Today was a beautiful, sunny day in South Carolina. Leo and his brother Jim worked in the garden  putting in an irrigation system. I had just received my March issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, and there was an article in it about asparagus. So I decided to take a look at our asparagus bed, and this is what I saw. One spear had peaked its head above the soil. We were so excited!

We have never grown asparagus before now. In fact, if you’ve been reading our blog, you know that we have only been gardening for two years. Since asparagus is one of our favorite vegetables, we wanted to grow some. Last spring we planted 18 crowns.

Most people don’t know much about how asparagus grows. In fact, we didn’t. After the asparagus started growing last summer, I saw some new spears and I just couldn’t resist snapping off a few and eating them right in the garden. But after doing a little research, I found out that I shouldn’t have done that. You see, growing asparagus is a lesson in patience. You really have to allow 3 years before you can enjoy the bounty.

http://extension.missouri.edu

Asparagus is a perennial plant. It pops up out of the ground from its root mass after being dormant all winter. You can harvest a limited amount of spears in the second year after planting. If the spears are not harvested, they develop into large ferns which manufacture and store energy in the crown for next year’s crop.

This is what our asparagus looked like last fall after growing all summer. After several frosts, the foliage turned brown and Leo mowed it to the ground.

And today, we saw the first evidence that it’s growing again. Hooray! Spring is on its way at the Crossroads!

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Home and Garden Thursday@A Delightsome Life

Potpourri Friday@2805

Planting time for us here in the South comes early. I planted our potatoes yesterday. Traditionally, we plant potatoes on Valentine’s Day (we love those ‘taters!)

While I was at the local feed and seed store, I picked up these cabbage plants.

While I realize that grass clippings, leaves, and rotting vegetables don’t appeal to most of you, I call it “black gold.” Now is the time of the year when I can reap the rewards of our composting efforts. You can buy all the fertilizers that you want, but there is none better than your own compost. If you are interested in making your own, I’ll be glad to do a post on how we do it.

I shoveled and sifted and then mixed the compost with the soil already in the beds.

The soil was ready and then I planted the young, tender cabbage plants.  I put 15 plants in each bed. We should have fresh cabbage by the end of April or the first part of May.

Some of the other early things that we can plant now are onions, radishes, and carrots. Our sister-in-law has already planted those in her raised beds. We’ll plant our early garden (English) peas next week.  We’re in South Carolina in zone 8, and most of the other early spring vegetables will be planted around the first of April.

Right now I’m heading out the doorway to work on an improved watering system for the garden. One of our goals this year is to not only make the garden bountiful, but beautiful as well. Seeing the garden in the movie “It’s Complicated” gave me plenty of inspiration.

We’d like to put a grass pathway down the middle of our garden just like this.

Spring planting time is my favorite time of year!

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Shannon at Cozy Home Scenes

Kim at Savvy Southern Style

Live from Windham’s Crossroads,

We are hoping that you and your loved ones are having a special day.

Leo and I have been under the weather since last Friday. If you were wondering why I had not visited or replied to your comments, that is why. We’re better now, just in time for a wonderful Valentine’s dinner.

Just like most of you, we got together to watch the Super Bowl last night. I made this dip, and it’s so good that I thought I’d share it with you.

I have to admit that this is not my original recipe. It’s Giada’s recipe from her cookbook Everyday Italian. But I’ve been making this dip for at least 6 or 7 years, ever since I saw it in her cookbook. I’ve made it so many times that I have the recipe memorized. If you like humus, you’ll like this even better!

The key ingredient in this dip is canned white cannellini beans.

Drain and rinse the beans.

While the beans are draining, you can make your pita chips.

Take 4 loaves out of the package and

cut them in half.

Using a knife, separate each half and

cut those into 3 wedges.

Place the wedges on baking sheets and brush them with olive oil.

Grab some dried oregano and

sprinkle each wedge with oregano, salt, and pepper. Bake them in a 375 degree oven for a few minutes, then turn them over and bake a little longer. You will need to watch them carefully to avoid burning them.

To make the dip, you will need some fresh, flat leaf parsley. Since we have had such a mild winter, I still have some growing in my herb bed.

By the way, you may remember this little sign I made last spring. It’s a little faded, but it’s still hanging in there!

You will need about 1/4 cup of the parsley. Now, don’t try to make this dip with dried parsley! It just doesn’t work. Get some fresh parsley from your grocery store, but after making this dip, you’ll probably want to grow some!

You’ll need a clove of garlic. I usually use 2 if they are small.

