Hi There,

We were out of town last weekend, so I'm making my "Sunday Night Post" ....Wednesday afternoon. 


In the Yard:

 The past week has been kind of rainy around here so I don't have too much to update.  Here are a few highlights: 


This is our lovely nectarine tree!  It was a baby shower gift from my friend, Chelsey!  We cannot wait to taste the fruit this year!  (notice the topped tree across the street?  grumblegrumblegrumble...)

FINALLY some broccoli rabe is coming up!  I heard that brocc will grow in any soil and with almost complete neglect.  It has been almost 3 weeks since I planted and was starting to have grave doubts about my newbie gardening skills.  I also see hints of peas (which I'll try to grow up the wall of the garden shed...) and lettuce.  

In the House:

The exciting news on the bathroom reno project is that we picked out our tile!  This was a first for me and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.  We took advantage of a clearance sidewalk sale for the main tile (cheeep @ 49 cents/sq ft..) and then had fun finding an accent tile.  Here's what we're going with:

*the NOT so exciting news is that we're going to hold off starting the reno for a month or two because of some big purchases (plane tickets for a family reunion, new carseat for quickly growing baby...etc.)  Plus, we're building a shed for my parents and that has to be done asap.  :-)  Small house....even smaller budget means we get to play the "priorities" game.  *smile*

In the Kitchen:

So my plan was to take some pictures of the yummy food I knew I was going to be enjoying during my weekend in Seattle...but I just plumb forgot.  Soooo...this is what we had on Monday night:


Beef Barley Stew

I tend to buy small amounts of barley because we just don't go through it fast enough.  ...not really sure why; we all love it!  

In a pot, I threw together: 

1 onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs brandy (it just makes beef dishes DELISH!)
1 tsp dried oregano (or any other spices that sound good to you..)
salt (to taste...it depends on what kind of stock you're going to add later...)
pepper, to taste

*I didn't have any other veggies on hand...remember...it's a MONDAY evening after a busy weekend and baby is a whine bucket.
And at this point, you should add your ground beef.  I totally forgot (despite the name of the recipe) and threw it in AFTER adding:

1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes and juice
4 cups beef stock
1/2 cup pearl barley

 Basically, I boiled the beef...which turned out to be a good thing for a newbie eater. 

Simmer for an hour or so, and enjoy:

I like mine with plain yogurt.  Steve likes his with Parmesan cheese.  Owen likes his, well, in a small bowl....and it turns out he didn't really like all that tomato action.  *sigh*


See you next week!

 Hi There,

Well, projects abound at Holly's House.  I think Spring does this to us.  Or maybe it's the nice weather...
Who knows...I guess I'm just looking for someone to blame beside ourselves for buying a 'fixer-upper'.  Here are a few highlights!  

 
In the Yard:

We have needed to prune our huge sycamore tree since we moved in.

 And after a few calls to local arborists and receiving $800-$1500 quotes (ack!), Steve decided to take matters into his own hands.  I tend to think that there are reasons why you pay people to climb 65ft trees and properly trim them, but Steve thinks otherwise.  He did a few hours of online research, enlisted a co-worker to help, purchased a chainsaw attachment for his weedwacker, and considered himself a-okay for the job.

This is our "halfway done" shot:

Okay...so there's not much noticeable difference, but there is only so much that two guys and one ladder can reach in one Saturday.  Also, as you can see from the skeleton tree, it was topped a long time ago (don't get me started on how much I HATE that!....) and will never be a healthy tree again.  *sigh*

 That's what our yard looked like.  Again, this picture was taken halfway through the day...  Today, Steve cut all the branches up and organized them in three different piles:  Small, Medium, and Large.  This is VERY Steve.  I sure love this guy.  The Large branches and logs went next door to our new neighbors to use in their woodstove.  The Small and Medium branches are going to my parents property where we will have a bonfire!! (Hi Mom, can we bring our branches over to burn on your property?)   

The main thing was to get much of the dead branches that were caught in the tree and thin out the canopy close to the house.
I'd say mission accomplished for the year.....maybe next year we will rent a boom-truck!!!

The House:

I thought I'd use this week to post the official "Before" picture of our bathroom.  We tend to deal with projects around the house as they become a true necessity.  Our bathroom looks nice on the surface...

However, we have a number of problems:
-a leak under the tub.
-mold behind the shower surround.  Ick.
-ants that are attracted to the mold and water behind the shower surround.
-an improperly installed linoleum floor with some water damage.  

