Sunshine in a Can

I know, I'm such a tease just showing you a little leg of my latest hand painted piece of the past with SASS! This little table jumped out at me at my local thrift store and begged me to bring her home. I knew right off I would be painting her with Annie Sloan's newest color ENGLISH YELLOW. It's finally available in the US! Look for a stockist near you here!

She's headed to Burlap and Bling for the big month long 20% off sale in August at Main Street Antiques in Plymouth, MA.

That is, if I can part with her. She looks so cute on our patio!

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop # 118 and Blueberries

 Welcome back to the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop! 

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful week on your homesteads and backyard farmyards.

We've had a turn in weather here on the shorelines in MA. It's been cool, wet and dark for the last three days and it looks as if it will continue through the weekend. On the bright side, the weather is perfect for cooking. Move over cold cereal and yogurt!  I'm breaking out the grill for some old fashioned Blueberry Pancakes. National Blueberry Month is nearly over! If you aren't harvesting your own or visiting your local pick your own blueberry farm, you can buy them at the supermarket for a reasonable price and freeze some for your fall and winter cooking and baking. 

I planted three blueberry shrubs this spring so one day we can go pickin' in my backyard too!

 

 I got a chuckle when I read Daisy's post from last weeks hop! I don't think I've met anyone who didn't love blueberries until now, but I'm happy to report she has seen the light and went so far as to share her blueberry pancake recipe! She said,

" We were recently gifted with organic blueberries. While blueberries have never been my favorite fruit, after trying them in pancakes, I may be a convert. "

Blueberry Pancakes

1 1/4 C flour

1/2 t salt

1 T baking powder

1 1/4 t sucanat

1 C almond or rice milk

1 egg

1/2 T butter, melted

1/2-1 C blueberries

Combine dry ingredients and use a whisk to sift.

Add liquids to measuring cup and mix gently.

Add liquid to dry ingredients.

Fold in blueberries.

Cook on medium heat 2-3 minutes per side.

Enjoy!

I'm on my way over to Maple Hill Farm

for blueberry pancakes!

Time to link up for your weekly dose of farmgirl soulfood! 

Your Farmgirl Friday Hostesses~  

Heidi of My Simple Country Living 
and White Wolf Summit Farmgirl Blog
Dolly of Hibiscus House and Dolly is Cooking and me of course!

 Here are the rules for the Farmgirl/guy Blog Hop!

1.) Write a post about your farmgirl lifestyle and brag a little about your farmgirl talents while your at it! Share what being a farmgirl means to you. Include lots of photos of your farm, crafts, animals,  quilts, home decor projects and thrifty make overs, your backyard garden, chicken coop, recipes, studio or workshop. You get the idea!

2). Leave your entry in the  Linky tools space to your  Farmgirl Friday post.

3). Please include the Farmgirl Friday button ( or link back here ) in your post and remember to share this hop with all of your blogging friends!

4.) Enter up to three entries per hop! 
 DON'T BE SHY~  

Be sure to leave a note if you're new to the hop! If you haven't clicked that follow button yet, please join us and be sure to stop by our FACEBOOK page and like us there too! 

As always, thank you for your continued participation! New friends and followers are ALWAYS welcome!

 DON'T BE SHY~  
Be sure to leave a note if you're new to the hop! If you haven't clicked that follow button yet, please join us and be sure to stop by our FACEBOOK page and like us there too! 

As always, thank you for your continued participation and welcome new friends and followers! Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! See you on the hop! 

Grab this button if you've been featured! 

Feed Them and They Will Bloom

 BIG beautiful BLOOMS don't just happen, jus like healthy, well behaved children don't just happen. Both take constant LOVE,  nurturing and feeding if you expect to get healthy results.  

 It's feeding time for all the annual cut flowers at Dandelion House. The zinnias, dahlias, gladiolus and sunflowers are putting on their first flower faces as a result of all the loving care they've had since being planted in the late spring. If I want more beautiful, BRILLIANT BLOOMS I've got to feed them from here on out, at a minimum, every 2- 3 weeks.

I used Whitney Farms Organic Plant Food Liquid Concentrate last season and was very satisfied with the results. Not a paid plug here, just look at my top photo!
That bucket of blooms is from late August 2012.

