The Garden in February

It was an exquisitely beautiful weekend on the mountain top and I felt so very fortunate to have time off to enjoy it. 

Aside from cooking and catching up on a few things around the house, I spent some quality time outside, which felt amazing. 

As much as I love to snuggle next to the fire with a good book on a winter's eve, when that sun comes out and spring feels so close you can't keep me inside for anything!

I grabbed the camera and a glass of Prosecco and headed out to see what's happening in the garden. 

It amazes me that I have anything at all to report to you in the month of February here in the Northeast. That just goes to show how bizarre our winter has been this year. 

It might not look like much from a distance but a true gardener looks beyond the obvious and is always looking for what's coming next. 

I was shocked to find the bulbs I planted in the fall popping up in quite a few spots. 

First of all, it's too early. Normally the garden is still under a foot of snow or more at this point. 

Second of all, I thought the critters found them all - in the days immediately after I planted 240 spring bulbs, I found empty holes all over the place where the animals had dug them out. 

I guess they missed some!

The Rhododendrons have some nice big fat buds.  Some of the Lilac branches that had nice buds on them were eaten by the deer...I'm not sure if that means I won't get blooms on those branches? Does anyone know? 

It seems some of the trees have early buds as well, although it is far too soon for that. 

The chives in the veggie garden have come up quite a bit in the last week or so. I could nearly gather a handful....tempting!

Some of the plants I am attempting to overwinter in the garden cottage are looking quite well. I wonder if I should give them a sprinkle of water every now and again? Anyone know? Or should I leave them be for now?

Strawberries hanging in there in the garden cottage....I hope I get some berries this year. Last year was a bust....not sure why. 

Even the pansies in the window box on the garden cottage are surviving, it seems, despite their outward appearance. See all that green growth under the frost bitten outer leaves?

Even where there is no green to be found there is still much beauty in the winter garden. 

I'm surprised the birds haven't eaten all these seed heads but perhaps that's because I feed all my critters too well. 

The creek at the edge of my property is still running freely, very little ice to be found. 

All this spring-like weather was just a tease. Winter returns with a vengeance this week, with snow expected this evening and bitter cold temps to come. 

I worry about all the little plants that think it's time to bud. 

Will they make it until spring?

Will I?

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Sunday Funday

I need a clone. No doubt about it. I spend my days off puttering around doing this and that....but the more I do, the more I see that needs to be done. 

Either a clone or I need to hit Lotto. This way I can retire right now and have all the time in the world to stay on top of everything that needs my attention. 

For now, it's a bit of this and a bit of that. I'm so very grateful to have time off this weekend to get a few little things done. Next weekend will be an entirely different story and I'll be one cranky lady!

After the breakfast dishes were cleared away this morning I got to business. The stove was taken apart and given a good scrub, the dishwasher was humming along happily, and it was time to get to a few things that had been on my to-do list for a while now. 

The first was to nourish and polish my dining room table. 

I bought the table and chairs with the house because I fell in love with them during my tour. I didn't know at the time all the damage that was hiding underneath the tablecloth and chair cushions, but the scale of the table was just perfect for the space. 

I had to get most of the chairs re-caned when I moved in, and the table has most definitely seen better days. It doesn't matter - I love it regardless.

It's an antique set and I have no idea how old it is. The tabletop is dried out and scarred and burned in spots...it needs regular TLC to keep it looking it's best. 

Since there's so much sun in the dining room I make sure I use a product that not only polishes the wood but also soaks in and nourishes it. 

Doesn't that look great? I'll let it soak in for most of the day and then buff it with a soft cloth to remove any excess beeswax. 

There's nothing quite like the beauty of old wood when it's gleaming in the sun!

Another little project I've been putting off is treating my butcher block counter. 

I adore this counter, I think it adds a lot of character to the kitchen, but it's been abused through the years. 

I use cutting boards on top of the counter and never cut directly on it but that has most definitely not always been the case. The counter is scratched and cut and stained. It's pretty sad looking.  

I had been treating it with orange oil when I first moved in but then I did some more research and read about Tung Oil. 

