Live & Eat

Sunday. Delicious Sundays.

Today was filled with good food and good living. 

I woke up early this morning to the sound of pouring rain. Rain, rain, rain. It rained solid and heavy here for at least a day. I spent the quiet of the morning baking a pie - using leftover phyllo pastry that I had needed in a recipe a few days ago. Barry woke to the smell of cinnamon and apples snuggled in warm pastry. We both enjoyed a slice early morning. I used this recipe.

In the afternoon we took to the yard to do some raking and organizing. The garden beds are now ready for the cold and the last of the winter crop seeds have been planted.

We roasted a lovely chicken for dinner with some potatoes and carrots. I currently have stock simmering on the stove (leftover chicken, the carcass, carrots, celery and spices).  I'm already dreaming of the wonderful soups it will yield.

Here is a sweet photograph of the pug. She lasted a few minutes outside before I scooped her up and brought her in. The cold of winter here is too rough for this pug.

We are now snuggled down for the night with a movie on and a warm blanket to keep us cozy.

Have a wonderful start to the week friends!

Loves!



 

P.S. I'm linking up to the Homestead Barn Hop here. 

Beets Please!

I am a bit of seed hoarder. I have seeds as far back as three years now. I can never plant every seed in the packet, I always save 1 or 2 for my collection. This spring I had pretty much all the seeds I needed for my garden, I only purchased a few heirloom lettuce seeds and some sweet peas. I was on the lookout for awhile for beet seeds with no luck. Before Christmas I purchased some lovely seeds from the Etsy store Cubits for my Sister in law's gift. Cubits is a Canadian (yay) organic small seed business. I picked out a mixed beet seed packet from them. And because I live life dangerously I went with their mixed beet seeds featuring a mix of their organic beet seeds.

I was so pleased when they recently sprouted. I love that already I can tell there are at least three types of beets growing. I still have a few more seeds waiting to sprout!

A green topped beauty with a deep red bottom.

This lovely sprout has green leaves that turn to red with a deep red/purply base. Do you see the little bug under the leaf? I didn't notice that little guy when taking the photograph!

This gorgeous sprout in front is all purple/red with some green leaves on the bottom.

Lastly, not beet related but my leaf lettuce is looking splendid.

If you are gardening nerd I'm sure you can relate to the splendid feeling of the effort it takes to sow and water and care for little seedlings and have results. Makes my heart pitter patter.

Hope you are having a wonderful start to the week!

Potting Bench Inspiration

I have always wanted a potting bench. I long for the days of standing in front of one, gently seeding in terracotta pots and transferring small leafed plants to larger pots. There is nothing quite like getting your hands dirty and planting some seeds. We have some space on our sad old back porch that would be perfect for a potting bench. Right now the space is cluttered with gardening tools and bags of charcoal for the barbecue.

Today's inspiration for me are these lovely images of potting benches.

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I'm still not sure which style I love the most but I am inspired! I'm considering scooping up an old dresser and converting it into a potting bench sometime this summer!

Have a great start to the week!

Spring!

My goodness, Spring!

I love all seasons equally, each for different reasons. Spring to me is a bit of the teacher's pet though.. perhaps because it's birthday season for most of my closest friends, and for myself aswell. Spring is also the wonderful time to start seeding. I finally got the opportunity yesterday to seed some peas, edamame, onion bulbs as well as some bush beans. Here's hoping for a good crop this year!

I love how evident spring has become in my yard:

From my strawberry plants that have come back nicely,


To new plant markers that will be dotting my garden,

And Mums, my goodness, my Mums survived the winter!

Spring has also blanketed itself on my lawn:

Courtesy of the blooming apple tree:

Spring has arrived in the form of Tulips (that none of us planted). We have come to the conclusion that perhaps squirrels brought the bulbs to the yard.

Spring is evident in my eager pup, who will be enjoying her first spring on this earth with our little family.

I can feel my toes warming up at last, what a wonderful feeling!

Am