Resting and Preparing

 I had high hopes that I would blog each day of December, leading up to Christmas. I managed to do this, quite successfully, a few years ago. However, this year has proven to be very busy and I am exhausted. I have been working around extreme temperatures and trying to insulate the "mud room" which is going to be converted into our dining room. I was hoping to get the room ready for the holiday so that we could eat our Christmas dinner in there. I had no hope of getting it painted, but I at least wanted to get it warm enough in there. Over the weekend, we had a substantial amount of snow come down and we had artic temperatures, reaching beyond -30 degrees. 

I was happy to get some more shopping done on Sunday. I still have some last minute shopping to do, plus getting all the groceries needed for the weekend. I still have a few packages coming my way, too. I do have a very decorated home and that makes me happy. We got our tree at the beginning of the month. I do love the lights and garland. I made homemade stockings for the family, using recycled clothing from the thrift store. I can't wait to fill those on Christmas morning. Last night, I made my first ever attempt at making marshmallows. I have yet to see how it worked out I did have a minor hiccup during the process, so I would be very surprised if they worked out.

Today, I am going to pace myself, as I have all week, I decided to get tasks accomplished but not go overboard. Since I've been so tired lately, I didn't want to risk getting sick around the holidays. I have been binge watching episodes of Victorian Farm Christmas and now I am watching Wartime Farm Christmas. I think I will watch Avonlea Christmas and Edwardian Farm Christmas, if that exists ( I think it does). I know that on Friday, I will be very busy baking and making homemade candies.

That is my December wrap up! I hope to share more on Friday! Until next time~ Toodahloo!

The Living Room Make Over

In early September, we were able to begin work on our house. When we first toured the house, we could see that a lot of work would needed to be done. We understood, that the bathroom would need to be gutted, the walls would need to be scrubbed-primed-painted, the floors needed work and the kitchen needed a whole new look. We saw a lot of potential for the house and were eager to begin. We had a very teeny tony budget, so we had to be very creative. Fortunately, I was able to get a lot of ideas from the internet. Often, I would come up with an idea, and check Pinterest to see if it was at all plausible. This helped us save where it counted.
The floors in the house were either covered with linoleum or wall to wall carpeting from 50 years ago (or more, yikes). We were hoping that underneath the linoleum and carpeting lied wood flooring. The first day that we were able to get into the house and begin the renovations, we pulled out the carpets. Every room, aside from the bathroom and kitchen, had carpeting- even the stairs! When we removed the covering, we discovered that the floors were masonite. This was a bit of a let-down, but not the worst news ever. So, after some brainstorming, we decided to live with the linoleum on the kitchen floor, until the budget afforded for new tiles. We also decided to paint the bedroom floors and add area rugs and we'd put new flooring in the living room.

We bought several sheets of sanded pine plywood and cut it into 8 inch planks. Then, I divided the planks into three piles and stained each pile a different shade. All of the piles were of a deeper stain, one more red than others. I did this so that we would have varying degrees of color and it would look more natural. We were lucky that my in-laws already had a stash of wood stain, so that we free! My husband and his father installed the flooring by simply screwing the wood onto the floor. Everyone, but my husband and I, seemed nervous about the outcome. We figured that if it did n't work out, it still be functional for sub-flooring. However, the cost of this compared to laminate flooring was huge! After buying the materials needed, this project was around $100.00.

After some light sanding and filling in some chipped bits, I was able to apply the polyurethane. My dad helped me with this. One gallon was used for this floor, which provided two coats! After a few days, I was able to start adding the furniture! Prior to finishing the floors, I had to clean the walls, paint the trim and paint the walls. I used black oops paint, which I purchased at a deep discount and I blended the paint with white paint that we had on hand. My mother-in-law primed and painted the ceilings. I chose grey, because it worked well for that room and I like it as a neutral. I think that tans and taupes are overly used as neutrals. I do think that I probably was influenced by watching Steven & Chris for years. Yes, I understand that grey seems like such a gloomy color, but it really it a fantastic color to use for walls. I think that it is easy to switch out throw pillows, blanks and curtains- it is easy and economical. However, the walls are harder to change.

Here is the end result, with the furniture in the room. There is an electric fireplace in on corner and it makes for a very cozy room.