GroundWorks Watering Can ( Plastic)

Simply pour one half cup of fertilizer into a 2 gallon watering can and fill it with water then pour around the base of each plant trying to stay off of the leaves if at all possible.

2 gallons will feed about 20 square feet. I prefer this method for smaller garden areas because it gives me the control I want and I know my plants will pay it forward from summer until the first frost. 

First Dahlia Blossom of 2013!

Do you feed your flowers and veggies organically? 

What method do you find most successful for YOUR garden?

Tasty Tuesday~ Cottage Coffee

 Welcome to Tasty Tuesday at Dandelion House! Your go- to spot for trying something new, healthy, and frugal ( with a pinch of pretty) each week in your homestead kitchen.

 This weeks Tasty Tuesday recipe comes straight from the Cottage. Our cottage! This is the time of year we give way to a simpler life. Cottage Life! Our summer cottage is off grid so we make-do with  an old fashioned looking percolator coffee pot.Our model comes from Paula Deans Kitchen Collection. Here's the recipe! 

Cottage Coffee

Fresh ground coffee of your choice. ( We use DE-cafe Hazelnut cuz it's our favorite)!
Cold tap water
 For 5-6 cups of coffee you'll need a minimum of 1/3  - 1/2 cup coffee grounds.
( more if you like your coffee strong )

Never fill up your coffee pot above the holes on the inside of the pot.
It'll boil over every time. Trust me, I know!
Boil for 8 - ten minutes then turn off the burner and let the water drip down into the pot.
Serve hot right off the stove or pour into a coffee carafe to keep it hot!

We like to dip chocolate biscotti into our coffee... It's our Cottage Coffee treat!

Cream and sugar?

  Dip into The Farmgirl Friday Recipe Box when you're looking for an old fashioned favorite or a home- cooked meal made from scratch with love. You'll find recipes from the best homestead kitchens, inspiration for setting a beautiful table with all the charm of a farmhouse kitchen PLUS tips for stocking and organizing your pantry. 686 now following! 

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop # 117 and OPEN GARDEN TOUR

 

 Welcome friends ( old and new ) to week # 117 of the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop!

 Are you all staying cool? It's been so darned hot and humid here but I've got the ' cure '.

If you're too far from shore to get wet then try making some fresh iced citrus water! 

I made a large jug of it for my "Open Garden Tour" here at Dandelion House last weekend and it hit the spot on a hot summer day.

 2 Gallons Citrus Water

3 navel oranges

3 lemons

2 limes

Garnish with Fresh Mint if desired!

This week, you're all invited to come on over to the MJF Beach Farmgirl Blog for the full scoop on my Open Garden Tour!

What's a GUSHING farmgirl to do when she puts her " garden clog" in her mouth?
Gather her courage and get to work that's what! Come see how Deb mowed down her fears and hosted her FIRST Open Garden Day right in her own backyard!

Not so fast! It's time to link up for another week of farmgirl soul-food!

Your Farmgirl Friday Hostesses~  

Heidi of My Simple Country Living 
and White Wolf Summit Farmgirl Blog
Dolly of Hibiscus House and Dolly is Cooking and me of course!

 Here are the rules for the Farmgirl/guy Blog Hop!

1.) Write a post about your farmgirl lifestyle and brag a little about your farmgirl talents while your at it! Share what being a farmgirl means to you. Include lots of photos of your farm, crafts, animals,  quilts, home decor projects and thrifty make overs, your backyard garden, chicken coop, recipes, studio or workshop. You get the idea!

2). Leave your entry in the  Linky tools space to your  Farmgirl Friday post.

3). Please include the Farmgirl Friday button ( or link back here ) in your post and remember to share this hop with all of your blogging friends!

4.) Enter up to three entries per hop! 
 DON'T BE SHY~  

Be sure to leave a note if you're new to the hop! If you haven't clicked that follow button yet, please join us and be sure to stop by our FACEBOOK page and like us there too! 

As always, thank you for your continued participation! New friends and followers are ALWAYS welcome!

