Our Salad Was So Fresh Last Night That...

...half way through dinner, my daughter looked over at the salad bowl and informed us all that there was a tiny caterpillar on the side of the bowl. Eww! and gross! were the sounds heard at that moment. I told my daughter who was in charge of the salad, that when she cut the lettuce from the garden, to rinse very thoroughly for critters. Now maybe she will do a better job next time.

Summer Lovin'

Woke up yesterday and just felt inspired to lighten up the dining room for summer. Pulled out an old white tablecloth and topped with a red check smaller one. Shopped the house for the summer centerpiece. Red and white just screams picnics and summer time.

To add a little height, I grabbed a small table top stool.

Added some polka dots and a candle. Topped it all off with my red spatter ware coffee pot.

Can't wait to show you what I did in the dry sink.

Changed up all the decor in these two rooms so I'll be back .

Link to:
The Tattered Tag
Seasonal Sundays
Dittle Dattle
BoogieBoard Cottage
It's So Very Cheri
Met Monday
The House in the Roses
Homemaker on a Dime
Coastal Charm

Pink Saturday

I grow my mother's favorite flowers in my garden. She would choose carnations and their spicy scent over any other flower. I love how they are always in bloom at Mother's Day.

The Jupiter's Beard is spreading like wild fire. I love it though. So delicate.

Sweet William blooming in an old wine barrel.

Hope you all have a wonderful spring Saturday.

I will be going to lunch with my daughter today. Love being taken to lunch.  Who doesn't?

Linking to:

Pink Saturday

Mom

Dear Mom,
  Happy Mother's Day. I can't believe it has been 10 years since I have seen you. You are missed beyond words. I was lucky to have a mom and a best friend all wrapped into one. Thanks for giving me the most wonderful of childhoods. A life wrapped in warmth, security and love.
                                                                                   With all the love I have,
                                                                                     Your daughter

Random Reds

Today I needed to buckle down. Too much running around and playing in the yard this week. Kitchen needed a scrubbin' and things put back in order.

To fuel me I needed something yummier than the usual coffee. This Honey Roasted Cashew is my new favorite.

I will be shopping in the afternoon. One circle of driving to save gas and three stores to hit.

I don't think I could ever live without red in my world. It just picks me up.

  

My collection of graters needed a dusting. I am so drawn to these little nutmeg graters.

Happy Friday everyone. I hope your Mother's day weekend is lovely. My husband is home all weekend so I am a happy gal and the kids are taking me to lunch tomorrow, breakfast out with my mother in law on Sunday and then hubby and the girls will bbq something on Sunday evening. As long as I don't have to do anything, it will be a splendid Mother's Day.

Linking to:
Show and Tell Friday
The Charm of Home
Feathered Nest Friday
Sat. Night Special

Questions for Bloggers

Lots of bloggers share their thoughts on blogging and I love to read those posts but I still have some burning questions I would love to hear other bloggers opinions on. I thought a series of posts with those questions was the perfect way for me to pick your brains. I will of course share my thoughts but I already know those. Feel free to post your comments as I am very interested in what you have to say. Love this blogging community.

Question #1 Do you feel you spend too much time blogging? 

My answer to this is yes, at times I do feel like I should be doing other things. I have waffled over this often and wondered if I should quit blogging, but when I really took a look at how much time I was spending on my blog and reading other blogs, I wasn't spending any more time than I was on wasteful activities before.

My house isn't any less clean than before and meals are still being prepared as usual so what I figured out is that I had replaced TV with blogging. At night after the little one goes to bed I used to watch TV but now I am usually on my laptop.

I will admit that at times I find I am checking my blog when I need to get onto other things. That is when I have to shut it down and put it away. All the comments will be there when I check on it later in the day.

Blogging is a form of entertainment for me and I am allowed that right. I don't work it as a business as I wouldn't even begin to know how to do that. A hobby I enjoy that lets me share my love of homemaking.

Tell me what you think.

Re-did my dining room table decor. That is the fun part of blogging.

My love of crocks is evident. They are everywhere.

Linking to:
Tablescape Thursday
Alphabe-Thursday
Thrifty Thursday
Thrilling Thursday

Oops, I Did It Again!

Is anyone like me? I just happened to be in Home Depot yesterday and I fell in love with this hanging  basket. Had to have it. So I told the hubby when he got home to come out and see what he got me for Mother's Day. Am I the only one who does this? He always gets me a little something for Mother's Day from just him so I thought I would save him the time. He is a busy guy so I know he doesn't mind me saving him the trip.

I just want to hang out on my patio all afternoon these days. Neglecting the house is the fallout. I need to spend some serious time indoors but soon enough I will do that. For now more time out of doors while it is so lovely.

A little sign points the way to the garden.

We updated our curtain rods indoors so the old rod with the glass balls made it out to the garden. Why toss them when you can find a new purpose?

Let's get together for a cool drink in the afternoon shade. Yeah for warm weather and lovely views.

