Remodeling House

If you have been following this blog you will know we've been busy establishing our new square foot garden. Pictures of our square foot garden at our previous house can be found here and throughout the archives up to late June 2007 when we moved here. This garden has been 2 years in the making as we focused on clearing out a lot of overgrowth. The planned design is 4 - 4' x 10' raised beds and

I've already written about my love for repurposing objects like bowls, pots and pans as plant containers. One way to integrate these finds into the garden is to encourage a natural layer of moss to grow on them. This always works best where you have a shady spot to keep the pot once it's sporting a nice mossy finish.Recipe for Adding Moss to Pots1/2 cup of garden moss (This acts like a seed

This is a fast and easy summer dish. If you'd prefer, you can cook it on the grill instead of in the oven; just coat the fish with a little olive oil and butter, and clean/oil the grill.Baked Tilapia Ingredients6 Tilapia fillets1 tablespoon paprika1 tablespoon dried marjoram1/4 teaspoon red pepperJuice of 1/2 limeSaltBlack pepper2 tablespoon fresh chopped chivesFish Cold Sauce Ingredients1/3 cup

And what better way than with the very British "Pimms Cup".


The anglophile in me would naturally glom onto this summer staple of the highbrow set. Wimbledon proudly sells 80,000 half-pints each year. What is it you ask? Well really only three, yes three, people truly know. A well-kept secret since 1859. What we do know is that it is gin based, the Pimms No. 1, that is. Do not bother with #2, #3.................THIS IS THE FAVORED.



So, back to Eddie Ross ( notice how i keep bringing that up :-)

When we found out Eddie and Jaithan were coming to the shop I read that Eddie liked Pimms, in luck, my speciality! And many calls later asking for the recipe, here it is;




Per glass;

1 jigger Pimms No. 1
1 jigger white rum
ice
lemon soda, typically not found in the US, do not substitute ginger ale. Target sells lemon soda

and fruit, lots of fruit; cucumber spear (a must)
strawberries
orange
lemon
garnish with mint.

But..................

I prefer to make it in giant pitchers. Add to taste the ingredients, let the fruit sit for an hour or two and pour.

have a summer cocktail party, invite and make new friends, cheers!

A few thoughts for this warm weekend.How to Treat Mosquito BitesMosquitoes are coming out in force around my house. To help reduce the irritation of a mosquito bite, rub any of these household, garden or medicine cabinet substances on the bite: aloe vera, baking soda, a piece of sliced onion, vinegar, salt, or witch hazel. I've heard that toothpaste and bleach work too.

Iris vernaPictured is the Iris verna growing in one of our gardens. Iris verna is a beautiful, delicate looking wildflower that is hardy throughout Canada and the United States. It blooms in early spring. This clump forming iris is well behaved in the garden. Deer It reaches a maximum height of 12 inches at maturity making it an ideal border plant or as a statement plant. Iris verna grows

Lime Balm makes a light refreshing tea that will settle your stomach and help you relax. With its natural lime aroma, it's tasty both hot and cold. Although you can find dried lemon balm at your local health food outlet, you might have to get your garden implements out and grow a supply of lime balm yourself. Don't worry. It's easy to grow both indoors and out, and it can be used in tea either

Lime balm (Melissa officinalis ''lime") is a perennial herb that shares many characteristics with its cousin lemon balm. It is as easy to grow but has a distinct limey fragrance.Growing Lime Balm in the GardenLime balm is a half-hardy perennial that can add the aroma of lime to your dishes without the citrus. It likes dappled light and moist, fertile soil. Like its cousin, mint, lime balm can

For a wonderful photo of St. Johns Wort, visit Earth and Tree. Hedgewitch has a delightful blog and makes clay jewelry too. Her clay impressions of herb leaves are stunning little gems. I own one myself.If you love to eat what you grow, head over to How Stuff Works.com and read their article about edible landscaping. If you've ever resented the amount of space your lawn takes up, this article

Making your own organic herbal shampoo is simple and inexpensive. Best of all, you can tailor it to meet your own needs and tastes.Organic Herbal Shampoo RecipeTwo cups of distilled water1 1/2 tsp. Soapwort root*30 drops of essential oilDecorative bottleDirections for Organic Herbal ShampooBring water to a boilAdd soapwort root, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.Remove from heat and cool for

Smarten up your kitchen cabinets or wood furniture with baby oil. Just wipe it on, leave it for a few minutes, and then wipe off the residue. Make it part of a maintenance program by prepping your cabinets with a wood cleaning product like Murphy's Oil Soap first.

