Thursday, June 26, 2014

this week in (and outside) my kitchen

Welcome!
Thanks for stopping by.

Now let's take a walk down memory lane.






Friday's dinner was a quick stir-fry utilizing some frozen veggies...and honestly, it was rather uninspiring. Definitely not picture worthy! The leftover jasmine rice has a different story. As I was packaging things up I had a flash from my past...rice cereal dessert.

This was something we did as children...not sure how it got started (feeding 7 on a budget...just guessing mom!) but it has been years since I've had a bowl of this simple delicacy.

The recipe is quite involved so grab a pen. Put rice in a bowl...sprinkle with sugar...pour on some milk and enjoy your bowlful of goodness. 

Memories started flooding in and I was transported (like that food critic in Ratatouille) to my childhood...with all my brothers and sisters...mom and dad sitting in their recliners...watching t.v.

Saturday morning found me picking oregano for drying (see hippie chick post below) then onto breakfast. Can you guess what I had?

Another bowl of memories.

Good to the last drop. 

Best enjoyed outdoors in the open air...with birds chirping...still in your pj's.

So much more than food...feeding us in so many ways.

Enjoy your day.
:)

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

the post that *almost* wasn't

this hammock 
has provided us with
years of use


when it came out of storage
i realized it was in need
of a little 
t.l.c.


cleaning in a mild bleach
solution

utilizing that kiddie pool
for more than
a doggie swim


letting it soak
to remove gritty dirt
green moldy stuff
and thinking about the next step

color


i had some 
BIG
plans for that old hammock

and then I hung it to dry
*footnote*
since then i learned it is best to let 
it dry on a flat deck...drive...sidewalk
so it won't stretch out

oops.


ah well...
it looks 
in my opinion
fantastic

sure 
a color change is more dramatic
and would have made
a much more impressive
blog post
but
natural beauty
works in this area


sometimes you just have
to sit back
and let the
hammock 
or
*whatever*
talk to you
and then
 listen.

i just can't see a bright blue
where
natural jute should 
be.

it doesn't stop there.

as I lie swinging softly on my hammock
it told me 
it'd love to have a nice
green patch of grass beneath it
so it's passengerss won't get
dirty toe syndrome
whenever they have a sit.

we compromised.

remember this picture?


look beyond the rit dye...
beyond the rubber gloves...
all the way to the lovely ground cover.

that's right.
clover.
soft
no maintenance
invasive in a good way
loves shade
tolerates sun
and
doesn't need to be mowed

win-win...win-win-win!

it will take some
convincing
but
i'm pretty sure
i can talk hammock into it...
now
where to find clover seed...

happy hammocking!
:)

Monday, June 23, 2014

hippie chick :: summer revival

Week Three :: Bohemian Crafting

Why Bohemian?

The answer is two-fold.

I married into a Bohemian family
and
my varied interests and
eclectic tastes
have me wearing the nationality
proudly...

I love trying new things
be it a recipe
crafting
outdoor activities

life long learning
is a part of who I am
deep in my soul...

My recent studies
have taken me down an
herbal path
discovering their 
medicinal uses
health benefits
harvesting practices
cosmetic properties and uses
substitutions
even contraindications

Is it any wonder 
that I look at my garden with
new and enlightened
eyes?


oregano

it has found a home
here
and like a loyal friend
it visits each and every year
prolific and plentiful


a little bunny has made this patch
its own
I'm fine with sharing
since it is such a bountiful crop

this is the first year
(I reluctantly admit)
that I have looked at its
potential
and thought

Let's give it a dry.
A quick-dry.


early in the morning
harvesting a small bouquet
washing it and spinning it dry
(A tip from Renee @ FIMBY)
 my favorite salad spinner
wrapping greens in a clean towel
taking it outside
and giving it a spin...
watering the surrounding plants is a perk!

I usually give it a little
more gentle drying
by dabbing with the towel
and airing for a bit


then laying it loosely
onto a cookie sheet
and preheating the oven to its lowest setting

mine is 170 degrees


propping the oven door open
with a wooden spoon
to allow air movement
I set the timer for a half hour
and kept close watch
careful not to burn it


taking a peek every
now and then
as the house filled with
oregano dreams

when the leaves looked fully dried
and were crispy to the touch
I turned off the oven and
left it there to completely dry

until the next day actually


then the fun 
really
started


holding the end of the stem
and dragging my fingers down
removing all the 
lovely leaves


filling two pint-sized mason jars
thinking Italian
delicious pizza
 spaghetti
even
gift giving...

oregano's endless possibilities.

Now that's what I call
practical magic!


Saturday, June 21, 2014

summer's first morn

in my front yard...









treasures found

Summer...
by any other name
would smell as 
sweet.

