Mar 24, 2010

Spring At Last

A good spring morning to you....or shall I say "a good spring evening" since I'm just NOW getting to blog after one extremely wonderfully fulfilling day in the sunshine. :) The day started off with well rested kids and snuggling on the couch....an episode or two of Clifford the Big Red Dog and a steaming cup of Folgers for mama. Heaping bowls of Cascadian Farms O's were downed with a dousing of milk...and then off to the great outdoors.
A lovely sign of spring was found standing tall and brilliant blue in the midst of green grass. Notice my hands....the dirt under my fingernails? A sign of hard work my friends...nothing a little soap and water can't take care off...and maybe a dab of lotion couldn't hurt too?

See that log lining my newly dug flowerbed? Yep - I put it there. Oh yah, see the previously mentioned freshly dug earth?Yes, yours truly. There are sunflowers, shasta daisies and zinnias...keep your fingers crossed for me if you will. I have never had much luck growing things but here's hoping.
This afternoon I went all over our yard looking for a good place to plant veggies this spring. Basically, our whole yard - front and back - is all clay. Horrible for growing strawberries and tomatoes. I did find one spot that was well drained - but of course it was about 5 feet from an electricity pole that the power company visits frequently (meaning once a month they drive their big truck through my yard and park right where i would LIKE to grow veggies.) There just seemed really no good place for me to garden except to make a few big boxes full of dirt....which could great pricey in a flash. Quite a predicament.
After pondering for a bit I noticed our neighbor was out getting some sun so I walked over to say hello. After a long talk about arthritis and allergies I was generously offered to grow whatever I want in their garden plot! I'm so excited because now I can just grow lots and lots of flowers around our house and then use a portion of their land for our vegetables. I think I saw every vegetable and fruit that has ever existed in my mind all at the same time...I felt a little fuzzy and almost started panicking thinking about the task at hand. I'm so excited but so very nervous to be actually planting a garden for the first time in my life. I know, I know - it's just dirt and all you have to do is try. I just get such high expectations and if everything withers and dies...just be looking for a post in about 3 months titled "Garden Failure/Reality Strikes".


Would you just look at this little Koala's rolls? Don't you just want to sprinkle him with sugar and eat him up?! Sugar overload baby!!! Tristan was overjoyed to be out in the sun shirtless for the first time in his little life...and I was overjoyed to just be able to snap photo after photo of his chubby goodness. Little side note...the blanket he's sitting on I got for my 6th birthday (my first birthday in Mexico.) Just a tidbit for you to remember lest we ever play "Alyssa Trivia"....




I baked bread today and was sadly disappointed that it didn't really rise. I've been using Extra Virgin Coconut Oil the last two times I've baked and this has been the result. Hmmm...it was still super tasty but the perfectionist side of me was rather "irked" to say the least. Mrs. Burks (aka Antonia) gave me her recipe for bread and it is DELICIOUS. If you like good bread...give it a try sometime...




Squirrel had a lovely day. Between running barefoot in the grass, helping shovel dirt...and filling her mouth with slice after slice of bread...she was exhausted come bed time. There's just nothing like a sunny day to bring smiles to little faces (and medium size ones...and large), nothing like fresh air to instill joy and entice laughter and play. Brady was on his airplane swing (thanks Grammy and Granddaddy) ALL DAY LONG. One moment he would be turning round and round screaming "I'm going faster and faster mom, byeeeeeeee!" Then the next moment he would be racing inside for some odd reason...only to come out in a sweatshirt. "What are you doing" I asked. "Oh...just needed my life jacket mom" he said, meanwhile pouring more *fuel* into the tank and hopping back on for another spin.






And before I sign off here...I wanted to share a recipe that I LOVE for it's simplicity and healthiness...not to mention it is 100% yummy. Here you are:
Springtime Granola (fitting name huh?)
4 cups of rolled oats
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
1/2 cup of chopped almonds
1/2 cup of craisins, 1/2 cup of flaked coconut
1 T of cinnamon
1/2 cup of honey
1/3 cup of oil (I use coconut or olive)
1/3 cup of warm water
Mix the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add wet ingredients (you can use half brown sugar, half honey if needed) and then spread evenly on a well greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for about 8 -10 minutes and stir (flip.) Bake for an additional 8 minutes. Watch closely so that it doesn't brown too much....it will crisp a little as it cools. Keep in airtight container. Happy healthy eating my friends.....




4 comments:

Toplovs said...

Didn't you use to have a garden before in your yard, right by the laundry line? What do you think you'll plant likely in this new garden?

What is the difference (health wise) between extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil? Could you not use olive oil for your bread instead? I've learned that there are just some things that MUST have real butter as olive oil tends to have a very distinct and strong flavor. That granola recipe sounds fantastic, so I'll be trying that out shortly. :)

Leat said...

I love the pics of your beautiful children! I have started soaking my ww flour the night before in some milk with a splash of lemon juice. Last time it became an overachiever in raising! So neat your neighbor offering their garden for you! I am the same way. The garden in my head is always bigger and better than in my reality!

Lesley said...

ooo it's getting warmer here not wuite warm enough for no jackets or shirts...
I too am going to hve to try the granola recipe sounds good

Grammy said...

So fun to hear the tales of Fighter Plane Pilot Brayden Corley! He's amazing!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...