 DON'T BE SHY~  
Be sure to leave a note if you're new to the hop! If you haven't clicked that follow button yet, please join us and be sure to stop by our FACEBOOK page and like us there too! 

As always, thank you for your continued participation and welcome new friends and followers! Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! See you on the hop!

Hydrangea Soup

So, you want the recipe for my Hydrangea Soup do ya? Okay! But first let me tell you what inspired this concoction... I hosted my first " open garden day" here at Dandelion House over the weekend and I needed to put something pretty inside our fire pit which sits in the middle of our scrap stone patio. I can't give you the whole story here cuz I'm doing a big post about it on the MJF Beach Blog in a couple of days and you're all invited, but, I will share how I made this floral arrangement with a little coastal flair. To me, there's nothing more satisfying than using something you already have to create a one of a kind item for your home, whether it be inside or out.

I used one of my favorite vintage soup tureens for a vase and filled it with Blushing Bride Hydrangeas freshly cut from the garden.

  I covered the surrounding area inside of the fire-pit with freshly cut arugula and topped it all off with bright white starfish. After a couple of days I tossed the arugula into the chicken run for the girls but the hydrangeas were still going strong so I moved them to a different spot to enjoy them some more!
 You could easily do something similar in a large bowl, platter or seashell for a similar arrangement!

Have you been playing in your flowers too?  I sure hope so!
Visit my Floral Arrangements pin board for more inspiration!

Sharing with these fun hops!

Tilly's Nest Down Home Hop 
Shabby Creek Cottage Transformation Thursday 

Tasty Tuesday~ Homemade Southern Sweet Tea

Southern Sweet Tea  

 Welcome to Tasty Tuesday at Dandelion House! Your go- to spot for trying something new, healthy, and frugal ( with a pinch of pretty) each week in your homestead kitchen. 

Boy howdy it's been hot and humid along the eastern seashore these last few days. They say water and drinks like Gatorade are the best for keeping yourself hydrated during very high temperature days, (even if you aren't exerting yourself ). Keeping hydrated is very important but there's nothing quite like an old fashioned glass of Iced Sweet Tea with a slice of lemon to quench your thirst on a hot, sticky summer day.

Did you know that Sweet Tea has it's origins in South Carolina? I always thought it was from Texas because my relatives from there always drank it and I grew up with it too because my Dad was a Texan.  It's a porch sit'n drink in my mind, but our back deck will have to do. Today's Tasty Tuesday recipe comes from the blog Dolly ( one of our Farmgirl Friday hostesses) is Cooking! 

 Dolly shared her husband Chuck's, recipe for Southern Sweet Tea along with the history behind this old fashioned summer drink on this weeks Farmgirl Friday Blog hop!

Chuck's Recipe for One Gallon of Sweet Tea

 3 family size tea bags

Put into a pot with the cold water

Bring this just to a boil

  Remove from the heat immediately and let it sit to steep for about 5 minutes.

Put 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups of sugar into the pitcher

Add the hot tea mixture to the pitcher that has the sugar in it

Stir while hot to dissolve sugar thoroughly

Finish adding water to the fill the pitcher

Let sit on counter for a short while maybe even up to an hour, it just seems to taste better if you do this.

Refrigerate

Add ice and lemon if you like 

Be sure to visit Dolly to get the full scoop on Southern Sweet Tea AND more fabulous down home recipes from Dolly! ( Pies, Cakes, Southern Fried Chicken and more yumminess)!

Thank you all for the wonderful bounty you share each week on the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop! 

Dip into The Farmgirl Friday Recipe Box when you're looking for an old fashioned favorite or a home- cooked meal made from scratch with love. You'll find recipes from the best homestead kitchens, inspiration for setting a beautiful table with all the charm of a farmhouse kitchen PLUS tips for stocking and organizing your pantry. 680 now following! 

Farmgirl Friday # 116, Dirty Finger Nails, Stiff Muscles and Cows.

 

  Welcome friends! It's week # 116 of the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop! Here it is just about mid - summer and I've finally got most of my planting and mulching done. I've been on a dead run for the last 7 days in preparation for my first ever garden tour and I

m almost ready.  I'm exhausted, sore, and I'm beginning to wonder if my hands and feet will ever be pink again! Between you and me, I wouldn't have it any other way! A massage and a pedicure  sure does sound good right about now...What would be even better is if you could all come!