I wanted something that was natural and food safe since I prepare meals on this counter. 

After a good cleaning I let the counter dry and then applied a fairly heavy coat of Tung Oil with some paper towels. 

Again, I'll let it soak in for most of the day and then buff off the excess this evening.

I have to do this on a day when I know I won't be cooking because I use this counter constantly when preparing meals. It's my primary food prep area. 

Doesn't it look wonderful? I wish I could get it to stay shiny. I might have to bite the bullet and try a different treatment on it in the future because the look I love really is a bit more polished than the raw butcher block. Any ideas? I'm open to all suggestions!

For now, the Tung Oil will at least make it look a little better. And it helps protect the wood from stains. 

Moving on to other little projects around the house....I have some extra knobs from when I ordered the new kitchen cabinet knobs way back when. 

They were the very first thing I bought for my new house, the day  my offer was accepted. Pottery Barn had them on clearance and I took a guess at how many I'd need and placed an order. I have a few extra, after all, but that's no harm. 

Aren't they lovely? And on clearance they were so cheap - I think I paid $2.99 each for them - and they are real glass, not acrylic. Love, love, love these knobs!!

One was going on the drawer of my little wine cabinet. The knob that was there is just dull.....boring!

It's the little things, you know? They really do make a difference. 

You may not notice a huge change but when the sun hits these knobs they absolutely glow - and that makes my heart sing just a little bit!

The other two were slated for the dry sink that serves as my bar. I picked this piece up at a garage sale when the girls were little, for $40. It's been with me a long time, through 4 different homes. 

And I never liked those little dinky knobs. 

Well, they shall bother me no longer! Again, just a small change....but it makes me happy. 

I need to water my many houseplants today and I have a stack of books calling  my name....

...and there are a couple of episodes of Downton Abbey vying for my attention. 

But first and foremost I am going to find some time to spend outside on this glorious day. 

There's a cold spell heading our way this week....Spring's not here just yet. 

Although you'd never know it today. 

Enjoy your Sunday, friends!

Potato Soup....and Playtime for the Puppies!

I showed you the start of my broth the other night during the storm....well, after about 30 hours on low in the crockpot I came home to this last night:

Just look at all that depth of flavor in there! A chef taught me that tip ages ago....low and slow for broth, let it simmer ever so slightly for at least 24 hours for all the flavors to develop. He's so right, it makes such a difference!

See how rich that is? It's so much deeper and more flavorful than any broth you can buy in the store. 

It was time to make my potato soup!

Such a simple recipe, but so incredibly yummy. 

I gathered my ingredients - 8 potatoes, 2 large onions, one head of garlic. 

Rough chop on the onions and into the pot with a bit of olive oil. I let them saute for a bit until they were good and soft while I got the garlic peeled and minced. 

I made a hole in the center of the onions, dropped in a pat of butter, and browned the garlic in the center. Just until golden, to release the flavors. 

In went the broth and the peeled and quartered potatoes. 

The lid went on, and it needed about a half hour to simmer, until the potatoes were really tender. 

Meanwhile, while I was slaving away in the kitchen (ha ha) it was playtime in the living room:

Every time my sweetie goes off the mountain he comes back with "be-prizes" for the babies. He spoils them rotten!!

This time he brought back a little fuzzy squeaky football and a fuzzy squeaky dumbell.

Because of the Superbowl, of course! 

The Monkey got the football and Tubs got the dumbell. 

Before you knew it, the Monkey had stolen the dumbell....and Tubs had the football. 

They were playing so happily with their new toys, running around, squeaking them....ripping off bits of fuzz and leaving it all over my house. The usual!

Meanwhile, the potatoes were tender and I gave the soup a whiz around with my immersion blender. 

I added about a half cup of half & half, as the soup was a bit thick. 

I also added about a cup of grated cheddar. 

Just because....hello? Cheese!

Ready to serve - let's call the troops in for dinner!

And then I found this. The Monkey had managed to steal the football back from Tubs and now she had both toys. And she would grumble any time poor Tubs went anywhere near her. Bold little cheeky brat, she is!

