Art in My World

Can anything be more soothing to look at than Hydrangeas? I have lately added them to my gardens, even though they are in large pots. Haven't decided where exactly I want them. But for now, I just enjoy looking at them in all their splendor. Last year they were blooming, just as we left for the beach and I foolishly cut off all the blooms thinking I could dry them. It didn't work. They were a mess when I got home. So I am thinking, how does one dry hydrangea blooms? I would like to try again. I know nothing is the same as fresh blooms, but to be able to save a bit of that color for the barren winter months! Has anyone ever tried painting them? I don't recall ever seeing a painting of this plant. the painting wouldn't be subtle with a riot of color. The blues, and violets, the cream, it could be quite lovely, I think.

Spent the day in the garden this morning. The clouds kept the weather on the cooler side so it was quite enjoyable. I love the month of May down here in the deep South. The weather is still pleasant and the garden is all young and fresh. The weeds have not take n over and it is a joy to walk around the plants and smell their heady aroma s. My mints all need to be harvested again and dried for future use. This will be the second harvest already. I have already dried 1/2 gallon of various mint varieties for making my mint melange tea, and today I picked a bunch, I mean , a bunch of peppermint and made peppermint hydrosol and peppermint extract. The hydrosol is a very cooling liquid. I use it to make a wonderful soothing and cooling stress relief lotion. It can also be sprayed onto my skin for all the hot flashes I experience.  After making the above, I headed out to the garden once more and finally planted my leggy calendula seed lings. Starting plants from seed is a bit time con

Another wonderful recipe courtesy of Tablespoon.com. Ok, this recipe does have sugar in it and rum, but the picture and ingredients made this dish look so delicious, I had to post! Yes, my posts on this blog have been all about cooking lately. I long to get back to painting, but there just has not been the time. Maybe soon. The season just might not be for now. My paints are all still out staring at me each day, wondering if I will pick them up and play, but my days seem rather full of other things. Still, the desire is there.... Ingredients 4 bone-in pork loin chops (about 2 lb) 1 teaspoon salt

Courtesy of Tablespoon , this recipe is not only easy, but oh! so good. Crock-pots are the best! Making barbecue brisket for a crowd is easy, thanks to this set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker technique. Ingredients 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon celery salt 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 4 to 5 lb fresh beef brisket (not corned beef) 1 1/2 cups ketchup 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 3/4 cup low-sodium beef, chicken or vegetable broth or water Directions In small bowl, mix brown sugar, chipotle chili powder, cumin, celery salt, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Spray inside of 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place brisket in slow cooker; rub mixture all over brisket. In another small bowl, mix 3/4 cup of the ketchup, the appl

I have always liked English Muffins growing up as a child, toasted with a bit of butter. But like most processed items in the grocery store, I noticed my store bought muffins could last months on the counter without molding, and they just did not taste good anymore. So, I found this easy recipe for my English Muffins. You will need a good mixer, like a Kitchen-Aid. With a good mixer, this really is a pretty easy way to make the dough. Also, buy some English Muffin Rings from King Arthur Flour Company. They make creating muffins a snap, and they help the dough rise higher. You can also use them to make the perfect round poached egg for an Egg McMuffin. Though, you can cook these muffins in a skillet, I prefer to use a non-stick griddle. With this item you can cook 6 muffins at a time. 1 cup warm water (115°) 1 tsp. sugar 1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast 2 cups all-purpose flour 2-3 Tbsp. butter, melted 1 tsp. salt 6 Tbsp. yellow cornmeal 1. In the bowl of a freestanding mixer s

I love March down South. The days are getting longer, flowers are starting to pop up all over the yard, (even though some are weeds), and seeds can be planted in flats. I go about trying to uncover my gardens and planning to plant far too much for me ever to take care of.  But I love the smells herbs can bring and I love how they can change an ordinary dish into something spectacular. I love growing flowers that can also be used for medicine. The coming of Spring is a magical time.   I forgot where I purchased it, but sometime in the winter I saw this garden stool. Anyone who has weeded knows that the back can only take so many hours of weeding.  This week I took this collapsible stool out of its box and gave it a try. Perfect! Weeding can be therapeutic if one is comfortable. There is a sense of accomplishment when the garden is exposed after being covered by weeds all winter. This stool has pockets for tools, is small enough to fit in confined places and can be collapsed fo

These biscuits are from a cookbook I found at Costco: Clean Eating With a Dirty Mind by Vanessa Barajas.  Every recipe I have tried in this book has been scrumptious and Paleo-Friendly.  Because of the starches she adds to this recipe, it is not SCD complient, but if you are symptom free, you probably could eat these and not be bothered.  Since maple sugar can be expensive I made it from maple syrup using a simple recipe in this book.  Also, I keep a large roll of parchment paper h2andy for the many recipes that require it. Try these, they are flaky, buttery and nutty. 2 cups sifted fine-ground almond flour 1/4 cup potato starch 1 tablespoon maple sugar (or an additional tablespoon of honey) 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 8 tablespoons cold butter; cubed 1 large egg 1 tablespoon raw honey 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup arrowroot flour for dusting 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment

 My husband loves apple turnovers for breakfast.  If  I don't provide him something sweet, he will go to a gas station and pick up something filled will chemicals and preservatives.  So I saw this recipe in a magazine while shopping for food and gave it a try today.  With a bread machine, it came together quite easily.  My hubby will be pleased for days and days! 3/4 cup milk 1 egg slightly beaten 1/4 cup butter, melted 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 3 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp. active dry yeast The best way to combine the above ingredients is in the order listed into a bread machine pan.  Use the dough setting to mix dough, then allow to sit in bread machine pan until doubled in size.  This is quick and easy, but if you don't have a bread machine, you can follow the directions below. 1.  In a small saucepan heat milk just until warm (105°F to 115°F). In a large bowl combine warm milk and yeast; stir until yeast is dissolved.  Let stand 5 minutes. 2. 

I am in love with shawls and find their delicate beauty addictive.  This three paneled shawl used a wool and silk blend sock yarn.  It has a unique collar section and the three panels, instead of the normal two, help this shawl sit nicely on the shoulders.   This Shaw comes from the following book: The pattern I used is called The Sparrow Sock-Yarn Shawls II

I thought this idea looked interesting, brought to you from the Cultures for Health website.  I haven't tried it yet, but thought it might be something to try, for all those coffee lovers out there.  Let me know if any of you try it. Kombucha coffee provides an alternative both to your regular kombucha and your morning coffee. When using a scoby to make kombucha coffee, there are some special considerations to keep in mind... Special Considerations When Making Kombucha Coffee: Coffee is very acidic, therefore starter kombucha tea or vinegar is not required  Use a spare kombucha culture. Once a culture is used to make kombucha coffee, it should not be used to brew batches of kombucha tea. Because coffee contains oils, it is possible for rancidity to occur. Watch your batch closely and limit fermentation time to only what is necessary to achieve the desired taste. Never consume any kombucha that looks, tastes or smells unpleas