Flower Garden

I picked this beautiful bouquets of flowers from the garden this morning. A friend gave me the pitcher as a bridal shower gift.

The Rooster

My favorite hen is actually a rooster....Someone with more farming experience than I probably could have told me that weeks ago. Perhaps I was just in denial. When I heard the crowing early last Saturday morning I thought I must be imagining that. Unfortunately, when I walked over to the coop to look more closely, there he stood proud as can be, crowing at the top of his little lungs. He is really the sweetest little guy. I told myself no roosters under any circumstances, but I may have to make an exception for him. The rest of the crew are definitely girls. Someone layed their first egg on the garden path on Sunday and there was another in the coop on Monday. Perfect little brown eggs....so awesome!

Fourth of July Sewing

Mark and I had an awesome 4th..We hung out and relaxed. I did some long overdue sewing using an awesome book I recently purchased. I made myself 3 new skirts and I am inspired to make a few more this weekend. The book is called "Sew What Skirts". The way it works is you just take your measurements and follow the directions to make your own simple pattern. The best part is that you make your skirt exactly to your size and whatever length you want. Plus I would say that this book has the best instructions for putting in a zipper I've ever seen. Made it super easy....

I harvested broccoli and zucchini from the garden tonight for dinner. I cooked it with some garlic, olive oil, wine, onions and ground turkey. Then I added some crushed tomatoes and tossed it all with angel hair pasta. I put a dash of parmesan cheese on top to finish it off. I am so glad to be able to use food we grow ourselves in our meals. This is the first year I have ever grown broccoli and it is really different from what’s available at the grocery store. I was really excited to have Mark try it….Unfortunately, the first thing he did when he got his plate was to separate all of the vegetables to the side and then proceeded to eat everything but the broccoli and zucchini. Oh well…I tried.

Birds and the bees

The bees just love our lavender. It would be wonderful to have a couple of hives in our garden. Maybe next year.....

About the disapearing bee's

http://www.dateline.ucdavis.edu/dl_detail.lasso?id=9575

The Greenhouse

The greenhouse is such a joyful place for me. I find myself spending a lot of time starting seeds and just enjoying my quiet time out there. I think there is something magical about it...everything I start inside seems to sprout :) My dad built it for me as a gift and it did not get used much as it went unfinished for a couple of years. Now it is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the afternoon sunshine. The little sink in the photo was a gift from my mom's beau Mac A.K.A Mac-alicious. He converted an old metal stove into a sink that hooks up to the garden hose and decoupaged the top with vintage postcards of Paris. What a guy!