Little Brick Ranch

Garden Prep

2012-04-19T07:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was spent trying to tame my garden. I suppose it wouldn't of been so difficult had I put the garden to bed properly last fall. But, alas, after my trip to Spain in September I just let the garden run willy nilly until the snow came and I haven't stepped foot in there since...shame on me!

Here is what I started with:

Mission #1 - Move Raised Bed (the one with the hoop) to East side of Garden

We will soon begin building our deck in the back yard. Due to our ugly chain link fence, the only way to get in the back yard with the earth mover is through my precious garden. Since I am itching to get my plant on, I had to move one 3x8 raised bed (more on those here!) out of the way into it's new permanent spot. Eventually we will put two more beds in but this summer we will make due with what we have.

I looked at this move from every direction. Shovel out all the dirt to a container or tarp then shovel it back in? Try to shimmy and move the bed with all its contents? Uh, no. I went the easy route!

1. I rolled back the weed block where the new bed was going - see the first photo above.
2. Picked up one edge of the bed and shook it free from the weed block I stapled to the bottom (here).
3. Placed the wood frame over new weed block...eh, choose not to fix it to anything...
4. Started shoveling the giant dirt cake that was left into the newly relocated wood frame.

Voila'!

It will all look nice and even when I get the paths back in there. Oh, on a side note - anyone have a good idea for paths? I am between gravel, grass, and the current which is mulch. Let me know if you have any tips!!

Mission #2 - Remove weeds so the gate can close!

This was the not so fun part. My first year in the garden I encountered a snake while digging around in such overgrowth. This time I went slow and strategic one weed at a time. It took about 15 minutes but I got it done...and look what I found!

No, It's not a carrot! This is the worst weed root of em' all. This sucker is as long as my size 8 shoe...and that's just the root!

Here is the updated entrance that is now (mostly) weed free:

And then this happened:

Booo - I had to call the day early on account of rain. Though nothing is in the forecast, I am looking forward to a good soaking so I can get my lettuce planted asap!!

Next on the list of Garden To Do's?

Move water spicket/hose to a more centralized location
Plant lettuce!
De-weed the rest of the garden
Mulch between neighbors garage and our yard to keep the weeds at bay
Build hoop house for my lettuce so the birds to eat it!
Work on some kind of fence/entrance from our yard to the garden without having to go the driveway...with a doggie door so Bubba can keep the squirrels out!

And the list goes on! Anyone else out in the garden today?

Drastic Weather Calls for Drastic Measures

2012-01-20T07:30:00.000-06:00

Seriously. It. Is. Freezing.

I know you have all heard me talk about our living room/kitchen addition and how we didn't add heat as we were hoping the fireplace and small gas space heater would do the area justice. Well. It has not. Neither have done what they were meant to do. Our fireplace sucks it... literally, it sucks the heat of the fire right up through the chimney. Our gas space heater blows...not so literally, it actually stopped working all together. What we are now left with is half of a house (unfortunately the recently gutted and rehabbed half) that is completely useless to us in the winter. It feels a little something like this:

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You see, the cold half of the house connects with the heated half of the house in two places.

1. My office. That room really is quite warm as it is closest to the furnace so it gets heated first and there is an actual door to block the heat loss.

2. The kitchen to the dining room. That doorway is open with no door to block the heat loss.

The walk way from the kitchen to the dining room is the current equivalent to leaving the front door wide open. You can actually feel the temperature dip 20 degrees when going from the dining room at the front of the house through the kitchen towards the back of the house. 20 degrees...I kid you not.

In the Kitchen

In the hallway by bedrooms

It is BRUTAL! Today I got desperate.

After suffering through many a cold day/night with the heat kicking on every 5-10 minutes I knew we had to do something. I didn't want anything permanent (as we will soon, fingers crossed, be fixing the problem all together) but I wanted something quick. My first thought was to use a curtain to close off one room from the other. My second thought was that I had no spare curtain nor did I feel like installing a rod. So I went with what we have already lying around:

Tension rod - check
Blanket - check

All I did was wrap the blanket around the tension rod and secure that baby to the very top of the doorway. Is this unsightly, yes, but it worked!

From the Dining Nook...this room is still in desperate need of paint...

From the Kitchen...perhaps red isn't the best color for this...

It kind of looks like an exclusive club... OK, maybe more like a strip club, but whatev...it is working!

I am happy to say the furnace hasn't clicked on in over 10 minutes. I realize this is a VERY TEMPORARY solution (and perhaps I will change the red to a beige fleece blanket we have!), but this year I have vowed to use what we have or wait for what we need. We don't NEED a new curtain or curtain rod for this little project. Like I said, that would be a temporary fix. This is ugly to us but no one else (except all of you) will ever see it. When guests come over we will simply take it down and blast our 2 electric space heaters in the back. But, for now, this works for us. It is saving money on heating and saving us money on a temporary fix that we would have bought things for to make pretty but ultimately not need in the long run. This is how we rock it LBR style...

Anyone else have ideas to block out the cold? I am in the process of getting up the motivation to plastic all of our old single pane windows. Oh, yes, I said single pane...in CHICAGO!!! Damn - our list of To Do's is out of control...

DIY Instant Oatmeal Packets - CHEAP, Delicious, and Healthy!

2012-01-19T10:12:00.000-06:00

Ok - so you know I am always on the fly (literally) and it is hard to eat when you have no stove, cooktop, or refrigeration at your disposal. Last year I shared some of the lengths a which I go to to eat healthy on the plane - Burrito ala Galley post right here - but now I am tackling a new issue. Instant Oatmeal.

In an effort to eat healthy in the mornings I have taken to instant oatmeal as a quick, healthy breakfast that meets most of my flight attendant needs. It can be kept in my bag without refrigeration and cooked up at a moments notice with hot water from the coffee maker on board...or in the hotel room if needed. Perfect, right? Eh, not so right. The cost for an organic box of instant oatmeal is $3.49 + tax for 8 packages which makes them around .47 cents each. Not too bad...but most people (not me) like to eat more than one package at a time. This 8 package box will last me one week of work. That means 4 boxes a month which equals a little over $15 a month. Overall, the price is ok but the amount of packaging that comes with it is ridiculous. We love to recycle here (and at work!) but I could no longer justify the constant boxes coming in and out of this house on a weekly basis. Some may think I am crazy, but this year I am doing my best to reduce my overall impact on our planet and instant oatmeal is first on my list! :) Here is how it's done:

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups quick oats (I got mine in the bulk food section at Whole foods for $1.39/lb)
Pinch of salt (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Take one cup of quick oats and pulse in the Cuisinart or blender till they are a somewhat fine powder
Add the rest of the ingredients above. Mix mix mix and store in an airtight container.
Use 1/3 cup oatmeal mix to about 1/2 cup hot water, milk, or soy milk. How much liquid depends on how runny or thick you like your oatmeal.
Let stand for a minute then enjoy!

THAT'S IT!!! SERIOUSLY!

But, ya'll know I had to jazz mine up a bit! As a vegetarian, I need to make the most of my food when I eat so I try to add fiber, protein, and a good dose of yummy to everything I eat. Here is my revised version of Cinnamon Spice Quick Oatmeal:

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Quick Oats (again, I got mine in the bulk food section at Whole foods for $1.39/lb)
1TBS Cinnamon
1TBS Sugar
1TBS Chia Seeds
1TBS Ground Flax Seeds
1/8 tsp Salt (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Take one cup of quick oats and pulse in the Cuisinart or blender till they are a somewhat fine powder
Add the rest of the ingredients above. Mix mix mix and store in an airtight container.
Use 1/3 cup oatmeal mix to about 1/2 cup hot water, milk, or soy milk. How much liquid depends on how runny or thick you like your oatmeal.
Let stand for a minute then enjoy!

Picture Play by Play:

See the difference in texture from the ground oats to the regular?

Can you see the Cinnamon and Chia seeds? OK, hardly, but I know they are in there!

Again - THAT'S IT! I like to add walnuts to the top since I am not sure if adding them to the powder would make them turn rancid eventually. Either way, I always have walnuts when I travel so it is no big deal to throw them on top. Other variations could include fruit, chocolate chips, cocoa powder, coconut, and the list goes on!

Here is a list of ideas you can add to the basic mixture:

Cinnamon Raisin:

1 TBS Raisins, 1 TBS Cinnamon

Berries and Cream:

1-2TBS dried creamer, 1-2TBS freeze Dried Berries

Smore's Oatmeal:

1 Graham Cracker pounded to a powder, 1 TBS sugar, a small scoop of mini marshmallows, 1 TBS mini chocolate chips...or regular chocolate chips.

Carribean Queen...or King:

1 TBS ground ginger, 1 TBS sugar, 1 TBS dried coconut, chopped dried mangoes

GORP Oatmeal:

Raisins, Peanuts, chocolate chips in whatever amounts you desire

For now I am keeping my Instant Oatmeal in a airtight Tupperware container. The whole point of doing this was to save money and help the environment so I feel separating it out into small Ziplocs would be wasteful unless you plan to use them again to which I say go for it! For me, once I go back to work, it will be easier for me to keep the mixture in a jar with a 1/3 scooper in it. Since I am not separating it out it would be best to remember to shake the mix each time before scooping so the good stuff doesn't settle to the bottom!

So let's get a cost breakdown. The only ingredient I had to buy was the quick oats at $1.39 a lb. I wound up buying 1.62 lbs ($2.25) which breaks down to 7 cups of oatmeal which = 3.5 batches of this recipe. I wound up only making one batch so that I can make a new flavor later. Either way, each batch is equal to 6 - 1/3 cup dry portions which is the same amount in the store bought packages.

Ugh...my math is horrible but let's push on...

3.5 batches = 21 1/3 cup dried portions.

$2.25 for the oatmeal + 9.5% tax = $2.46

$2.46/ 21 portions = 11 cents per delicious serving!

As I stated earlier the organic store bought instant oatmeal came to 47 cents each. We are saving 36 cents per serving. Now, I know, I know, I added things to mine that cost money. Each item I added was already in the house and readily available. Again, the great thing about this recipe is you can make it as basic or extravagant as you want! The store, in most cases, charges you the same for regular or cinnamon spice.The only thing you really need is the oats and water.

Now that I have this in my arsenal of airplane cooking it will be a rare case to see deep fried hash brown patties passing through these lips! I am happy to have a cheaper and healthy way to have breakfast as well as one that is more environmentally conscious. Boxed instant oatmeal beware...this recipe has made you extinct in our house.

