Spring Garden 3

Many of you will get sick of garden talk and pictures of little green things. To that I say, tough! I posted pictures of dirt a few days ago. As of yesterday we are actually seeing some progress! They are even bigger today! It is always so exciting to find little frail seedlings peeking through their damp, dirt cocoon. I have been obsessing about keeping the seed wet and making sure they were warm. It is nice to see a little payoff.




Here is my garden hero! He does all the hard work.

Just look at the expert way he breaks apart the dirt.

But this is my favorite thing that he does!

Spring Garden 2

So I am a little late. No, no, it is not what you are thinking. I am late planting my seeds. My plan was to plant last week. I don't know why but things just don't go according to plan around here. So tonight I finally did it! I started my tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and a few different flowers. I planted then I prayed. I know that whatever comes up is by the Father's hand. It amazes me that he has given us seed and the ability to grow food and beauty. Have you ever thought about that? Flowers really have no purpose. They are just beautiful.

My planting began with seeds!!!! Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co. was introduced to me by my darling friends the Emmitts. Get the seed catalog just to look at. It is one of my favorite winter activities. Additionally, they have some really unique varieties and a cool story to tell. Here is the link http://rareseeds.com/blog/



Now I know this looks just like wet dirt in an egg carton. But just wait. I hope!


This, my friends, will be teaming with little green life in a few weeks. I can't wait to show you. I pray!


This is one of the bigger planting projects going on at our home. Trees! Plus a few grasses and shrubs! Look at Asher and his daddy work.



So I know it was freezing and we were all wearing jackets but we had our first meal outside this week! Gooooooooooo Spring!


Finally, oh my goodness. This makes a mama melt and fall into a puddle of goo. Not gross goo but sweet, little, chubby baby in my heart goo.


Blessings to you all and may Yod Hey Vav Hey be with you this Passover season. Shalom!

Spring Garden 1

Oh joy and happiness! It is planting season again! I love the newness of all things green. I love the smell of dirt that has been cradled beneath a crust of winter. I just stinkin' love being outside! I want to share with you, what I do in my garden to prepare and grow the most wonderful of God's creation. Fooooooood!

This time of year is cool-weather crop planting and warm-weather seed starting. I am not quite ready to start seed but for the first time have planted onions, potatoes and garlic. I am very excited to see how they grow. You know, no matter how many seasons I plant, I am always amazed when stuff actually grows. It seems like magic. Not magic, just a Creator who is very consistent in his design. Amazing that a little seed will use dirt and water to make something delicious to nourish our bodies.
These are seed taters.

Now they are in their new dirt home!

These are onions. In a month I will pull up every other one for green onions and leave the rest with more space for bulbing.

Here they are in the really not straight row that I lovingly planted. Who cares about straight?


Here are some other spring beauties to enjoy. I hope all of you are considering doing even a pot of herbs. If you can start small you can build as you learn. I add something new every year!







Doesn't he look like a child from the old days? I just loved this.

And here he is. I just love him too!


Tell me what you are planting this year!!! I would love to hear.

Shabbat food. A celebration!

So I am a foodie. I love all types of food. (I know someone reading this just said, "Yeah, we can tell by your round hiney." For shame!) I do not discriminate. Okay, so maybe I discriminate a little bit. I cannot stand prepackaged, bland, cafeteria style food. I crave food with a simple, fresh and delicious personality. So I love to use our celebration of the Sabbath as a chance to make things that I love. Tonight I am making a pot roast, mashed potatoes, simple cucumber salad, and challah. Dessert will be as American as apple pie. Okay, so it is apple pie. But it will be served with Blue Bell! And of course there will be wine for me and a beer for the hubby!

So this post will take you, my dear friends, through a bit of our Shabbat(Sabbath) meal preparations. Just don't linger too long or it might go straight to your hips!

This is my roast. I pat it dry, season it and sear it. Then I add a little water to the pan. I add onions, garlic, sage, oregano and thyme. I cover it or put it in a dutch oven, pop it in a 300 degree oven and cook the heck out of it! I am serious. If you want it to be tender you have to cook it for 6 plus hours. You won't be sorry. Just make sure it's covered or you will be sorry. Does pot roast dust mean anything to you?



Then we have the serious part. (It's bread and that is always the serious part around here.) Challah. My family has grown to love this traditional Jewish Sabbath bread. It is a simple recipe but becomes special when it is braided, egg washed and bespeckled with sesame seeds. It is a huge loaf that is promptly devoured by my grubby little munchkins. I wish you all could smell the yeasty yummy bread smell coming from my kitchen right now!




The potatoes are easy. Boiled and mashed. This time I put 5 small red potatoes with the roast. I'm going to mash them in with the rest of the potatoes along with some of the drippings from the meat. Also I like to use REAL butter and some cream. Sometimes when I am feeling frisky I use sour cream! Yum!




The salad is much better in the summer with fresh veggies. But I love the crispness and acidity of this dish. Slice sweet onions, tomatoes and cucumbers. Make a dressing of apple cider vinegar, olive oil, a little sugar, salt and pepper and pour it over the veggies. Let it marinate all day and enjoy!




Mmmm, apple pie. So good with some homemade vanilla Blue Bell. Crazy good.



Here are the Shabbat lights that are kindled for us to remember our Adonai and obey Him.


And here is a plate of Shabbat goodness.


And here is my family enjoying the meal and each other!


Shabbat Shalom!

PS-Here is my sous chef: