July's inspirations

It's already the middle of July and I still have so much more I want to accomplish before the end of the month.  As I try to stay cool in the heat and still complete my list of projects, I wanted to take a moment and share a few links that inspire me this month.  Don't worry I will be sharing my projects as I complete them.

I really like some of the Wire and Wire-wrapped jewelry - A Tree Necklace and X-mas tree earrings

For the fall I am loving some of the crochet and knit wraps and shawls.  I even have a few classes I am taking to expand my beginning knitting skills and learn to knit lace patterns.  Here's two of my favorites: A bamboo wedding shawl  and radiant eyelet shawl

As for sewing I have been admiring a few headbands.  This lace one which would be great for some of my lace fabric scraps.  And this fleece one for the winter, though I am not sure if I will embellish it with a flower or not.  I think the fleece headband combined with this fleece hat (in adult size) will be a perfect project to use the fabric from my old jacket.

And finally I think I need to sew up a few of these gift bags before the holidays arrive.

For now I will leave you with this beautiful day lily that was blooming in my garden.

Hummingbirds: What you want to know for your garden

This spring and summer I have noticed more hummingbirds in my yard then in past years.  As a result I became very interested in reading more about hummingbirds, their migration patterns and hummingbird feeders.  The reading was interesting and insightful.

If you know there are hummingbirds in your area, you might want to read about the different types since The World of Hummingbirds says there are 356 types.  I didn't even realize there were that many.  From what I gathered I think I see more of the Ruby-throated, Rufous, and maybe Anna's hummingbirds around my house.

And hummingbirds do make chirpy noises.  I listened to several in my Aunt's tree.  The hummingbirds would sit on branches, some would chase others away, and you could hear the chirpy noises with the trill of their wings when in flight.  Quite an amazing sight, most of us only see hummingbirds when in flight.

Here's my tips for picking out a great hummingbird feeder:
1.  Glass, not plastic - This is going to be in the sun so why would we want plastic chemicals to leech into the nectar and poison the hummingbirds?
2.  Select a feeder that holds a small portion of nectar.  The larger the feeder the more likely you will waste nectar if you only have a few hummingbirds visit your garden.
3.  Do NOT buy store nectar - most have red food dye and sodium benzonate (which is a chemical preservative).
4.  Buy simple cane (white) sugar and make your own nectar.  1 cup sugar to 4 cups water.  Boil and store in a fridge for a few days.
5.  Avoid feeders that are a simple straight bottle with a stopper feeder, more often than not these will leak.

Some of my favorite designs (instead of the more traditional) include:  A feeder stake, a circle feeder, and decorative bottle feeders.

And check out this link for some ideas for your garden to attract hummingbirds.  I planted some scarlet runner beans and am hoping they will sprout soon and attract more hummingbirds to my yard besides just looking pretty in the garden.  Hopefully my beans will grow and look like this:

Quick & Easy Chipotle Aioli

Ever wonder what made that sandwich/burger or dip so good?  Sometimes it's an easy answer - Aioli.  What does Aioli mean?  Simply put (straight from the Webster dictionary): a mayonnaise flavored with garlic and sometimes other ingredients.  Simple right?  Well it is simple, so simple you can quickly whip one up for your next meal.  


There are many variations and you can easily search for recipes to make these various aioli's.  My favorite at the moment, mainly because it's spicy is Chipotle Aioli.  Here's my recipe:


Ingredients:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
1/2-1 tsp of apple cider vinegar (to taste)
1-2 tsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice (to taste)
abt. 1 tbsp chipotle spice OR use actual chipotle peppers in adobe sauce (to taste)
1-2 tsp granulated garlic or 1 freshly minced garlic clove
salt and pepper (to taste)


Mix all ingredients together with a spoon or whisk.  All spices are to taste, use more or less depending on how spicy you prefer. 


That's all it takes.  It can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for a few days.  Spread on your sandwiches, burgers, or use as a dip.

Working in the Garden and Harvesting Lavender

All my hard work has slowly rewarded me with fresh vegetables and fruit from my garden.  A have a small bowl of sweetheart cherry tomatoes, 1 yellow straight-neck squash and a few bell peppers.  The melons have taken over the trellis and are in full bloom.  A few little melons, as pictured below are starting to grow, I can't wait to harvest fresh melons later in the summer.  My zucchini and straight-neck squash have been growing slow this year compared to last year.  I harvested several zucchini's last year before my tomatoes were even blooming, but that's not the case this year.  Hopefully I will have a nice crop to cook with later in the summer though.