This is some wall art the I made, using a book of flowers and frames from the Dollar Tree, total cost of wall art = $14! I am happy to finally have the room done. We are still working on the bathroom, I'll tell you all about that when I'm almost done with that. Until then~ Toodahloo!

Criss Cross Applesauce

When I first toured my home, I fell in love with the yard. One of my favorite parts of the yard is the apple tree, right in front of the house. Growing up, apples were a big part of my life. Initially, I was allergic to apples. I always felt a little left out when I watched my siblings bite into a fresh, crisp apple, while I snacked on a harmless banana. Eventually, I out-grew my allergy and was able to enjoy them, too! My father grew apple trees as a hobby and the kitchen in my childhood home has an apple themed decor. There are numerous orchards in the sounds towns and throughout the state. No fall is complete without a trip to an orchard for an afternoon of apple picking.

I was excited to tell my Dad about the apple tree in front of my new house. He was very pleased to see the tree and the variety of apple, a Northern Spy. Apparently, it's a nice sturdy apple, late to ripen and it has a long life in proper storage. Late, one warm October morning, my father came to pick the apples off of the tree for me. I helped him and we divided the pickings between us. We both decided to make apple sauce. He used a very different technique than I, but mine comes from how I was taught years before. One day, when I was in the third grade, my teacher brought in homemade applesauce. Up until then, I thought it was something that you could only get in the store. She told us how she did it, and I went home, that day, and made my own apple sauce.

Not the prettiest apples, but perfect for cooking!

I gathered an armful of apples from my stash and peeled them. Then, I cut out any bad parts. I used a handy tool that cores and slices the apples, all at once!

After all of the apples were peeled, cored and sliced I placed them in a saucepan and added enough water to cover the apples. Basically, I cooked them like I do potatoes, when I want to make mashed potatoes. However, it takes far less time to boil apples than it does to boil potatoes. When the apples were fork tender, I removed them from heat. It only took about 5 minutes.

Peeled, cored, sliced and ready to boil.

After draining the water from the apples, I added cinnamon (a few shakes) and a pinch of nutmeg. Then, I added a tablespoon of honey and I added a tablespoon of butter, after which, I whipped the apples with a hand mixer. It's best to use a hand masher, first, before you use the mixer. You could also use a food processor to really blend the sauce. The apples can be blended as long as you prefer, depending on how smooth you like your sauce. The end result was smooth, thick, applesauce with a few random chunks of apple. So tasty! The recipe that was taught to me when I was 8 years old, still holds as a great lesson. It was a wonderful way to learn a tradition and to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I really need to make some more. 

Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Post Thanksgiving Tidy

I am turkeyed out. As much as I love turkey, I just need a break. I bought a 16 pound turkey, hoping to feed the family for the holiday and yield plenty of leftovers. I certain accomplished that goal! After Thanksgiving, I continued to enjoy a few turkey sandwiches and turkey with gravy over mashed potatoes. Today, I decided to freeze the rest. I divided the remains of the turkey and I split the poultry between two freezer bags. This will come in handy when I want to make something for dinner throughout the next few weeks.
I also needed to figure out what to do with all of the leftover cranberry sauce that I made. My husband has always consumed canned cranberry sauce on the holidays, but that was not my tradition. Since we were combining our traditions, I made the cranberry sauce. This is a task that I have done the night before Thanksgiving since I was a teenager. As such, I am accustomed to having to make a lot. In my family, growing up, everyone piled on the cranberry sauce and they still do. On Thanksgiving, only my husband and I ate the sauce. So, after snacking on the cranberry sauce as much as I could, I decided to re-use it for a treat. I modified a recipe that would typically be used for raspberry bars, and substituted the raspberry jam with the cranberry sauce. I can't wait to eat a bar with some tea!

I also baked a batch biscuits to have for supper, tonight. I decided to make biscuits and gravy, and my husband was happy to go along with that. Today, I spent the day cleaning and preparing for tomorrow, as I intend to break out the Christmas decorations. While I was baking, I listened to my Spotify Christmas playlist and it put me in such a delightful mood! It felt good to get work done after taking a breather over the weekend. The holiday weekend really wore me out, so I took it easy yesterday. I just didn't feel inspired to do much, especially with such gloomy weather outside. Today was perfectly sunny and just right for being industrious.
So, I have been eagerly waiting to watch the new Anne Of Green Gables movie, which I will do tomorrow. I have also been anxious to watch the new Gilmore Girls episodes. Most people, ahem (women/girls), that I know who watched the show binged the entire day after Thanksgiving. I only watched one episode. I prefer to enjoy them a bit at a time, savor them, really. So, I think I will go sip some tea, eat a cranberry bar and watch another episode of Gilmore Girls. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Daylight Savings Time?