So what kind of oatmeal do you like? If you plan to make this recipe, what flavor combos will you create?

LIVE Your Life...

2011-12-02T19:05:00.001-06:00

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A meteorology professor stood before his Meteorology 101 class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty glass mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a jar of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open spaces between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was. The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar and of course the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous yes. The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and then proceeded to pour the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the grains of sand. The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, your partner, your health, your children, your friends, your favorite passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. "The pebbles are the other things that matter, like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out dancing. Play another 18. "There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand." One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."

So I may be the last one on Earth to have read/blogged this story but once I read it (Thanks, Pinterest!) I felt compelled to pass it on. May all your jars be full of golf balls!! :)

Giving Thanks...

2011-11-24T05:44:00.001-06:00

Be thankful for the family and friends who can share this day with you and grateful for those who make it possible...

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Be thankful for the food we have to celebrate with and be aware of those who do not...

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Be thankful for all that we can afford and always remember those who can not...

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To all celebrating this beautiful day I am thankful to share it with you.

Happy Thanksgiving

DIY Fall Wedding Ideas...Its Not too Late!

2011-11-21T10:45:00.001-06:00

We have officially blazed past fall and are heading into winter. But there is a week or two left before I will concede to the official change of seasons. As a last minute hail Mary for my favorite season I would like to share a few ideas from our wedding last fall.

Wedding favors/Seating cards:

We went seasonal, edible, dual purpose, and cheap...a few of my favorite things! We bought Taffy Apples in bulk (with nuts for the adults and without nuts for the kids), switched out the plastic casing for cellophane goody bags from Target, and hand wrote tags with names and seating numbers. Then we simply punched a hole and tied with twine. So simple but decorative...and delicious! There was not a single apple left behind.

The apples cost 69 cents a pop and the cellophane about 20 cents. The tags were made out of extra thank you notes I had that matched the invite. The thanks you notes were on sale at 25 for $5 and each card made 3 tags. Since they were extras they didn't cost a dime which brings the grand total for each place card/wedding favor 89 cents!! Perfect for our budget.

Wedding menus:

My mom and I made the menus by printing 2 per regular size card stock (with a bit of trial and error to get the sizing/fonts just right) then cutting them in half lengthwise. Next, I took one of our favorite photos (printed in mass quantity) and glued them to card stock which I used my crafting scissors with the scalloped edge to cut the smaller card stock down to size. People loved the individual touches and we loved the price tag! In total the paper cost $7 and the photos $7. $14 for 70 menus!!

Dessert:

We decided to forgo the traditional wedding cake as I am not a huge fan. What I am a huge fan of is creme brulee which we opted to have instead of cake. As an added bonus, my mom and grandma baked dozens of cookies in the days before the wedding day so we could make a platter for each table. we simply arranged the various types of cookies on paper doilies and decorative tin trays both purchased from the Dollar Store. Toss in a few chocolates for good measure and there was plenty of dessert to go around. Since our wedding was an hour and a half from home we made sure to place a bunch of cellophane bags on each table so people could take them to go for the ride home.

Photos:

Since we were having a small wedding I wanted to keep it as intimate as possible. I kindly asked/begged my brother in law, Sam Worden, to do the photography. I wanted to make sure Sam felt like a guest and not just the paparazzi so I told him ahead of time which things were important to me and what wasn't. Before the wedding I took pics with the fam. He also took pics during the ceremony (which timed in at 5 minutes exactly) and after the ceremony with E for about 30 minutes. After that I had no requests but he did manage to catch a few of my favorites when we weren't looking like the one above. This is the picture of what we got to see from our table - all of our friends and family there to celebrate the day with us.

So that's it. A look at our special day which we managed to do in a budget friendly way with enough DIY special touches to make it ours and only ours. So how about you guys? Got any special wedding tips to add to the list? Feel free to leave a comment for all the future brides out there!!

Foodie Friday #22 - An Ode to Potatoes

2011-11-18T07:30:00.000-06:00

I love potatoes. I love them oh so much. I love them to the point that if I was on a desert island and could only eat one thing for the rest of my life I would eat potatoes every single day. Though ye old potato may not be the most nutritious thing to choose in that given scenario it is by far one of the most versatile therefor I have decided in a land with only one food the rest of my life I would forgo a long life of eating one nutritious thing for a satisfied short life of eating one not so nutritious thing cooked many different ways. Anywho...this little party is all about the potato.

With grilling season on it's way out we decided to give it a go one more time with an old time favorite - Hobo Potatoes (I am not sure why a hobo would have foil laying around but that is the name and I shall stick to it). Hobo Potatoes are sliced thin, sprinkled with whatever spices you have laying about and wrapped up in foil to go directly on the grill. Since they are sliced thin these babies will be done in 15-20 minutes (depending on how hot your grill is) which makes it a perfect accompaniment to your main grilled course. Here is another non recipe from yours truly...

Hobo Potatoes

Take any kind of potato and slice thin. I use my food processor for this task but a sharp knife or mandolin would do the trick just fine.

Dunk all potatoes in a cold water bath to remove the starchy juice and keep the potatoes from browning

Put all the potatoes in a large bowl and flavor as you wish. I drizzle some olive oil then sprinkle parmigiana, garlic powder, a bit of cayenne, and salt and pepper. E prefers to do his spicy with a bunch of cayenne, crushed black pepper, and whatever else floats his boat that day. Now mix it all up to coat...the best way to do this is with your hands but you may use a spoon if you must.

Take a large sheet of foil, spray with cooking spray, and mound some potatoes in the center.

Roll up the sides just a bit and add about a tablespoon of water. This will help steam the potatoes and keep the bottoms from burning.

Now wrap them up and place them on your grill flipping half way. Some juice may leak out but it will work fine either way.

Cooking time will vary depending on type and size of potato. If you aren't sure on the cook time take a peek into one of them after around 15 minutes. If they are cooked through you are good to go - if not, seal up the foil again and leave for a bit longer.

And here is where I drifted off to my desert island and forgot to take pictures of my final product. By the time we remembered the potatoes were long gone. Oops! Hopefully you all have better luck this week and remember to photograph your end product... Let's see what ya got!

NOW ON WITH THE PARTY

*Here are couple rules before we get this party kickin'...*

Your link MUST be a food related item, duh! It can be a recipe, a specific dish you are craving, a new foodie product you just found, a specific restaurants specific dish...it can be a picnic you had - I really don't care! Just make me want to eat it!

{mandatory} Please post my button or a clickable link in your post so others can join in - they are located on the bottom of the right sidebar...Walnuts or Garlic? I dig em' both! If you don't know how to do this just email me and I can help you out...

Try not to post and run - check out another recipe and see what's cookin' elsewhere! You may just learn something! :)

Please DO NOT link up your linky parties.

FYI - By linking up your are giving me permission to use your recipe, blog, and or photos in an upcoming feature. No worries - Ill always link back to you and your blog!! :)

Let the mouth watering, drool inducing, stomach grumbling fun BEGIN!! I'm Hungry...

LET'S EAT!!

Hello - My Name Is...

2011-11-14T07:15:00.000-06:00

Now that I am back I thought this may be a good time to get reacquainted with ya'll. It has been nearly a year since my first blog post in December 2010. A lot has happened in the past year to the blog, our home, and even myself. At times you think the days move slow but then you look up and it is already November 14! I can't believe it! So here is a little catch up with Little Brick Ranch and yours truly...

I am still me. I mostly look the same (besides a haircut a few months back) and I mostly act the same. I have begun to think a little differently, however. My newest mantra is easy.

It began with: Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.

A 350 mile hike across Spain will do that for you.

I left for Spain with 12 lbs of gear on my back and the weight of the world on my shoulders. I returned with the gear (most of it, anyway) but none of the worry. Life is too short. It seems once you are out "there", in life, the only thing you really need is faith. This isn't a religious faith type of thing (unless that is your belief and then I say go with it). This is the type of faith that everything is going to happen as it should. That if you are thirsty and have run out of water someone will have some to share, if you get to town late after everyone else there will indeed be a bed for you or another accommodation will be made available, and if you have been dreaming of raspberries along the road you will eventually find them...maybe even on the honor system...

Your life will unfold exactly as it is supposed to. It won't always be easy. You may find yourself in a pension sharing a double bed room with an overzealous Italian man causing you to pack your gear asap and high tail it out of there in the middle of the night stumbling in the dark as you walk 2 km to the next available alburgue. But have a little faith, once you are there you will see a familiar face and a warm bunk bed and soon you will realize that you are where you were meant to be. OK - not many will find themselves in that same situation but the outcome is the same - you are where you should be.

Upon my return from Spain I have kept the Simplify Simplify Simplify mantra when it comes to my household and projects. But when I wander into my beliefs and overall feeling on life I have narrowed it down further to the belief that I am where I should be. It is amazing the sort of clarity that comes with not only saying that but actually believing it.

So where should LBR be? When I first started blogging I wanted to improve our house, teach others to do the same, and wow the universe with my amazing insight on all things DIY. Ummmm...I've simmered down a bit. When blogging 5 times a week and meeting so many fabulous bloggy friends this momentum takes over which is quite similar to the term "Keeping up with the Joneses" except I was trying to keep up with the Kates, Petersiks, and Nesters instead. There is simply only one word to describe it: EXHAUSTING! My house was constantly in shambles, there was always a half finished project (more likely a 1/4 finished project) and even when I finished something I was constantly thinking of ways to improve it. While all this was happening I also started working again which took even more time away from my blogging and those projects...I simply couldn't keep up and was starting to sink under the pressure.

I am happy to say that this blogging break has shattered those feelings. I am back to being me...not some mocked up am-I-writing-enough-wit-and-puns-to-make-others-snort sort of me. As much as I love those ladies (and gent) I am not them nor will I ever be. This is why blogging is so fabulous, after all - we all have our own wit/humor, our own goals to achieve, and our own ideas...and when we run out of ideas we all have Pinterest!

So where are we now?

When we last left you we were in full fledged Foodie Friday mode. Every Friday I hosted a fabulous array of dishes you fine peeps brought to the table. I loved it, you loved it, my family loved it, my friends loved it! It was fabulous. After much consideration I have decided to continue Foodie Friday however I need to find time to focus on some other parts of my day to day that I was skimping on...

