Egg Pie

I had forgotten how good a simple quiche could be.

With the acquisition of some farm fresh eggs,

I knew I had to do something different.

Egg pie seemed like a good idea.

The recipe is from Jenna Woginrich's

Made From Scratch.

This is a new addition to my menu-by-the-month plan.

The pie crust recipe is also in the book.

Supper (or brunch) just couldn't be easier.

Three-Hen Quiche

olive oil

1/3 C diced onions

3 large eggs

1 C milk

salt/pepper

1/2 C-1 C grated cheddar cheese

1 pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Heat oil in skillet and saute onions. 

Add to pie crust. 

Beat eggs together with milk in a glass measuring cup. 

Add salt/pepper to taste.   

Sprinkle cheese over onions and then pour in egg mixture.

Bake 45-50 minutes, until golden. 

Enjoy!

*I added leftover sauteed mushrooms and diced roasted potatoes from the fridge to the pie pictured.

Pretty much any leftovers will do nicely.*

Here ya go, honey!

Remember a time when things were simpler?

When folks could make a living doing what

they loved and did it for generations?

That time still exists in Lake Wales, FL.

Welcome to Struther's Honey.

This family business has gone through 4 generations

in the same location, making golden, delicious,

unprocessed honey for those of us fortunate

enough to live nearby.

The inside of the tiny store displays not only

their scrumptious confections, but also

the history of the family business in pictures.

The kicker? 

They use the honor system to collect their income.

You simply take what you want, add up the amount,

and place it in the box.

How many places still do that?

Just this endearing practice alone

would make me continue to support them.

I feel blessed to be able to purchase a product

from folks who live their passion.

Quality control is never a concern because

they believe in what they are doing.

I'm so glad they do because I plan to

keep going back and fillin' up that box!

Wanna read more?

http://www.newschief.com/article/20090629/NEWS/906295007

Making Seed Pots

I know you can buy those cute lil' peat pots that look

oh-so neat and tidy.  They appeal to an

organized gal like myself. 

But what is even more satisfying,

is knowing that I can make my own seed containers

with stuff just laying around the house.

This paper came in a package we received this week.

You can use newspaper too, if you like.

Any cup or glass will do, as long as it has a wide mouth.

Just fold the strips of paper over a couple of times lengthwise.

Total length doesn't really matter.

It's all gonna end up as compost anyway!

Set the cup or glass on the paper

with about 1" over the open end.

Roll, baby, roll!

What fun for the kids!

Tuck the top parts into the cup

and press it like a mold.

This will end up to be the bottom.

Remove the cup or glass and place the molded part

down on a flat surface.

Place the cup or glass back into the pot

and smash down with your hand.

This should give you a flat bottom.

Your pots should look somethin' like this.

I folded down the rims so that

they would stay together a bit better.

Place potting soil into the pots and plant your seeds!

I had some leftover eggshells, so I used those too.

Water lightly and keep moist until you see

green stuff popping up!

Once the seeds sprout,

you can place the entire pot into the ground. 

No need to transfer or uproot, which is great for plants

that don't like to be moved.

The whole kit-n-kaboodle will deteriorate with time,

and add nutrients to the soil.

This is a great homeschooling project. 

So easy to do and it's always wonderful

when you can make something useful yourself.

Happy sprouting, y'all!

Making a rain barrel

One of the best things we did was add rain barrels

to our landscape.  The weather patterns here have changed over the   5+ years we have been living in Central Florida. 

No longer can we anticipate any consistent rainstorms

in the afternoon during the summer months.  

It's one of the things I miss most...

Vessels filled with the liquid gold are a sight for sore eyes.

I guess I am easily contented,

but it does my heart good to know that

there will be plenty of clean water

to indulge the plant life around here.

The bonus is that Mother Nature provides it free of charge.

The convenience of having water right next to the garden

makes it less likely that I will forget to keep the soil moist.

I enjoy physical labor, so the idea of carrying water

to its distribution place does not deter me.

Rather, it helps me feel connected to the garden,

and to those who came before me

working as farmers to provide others

with food, flowers and beauty.

Because of the HOA in our neighborhood,

we have been forced to

relegating the barrels to the backyard,

so it is a bit more trouble to have to tote water

from the back to water the front garden. 

No matter.  I am happy to do it,

knowing I'm not spending one penny

to keep the garden growing.

The following link is from one of my favorite

newsletters, Living the Country Life.

Rain barrels are part of our lifestyle.

How 'bout you?

Making a Rain Barrel
(I miss Paul James.)

