DIY Framing Poster Kit, Chicken And Pea Tray Bake, Autumn Day Trip

DIY Framing Poster Kit-
After buying my lovely $5 wildflower poster from the University of Utah Science Museum I wanted to frame it. After getting sticker shock looking at regular frames I decided to go with this $15 version. It's two dowels made of oak and one of the dowels has a cord across the top. The dowels are actually half dowels, with a very sticky double-sided strip on the back. When I got it in the mail I read the simple directions and got to work. Basically I turned the poster upside down and lined up the half dowels I made sure they were centered and did the bottom first. I basically rolled the dowel sticky side down on to the bottom of the poster. Then I did the same thing on the top. I had the dowel on the top of the paper a little bit below the edge and then rolled it on to the edge sticky side down-

I pushed really hard on both side and gave it a really good push. It stuck really well and I love the way it looks, so for $15 I'm happy!

Chicken And Pea Tray Bake-
I was watching Nigella Lawson's cooking show on PBS a while back and saw this recipe. Epicurious.com Basically you use a cookie sheet, poor 2 lb of frozen peas on it, mix the other ingredients and pour over the peas and the sliced leeks. Toss well, then you put the chicken thighs on top skin side up. Next to drizzle with olive oil and a little salt and roast everything. Dave and I both found the dish a little bit too salty so I would cut back on that next time, but it was great otherwise! The peas still had a little bit of bite and the chicken was super moist with a very crispy skin. The idea is that the frozen peas release some steam/liquid and helps keep the chicken super moist. You could also try try this with other kinds of vegetables. It's a keeper!

Payette Lake

Autumn Day Trip-
Dave had really been wanting to go up to McCall recently and so Friday I told him let's go. We went up for the day Saturday and it was cool and windy and gorgeous. We went to our favorite brewery restaurant for lunch, hit our favorite thrift store where I found a new pair of Born Shoes for $5. I also found something fun for a blogger's son that will ship that to him soon. We stopped at a park and watched the lake and a lone sail boat -

Cute!

We drove all the way around the lake and on the North side the wind was really strong and the waves looked dark and angry-

It was about 68 degrees and partly sunny but that wind was cold. We hit a nice pastry store on the way out, no need for dinner when we got home! It was really a great way to spend an autumn day up in the mountains, seeing the leaves changing and people bundled up a bit. We're going to go back for anniversary in November to spend the night, looking forward to that.

Vintage Food Posters, Chair Makeover, Appliance Garage/Thrifting, 100 Degrees!

Cute poster from Urban Homesteading.org

Vintage Food Posters-

I always like to share these when I stumble onto them. Pretty cool! -

Chair Makeover-

Last year Dave got some free chairs from a co-worker destined for the dump. At the time I had ZERO time for a fix up, and a wedding shower to set up. I needed the chairs for seating asap, so I cleaned them up. I also added chicken fabric :)  Not too bad-

Later I realized they didn't go at all with my dining set, which is french country (mostly). After I did some research I came up with this-

Dark blue linen-look, upholstery fabric, from an outlet, $4.00

2 coats of white, satin spray paint later!

Then I add a little wood applique for a little something. I like them! Total cost- chairs free, paint $8.00, fabric, $4.00, appliques $2.00 = $14.00, works for me...

Appliance Garage/Thrifting-

We re-visited a thrift store today. I had some small electric appliances that were always in the way at the bottom of my food pantry closet, in my spare bedroom. I had the brilliant idea to build/buy a appliance garage! I found this sturdy, clean little thing for $15.00, so we bought it! It's even has wheels! Problem solved. I will probably paint the handles, as I hate brass. I may paint the whole thing! It sits next to the canning cabinet-

I also got a cute fabric summer bag for $1.50, washed and ready to go-

In the shade

100 Degrees!

It's been blistering the last week. Water, water, water. Everything dries out so fast, especially with the steady winds. At least it's not like Phoenix! A huge dust storm hit on Thursday, and closed the airports- Dust Storm Hits Phoenix

Glad I don't live there...

Well here's some good things about the heat-

The A/C works great after the old one died last year! We installed ceiling fans when we bought this place, and I have 2 fans in the kitchen as well. It's a welcome relief from the heat.

girls enjoy the shade and water mister

a little free range time in the main yard

Fiona got all her feathers back! Poor kid molted really early

You can make sun tea!

Tomatoes are loaded, as are the blackberries. We'll get a bumper crop this year, can't wait! Jams and lots to freeze for coffeecakes, etc. is in our future. Getting blossoms on the pickling cukes, lemon cukes and squash. Birds are enjoying the birdbaths, and a random squirrel enjoyed a grape I threw to it-

poor guy was so hot!

How do you stay cool?

Mommie's Big Girls, Painting Day #2

Mommies Big Girls-
My 4 little hens are so big! One escaped into the backyard a few times today. Dave and I finally figured out where a couple of small holes were at the base of the chicken wire. All stuffed with big rocks now :)  No more field trips!