Now that I am back at work I am traveling. A Lot. I am hoping to include some of my travels with you to give others a chance to get to know the cities where you come from. Where is the best antique shop? Who has the best donuts? What is your town best known for?? I need the deets people! I typically fly weekdays and have around 15 hours in each town which only leaves around 5-6 hours to truly explore. I will let you know what towns I am visiting ahead of time and I hope you all will give me some tips on what to do while I am there. Once I get a chance I will post my trip for all to see in the event that one day you find yourself hungry at Pikes Market in Seattle and craving a Dungeness Crab roll loaded with fresh sweet crab I would send you straight to Lowells. Mmmmm...let's think about that one for a moment...

Or perhaps you have a few hours to kill in Greenville, South Carolina and feel like some fresh air? I would point you in the direction of Parks Falls where you can explore to your hearts delight...

So this is the not so new but improved LBR. My new goals for the blog are to write what makes me happy, do projects that I can (and will) finish, and continue to make friends along the way. I want to share my travels with you, our household projects, and all the ups and downs that make us who we are. I hope you will stick around for the ride!

I'm Baaaack! I Will Stick But Will My Runner?

2011-11-11T12:07:00.000-06:00

That's right, ladies (and maybe a couple gents?). I am back from a blogging break and ready to let the creative juices flow. A little break turned into a couple month departure (which included a 350 mile hike in Spain! More on that later...) and after all is said and done I have to say - I missed you gals! So let's get right to business with a little project I have been meaning to do fo-eva!

My long kitchen runner is both friend and foe to me. First off, it was hard to find a good natural fiber runner long enough for our galley kitchen. On top of that it was super duper hard to find one at a good price. This baby came via Overstock.com at the bargain price of $80 including shipping. Holla!

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This bad boy vacuums up nicely and, though it has yet to happen, I am sure wouldn't mind a quick hose down were I (or E) to spill something such as wine or a whole plate of pasta on it. Although the trim was supposed to be a chocolate brown, it turned out to be more of a milk chocolate than the dark chocolate I had been hoping for. Eh - I have since learned to live with it. So with all these rave reviews what exactly are the sticking points? Well, that's just it...there is no stick. This runner slides and moves, even runs (hardee har) all over the kitchen. See how it is all cockamamie...

I even tried an Ikea non slip gripper pad AND some sticky carpet tape but nothing seemed to do the trick...

In fact, due to movable runner, my loving husband accidentally punched me in the gut while trying to imitate the Karate Kid by throwing a fake punch, stepping onto running runner, and sliding right into my stomach. Not E's finest moment but we were laughing so hard we nearly wet ourselves (and the runner) and I am happy to report I have since regained the breath that was knocked out of me. But, come on now, this is serious stuff!

Moving runner
+ hot boiling water while walking to the sink to drain pasta
= no bueno...did I mention I was recently in Spain?

So whats a girl to do?

Caulk, baby, caulk. I found this little trick on Pinterest (aka my new BFF) so I thought I would give it a whirl. You all know my affinity for caulking as seen in the kitchen, bathroom, and even those pesky extra cabinet shelving holes that I filled with caulk. Well, since we have been all around the house my trusty caulk has made it's way right back to the kitchen and into the hear of my runner. Here is a quick way to non slip your slippy rug or runner:

Roll out the runner upside down. Give it a good vacuum to make sure all the dirty, dusty, furry bits are off. Then get a helper to inspect and re-fur the de-furred runner. Since our runner is so long I had to move some furniture out of the way so don't mind the crampy furniture madness in the background or the sandy dusty floor....

Seriously...she wouldn't budge and insisted on giving my the stink eye for messing with the runner!

Once your helper has relaxed and consented to the project, you may move on with the caulk gun and start squirting away. I made some zig zags up and down the runner...perhaps I got a little carried away...

Let said Rug or Runner dry overnight. Try to keep all furry beasts from walking on it during the night.

Flip it back over and hope for the best!

Looks like it worked but to be sure we had to run it through the LBR quick test. After an encore presentation by the Karate Kid, I am happy to report the failed fake out punch of E's past is now easily averted. I will let you know how this little project holds up over time, but for now - go forth and conquer all. I challenge you to look as graceful as Daniel Son rockin' the Crane...

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** If by chance you see this tip floating around Pinterest please shoot me an email with the link so I can give the original pinner there due share of credit! I have seen it a few times and never pinned it since it was one I could remember and now I can't find it!! **

Foodie Friday #21 - Drink It In + Special Announcement

2011-08-12T04:34:00.001-05:00

Before we get to the big bruhaha I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has participated in the past 5 months of Foodie Fridays as well as those who hopped on to follow LBR to watch the progress of our home over the past 8 months. It has been such a pleasure meeting everyone while also learning a bunch of tips and tricks to home improvements as well as lots and lots of recipes!

When I first started LBR I was working from home and doing a lot of home improvements and DIY projects that I wanted to share with someone - anyone. I wanted to help others take the first step to power tools and demolition to make an idea come to fruition for those who maybe needed a little encouragement. I have been so pleased to hear feedback from those who I helped as well as give feedback to those who have helped me. I have built many great bloggy friendships over the past 8 months that I cherish and won't soon forget. Don't worry - this is not a goodbye...

As many of you know, I am no longer working from home. I am back on the road several days a week and (for the moment) loving every moment of it. I have realized over the past few weeks that I haven't been giving LBR the attention or quality of posts I first set out to do. Although I have continued with Foodie Friday each week, I have not posted any of my projects and/or home improvements that this blog was first built on. I have decided it is time to regroup. It is time to take a bit of a hiatus and give myself some space and this blog some consideration as to how I want to move forward with it. Again, I am not saying goodbye - I am merely taking a break to redirect my passions and revamp my writing technique. I recently looked back at some of my first posts and have noticed a considerable change in tone and wit that makes my most recent posts look uninspired and, to be quite frank, a bit boring. Ugh...so not what I want out in the blogosphere and so not me.

Little Brick Ranch is the online diary of the happenings in this household...with an old house, big dog, new husband, and foster puppies running about those happenings are anything BUT boring. I have a few things in my work life that are tapering off and we have some big projects underway at home. I feel due to time constrictions I haven't made room in my day to write (or even think of writing) the way I once did.. As things get done around here I will continue to take photos and document ideas and at some point get time to write all about them in every last detail you could ever want to know. But for now...I am hanging up the gone' fishing sign to enjoy what is left of the summer with E and Bubba. I will be back soon and with a vengeance!! Now let's lift our glasses in celebration as this is not the end...just another beginning...

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It is here - the big 21. Time to get our drink on...legally that is. I have comprised a list of all cocktails that have been linked to Foodie Friday over the past 21 weeks. Get ready to bookmark this list for some great party options whether it be for a whole group, a few friends, or a quiet night at home (Hey - I'm not judging, folks!). Without further ado...

Grapefruit Lime Margarita - Everything Reconsidered

Candied Lemon Drop Martini - Did Someone Say Party?

Grapefruit Margarita - Little Wonder's Day

Strawberry Basil Mojito - Vittles and Bits

Muddled Strawberry Margarita - The Cake Dish

Killer Watermelon Chiller - Diapers and Divas

Straw-Beer-Y Lemonade - Diapers and Divas

Creamy Berry Cherry-tini - Will Cook For Smiles

Pink Drink - Melissa's Cuisine

Strawberry Lemon Daiquiri - A Mom Not a Professional Nor a Perfectionist

If you were featured grab a button. I will be back soon and I will email all Foodie Friday participants of the past to let you know when the next Foodie Friday will take place. Until then keep on ~~truckin~~ cookin'!!

NOW ON WITH THE PARTY

*Here are couple rules before we get this party kickin'...*

It would be super nice if you Followed LBR, your hostess with the most-est...while you're at it, leave a comment if you so desire!

Your link MUST be a food related item, duh! It can be a recipe, a specific dish you are craving, a new foodie product you just found, a specific restaurants specific dish...it can be a picnic you had - I really don't care! Just make me want to eat it!

{mandatory} Please post my button or a clickable link in your post so others can join in - they are located on the bottom of the right sidebar...Walnuts or Garlic? I dig em' both! If you don't know how to do this just email me and I can help you out...

Try not to post and run - check out another recipe and see what's cookin' elsewhere! You may just learn something! :)

Please DO NOT link up your linky parties.

FYI - By linking up your are giving me permission to use your recipe, blog, and or photos in an upcoming feature. No worries - Ill always link back to you and your blog!! :)

Let the mouth watering, drool inducing, stomach grumbling fun BEGIN!! I'm Hungry...

LET'S EAT!!

Foodie Friday #20 - Most Clicked + Cocktail Challenge

2011-08-05T07:56:00.001-05:00

A busy week it has been...so busy that E just reminded me about Foodie Friday! I am so sorry to be late (again) but I have big plans to make it right for next week. Next week Foodie Friday will be celebrating its 21st birthday....do you know what that means?? Legal drinking age, baby....oh, and it can vote! But on with the drinking part - next weeks features will be based on those delicious beverages that have popped up every week since we began. Currently our cocktail links are few and far between so I challenge you to link one up this week!! That way we will have a nice list for next week that can be bookmarked for your next big shin dig.

On to the most clicked of the week...

Homemade Slushies - Linda's Lunacy. With this heat wave still in effect it is no big surprise that these slushies made first place BY A LANDSLIDE! These remind me of the Italian ice we used to eat as kids. Sweet and tart - LOVE! With only two ingredients this should be a main stay over the summer but if you aren't feeling the lemon feel free to use any juice!

Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Chicken - Mi Chiamo Candace. First off - if you don't know what Sriracha is get your but to the store PRONTO and pick some up. it is relatively inexpensive and will be your hot sauce of choice to add to just about anything. Tabasco be damned... Secondly - who doesn't like Sweet and Spicy?? Add a bit of chicken and you got yourself a meal! I knew this would be a big favorite out there and you proved me right with the second most clicks of the week. My husband is already asking me to make this...

On to dessert - our Third Place winners are tied:

Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches - Sugar and Spice in the Land of Balls and Sticks. This is so easy to make I have no idea why I haven't thought to make it before. Duh...Cake mix and ice cream. Easy as pie...I mean sandwiches! Supermom even points out that they can be made gluten free and any size you want for the calorie conscious. I love a ~~meal~~ treat that can be adapted!

Harry Potter Chocolate Frogs - Rae Gun Ramblings. Yum. For those of you obsessed with Harry Potter these couldn't come at a better time. I have never made chocolates myself but thanks to Marissa has showing us I must declare it doesn't look too difficult! I think I could perform this simple task and use peanut butter as the inside...mmmmm....peanut butter...

That's it for this week. since I am late I must show you the very reason why most of my time has been consumed with a few glamorous puppy porn shots... Yes, that's right, he is naked. Please don't say I didn't warn you...