 

Lawn Reform Video

http://www.lawnreform.org/2011/01/lawn-video.html

Better Off by Eric Brende
***


"What happens when a graduate of MIT, the bastion of technological advancement, and his bride move to a community so primitive in its technology that even Amish groups consider it antiquated?
Eric Brende conceives a real-life experiment:  to see if, in fact, all our cell phones, wide-screen TVs, and SUVs have made life easier and better-or whether life would be preferable without them."

In this first-person account, the author shares his experience living among some mighty simple folk.  From planting, growing and harvesting their own food, to dealing with the isolation felt even within the community, to assisting with the birth of their first child, Eric Brende communicates the challenges and rewards of turning off technology.  Eric and his wife Mary tackle the everyday chores of living, with the added intensity of knowing that they are solely responsible for making things work.  Learning takes place on a daily basis for these two young adventurers.  Based on the way the book ends, it's fair to say that the 18-month experiment left a lasting mark on them.

State Park for March

Welcome to Highlands Hammock State Park in Sebring!

http://www.floridastateparks.org/highlandshammock/default.cfm

This park offers paved and dirt bike trails, walking trails, camping, picnic areas, a playground,

boardwalks, and an hour-long tram ride.

It's green, lush, and oh so Florida.

The skyscrapers here are something to behold!

Wonderful species are found in the pools of collected water.

The air was cool and crisp on this day before spring.

Not a mosquito in sight!

Remnants of old growth make way for new greenery and

provide a home for forest life.

Lovely ferns could be found everywhere!

I believe this is a Florida maple, one of my favorites!

The enormous Cypress trunks seem like something

out of a fairy tale.

Highlands Hammock is home to the CCC Museum.

I was fascinated to learn about this amazing program. 

As one of the original four Florida State Parks, Highlands Hammock had its birth in the years of the Great Depression when local citizens resisted efforts to turn the area into agricultural lands. Later the Civilian Conservation Corps was called in and, from camps within the park, worked to restore the area, create facilities and fence the park's boundaries. Highlands Hammock opened as a state park in 1935. A commemorative statue and CCC museum recognizing the contributions of the Civilian Conservation Corps and its help in the development of the Florida public parks reside within the Highlands Hammock State Park.

http://www.staynplay.net/florida-tourism-articles/highlands-hammock-state-park.htm

So far, I think this is our favorite park. 

Fortunately for us, it is close by. 

Oh yeah, we'll be back...

Upcoming Event

5TH ANNUAL FLORIDA

WILDFLOWER & GARDEN FESTIVAL

Saturday, March 26, 2011 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Historic Downtown DeLand West Indiana Ave.

FREE ADMISSION & PARKING

www.FloridaWildflowerFestival.com 386-738-0649

GUEST SPEAKERS

Athens Theatre

10:00 – 10:45

Growing Wildflowers in Florida

JRNewbold,

Forest Groves Inc.

11:00 – 11:45

Bees/Beekeeping

Doug McGinnis, Co-Owner,

Tropical Blossom Honey

12:00 – 12:45

Topic TBA

Tom MacCubbin,

UF/IFASExtension Agent Emeritus

and Radio and television host of “Better Lawns and Gardens”

1:00 – 1:45

Florida Wildflowers and Pollinators:

Working Together to help

Promote Awareness and Conservation

Jaret Daniels, Ph.D., Assistant Professor,

Florida Museum of Natural History

2:00 – 3:00

Wildflowers by the Seasons

Walter Taylor, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus,

University of Central Florida

3:15 – 4:00

Growing Wildflowers & Vegetables in Raised Beds

Dana Venrick, President,

Quality GreenSpecialists, Inc.

DEMONSTRATIONS

Chess Park

10:30am

Flower Arranging with

Native Plants & Wildflowers

Lucy Lombardi, Garden Club of DeLand

1:30pm

Composting

David Griffis,Director,

University of Florida IFAS Extension

ENTERTAINMENT

2:30pm Live performance by Somethin’ Else

All Day DJ Andy Ferrari

KIDS ART ZONE

All Day Provided by the Museum of Florida Art

MAINSTREET DELAND

SHOPPING & DINING

Visit our charming Downtown

restaurants, shops and boutiques!

FREE SHUTTLE TO DELAND

OUTDOOR ART FESTIVAL

SE Corner of W. Indiana & N. Florida

VENDORS

West Indiana Ave

Potted Wildflowers,

Wildflower Seeds, Plants,

Planters, Arts & Crafts,

Botanical Products, Honey,

Home & Garden & More!

Day Of Silence

Worth Waiting For...

Wait for it...

Ta-da!

I hope you're enjoying your own blooms this fine day!