Daylight savings time is upon us, the tradition of falling back and getting an "extra hour." However, it always takes a couple of days for my body to adjust to the new time shift. Lately, the sun hasn't been rising until after 7 am, so it will rise after 6 am, giving me more daylight hours. It just seems like there is never enough time in the day to do all that I want to do. Being a homemaker, people assume that you have all the time in the world to watch Judge Judy and play online games. If I had a maid, I could possibly do those things, if those things were at all interesting to me. This supposed "extra hour" evades me.
As I began writing this very post, I had to save it and set aside for the night so that I could make supper. Now, it is late afternoon, the following day. I have a chicken roasting in the oven and the Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice is playing on the DVD. There just never seems to be enough time to get everything done in a day. Perhaps, I make too long of a list for myself. I suppose I care cut things back a bit. With the holidays fast approaching and a house that still needs to be finished, the list remains long. The bathroom is nearly finished. I should have my washer and dryer installed in the bathroom by the end of the week' which will be very nice as I've been doing my laundry at my parents' house for the past month.

Over the course of the past week, I've been working on smaller projects around the house, which I will share once I can figure out why my phone refuses to load photos onto my laptop. I was happy to go to the old thrift shop in my hometown, on Thursday. There, you can fill a bag full of clothes for $3.00. I gathered sweaters, plaid shirts and plaid skirts to repurpose into stockings and pillow covers for Christmas. It is likely that I will share the details of that in December. I am thinking of blogging each day in December, leading to Christmas, as I did a few years back. I rather enjoyed doing that. The Hallmark channel is already airing their Christmas movie marathon. I admit, I have been scanning the pins on Pinterest in search of more Christmas ideas and it is making me very excited for the holiday.
In other news, I discovered that my kitten is a boy an not a girl, as was told to my husband when he fetched her/him. So, we had to change. His official name is Paddy Murphy, but we call him "Murr" for short. The kids are very pleased that he is a boy and not a girl, as they believe male cats have better personalities. I've never had a girl cat, and my old cat Merin was delightful. Murr is a very loving and social cat and I have no doubt that he will remain so.
Halloween came and went. I didn't get at chance to decorate the yard, but I will next year. If you saw my picture on Instagram, you know that I dressed as a cat. It was a very last minute costume. My husband passed out candy while wearing a rainbow clown wig. I listened to my Halloween song list on Spotify and kept the dogs from getting too irritable. I was surprised by the number of trick-or-treaters who came to my door, as our neighborhood is so quiet. The next day, I went to the store and stocked up on half-off candy. It should keep my sweet tooth content until Christmas.
As soon as I can resolve my technical difficulties with m phone, I will be able to share my latest projects. Hopefully, everything will mend itself, soon. Until then~ Toodahloo!

Settling Into A New Home

A sunny morning at the camp.

 Last year, in early September, I started a new adventure by moving out of my childhood home and moving three miles away to the other side of town. My then boyfriend (now husband) was also at a place of change and we started the adventure together. We rented a large farmhouse that had a huge yard. It had beautiful tin ceilings, hardwood floors, a front porch swing, and beautiful landscaping. It was just what we needed at the time. The opportunity to rent landed in our laps and the timing was right. A year later, we decided to transition to a permanent home. We were on the lookout for houses that we could afford and discovered something perfect.
 The new house was not super exciting to me, at first. When we first toured the home, I really didn't know what to think. However, the realtor was a woman who we both have known since childhood and I trusted her. When we first stepped into the house, I was a bit alarmed by the smell of cigarette smoke. Although I'd grown up with smokers, this was a whole other level of smoking. Some of the rooms were oddly painted and the ceilings were stained with nicotine. However, I could see the potential. The house had good bones and a nice yard, it was in a a good neighborhood and it was the change and challenge that we wanted.
After a lot of hard work (and packing) we moved out of the rental house and moved our possessions into the garage of our new home. However, we did not move in. The house needed some work. I'll give all the details about that in a later post.

A view of the lake, before sunrise.