You’ll also need about 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Don’t skip the fresh lemon juice. There is something about the combination of fresh parsley and fresh lemon juice that is magic.

Put the beans, parsley, lemon juice, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Add a little salt and pepper and pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. While the machine is running, add 1/3 cup olive oil and

continue to mix until it’s nice and creamy.

Transfer the dip to a small serving bowl and serve with the pita chips.

Leo just asked me if I had any more of this dip, but sadly, it’s all gone.

I think you’ll really like it, too. If you’d like a printable version of this recipe, click HERE.

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Our home was featured today on Debbiedoo’s blog! In case you missed it, here’s her post. Click here to visit Debbie’s blog and leave a comment.

When Debbie asked if we’d like to participate in her house tour feature on her blog, we were truly honored. It was only a year ago that I met Debbie through her newbie party that she has on her blog, and I discovered that we live about an hour apart. Right away, I realized what a warm, wonderful person she was to deal with all the questions that newbies have, myself included! So, Debbie, I give you a great big thank you and a hug  for helping us get started.

Welcome to the Cottage at the Crossroads! My husband and I moved here two and a half years ago. This is the house that my husband grew up in and was built by his grandfather after whom he is named. It is sitting on land that has been in his family since the 1700s. The house was sitting empty at the same time that we were making some life-changing decisions. So we decided to move here, and that has been the best decision that we’ve ever made.

This is our front porch which is used about 10 months out of the year, weather permitting.

One of the first things we did when we moved here was to screen in the porch. You can read more about our porch  HERE.

Our home is small. It is under 1400 square feet, which is half the size of the house we moved from. So all of the furniture that you see is what we already had. If it didn’t have a place in the cottage, it was sold.

Prior to moving in, we had the entire house painted, inside and out.  And when we ripped out the old carpet, we discovered these wonderful, old pine floors which we had refinished.

We also painted the fireplace, and we found this butterfly picture that Leo’s mother colored about 50 years ago. You can read about that HERE.

Our living and dining areas are one big room, which is unusual for such an old house. So when you walk into our home, you can see straight through from the front to the back.

Here’s our kitchen. We painted the cabinets white, installed beadboard and new countertops, and put in a cork floor.

The kitchen is fine, but when we have big, family gatherings, it seems mighty small! One day we’d like to enlarge and modernize it. If you’d like to read more details about our kitchen, click HERE.

From the kitchen, there is a back porch where the washer/dryer is located. Those old, turquoise boards will find their way into the new kitchen one day.

From the kitchen is also our office. This used to be Leo’s bedroom when he was growing up.

This is our hallway where we have a lot of family photos displayed.

Halfway down the hallway is the guest bedroom. You can see more of that room HERE.

Next to the guest bedroom and our bedroom is our bathroom. Yep, there is only one of them, and that was the biggest adjustment that Leo and I had to make when we moved to the cottage!

It’s a small bathroom, and we did remodel it before we moved in. We added beadboard in here, too. Henry likes to nap on the shelves.

There are shelves on both sides of the shower, and a little area to tuck hampers into.

I use lots of baskets and jars for storage.

Looks like Juicy has found a comfortable spot on our bed.

This is the only closet in our entire house! But that’s ok.

Most everything that we wear now can be folded and put into this armoire.

Most of our time is spent outdoors in our flower gardens or

in our vegetable garden.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour of our humble cottage. It’s a cozy haven for us, and please come back to visit again.

This is our dog Lucy. She is a great pet. She’s not perfect, but we sure do love her.

Here is Lucy when she was a puppy. It’s hard to believe that that little furball turned into the 75 pound sweetheart that she is now. Lucy is a rescue dog. We got her from a local person whose dog had a litter of puppies, and she was the last one left. The fellow told us he was going to take her to the pound since no one had taken her. We took one look at her and said, “Oh, no, she’s not. She’s going home with us.”

Lucy is a mixed breed. We know she is part collie and part lab, and who knows what else. Not long after we got her, she exhibited aggressive behavior. She was a wild and crazy dog, so we hired a trainer to work with us. It really didn’t help that much. We found out she responds better to a lot of attention and affection.

She loves to give hugs!

Her favorite spot is beside Leo’s chair where she gets lots of rubbing. She’s spoiled, but that’s ok.

Lucy goes everywhere Leo goes. If he goes somewhere in his truck, she’s in the passenger seat.

