Monday, May 31, 2010

Memorial Day


Remembering the sacrifice

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Market Day - May 29th



~6lbs Snow Peas (will be freezing some) & broccoli - Cloverfields Farm
2lbs Grass-fed & finished beef (B1G1F!) - Rare Earth Farms
2 bags lettuce mix - Kellam-Wyatt Farm
2 dozen pastured eggs & Swiss chard - S & L Farm
1 bar Lavendar & Rosemary handmade soap - Moondance Soaps
1lb bottle of honey - The Pleasant Bee
fresh cut flowers - Blue Dragonfly Cut Flowers

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Reed Versus...

REED
3 year old curly-haired cutie pie. 
Lover of lentils, most vegetables and Wonder Pets.

VS.

A framed poster size print of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
that has sat undisturbed on our fireplace mantel for the past 4 years.



WINNER -

REED

by a knock down.

Dave had just suggested I go upstairs for some quiet time while he cleaned up after dinner.  No sooner than I got upstairs and reached for a book, I heard the sound of glass crashing to the floor.  I ran out of the bedroom frantically looking around and bracing myself for that big cry/scream.

Luckily no one was hurt when the picture fell off the mantle (with a little help from Reed and a flying object) and the glass smashed into a million pieces.  I was planning on moving the picture to our sunroom last weekend so I could put up the old windows I bought at a yard sale, but didn't get around to it.
     I guess this is what happens when you procrastinate!


Our Lady in her new (and safer!) location in the sunroom above a trash to treasure dresser Dave found.



Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Zucchini Bread


I used the zucchini Dave's coworker gifted us from her CSA box to make this Old Fashioned Zucchini Bread recipe from Plan to Eat.  Very yummy despite a mishap in the kitchen which led to Ashleigh being splattered with zucchini bread batter LOL!


Speaking of zucchini, I spotted my first one growing in our little garden this week :)





Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Trash to Treasure Nightstand Makeover


BEFORE

Remember the trash to treasure nightstand my husband found a few months back? 
After much pondering and looking through a few cottage design books from the library, I finally decided on a color.


This beautiful color from Home Depot - Martha Stewart Living Aurora Borealis.  It's sort of a minty/pistachio/seafoam green.

AFTER

And here's the nightstand sporting her new color!


Thanks for stopping by!





Monday, May 24, 2010

Floral Toile


This weekend's yard sales bought more toile my way!  This time a black & white floral toile pattern.


These plates were originally from Home Goods. The smaller ones were $2.99 each and the larger plates were $3.99 each. But I paid $3 for the set!


Fell in love instantly with these two damask throw pillows - $6 for the pair


The seller also threw in the matching drapes for FREE!


A blue & white floral apron for 50-cents


Two picture frames
50-cents for the smaller one and $1 for the larger one


And five mason jar drinking glasses for $1

Thanks for stopping by!


I'm sharing these yard sale finds with:













Sunday, May 23, 2010

Market Day - May 22nd



Broccoli - Cedar Rock Farm
Sugar Snap Peas - Cloverfields Farm
Lettuce - Edible Landscapes
1 dozen pastured eggs - S & L Farm
1lb pastured pork bacon - Coon Rock Farm
1lb grassfed beef & (FREE!) filet mignon sample - Cohen Farm

One of Dave's co-workers was generous enough to share some of her CSA box with us this week.  She gifted us some cucumbers, yellow squash and zucchini.  I'm going to try my hand at making Zucchini Bread.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Local Strawberries & Cream


Local strawberries with Homemade Whipped Cream & Local Honey

Heavy Cream - Maple View Farm, Hillsborough, NC
Local Honey - The Pleasant Bee, Raleigh, NC

To make whipped cream, The All New Joy of Cooking recommends "chilling the bowl and whisk for 2 hours in the refrigerator or 10 minutes in the freezer.  Beat heavy cream steadily at a medium speed until cream begins to thicken and stiffen.  Be careful not to beat too long, as the cream will begin to get grainy and finally soupy as butter particle form".



The strawberries we picked hulled, sliced and ready for the freezer. 




Monday, May 17, 2010

Black & White Toile Yard Sale Goodness

This past weekend, Dave and I hit yard sale magic finding lots of wonderful buys! We left the kids sleeping at home with my Mom (major benefit of having a live-in Mee-maw!) and were able to browse multiple sales before heading off to the farmers market. Saturday mornings have kind of turned into our little date time - time spent together doing something we both enjoy - yard sales!


Black & White Toile Platter and Plates - $10

My absolute favorite buy of the weekend, these black & white toile plates!  My heart went pitter patter when I saw them.  I can't believe no one bought them even at the seller's original price of $15.  We also got a FREE Elefun game for the kids with this purchase. 


Black & White Toile Platter


Black & White Rooster Toile Plates

Love, love these plates!
Glass Hexagonal Drink Dispenser - $5

This was also another can't believe we found this buy - a glass, hexagonal drink dispenser still in its box.  A few weeks ago I was actually going to buy something similar at World Market for $20.  Glad I waited! 


Other buys from the weekend - A cute little white teapot - $2


Various glass containers

Blue Mason jar with lid - .25
2 glass jars (the smaller one has the initial M) - .50 each
Glass jar with snap lid closure - FREE! 


Star candlestick holder - .50
Decorative wall plaque - $2


Rodale's Great Garden Shortcuts hardcover book - $1


FREE!

As we were heading back home, we made a quick stop by a yard sale in a nearby neighborhood.  It happened to be a lady who I had bought a handmade basket from at a yard sale last year!  She remembered us (and my love for baskets!) and offered to give me the wicker table and large basket for FREE!  One of the table legs is slightly damaged but it will be perfect for outside to sit my potted herbs on. 


I'm sharing this yard sale goodness at:







Sunday, May 16, 2010

Market Day - May 15th


Lots of green this weekend from the Midtown Market

Rainbow Chard - Cloverfields Farm
Red Leaf Lettuce & Mizuna - Edible Landscapes
Broccoli - Cedar Rock Farm
2lbs pastured pork sausage - Cohen Farm

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Creamed Chard & Spring Onions



Creamed Chard & Spring Onions over organic, brown rice pasta with
Sourdough garlic bread

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen
(in use what you have fashion, I substituted raw cheddar for the parmesan cheese in the recipe)

Local ingredients (from the Midtown Market) - Rainbow Chard and Spring Onions (Cloverfields Farm, Timberlake, NC)

and for the cream sauce, milk from Homeland Creamery (Julian, NC)