Sooooo.....we are going to DIY the heck out of this room. 
Updates are to follow. 


The Kitchen: 

I make French bread a lot because it is sooo satisfying and sooo easy with a bread machine.  I must confess that I have yet to attempt breadmaking without one of those GREAT machines. 

1.  On Friday night, I used the "dough" setting on machine.  In the morning, I pulled it out, coated with a little olive oil and placed in a covered bowl to rise.  After a few piano lessons, this is what it looked like.  You can see an indentation remains when pressed. 

  2.  I pulled the dough out of the bowl and rolled to a 1/4" thick on a floured surface.  I know some people don't believe in using a rolling pin, but I do.  *smile*

 3.  I use a knife to cut the dough into two somewhat equal parts. 

 4. Roll them up, starting with the outer edges. 

5.  Place on a cookie sheet and make a few slashes with a knife.  Personally, this is my FAVORITE step!  Fancy Shmancy!  I should have greased the sheet or used parchment paper....I forgot. 

6.  Cover, let rise for a half hour or so...then brush with an egg yolk.  Pretty!

7.  Bake and YUM!!  (*you can see that I was careful with the egg wash because I was afraid of gluing the bread to the pan...)

Well, that's it for my weekly update.  I'm looking forward to the first full week of spring! 
Bye!

A Few Introductions

Last night, I hit "post" before I was done.  Opps. 
In the future, I'm going to try and aim for a Sunday night posting of the previous week's home and garden highlights. 

And now for a few introductions: 

Meet Holly: 

She's the essential accessory to any home and garden activity around here.  I'm pretty sure she thinks she's supervising.  But seriously, we really lucked out with this cat.  I got her for free at the local vet clinic almost 3 years ago.  She was the last kitten left of a litter of SUPER beautiful long haired pointed 5 week old kittens.  She was the only one with a more random coat pattern and short hair.  I had to have her...and I brought her home without asking Steve.  He's a dog person.  Good thing he likes me!!  However, she turned out to be a perfect compromise.  She the most social (dog-like) cat I've ever met.  She fetches and goes for walks with us, as well as entertains the baby immensely.  We love her. 

Meet the House: 

It's an 850 sq ft 1949 post war cottage.  2 bedrooms, 1 bath.  We love it for:  its neighborhood, the big yard, its affordability, and beautiful established sycamore and birch in the front yard.  We struggle with:  the small size, the big yard, the maintenance that comes with living in an older house. 

Purchased 2 1/2 years ago, we have done the following projects: 
*all new siding (DIY-the old siding was painted cedar shingles which were in terrible condition)
*all new windows
*built a garden shed
*painted entire interior (except bathroom)
*replaced dishwasher and washing machine (when existing ones pooped out on us)

Meet the Yard:

I don't have any good pictures of the back yard at this point, so you'll have to use your imagination.  Picture a large rectangle of grass, one maple, and a garden shed.  That's pretty much it.  When we first purchased the house, I was enthusiastic about a blank slate.  Now, I am discovering WHY a 60 year old house has a blank slate for a yard.  The soil is almost entirely clay and rock.  This is normal for the houses on the hill I live on, but actually a little abnormal for the region close to a river.  In zone 3 (Western Garden), we are lucky to have one of the longest growing seasons in the northwest.  I am hoping to someday take advantage of this blessing!

Meet the Kitchen: 

A lot goes on in here.  Each week, I'll post a highlight of culinary activity.  For example, this morning I am making some butternut squash for the baby: 

Mash and serve.  Yum! 


See you next week! 

Blogging our Simple Life

Hi World.

I probably should have read a few home and garden blogs before starting my own, but I prefer to live in the spirit of complete unpreparedness when it comes to an online diary.
However, I've set myself a few rules pertaining to the content of this blog.

1. What this blog is about: Cooking, gardening, and our journey fixing up a tiny little house on a tiny little budget. In short, it is about living the simple life with a joyous heart!!

2. What this blog is NOT about: A day to day family activity log, trips & vacations (unless something relates to home/garden/food), or an avenue for my political/religious views (as much as I can help...)

And now, for a few things about myself! *cut and paste from FB...lol.

My husband and I bought a little tiny house 2.5 years ago and have been fixing it up. We welcomed little baby Owen into the world July 21 2009 and are having a blast getting to know our little guy.
I started a piano studio a year and a half ago and currently have 18 great students!

OH!! I almost forgot! Holly is our cat; my name is Pam. *smile*