Dinner is served!  Hot sandwiches with a bowl of creamy potato soup. I topped the soup with about a tbs of chopped lower sodium bacon (I pre-cook the bacon and keep it in the freezer) and some chopped scallions. 

The soup was absolutely delicious! Guess what's for lunch today? 

After her belly was full the little bold Monkey took a nap in front of the fire with both toys beside her. 

Poor Tubs doesn't stand a chance!

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On a Stormy Winter's Night

The wind was howling, the trees were whistling and clattering against one another, there was no sign of a moon or any stars. 

The wind chimes were going mad....which is a sound I adore. 

The clouds would build up and obscure the mountain peaks and then blow away just as quickly, leaving new cloud formations in their wake. 

I loved each and every second of it. 

There's nothing I adore more than coming home from the office and spending time outdoors. In warmer months I grab a glass of wine and go for a walkabout through my gardens to see what's growing. 

When I came home from work yesterday evening I was inspired to do the very same. 

The wind was blowing like crazy....but it was a strangely warm wind, not the cold, bitter wind it was when I left early that morning. 

The sunset was lovely, a red sky against the glow of my garden cottage. 

I took a peek inside to check on the plants I'm overwintering in there. It's hard to tell just yet but it's possible some of them may survive. Fingers crossed. 

There's nothing more comforting than seeing the warm glow of the lights inside a cozy house on a stormy night. 

 

My little house looked so warm and inviting I was compelled to snap some photos to share with you. 

The side window to the dining room....the fiddle leaf fig is quite happy there in it's new spot. And I can watch the birds at the suet in the mornings from my place at the breakfast table. 

It was so lovely being outdoors again, enjoying the beauty all around me. I spent quite a bit of time on my little garden swing, just listening to the wind in the trees and the chimes down in the garden. 

I was ever so happy to be out in nature once again....I've missed it terribly. 

When I finally made my way indoors to start supper guess who had decided to make themselves at home in my chair. 

It was a very good night. 

Rainy Day Reading

It's a miserable, cold, windy, rainy, blustery day in the  mountains today. Not a pick of sunshine, just damp, dreary and downright chills you to the bone.

It's the perfect day for two things: making soup and reading a really good book.

I started my day by putting on a big crockpot of broth. It won't be ready until tomorrow afternoon, unfortunately, but when it's done I'm going to make a nice batch of potato soup.

Russet potatoes were on sale at the market this week - buy one bag, get one free. I had potato soup on my mind right away!

I started my broth out with the carcasses of 2 chickens - one I had saved in the freezer and one from Monday night's dinner. 

I added the following to the crockpot for this batch of broth:

1/2 bag baby carrots

4 stalks of celery, leaves included

1 head of garlic, unpeeled, cut in half

1 large sweet onion, unpeeled, cut in half

a handful of mushroom stems and pieces from the freezer

a couple of rinds of hard cheese from the freezer

1/4 cup peppercorns, whole

1/4 cup chopped dried parsley

4 bay leaves

1 tsp of Vermont Country Seasoning

Fill to the top with water, and cook on low for a minimum of 24 hours. I will actually cook this for about 30+ hours, until I come home from work tomorrow evening.

It's the perfect thing to make on such a miserable day.

I also have a perfect book for you to read on a day like this. I just finished this book and I am not lying when I say I could not put it down!

I absolutely love a book that grabs my attention like that! It brings me back to my childhood when I used to get so involved in a book that my mom says she could have a whole conversation with me and I wouldn't hear one word. I could tune everything and anything out!

This is that kind of book. The kind that reminds me how very much I love to read. 

The Forgotten Garden

I'm sure many of you have read it already....if you haven't, please pick up a copy asap! You will not regret it!

This is absolutely not a sponsored post, and no affiliate links. I just adored this book!

The story grabbed my attention from page one and every spare second I had found me going back to pick it up and read more, more, MORE!

One more page....one more chapter....one more hour...!

I've now downloaded samples of 3 of Kate Morton's other books and I can't wait to dig wholeheartedly into the next one.  I have just started The House At Riverton....I'll let you know what I think when I'm all done but I have high hopes for it after The Forgotten Garden. 