NOW ON WITH THE PARTY

*Here are couple rules before we get this party kickin'...*

It would be super nice if you Followed LBR, your hostess with the most-est...while you're at it, leave a comment if you so desire!

Your link MUST be a food related item, duh! It can be a recipe, a specific dish you are craving, a new foodie product you just found, a specific restaurants specific dish...it can be a picnic you had - I really don't care! Just make me want to eat it!

{mandatory} Please post my button or a clickable link in your post so others can join in - they are located on the bottom of the right sidebar...Walnuts or Garlic? I dig em' both! If you don't know how to do this just email me and I can help you out...

Try not to post and run - check out another recipe and see what's cookin' elsewhere! You may just learn something! :)

Please DO NOT link up your linky parties.

FYI - By linking up your are giving me permission to use your recipe, blog, and or photos in an upcoming feature. No worries - Ill always link back to you and your blog!! :)

*** FYI - Linky Tools had some new options that I am trying out this week. If you have any troubles linking up, please double check the rules and make sure you got it all down. If that isn't the problem feel free to email me and Ill see if I can help on my end. ***

Let the mouth watering, drool inducing, stomach grumbling fun BEGIN!! I'm Hungry...

LET'S EAT!!

Foodie Friday # 19 - Most Clicked of The Week

2011-07-29T06:59:00.082-05:00

Why is it when I am already behind in my week I decide to add more fuel to the fire?? Somehow, while spending an entire day doing evacuation drills and CPR at recurrent training, I figured it may be a great time to pick up a new foster puppy on the way home from the airport. You know, just to have a few relaxing weeks with a new puppy. Oiy! What was I thinking!

Although Chico is as cute as can be (Seriously - ain't he the cutest) he is also a handful. This little chihuahua wants to be held CONSTANTLY. Weighing in at 3 months old and 4 lbs heavy he is a force to be reckoned with. When he isn't being held he enjoys yelping to be held, sleeping, and humping Bubba whenever she gets too annoyed running away from him and decides to plop on the ground in utter exhaustion. For the next two weeks I will be in puppy rearing madness...

Here are your most clicked of the week...

Watermelon Yogurt Pops - A Mom Not a Professional Nor A Perfectionist. Aren't these the cutest way to cool off this summer? These are SUPER easy to make and a great candidate for my Popsicle molds at the back of the cabinets!!

Margarita Kabobs - Hungry Homebody. These looks so fresh and colorful that even a non meat eater like me is drooling over them!! for you veggies - use portabello mushrooms to soak up that marinade and you got your selves a delicious meat free alternative! :)

Beef Bourginon Burgers - Adventures in Dinner. This is a super gourmet twist on a classic. all the flavors of Beef Bourginon wrapped up into a delicious patty! Pop on over to meet one of our newest peeps to the party and make sure to wish her well with no A/C in this heat...poor girl!!

Apple Fritter Bread - Flour Me With Love. Doesn't this look scrumptious?? What a beautiful bread to serve at brunch or pack along for a party. I mean, come on, anything with a nice thick coating of glaze has got to be delicious! check out the way she cut and layered the dough. YUM!!

Make sure to pick up a button if you were featured!! :)

NOW ON WITH THE PARTY

*Here are couple rules before we get this party kickin'...*

It would be super nice if you Followed LBR, your hostess with the most-est...while you're at it, leave a comment if you so desire!

Your link MUST be a food related item, duh! It can be a recipe, a specific dish you are craving, a new foodie product you just found, a specific restaurants specific dish...it can be a picnic you had - I really don't care! Just make me want to eat it!

{mandatory} Please post my button or a clickable link in your post so others can join in - they are located on the bottom of the right sidebar...Walnuts or Garlic? I dig em' both! If you don't know how to do this just email me and I can help you out...

Try not to post and run - check out another recipe and see what's cookin' elsewhere! You may just learn something! :)

Please DO NOT link up your linky parties.

FYI - By linking up your are giving me permission to use your recipe, blog, and or photos in an upcoming feature. No worries - Ill always link back to you and your blog!! :)

Let the mouth watering, drool inducing, stomach grumbling fun BEGIN!! I'm Hungry...

LET'S EAT!!

Foodie Friday #18 - Hot Hot Hot

2011-07-21T19:12:00.000-05:00

Holy crap - can it get any frickin' hotter?? E and I had to join Lifetime Fitness and jump in the pool just to get a break from the searing heat wave that has scorched Chicago and most of the country. It is BRUTAL out there. I am praying for anyone without A/C and more power to the folks who are conserving energy by only running fans - I mean, I am all for being GREEN but this is ridiculous...

With the heat wave in full throttle I have no energy to write a super fun post with giggles and winks threaded throughout. I am officially wilted (similar to my plants and flowers in the garden) so I am sticking to last weeks format and featuring the most clicked of the week.

First Place -

New York Crumb Cake - Cats and Casseroles. This crumb cake with an extra thick layer of crumb may actually be worth firing up the oven for! Well, you all must think so because you made this crumb cake the most clicked recipe of the week...did anyone give it a whirl? I'd love to know if you had any leftovers because judging by the looks of it this wouldn't last a full day in our house!

Tied For Second...

Lemon Drop Cupcakes - The Lady Behind The Curtain. These lemony sweet cupcakes are the perfect treat to add a bit of zing to your day! The glazed lemon slices on top give these babies an extra special touch. Sheryl (um, aka The Lady Behind the Curtain) has graced our "Top Clicked" list 2 weeks in a row...will she make it a triple?? Stay tuned for next week!

Easy Pizza Sauce - Alli-N-Son. Perfect timing to have a pizza sauce grace this here blog! My tomatoes are out in full force and just beginning to turn orange. Perhaps another week and Ill be mixing up my own organic version of this sauce!! This is the second week for Allison on the most clicked as well...if you haven't popped over to see these fine ladies ya' don't know what you're missing. That's right - go on - check 'em out and I'll wait here for you to get back...

And in Third Place with a 4 way tie...

Homemade Fudgesicles - Simply Sweet Home. Now this is right up my alley. 4 simple ingredients that we all have and only 2-4 minutes in front of the stove. I just found my Popsicle molds from last year so I am prepping to make a batch tonight. I'll let you know how it goes though I am wondering about the 3/8's cup measurement for sugar...eh - I'll figure it out!! I hope they work with vanilla soy milk...

Gwyneth Paltrow's Mom, Blythe's, Cranberry Muffins - 5 Minutes Just For Me. Natasha was new to Foodie Friday last week and she hit it out of the ball park on her first shot. Yeah, Natasha!! I have been dying to get this book so I was so happy to see this link go up!! Natasha took Blythe's blueberry muffin recipe and adapted it to what was on handy...you know what a fan I am of last minute swap outs! Sometimes they create the most magical dish. These look fabulous but I bet the tasted even better!! Make sure to pop over and send Natasha some love!!

Thumbprint Cookies - Chameleon Girls. Sticking with the dessert trend these cookies fit in perfectly. A nice fruity blend with a shortbread bottom. I love how the girls mixed strawberry and fig to get a fabulous taste combo! Make sure to pop over and see the recipe for both the cookies and the jam!! I so agree with these girls and the motto at the bottom reading "A Balanced Diet is a Cookie in each Hand"! :)

What's With The Meat Green Beans - KB and Whitesnakes Home. Well - I myself would wonder what's with the meat as well but in my meat eating days I never once questioned Bacon being added to anything. Yes, I was a bacon lovin' freak often gobbling down a full pound like nobodies business. Nowadays my husband longs for bacon and can be seen ravaging the bacon platter at any brunch or buffet where it is served - I know, I am so mean to deprive him. Judging by the clicks this recipe got I am guessing ya'll love you some bacon too! This is a simple and quick way to jazz up some ordinary green beans and make them baconlicious.

NOW ON WITH THE PARTY

*Here are couple rules before we get this party kickin'...*

It would be super nice if you Followed LBR, your hostess with the most-est...while you're at it, leave a comment if you so desire!

Your link MUST be a food related item, duh! It can be a recipe, a specific dish you are craving, a new foodie product you just found, a specific restaurants specific dish...it can be a picnic you had - I really don't care! Just make me want to eat it!

{mandatory} Please post my button or a clickable link in your post so others can join in - they are located on the bottom of the right sidebar...Walnuts or Garlic? I dig em' both! If you don't know how to do this just email me and I can help you out...

Try not to post and run - check out another recipe and see what's cookin' elsewhere! You may just learn something! :)

Please DO NOT link up your linky parties.

FYI - By linking up your are giving me permission to use your recipe, blog, and or photos in an upcoming feature. No worries - Ill always link back to you and your blog!! :)

Let the mouth watering, drool inducing, stomach grumbling fun BEGIN!! I'm Hungry...

LET'S EAT!!

I've Been Sent To My Room...

2011-07-18T07:15:00.010-05:00

Or, in this case....the Garage. Due to constant half started projects I have been granted "permission" to use our 1.5 car garage as a staging/constructing/refurbishing area. I get to make it my own little workshop!! It all seems great, in theory, but when I actually went to take a peek at the garage today I realized why it is that we don't use it for it's given purpose...

Ughhh....I have my work cut out for me! The garage has good bones but needs some desperate help...any volunteers?? After having seen this as a big reminder of how gross it is I immediately ran inside and jumped on Pinterest to get ideas for my space. Here are a few ideas I am hoping to work in:

Pretty colors and a potting station...

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Shelving in and orderly fashion...

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Ohhhh - Spray Paint and Caulk storage...may not be ideal for our adverse weather conditions but perhaps I could use it as a tool cubby instead...

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I saw this a few years back on LifeHacker - this is perfecto for a small garage...

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Peg board LOVE:

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Pretty colors and nice storage...

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Organization Julia Childs style:

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And while I am at it perhaps Bubba needs a little spa corner of her own...

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Ahhhh - I feel better already. Now I have to make some tough decisions on what will stay and what will go.

Has the time come to let go of the Beast??

Do we really need a high chair when we have no kids?

Grandpas bike...restore or leave as is?

Here are a few of the problems ailing our garage in it's current state:

Major leakage from the foundation. Rain water comes in from the sides...unfortunately one of those sides houses our dog run. Yup, poopy rainwater in the garage. Time to fix the prob before glam it up inside!!
Spiders, bugs, and other flying things! Did I mention all the spider webs that go with those??
The garage door has no safety sensor to stop it from closing when things are in the way. So far we have only lost a garbage can which was crushed to it's death but I would prefer not to loss anything else...fingers, toes, and what nots.
Insulation?? Oh...insulation would be a delight. First I have to make sure the walls arent leaking (I don't think they are) and then I can move on to my next project...
Walls. Yes. We need walls. All that is standing now is the 2x4's. I am hoping for something with a bit more wow factor like drywall, pegboard, or even plywood! At this point I don't care!

