Green

Published on: by catballou24 Category:Uncategorized 2 Comments

As in green tomatoes!  They are popping up all over my plants now and I can’t be more excited.  I have visions of yummy homemade grilled pizza with fresh basil, tomatoes, goat cheese and pesto…my favorite homegrown tomato treat actually!  My favorite salad of all time right now is a simple tomato (homegrown of course and several varieties), cukes from the garden, red onions, dash of pepper all topped with a drizzle of fresh oil and vinegar.  Yum!  We will eat this with dinner all summer until the tomatoes stop producing.  Can’t wait!  I spied with my little eye baby cukes on the plants too, so won’t be too long. 

What are you most excited about in your garden?  Hope you had a fantastic holiday weekend!  Peace!

Happy Earth Day!

Published on: by catballou24 Category:Uncategorized 2 Comments

Hope everyone is enjoying today and remembering to think about our good Mother Earth.  We are getting ready for a visit from family which we are very excited about as well as a fun filled weekend!

What are you doing to celebrate this weekend?  Peace!

(I was trying to add some pics of our baby tomatoes, but Blogger is not cooperating.  Have a great day anyway!)

{This Moment} Card Shark

Published on: by catballou24 Category:This Moment Comment
Playing cards with Aunty LeAnn in Portland, Oregon.  She is on her first big trip away from home (without big sis or us) with Grandma and got to stay with J’s sister while there!  Photo courtesy of LeAnn Locher.



A single photo – no words (okay, sometimes a couple words) – capturing a single moment in the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.  And to see where this all started, visit Soulemama.

Mouth Watering

Published on: by catballou24 Category:Gardening 4 Comments

Three of the tomato plants are already producing!  Noticed several teeny toms yesterday while out in the front beds.  I can hardly wait.  I never liked tomatoes until I started growing my own.  Now I crave them when the season is over.  Funny how homegrown, organic goodness can turn the taste buds around….

I also am almost finished with the bamboo trellis’ for the pole beans and cukes.  They are growing rapidly.  I got all the structure done and about half the twine up, am about to head out and work on it some more. 

My ornamentals are filling in beautifully!  First year they sleep, second year they creep, third year they leap!  This saying is proving true for my perennials out front.  The plants that are on their third year are really taking off nicely!  It seems that there are huge amounts of growth everyday right now.  I am loving just hanging out in the garden.

The back flower bed definitely needs work.  Those rascally chooks of our’s ate the new seedlings, so it’s just the established plants right now.  I am seriously considering a small iron or picket fence.  Whichever I can find that will fit the budget.  I don’t like fencing off beds like that, but if it means that the plants have a chance and I don’t have to leave the chickens cooped, then it may be worth it.  Suggestions are always appreciated!

How does your garden grow?  Hope it’s all green and fun!  Peace!

The Veggie Beds

Published on: by catballou24 Category:vegetable garden 1 Comment

The veggie beds are beginning to grow rapidly.  It is so exciting to watch everything reaching for the sun and growing noticeably everyday.  Right now we have 3 raised beds, plus potted veggies in the front along with a couple tomato plants mixed amongst the herbs in the front herb bed.  The more they grow, the more excited I get about harvest season! 

In the ground and pots we are growing 4 types of peppers (Jalapeno, Habanero, Serrano and Banana), 8 varieties of tomatoes (a plant for each at the moment – Celebrity, Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, Better Boy, Cherry, Yellow Pear, Early Girl and Arkansas Traveler), cucmbers (I was so afraid these were not going to come up, now I can’t believe how many are going crazy – all are Straight 8’s as I have found these are great all around cukes for both slicing and canning), pole beans, several different lettuce strains (spicy, butter crunches and romaines but different strains of all), potatoes (red and yellow), onions (red and yellow as well), Tatume Squash and Watermelon.  We are going to put in pumpkins and a couple more tomatoes before the end of the month along with staking out another bed.  We have 2 types of pears (Shinto and La Conte) and 2 types of apples (Mollie’s Delicious and Granny Smith) which are new to us this year as well.  I feel like I am starting to get a handle on growing veggies better.  I’m pretty confident with the ornamentals and herbs, but veggies I have my specialties and then my not so successful attempts.  I can grow cucumbers, pole beans and usually tomatoes with over abundance, but other veggies were alluding me.  I did alot of studying this year though, combing blogs and books alike.  So now I am ready to grow with gusto!  We’ll see how it turns out…

What is growing in your garden?  Hope it’s as exciting for you as it is for me!  Peace!!