 The town that we moved to was the next town over from our hometown. Since we couldn't move into the house as soon as we bought it, we remained at our rental until the end of September, and then we stayed at a family members camp. The nice thing about the camp location was that it was close to the house so I could go there during the day to work and it was close to where my husband works so, he didn't have a long commute.
So, every day, I'd spend some time at my parents' house, watching reruns of Heartland and streaming new episodes of Haters Back Off on Netflix. Sometimes, I'd get some laundry done, too. Then, I'd go to the new house and paint. Once the living room floors were installed, the bedroom floors painted, walls and ceiling painted and the bathroom shower and toilet installed, we moved in. I was eager to get into the house, even if it was still a work in progress. While the camp on the lake was a relaxing place to stay, I really wanted to be in our home.

Sunrise on the lake.

Yesterday, we were finally able to get our internet set up. For the most part, I've unpacked everything. Since the bathroom isn't yet done, most of my bathroom supplies are still in the garage. Also, we haven't begun work on our dining room. I don't think we will begin work on that unto late spring of 2017. So, for now, the dining room furniture will remain in the garage as well. I'm just happy to be here, even if I can't find half of the things I have when I want them. Today, I'm going to bake cupcakes and that will be so relaxing. The cold weather is already here, so I'll be staying cozy inside and baking.
What I wasn't prepared for, even though I should know better, is how exhausted I am. Under normal circumstances, I get tired easily and require rest each day. However, because I've been so focused on getting work done on the house, I've been pushing myself more than I should, and not resting. Now, I am paying the price. I am more tired than usual and I'm exhausted all the time. So, knowing this, I am going to take it easy today and tomorrow and rest when I need to. Otherwise, I could make myself very sick.
I'm so happy to be settled in and to be able to return to blogging. I can't wait to share more about the work we've done and to share more about my adventures in ta new town. Thank you for being so patient while I took my break to focus on the house. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Super Easy And Fast Cinnamon Buns

I"m going to be straight with you readers...I LOVE bread! I love homemade bread, homemade yeast rolls, scones and, especially, cinnamon rolls. Now, I'm not some high baker snob. It is NOT beneath me to crack open a can of cinnamon rolls when the moment strikes me. Heck, I even buy generic rolls, that just my way. However, nothing beats baked goods made from scratch. I do have my favorite recipes that I've tried over the years. I have one recipe from a 1960's baking cookbook which is very involved and takes hours, but the end result is worth it. Once in a blue moon, I'll indulge and a bake those. I've been craving cinnamon rolls, lately, but it's also 90 degrees (fahrenheit), so I need another option. 

This summer, I discovered an amazing recipe for homemade hamburgers buns. I found it after being dissatisfied with store bought buns and not being super excited to go to the store. The buns can be made in less than and hour! I know and they make gorgeous buns. I wish I hadn't deleted my photo of my burger buns, but this isn't so much about burger buns and more about how I made cinnamon buns, but I needed to include my story about burger buns, because it's important to the story.

So, after making the buns a few times and craving cinnamon buns during a heat wave, I decided to experiment and see if I could adapt the recipe for cinnamon buns. The end result was beautiful! So, you begin with the original recipe for hamburger buns, which can be found on the Taste Of Home webpage. I'll include the link here: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/40-minute-hamburger-buns?keycode=ZPIN0414. Side note: I adore the Taste Of Home website and magazine. I have one of their cookbooks, and it is fantastic!

So, following the burger bun recipe up to the point where you form the dough into balls, here is where you use the dough for cinnamon rolls. Rather than forming the balls, I rolled the dough out into a 10x12 rectangle. Then, I added 1/4 cup melted butter and spread it over the dough. Then, I sprinkled 1/2 cup of sugar (white, but brown would work nicely). Next, I sprinkled ground cinnamon over the sugar and then topped it off with 1/2 a cup of raisins. Then, I rolled the doll into a log and cut the cough in eight pieces. I placed the buns onto a prepared cookie sheet, leaving enough space for expansion, and I covered the buns to rise for 8-10 minutes. Finally, I baked the buns according to the hamburger bun recipe. It was THAT easy! They came out beautifully, huge and tasty. You might need to bake a few extra minutes so the centers are fully baked, just keep an eye on them.