I could probably come up with a bit more if I really took a good hard look but, as I mentioned previously, there are bugs and spiders in there!! Today I am starting at square one. PURGE. I'll keep you updated on my progress. If you don't hear from me in a few days I am sure it is due to the spiders having teamed up to build a huge web which they have me stuck in. Please send food, water, and Bear Grylls to extract me safely.

Click HERE for more Garage Inspiration as well as other ideas and things I am craving!! This gal ♥'s to pin!

Foodie Friday # 17 - Featuring Most Clicked Of The Week

2011-07-14T19:07:00.002-05:00

Hey all - thanks for popping in this week to check out my little birdies. I just flew back from Buffalo, NY and am happy to report they are healthy and BIG...far too big to be living in that tiny nest together. Ill make sure to post more pics next week as it may be the last chance before they fly off to their new lives...

Since I lobbied (Flight Attendant lingo for when we have then van leaves the hotel for the airport) at 3:45 AM I will make this post short and sweet. I need every minute possible to play with Bubba, hang with Dino, and water my garden after 2 days away.

A quick thanks to all who participated last week and helped make the click count higher for each entry. It is nice to know you are linking up AND checking out other peoples links!! :) Here are your top clicks of the week...

First Place...

Garden Macaroni Salad - Lady Behind The Curtain. What a nice presentation!! This would be perfect for an impromptu gathering...provided you have the mold but even without it the recipe looks delicious!

Since we had oh so many ties for second place and third I have decided to stop at second! Here are your second most clicks of the week...

Mexican Chicken Eggrolls - Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks - I love anything fried and it looks like you all are with me on this one! Don't forget to check out the Creamy Avocado Sauce that comes with these babies...I am sure I could eat that alone with a spoon!

Tasty Taco Pie - Talking Dollars and Cents. In sticking with the Mexican theme from above this pie would pair nicely!! Crescent rolls on the bottom and lots of filling and cheesy goodness on top? Sounds perfect to me...wait, can we add the Creamy Avocado Sauce too?? OK - now that is PERFECTION!

Thirsty??

Watermelon Lemonade - Ms. Enplace. This looks like the perfect drink to cool off in these hot summer months! My watermelons got started a little late this year but I can't wait for them to bare fruit so I can make my very own fresh from the garden!! Ya'll don't have to wait that long...watermelons are on sale right now!!

Ready for dessert??

Cookie Dough Ice Cream Cake - Alli-N-Son. This. Looks. Divine. Vanilla ice cream, cookie dough, chocolate cake, ganache, and nuts?? This is almost too good to be true!! For all you calorie counters out there you can use frozen yogurt instead of the ice cream but in my opinion when you are eating something as rich and decadent as this you may as well go all out and indulge a bit!!

That's it for this week!! Make sure to grab a button if you haven't already. I have a family picnic this weekend so I will be on the lookout for quick, easy, and picnic friendly dishes this week - let's see what you've got!! :)

NOW ON WITH THE PARTY

*Here are couple rules before we get this party kickin'...*

It would be super nice if you Followed LBR, your hostess with the most-est...while you're at it, leave a comment if you so desire!

Your link MUST be a food related item, duh! It can be a recipe, a specific dish you are craving, a new foodie product you just found, a specific restaurants specific dish...it can be a picnic you had - I really don't care! Just make me want to eat it!

{mandatory} Please post my button or a clickable link in your post so others can join in - they are located on the bottom of the right sidebar...Walnuts or Garlic? I dig em' both! If you don't know how to do this just email me and I can help you out...

Try not to post and run - check out another recipe and see what's cookin' elsewhere! You may just learn something! :)

Please DO NOT link up your linky parties.

FYI - By linking up your are giving me permission to use your recipe, blog, and or photos in an upcoming feature. No worries - Ill always link back to you and your blog!! :)

Let the mouth watering, drool inducing, stomach grumbling fun BEGIN!! I'm Hungry...

LET'S EAT!!

Rise Up This Mornin' Smiled at The Risin' Sun...

2011-07-12T08:59:00.002-05:00

Three little birds
Pitch by my ~~door step~~ light fixture...

Such a simple delight to hear Bob Marley in the summertime but to actually be living this song is beyond words for a animal lover like me. Here is the progression over the past few weeks...

May 13 - Alberta? Is that you??

I noticed the birds nest go up within days and a nice fat robin standing guard. For the first few days she would fly out of the nest each time I approached but after a while she became content with the fact that I meant no harm and instead of flying away she would sit and stare at me. It's as if we had a quick convo to express our intentions. You don't fly at me and poke out my eyes and I won't mess with you and whatever you have under you in that nest.

I have been told I am not allowed to take any more pets into the house. Last year we (OK - I) brought home 2 baby birds that had been abandoned (they didn't make it) and just the other day my neighbor brought me an egg that had fallen from it's nest (also didn't make it due to another fall it had in our house...). I know some will shame me for taking them and trying to raise them but once the bird is out of the nest they are subjected to all sorts of dangers besides these grubby little hands...cats, cars, bikes, and other predators to name a few. Most of the times once they fall the mothers abandon them because they can no longer protect them and, though I am no mother, I can't leave anything helpless on it's own. The good news for Alberta here (I always name my pets...even if they don't live in the house) is that she has built her own nest and is quite healthy. I won't have to feed her or try to keep her warm in a shoe box. I like to look out the window and see her perched there and when she is missing I wonder where she went off to.

June 3 - Signs of Life...

Alberta has had been in her nest a bit more than usual but one day as I went out to the garden I saw a different sight. 1 tiny little beak hanging over the side of the nest...

My curiosity got the better of me and by the end of the day I had to know how many were in there. I took a step stool and my camera and carefully reached over the nest to take a picture of what was inside. They say if you touch a nest or get your scent on it the bird won't come back for her babies so I made sure to be very very careful. And there they were...3 little birds (though you can only see 2 here)...

Some might be bothered by such a thing - a new family taking up residence in your light fixture and possibly creating a fire hazard were someone to turn on said fixture and burn the garage down - but not me. I could never be bothered by such a thing. I get to see them each day and watch their progress. This is such a treat!

June 6 - Gathering Strength

In a few quick days this particular birdie has grown enough strength to lift his head and flop it over the side which at times makes me wonder if the others are still alive. We have been going through a heat spell and I haven't seen Alberta around for awhile. Did my proximity to her nest scare her off? Perhaps she is worried I will sell the pics to the paparazzi which I can assure you I would never participate in such a thing. Where can she be??

June 8 - Hammock Time

I shared this with my Facebook friends this week but I feel compelled to show you all what a freak I am. This weekend we were heading out of town and I was concerned for the birdies safety. Alberta is back and doing her best to feed these hungry little beasts. They seem quite ravaged all the time and it is no wonder why when I have seen how fast they have grown. Dad has been swooping in as well which is nice to know that Alberta is not a single mom...I can only imagine how hard it would be to raise triplets on your own. I have decided to staple fabric under the nest to create a hammock for the birdies in case they get pushed out by one another. It took a few tries for the mom and dad to learn how to fly into the nest from the sides but with a few failed attempts came success and now it is second nature to them...

June 12 - Bigger and Bigger Every Day

My 3 little birds are no longer little. They have real feathers, their eyes are open, and they are squeaking for food constantly. They sit and watch me walk by and only the runt of the bunch seems afraid. They are so big that Alberta has no choice but to feed them then fly off for she can no longer sit on them...though sometimes I see her try. I wonder where she goes to rest? They must have a cozy 2 bedroom condo overlooking the nest. I know Alberta is a smarty pants for picking such a prime location (not to mention a sucker of a landlord) in proximity to my garden. I often find her taking baths in my water bucket and picking grubs from my garden. More power to her.

Ill keep you all updated of their progress. I secretly hope that they will stick around and become my foster birdies once Alberta moves on but I won't hold my breath. Like a good mommy (taught by the best) I know these birds need to spread their wings and fly...who am I to hold them back? But just so they know, there will always be a nest waiting for them...right where they left it.

Linking up With

Foodie Friday # 16 - Sweet Sixteen Dedicated To YOU!

2011-07-07T19:15:00.001-05:00

Hey all - This is Foodie Friday's Sweet 16 party and I am so happy to have ya'll as guests! In honor of you, my loyal FF Linkers, this weeks features will be the most clicked from last week. I think that is the best way to honor you all and the past 4 months we have been rockin' the house foodie style!

The Easiest Fudge Ever - Cats and Casseroles. This was the most clicked recipe of the week for good reason...4 ingredients and done in minutes?! Wahooo - sign me up for pound...er, make it 2!!

We have a 3 way tie for 2nd most clicked...

Mile High Lemonade Pie - Served Up With Love. Lemonade in the summer is a perfect way to refresh yourself after a hot day but put it in pie form and it will transform your week! This is a super delicious pie with a sweet tribute behind it. Make sure to pop over and check it out!

Strawberry Shortbread Trifle - Flour Me With Love. With strawberries at their peak this is a perfect recipe to indulge upon. The layers of shortbread and cream blend so well with the sweetness of the berries. Add in a perfect presentation and their is no wonder why this dessert made one of your favorites of the week!

Firecracker Cake - The Paisley Cupcake. This 4th of July themed cake was timed perfectly for the holiday. see all that red white and blue?? You guys proved to be a festive bunch by clicking on this baby to get your holiday weekends off to a great start!!

Thanks to all who linked up! Make sure to grab a featured button if you haven't already.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: I have decided for the next few weeks to let your clicks do the talking. I LOVE the new feature in Linky Tools and am excited to be able to share some feedback with you all. Please Please Please do your part to participate by visiting other links. I found that a majority of those who are linking up are not popping in to visit other blogs...shame shame! Don't you know food is best when shared with others??

NOW ON WITH THE PARTY

*Here are couple rules before we get this party kickin'...*

It would be super nice if you Followed LBR, your hostess with the most-est...while you're at it, leave a comment if you so desire!

Your link MUST be a food related item, duh! It can be a recipe, a specific dish you are craving, a new foodie product you just found, a specific restaurants specific dish...it can be a picnic you had - I really don't care! Just make me want to eat it!

{mandatory} Please post my button or a clickable link in your post so others can join in - they are located on the bottom of the right sidebar...Walnuts or Garlic? I dig em' both! If you don't know how to do this just email me and I can help you out...