Do you have any books that you have read recently that moved you to the point of thinking about them constantly? If so, please share - I'm always on the lookout for a new favorite book!

No Spend Month - Final Recap

Hi Friends! I feel like I have so much to tell you all - it seems forever since I've been here with you, sharing the tidbits of my little mountain top life!

I've missed you all!

It was a busy, busy weekend in my world, unfortunately much of it involving that dreaded 4 letter word....WORK. 

I'm sorry it kept me away from all of you but I'm back now and I'm excited to share the results of my very first no-spend month with you all. 

Well.....I just about made it through the entire month without spending a dime! 

I made it right up until the day before it ended. 

What happened to break my no-spend month, you ask?

My gas light came on!! I had to pull into my local Cumberland Farms and fill up the tank. And while I was there I ran in for some bread, half and half, and Doritos. 

Yes, you heard me right. Doritos. 

I didn't mean to....it just happened. Hey, I'm not perfect!!

I also had to buy some scratch offs for a dear colleague who was retiring this weekend. I wanted to put them in with her retirement gift.....hey, you never know, right? 

Back to the no-spend - here were my tricks for making it through:

1. I stocked up. I knew I was going to really give this a try so before I began the challenge I made sure I had what I needed in the house as far as groceries and supplies went. 

2. I limited my trips in the car. Right before I began the challenge, after I ran all my errands and stocked up, the last thing I did was pull into the local gas station and fill my gas tank to the tippy top. I would have made it through the whole month without filling up again if it hadn't been so cold! I had no choice but to warm up my car well before driving to work. Oh well, it is what it is!

3. I used credit card points. I have my Chase Freedom card linked to my Amazon account. I use my Chase card for many, many things to collect as many points as possible. Whenever I get Chase points, they show up as a credit on Amazon that I can use whenever I want. I saved them this month for any "emergencies" that may come up....like buying a retirement gift for my colleague! 

4. I had my daughters chip in. They are both off the mountain much more frequently than I am and I had no qualms about asking them to bring back fresh produce. I'm still waiting for the wine to be restocked. I guess I won't hold my breath.  

5. My sweetie helped out. We have a 'deal' that whenever either of us is going to the market, we check in with the other to see if there's anything we need. I did not take advantage by any means but when I ran out of Greek yogurt, my sweetie picked it up on his trip. 

6. I shopped my freezer and my pantry. I used the fresh produce first, obviously, but as that ran out I went to my freezer and pantry for canned and frozen fruits and vegs to get me through. Meals were planned around what was already in the house. I even made a fabulous cake for the retirement party from what was in my pantry....I'll share the recipe another day. 

7. I kept lists. Instead of running out to pick up a few things as they were needed the items were simply put on the shopping list. One shopping at the end of the month, and we're all stocked up again. Since I absolutely hate grocery shopping I might try to do this more often!! One big shopping, once a month!

8. I kept busy. I did projects around the house using things I already had, which gave me the feeling of having something new without actually buying anything. Win/Win!!

9. I made do. Isn't that what it's really all about? Going back to a simpler way? Back in the 'old days' if you didn't have something, you made do. Today we are so quick to go out and buy what we 'need' or go online....but do we really need it? Really? 

I think my biggest challenge through it all was not feeling 'free' to go out and do what I wanted to do, as I was strictly trying not to spend money for the month. No days off the mountain to just visit a nearby village and wander around the shops. No bringing home Chinese Food when I didn't feel like cooking....although Sweetie did bring in a pizza this weekend. No stocking up on wine even though I'm pretty much out of whites. No splurges, no treats. No "I feel like getting a manicure." No new shirts or shoes. 

But all in all, it was a good challenge and I will most definitely do it again. January is a great time for this type of challenge - it's good to rein in the spending after the holidays and also to bring a little 'discipline' back into the routine. Let's face it, we all let things slip a little during the holidays - we eat too many sweets, drink too much eggnog....spend too much money. 

Do you think you could do it? Do you think you could go an entire month without spending on anything other than bills?