Thursday, May 30, 2013

Balcony Gardening

Okay, So I must admit, those cute furry little rabbits, are no longer so cute to me. As soon as we moved into our updated, (yet still antique enough to be cute ) house, I had big gardening dreams.

Dreams of tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, herbs ...the list goes on really. Those rascals with the big fluffy tails and long ears have made that mission impossible. As a result, I have had to settle for balcony gardening.

The cast iron baskets were left behind from a previous owner, who probably went through the same gardening challenges that I kept foreseeing in my near future. It was clear that the rabbits were up by 10 and I wasn't about ready to play that game again.

So cast iron baskets were bound to suffice, but those coconut liners would soon prove to be impossible to find. Stakes have been claimed in the gardening mecca of Waldo. I was pretty sure that the neighbor next door had purchased all of the coconut liners, amused by what creative idea I would come up with next. Granted this idea didn't involve an exquisite grand finale, it was inspired by our  Colorado wedding. This non-pretentious way of gardening would soon earn us the delicious reward of basil, oregano, rosemary and tomatoes.


Burlap Basket Liners:
Purchase a yard of burlap (give or take depending on how many baskets you want to line)
Double each piece over and cut just enough to leave some overlapping edges.


These liners seem to allow the soil to drain just enough, but retain some of the moisture when needed. Perfect for growing herbs balcony style.


J. B.

Monday, May 13, 2013

A Night of Amazing Food & Ambiance. For those visiting, or fortunate enough to live near Seattle, do not let this place slip by without a visit.

We went here for our 1 year anniversary dinner and we are already planning our return visit. Fun & amazing foods. It will not disappoint!   ~J B



Smoothies

Smoothie Fans Indulge Here
My favorite Saturdays are the ones which involve sleeping in, followed by a very long walk with my loves (my husband and our 2 dogs)  to one of our favorite little coffee shops. Lately my husband has gotten on this smoothie kick, and I must admit, I LOVE it! It reminds me of when I was growing up, sitting on the front porch with my grandpa as he laughed his deep belly laugh as I made up every excuse in the world as to why smoothies should be considered the next best thing to broccoli.


This Saturday, it was the Strawberry Chia Seed Smoothie, that won our heart and stomachs over.



RECIPE:

1 Banana
6 Strawberries (give or take)
9 Ice Cubes (can also substitute for frozen greek yogurt)
1 Cup of Vanilla Soy Milk

**For those with a sweet tooth (my sweet husband) add a few drops of agave nectar

Enjoy!

J. B.

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Beautiful Chaos

             For foodies, naturists and DIYers, welcome to the blog of beautiful chaos.