Try not to post and run - check out another recipe and see what's cookin' elsewhere! You may just learn something! :)

Please DO NOT link up your linky parties.

FYI - By linking up your are giving me permission to use your recipe, blog, and or photos in an upcoming feature. No worries - Ill always link back to you and your blog!! :)

Let the mouth watering, drool inducing, stomach grumbling fun BEGIN!! I'm Hungry...

LET'S EAT!!

Pimp Your Garden...Sq Ft Style

2011-07-05T07:39:00.001-05:00

Hey all! Welcome back to our Adventures in Square Foot Gardening. Last week we got our beds made and filled with B's Mix (aka soil) so today we are building our grids! This is the easiest step to the Sq Ft Gardening method and the most inexpensive. Consider this step "Organization" for the garden. You can use a sq ft grid on any type of garden - raised or not - to simplify your plantings, make the most of your space, and add a bit of dimension to what would otherwise just be a patch of dirt! :)

You will need:

Wood Laths (ask at your local lumber store)
1 1/4 nuts and bolts
drill
measuring tape & pen - to mark hole locations
possibly something to cut the wood with and, if so, some clamps to hold still while cutting
Some tunes to keep your work flow movin'!

If you are doing 4x4 square boxes or grids then you don't need a wood cutting device as the wood laths are sold in 4 ft lengths. Just measure and drill a hole in the center every foot. I had to cut some of my pieces down as I was pimping my 2x8 and 3x8 squares...

Directions:

1. If cutting wood, measure the width of your box and cut the wooden laths to size. For an 2 ft wide by 8 ft long box I need (7) 2 ft crossbars. I took 4 wood laths, clamped them together, and cut the laths in half to get 8 2 ft pieces. Since I was too lazy to go downstairs I brought my Dremel out to cut them in half...

2. Drill holes at 1 ft intervals for the nuts/bolts to attach. QUICK TIP - You can do more than one at a time by stacking them...

When you are finished you should have a pile that looks a bit like this...

Time to move to the garden...

The next part is very simple. Take your hardware and screw the grids together...

For the 8 foot long boxes I added a large washer to secure two grids together...

Finished! Here is the grid all put together...

When the summer is over you can easily collapse and store your grids for winter by pushing the ends inward to collapse them like so...

Now all you have to do is add your grids to your boxes by resting them on top. If you would like, you can screw them to the actual boxes to keep them from moving though I skipped that part and they haven't moved much.

Now that your boxes are all pimped out you can get to planting...or, transplanting in my case. below you can see our romaine lettuce, some caged tomatoes, and a bunch of not so flourishing pepper plants. In the box behind it is more tomatoes and more peppers...we have 16 tomato plants in. Overkill? Probably so...

Some things NOT to transplant?

Wop Wop. Sadly, my zucchini which was once huge and full of nice strong leaves has since been reduced to a piddly 4 leaves and 0 flowers. Boo...

Budget Breakdown:

Wood Laths - I picked up a whole bunch of them (50?) at HD - $11.97
Washers, nuts, and bolts - $7

Total w/ 9.5% tax = $20.77 for the 2 2x8 boxes & the 2 3x8 boxes with plenty of wood laths to spare!

Our total cost for the entire garden thus far (minus seeds and plants most of which were from last year) =

Boxes and weed clock - $175.22

Soil - $251.44

Grids - $20.77

TOTAL = $447.43 which is equal to $5.59 for each square foot of gardening space or $22.36 per each 4x4 grid... Remember what I said on Day 1 about what a 4x4 square foot grid could yield? Here it is again to refresh your memory:

1 head of cabbage

1 head of broccoli

1 head of cauliflower

4 heads of romaine

4 heads of red lettuce

4 heads of leaf lettuce then 16 scallions after the lettuce is out

4 heads of salad lettuce

5 lbs of sugar peas

8 bunches of Swiss chard

9 bunches of spinach then 9 turnips

16 small ball carrots

16 beets plus 4 bunches of beet greens

16 long carrots (you will need a deeper box for those - 12 inches as apposed to 6 in)

32 radishes

Let's think about this... If you were to buy each of these items in the organic produce section I can more than guarantee you the cost would be at least double (maybe triple!) the $22.36 cost per each 4x4 grid not to mention the fact that building these boxes is a one time cost that you would be able to benefit from year to year! Yippee!!

From the first pic above you will see that my pimped out garden is also tricked out with home made trellises as well as PVC pipe bed covers. I plan to share those tips with you in an upcoming post but, for now, I need a break from all the garden talk to sit back, relax, and enjoy my weed free garden plots for a bit!!

So what have you guys been planting? Anyone else going to do grids in their garden? Feel free to leave a comment with your latest garden ideas and projects! If you blog, make sure to leave a link so I can check it out!! :)

**Update** See what started it all HERE, See how to choose a layout and build your beds HERE, See how to make Mel's soil mix HERE, and See how to grid your garden HERE!are f

Foodie Friday #15 - Quick Dishes For A Busy Gal

2011-06-30T18:37:00.003-05:00

Hey all - It's been a pretty busy week as I mentioned earlier working in the garden, fixing up the house in honor of guests this weekend, and adding a complete office makeover on a whim...not good planning on that one! :) I am happy to say it is almost done but time is a tickin' and I am under the wire. I need to get the office cleaned and start something for dinner before E gets home...

In case you are feeling like me, totally time deprived and needing a speedy meal, my features are quick meals to feed your loved ones pronto! Let's get to it...

Summer Soup - Ms. Enplace. This is the perfect "soup" for this time of year...especially with home gardens starting to flourish!

Zesty Black Bean and Corn Salsa - Small Town Life. Raid the pantry for some staples that will get this dish served up in a jiff. you know how I love me some tex-mex.

Fruit And Veggie Lettuce Wraps - Peas and Crayons. This is a simple way to add flavorful fruit to veggies...or veggies to flavorful fruit! No matter how you dice it (seriously, it's diced) you can add your own spin and you'll have a fresh dinner in no time. Jennifer added some shrimp to some of the wraps...um, yes, please!

Simple Pasta Sauce - Run DMT. In my opinion, everyone should have the staples for this dish in their house at all times. This is super fast and the red pepper flakes give it just the right amount of kick!

Congrats, Ladies! Don't forget to grab your featured button from the side bar! :)

NOW ON WITH THE PARTY

*Here are couple rules before we get this party kickin'...*

It would be super nice if you Followed LBR, your hostess with the most-est...while you're at it, leave a comment if you so desire!

Your link MUST be a food related item, duh! It can be a recipe, a specific dish you are craving, a new foodie product you just found, a specific restaurants specific dish...it can be a picnic you had - I really don't care! Just make me want to eat it!

{mandatory} Please post my button or a clickable link in your post so others can join in - they are located on the bottom of the right sidebar...Walnuts or Garlic? I dig em' both! If you don't know how to do this just email me and I can help you out...

Try not to post and run - check out another recipe and see what's cookin' elsewhere! You may just learn something! :)

Please DO NOT link up your linky parties.

FYI - By linking up your are giving me permission to use your recipe, blog, and or photos in an upcoming feature. No worries - Ill always link back to you and your blog!! :)

Let the mouth watering, drool inducing, stomach grumbling fun BEGIN!! I'm Hungry...

LET'S EAT!!

Bloggers - Please Help Spread the Love

2011-06-30T10:52:00.000-05:00

via

Hey All -

I wanted to take a quick moment to send some love to a blogger friend of mine, Linda, from Our House on The Corner. Linda and her three boys recently lost their husband/daddy in a motorcycle accident. Please take the time to pop over and send her some love. I can not even imagine what she must be going through but I know that in the past few months blogging I have been encouraged by all of your comments, support, and well wishes. If there was ever a time to support one of our own now would be it.

I other news, I am taking a bit of a break in prep for this weekends shindig at our house. We will be hosting our friends form the far off burbs as well as our neighbors. This weekends forecast is to be 90 degrees - not exactly the best weather for baking indoors but it will be a must as we will be preparing a Bosnian traditional dish called Burek. Oh, don't you worry, there will be much more on that later! In the meantime...

I almost have the finishing touches done on the 3rd post for Sq. Ft. Gardening so I hope to have it up later today but if not I'll have to wait till Monday as not to interfere with Foodie Friday - ya'll are joining me, aren't you??
Today I am working in the office and purging all non necessities for the Garage Sale...so much harder to do than say
I am also dog sitting my moms pooch who is crazy on his own but when put together with Bubba makes for an interesting mix of crazy and exhaustion - for me, not the dogs!

Thanks to everyone and I will be back soon...Foodie Friday should be up and running tonight around 8pm. If you are following my Sq Ft Gardening posts I will do my best to get the next installment up before them...only time (and unexpected interruptions from crazy dogs) will tell...

Sq Ft Gardening - Dirt, Dirt, and More Dirt

2011-06-28T08:24:00.000-05:00

Welcome back to Day 2 of our Adventures in Square Foot Gardening! If you don't know what it is by now make sure to pop back over to THIS post to read all about it. Yesterday we learned how to plan your layout as well as how to build your boxes (HERE). Today we are going to get dirty (and a little broke) mixing up our custom blend of soil.

The soil is by far the most expensive, not to mention laborous, part of the project. By no means do you HAVE to make new soil mix. If you have an abundance laying around feel free to fill up your boxes with any old thing or you can even have square yards of top soil delivered to your house from a nursery...trust me - it is much easier than grabbing a ton of bags on your own.

We decided starting with our own fresh soil mix was the best thing for us based on the following:

Our existing soil is clay like and doesn't drain too well.
With a new soil mix I get to control what is (better yet, what is not) put in our soil including the absence of animal by products that commonly find their way into certain fertilizers, pre-bagged soil mixes, and traditional top soil like horse and chicken manure. Not exactly prime growing material for a vegetarian...no thanks!!
We currently have TONS of weeds amongst other things like gravel and even a knee bone which I hope was from a cow or some non human being...
I was in the mood for some heavy lifting and back breaking work.

**WARNING** - The next part of this post is super boring talking about mixing your custom soil including calculations and math and all sorts of other snooze worthy crap so if you don't plan to mix your own soil then feel free to skip down to the muscle flexing mixing part of the post...