Savvy Southern Style
No Minimalist Here
Brambleberry Cottage
The Shabby Chic Cottage
Show and Tell Friday

Warm Weather

Some would say it was down right hot here today. 96 to be exact. After a day of taking my little one to the park and to feed the ducks in the pond, running kids around to classes, I have been dragging all day. I sat in the shade of the patio this afternoon watching my littlest play in the water.

The garden is thirsty already.

With this kind of heat the pansies won't last much longer. 

Time for the hot weather flowers to go in. Zinnias and petunias are my favorite flowers of the summer.

Linking to:
Good Life Wednesdays
Wassup Wed.

Easy Homemade Salsa

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo here is my recipe for salsa. This is a fresh salsa that is so easy to make and you can make it as mild or hot as you would like. This recipe is for a large batch but you can cut it in half for just your family. It keeps nicely for a few days in the refrigerator.

Elaine's Salsa

2 cans Rotel tomatoes
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 bunch cilantro
3 green onions (greens and all)
garlic powder (optional. I don't use it as I don't like it but my father in law loves it in his salsa)
1/2 jar of Pace or other jarred salsa
1/2tsp. ground Cumin
Finely chopped jalapeno. Fresh or rings. I use just a little bit so it is not too spicy but you can add more to your taste.

I have a mini chopper that I just pour everything into and chop it up. Pour into a bowl and stir all the ingredients. Refrigerate. Enjoy with tortilla chips or on your favorite Mexican dishes.

Linking to:
Time Warp Wife
Tuesday's Treasures
Not Just a Housewife
Coastal Charm
Rednesday
Raising Homemakers
Living Well Wednesday
Foodie Friday

God Bless America

Great day for the U.S.
I have been watching all the TV coverage of the spontaneous celebrations following the news of Bin Laden's death. Very moving. We cannot forget that terrible day and how many families have lost loved ones because of that day and in our military since then. 

First Grilled Corn of the Season

Our market had the first local corn of the season so I had to buy some. It was wonderful. Our favorite way and the only way to prepare it is to grill it on the barbecue. We just love it like this. 

I just keep the corn in the husk, open the ends just slightly and rinse. Hubby does the rest. He puts it on with the meat around the edges of the grill and lets it cook. The husks become charred but inside the best corn ever.

When it's done I just pull the husks off before serving. It gets a nice smoky flavor.

Tri-tip is the perfect accompaniment to the sweet corn. 

Roasted red potatoes. Just chop, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast about 30-40 mins. at 375 or until 

done.

Someone ate two whole ears all by herself. 

Linking to:

Seasonal Sundays

Lamb Around

Sunday Showcase

I Heart Naptime

Tatertots and Jello

K.I.S.S.

BNOTP

Tip Junkie

Creative Bloggers Party

A Weekend Birthday

Someone had a birthday this weekend. My funny girl who likes as much sugar and artificial coloring as you can put in a cake requested this. I thought that was great. Easy and cheap.

Cupcakes were made and I just stacked them to make a cake (sort of).

My sister in law brought these made from scratch Rocky Road Brownies. I should get the recipe from her to share. They were wonderful and decadent.

We are proud parents of our girl. She is the funny one in the house. Calm and rational like her father. She makes us all laugh regularly and always has been able to quip the funniest one liners all her life. Maybe she will be a comedian.

The older I get the more my eyes disappear when I smile. What is going on here?

My Dining Room aka the Cave

I never really photograph my dining room which I call "the cave", as it is a funny long room that is dark and does not have good lighting to take pictures in. An addition created this room out of an old den so it is quirky. Kind of like us. It is furnished in a mish-mash of hand me down pieces and those that I have picked up at thrift stores. The chairs don't really go but that is fine with me. The table is more formal than my tastes but it came with the house.

I am a simple gal and just put together everything I like with not much thought. Not good design sense I guess but I go for comfort and frankly what is available to use. The china cabinet was my mother in laws when she first was married. I just painted it white.

I did buy this dry sink at a store that was going out of business.

Love to fill it with seasonal items. That is the furniture I love most. Primitive and distressed. I don't think I will ever change it all as I am too cheap and have too many kids to put through college.

When you look back the other way you see the red couch that I still have not found any pillows for. I need to get out there and find some. It looks lonely without pillows.

We have most of our dinners here if the kids have friends over or family is coming for dinner. We can seat a lot of people in here so I love that about this room.

A stool I picked up at a yard sale for a $1.

We still have the funky old glass sliding doors that lead to the original patio.  We thought of removing them until our oldest had her first slumber party here and we shut the doors and could not hear a thing. We then knew those old doors would stay until our last daughter has her last slumber party. 

My mother in law and father in law were married here and had the head table on the original patio. It is now my large den which I love. We can fit lots of friends in there. My in laws fiftieth anniversary is next year so guess where the party will be? Here where their reception was.

Hope you enjoyed my tour of the cave, I mean my dining room. I like it and we have loads of happy memories in here.

Linking to:
Show and Tell Friday
Furniture Feature Friday
Fantastic Friday
Chic on a Shoestring
Bargain Hunting with Laurie
Funky Junk Interiors
The House in the Roses
BNOTP