Me: Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O. And on his farm he had a pig, E-I-E-I-O. With a moo, moo here, and a moo, moo there… Them: NO, Gammy, No! (Giggles) Pigs don’t say moo!!! Me: What… that’s not right? Pigs don’t moo? I must be confused. What DO pigs say? Them: Oink, oink, oink. (More giggles.) …
Today we are sharing the last of our August Appliques. It seems only fitting. Yesterday Michelle’s wee ones started back to school, this weekend the pool is coming down, and in general were are kissing another summer goodbye. It was a bittersweet summer. I lost my father but was so aware of the circle of …
Better gardeners than I can get hardy hibiscus flowers to grow in Michigan. I have yet to have one successfully winter. Since I adore them, I tend to think of them as annuals and always have one of two plants in the garden. Perhaps I shouldn’t bother but few plants are as showy and beautiful as …
To me August is the most “summery” month of the year. Traditionally, our temperatures are the highest, we get the least amount of rain, and we always try to get in a couple “long weekends” to fully enjoy the last lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. By the end of August I’ll be ready for …
Oh, to sing the praises of the apple. Not only are they yummy to eat and a healthy choice for a snack, they are down right cute! My very first research paper back in third grade was on The Apple. What can I say… apples and I go way back! Although not traditionally considered …
There is an expression “easy as pie”. I don’t get that. To me pie making is NOT easy. Trying to get a nice crumbly crust, rolling out a dough just right, then baking the pie so the fruit and crust is done without over baking the outer edge. “Easy as pie”? I think not! On …
Happy July! Oh, when I think of summer I can’t help but think of strawberries, blueberries, peaches, raspberries, watermelons and an assortment of other tasty fruits. Yum! We eat them right off the bushes, sugared on shortcakes, or swirling in smoothies. It’s not surprising that for our summer appliques, fruits receive a starring role. So, …
Happy June! In the summertime not only do we enjoy watching all the animals romping in the yard, we also love observing all the bugs and creepy crawlers. They are so fascinating! You might ask, “Can you truly appreciate a snail when it’s munching on the leaves in your garden?” Well, maybe not but “Fish …
I can remember on one of my grandmother’s visits to our house my mother gave Bushia her sewing basket to organize. As is usually the case with unattended spools of thread, as soon as the lid was closed to the basket, they would party, and the next time you opened the lid, all of the spools …
As a child few things thrilled me more than a new box of crayons. Oh the possibilities, oh the beauty, oh the smell… is there anyone out there that can’t conjure up the smell of a new box of crayons? To this day, when I buy a new box of crayons, I love to open …
If I had to give a definition of artist it would be “anyone that answers the call to create”. Whether we take paint brush to canvas, write a poem, sculpt an attractive crust on an apple pie we are baking, sing a delightful ditty in the shower or move perennials around our garden to create …
Tim and I went to Boredine’s Nursery this weekend. It’s a local chain in Michigan and one of our favorite haunts in the spring and summer. They have yet to stock the store with the year’s annuals and perennials, but it doesn’t stop hard core gardeners from congregating. Like Tim and I, there were many …
