Winter Is Back! Independence Days Challenge

Winter Is Back!
So now, according to legend, we're in for six more weeks of winter because Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow. Here in Boise he's spot on. The temps have plummeted, back into the 40's during the day, 20/30's at night. The forecast for this next week in highs in the 20's/30's, in the teens at night-

We were blessed with some good snow fall in the mountains and foothills this week, with more on the way tonite. We REALLY need more snow pack up there. On the news last night we're at 65% of normal right now, not good. A good snow pack keeps things greener longer = a shorter fire season, adds more water to the reservoirs for the public and agribusiness. I had put away some heavy sweaters and gotten out some lighter spring work clothes. Good thing I have a spare closet, since sweaters are coming back out! I'm hoping these temperatures won't hurt the garden since some bulbs were just starting to come up, way too early. Oh well, what can you do? Everything is well mulched, so we should be good, hopefully.

Independence days Challenge-

Here's a little wrap up of recent things going on here-
1. Plant Something- I found a sweet little thrift store pot, with tray, for $1.50, for transplanting my holiday gift from a work buddy, a spider plant, perfect in the kitchen! 

 2. Harvest Something- Eggs, that's it.

3. Preserve/Store Something- Shopping this week, see below, freezing foods.

4. Manage Reserves- Get a Good Deal/Barter/Stock Up/Prep- Our freezer is almost 1/2 empty so time to stock up. I designated some tax refund money to "fill the freezer". I'm going shopping for meat basically to add. I'll be looking for good deals on beef roasts and chicken primarily. Most of what's in there now is fruits, veggies, breads, cheese/butter- 

Hole to fill-

 5. Eat the Food- Try New Foods/Recipe- I thawed some frozen pesto to day to use on some big chicken breast. For diner tonite! Last week I bought this at Cost Plus World Market for Mardi Gras/Valentine's Day dinners-

Last year I used it with shrimp and veggies, this year I did chunks of chicken breast, peas and fresh spinach-

 Great served with warm french bread, spicy and tons of flavor!!! 

6. Build Community Food Systems- Nothing

7. Recycle/Re-Use- I just sold another item on Etsy, what fun! Nice Asian items that I don't need, at a great deal, to someone who wants them. Win-win. 

At Goodwill last week found thrift store pot, $1.50, great pair of Eddie Bauer like-new khaki slacks, $4.00. Found some great shoes on Overstock.com for work, cheap and free shipping.

Dave gave me this Japanese style stoneware vase years ago, made by a Portland potter. I really loved it, but it didn't really go with anything so it just sat in my china cabinet. I wanted to re-do it, but make it reversible if I hated it. Here's the before- 

I decided to cover just the script (some on the other side too) and leave the rest alone. I wanted to use hot glue and jute. I found this at Joann's-

Basically I started at the top back of the white clay and worked to the bottom-

After- 

It's not perfect, but I really like it! I may add some flowers or branches, but I love the texture and the still-exposed blue glaze. Dave did give his approval before hand.

8. Skill Up- I learned how to cover a vase. Dave and I are actively working on an Etsy craft/storage item, sneak peek-

9. Regenerate What is Lost/Salvage Something- Painting commences tomorrow on our master bedroom, peach, going to white/gray-

Anya had to get in on the photo-

Record High Temps, Thrifting & More, Bedroom Paint Soon

What's wrong with this picture?

Record High Temps- 
It's 60 degrees today with a little rain. It feels like April instead of early February! I was looking at the cold frame today and did a double take, the collard greens that wintered over have new leaves!

Crazy!

I opened up the upper coop window all the way to get some fresh air, and had our sliding glass door open in the kitchen. With the rain it feels like it cooling off a bit. This make me REALLY nervous for fire season if this continues. I hope we get more snow in the mountains or things could get really UGLY. When you live in high desert GREEN is a good thing. You don't want dry foothills and mountains too early, sigh. Here's hoping for either more snow for a while or LOTS of rain!

Thrifting & More-
I did some shopping this weekend and found some great goodies! I got the vase above for $1.25 at a thrift store, perfect for Valentine's Day! I put my Valentine's Day things out almost all thrifted-

I added red faux flowers to the vase on the R after I took the photo

My vintage jar full of sparkly hearts and apples, blocks from Target, $1.00

80% off one summer

Another cheap find

I broke down and bought some NEW jeans this weekend, after not finding any for a while at thrift stores. I will say it's nice to go to a rack pull some new ones, try them on, buy and leave. Easy.

