Dreaming in Green

Whenever it's cold and dreary outside, the winds are howling outside my door and I'm stuck inside and begin to feel like a caged bird I start dreaming and fantasizing about spring....about warm gentle breezes, beautiful warming sunshine, hanging laundry on the line, and planting little green seedlings and watching them grow into something beautiful and nourishing for both the soul and the body. *smile*

I've already started receiving garden catalogs in the mail and am already planning next year's garden in my mind. Since we won't be able to move to the country probably for at least a few more years I figure we will just make the best of what little land we do have. *Bloom where you are planted*

So my goals for this year's upcoming gardening season include installing a rain barrel out back to collect rain water for the garden, digging up part of the front yard by the picket fence (yeah less grass!!) and planting a tea garden, more veggies, a grape vine or two, more berry bushes there, maybe planting a dwarf fruit tree of some variety in the front yard (I'm thinking maybe a cherry tree but still need to do a bit more research before deciding), going to the farm auctions with my Dad to find a few new laying hens, planting a mixture of leaf lettuces among the flowering herbs in window boxes for the front of the house, and digging out and potting up some of our ornamental perennials in the side bed by the fence and taking them to the next plant swap and planting more vegetable plants in their spots, tearing out the bushes in front of the house and planting berry bushes and climbing roses in their spots to grow up the front porch rails.

Ahhhhhh to dream. *smile*

But for now I'm content to flip through garden catalogs, make lists of things we want to grow, read my new issue of Countryside Magazine, and peruse some of my favorite websites on all things beautiful and green...
http://www.homestead.org/
http://www.countrysidemag.com/
and my favorite site of all
www.pathtofreedom.com

Fun With Icing

A Snowy Weekend

As much as I hate to drive in the stuff (and for good reason we slid 3 times picking up Raven from her holiday party...ack!) I do have to admit snow does make everything look so pretty and peaceful. The girls had a ball playing in all the snow all this weekend. We bundled them up until they all looked like fluffy, colorful marshmallows and then turned them loose in the yard. I stayed indoors and made big pots of hot broccoli cheddar soup, baked rolls, chicken salad, and hot tea. The soup was a big hit and they actually ate ALL of it (usually when I make it they say ewwwww, lol).


Today Ella and I planted paperwhites. I can't wait for them to bloom. :) I've always wanted to plant some for winter but every year I never get around to actually planting any so I'm so excited to finally have some this year. Ella was so cute she helped me fill little tea cups and bowls with the planting medium and then she would put the bulbs in and help cover them up. She was so proud of herself afterwards she kept walking around saying "I'm a good planter". *smile*

Decorating the House

Well we finally got our Christmas decorations up. Usually we have the house decorated either Thanksgiving night or the day after, but this year everyone has been under the weather and lacking energy and motivation. I finally decided just to go and dig the stuff out (it was buried in our shed...what a mess :P). I'm glad I did though. The house looks so festive and cozy now. :)

Amazing Dollhouse Miniature Food

The girls and I are going to attempt to make some miniature food for our dollhouses this weekend. Making miniature clay food is so much fun. I haven't made any for years and the kids have never made any before so I think it will be a lot of fun to do together. :)

I recently joined an online dollhouse miniature email group for inspiration and someone sent this link for a tutorial by Betsy Niederer on how to make miniature cakes. The detail is amazing! It looks so real it makes me hungry just looking at it lol. http://www.cdhm.org/tutorials/making-a-miniature-cake.html

Betsy Niederer's miniature creations are absolutely beautiful. You have to check out her website full of teeny, tiny goodies! :) http://www.angelfire.com/art2/smallstuff/