News from the nest, April 1
I promise, there are no jokes included!
If you asked my son about his favorite holiday growing up, he would likely say, “April Fool’s Day!” I may have gone a bit overboard with devious plans on that day, which then explains his devious plans when he was older. I may have (inadvertently, of course) made him cry when he realized that the ‘cupcakes’ I promised for dinner were meatloaf with mashed potato icing. I may have served dinner in individual cat litter boxes (clean, of course) with individual cat litter scoops (clean, of course), which neither my son nor husband would eat, but my daughter consumed with glee!
Table of Contents
It was only fair play when, several years later, I turned my computer on in the morning and found that not only was all the text in Russian, but it was also upside down. And I guess I can say that he learned from the master when he filled the shower head in his sister’s bathroom with Kool-Aid. While I am pretty much April Fool’d out now, the memories of those days always make me smile and are always fodder for conversation in our home.
Quick update on Elsa: We still don’t have her! No joke! The whole litter came down with a tummy issue the day after they went to the vet for their shots last Monday, so the breeder very conscientiously pushed the pickup date back. I’m happy to say they are all recovered, so we will bring her home this Wednesday!
And while I did get an informative post published this week, it was tough given the GORGEOUS weather we enjoyed. The combination of beautiful spring weather, a yard full of to-dos, and the Audible version of Charles Dickens’s The Pickwick Papers is a siren call that, I daresay, not many can resist! And to top it all off, our son brought his new, lovely girlfriend home for Easter. Not only does she love to garden, but she is quite the baker!
New on the Blog
- In my neverending quest to garden more organically, efficiently, and productively, I did a DEEP dive into attracting beneficial insects to the garden. If you’d like to rely less on chemicals and be more proactive and less reactive in controlling harmful pests in your garden, you’ll want to read this post on Beneficial Insects in the Garden. PLUS, a free printable tells you what plants attract beneficial insects and the harmful pests controlled by the beneficial.
From the Knit Studio
- One of our readers, Anne, wrote to me last week to let me know about Operation Shower. This organization provides baby showers to military moms and families nationwide. As the daughter of a naval officer, this cause is right up my alley. Anne knits baby blankets that she donates to Operation Shower. If you are looking for a reason to knit some baby blankets, this sounds great!
- If your circular needles are a hot mess, as mine were, you need to read this post on this solution for Circular Needle Organization. Getting these wiry and loopy little devils under control greatly improved my office organization.
- This Easy Garter Stitch Dishcloth Knitting Pattern is perfect for new knitters. Using only knit or purl, this pattern allows you to practice and perfect one stitch while creating something useful.
From the Kitchen
Three Ideas to Use Leftover Ham and Ham Bone
- Use the bone from your Easter ham to make Ham Stock. You can freeze it or can it for shelf storage; I’ll walk you through the process.
- Or use your ham bone to make this hearty, filling, and tasty Crock Pot Pea Soup with Ham—one of our family favorites. Start the soup in the morning, and you’ll have a tasty dinner in the evening.
- This White Bean Soup with Ham and Vegetables is a lighter, brothier version of traditional bean soup recipes. Ham broth is the backbone of this soup recipe.
If You Are Done With Ham For a Bit
- If you are flat-out done with ham for a bit, then give this Rigatoni al Forno a whirl! Rigatoni al Forno, literally ‘Rigatoni from the oven,’ is Italian comfort food at its best. Pasta baked in a flavorful tomato sauce with oodles of delicious mozzarella cheese. It is virtually impossible to mess up this simple recipe.
Rhubarb Season!
- When rhubarb pops up in your garden or the grocery store, use it to make this delicious Rhubarb Jam. Freeze it or can it for shelf storage.
From the Arts + Crafts Studio
- I’m a sucker for lawn art/yard art, and these concrete garden balls were easy to make and inexpensive. That said, the round globes were surprisingly not as easy to find as I had thought, so start looking at your local ReStore if you want to make them.
In the Home
- These illustrated Step-by-Step Instructions show how to fix moth holes in sweaters and other knit items.
In the Garden
- Composted eggshells can be a rich source of nutrients for plants. Here’s how to amend your soil with eggshells.
- This is the third installment of Container Garden Ideas and Container Garden Recipes. When I see a planter that contains an assortment of plants that work well together, I document it for future reference. Lucky for you, I share these Container Garden Recipes with my online besties. So, without further ado, here are a couple of Container Gardening Ideas for you to ponder as you noodle your container gardens this Spring.
Some Fun Finds and a Few Favorites
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- I have one of these cotton blankets and just bought another for our guest bed. They are on sale right now.
- Sweet, fringed checkered blanket.
- This is a lovely, hobnailed rectangle planter.
Well, my friends. My son and his girlfriend leave this morning. I’ll do a quick clean-up of the guest bedroom and bathroom, change the sheets, and greet my college girlfriend an hour later. I’ll run to the grocery store to pick up the fixings for Shrimp and Grits and most likely spend the rest of the day just gabbing!
I’ll see you lovelies next week!
Hugs,
Hi Lynn,
Definitely too light for me. I had to get up close and personal to read it….of course, I’m an “older model” but also have glaucoma and TED so have those to “blame”, as well. I love the color but …..thanks for asking!
Thanks Janice, I really do appreciate your feedback and will adjust accordingly.
Hugs,
Lynn
Hi Lynn,
Your blog is lovely and so full of potential project, gifts, recipes and all things beautiful. I don’t want to complain and I don’t want to make my issue your problem. I am older and I do find your switching to the light blue print a real problem for me. It’s not that I can’t see it, it’s just so much harder and that takes away some of the enjoyment. The other thing I have notices of late is all the annoying pop up adds. I’m not sure what the answer is for those but I must say I enjoyed your blog more when those weren’t around and all the print was dark.
Keep up the beautiful work you do and stories you share. You asked for feedback, or I wouldn’t have mentioned anything. Sent with kindness and respect for all you share. I am so thankful you are blogging for all of us.
Thank you so much Stacia. I will adjust the link colors and really appreciate the feedback. As it relates to the pop ups…I know there is one on the bottom, on the right, but I’m not aware of other true pop ups. I know that there are ads between paragraphs, which is how we finance our operations. That said, I will take a look to make sure that they rate of ads hasn’t increased.
I really appreciate your honest feedback!
Thanks, Lynn
I also served meatloaf “cupcakes” frosted with mashed potatoes. The look on my son’s face was priceless. I’m not sure he has yet forgiven me. Apparently it was traumatic for him. I also once used cocoa puffs to make a rice krispie treat “meatloaf.” But I didn’t do anything this year.
Hi Elisa,
We are clearly sisters from another mother! It is all about the memories made.
Have a great day,
Lynn