Because I'm a dedicated herber, I make my own polish using a cup of baby oil and lemon balm, lemon verbena, or lemon eucalyptus.

"In union there is strength"
Aesop


This year, 2009, is my 20th year in business. The learning curve was, and still is, huge. The rewards beyond measure. My company is my only child, my heart and soul. Gratitude is an enormous component, via my business I have made countless friends, lost a few, shared our lives and grown together. My blessings are counted daily.

And again, together, we will tough out the economy. Old patterns will be modified, I will learn to shift gears, you may see changes but that is the cycle of life. By and large I am happy to say we are "still in the game", thanks to you. But do I ever worry, absolutely, we all do.

A recently discovered organization has grabbed my attention, full on strength. Read below;


learn more here (or to read without a magnifying glass)


Together, those of us that can, have a responsibility to actively support our favorites. My three businesses are;

Town House Books and Cafe in St. Charles, Illinois. Here






Sandra Webster clothing in Geneva, Illinois. Here




Moveable Feast in Geneva, Illinois. Here

I hope you enjoyed this morning's Summer Solstice. It was early, so the possums probably beat you to it! Today will be the longest day and shortest night of the year. If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, this is the Winter Solstice, an interesting factoid associated with living on a sphere.If you enjoy camping, take a look at this humorous piece at the National Parks Traveler site about naked

Growing your own saffron (Crocus Sativus) is easier than you think and can add some spicy and refined taste to your dishes. Pound for pound, saffron is the most expensive spice in the world.Don't confuse it with Indian saffron, an inexpensive substitute, the red threads and distinctive yellow saffron flavoring you can extract from them is a subtle and unique flavor that you'll develop a taste

Organic Farming and Compostingcartoon courtesy of SeppoHappy Gardening!Garden Gnome©2006-2009

Over the past weekend we worked on two new raised garden beds (more here). The beds are being created while we are continuing to rip out existing vegetation so the new beds were not planned using Garden Manager software mainly because the beds were going in late spring. I would have to reboot in Windows as well since this software is not Mac compatible. I've been using the combined with

Distilled water is water that has been evaporated and then cooled back to a liquid. During the process of transforming into a gas, chemicals and microorganisms are left behind and the final product is clean and pure. Distilled water typically has a neutral pH (7.0) because most solids in water are heavier than a water molecule and won't piggyback onto the vapor.In herbal recipes, distilled

For a taste of the subtle pleasures of a spring garden, try fried zucchini blossoms. You won't find these in the grocery store. They're a special reward for the vegetable gardener. So enjoy one of those unique payoffs for all your hard work.

Fried Zucchini Flower Recipe

6 Zucchini blossoms
1/2 C flour
Pinch Salt
Pinch Pepper
1/4 C Olive oil
2 Pats butter
1 Egg
1 Tbsp Water

Directions for

Gardening is one of those activities that come with a lot of risk. You plant your seeds and seedlings then with a bit of tending you hope for the best. Many a gardener has woke to find their carefully planted garden destroyed by hungry rabbits or deer. Gardens are often raided by marauding four legged and two legged thieves. As if that is bad enough the gardener is faced with adverse weather

New SFG BedsJune 16, 2009Little did we know when we moved here 2 years ago we would be spending a good portion of our gardening time ripping out vegetation overgrowth. Our property had been over planted in a willy nilly fashion without regards as to growing conditions in certain parts or how the plants would mature or what problems some plants would create. It was so over grown we could not see

Making your own rose wine can be a hoot. It takes a while, but like making beer, especially if you like to experiment with the recipe like I do, you never know quite what you're going to end up with.The nice thing about rose and dandelion wines, as well as other seasonal wines and liqueurs, is that they distill a season. In winter, when you're shivering your way to the mailbox, you can think

The RabbitJune 5, 2009Wild rabbits are the bane of many gardens. In a very short period of time they can strip your seedlings down to nothing forcing you to replant if there is time. This is my third garden dealing with rabbits and while I have written about them before on this blog (here) I am taking a bit more of a natural and laid back approach to dealing with them here. We are on

Laurette Grove, shown above, is a volunteer on one of the trips to Africa. Helping women and children in impoverished nations seek medical care and an education. Funding additionally helps build wells, an amazing resource for a region. Here is what I personally admire; 100% of the proceeds goes to their foundation, 100%!

The following snaps are peeks into the grand beauty of this property. As a garden tour guide in England I have to say this setting rivals many of the famous gardens of England.


