News from the Nest, May 8
It’s fair to say that I have several favorite months. I love December for the festivities and holidays, September and October for sweaters, slowing down and watching college football, and May for the sunny days, the cool nights, and the daily growth that happens in our garden.
Queen of months, supremely fair,
Peter Burn, Ode to May
Cloth’d with garments rich and rare,
None in beauty can compare
With thee, sweet May.
I hit the ground running last week, catching up from taking more than a week off. Not only do I have some great content in the works for you, but we also caught up in the yard after 10 days away. We woke up early Saturday morning to watch the Coronation of King Charles and were out fiddling in the garden by 8 a.m. Our garden may be small, but I’m optimistic it will be productive this year.
Table of Contents
We’ve got our first batch of compost tea for the year brewing and will apply it tomorrow!
new on the blog
- We are continuing our series on companion plants! (Game of Thrones has nothing on us, and our series finale will be much better!) This week we discussed Pepper Companion Plants and which plants to keep away from peppers. If you are getting your garden started, make sure to read through this series to harness the benefits of companion planting.
- And what shall you do with that bounty of peppers you will harvest? Why, make Red Pepper Jelly, of course! This jelly uses both red bell peppers and red chile peppers for the gorgeous color and the heat! Freeze it or water bath can it…your choice!
from the knit studio
- Two super simple washcloth patterns that are timeless. Suitable for beginners or anyone who wants to put their fingers on autopilot while they watch Bridgerton!
- This garter stitch washcloth knits up quickly and produces a reversible fabric.
- I didn’t know that this pattern was actually called several variations of ‘Grandmas’ Favorite’ dishcloth when I was gifted several by a lovely friend named Bridget. I shared the pattern and called it ‘Bridget’ after my friend. Call it whatever you like, but it is a variation of the garter stitch washcloth knit on the diagonal.
- Let’s talk about holes in your knit project, how to prevent them in the first place, and how to fix them after the fact. We go over three different scenarios in this article.
- Have you downloaded the free pages for your Knit Journal and Organizer yet? If nothing else, then nab the pages that help you organize your yarn. This simple organization system has been very useful.
from the kitchen
- This Fire-Roasted Tomato recipe shares how to roast tomatoes in the oven and over a grill. It is a great way to use less-than-perfect tomatoes and save them for soups, sauces, toppings, etc… It will be a well-used recipe in your kitchen.
- Will you be hosting a brunch this spring? Maybe Mother’s Day? Maybe just because? My dad made these Ramos Gin Fizzes for our special brunches, and it remains a favorite. It’s a light, creamy, and citrusy cocktail perfect for brunch and breakfast.
- Add these Lemon Refrigerator cookies to your brunch table. And to be a little extra, top them with pansies from your garden!
- Ever need honey for a recipe only to find you don’t have any in the pantry? Here’s a list of honey substitutes.
- This Roasted Olives recipe is a simple but elegant appetizer.
from the craft studio
- These indoor pot feet are one of those projects where I said to myself, “Why didn’t I think of this sooner?!” It would have prevented many a water ring under my pots. They don’t prevent water from dripping down the side of a pot, but it is a heck of a lot easier to see the drip and wipe it up.
- Need a lovely table garden for your pot feet to support? I’ve got you covered there, too!
- Another one of my favorite upcycling projects! A stained Candlewick bedspread languished in our attic for way too long before I figured out a use for it. It’s been eight years since I made these Candlewick hand towels, and they are still regularly used.
in the garden
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- Things to use to fill a large planter in addition to soil.
- We’ve been putting our compost to good use this spring! If you need guidance to get started on composting and suggestions for things to compost, this is the post for you.
- Once you start composting, making compost tea is the next step!
- If the deer munch on your hydrangea, roses, or whatever, I am a believer in Bobbex Deer Repellent. Like most things, you need to be diligent with it. It isn’t a ‘spray once and forget about it’ kind of thing. I spray after heavy rainfall or every two weeks, and it really does seem to work on keeping them away from my hydrangea.