In the book, the author makes up his own mix called "Mel's Mix" aptly named after himself. It is a 3 part mix of 3 ingredients: Peat Moss, Course Vermiculite, and compost made up of 5 different sources. Since Vermiculite is EXTREMELY expensive and often not readily available, we decided to double down on a pre mixed soil in its place - enter Dr. Earth's Veggie Planting Mix. We also forgo-ed the 5 mixes of compost and went with only two - Cotton Bur and Organic Worm Castings (from our neighbors, of course!). For some reason worm poop seemed "cleaner" to me since they naturally are already in soil and you don't often find a chicken, cow, or horse when diggin' in the garden. So here is a look at B's Mix...aptly named after me:

3 parts peat moss
3 parts compost made up of 2 different types compost
3 parts Dr. Earth's Vegetable planting mix (which includes additional fertilizer (though no animal by-products except sea life which, again, I am OK with!)

In addition -

One 2 cu ft bag of vermiculite (I couldn't find coarse ANYWHERE) just for good measure

Calculating How Much Soil You Will Need

The best way to calculate how many cubic feet you would need to fill your boxes it is to multiply the width times then length of the box and then DIVIDE by 2. We are using 6 in deep boxes not 1 ft so you must divide by 2. Here is an example of how I calculated our needs:

Each 2x8 box = 16 cu ft /2 = 8 cu ft per box →2 boxes = 16 cubic feet

Each 3x8 box = 24 cu ft/2 = 12 cu ft per box →2 boxes = 24 cubic feet

The total = 40 cubic feet divided by 3 = 13.3 cubic feet of each of the 3 parts. I messed with this a bit more and did 18 cubic feet of Dr Earths and split the last 20 cubic feet between the peat moss and compost...don't forget I had 2 cubic feet of vermiculite...

On day one E and I mixed up the 2 2x8 beds together. On the second day I went it alone...

Materials Needed:

Giant Tarp
Shovels, rakes, or whatever else you can find to mix with
Your soil components
A garden hose to lightly spray peat moss and vermiculite as you add them to prevent some of the dust
Proper Attire including: work gloves, face mask & goggles (it gets super dusty), stilettos ~ just making sure you're paying attention, Long pants and long sleeves. You should look a little something like this except with goggle on...

Directions...

This is a 2 man job but when you are impatient like me you can always find a way to make it work. Here is how I did it all by my lonesome...

Start by dumping your different composts in the center of the tarp and mix mix mix

Add in the vermiculite and peat moss and a little spray of water...not too much because it is HEAVY...hopefully you found a friend or loved one to help you but if not then go slow and be thorough...

Once you are done mixing it should all be uniform in color. Here is where I had to improvise. Instead of adding the Dr. Earths on top of everything else, I decided to split the bags I needed for the 2 beds I was doing and pour Dr Earths directly into the bed. Then I split the soil I had mixed and started adding that to the beds. Then I got funky and mixed the beds by hand - with gloves on, of course! Yes, not exactly glamorous but it was better than the thought of trying to mix it all with a little shovel then having to shovel each and every scoop into the wheel barrel then into the boxes.

E Helping Fill the Boxes on Day 1

By the time I was finished mixing on the tarp I was completely pooped and forgot to take pictures! Here is a look at the beds a few days later all filled up with a little hint to tomorrows project - adding your Sq Ft Grids...without them it is not square foot gardening! :)

Here is the cost break down on the soil ingredients.

Cost Breakdown for 40 Cu ft (which is equal to 80 square feet of gardening space):

Dr Earth Veggie Mix (1.5 Cu ft each) 12 bags x 12.99 = $155.88
2 cu ft Vermiculite = $29.99 (now you can see why we didn't make it 1/3 of the mix as suggested!)
Cotton Burr Compost - 2 bags of 2 cu ft at 7.99 = $15.98
6 bags Antaeus Worm Castings = $0 due to a nicely timed trade of baby sitting services and wine to our neighbors! :)
3 bags of 3 cu ft compressed peat moss at $9.26 = 27.78

Grand Total though I am thoroughly afraid to look: $229.63 + 9.5% tax = $251.44

Add that to yesterdays box building costs and this little project is weighing in at $426.66 thus far. We originally budgeted around $600 so we are just about on budget though perhaps a little under!

** Don't FREAK OUT just yet. The most expensive parts are already done. We have an abnormally large garden for suburbanites. If you live in the burbs or the city I am guessing you wont be doing quite as large of a plot but in the event that you are there are a few ways to keep the costs down with delivered top soil as mentioned above.**

We are almost done now so make sure to stay tuned for tomorrows post on getting the square foot part of your garden up and running. This will require wood laths (ask in your lumber department) and some 1 1/4 inch screws and nuts.

Anyone else taking on this project?? Have any tips or tricks to share? Feel free to leave a comment or email me with info!! :) squ

**Update** See what started it all HERE, See how to choose a layout and build your beds HERE, See how to make Mel's soil mix HERE, and See how to grid your garden HERE!are foot gardening, mel's mix, square foot gardening tips,

Sq Ft Gardening - Choosing a Layout & Building Raised Beds

2011-06-27T10:25:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Day One of our Adventure in Square Foot Gardening. I spoke a bit about our new garden plans last week so this week let's get to the fun part of actually building your garden step by step. Remember - you can do this garden ANYWHERE - even a balcony for you city dwellers - so grab a pen (or a pin if you're on Pinterest!) and let's get started...

Step 1 - Decide Layout and Build Your Raised Beds

Materials needed:

Pen & Paper
Measuring Tape
A Brain - FYI - It doesn't need to be yours. Mine is rarely functioning so make sure to eat your Wheaties before planning.

Deciding on a layout came pretty easy for us. We already have the 25 wide x 18 deep area sectioned off from our regular yard. We knew we would be building around those dimensions but weren't sure the exact width and length we wanted each box to be. Ultimately we wound up with (2) 2x8 boxes built specifically for the trellises as well as a privacy screen from the alley once the trellises are covered in veggie bearing leaves. Directly below we put (4) 3x8 boxes. Each pathway is between 2.5 - 3 ft to make sure it is easy to get at your garden from all sides. You can kneel, squat, do jumping jacks - whatever - you have plenty of room to move through and even bring in a wheel barrel if you so desire.

My only regret is we didn't leave much space for composting. I want the garden to be all encompassing so everything we need is in a central location. The other layout we were thinking of was pushing the top 2 boxes together to create a 2x16 box and cutting the bottom 4 boxes down to 3x6's. Once the bottoms were centered with the top that would have left a nice wide area to the right where we could put our composer and an additional 2x8 box going vertical from South to North. We ultimately went the other route to save on construction costs (cedar ain't cheap) but I have a feeling next year that will all be switched up!

Another tip we learned is to save wood costs by sticking to the multiples of 2 when building boxes. Each board of cedar came in 8 ft lengths. I am sure you could find 12 footers or 6 footers then it wouldn't much matter but for our garden 8ft lengths was all we could find. By making the 2x8 boxes we used 2.5 pieces of wood or 5 total for both 2x8 boxes. When making the 2 3x8 boxes we used 6 pieces of wood but had (2) 2 ft scraps leftover. I suppose next year when we add the last 2 3x8 boxes that will give us 2 more 2 ft lengths which we can then build one 2x2 box somewhere...hmmm....

Anyway - my point is to be wise when doing your layout to get the biggest bang for your buck. A 4x8 box only takes 3 pieces of wood making it double the capacity of our 2x8 boxes with only half a board more. Make sense??

Now that we have the layout down let's get ready to make our boxes...

Step 2 - Building Your Raised Beds

Materials Needed

2x6 boards of whatever length needed No need to have a saw as the lumber store can cut them for you...in most cases you don't even have to bat your eyes!
3 inch Rust Resistant Screws (deck screws work)
Screw driver. I suggest borrowing an electric one if you don't have one yourself.
Optional - Weed blocker. Not so optional in my opinion, OK, just do it...$22 to save time on weeds is so worth it!
Optional - Staple gun for above weed blocker! If you don't have a staple gun - no worries. Just lay the box on top of the weed blocker.

With your grid in hand it is time to go to your favorite lumber store to grab your wood. I HIGHLY suggest using cedar for its rot resistant capabilities but it is much cheaper to go pine or something similar. You only need your garden to be 6 inches deep but I love the look of a deeper box. Again, to keep costs down we stuck with 6 inches and will possibly add on once we win the lotto...totally keeping my fingers crossed for that day to come!

Due to untimely weather we have no shots of actually building the box but you want to rotate the corners at each end and drive 3 screws into each corner. We made sure to drill pilot holes first to prevent splitting. Here is the after once they were put together...

Now grab your weed blocker. Not using it...did I mention it is HIGHLY recommended by yours truly?? Alright - Ill let it slide this once but might I just add that we bought a 4x50 ft roll for $21.97 at HD. It would probably be cheaper else where but I was in a rush and couldn't wait. Even so - it is totally worth the investment.

Take the corner of your weed block and staple to the corner of your box. Roll the weed blocker down and staple taught as you go... TIP - If you plan to mulch or gravel your walkways leave at least 4 inches overhang on all sides of your box. This will help when you lay your pathways to overlap the weed block for extra weed blocking protection. You will see I didn't do it on the first 2 boxes but I realized it for the last 4!

When you get to the edge and it is all stapled grab a scissors and trim off the roll

When you get the first length done move to the next section and overlap by a few inches...

And here you go - 2 boxes completely weed blocked and ready to add to your layout.

Since we are working in an already planted garden (seen HERE) I had to be strategic in regard to moving things and building walkways as to no upset our already blossoming plants. Luckily, our already existing path was close to where the new boxes were going so I just rolled up the weed block with the mulch in it and cleared a path for the new box. It took a bit of muscle but I got er' done...

The dirt below was extremely hard (like dry clay) and uneven so I gave it a go with my garden Claw...don't laugh, the CLAW rocks!!

Once it was all broken up we raked and got it smooth then walked all over it to pat it down. A nice smooth even area for our new boxes...

TIP - If you dont have a staple gun to staple your fabric to the actual wood beds then now is the time to lay it out before placing the beds on top...

E Being Manly

And there you have it. Steps 1 and 2 are complete. Here is a breakdown of costs thus far:

11 - 2x6 8 ft long cedar studs at $11.94 each = $131.34 (From Lowe's)
4x50 ft weed block from HD = $21.97
100 ct 3 inch screws from HD = $6.71
Staple Gun and Staple = $0 (Already Owned)
Man Power From E = $0...but I did have to cook him dinner...

Total Cost including 9.5% sales tax (highway robbery, I know) = $175.22

Tomorrow we will focus on the soil mix to add to your brand spankin' new boxes! The book suggests something called "Mel's Mix" (named after Mel Bartholomew who is the creator of Square Foot Gardening) but for costs sake I had to thrift it down a bit and tweaked the mix to now be B's Mix named after me, of course!

