Change is Good

I know I've been absent and quiet for a while. I have a good excuse, I promise! I moved across the country from Santa Fe, NM to Columbus, OH. It took me longer to get everything situated in Santa Fe and then getting settled and looking for a job has been taken longer than I'd like also. But, I have been having way too much fun discovering this new city! New people, new experiences, new places to find and new things to do. I've even gotten to cross off a few things from my 100 List!!


9. Learn to water ski.
I tried water skiing this past weekend and although I didn't quite get the hang of it yet, I'm very close and very sore! It even hurts to type!

78. Go to a drive-in theater.
This past weekend (after the water skiing attempt!) I was treated to a relaxing evening at the drive-in movie theater. :)

I've gotten a new-to-me car also. My uncle was kind enough to pass down my Grandmother's car after she passed away. The Silvery Minnow, as she is now named, is an '89 Mercury Grand Marquis. I drive a boat!!

I am trying to get situated with a job and back on a 'normal' schedule of life, creating and blogging. Please stay in touch and come back to see what's new!!

This One's for YOU!

Ok, sometimes I feel I talk a bit too much. So I am leaving this one to you!!

I feel spring is right around the corner so I want to know ~ what's your favorite spring color or color combinations? Or better yet, you favorite spring bloom? Let me know in the comments and who knows, you might just see your color or flower suggestion as my next creation!!

Quote for the Day

"There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." ~Anais Nin

The Joy of Cooking - How I Learned to Cook and a How-To

As many of you know - I always hated to cook. I refused to learn growing up and would always say I would have someone to cook for me. And I did, until 2 years ago. I was then forced to learn, by necessity. So I had to start slow. I began making dishes I remembered being made or simple recipes I could find. Keeping it simple really helped; recipes that only needed a few ingredients and didn't take long to make. And soon I was asking for a slow cooker and cooking utensils for Christmas!

In the last two years now, I have succeeded. Not to the point of gourmet chef, mind you. But no one has gotten sick or died from my cooking, so to me, it's a success!! I even attempted Thanksgiving Dinner last year. And, god help me, I am thinking about it again this year!

I have even began creating my own dishes that I have no recipes for. And here, I am going to share with you one of my latest concoctions. You make think I'm crazy and believe me you won't be the first, or last!! But anyway, introducing my Skillet Eggplant Parmesan. NOTE: The eggplants I am using a small, miniature eggplants that are 3 1/2-5 inches long, a good size for one to two people.

Skillet Eggplant Parmesan
Serves 2 as a side dish

4-6 Small Eggplants sliced
4 medium tomatoes diced
2 tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt
Italian Seasoning

Heat skillet on medium heat. Add Olive Oil and heat. Add eggplant and cook til just starting to soften. Add tomatoes and let cook until skins have fallen off and tomatoes are mushy. Add salt and Italian Seasoning. Mix together. Add Parmesan cheese while continuously stirring. Turn heat off and serve immediately. YUMMY!

Tip: I found a glass of red wine to help while cooking. Cheers Julia! Bon Apetit!

Wednesday's Wonders - Happy Sunny Day

After a not-so-enjoyable evening last night, I woke up this morning in a surprisingly good mood. Maybe it was the late-nite carb binge or watching a good movie that helped. Maybe it was wishing to hear ONE particular song on the radio and as I flipped through the stations, I found it. Playing. Right. That. Second. Maybe it was waking up to these beautiful sunflowers that brightened my morning. Either way, how could these sun-loving flowers not put a smile on your face!!

Wednesday's Wonders 5.12.10 Gardening

I absolutely LOVE gardening. The meditation of working in the ground. The sense of accomplishment when harvesting and tasting the wonderful things grown. The coming together of friends, family, and community. The wonderful things that happen with sometimes little or no effort of the gardener.

I am so excited and happy for a new garden in the works. We have extra land at the gallery I work at and have all decided to start a vegetable garden there. There will be 7 to 8 of us working and tending to the garden. The ground has been worked, the bunny fence is installed and we are ready to plant! We currently have 52 plants of 15 vegetables, herbs, and flowers, and even more seeds. Our last frost will be tonight (28 degrees!! brrrr!) so tomorrow is planting day!


I came across a fellow blogger who planted Bee's Friend (Phacelia tanacetifolia) and I though this would be a wonderful addition to our garden. It attracts bees and other good insects that help keep away the bad ones. I ordered it right away!!

A great gardening tip I discovered by chance was to have a few plants of catnip around the parameter of your garden. This will bring the neighborhood cats around and keep the bunnies and other furry pests out! I suggest getting catnip as plants and place in pots. The larger the plant the better as some cats will just devoir the whole thing in one sitting.

And don't forget those great Marigolds. They come in such a great variety of heights, sizes, variations and range from the most beautiful yellows to the deepest rusty orange. These are a long time staple in gardens to keep out bad insects. In Mexican tradition, the marigold is widely used in celebrations of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead on November 2nd. The marigold is known as Flor de Muerto or (Flower of the Dead). I've seen them hanging strung together as garlands over entrance ways to homes in the fall. I will be trying this in the fall as we have 22 marigold plants and tons more seeds that will be going into our garden.

Gardening has always been something as a family we always did. I am forever grateful for having this knowledge and feel close to my family everytime I work in the garden even though they live hundreds of miles away. I am excited to see how our work garden turns out and see what relationships and connections are made and continued. Please stay tuned for updates on our little garden!

Do you have a garden? What do you love most about gardening?

Verticle Gardens

With spring on it's way I have been getting the itch to start planting. I have a wooden fence in the backyard that would be perfect for these! These ideas can be used indoor and out and are perfect for small spaces and gardens.