Our Kitchen-Heart of Our Homes

I truly believe that our kitchens are the heart of our homes.

It is where the meals are cooked with love, it is where, as homemakers we wait...and wait 

for those that we love to "come home."

The kitchen; a place where all of those special meals are prepared.

Birthdays, holidays, welcome home meals, soothing hurt meals, loving you meals.

The kitchen where so many dreams are discussed and therapy sessions take place.

Our kitchen is not huge, but it is cozy, functional and symbolizes home to me.

It is where we welcome the loves of our life and where I cook daily.

Meals are prepared with time and care for my loving husband.

My husband always appreciates the cooking I do, and although even now, my meals are 

not always perfect, they are perfectly prepared with love.

Our kitchen is not totally open concept, because you know, I grew up when a kitchen was a 

kitchen and a living room was a living room.

I am all for whatever makes you feel comfortable in the design of your home, so for me this 

is comfort, familiarity and I like it.

One of my favorite features in our kitchen is the tongue and groove pine ceiling, it sets the 

tone for old fashioned goodness.

Do you have a favorite detail in your kitchen?

I think my pot filler is pretty and yet I have never used it!

It is definitely on my to do list...smile.

We splurged a tad on the lighting, because in a functional kitchen it is very important to 

layer lighting for all of the tasks that go on in the hub of the home.

We love our white kitchen but we combined some custom stained knotty alder built in 

pieces.

Our kitchen island and this hutch are both knotty alder.

Do you see the little scallops on the hutch? 

Well, the young cabinet maker was a little worried about how they would turn out, he 

thought it might make the kitchen look too Grandmother like. 

In the end he liked it too!

Blending the white and natural wood creates warmth, depth, interest and showcases many

of our vintage pieces.

I have enjoyed unpacking boxes, because I have found treasures that were long forgotten.

Whatever your kitchen looks like, however you choose to decorate it, please just remember

one thing.

It really is the heart of your home, and one of the best places to make timeless memories.

Please Join Me~

Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Cozy Little House

Storypiece

J & J

French Country Cottage

Daily Cup

McCall Manor

Thank you for joining me today and I hope to see you back tomorrow for

Thoughts Of Home On Thursday.

xoxo

11 Safety Tips For Exercising Outdoors

Before we know it Winter will have passed and Spring will be resting on our door steps.

As you know by now, Spring is sort of resting on my Texas doorstep already,

and I am just afraid we are going to have an early and hot Spring.

Anyway, one of my favorite methods of exercising are long walks outdoors.

While I am walking I am often times thinking of topics that would be interesting and 

beneficial for you and I.

On this particular walk, I was thinking of safety.

The information which I am sharing today is applicable for any jogger, walker and someone 

who is out for a morning or evening stroll.

We are talking about safety that goes beyond the sunscreen and water, it is about 

keeping ourselves safe from assaults.

Assaults that we can prevent from being smart and educated women.

 
                                                                         Via

After doing some research I discovered that many assaults are never reported.


So rather than depend on statistics to substantiate the need to be safe, I thought we could 

use good old common sense, and look out for one another.

After all in the "good ole days," that was what everyone did, neighbors helped neighbors. 

                                                                        Source


It is vital that when we are exercising outdoors that we practice safety measures.

Every single time.

I am glad that I refreshed my safety practices as I have become a little slack and

comfortable in my routine and that is not being a savvy or smart walker.

                                                                    Source

Ladies, lets be smart, pay attention to our surroundings no matter where or what we are 

doing and not stop there. 

11 Safety Tips for Exercising Outdoors


1- Pick a safe route.

2- Take a self-defense course.

3- Have a plan of action-for the worst case scenario.

4- Don't drown out your surroundings with your iPod, you need to be able to hear.

5- Carry a whistle.

                                                                          Source

6- Vary your route, it makes it more interesting for you and prevents someone from memorizing your route.

7- Be aware of your surroundings, this includes people and cars.

8- Carry Pepper spray, cell phone, and your ID-

9- Have a attitude, walk with a purpose, eyes up, stride purposefully and don't text.

10- Avoid lonely areas.

11- Review Safety Tips Every 6 months


Do you have any smart women tips to share?

xoxo

5 Tips for Growing A Garden #1

Before we moved to our little haven in the country we had a greenhouse and I wrote a bit about what I was growing in my greenhouse, various projects and tips on gardening.

So, while I wait for my hubby to build a potting shed/greenhouse I thought I would share a bit about our "food," garden and the tales that will most certainly develop from working in the good earth.

When we purchased this 2 acre property to build our French Country Texas home on, we were immediately smitten with the privacy, and possibilities of semi-country living and of course growing our own food garden.

As my hubby and I venture into a lifestyle of living plain and simple it is important to the two of us to grow our own vegetables and to be able to freeze or can them as well.

Did you know that in North America there are 21 million plus individuals that are growing their own gardens?

So while all of this is fresh in my mind, I want to share 5 Tips For Growing A Garden, with you.

Fell free to chime in, on any tales of your own.

5 Tips For Growing A Garden

1. Soil.

It really and truly is all about the soil. ( Sharing a before and after photo of enriching the soil)

The best soil to grow a garden in has been enriched with compost, and organic matter.

2. Location, Location.

Make certain that your garden will receive plenty of sunshine-a minimum of 6 hours a day.
Place taller plants on the North or West side of your garden so not to block the sun from smaller plants.

