batch of pesto.

Pesto recipe anyone? This one is great, doesn't need those expensive pine nuts and tastes just as good in my opinion. This recipe came from Lucy, www.mybyrdhouse.blogspot.com a couple of years ago, and I have used it ever since.

Walnut Pesto

2 cups of packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 cup walnuts
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt

Blend well in food processor. Use 2 T. to 1/2 cup on pasta.

Well, actually, I use lots more. Like that's the amount I use on just my plate. I even eat a couple of spoonfuls of it straight.

This is the deal. My husband, who has the taste buds of a child (I understand that is a problem with lots of men) doesn't like different new flavors he doesn't know and understand. He eats this pesto and loves it. Ah, miracles.

Rug Looms

A apologize to all of you who have asked about my rugs. If you don't have a chip on your shoulder about my ignoring everyone (not my intention) here is a link to my etsy store.

prairiedogmom.etsy.com I hope it works.

Hello, from the truant writer of this blog. If there is anyone out there who even still checks on me, let me just say, that life has a way of taking over sometimes. I have been recovering from a car accident for four months, (and still recovering) and a case of what I think was pneumonia. It hasn't been fun.
My daughter Michelle, bought a smoothie book that had some novel ideas in it. And I couldn't get it from her, so I used it as inspiration.
A breakfast smoothie that actually has substance. It will stick with you pretty darn well. Here is my basic recipe. It is something my 12 year of will drink when nothing else sounds good, and my husband will drink it, and he doesn't eat much breakfast either.

My Breakfast Smoothie

This is for my super duper blender. It holds way over 5 cups of liquid.
2 1/2 cups milk
2 T. golden flax seed
1/2 cup of oats (quick or regular)
1 large banana
small handful of almonds
2 heaping cups of frozen fruit (blueberries are my favorite)

Blend for a good minute.
I try to not add sugar just for health reasons, but if you must, a couple of teaspoons will help. The blueberries are the most flavorful. I also do this with frozen strawberries, but their flavor isn't as strong so it takes a bit extra. I also make it with a base of orange juice instead of milk when I use strawberries. I haven't tried it with any other frozen fruit (which I get at Sam's for a very economical price) but this is an area where a person can experiment and get just the thing that works for their family.

The almonds and oatmeal and flax give it great health benefits and make it filling. It gives the drink a hearty feel, but it isn't enough to overpower the flavor.

Blueberries are supposed to be a superfood, so I feel that this is an extraordinary way to get all the good stuff down my family. I hope any of you out there will experiment and find what works for you.

By the way, this recipe makes 5-6 cups of smoothie. We split it between the four of us.

Playtime

Well, I'm back for a brief note. Gone physically, mentally and every way there is. I turned 51 this year and only have two kids at home, 17 and 11. I thought that my life would be a breeze at this point. But I physically can't do what I used to do and my ADD has kicked in big time.

Anyway, here is my picture for the theme of this writing. These darling little girls are my granddaughters. They got into my closet and found old dresses that were all made by their great grandmother and put them on and started dancing around and playing princesses. I didn't know that three and four year olds knew how to primp and fuss and walk "that" way. They were soooo funny. I have to jump on my soapbox here and say that I hate the glitter and cheap sequins and polyester that comes with those nasty pink costumes at the store. They are cheap, artificial and look bad (in my opinion). Sorry for those of you that like them, but something in me just shudders when I see them. My little granddaughters loved these old cotton dresses, and I bet they were a whole lot more comfortable, and FREE. The three girls names are Brynn, Maggie and Ivy.

Time Away...........

I'm not ever sure where this pic came from , but it is my daughter Michelle's line of garb. Michelle is in the middle and Jill (daughter in law) on the left, and Emma on the right. I don't think these are the most flattering pictures of their actual beauty, but you can kind of get the idea of how we all look when we are working the Ren Fests. (And don't listen to that TV commercial makes fun of working at one)
I'm not really taking time off, although, it is slow posting here. I have been buried in my daughter's business, Damsel in this Dress, and unable to do the things I'm used to doing or wanted to do. A week and a half ago, I was gone for 4 days helping as a saleperson in the Norman OK Ren Fest. Yesterday, I spent a very long day helping her and hubby in Muscogee OK fixing up the permanent building that is their shop for the big fest all during May. Brent and Tyler, (mine and Michelle's spouses) are still there today. It feels like we've been captured in a whirlwind.

Anyway, I'm thinking about my next post and trying to come up with a goody. Be back soon!