 I love recipes like this that are so versatile and can be adapted to use for a number of treats. If you need fantastic hamburger buns for a bbq, or you really want to impress your friends, make the hamburger buns, you won't be disappointed. I'm going to pull some out of the freezer to have for burgers tonight! Until Next Time~ Toodahloo!

Maine Girl Doesn't Like Lobster

Two weeks ago, my husband and I decided to take a day trip down to the coast. We felt that a trip to a coastal town for an overnight followed by a mini road trip up the coast, finding lighthouses would be fun. It was tremendously fun, but exhausting. Ever since childhood, I"ve visited at least one lighthouse each summer. The first lighthouse that we visited happens to be my favorite. It is at Pemaquid Point. I was very surprised to see so many seagulls present. It made me think of my mother, who is terrified of birds; I knew she would not be happy with this picture (above). When I was a child and a teenager, it was nothing or me to walk along the rocky edge, the huge granite the leads to the Atlantic was always fun to walk on, although I always used caution. Now that I'm older and disabled, I kept a safe distance. It didn't matter, I still enjoyed myself.

This is the lighthouse at Pemaquid Point, it is still open to the public to view. I didn't bother, since I've seen it so many times, and I still had a lot to do that day.

The next lighthouse that we visited was in Owls Head, you can almost see the lighthouse in the photo. I had a very hard time getting a picture of the lighthouse without snapping a random tourist in the picture, too. These lighthouses are very popular with tourists during the summer months. After visiting this lighthouse, we went to the lighthouse in Rockland, but I didn't get any photos of that. There were far too many tourists that would have landed in the picture. Also, the breakwater, leading to the lighthouse is a bit difficult for me to walk, so I really needed to pay attention to my steps and keep my eyes on my feet. That made it tricky when it came to photographing the lighthouse.

One final box from my summer bucket list needed to be checked. My husband convinced me to try a lobster roll. Now, I should explain, I've never had a lobster roll before. I know that might sound strange, considering I'm a New England girl. However, growing up, I was never big fan of seafood. The occasional whitefish is okay, but I don't like shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, oysters, squid, octopus, and most certainly NOT lobsters. I know that sounds terrible for a lot of people. I have tried lobster several times throughout my life and I've never liked it. So, I thought that I would give this a try. The last time that I'd tried eating lobster was back when I was in college. Since my husband made the lobster roll sound so alluring, I decided to try it out. The Maine lobster roll is a VERY popular summertime treat. We searched a few towns and looked online to find a reasonably priced lobster shack. We located one that was nearby and made our way to it. I was very happy to see that it didn't have a huge line, so I would need to wait long, I was hungry. I stepped to the window and placed my order.  I had a bit of a palpitation when I saw that the sandwiches were $15.00 each! I've never spent that much on a sandwich before. However, since this was meant to be about an experience, and less about lunch, I let it go and decided to enjoy myself. After we were handed our lobster rolls, we sat on a bunch that overlooked the harbor and began our picnic.

 My husband delighted in his sandwich the moment he sunk his teeth into the mayonnaise/lobster blend. The crispness of the lettuce crunching between his teeth made it all seem so delicious. So, I took a deep breath and took a bite. With the Mr. looking on, eagerly awaiting my reaction, I chewed. He asked me what I thought of it. I grinned and nodded my head, but he could tell that it was a nightmare, for me. I was determined to enjoy the lobster roll; it was $15.00, after all. After consuming about $7.00 worth of the sandwich, I handed the rest to my husband, who was more than happy to eat the lobster roll. So, it wasn't the sandwich or the lobster shack that made it that was at fault. I just don't like lobster, it's gross. I love whoopie pies, blueberries, potatoes, red hot dogs, and Moxie, but I just can eat lobster. I hope that doesn't make me any less of a Mainer. Sigh.

Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Not Enough Hours In The Day

I love these sweet, tiny wildflowers.

As the title of this posts states. there never seems to be enough hours in the day. Summer months contain the longest days of the year, and yet I need more time. The problem is, I get tired very easily. which was a huge problem when I worked at an elementary school, I was always worried that I would fall asleep on the job. That is not a good thing to do, obviously, but when you've had a head injury like mine, sometimes sleepiness becomes as much a part of your life as learning to adapt to a weaker body. The big problem is, I am a very determined woman who wakes up each morning and sees all the tasks that I want to complete in order to keep a household running. This summer, for instance, I have my own veggie patch ( rather than relying on my fathers) and that takes up time, even more so the yard. I have a large yard, which needs to be manicured, regularly. I have completely overcome my fear of lawnmowers and I actually find mowing the lawn to be very relaxing. However, all of that takes a lot out of me and by the time I'm done, I need to nap. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it's my reality.