In addition to the garden tours enjoy the market of quality vendors, such as Scentimental Gardens! Find a bargain at their upscale flea market, enjoy lunch in the garden.........be inspired.
To learn more visit here.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has"
-Margaret Mead

Join me for a demonstration on creating garden party tablescapes. Friday and Saturday at 1pm

I take a perverse pleasure in finding ways to recycle grocery store produce and grow it in my garden. You'd think I'd stop being so tickled and indulge my curiosity some other way than by sticking a little piece of root in a pot to see what happens. My nephew once started a sunflower from a seed he stuck in the office ficus on a dare. No one was more surprised than he was when it sprouted.Here

If you have not heard the term ribbit it refers to ripping out mistakes in knitting. Today we are doing a major ribbit in preparation for the permanent vegetable beds. Yes we are a bit late but it's been a cold, rainy spring here. So stay tuned for our progress.Happy Gardening!Garden Gnome©2006-2009

Where dandelions are concerned, if you can't beat them, eat them.Adding a few dandelion greens to your favorite pasta salad is a fast and easy way to give your salad some nutritional muscle.Dandelion Salad Recipe3 cups cooked shell pasta2 Hard boiled eggs, chopped fine1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved1 cup Dandelion greens, steamed, cooled, and chopped3 Scallions, chopped fine6 Black olives, rough

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is good for you, and even if you hate it in the yard, its bitter taste can be addictive. Remember, when you drank your first beer or glass of wine, you probably thought that was bitter too.Dandelion Flower Tea Recipe8 Dandelion flowers12 oz. Boiling waterHoney or sugar to tasteInstructions for brewing Dandelion TeaPour boiling water over flowers and let steep for

Dream Houses

There is a site for buying and selling historic homes in all price ranges. Here are a few that caught my eye. Here



Lambertville, Pa.
Stone house overlooking the Delaware River. Newly renovated kitchen and bathrooms,
and 5 fireplaces!
$1,495,000.00



Gettysburg, Pa.
Revolutionary and Civil War period stone and log home on 5+ acres
Bid for auction


Vernet Les Bains, France
6 bedrooms in the foothills of the Pyrennes by Perpignon. Walk to the Mediterranean.
$483,000.00 USD

Lynchburg, Virginia
1875, 1191 s.f.
Possession of Va. housing authority and in Homesteading program. Comply with their renovation standards and this could be yours.
$1.00
Yes, a buck, house and land!


Eddie......sigh...........stay tuned!

I was delighted by an article I read yesterday on The New York Times website feed. It's entitled: The Joy of Less. If you have a second, take a look.

It seems that many of my gardening adventures, and even the projects that result from my gardening, are a search for beauty in simple things, an alliance with nature, and a celebration of the natural world. Sometimes, close to evening, the

Harvest young leaves in spring and process for different teas.Black Tea - Taken from new growth in spring.Bruise leaves by rubbing them between your palms. They should discolor to a reddish brown.Spread them in a single layer on a tray and let them air dry from two to three days.Apply heat by placing the partially dried leaves in a 250 Degree F oven for 20 minutes. The best approach for uniform

Originally tea was produced from the Camellia sinensis plant, a variety of camellia. Tea has been cultivated in China for centuries (2009 estimates put it at around 5,000 years).Standard teas, not herbal infusions made from other types of herbs and plants, are processed using a number of steps to make the varieties you're probably used to like: green, black and oolong. Processing is one of the

You don't have to buy essential oil to get the fragrance and benefits of lavender oil in your bath, sachet, and even in your cooking. Use your fresh lavender buds to make an olive oil infused mixture you can use for anything from a sleep aid (topically) to a moisturizer that will help reduce the appearance of stretch marks.

Lavender Oil Recipe

1-1/2 to 2 Cups Lavender buds or flowers
1-1/2

Peppers don't take up much space in the garden, but provide a good per-plant harvest and can be used in lots of different ways. You can also employ some creative preservation methods that will offer tantalizing options for using peppers in winter dishes.The Old Farmer's Almanac has some good advice today for growing large bell peppers. This is also good advice for growing most garden peppers:

Boardwalk Shops filling up!

New Fire Station Going up!
New store with a cool face!

