In the meantime

Because we knew we wouldn’t be travelling a lot this summer, we decided to do a little gardening.  Most of our plants are still pretty small (our garden kind of got a late start) but it has been such fun to go out each day and see how much everything has grown!  If everything grows and produces well, we’re going to have a lot of fresh veggies and fruit to use up, as we planted  lettuce, cilantro, cucumbers, squash, sugar peas, tomatoes, green peppers, watermelon, canteloupe, zucchini, and arugula. I know the squash and zucchini will grow like they’re on steroids. Duh. (And Isaac broke the #1 zucchini rule: never plant more than 1 seed.  Yep, he planted a whole row of zucchini.  Help!!)  If you have some killer ways to fix zucchini & summer squash, please send them this way!  What I’m really hoping for is a good crop of tomatoes and green peppers.  Mmmm…  Because they’re so pricey in the...

…I have been learning a few things.  Over the last month and a half, Isaac and I have laughed over various things as we set up house and figure out life together as a couple. Here are a few tips for those of you who are not married yet: 1.  It is not always worth it to go for the cheapest quality in order to save money.  Even though many times one cannot tell any difference between a name brand product and a generic brand product, at least in the area of can openers, do not skimp.  I now have two different kinds of can openers in the kitchen drawer, and neither one works.  I am now forced to resort to the faithful Leatherman.  2.  There is a reason for those sometimes intricate, sometimes simple, designs on silverware: It helps that spoon, fork, and occasional knife, from sliding down the edge of the plate and into your food or off the plate.  Trust me—I speak from experience.   3.  Do not try baking while the sun beats outside....

I have recently become {somewhat} hooked on Pinterest.  It is fun to have at one's fingertips so many ideas on how to become an efficient cook and homemaker, ultimate Do-It-Yourself-er, and maybe even a successful seamstress.  The resources are plentiful...and seem practically bottomless.   I don't know if anyone else has this feeling, but I have the problem of never really getting around to actually trying out the ideas and seeing if they work! Well, about three years ago, I fell in love with {scarves} (Well, I have also fallen in love with Isaac Stanley, but that wasn't quite three years ago and the story would require its own post!)  Anyway, when my aunt gave me my first scarf from Afghanistan--a long, narrow, black crocheted-type scarf with specks of green and pink, as well as little sequins-- I smiled and politely said "thank you," while inside, I thought, "What in the world am I going to do with this?!?"   Ahh, that scarf has since become one of my...