Now that she’s almost two years old, she’s not wild and crazy anymore. A few months ago, her back left knee slipped out of joint. It continues to happen occasionally, and she has mellowed since this happened.

Lucy is the perfect example of why everyone should try to rescue a dog. They give you more love than you can ever imagine.

And now, drumroll please, I’d like to announce the winner of  our $50 Pottery Barn gift card. It’s Jordan from the blog The 2 Seasons! Click HERE to visit this unique blog co-written by a mother and daughter team.

Thanks to all of the 170 entries who helped celebrate our blog’s first anniversary. Your visits and support are always appreciated at the Cottage at the Crossroads!

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This morning I made this Broccoli Rice Casserole to take to our church’s 5th Sunday covered dish luncheon. This is an old, old recipe that has been around forever, but I thought I’d share it with you in case you’ve forgotten about it.

I used the last of the fresh broccoli from our garden, but you can use a package of frozen broccoli.

Here’s mine all cooked and chopped, but if you’re using frozen broccoli, just thaw it.

You will need 2 cups of cooked white rice. I always cook my rice in this steamer, and it turns out perfectly.

While the rice is cooking, saute 1/2 cup each of onion and celery in butter.

Here is the ingredient that makes this casserole-Cheez Whiz! I used the 15 ounce size because I like the casserole to be nice and cheesy.

Put the Cheez Whiz in a large bowl along with a can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 can of chopped mushrooms, and 1/2 cup water. Mix it all together and then add the celery, onions, rice, and broccoli.

Combine everything together and pour into a greased 2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

The casserole disappeared quickly at our church luncheon today!

If you’d like a printable version of this recipe, click HERE.

And if you haven’t entered our $50 Pottery Barn giveaway, click HERE. The winner will be announced Feb. 1!

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Hello, everybody!

I know it seems a bit early, but for the past few weeks I’ve been preparing our garden for spring planting. I removed the last of the fall plants (collards, cabbage, and broccoli.) Then I tilled in the leaves that I had spread in the areas that I intend to plant. I spent a whole day shoveling and spreading dried horse manure. And, of course, I sent off a soil sample to the county extension agency. They analyze the soil and send back recommendations. This is a must if you are going to plant a vegetable garden.

I had promised my sister-in-law Jean that I would build her 2 raised beds in our garden. She has a green thumb and really enjoys growing things.  You may remember a post Jane did about her potting bench, but if you missed it, click here.

I’m really sold on raised beds. Last spring we built 8 of them, and everything that we planted in them turned out in abundance. My brother Jim and I went to get the lumber.

I pulled out my tools,

dug the holes 2 feet deep,

and set the 4 ‘ corner posts in concrete.

I let the concrete dry overnight and came back the next day to actually construct the raised beds.

While I was doing this, Lucy was digging her own holes in the garden.

Now that they were finished, Jim and Jean came with a truckload of  bags of soil.

I like to put down a weed barrier before I add the mix of soil. Just make sure it’s the kind that will allow the water to flow through. Proper drainage is important.

In order to grow healthy and productive vegetable plants, the mix of soil is crucial. Here’s what I do. I use an equal blend of  Miracle Grow organic garden soil, Black Cow compost, and organic mushroom compost. It takes about 14-18 bags to fill a 4′x8′ bed. And just before we plant, I’m going to add some of my own homemade compost. I call it “Black Gold” because it’s magic.

“All done, Jean. It’s ready to plant.”

If you have a little space in your backyard, and you are serious about growing your own fresh vegetables, click here for a step-by-step explanation of how to build your own raised beds.

Click here for your last chance to enter our giveaway for a $50 gift card to Pottery Barn. We’ll announce the winner Feb. 1.

Live from Windham’s Crossroads,

I made a cake today that was a real blast from the past-a Harvey Wallbanger cake!

Yesterday Leo and I went to the auction that we attend most Mondays. I had perused a box of old cookbooks and had even looked through this one.

You see, I love old cookbooks, especially the church or community ones. This one looked to be from the late 1970s or perhaps early 1980s.

The cookbook just seemed to open to this page where I saw a recipe for a Harvey Wallbanger cake. I had never had this cake before, but I do remember having a Harvey Wallbanger cocktail in the 1970s, probably because I was more intriqued by the name than the ingredients. Supposedly a bartender created the drink for a regular patron named Harvey who had a few too many, fell down, and banged his head on the wall. Thereafter, he was called Harvey Wallbanger and the drink was named after him. This could be one of those urban myths, but it sounds plausible.