There are few additions to my garden this week:  I planted a mix of sunflower seeds that I recently was given and am working on re-planting my lettuces.  The other project that has taken several days of work was harvesting my French and English lavender.  Both were basically done blooming, so I cut off all the blooms then did a bit of trimming on the plant.  It will grow back larger than it was before I trimmed it, so don't be afraid of some trimming, just don't go crazy and kill it.  After cutting the blooms, it is necessary to bundle them in about handful sizes and tie with string or vegetable twisty-ties.  Hang each bundle up in a dark, dry (can be cool) place for a few days.  Once the lavender is dried, you can use the lavender as it is or strip the blooms off and use in crafts.  French and English lavender work well because they have the lovely lavender smell, most Spanish lavenders do not.  Do not use lavender that has been sprayed with any chemicals or pesticides for culinary purposes.

Watermelon

Melon vines

First Eggplant

Straight-neck squash

Early girl tomatoes

Decorative 4th of July Piece - A crafty project

I really like some of the red, white and blue or patriotic project ideas out there.  This one (click here) really inspired me to convert an old wood box into a great summer piece.  My wood box is a replica of the old-pioneer style tool boxes.  I think it was something all of my school class was given when we were studying the pioneers.  You can easily use a small crate or nail a few pieces of wood together, with or without the handle for this project.

Materials:1 wood box
paint (red, white, blue)
paint brushes
Clear gloss

Instructions:
1.  Make sure the wood is ready to paint.  Sand any rough parts.

2.  Using a pencil (or pen if you prefer) mark/stencil the design on the wood.

3.  Paint your stencil.  Let dry.

4.  Touch up any spots.  Let dry

5.  Go outside to spray clear gloss to seal and protect the paint.  Let dry.

Now you are ready to display and use your patriotic box for serving and decoration.  Perfect for Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day!

Family History Time - Colonial Roots & the Mayflower

If you know you have roots to the 13 original colonies and/or the Mayflower then you may want to take advantage of free records available on Ancestry.com this holiday weekend.  Here's the link 

Be realistic if you are new to genealogy.  Typing in your family tree information and finding a leaf is not always as easy as it seems.  You will need to have information on several generations in order to find your ancestors in the colonies or listed in the Mayflower contract.  However if you already know some of that information then you can utilize the records on Ancestry.com.  I know I will be filling in my Mayflower ancestry and searching for other ancestors on the other side of my tree.

Happy searching!

Ancestry.com 13 colonies Records

Tip of the Month: Summer Entertaining Tips and Tricks

It's July and Independence Day celebrations are almost upon us.  That means it's time for July's tip of the month.  Many of us turn to the outdoors to cook and entertain, but don't fret if you don't have an outdoor grill.  You can still make all your favorite grilled foods on an indoor grill.  I love my indoor grill and I avoid the hassle of propane or charcoal as well as the carcinogenics of using lighter fluid.  Yes, cooking with lighter fluid is not healthy and that's why you should use a chimney starter if cooking with charcoal.  Have you read what's in lighter fluid?  Take a look next time, you may be surprised.  Though whatever your grilling preference is, some of my tips will help you create a great meal for your holiday.

Try these tips and tricks, whether you entertain for a crowd or a few people:

1.  Keep it simple - decor and food.  I love solid, checkered or similar red, white and blue tablecloths for the 4th of July.  Check out This table-setting.

2.  Entertaining is not the time to experiment with new recipes.  Test out new recipes before the big event.

3.  Have activities for the kids.  Here's a great one to make - Pinwheels.

4.  Never press down on burgers when grilling.  I've heard this tip a few times on Food Network.  You will lose all the juices from the meat.

5.  Oil the grill and let the fish cook then turn over once, otherwise your fish will stick to the grill.  Same for indoor grill pans.

6.  Try grilling sweet potatoes for a great alternative to fries or baked potatoes.  Just slice, season with salt and pepper (you can use other spices too).  Mist with oil (brushing will work, but you use more oil that way) and grill on both sides.  You can even toss in more spices after grilling before you serve.

7.  Remember that the loud popping sounds of fireworks can scare dogs or even make them upset.  Make sure they have ID tags and consider keeping them inside during the time fireworks are being set off.  If you are away, consider pet-sitters or boarding to make sure your dog is safe while you are away.

8.  Don't leave foods that can spoil or go bad at warm temperatures in the sun or heat.  Potato salad is one example, keep it chilled so you will avoid food poisoning.  I've heard horror stories about accidents like this at people's houses.

9.  Here's a great idea for keeping tablecloths in place and still look decorative.  Table weight from rocks.

10.  Finally have fun and don't stress over every detail.  If you plan your menu ahead of time you will be able to enjoy your day.