One Simple Thing-Hang It Up

Something that many people don't consider is

using the vertical space available to get things off of the floor.

It's one of the simplest things you can do

to make a room feel more spacious.

Use whatcha got!

Keys and outgoing mail next to the garage door

are easily visible and out of the way.

Someone made a hat rack for Lil' Guy using nothing but

a piece of wood and some simple clamps.

I've praised this storage increaser before.

The inside of cabinets is a great place to use shelving.

Simple double hooks can use the space behind a door.

The bubble wrap muffles any noise

and keeps the stepstool from scratching the paint.

Not glamorous, but it works.

The master bathroom had no place for towels

next to the shower.

This was an easy solution.

No excuse for wet towels on the floor!

Originally, Lil' Guy's Lego storage bins

were on the floor in a big stack.

Hung on the wall, they are at eye level

and the bonus is that he now has more floor space

for creating his masterpieces.

***See our Lego storage update here.***

One Simple Thing

Wordless Wednesday

Bloomin' Tuesday!

As spring progresses,

we seem to be blessed

with more and more color in the garden.

Come take a stroll...

 

bachelor's button

native salvia

blue-eyed grass

got these from Leslie at TakaNapa Farm

native petunia

Like these?  Read this.

native milkweed

these host cats

lantana

gallardia

Meems shared these seeds with me

from her amazing garden.

maple tree

wildflowers

society garlic

basil

morning glory on bean tepee

cosmos

phlox

black-eyed susan

Hope you have some of your favorite colors

popping up in your neck of the woods.

Enjoy your Bloomin' Tuesday, y'all!

The Devil Made Me Do It

We used to enjoy deviled eggs on most holidays.

Then it was discovered that Lil' Guy was allergic to them.

It didn't seem right savoring them in front of him

when he couldn't eat them,

so we stopped the tradition.

Now that he can have eggs again,

the tradition can continue.

They will be on the menu more often

now that we can all enjoy them.

Here's how we do ours:

 

Boil eggs for 1 minute.

Take them off the burner

and let them sit for 13 minutes.

Put them into a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes

(this prevents the yolk from getting that green ring around it).

Peel, slice in half and remove yolks to a bowl.

Mash yolks with a fork and add mayonaise, Dijon mustard

and a bit of salt and pepper to taste.

You can fill them using a piping bag or a plastic baggie

with a hole cut in the corner,

but I just spoon the yolks right back into the white.

A sprinkling of paprika on top adds a finishing touch.

Enjoy!

farmgirl friday blog hop

Chick Days by Jenna Woginrich
*****




"Chickens are quirky and fun and their eggs give you tasty, nutritious food every day.  Who could ask more of a pet?  And it's surprisingly easy to be a backyard chicken-keeper.  With lively text and charming photographs, Chick Days follows the day-by-day and week-by-week growth of three chickens as they develop from hatchlings to laying hens.  Firsthand advice on chicken behavior, breed selection, feeding requirements, safe housing, hygiene, and health-care essentials ensures that your own flock will be as healthy and well-cared-for as this contented trio."


This simple and heartwarming book is a great go-to guide for chicken raising newbies (or wannabes, like myself).  Jenna Woginrich, who is a young farmer and has served as the impetus of this blog and my homesteading quest, has written another treasure.  If you haven't been following her adventures at Cold Antler Farm, you're missing out.  Her easy writing style makes venturing into new territory less scary.  The way she has explained how to choose a breed, the daily care involved and what to expect once your flock starts laying, enables one to not only imagine having chickens as part of a lifestyle, but outlines the steps in order to achieve that goal. 
The ability to follow three chicks into adulthood was a hoot!
Information about each of the three breeds featured was given throughout their lives and what a blast to see them grow from helpless little balls of fur to empowered laying hens!

One of the reasons I decided to begin my homesteading pursuit was because deep down, in some inexplicable way, I needed chickens in my life.  Not chicken-n-rice kind of needed.  Don't ask me where it came from.  I only know that on some level, I knew I wanted to get back to basics and chickens were gonna help me with that.  The main requirement for our next home will be property and no deed restrictions so that we can pursue our (mostly my) dream of becoming more self-reliant.  It's good to know that I can begin my research ahead of time so that I'll be better prepared when we pick up our first batch of baby chicks.  Thanks, Jenna!