Pea Gravel Patio

I have been in my own little bubble lately.
Or in other words, I have had a project that I wanted to finish.
This time it is the pea gravel patio I have been thinking about all winter.
I priced quotes through the winter of pea gravel, landscape timbers and figured I would spend about $200
on this patio.  That was too much.  I also redesigned to get materials that I could fit in my old Jetta.
So to save a $40 delivery fee, I decided to gather my own pea gravel four 5 gallon buckets at a time. $6.00 for 4 buckets. We put 15 buckets of pea gravel on the patio, approximately $22.00
And I spent $18 on 18 pavers.

So with maybe $10 in gas (the hardware store in 6 miles away x 4 trips). I made a patio for $50.

I needed to power wash the wall and rake away the soil, before I put the pea gravel down.
But after that, the boys and I hauled pea gravel and one load of pavers.

We just need to paint the wall and add a new bench and plants, and hopefully a rain barrel.
It withstood a heavy rainfall.  Before this would have been a small pond.

We also moved our raised bed garden from the front yard to the back yard.
I moved leaf compost and soil by the 5 gallon buckets too.
I moved about 9 buckets of leaf compost and 15 buckets of soil.

So I guess it makes sense that for 2 weeks I fell asleep at 8pm and slept till 8 am.
The rain was a welcome break.

Hats, Hats for Sale, 50 cents a hat...

Hats:

I have been searching for a hat pattern that would work with wool that lacks stretch.

Well, it turned into a bit of an obsession and I have found one as well as a bunch of cute Easter hats.

Easter Memories

I have very fond memories of Easter as a child.

The Easter Bunny hid hard-boiled eggs (that we dyed with our Grandma) all around the house. And our Easter baskets were always completed by a solid chocolate bunny, a little figurine, and jelly beans.

We were allowed to fill one special egg with goodies to take with us to Church.

I also remember crisp morning walks to church in brand new Easter clothes and hats.

Here is my spin incorporating my memories and the magic of new beginnings.

We planted Easter grass very early.  4 weeks before Easter.  I was eager to see something green!

So we needed to do a little trimming.

In their Easter bags were, wee little felt chicks and a mother hen I made for them, a "Spring" book,an organic lollipop, hollow chocolate eggs, a package of organic gummy bears, and a chocolate bunny from the same local chocolatier as the bunnies of my childhood (Thanks Grandma!).

We made Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday.
I used our regular Kindi Bread recipe and added soaked raisins, cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg.
We topped them with a glaze of 1/4 cup powdered sugar and juice of one lemon.

We invited a friend over to dye Easter eggs with us.  Somehow all of Joel's eggs were blue/ green and Henri's were orange brown.

I shared a story each night with my boys from Festival, Family, and Food. by Diana Carey and Judy Large.

I embellished it is a few parts but this is the main point. The story tells of how the earth was beginning to die and brown, but the Christ Child is coming to give the earth new birth.  Christ asked for an animal that could send the work throughout the land.  Many animals tried but the Hare was the only one who stayed on task.  So it came to be that the Easter hare was meant to spread the news of Eastertide.  The hare said, "But how will I show them?" Christ answered, "Take this egg and show them that just as the yellow yolk is hidden inside this egg so is the warmth and love of Christ in the world".

For my eldest, Easter was about the confirmation that indeed this warmth and love has come and that the Easter Hare came to our garden to share the news with us.

Bunnies

Rendering Lard

I don't think I will be doing this again...
The house smelled like dead pig for the evening and next day.
Outside fire, maybe...

Chestnut Date Pumpkin Roll

I bought a can of chestnuts at Whole Foods in the fall.

I have been thinking about how I will use them for months.

Thoughts have been for stuffing, pumpkin soup, chestnut crumble and finally healthy icing.

Pumpkin roll:

1/4 cup powdered sugar for towel

Combine Dry ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon and cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

Then add wet:

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin puree (Our very own cheese pumpkin)

Grease and flour 15x10 jelly roll pan

Bake 375F for 11 to 15 minutes.

Let cool 10 minutes. Then flip onto a tea towel dusted heavily with powdered sugar and roll while still warm.

Let cool while you prepare icing.

Chestnut date Filling:

Puree dates that have been soaked for a day in hot water

Puree canned chestnuts

I have leftover purees in fridge to add to something else.

Place in food processor:

1/2 cup each pureed dates and pureed chestnuts

add 1/3 cup cottage cheese and process till smooth

add 2 tbs. melted butter and 2 tbs. melted coconut oil

1 tsp. vanilla

then add 1 cup powdered sugar (optional)

Unroll towel with cake.

Spread icing evenly.

Re roll and refrigerate on a plate.

A Tunic For Mama

I am always sewing, stitching, and creating for others.
It brings me joy to make, create and to give.
But, lately I have been thinking about my wardrobe, much of which does not fit.
I decided to start to make clothes for myself.
I also set a few rules for myself. (I have a really hard time following rules!)
I will use patterns, finish seams, and follow the directions.
This might not seem difficult, but for me it really is.  My husband calls me "Vera" in many
aspects of life. I tend to start on one path and veer in another direction pretty quickly. For example, I started with a crocheted squirrel (another future post) and he ends up with a lot of changes from the pattern. Including using felt to speed things up a bit.
So here is a tunic made for me by me.
I followed the pattern, but left off the sleeves.
Umm, yes, my trees are upside down, but the seams are finished and I even used interfacing!