  Have you ever hosted your own garden tour or garden party? How did it go? I'd love to hear about it so leave me a note on the garden gate on your way out.

I look forward to each and every entry you share so keep em comin'! It's so fun to learn new things... This week I learned about Miniature Cows. I had NO IDEA they existed until MaryJane posted about one of her very own bovines " now pregnant" mini jersey cows

Mary Jane and Etta Jane.

  I just adore cows. It's the eyes that get me every time! Oh if I had an extra one or two acres of pasture in my backyard I'd be looking for a mini cow of my very own. Oh, yes I would! 

In the meantime I'll have to live vicariously through all of my Farmgirl Friday friends and MaryJanesFarm! 

 Join us for another fabulous week of farmgirl fun! 

 Bring on the cows and other farmgirly things! 

Your Farmgirl Friday Hostesses~  

Heidi of My Simple Country Living 
and White Wolf Summit Farmgirl Blog
Dolly of Hibiscus House and Dolly is Cooking and me of course!

 Now, it's your turn to link up for your weekly dose of farmgirl soul food!
 Here are the rules for the Farmgirl/guy Blog Hop!

1.) Write a post about your farmgirl lifestyle and brag a little about your farmgirl talents while your at it! Share what being a farmgirl means to you. Include lots of photos of your farm, crafts, animals,  quilts, home decor projects and thrifty make overs, your backyard garden, chicken coop, recipes, studio or workshop. You get the idea!

2). Leave your entry in the  Linky tools space to your  Farmgirl Friday post.

3). Please include the Farmgirl Friday button ( or link back here ) in your post and remember to share this hop with all of your blogging friends!

4.) Enter up to three entries per hop! 
 DON'T BE SHY~  

Be sure to leave a note if you're new to the hop! If you haven't clicked that follow button yet, please join us and be sure to stop by our FACEBOOK page and like us there too! 

As always, thank you for your continued participation! New friends and followers are ALWAYS welcome!

 DON'T BE SHY~  
Be sure to leave a note if you're new to the hop! If you haven't clicked that follow button yet, please join us and be sure to stop by our FACEBOOK page and like us there too! 
As always, thank you for your continued participation and welcome new friends and followers!


Don't forget to grab your FEATURED FARMGIRL BUTTON if you've been featured!

FLOWERS AND FOOD: EASY Perennial Gardens for the Suburban Homesteader

 So you love flowers but you also want to grow some veggies too! No problem. Gone are the days when one would separate growing space for vegetables, herbs and flowers. These days suburban homesteaders are tucking in fruits and vegetables amongst the flowers to make the most out of their growing space and season. This makes good sense because sun loving flowers and some of our most common vegetables ( and some fruits)  have similar growing requirements. Good draining soil enriched with compost or organic materials, at least 6 hours of sunlight and room to grow! 

 

What you don't see in the above photo is my zucchini, rhubarb, cucumbers and blueberry shrubs, but  they're right at home they're tucked into the flowers. Did you know that this is National Blueberry Month?  Blueberries are ripe for the pickin' here in New England from Maine all the way down to south coast. Blueberries are one of my very favorite summer fruits.Who doesn't love blueberries? If you don't please leave me a note. We need to talk! Seriously.  I love them sprinkled on top of yogurt, oatmeal, in smoothies, pies, and crisps and of course  muffins and pancakes! As you can tell, I love them mostly for how they taste in just about everything. Did I mention Blueberry Jam swathed on top of a crisp piece of sour dough toast? I'll be back in a minute... I'm hungry!

THAT'S BETTER!

  When I saw that our local Home Depot had Blueberry Bushes for sale this year I bought three of them and put them in an unfinished section of my largest perennial garden knowing I would be completing this week which I did at dusk last night! Oh, was I ever a site what with the sweat, dirt and black mulch stuck to my body and in my hair but anyway... I was in FARMGIRL heaven!

