News from the Nest, June 12

Good Morning!

Last week was one of those rather annoying weeks, absorbed by dealing with various tech glitches and my insurance company. Many of you have reported issues accessing my posts and another issue saving them on Pinterest. Fingers crossed…I think we have them fixed.

Thanks so much to all of you who wrote to tell me of your glitches; most often, I don’t know about them until you let me know.

Sadly, last Monday night, we hit and killed a deer coming home late at night. I’ve come this far in my life not having struck an animal; it was heart-wrenching. My car was fairly well-damaged in the collision and is not really driveable unless we duct tape the bumper on or pull it completely off. I was surprised how long it will take just to get an estimate!

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On a good note, our garden is kicking on all cylinders…mostly. We’ve harvested tomatoes, zucchini, beans, and cucumbers. I have zinnias, dahlias, and sweet peas in a vase on my counter. However, I’ve noticed some yellowing leaves that have me concerned about a mineral deficiency, so I will be heading to the plant clinic today.

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new on the blog

We are getting close to wrapping up our series on Companion Plants! This week we add the best carrot companion plants to our knowledge base.

And semi-coincidentally. we have a new recipe for Quick Pickled Carrots, though there is an option to water bath can if you want to go that route.

Finally, I put together a quick post on *mostly* useful gifts for dads, father figures, and other important men in your lives if you need inspiration.

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new on the blog

We are getting close to wrapping up our series on Companion Plants! This week we add the best carrot companion plants to our knowledge base.

And semi-coincidentally. we have a new recipe for Quick Pickled Carrots, though there is an option to water bath can if you want to go that route.

Finally, I put together a quick post on *mostly* useful gifts for dads, father figures, and other important men in your lives if you need inspiration.

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from the knit studio

• I wanted a flat stitch without much surface texture for this knit potholder pattern, and the linen stitch was what made the most sense. Coupled with the fact that the linen stitch will always lay flat, this is the perfect stitch for pot holders.

•  This Eyelet Baby Blanket was the first blanket pattern I wrote, so it will always have a special place in my heart. It is just a sweet pattern.

•  How to substitute yarn in your knit and crochet patterns.

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from the kitchen

•  Since we have a bit of a carrot thing going on, I need to share this carrot bread recipe.  if you’re looking for a simple bread recipe ready for the oven in twenty minutes and moist and delicious without any added frosting or glaze, then you’ll enjoy this carrot bread. While the lower sugar makes this a great breakfast treat, this bread also makes a nice after-dinner treat without all the extra guilt and calories.

•  Here’s an uncomfortable truth; the Fourth of July is in three short weeks! 😲 Guess we need to ponder some recipes for that celebration.  
• Make Pulled Beef Sandwiches and top them with this Homemade Barbecue Sauce.

These Red, White, and Blue Sugar Cookies are all about the decoration! They are simple sugar cookies cut in circles or stars and flooded with basic white Royal icing, a little on the thin side. But then, the real fun starts!

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in the garden

•  Waterproof a saucer to make this easy bird bath.

•  Scour thrift stores for the pieces to make this fanciful bird feeder.

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in the home

•  Spend a little time cleaning your closet and putting in place a few measures to prevent clothes-eating moths from damaging your precious wool and cashmere sweaters.
• IF you do find some moth damage, don’t panic! I’ve got you covered in this post on mending holes in knit garments.

•  Ways to reduce food waste.
• How to keep produce fresher, longer
• Add a grommeted counter skirt to any table or free-standing counter.

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.

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a few favorite finds

•  I’m eyeing this rack to store my cutting boards in the kitchen.
• If your summer involves extended travel, I highly recommend these vacuum bags that don’t require a vacuum or special tool. I’ve used them repeatedly and am a believer! They save space and keep your clothes organized.
• Heading to the beach this summer? Cute tote bag.

Well, friends…I am hoping for a glitch-free week and wish the same for you! But sometimes you just need to say, ‘It is what it is.’ Seems that’s been my motto for much of my life!

Have a good one, and I’ll catch you next week.

Thanks for making my day by SHARING!!