3. Water.

Vegetables need one inch of water a week either from irrigation or rainfall.
Thoroughly soaking the garden is much better for the plants than shallow watering and
encourages deep root growth.
Most of us either under-water or over water-which are you?

An inexpensive rain gauge is a easy way to keep track of how much water your garden is actually getting.  I have included a link for your convenience - Rain Gauge.

4. Fertilizer.

There are 3 main ingredients in fertilizer, a well balanced fertilizer will have ingredients with the same numbers.
Nitrogen- needed for formulation of chlorophyll (greening)
Phosphorous-needed for cell division and root development
Potassium-fruit set and vigor

Organic fertilizers are composed of  blood meal, bone meal and wood ashes.

Vegetarian fertilizers are composed of alfalfa, cottonseed, rock phosphate and kelp.

5. How Much Time Will it Take

Gardening takes time, work, patience and effort. 
Decide before you plant on how much time you want to devote to your garden.
Best to start out small and then work your way up to a larger area.
Gardening is a season driven activity, with Spring, Summer and Fall requiring the most work. 

Happy Gardening Sweet friends!
xoxo

Mini Cookies With Cream Cheese Filling

The cookies are ready and the coffee is too.
I have a super easy recipe to share with you...

I think these cookies might just be the ticket for a little party too.
No mess, not too big, and cute.

You know how sometimes you want to bake and sometimes you don't?
So if you want to bake just a little, this is the recipe for you.
Super easy mini cookies with cream cheese filling are cute as a button and not much bigger than on either.

I will be in California this week visiting some sweet family, so I wanted to leave something yummy for my helpful hubby.

Who could resist a little sweet indulgence in the morning with a cup of coffee or in the evening after dinner.

I left him with this pretty bouquet of tulips too.

Those five tips for caring for tulips which I  shared last week, really and do truly work. 


This is my third batch of tulips and they are still are staying strong.

Ingredients For Mini Cookies With Cream Cheese Filling

One package of refrigerated cookie dough (I used chocolate chip)
1/4 package of softened cream cheese
1/4 cup of sifted powder sugar
1 tablespoon of half and half
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla


Directions For Mini Cookies With Cream Cheese Filling

Makes 12 cookies

Bake cookies according to directions on package, remove from oven and cool.
Mix cream cheese filling with a hand mixer until well blended.
Once cookies have cooled completely, generously frost one side of cookie and place another cookie on top.
If filling is too gloopy-just add more powder sugar.
Refrigerator until firm and serve.

Yum, Yum!!
xoxo

Please Join Me~

Cedar Hill Farmhouse

Sweet Sensations

Life and Linda

Dwellings

DIY Candy Jar

Happy Valentine's Day!  

I sure hope that you are celebrating this day of love with those dearest to your heart.

Just in case Valentine's Day has crept upon you and you need a quick little something to 

give to one of  the loves in your life here is a snappy DIY project.

Choose the fabric and embellishments of your choice, and with simplicity being  the key for 

this project,  you will be able to have these decorated jars and lids finished in 30 minutes or 

less.

Items needed for this project~

1. M&M's
2. Pint size mason jars
3. Ribbon, rick-rack, scrap fabric, buttons
4.Pinking shears
5.Hot glue gun

Fill jars with candy.
Cut fabric approximately into 6 x 6 inch squares with pinking shears, place fabric on top of jar.
Place lids on jars.
Hot glue ribbon or rickrack on metal ring.
Hot glue buttons or any other embellishment on top of fabric and on jar.

Presto, you have a DIY candy jar.

These were some of the little treats that I tucked in those easy DIY Valentine Bags.

Wishing you and yours a very special and loving Valentine's Day.

With love,
Jemma

Valentine Vignette & A Birthday

We celebrated our little Molly's third Birthday this past weekend, I cannot believe how fast 

time goes by, and I think it goes by faster the older we become.

Why is that?

I remember being a child playing in the warm Idaho sunshine wondering at times why the 

days were so long.

Who would I play with , where could we go, and would I ever grow up.

Do you recall those feelings too?

Molly is my three old granddaughter and I spent precious moments with her and my 

daughter this weekend in Edmond Oklahoma.

One word for time spent with my Molly DELIGHTFUL!!!

Sweet and simple felt heart wreath welcomes me into their home, along with a big hug, kisses and the best words in the world whispered in my ear.

"I love you Mimi."

My heart melts like a snowman on a sunny day.

Three year olds are  much like a mixture of vanilla pudding mixed with cayenne pepper 

served in a gloriously multifaceted crystal bowl.

Three year olds try their parents patience, but not a Mimi's.

Mimi's eyes have seen the passage of time, watched the trees blossoms and the leaves 

wither and fade...

With the gift of time on a grandparent's side our wrinkled brows and eyeglass clad eyes see 

only the magic in those persnickety, delightful, energetic youthful and pure spirits.

Molly runs with the breeze, it barely catches her, as her black patent shoes dance just 

above the ground.

Magic... pure magic...

Love...pure love.

Of a Mimi and her grandchild.

Delight swirls around her world like whip cream topped on a piece of cherry pie.

Wonder collides with innocence on a February day.

Love One Another As I Have Loved You.
~John 13:34

Happy Birthday twinkle toes, I love you!

I think February might just be my new favorite month.

xoxo