Right about mid photo where the roses in the green tubs are is where the unfinished part of the garden started. Can you see the three little blueberry bushes right below them? I placed them at the back of the border. They will get between 4 and 6 feet high eventually.  If you look down the center of the photo you'll see that there is a color pattern ( albeit a loose one) that I aimed to repeat in the new section.  Because the lower section of the garden is narrower than the top half I planted shrubs and flowers that will be about the same height through out the entire garden.

 

I added more Double Red Knock Out roses and Cat Mint ( Walkers Low ) but I used different plants in the new section for splashes of yellow, pink and orange. In the top photo I planted Yarrow, Black Eyed Susan,  Pink and Orange Cone Flower for splashes of bright sunny colors in mid to late summer. All sun loving herbs and perennials that come back every year!

To continue with the pinks I also planted some Phlox. 

Happy Returns Daylily

And Daylilies for more yellow... This variety has a soft yellow flower that smells very much like a gardenia and it also a variety that re-blooms if you pinch off the old flower head. I like that! 

Catmint (  Nepeta ,Walkers Low ) will bloom all summer and if you cut  the dead stems it will bloom again into the fall.

 I topped off the finished design with 3 inches of Cape Cod Black Mulch. Planting in mid-summer can be stressful on new plants that need to be watered more regularly. The mulch will help keep those tender roots moist and I just love the way the colors pop against that dark background!

Well, if you made it to the bottom of this post, THANK YOU for reading. Your reward for making it through are a few garden tips from little ole' me.

 Some gardeners doubt themselves when choosing plants and worry too much about companion planting, color combinations, what goes with what etc. I say phooey to all that!

• Plant what you love! I truly believe your plants know it when you love them and will perform better for you.
• If you fall in love with a plant at the nursery, study the labels for plant requirements before you get to the cash register.
• Key things to look for: Soil and sun/shade requirements and size at maturity. If you are still unsure ask for help. I've been known to ask other shoppers if they know something about a particular plant I am coveting! Just yesterday a woman saved me from buying Cleome which is a major re-seeder that I didn't want in my garden scheme. Not the one I just finished anyway!

My final tip is this:

Have fun! 

It's YOUR GARDEN and the only person it has to please and fortify is YOU! 

Love and happy gardening!

Deb ( who needs to go take some Aleve now )

Fire Cracker Red Oriental Lilies and Flowering Parsley

Pup Art

Cutting season has begun here at Dandelion House and I'm thrilled to be able to share these exotic firecracker red Oriental Lilies with a pinch of flowering parsley added for greenery with you today. 

These giant blooms are a stand alone flower if you ask me... They don't need much accessorizing or fuss added to the mix but I love the delicate parsley flower in contrast to the bold blossoms of the lily. 

Lilies are a summer flowering bulb easily found at your local garden center. They'll add a touch of drama to your flower beds and your house flower arrangements and they come in wide range of colors to suit every gardener! 

Tasty Tuesday~ Homemade Sour Cherry Pie Filling

Homemade Sour Cherry Pie Filling

Welcome to Tasty Tuesday at Dandelion House! Your go- to spot for trying something new, healthy, and frugal ( with a pinch of pretty) each week in your homestead kitchen. 

Today's the day I get to go rummaging through your Farmgirl Friday entries to find something delicious to share and I must say, I am never disappointed. To the contrary, you make it hard! I always have a tough time deciding so I just let my taste buds do the choosing for me! 

This week's featured recipe comes from The Chick n' Coop  Homestead Kitchen.

Farmlife Chick shared her Homemade Sour Cherry Pie Filling with a secret ingredient for adding color. 

Take it away Farmlife Chick!

Canning season has begun around here! We canned our strawberry jam last week. This week sour cherries were ready! They were delicious!! I have never canned cherries before, but I was very excited.It was so easy. I couldn't believe it. Why have I never done this before?

 You will notice that the coloring is not that dark, deep red that you typically will see in canned filling. That's because I did not add cherry kool-aid or red food coloring to it. I added strawberry puree! About 5 tablespoons to be exact. There is no strawberry flavor what so ever. It just gave it a nice pinky look to it instead of it being in a whitish clear gel.

I made enough for 6 and 3/4 quarts. Almost 7, but not quite. I'm sure if you add another cup of cherries to the pot you could top off the 7th quart.

