A Gorgeous Herb Garden

Pin It

We’ve been planting away this spring, getting a humble little herb garden planted before the summer heat arrives (surprise, it’s here! Today will be 102!), hoping that having fresh foods at our fingertips will inspire some more healthful eating. Tomatoes are popping, mint and basil are growing like weeds, and I can’t wait to start cooking up some of this garden fresh goodness.

budding tomato plant in the garden

Below are some of my favorite finds for a dream herb garden. (And I say “dream” herb garden, because let’s be honest – the gardening that happens at my house ends with dirt in my hair, and usually involves an old recycled plastic ice cream gallon bucket being used to tote my rusty garden tools around.)  But again, a girl can dream…

wooden herb garden tags

Handmade wooden herb garden  plant tags from Mile Nine.

blacksmithing gardening hand tools set

Heirloom-quality gardening hand tool set from Fisher Blacksmithing.

rustic watering can

Decorative rustic watering can from Haven Vintage.

table manners burlap placemats

Table manners burlap place mats from One Kings Lane.

rustic red garden birdhouse

Rustic handmade birdhouse from Bacon Square Farm.

brookstone copper hose pot and lid

 Copper pot and lid for hiding the garden hose from Brookstone.

kitchen herb mill

Kitchen hand herb mill from Master Gardening. Continue reading

Engagement Photos in the Orange Groves

Pin It

rustic wedding - engagement photos

For this Texas farm girl and my Nebraska farm boy, it was a no-brainer to take our engagement photos in the wide open spaces. We picked the orange groves on one of the pretty spring days of the year in late March, with the smell of orange blossoms all around, and had so much fun with our incredibly talented (and patient!) photographer Kristen Swanson.

0064

rustic wedding - orange grove engagement photos

rustic wedding - orange grove engagement photos

Can you believe I get to marry this handsome guy?!  Lucky girl.

engagement photos in orange groves

Continue reading

Rustic Finds for a Cloudy Day

Pin It

Beautiful blues and greys, all handmade finds on Etsy.

vintage rustic wool stool

Vintage rustic wool stool by Vintage Haven

handprinted bird tea towel

Hand-printed bird kitchen tea towel by Pony and Poppy

frosty nature photograph

Frosty nature photograph by Karina

rustic wooden crate

Rustic wooden crate from Haven Vintage

felt hair bows

Stitched felt hair bows by Loft Full of Goodies

circle infinity scarf

Circle infinity scarf from Viola’s Boutique

rurstic kitchen decor vintage flour sifterRustic kitchen decor, vintage flour sifter from TFD on Etsy

Continue reading

Hummingbird Cupcakes

Pin It

Hummingbird cupcakes recipe

For one of our monthly Supper Club sessions, which I look forward to every month, I brought Hummingbird Cupcakes adapted from this delicious Taste of Home recipe.

Hummingbird cupcakes recipeCupcake Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 whole mashed ripe banana
  • 2/3 cup drained canned crushed pineapple
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flaked coconut
  • 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Frosting Ingredients:

  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3-3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon almond butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Continue reading

Because You’ll Never Regret Being Nice

Pin It

As if the fact that it’s Friday wasn’t enough to cheer me up, here’s a little hidden gem that I came through my Facebook feed this morning.

operation nice

Operation Nice… a site dedicated to making others happy with the simple concept of niceness. Here, blogger Melissa Morris  posts motivational tips such as “88 Ways To Make a Stranger Smile”, shares inspirational stories her readers have shared with her, and takes on the overall ambitious goal of making the world just a little bit NICER.  Good for her!  I’m a new fan and can’t wait to make this site a regular stop.

Here’s what she says about her site:

Don’t you love it when people go out of their way to be nice? Like when someone waits to hold the door for you. Or when a stranger waves you into a line of traffic. Or even when a coworker shoots you a friendly smile along with a “have a nice day.” If everyone was a little bit nicer to the folks they encountered each day, perhaps the world would be a more pleasant place. Operation NICE was initiated to remind you that a little NICE goes a long way.

 

Whole Wheat Cranberry Banana Bread

Pin It

whole wheat cranberry banana bread recipe

Banana bread has always been a staple in our home, and my mom always has a fresh batch coming out of the oven when we come to visit. Here’s one of my favorite recipes. Hope you enjoy!

Whole Wheat Cranberry Banana Bread Recipe

southern recipe: wheat cranberry banana bread ingredients

Ingredients:

  • whole wheat cranberry banana bread recipe1 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup Craisins

Continue reading