News from the Nest, April 4

I can’t believe I let one of the most important days of the year creep up on me last week! I am an unrepentant embracer of April Fool’s Day, and I’m reasonably convinced that stories of my past pranks will make into my eulogy when that day comes.

When the children were younger, I would prepare the pranks for days, and I’m quite proud of my efforts, except for the time when my then 3-year old son burst into tears when he bit into the ‘cupcakes’ we had for dinner only to find that they were in fact meatloaf with mashed potato icing. That one still tugs at my heart a bit.

Here’s my then 10-year old daughter eating dinner from the ‘litter box’ one year! My husband just couldn’t bring himself to scoop his dinner with the litter scoop. Before you get too grossed out, these were brand-new, never been used before but still run through the dishwasher litter boxes and litter scoops. I set the dining room table with linens, crystals, and candles and then served their meals in the litterboxes. In case you wondered, I may be off a bit.

All that being said, the day crept up on me this year and I didn’t realize it was April 1 until I sat down at my computer that Friday morning. Some quick conspiring was required on my part; which I have to admit I accomplished quite deftly. I had the element of surprise on my side as I am an early riser while the rest of my family is not. So, they were all treated with troubling news as soon as they woke up and before they had time to realize it was April Fool’s Day.

I know my efforts were a success because, for a short period of time, every member of my family was mad at me! WOOT!

O.K., enough of my shenanigans.

First of all, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to all those who took the time to fill out the survey from last week. If you didn’t get a chance to fill it out last week, there’s a link at the bottom of the page.

Brand New Content on the Blog

• If you’ve never tried Mango Habanero Salsa, let this be the recipe you make to try it. I am a relative newcomer to mango salsa, but it now has a permanent place in my repertoire. You can make this salsa as hot or mild as you like, subbing milder pepper or cutting back or increasing the habanero. Put this on your menu for Cinco de Mayo, along with my dad’s famous Margaritas.

• One thing that was clear from last week’s survey is that many of you are looking for more container garden inspiration. I’d love to be able to say that I whipped this post up this weekend just because of the survey, but the truth is that it is has been scheduled for a bit. This is the fifth post we’ve done on container gardens, container garden inspiration, and recipes. Pop on over for some ideas!

Products & Sites Worth Sharing

Some of these links may be Amazon affiliate links and I may earn a small commission from the sale of these products to help defray the costs of operating this site, but the price you are charged is not affected. You can see my full disclosure policy here.

• Duolingo is an app that helps you learn a new language. There is a free and a paid version. Terry and I are using the free version as we prepare for our trip to Italy in two weeks.
• A View From My Seat is a website that shares images members of the audience take from their seats in a variety of venues and cities. We will be seeing a play when we are in London at the end of April. I am totally unfamiliar with the venue and this site made me feel comfortable that our view will be great.
• My nails are WRECKED! I did the whole ‘dip’ thing last year and when I had them removed for good at the beginning of this year they are paper thin and tear very easily. I don’t know if it is just me or the salon who did my nails, but I won’t be going back! Now I’m left with really fragile nails until they grow out a bit more. I bought this Nail Repair Kit to stop a vertical split in one of my nails. I applied it two weeks ago and so far it is holding up well. My hope is that I can stop the split until my nail grows long enough and I can cut the split part off.
• My husband really suffers from springtime allergies, while I do in the fall. This air purifier makes a world of difference for both of us. We’ve had it for a year now and run it almost constantly.

Easy Appetizer Ideas

• Mozzarella Bruschetta
• Jalapeño Cheese Spread
• Fromage Fort
• Hummus

Gift Ideas for Upcoming Celebrations

• If you have ‘find a good high school graduation gift’ on your to-do list, then you need to check out this post sharing Great Gift Ideas for High School Graduates.
• I’ll be the first to say that mothers and those in our lives that fill that role should be celebrated 365 days a year. That being said, Mother’s Day is right around the corner. Here’s a list of some great gifts for moms, no matter which day you choose to celebrate them.

In the Garden

• Do you Compost? This post will give you all the lowdown on what it is, why you want to use it, and how to make it.
• Take your compost pile to the next level with a compost tea brewer!
• And don’t toss those eggshells!

Let’s get Crafty!

• If I have to say so myself, these indoor pot feet were a BRILLIANT idea! No more water rings if I drip down the side of my plants when watering!
• If you need to hide stuff under a counter or table, this counter skirt is a great project.

• Ever considered stenciling a wall? Check out my tips before you begin.
• This knit purse is mom’s spring and summer purse; it was her requested mother’s day gift several years ago.

And, lastly, if you want to share your thoughts and feedback on content, feel free to jump in and fill out the survey It’s fairly quick, will take all of 2 minutes. But you do have the opportunity to leave some written feedback and suggestions. I’ll share the findings next week.

Have a fantastic week, my friends!

Hugs,

Thanks for making my day by SHARING!!