The sun made these look brighter, but they are such a pretty pink.

 The problem with napping, is that it cuts into a very important time of day, time when I could get more tasks done. However, if I ignore the need to nap, I pay the price. I work had in the winter, but even more so in the summer, as that is the time in which I prepare for winter. Also, soccer season is back and that is a busy time and it will get even busier, once school starts in the fall. Whats a woman to do? Like I said, there's just not enough hours in the day.

My new favorite cookbook.

Yesterday was very busy. Today, I've taken it easier, as I'm recovering from yesterday. However, that did not stop me from mowing part of the lawn, even though I mowed another part, yesterday. I also need to make a jambalaya and bake gluten free cornbread before tonight's soccer game. After which, I have to go grocery shopping. Tomorrow, might be s lighter day, and it will be a Friday, so that's a plus! Lately, I've been doing a lot of baking, using recipes from my trusty Maine Rebekahs cookbook. I love this cookbook, the recipes are old and they remind me of classic recipes that my grandmother would have used. Although, I am not a fan of the recipe for whoopie pie filling. The whoopie pie recipe, itself, is perfection, but the filling, not how I'd do it. This is why you adapt recipes to your own taste. So, the next time I decide to make whoopie pies, I'll remember to use another recipe for iling that I prefer.
My garden is now providing me with many greens. We;ve been using our lettuce a lot and, the other night, we cooked some swiss chard....it was delicious! I can't wait to try the kale! We also have a tremendous amount of tomatoes coming, which will be fantastic for blt's and panini; especially when paired with fresh basil. When the tomatoes grow plump, I'll take pictures and share them as part of a garden update. I hope your summer is treating well. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Putting In The Garden

About a month ago, my father pulled into my driveway with a rototiller in the back of his truck. He very kindly tilled a nice patch in my backyard so that we could start a veggie garden. I already have numerous perennial flowers and flowering bushes along the side of the house. I also dug up some of the irises from my parents' yard and planted them along my back fence and around a tree. The flowers really take little to no effort to maintain, aside from a bit of weeding here and there. What I really wanted was a nice veggie garden. I love the idea of being able to walk into my backyard and fetch my own fresh produce. I love the idea of knowing what went into growing my veggies and knowing that they were picked only when they were absolutely ready to be plucked. I also like being able to save a lot of money on my grocery bill, while providing nutrient-rich veggies for the family.
We've planted squash, onions, tomatoes, beets, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, swiss chard, kale, cabbage, green beans and sunflowers. I also hope to plant a winter garden, in the fall. We will enjoy many salads, BLT's and a variety of casseroles.  I selected greens that I knew would be plentiful and grow easily. I hope to make pickles and fresh salsa, as I also have a miniature herb garden.

Those coffee canisters are bottomless. They are being used to support the tomato stems, as they grow.

Each morning and each night, my husband checks the garden to monitor its progress. I check in on it, mid-morning and mid-afternoon when I water it. It's amazing to see how quickly everything is growing! I'll be even more excited when I start to see blossoms on the plants. It is very relaxing, spending time in the garden. My mother always told me how much time her father spent tending to his garden when he wasn't at work. I can see now, why he enjoyed it so much. I'll keep you updated on the progress of the veggie patch. Hopefully, I'll be able to share some recipes of the tasty dishes that I make with my garden delights. In the meantime, I have a few craft projects that I've been working on. I'll share more about that at another time. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

The Great Artisan Bread Experiment

I bought this online and neither the seller, nor the online store sponsor me. I just thought I should point that out before there's any sort of confusion. I DID get this discounted for an honest review, but I was not paid to feature this item in my blog. I just happened to use it to make delicious bread. I will admit, that I really liked this and I am glad I got to try it out.

If you've read a few of my posts, you might have observed that I have many hobbies. One of the more obvious of which is baking, but another hobby of mine is reviewing products. I like testing products out; most of which, I get at a discounted rate in exchange for my testing and reviewing the product, honestly and fairly. I have a lot of fun with this, and it allows me to write for an entirely different genre. So, when I have the opportunity to combine hobbies, I'm more than delighted. Recently, I acquired a banneton basket, which is a wicker basket used for proofing bread dough. After searching Pinterest for artisanal bread recipes, and making my own additions to the recipe, I had delicious bread.