Sour Cherry Pie Filling

5-6 quarts of fresh sour cherries
7 cups of sugar
1 3/4 cups of cornstarch
1/4-1/2 cup of lemon juice
2 tsp. of almond extract
5 Tbs. of strawberry puree for coloring
6-7 sterilized quart canning jars with lids

Rinse and pit cherries. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a large sauce pan. Then, add your water and almond extract. Stir and cook over medium high heat till it thickens and bubbles. Then, add lemon juice and stir continuously for 1 minute while it boils. Remove from heat, fold in cherries and strawberry puree. Fill quart jars. Hot water bath for 30 minutes.

  This was so delicious. My neighbor gave me this recipe with out the puree added. She leaves hers clear. I had to have some color in there and I had puree on hand, so we experimented and it worked!

I was a little reluctant to use the almond flavoring, but what a difference. I can't imagine it without it!

I believe this recipe would work with sweet cherries as well. It may not have the tartness to it, but I think it would be delicious. I am so thankful for my neighbor as it was her cherries and recipe!

Thank you all for the wonderful bounty you share each week on the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop! 

Dip into The Farmgirl Friday Recipe Box when you're looking for an old fashioned favorite or a home- cooked meal made from scratch with love. You'll find recipes from the best homestead kitchens, inspiration for setting a beautiful table with all the charm of a farmhouse kitchen PLUS tips for stocking and organizing your pantry. 677 now following! 

A little braggin' is a O.K.!  Be sure to grab your button if you've been a TASTY TUESDAY FEATURE!  Simply copy and save this image and paste it into your sidebar! Thank you!

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop # 115 ( better late than never )

 Welcome friends! We are back from our travels and I decided I just couldn't miss this weeks Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop so I'm jumping in this Saturday evening in hopes of gathering more of your fabulous posts. 

Record high temps are being recorded in many parts the US and good old New England is right in the mix! We went from a very wet June to hot and humid weather  overnight. We spend the fourth at the cottage which was great despite the attack mosquitoes. After three days of non- stop sweating unless I was submerged in the water or standing still  I was anxious to get home to the " girls" and my garden to see how ' droopy' things were. 

 

My hens were fine and enjoyed all the good scraps I brought home for them and the garden seems to be thriving in this heat. These photos were taken before the heat came on on an over cast day which really allows the colors and the blooms and foliage to shine through!

Right now, the Hydrangea are steeling the show in the garden!

Endless Summer

Bridal White Hydrangea

Oak Leaf Hydrangea

That's it for this garden show! More blooms coming soon! 

 Join us for another fabulous week of farmgirl fun! 

Your Farmgirl Friday Hostesses~  

Heidi of My Simple Country Living 
and White Wolf Summit Farmgirl Blog
Dolly of Hibiscus House and Dolly is Cooking and me of course!

 Now, it's your turn to link up for your weekly dose of farmgirl soul food!
 Here are the rules for the Farmgirl/guy Blog Hop!

1.) Write a post about your farmgirl lifestyle and brag a little about your farmgirl talents while your at it! Share what being a farmgirl means to you. Include lots of photos of your farm, crafts, animals,  quilts, home decor projects and thrifty make overs, your backyard garden, chicken coop, recipes, studio or workshop. You get the idea!

2). Leave your entry in the  Linky tools space to your  Farmgirl Friday post.

3). Please include the Farmgirl Friday button ( or link back here ) in your post and remember to share this hop with all of your blogging friends!

4.) Enter up to three entries per hop! 
 DON'T BE SHY~  

Be sure to leave a note if you're new to the hop! If you haven't clicked that follow button yet, please join us and be sure to stop by our FACEBOOK page and like us there too! 

As always, thank you for your continued participation! New friends and followers are ALWAYS welcome!

 DON'T BE SHY~  
Be sure to leave a note if you're new to the hop! If you haven't clicked that follow button yet, please join us and be sure to stop by our FACEBOOK page and like us there too! 
As always, thank you for your continued participation and welcome new friends and followers!


Don't forget to grab your FEATURED FARMGIRL BUTTON if you've been featured!