If you've ever limped through a hot, humid day lusting for a cool and really refreshing drink, this is the one. Green tea is full of antioxidants and ginger is a great restorative. Both mint and ginger are good for an unsettled stomach too. This is my tea of choice from the beginning of July through the end of August.When you make it, be prepared to fight for what's left in the pitcher. It's

One great advantage to keeping sage in the garden is being able to use fresh, young sage leaves in saltimbocca, an Italian favorite. Although my recipe doesn't use veal, it's still delicious, with an earthy and herby flavor that will sing the praises of your garden without you saying a single word.Herbed Chicken Saltimbocca Recipe6 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to 1/2 inch thick)6

I paid a visit to Junk Market Style this morning for a look at all of Janice Gurney's wonderful makeshift planters. I have to admit that I think just about anything can make a wonderful pot or decorative cachepot.When I was a kid, we had plant pots on every windowsill, on our porches, crowding the sides of the stone steps leading up to the front door, and even sharing some of the steppingstones

There must be lots of people out there plagued with bed bugs. I certainly get my share of requests for information about getting rid of these pests naturally. One interesting trend I'm seeing is from people who just want to make sure that they're protected when they go to sleep at night. They're usually sleeping away from home and don't want to make a fuss. They just want to avoid getting

In spring, there's nothing better than a refreshing herbal ice tea in the afternoon. My favorite way to brew ice tea is with fresh herbs, but if you only have dried, that works too.Lavender Ice Tea2 Tbsp. Lavender flowers (1 tablespoon dry)1 Tbsp. Lemon balm (1 teaspoon dry, or one lemon slice)1 Tbsp. Mint (1 teaspoon dry, applemint is best, but spearmint works well too)3 Tbsp. HoneyDirections

DandelionMay 29, 2009If you haven't seen a dandelion in your yard then you either don't have a yard or your yard is chemically treated. The Ontario Pesticide Ban is now in effect so some consumers are now concerned they will not be able to control weeds in the yards. Round-up® a chemical herbicide that some relied on heavily can now only be used to control poison ivy and you have to sign a

So, why does your cat react to catnip?The short answer is that no one knows exactly, although we do know that the nepetalactone in catnip can have a powerful reaction in the brains of cats that are susceptible.Not all cats exhibit the characteristic euphoria we associate with catnip exposure, but the 70 to 80 percent that do are probably reacting to what their systems believe is a cat pheromone,

Catnip is known by a number of names, including catswort, catmint, and even field balm. It's a perennial in the mint family that's best known for its ability to drive cats wild, but before you use all your catnip on kitty, consider the medicinal uses for catnip that you might be able to take advantage of.Catnip contains nepetalactone, a natural sedative that can help you relax and get to sleep at

If one of your cats loves catnip, you're probably hooked on this easy-to-grow perennial. Catnip (Nepeta cataria as well as other Nepeta species) is actually part of the mint family. It grows like a weed in some areas, and has an untidy habit, spreading quickly to take up any available space. Most catnip varieties grow to a height of about three to four feet, and plants can get top-heavy with

Just a gentle reminder that you should be on the lookout for Japanese beetles in your garden around this time. Once you spot a couple, act quickly. These first visitors are scouts that can make all the difference in how many beetles will be snacking on your plants this summer. The picture says it all.

Advance scout beetles mark territories as good feeding grounds for others to follow. Once

Watch this man! Eddie Ross (Bravo's TOP DESIGN, Martha Stewarts Senior Style Editor, House Beautiful style editor)

He is a force of talent in so many arenas; entertaining, design, floral, antiquing, repurposing, crafting.......etc, etc.

AND....Eddie and his partner, the additionally talented Jaithan Kochar, are coming to Chicago, the Kane County flea market in particular.
Saturday, June 6th, these genuinely nice guys will guide many of us through the market with their keen eye. I am beyond excited and open to "seeing" with new eyes.




His showcase at the New Orleans Home and Garden Show

Searching at the Scott's antique market

A clever creation from his flea market find


A few sprigs of baby fern bring a table setting to life. Simple and elegant



Another of Eddie's tablescapes. The drama of the forsythia branches are pulled thru-out the setting with the yellow tones in the bakelite utensils and the underlying tablecloth





You will see this man everywhere, soon. Sign up for Eddie's blog to be inspired and to stay in touch. When he comes to Chicago again you too can join Eddie and Jaithan.
will post photo's next week :-)

The idea of a healthy pizza may seem like an oxymoron, but it doesn't have to be. Make your own pizza and create a pie that's better for you.The New York Times has a timely, no pun intended, piece on pizza making that you should hang on your refrigerator this spring and summer. Pizza is a dish that can be easy to make and it also makes a great meal on the go.For a healthier offering, try a thin

You may be keeping a patch of catnip (Nepeta cataria) in the garden for a feline friend, but watching intoxicated hijinks may not be the only human use for this perennial herb. Catnip, or catmint, has shown promise in repelling termites too.A 2003 study conducted by the USDA-Forest Service found that catnip oil was effective in repelling and even killing termites. The oil they used was a