The Art of Eating Yogurt

yogurt in a crock pot

  Since finding this instruction on Ruth Soukup's blog Living

Well Spending Less, I have been making my own yogurt.

If you love plain yogurt that you can add your own good stuff to, you must try this.

It is so easy, I will never buy yogurt again.

I'm in the routine of it now and make it every two weeks usually on Monday....which my in-the-house wash day.

straining yogurt

Yum!

my setup to separate the whey from the yogurt

 You don't have to strain it.

Remember:

Little Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet

Eating her curds and whey;

Along came a spider

Who sat down beside her

And frightened Miss Muffet away.

my curds and whey

 The small tub stacked on top will be my starter for the next batch.

homegrown peaches with homemade yogurt

Sometimes, I just drizzle a little honey over the yogurt.

Sometimes, squeeze lemon in too. 

Sometimes I add small amount of grapenuts.

Sometimes I add fruit spread, any flavor. 

Try adding dried bananas.

 ♥

A Garden Tour

SHARING MY GARDEN CHORES and DOCUMENTING GROWTH AND BLOOMS

I stepped out the back door about 6:30 am and took this from the patio. 

It is raining and still darkish.

Note the Guinea running away on the left. 

some of God's greatest creations

Brown-Eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
Rose-Gentian Sabatia campestris

the new roses are blooming

day lilies -  sansevieria - white rose of Sharon - pink oxalis

the non-photogenic cucumber - first straight neck squash

2014 peach crop

cherry tomatoes (first)

bell peppers (first)

this guy has been hiding

another view

bucket of 3 tomatoes - the hiding cucumber - 4 squash - 2 peppers - 5 marigolds

look five marigolds

 about the Garden Palace this week

me toting a little bench to the attic - a make-shift saw horse

painting rafters

closing in the gable ends

beadboard from 1910 for the attic

 ♥

There were no birds in the dime-zone

Face No 98

 I had to push myself to paint one more tiny dime size face. 

The last one.

But then I thought to myself, "there are no birds in the dime-zone." 

That's all it took. 

Face No 99

It was like a warm-up.

I was then in a groove and so ready to paint No 99. 

I was full of inspiration to do it different.

I'm not sure you can tell, but I went about painting her with a little different technique. 

Well, I thought I it was different.

I built up thin watery layers of paint. 

And I used my finger a lot. 

Oh yes, I just want to tell you about that luscious greenish color you see in the top right and lower left area and even on the face.

I mixed Raw Umber and Primary Cyan.

I'll be doing that again.

♥

A Garden Palace Lamp project

Chalk Paint and Golden mixed

 I've had this old vintage lamp lingering in the garage for ever. 

When I happened upon this tutorial for changing a lamp from electrical to cordless, I knew exactly what to do with the lamp. 

In case you don't remember, the Garden Palace has no electricity. 

I have been spending a lot of sweaty hours working in the attic of the GP and I tell you when I'm over there I get filled to full and overflow with inspiration. 

When I first saw the tutorial I ordered the necessary supplies for the lamp change but waited for color inspiration. 

The lamp was ugly and was spray painted gold. 

Ugly gold. 

The attic spoke.

My color palette in the attic will be very light pastel and creamy white colors because there are only two windows and the GP has no electricity. 

I have big plans for aqua in the attic.

So the first thing on the list is an aqua lamp.

lamp in progress

 I have one little Old White sample jar of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

I decided to experiment with mixing my own aqua.

I used Golden heavy body Cobalt Teal and little by little added to a puddle of Old White chalk paint until I had the color I wanted. 

The thing that I love about Annie Sloan paint is 

no preparation is needed and

it sticks to anything.

For example, this old spray painted metal lamp.

While in the experimental mode, I decided to add a paper napkin.

I probably could have made a better choice of napkin but I like it OK. 

Painted Lamp

 After painting and adding the napkin, I used the Annie Sloan clear wax first and then I add the dark wax. 