When I first found the recipe that I wanted to use, I was very excited. It only had a few ingredients, and it claimed that I didn't need to knead it! However, once I started making the bread, I soon discovered that it was a two-day job, as I had to mix the batter and let it rest overnight, When I finally returned to the dough, it was far runnier than I'd expected. So, I added more flour and kneaded it (I couldn't help myself). Then, I let it rest in the banneton. I lined the basket with a tea towel, to prevent the dough from sticking. After a few hours, it was ready to go into the oven.

According to the recipe, the dough had to be placed in a Dutch oven, with a lid and baked in the oven for 25 minutes. Then, I had to (carefully) remove the lid and bake the bread for an additional 10 minutes. I was very nervous about this. I wondered if my herbed bread would even come out. After all the work that I put into it, would all be wasted? However, once I sliced into the bread, I soon found perfection. It tasted just like the fancy bread at the grocery store. It made fantastic toast and was outstanding with fried eggs for breakfast. When my husband first tried it, he said that it was chewy, but I explained to him that it was meant to be that way. He loved it. So, for my first time baking artisanal bread, I really lucked out with the recipe that I used. It was super basic. I added sage, rosemary and thyme to the mixture. Had I any parsley, I would have added that, too. I think this would be great with Herbs de Province added. I've been dipping this in lovely herbed olive oil and it's dreamy. I think that I might need to make herbed olive oil, this summer, perhaps some herbed vinegar, as well.

The other day, we put in our garden. we're still adding more vegetable plants. As my father plants vegetables in his garden, whatever has left over, he brings to us and we're planting those, as well. I hope the veggie garden works out this summer. Already, our flowers look gorgeous. The lilacs have come and gone, but now the peonies, irises and lilies are blooming. Keep an eye out on my Instagram and Tumblr pages for pictures of my flowers and my latest baking experiments. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Spring, Luxurious Spring

The past couple of weeks have been super busy. The school year is winding down, the track meets are nearly done, we just had the spring concerts, a wedding is coming up (FAST) and gardening is in the future. While all of this was happening, I found myself first dealing with seasonal allergies and then I developed a nasty cold, which I'm at the tail end of. I will be happy when it finally goes away. However, I don't let it bother me too much, as the weather has been fantastic. It is so nice to be able to have the windows open, to have fresh air and to not have the furnace on. Outside my window, I see green grass, leaves on the trees, lilacs blooming, peonies waiting to open and dandelions...everywhere!

A week ago, I was given a surprise wedding shower. It wasn't expected, but I did know that it was in the works. Although, it was a surprise, it was a nice surprise. My cousin organized it and she did a wonderful job. When I came home, after a nature walk with the dogs and the Mister, I found my aunts, sisters, cousins, mum, future relatives and my bestie all in my kitchen and dining room. The house was decorated with lots and lots of flowers. It was a wonderful time.

Little bouquets, held in jelly jars, were placed throughout the downstairs of my home.

They lasted for well over a week! It made me think of "Anne Shirley" who loved to overwhelm her home with wildflowers.

Outside, the flowers are everywhere. From tiny blue flowers....

To fragrant apple blossoms.

When I visit the lake, the loons are keeping a safe distance, but a close enough to observe.

Look at how much my plants have grown! I can't wait to start my veggie patch, if only the two local groundhogs would keep a respectful distance.....

So, that is what I've been up to, lately. Once things calm down I will resume my reading and I'll be sharing what I've read and my thoughts on the books, once I've read them. Well, once things have calmed down and the Orphan Black season finale airs. This season has been insane, I think it's the craziest season yet! Yes, once all of that happens, I can go back to being a summer book worm...the new season of Pretty Little Liars will begin soon, but that is just one show. I can work with that! :) I will keep you posted. Until then~ Toodahloo!

Spring Cleaning and Crafting Pt. 1

Now that spring is here, I'm finally seeing buds on the trees, I have been spending my rainy days crafting and working on home improvement projects. The race is slow, but steady and with the unpredictable weather, it's a cat and mouse game.  Some days, I get outdoor work done and other days, I get indoor work done. I am, admittedly, ambitious. I tend to write up long lists of tasks and projects to complete. I am learning, though, to not try to get these entire lists done in one day.I really want to beautify the already gorgeous yard, start a veggie garden, decorate the inside of the house, craft, prepare for next winter, plan a wedding, and do all the everyday stuff, like baking and cleaning, too. Again, I'm learning to NOT try to get it all done in one day, I've been finding a tremendous amount of inspiration on Pinterest....