Well, I didn’t buy the box of cookbooks at the auction, but I did come home with this one. The person who bought the cookbooks left this one on the ground, and I scooped it up.

Remembering that I had this in our stash of hooch, I decided to make the cake today. I didn’t even take pictures of the steps involved. I didn’t even think it would be blog worthy, but after tasting it, I knew I had to share. It is the fluffiest, moistest cake I’ve ever had!

After googling it today, I found that some people have been looking for this recipe because their mothers or grandmothers made this cake years ago when the cocktail was all the rage.

Allrecipes declared the cake “tastes just like the cocktail only in cake form.” To make the cocktail, all you need is vodka, Galliano (which is an Italian herbal liqueur), and orange juice, and you use the same ingredients in the cake.

So if you’ve ever had this cake and/or want a blast from the past, here is the recipe.

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 1 package instant vanilla pudding
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 2 ounces Vodka
• 2 ounces Galliano

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat all of the ingredients for 4 minutes and pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Allow cake to cool about 15 minutes before removing from the pan.

To make the glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 tablespoon Vodka
• 1 tablespoon Galliano

Mix thoroughly and glaze the cake while warm.

This is an adults only cake, so if you are serving to children, omit the alcohol in the glaze! And if you’d like to make your cake from scratch,here’s a recipe here. In the reviews that I read, some people used a Duncan Hines Orange Supreme cake mix and put orange zest in the cake and the glaze. I bet that would be awesome, too!

Thought I show you the cute cake plate that I used today. It was given to me by a parent of a child I taught several years ago. I’ve used it many times since. Thanks, Laura!

Look how well it matches this little quilt that I have.

As always, thanks for visiting the Cottage at the Crossroads. If you haven’t entered our giveaway yet, click here.

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Leo and I have been working in our office for the past week or so, trying to organize what had become a huge mess as seen in a previous post here. In that post, we talked complained about putting together a desk that we recently purchased.

And, tada! Here it is!

Rascal uses the desk to check out the outside world.

Part of our office redo involved beautifying the metal file cabinets that are in the office. Yes, I know, they make filing cabinets to match desks, but we didn’t want to spend the money for them. Besides, Leo said, what’s wrong with metal filing cabinets?

On Pinterest, I had seen this fabric covered filing cabinet from the blog Wastenot Workshop. I read her directions on how she did it, and I thought I could do something similar.

I decided to buy 4 fat quarters  for $1.99 each because the quilting fabric is thin. I chose this color and design because I needed to work with the wall color and the window treatments in the room. I  also took in consideration that Leo uses the office, so I didn’t go all floral on him.

Plus, I had already covered this office chair with this fabric years ago, and I didn’t want to change it right now.

Then I needed some Mod Podge.  I used this kind with the orange label.

The next thing that I did was to remove the handles and the label plates from the cabinets.

For one of our cabinets, I had to use a ratchet wrench to remove the screws. The screws were easier to remove from the other cabinet.  I could see no way to remove the button that allows the drawer to open. Caution! Once you remove your hardware from the drawers, don’t close them! It’s really hard to open them without the handle!

Next, I held one piece of fabric up to the drawer and marked where I needed to cut it. I allowed about an inch on each side.

I put some aluminum foil into a jellyroll pan and lay the piece of fabric into it. I then smeared the Mod Podge onto the back of the fabric. Then I immediately put the fabric onto the face of a drawer, using a dinner knife to smooth out any wrinkles. I used a box cutter to very carefully cut around the button that couldn’t be removed.  Then I wrapped the fabric around the edge of the drawer and used scissors to remove the excess fabric. Using my hands again, I smeared more Mod Podge onto the front of the cabinet. (You could use a brush for this step.)

I waited until the next day to reattach the hardware. When the Mod Podge dries, it darkens the fabric slightly, so you might want to consider that if you decide to beautify some old, utilitarian cabinets.

I really like how this project turned out. The fabric gave the room some color.

Way more interesting than plain filing cabinets!

And do you remember that photo that we showed you of the bookcase in the office? Well, this is the same bookcase, all organized now!

We’ve had these baskets for a long time. They used to be in the laundry room of our other house, but their colors work perfectly in the office.

Everything has a place, and the drawers are all labeled. I am going to put red scrapbook paper in the fronts of these drawers in order to hide the contents.

I’m so pleased with the transformation of the filing cabinets. I only spent about $12 on the supplies, but it had such a huge impact. Proving once again, that it doesn’t take a lot of money to put a fresh face on the cottage at the Crossroads.

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