May love surround you
this Summer Solstice
like sunshine
on a sunny
day.


Friday, June 20, 2014

~this moment~



a drive-by snap
that I couldn't replicate
 if I tried

love when the camera surprises me.

Hope your first weekend
of Summer!
is filled with surprises.

:)

Thursday, June 19, 2014

this week in my kitchen :: easy vegan

As dinner hour arrives












~portabello mushrooms prepared and waiting for the marinade and later the grill...taking center stage on Father's Day...joined with Italian Spaghetti and a simple fresh-from-the-garden salad.

~easy Enchilada night...filled with flavors that the whole family enjoyed!

~Giada's Amaretto and Raspberry Smoothie with a crumbled macaroon on top...cool and refreshing on a hot, late-Spring eve...definitely an adult dessert.

Joining in the hop
with all my friends from
Beauty That Moves...

Won't you hop along?

Monday, June 16, 2014

hippie chick :: summer revival

Week Two: Seeking Options


Whether making simple changes
or major adjustments
going natural and organic
where body care is concerned 
still poses its challenges.

Since every body is different

skin types
hair types
personal preferences

research is of utmost importance
so I'm sending out a big 
thank you
to all those brave souls
seasoned veterans of this lifestyle
who share their
knowledge
freely
with others
on-line.

It's an invaluable
resource.


A gathering of books
and titles
recommended
with offerings of herbal remedies
and recipes
which are surprisingly simple.

A perfect segue 
to introduce
a recent change I've made

Changes that are necessitated
by depletion.
As old products are used up
I am turning to 
natural alternatives
(I'm nothing if not frugal in this regard)
The family was literally
compiling their respective lists
of needs
preparing for a trip to Target
when mine had me turning to 
the internet
for a natural eye makeup remover.

Two recipes caught
well...
my eye
especially since I had the ingredients
needed to make both
right in my pantry
and so I made both
creating a little competition
if you will
of homemade eye makeup removers.

Let me introduce you to
the competitors...

#1



reusing the empty, cleaned
container of the original
that really wasn't my
favorite
since it left my lids
feeling
super greasy and I found
the remover was hard to remove
plus
I often had to get rather
aggressive when using it
not a good idea around those
delicate, sensitive...ahem...
maturing baby blues.



mixing two
that's right...
TWO ingredients 
together

ready for this?

olive oil and water.

pouring it into a clean container
and shaking before each use.



like I said...
simple.

Competitor #2
even easier.



Coconut oil.

There are those who 
worship
this magic, natural elixir
and claim it can
be the only product you'll
ever need to do everything from
sauteing vegetables to removing cellulite.

Yo,
 they had me at hello.
I already love this stuff
I eat it right out of the jar
and no...
I'm not kidding.

the flavor
the smell

ahhh...



Getting clever with the container.
sanitary and relevant
to its use.

The only thing left...

the actual contest
mano-a-mano
basically 
olive oil vs. coconut oil
in the world series of
 makeup removers.

Here are my findings:




Again
everyone is different
and what works for me
may not necessarily work for others

But 
in this case
a clear 
clean
make-up free
mascara free 
lid
declared the winner.

I was very impartial
not knowing what to expect.
First,
on the left eye
I used the olive oil and water
I dabbed a cotton ball with
the blend
and immediately

 liked the feel...
cool and refreshing.
Better yet
the cotton ball was dirty
and my lid was clean
with a few quick swipes.

Next...
the right eye
where I applied the
coconut oil directly
to the lid and massaged briefly
wiped with a cotton ball

a marked difference

the cotton ball was not
as dirty
and I had to work a bit harder
so
I switched
(this was a very controlled scientific test)
using the olive oil on the right
after the coconut
and found it
removed more makeup
but
the same could not be said
vice versa
which in my mind
shows the clear 
winner


not Covergirl
but 
olive oil and water.

If you're curious
give it a try!


a blog share DIY from 
beautiful kayekie

obviously adding a label is completely optional
but it does score big 
on the cute factor

check it out:


seriously cute.

mine?
not so much...yet
since I'm still in the test kitchen.

For those who are mathematically
challenged in regards
to percentages...

I combined

1 teaspoon of olive oil
9 teaspoons water

That's it, folks!

A bonus:
I liked the after feel so much
I am now using it as
a nighttime moisturizer
as well.

It absorbs quickly
and makes my skin feel
amazingly soft and luxurious

In a word
calming.

A two in one.
That's a
win-win!

Trying on hippie for the summer
is proving to
be so much
fun.

A summer revival
a wee bit before the actual season...
but I'm ready for it, baby.

Summer On.
:)