I began this project, last year, and completed it this month. I know that it was inspired from a Pinterest pin, which may have been art inspired by Pottery Barn; it was so long ago, I can't remember. Here, I took a large scrap sheet on panelling board and glued an assortment of paint sample chips onto the board.

After taking a break for a year, I finished gluing the sample cards onto the board. Then, I made a monogram template. I used an old cereal box and free-handed the letter. Then, I cut out the shape and taped it to the board.

After that, I carefully painted the letter "B" with black acrylic craft paint, making certain to not get under the template.

The end result was a fun piece of wall art that cheers up an empty space on my dining room wall. 

This is an entirely different sort of craft project. Here, I made small fire starters. In the winter, we burn wood to heat the home. On damp days, I often have a difficult time getting the fire to catch. So, I decided to make these, ahead of time, and save myself some frustration this winter. I squirrelled away some toilet tissue rolls and dryer lint. In know that sounds a bit like an episode of Hoarders. However, I figured that since I'd throw this out anyway, why not make some use for it. So, I collected my dryer lint and kept it in a bag. Once I had enough cardboard rolls, I cut them into smaller bits.

I lined the cardboard rounds onto a cookie sheet and stuffed them with the dryer lint. After which, I melted some paraffin wax, that my mother hand on hand, and I poured the wax onto the dryer lint. I know this seems very odd, especially since it will be months before I'll even use these. However, I know that once summer comes around, I'll be busy gardening and I won't have time for this. I'm trying to prepare for winter ahead of time; this way, I'll be set once the cold weather returns. For now, I have these stored away in a box. Once winter arrives, it will be one less thing for me to worry about. 

I will be continuing to prepare for the colder seasons, periodically, between now and the fall months and I'll post about those projects as I work on them. For now I'm focusing more on spring time projects and preparing for the summer months. I have more crafts that I have been working on, but it would have made this post far too long; which is why I'm posting a part two to this. Between now and the next post, I'll be crafting, baking and diy-ing even more.and I'll have much to share with you all. Keep an eye out on my instagram and tumblr page for posts. Until next time~ Toodahloo!

Fuzzy Distractions

Last week, I fully intended on writing a few posts about Spring diy projects and a craft project that I'd been working on. I had the photo uploaded and edited, and then this fuzz ball came into my life. I was at my desk, beginning my work when the Mister set out to pick up one of the kids from track practice. Being that it was Spring break, this was late in the morning. Just before he set off to complete this errand, he found an ad online for free kittens, local, and time was limited. I figured he might send a message and get some sort of response by the end of the day, When it took him longer to come back from picking up the kiddo, I began to wonder. One hour later, he came home with this delightful kitty in tow.

She was (is) so tiny, with a wee tail and a squeaky meow. She was a bit frightened and needed to be held a lot. The rest of my day, I had her on my lap as she napped and although I tried to get some work done, my efforts were thwarted by this cuddle bug.

We threw lots of names around, trying to think of the most fitting name. Then, one of the kids suggested "Freya," after scouring Google for goddess names. That named felt like the perfect fit for the kitty. After a weekend with her, the name has proven to suit her, perfectly.

I did manage to pull myself away a few times to do some shopping and to rake up a yard, but that was only because we left her in the care of one of the kids. She is still growing more comfortable with the dogs. The smallest of which is having the most difficult time adjusting to the new family member. The other day, I found her hiding on top of my cookbooks. I think she might have been trying to escape the curiosity of the canine dwellers.

As I compose this post, she is curled up on my, lap resting quietly, and I am finally able to complete some tasks. Once she's bigger, she'll be more independent. Hopefully, she'll prove to be an excellent mouser (the whole reason for getting her); if her play activity is any indication, the mice should quiver in fear........

That is what is going on in the land of Lady Toesocks. The rest of the week will include more crafts and more posts about the diy projects that I completed, last week. The weather is looking much better and there will be more outdoor work and more baking happening, too. I'm sure I'll tell you all about it! Until next time~ Toodahloo!