I do love the aged effect.

Painted Lamp

When I was staging the photo showing the end result, I realized how pretty these two paintings look with the lamp. 

Aqua is one of my colors. 

FYI: the bulb is a 12volt LED, the kind used in RVs.

I'm now on the hunt for a shade which will be another GP project in the future. 

♥

About the Guinea Ghost in the Greenhouse

SHARING MY GARDEN CHORES and DOCUMENTING GROWTH AND BLOOMS

Each week just before posting my greenhouse and gardens update, I go out and take a new picture.

You may have noticed my Guinea in the picture. 

He walks around and around looking at his reflection all-day-long. 

I finally surmised that he thinks it is his lost partner who met his demise last fall. 

Sometimes, he goes inside looking for the guinea ghost. When he doesn't find him, he comes right back out. Then he walks around and around again until he sees the reflection.

Sometimes I look out my kitchen window and see him sitting close to the greenhouse just looking at the ghost. 

When I passed on the mower last week, I could see what he sees. 

A perfect reflection of himself. 

It's sad.

Shadows and reflections in the Garden Palace attic

 The week started and ended with rain totalling two inches.

Not much gardening happened and

I'm feeling pulled these days between the gardening and work in the Garden Palace and painting faces. 

Trying to do all.

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

 The white butterfly bush is blooming.

Purple Cone Flower

 I found two more Purple Cone Flowers. 

One in bloom (above) and one that may bloom later (below).

Purple Cone Flower Seedling

Red Toad Stool

I don't remember ever seeing a toad stool like this.

before work training the rose up the trellis 

The  one chore that did get done this week was tying the rose up the trellis. 

As you can see, I could not mow around the trellis because the canes were growing out along the ground. 

job done

 It's not so pretty yet and won't bloom again until next spring but at least I can mow close when I go out to mow this afternoon. Then I can weed around the base. 

Purple Leatherflower (Clematis Pitcheri)

 The wild clematis is still blooming but I wanted to show the seed pods.

The green balls with pointy things are the seed pod.

inside the clematis

I will be watching close for them to dry.

 I hope to propagate some this year but will wait until they dry before collecting. 

Klimt patio and garden

This garden on the right is my next big project. 

The liriope has to be divided.

There are some "trash" trees that have popped up and have to be removed.

The day lilies have taken over the bed and is about to bloom.

I'm moving the birdbath to this little garden.

Stupid Kitty has discovered me in the yard and is coming to meet me. 

♥

I thought she was a nobody

Face No 96

 During and after painting number 96 this morning, I kept thinking she is just a nobody.

My thumb covers the whole square. 

How could she ever be seen in this crowd. 

Face No 97

Same thing about number 97. 

Just a nobody.

Faces 96 and 97 with a bunch of .......

Yep!
They are all nobodies.
I mean, look!

But in the scheme of 97 faces, they fit right in.
♥

She Is Prayer Book

She Is Prayer Book

She is

clothed

with strength and dignity

and laughs

without

fear

of the future
Proverbs 31:25

She is

beautiful
sensitive
loving
fun
caring
joyful
strong
motherly
and kind
She is Lorraine

I first met my friend Lorraine Lewis, her dear husband and beautiful daughter in Italy about a year and a half ago. 

All I can say, she is a beautiful person with a loving family and they made my trip more special than they even know. 

Lorraine is now faced with the return of cancer. 

What can one do but pray when you live so far away.

While in prayer, I was inspired to stitch this little prayer book to send to Lorraine. 

Just to let her know that every stitch held a special prayer for her stitched with love from me.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

There will be a special Art Auction to share support and love for Lorraine Lewis as she battles Colorectal Cancer this week on Instagram.

heart_and_hand

I invite you to click on the above link to preview the Art to be auctioned.

The bidding on Instagram opens 9am on 14th June and ends at 9am on 15th June.