- If you are looking for a reasonably priced garden obelisk, check these out. We are using them in our garden as tomato and cucumber towers. The frame is metal, but the rings are plastic. So far, so good! They are more attractive than most tomato cages and take up less room, and they will be easy to fold up at the end of the season.
in the home
- Tips to help reduce mental clutter.
- Some Kitchen Organization Tips
- Grocery Shopping on a Budget
- Freezer and Refrigerator Organization
- Tips to keep Produce Fresh
Well, friends, that’s it for the day! I hope you found something interesting or useful today!
Have a fantastic week!
Hugs,
Lynn,
I also am a fan of the month of May! Yesterday we celebrated our 40th anniversary. This Saturday is our only son’s birthday and we have a niece getting married that day this year.
Mother’s Day celebrate me, our daughter-in-law and our three daughters who are awesome moms to our 14 grandchildren and my birthday is this month also! What’s not to love? Beautiful family, beautiful Colorado weather and beautiful life!
Thanks for your posts every Monday! You give me another reason to smile!
Blessings to you,
Laura
Good Morning, Laura!
Wow! May is truly your month and I know that your weather is incomparable right now! Enjoy!
And thanks for your very kind words. Comments like yours keep me going. This little job of mine wouldn’t be fun, or worth doing at all, if I didn’t know there were readers like you on the other end of my musings and projects. So again, thanks from the bottom of my heart.
Enjoy your month! And happy Mother’s Day!
Hugs, Lynn
Lynn, it is a pleasure to read nourish and nestle every monday! you have such a variety or ideas. they are so helpful. thanks! love the dog treats and looking forward to more! have a wonderful time in your garden!! bev.
Good Morning Beverly,
Thanks so much for your kind comments! They are truly fuel to my fire. I do love this little job of mine, but it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun without readers like you on the other end of my musings. And I do endeavor to publish articles that are helpful and entertaining, so I appreciate you saying that!
What dog treats are you making? Our girl loves them all.
And I am thrilled with our garden thus far, but here in the hot and humid south, I know that July and August will be the real test.
Thanks again for writing in! Truly puts a smile on my face!
Have a great day, Lynn
Lynn, your garden looks great (indoors and outdoors)! Looks like the weather was nice! Curious… Do you pick one day a week for each type of project that you do? Actually, I didn’t count them, but maybe you need more days in a week if you did. Lol! Beautiful things!
Good Morning! Thanks, I am so happy with how it is coming along. As we know though…July and August will be the tell!
So, I’ve been blogging and producing content for seven years now! As such, I have lot of stuff to share each week. I try to publish two new projects each week and I have no schedule at all! I’m always running to catch up!
Have a fantastic week!
Lynn
I began an email but it just disappeared? I saw on todays email from you a Mediterranean diet. Do you authorize this? I was charged $20 or a bit less for one month of daily diets. I plan to call my credit card company tonight.
Is this something I have to be aware of – like pop up ads?
Hi Doris,
You should not be charged for anything unless you sign up for it! I would definitely call your bank and stop the charges and see if they can investigate. Just viewing an ad does not give the information someone would need to charge your account.
I don’t control the ads that you see. In fact, everyone sees different ads…it is curious.
Keep me posted!
Hi Lynn,
It’s been a while. I’m reading your posts but not a lot of spare time to do much more. I do want to thank you for the discount stamps I got on Amazon. Our daughter just had their second little girl last Saturday morning. I had been watching Oakley, our other granddaughter while our daughter was working. Since she will be off work for a while, I’m playing catch up at home. About all I have time to do is read your posts but I do so love them. We have been busy doing gardening as well. Your garden looks amazing. We are just getting going on ours. Oh yes, we also got chicks this spring, so looking forward to fresh eggs. Blessings and keep up the good work. Love your posts. So much good information.
Carol
Good Morning Carol,
You are so welcome! I’m glad I was able to help you save money on postage! We all need to cut wherever we can.
I know you enjoyed soaking up time with Oakley! And congratulations! Sounds like your life is wonderfully full. All these projects will be there for you when time allows. And I’m so jealous about your chicks! We can’t have them in our neighborhood…but someday!
Have a wonderful day!
Hugs, Lynn