I bought a new Target $10.00 front door mat, as ours was falling apart, goes great with the entry way. Nice and bright-

 After doing our taxes, and finding out we're getting a refund this year, I splurged on a piece of wall art at Joann's Fabrics, perfect for spring and summer over a side table I use in the living room-

Wood frame, metal background, love it! 

I'm also going to a new bathroom faucet for my little bathroom, since the finish is shot and wearing out. We bought a cheap brand ten years ago, but that's what we bought. Now I'm looking for a good deal on a good brand, something like this-

Before shot

Bedroom Painting Soon
Next on the list of projects will be painting our master bedroom this month. I'm taking a couple vacation days off work to do the bedroom and touch up some other areas.  I was going to do it last summer, but with Dave's layoff I didn't want to spend the $. It's currently peach, but I'm going to paint it the same as our master bath, a very white gray. It looks very crisp and clean with white trim. Dave photo shopped this for me, but it's a little darker gray, but what a difference!!!

Photoshopped after shot

I'm was thinking about doing an accent wall behind the headboard with board and batten. I just don't know if it will work well with the existing furniture? I'm leaning towards a no. For the same price of materials, or less, I could buy a new medicine cabinet for our little bathroom. It's getting pretty funky, so I'm leaning towards that. Time will tell. Our "little bathroom" is actually a 1/2 bath "master bath" with the way our house is set up. The big bathroom is down the hall. We gutted it a few years ago when the floor was rotting from an old water leak. "My bathroom" is the little one. Dave uses the big bathroom primarily since we get up for work at the same time. Works great! I re-did the back splash and decorated, since the paint is in good shape. Now just a new faucet, maybe medicine cabinet and it will be "done" for now. Someday I'd like new flooring and counter, but it's good for now.

More Crazy Weather/Bye Bye Winter Decor, Origins Of The "Keep Calm and ... ", Minestrone Soup & Pesto Pasta w/Eggs

Sunset Wednesday Night

More Crazy Weather/Bye Bye Winter Decor-

We've been on a recent roller coaster weather wise- warm, cold, rain, snow, sun, warm~~~~  We had torrential down pours on my way to work (in the dark) mixed with snow Wed. nasty commute! We were supposes to wake u to 3 " of snow yesterday (Saturday), but only had a few snowflakes mixed with rain. Today we had VERY dense fog in the morning, which burned off to a pretty fairly sunny day! It's 54 at 3:00 this afternoon. With a warm forecast for next week, I'm ready for spring! We went to Joann's Fabric yesterday for a few things. We put away all the winter decor yesterday and I put out my normal things. On the dining room shelf, I dded flowers on the top right from Joann's for a few dollars-

I also found this thick wooden bird with a white hook, it's about 10" wide, too cute! $5.00 I think. It's in the living room, and I may hang a little batch of my lavender on it-

I had a pretty, ceramic clock who's mechanism had died. For $9.00 we bought the clock rehab kit at Joann's. We took off the old one, just unscrewed, then I wiped down the face- 

Added the new kit, problem solved!  Here on Amazon- 

$14.87

Anya decided she would fill the empty coffee table basin, since it's now empty of the winter goodies. I mean- what more do you need! 

From Wikipedia.org 1939

Origins Of The "Keep Calm and ... " Posters-
Like everybody else I have see a lot of different versions of the poster above, personalized, on mugs, tee shirts, you name it. I thought it was from the 1940's, from WW Two It was actually from 1939, in Britain. Fascinating history here- Wikipedia.org Origins Keep Calm and Carry On. Link to a story of the couple who found a copy Telegraph.co.uk  Here's a link to a site where you can make your own, free! Make A Keep Calm Poster

Minestrone Soup & Pesto Pasta w/Eggs-
With snow in the forecast last weekend I decided to make some homemade minestrone soup. I found this recipe, pretty close to what I'd had Minestrone Soup . I used just kidney beans and skipped the zucchini. You can add extra pepper, or red pepper flakes, if you like some kick. This is a fast soup too! Serve with some Parmesan on top and hot bread. It's VERY healthy with lots of veggies and uses no meat.

I had set out some homemade pesto made from my organic basil to make pasta with. I wanted to add some protein and was scratching my head. I brought in an egg from the coop and set it on the jar so it wouldn't roll of the counter. I had that eureka moment! Poached eggs on top of the pesto pasta! A little fresh Parmesan cheese, salad and bread. Perfect!