Tiki Hut

Published on: by catballou24 Category:Uncategorized 1 Comment

This weekend we worked on a project that has been on our minds for a couple years now.  Had to wait for the right opportunity and the free palm fronds given to us on Saturday night were it.  We turned the girls’ playset into a tiki hut by constructing a palm frond roof.  So much work but so much fun!  The girls are thrilled and so are we.  Fun for both generations I’d say!  We have plans for some shelves and lights in it too.  Lola is looking forward to “camping out” in it one day.  Haha! 

A great family project and another step closer in the backyard redo!  Hope your weekend was fun and productive!  Peace!

{This Moment} Keeping Up With Big Sister!

Published on: by catballou24 Category:This Moment Comment
 (Xi just learned to ride a bike and can already keep up with the Farm Girl!)

A single photo (or 4 in this case) – no words (okay, sometimes a couple words) – capturing a single moment in the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.  And to see where this all started, visit Soulemama.

A Garden and New Adventures

Published on: by catballou24 Category:Uncategorized Comment

Springtime!  It’s finally here and my garden is rejoicing.  Everything is coming back green and strong.  I spent all week mulching and weeding, tending to new growth and planting some brand new companions for the beds.  The veggies are in and starting to grow bigger as well.  I just love this time of year…

These are just a few views of the front…the back is in the works, but all the raised beds have veggies flourishing back there!

New adventures are coming to our youngest little lady.  Thursday of this week marked a big day for her…we got her registered for Kindergarten!  She was thrilled to have Lola show her around the school after we submitted all her paperwork.  She was also relieved she still has a few months before actually starting…haha!  But all in all, she’ll do great!

Hope you all are enjoying your Spring wherever you may call home!  Peace!

Such A Happy Day

Published on: by catballou24 Category:Uncategorized Comment

Eight years ago today, one of my dreams came true…FarmGirl arrived fast and furious!  I can’t believe she is 8 today!  She is everything we could possibly have asked for and more.  I actually had a dream once a couple years before she was born that we had a little girl.  This little girl was about 8 in my dream and I can honestly say she was Lola with her dark hair and dark eyes and firey personality.  There are times I still want to pinch myself, she is such an amazing light in our world.  I love the way her mind works and the love she brings us each and everyday.  Not one to shy away from speaking her mind, I can only hope we can continue to guide her to be confident, strong and always curious.  Happy birthday my beautiful Lola….we love you more than life itself!

Peace!!

Attention Local Families!

Published on: by catballou24 Category:Uncategorized Comment

Spring Break!  I was just asked to get the word out about this.  Sounds like fun for the whole family!

“Lakeway Resort and Spa will host a week of live music and family friendly activities for guests of the hotel during Spring Break this year. Spend the week on the lake listening to live music by the pool, enjoying San Saba Spa, or getting in a round of golf on a nearby course.
Lakeway will be offering a Guest Camper program for children ages 4-10 involving traditional camp activities and customized schedules throughout the week.  Live music will begin on Thursday, March 17 with Graham Weber from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. by the pool and Cory Branan from 8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. at Josey’s Grill and Bar. Josey’s will also be featuring Irish food and drink specials on Thursday for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration. The live music continues throughout the weekend with Liz Singer from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. by the pool and Brett Cline from 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. at Josey’s on Friday, March 18. Saturday will wrap up the weekend with Eric Kent from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. by the pool and Murphy’s In Laws at Josey’s Grill and Bar from 8 p.m. – 12 a.m. Lakeway will also be offering two hour Legacy Yacht cruises on Friday and Saturday nights for $20 for adults and $10 for children.
Other amenities and services at Lakeway Resort and Spa include poolside cabana rentals, water-sport rentals from the Lakeway Marina and Texas Sailing, as well as hiking and running trails and shopping at the nearby Hill Country Galleria.

Guests who book their stay between March 1 and May 31 can save up to 20 percent per night with Lakeway’s Escape to the Lake package. This package includes deluxe accommodations, breakfast for two at the Travis Restaurant, free breakfast for children under 12 and a welcome surprise gift. 
Lakeway Resort and Spa is located at 101 Lakeway Drive, Austin, Texas, 78734. For more information on Spring Break 2011 rates and packages please visit their website here.” 
We live just a few miles from the Resort and I can say that it is gorgeous out there.  Would be a fun week for the whole family!
Looks like they are offering everything from music to cooking classes, movies for the kids and even a climbing wall.  The music is Friday and Saturday, with both days packed.  If you go, please let us know!  We would love to hear about your experience.  Have a great week!

Peace!