If anyone else doing the Square Foot Garden thing? Any tips and tricks you would like to share? Feel free to email me or leave a comment so we can spread the word!

See you tomorrow bright an early for Day 2 of Adventures in Square Foot Gardening...

**Update** See what started it all HERE, See how to choose a layout and build your beds HERE, See how to make Mel's soil mix HERE, and See how to grid your garden HERE!are f

Foodie Friday #14 - Refreshing Salads Galore

2011-06-23T20:00:00.004-05:00

The time has come where our garden is in full swing and the plants that have survived our recent transplanting are either thriving or dying...the lettuce planted did a little of both but for the most part it is thriving and ready to harvest in abundance. Perfect timing as I have declared never to eat sweets, carbs, or any fat to thigh provoking foods ever again...or until lunch time that is... In honor of our hearty surplus of Romaine and Swiss Chard our features will be focused on all things Salad this week.

Here are a few of my favs from the past few weeks..

Honey Apple Chicken Salad from Miz. Helen's CountryCottage.

Oriental Chicken Salad from Cook Lisa Cook

Taco Salad from BJ at Sweet Nothings.

And from the Foodie Friday Archives...

Spinach Salad with Golden Beets and Blue Cheese by A Cook at Heart.

Quinoa Cranberry and Nut Salad from Easy To Be Gluten Free.

And there you have it! Healthy salads with bright colors and delicious flavors are a great way to keep the pounds off but the spirits up...how long I may last is still to be determined... :) If you were featured feel free to grab a button on my right side bar. For the rest of you, stay tuned to next week because you never know when I'm going to hit up the archives!

NOW ON WITH THE PARTY

*Here are couple rules before we get this party kickin'...*

It would be super nice if you Followed LBR, your hostess with the most-est...while you're at it, leave a comment if you so desire!

Your link MUST be a food related item, duh! It can be a recipe, a specific dish you are craving, a new foodie product you just found, a specific restaurants specific dish...it can be a picnic you had - I really don't care! Just make me want to eat it!

{mandatory} Please post my button or a clickable link in your post so others can join in - they are located on the bottom of the right sidebar...Walnuts or Garlic? I dig em' both! If you don't know how to do this just email me and I can help you out...

Try not to post and run - check out another recipe and see what's cookin' elsewhere! You may just learn something! :)

Please DO NOT link up your linky parties.

FYI - By linking up your are giving me permission to use your recipe, blog, and or photos in an upcoming feature. No worries - Ill always link back to you and your blog!! :)

Let the mouth watering, drool inducing, stomach grumbling fun BEGIN!! I'm Hungry...

LET'S EAT!!

Easy Guacamole - Slicing and Dicing the Lazy (yet effective) Way!

2011-06-23T08:00:00.004-05:00

Last week I promised to post my easy guacamole recipe but, to be honest, what makes it so easy is the slicing of the avocado itself! There are no silly gadgets required which makes this so simple and relatively mess free. Here is a detailed look at one of my all time favorite foods!

Easy Guac...
Featuring Pain Free Jalapeno Slicing

Slice avocado in half using sharp knife and following the pit around a circle...so much easier with pics...

Remove the pit by whacking it with a sharp knife...BE CAREFUL!!

Holding half the avocado in your palm slice the meat of the avocado lengthwise with the skin on. BE CAREFUL NOT TO SLICE THROUGH THE SKIN for obvious reasons!! Um...a smarter person would just put in on the cutting board and cut but I like to live life on the edge...the sharp edge...

Now slice on a diagonal one way and then the other way...

Use a spoon to scope the sliced up avocado into a bowl. No need for mashing!! :)

Add the juice of one lime...I used lemon because that's what I had on hand but it doesn't prevent the browning as well as lime does.

Now for the good ole jalapeno. For those of you have been daring enough to slice these babies sans gloves you know how your fingertips can burn anything they touch for the next few hours...no matter how many times you wash your hands. Eyes and lips be damned...that fiery touch will stay with you! If you don't like the heat get out of the kitchen...I couldn't resist! But, seriously, if you don't want to burn your skin then slice your jalapeno the same way I do my PINEAPPLE by holding it by the stem and cutting straight down from top to bottom. Rotate then cut down again and again until all you are left with is the stem and seeds. Toss and move on. Need Visuals?

Chop some red onion and fresh cilantro add a dash of salt and pepper & do a quick mix to combined it all together. Throw 1 or 2 of the avocado pits back in (to preserve color) and you're done!

Such a perfect accompaniment to any meal...well, I suppose you can make it a meal of it's own like we often do! What's cookin' in your kitchen tonight? Any great tips to share? Feel free to leave a comment with your latest and greatest and a link to your blog if you feel like sharing.

Stay tuned to Little Brick Ranch for Foodie Friday which will post at 8pm tonight!!

ow to make guacamole, how to cut a jalapeno, how to cut an avocado, how to keep an avocado from turning brown, using pits in guacamole

Linking up to the following:

-{M}- Keeping it Simple, Today's Creative Blog, Organize With Sandy, New Nostalgia, Hope Studios, Home Sweet Farm -{T}- The Lettered Cottage, All Thingz Related, The Thrifty Home, My Backyard Eden, DIY by Design, Tip Junkie, At Home With K, Domestically Speaking,Coastal Charm, A Little Tipsy, Eisy Morgan -{W}- Organize and Decorate Everything, Someday Crafts, Tales from Bloggeritaville, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Night Owl Crafting, The Shabby Chic Cottage, Beyond The Picket Fence -{TH}- Foodie Friday, Simple Home Life, Somewhat Simple, The Shabby Nest, Finding Fabulous, Miss Mustard Seed, The Frugal Girls, At The Picket Fence, Stuff and Nonsense, Chic on A Shoestring Budget -{F}- Tatertots and Jello -{SUN}- Between Naps on the Porch, The DIY Show Off, Thrifty Decor Chick & Centsational Girl

Adventures in Square Foot Gardening

2011-06-22T08:00:00.002-05:00

I first heard about Square Foot Gardening a few years back and thought little to nothing about it. At the time I had no garden and little out door space...although, that didn't stop me from trying to grow tomatoes in a planter on my balcony ledge. One good gust of wind had those babies crashing down to the sidewalk 10 feet below...I am happy to report their were no injuries other than the 2 baby tomatoes I had been watching grow for weeks. : ( It was a dreadful start to my gardening career.

Last year we moved to the house with a nice big 18x24 ft plot already sectioned off from the rest of the yard and previously used as a vegetable garden. Though the land was vast (to us city dwellers) it was also dull and boring - just a big plot of dirt. I took a lot of time using landscaping bricks and borders from other parts of our yard to create paths and a workable layout. Throughout the season I sweat, cursed, weeded constantly, and nearly got malaria from the swarms of mosquitoes but overall my attempts were rewarded with a great harvest from a job well done. As excited as I was I thought this year I could push to make it even better. Sq Ft style...

For those of you who have not heard about this hang on to your seats...or office chairs. Square foot gardening can be done ANYWHERE as long as you have the space for a small planter box at least 6 inches deep. That's it - 6 inches deep! All you have is a balcony? No problem! You can fit a 2x3 sq ft garden or even a 1x2 or 2x2 or whatever configuration you would like. The book suggests a 4x4 starter box but since when do ya'll pay attention to the rules?

Since reading the book I have been dreaming of a luscious vegetable garden with little to no weeding and nice wide paths to move around in. Not only are the raised beds more beautiful but this method is a more efficient way to garden which uses less seeds for planting and less water for, um, watering...sounds pretty good, right? Well...the only downfall to Square Foot Gardening is the immense start up cost to build your boxes and more importantly the soil which is a custom blend called Mel's Mix (check the book for further details...your library should have it!). To defray the initial start up costs we decided to use a more expensive wood (we choose cedar which should last a long time and resist rot) and skimp on some of the soil ingredients using a premixed organic soil as well as worm castings, peat moss, cotton burrs, and vermiculite. So far so good.

Here is where were 5 weeks ago...

Everything was planted and starting to grow. Then we had some major rain and weird highs and lows n the temperatures and things stopped looking so peachy. I thought it was perfect timing to throw caution to the wind and make the big switch...much to E's dismay, of course. Regardless, most everything did OK and here is where we are at today...

I have transplanted some things into the first two boxes while the other two sit waiting for B's Mix...yes...I stole the whole Mel's Mix idea and created my own! :) We are waiting to transplant the rest of the peppers and the Swiss Chard will soon be gone so I felt no need to move it. Lettuce does not transplant well...take it from someone who knows...

Since this little project has taken most of my free time in the past two weeks I thought it best to dedicate next week to the entire process step by step. Our new layout will allow for 80 square feet of gardening plus an additional 48 next year for a total of 128 square feet of planting room. Not bad when you consider that a 4x4 plot of land can harvest the following in one spring season (Pg. 44 in the book!):

1 head of cabbage
1 head of broccoli
1 head of cauliflower
4 heads of romaine
4 heads of red lettuce
4 heads of leaf lettuce then 16 scallions after the lettuce is out
4 heads of salad lettuce
5 lbs of sugar peas
8 bunches of Swiss chard
9 bunches of spinach then 9 turnips
16 small ball carrots
16 beets plus 4 bunches of beet greens
16 long carrots (you will need a deeper box for those - 12 inches as apposed to 6 in)
32 radishes

That's a whole lotta greens! Interested in following along and/or building your own? Check out your local library now or grab Mel's latest version of the book off Amazon HERE. FYI - I don't get paid anything to promote this book - I just thought it helpful to some of my readers who have taken an interest in our garden!

Next weeks posts will include everything you ever needed to know on how we started our Sq Ft Garden including:

Deciding the Best Layout for Your Garden
Building your Square Foot Boxes and Prepping the Garden
Buying and Mixing your Soil
Building Your Trellises
Prepping for next Years Seedlings
Making Your Grids and Planting your Seeds and/or Seedlings

So what's growing in your garden this year? Trying anything new or sticking with the same old same old? This is my first year trying beets as well as watermelon...I CAN NOT WAIT to see what happens!! Feel free to leave a comment with what you are up to in the garden this year...

**Update** See how to choose a layout and build your beds HERE, See how to make Mel's soil mix HERE, and See how to grid your garden HERE!

Bianca Square Foot Gardening, Mel's Mix,

PS - I was not paid, perked, or bribed for this endorsement...though I am currently taking cash, bribes, and perks for future endorsements! :)