Before Picture

Painting Day #2-
I finished up most of my indoor work- hall doors and the small bathroom cabinet. The doors look so much better! Bright white! I should have done the linen closets years ago, but it kept going to the bottom of the list. Atleast the bedroom doors were painted white before we moved in and bought the place. The hall linen closets were old, dark, heavy plywood, like the above. I did 1 coat of white-

Did a 2nd one, and will see how it looks tomorrow morning. May need a 3rd. Then new knobs!!!

Bathroom door, all purty!

New Neighbor- The Swainson's Hawk, Independence Days Challenge, Cookbooks & The Digital Age, Crow Wreath For Fall

My new neighbor, a juvenile Swainson's

New Neighbor- The Swainson's Hawk-

We have some Sharp-Shinned hawks in our area, but recently saw this much bigger hawk across the street. A couple of days ago it was up in our backyard tree screeching. I spent quite a bit of time shooting photos until I got a couple of clear shots. I emailed them to the head person at the Birds Of Prey Center to see if she could I.D. it. It came back that it was a young Swainson's Hawk. They mostly eat insects, tiny birds and rodents. That's good! No chicken dinner! Gorgeous bird. 

From Dave's Every Things In Photos blog

My Hubby's photo, he had a better telephoto lens and open viewing

1. Plant Something-

Nope, not til next year. Too hot (90's) and once it freezes we're done. We may get a small greenhouse next year and move the veggie bed out another 4'-6' to be able to plant more. I like this one- 6'-x-4'-Greenhouse Starter Kit  This smaller size would fit our veggie garden about right. I think it would hold up well with the winds and storms. With this we could grow more earlier and later.

 2. Harvest Something-

Several kinds of peppers, tomatoes (mostly the little yellow ones), eggplants, blackberries, kale, collard greens, and herbs. Basil is finally big enough to make some pesto to freeze. My Italian parsley is finally perking up! Compost and eggs.

3. Preserve/Store Something-

Made more pickled red onions. Will can the choke cherry jelly soon. Bought more whole grain/teff rolls as .99 cents a bag at the outlet. Really wonderful flavor. Teff is an African grain that's getting popular. I heard about thru our refugee families. Teff- Bob's Red Mill

 4. Manage Reserves- Get a Good Deal/Barter/Stock Up/Prep-

I can't remember if I posted this before or not- I found 3 brand new Eddie Bauer women's cotton long sleeve tops, vee and round neck, at our Grocery Outlet. $5.00 each! Of all places, who knew? I knew they sold cheap, odd clothes but not a more name brand! I love EB stuff since it usually lasts forever! I got a beautiful periwinkle blue, buttercup yellow, and white. They list on their website at about $25.00 each. Ha! I'm set for fall, since I can use these alone, with vests, or sweaters. 

Dave and I found some nice, new 11 x 14" frames at Ross for his photography prints. Hard to find used ones in that size. He's also getting some old, never used free LED bulbs from a pal for the house. Dave had a good idea to start swapping LED into the house- every paycheck he buys one and installs it. Over time the whole house (except the 3 way bulbs) will be replaced. Much cleaner light and they last forever!!!

5. Eat the Food- Try New Foods/Recipe-

Took all my garden veggies and made a frittata, yummy! I'm cutting back on eating and starting to lost some weight. I'm happy I only gained about 5 lbs. during foot surgery recovery, but I need to get back on track. Working on more protein, lean meats, much less grains and sugar. Kind of Primal/Paleo, but with more chocolate!

I finally bought some Orange Blossom Water at Cost Plus, since I'd heard it's a really great beverage drink and cooking ingredient. I found this and may try it: A Cool Drink  I rarely drink alcohol so this sounds great! This may be the best set of ideas: 10 Things to Do With Orange Blossom Water I've seen so far! Ooh on fruit salad!

 6. Build Community Food Systems- 

Bought local produce last week, berries and corn, awesome! Need to harvest some rhubarb, but I keep forgetting. Will sell eggs when I go back to school.

7. Recycle/Re-Use- 

Dave got 2 free end tables from a co-worker's house, they matched Dave's desk perfect. Same style, like new. :) I bought a cute, new knob from Cost Plus for the one that will go into the living room soon. Cleaning out book case for donations. Getting into storing those pages digitally (more below). 

 8. Skill Up- Learned how to spot oven-proof skillets, vs. not.

9. Regenerate What is Lost/Salvage Something-

Furniture above. 

One of my favorite cookbooks and he's so dang cute!

Cookbooks & The Digital Age-
Recently I found four cookbooks at the local library. I was going to copy and print the pages I needed, then I had a second thought- why not save the paper and ink and save them as a digital file? Bearing in mind, I do have a computer in the kitchen/dining area. The kitchen area came with a desk already built in so it's perfect. I also started going thru cookbooks on my book case and went into the same mode- I will scan what I will actually use, then donate the books to a charity. Or maybe sell them on eBay? Or save them for a giveaway! Why not? Less paper, and the pages won't get dirty!

Crow Wreath For Fall-
I saw this online ($69.00 ouch!) and thought it was too cute for fall! I think I'll make one :) From Williams Sonoma  I've never shopped there but found a great deal for an oven-proof skillet (with lid) that doesn't weigh a ton, good deal! Calphalon Covered Fry Pan  Shhhh, don't tell anybody, shipping's free! I normally don't go for non-stick, but I may this time. I'll look at it in the store.