5 Signs of Spring

Number 1:

Waking up the herb garden from a long cold slumber...

The perennial herbs are already on their way back to life. Hello chives, thyme and oregano!

Number 2:

Hanging the first load of laundry out on the line...

It was not particularly warm or sunny but it sounded better than folding the other clothes in the dryer.

Number 3:

Flip flops.

Number 4:

First baseball game in the front yard.

Number 5:

Putting together the trampoline.

Nope, there is no going back now...

Watch, I bet it is going to snow later this week. If you know something that I don't know, please just let me dream.

My Seed Starting Set-up

Today we are busy installing some indoor outdoor carpet in our basement to complete the remodel. There is still lots to do and consider like furniture and layout, but I'm looking forward to putting cool stuff up on those bare cream walls.

A week ago, I officially started my seeds. There are lots of new additions and my entire list is here. I'm not neat or fancy when it comes to projects, but I can get the job done. All of the planting took place in my dining room and later the pots were hauled upstairs for their dedicated growing spot. I'm really thankful for my bamboo floors throughout the house for tasks such as this. All I needed was a bucket of hot soapy water and the room was good as new.

So here they are a week later.

Don't you love my table, a section of board over two saw horses. Like I said, it may not be pretty but it works.

This our normal light with full spectrum compact fluorescent bulbs. We have them in every in fixture in our home. The light is switched on first thing in the morning and turned off when the kids go to bed.

Pardon my flash, but I wanted to show you the extra supplies stored under the table: a laundry basket with the rest of the seeds, a clear box holds more containers, and the tote has soil. The soil is from the woods behind our house, mixed with a small bag of organic potting soil and half a bag of vermiculite.

And if you look closely you can see even if it's inexpensive and unattractive, it can still work.

Chamomile. The package said it may take a long time and sprout erratically, but here they are!

Our first planting of broccoli. We start some every 4 to 6 weeks so we have a constant harvest.

This is my first year growing some ornamentals and flowers.

A pepper already! I'm a surprised as you are!

Hope you have a swell weekend!

Good Food Friday: Ginger Lemon Cake

If sunshine had a flavor, I think it would be ginger lemon. The flavors are such a happy combination and this recipe is perfect for these sunny but still cool spring mornings. I'm pretty sure the basic recipe for this bundt cake came from my bon apetite magazines, but the ginger-lemon twist is my way of saying..

Welcome Home Sunshine!

Ginger Lemon Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

• softened butter
• course granulated sugar
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons ginger powder (don't be skimpy)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks butter) -- shhh... I only used one stick... still really really good...
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 whole eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup chopped crystallized ginger
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• zest of one lemon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 *F. Brush butter liberally all over inside of a bundt pan. Sprinkle coarse sugar over the butter in the pan until well coated.
• Whisk together flour, ginger powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until uniform. Add eggs two at a time, beating after each addition. Add egg yolk and vanilla. Beat. Add sour cream and lemon zest and beat.
• Pour half of flour mixture into the large bowl and fold with a wooden spoon. Add the remaining flour and mix again until just blended. Fold in crystallized ginger.
• Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan, being very careful to leave the sugar in tact.
• Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs about 55 minutes (less if you halved butter, like me).
• Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Using a butter knife, gently ease the cake from the sides of the cake pan. When sufficiently loosened, invert the cake onto a plate.

What really makes this cake fantastic is the lemon glaze...

Ingredients:

• juice of half a lemon
• powdered sugar
• zest of half a lemon (or more if you want to see people make that classic sour face)

Directions:

• Juice the half lemon into a mug
• Add powdered sugar until its about the consistency of slime (hey in my defense there are a lot of boys living here...)
• Add lemon zest.
• Stir and drizzle onto your cooled cake.

So sorry I couldn't get any pictures of this delight. It was sectioned and devoured before the glaze even had the chance to get to the cake. Maybe you could take some pictures of yours and share with me?

Mailbox Update

Here it is.

I don't think a mailbox has ever seen so many screws and nails.

The duct tape is totally unnecessary but absolutely hilarious.

And just for perspective...

It is about a foot shorter than the previous one. Oh well.

Sunny Days

Gosh! I don't know about you but I am dying for some spring time weather and some sunshine to lift my spirits. The last two days here in Ohio have been gloomy! The news has been gloomy! My families nerves and attitudes have been gloomy! Lets look at some sunny pictures and smile.

Sun Tea

Last year I planted for variety of sunflowers along the
house. This year I am thinking blueberries.

This is a late season shot of the sunflowers. Sun! 

A happy reminder that sunny days will come again.

What keeps you going on these gloomy days?