Fondue Pot Bird Feeders

Around here on the Clark Farm (slightly short of animals at the moment) we have been making some bird feeders out of old fondue pots because we rule. The birds seem to enjoy them but you never really know with them, they are such an anxious bunch. They scatter when I approach the kitchen sink to fill the teakettle or drop off some dishes. I keep hoping for a really good looking bird to stop by so that I can get a photo but this would involve standing frozen in the kitchen window with the camera to my eye ready to shoot. This could be time intensive and I have not frozen for long periods of time since I left my desk job

These fondue pots and aluminum pan were rescued from various thrift stores and swap meets for pennies. I really like the colors and I did not have this in mind when I bought them, but I started messing around with the design and Ryan added the wooden spoon and figured out the hanging apparatuses and viola.

Dear giant killer doves who take over the bird feeders with their enormous bird bodies,

Please stop dive bombing the feeder and causing a frenzy amongst the other reasonably sided birds, huh? You are making a mess and seriously reducing the chances of one of those really cool blue birds stopping by.

Sincerely -

Carole

Garden News - Sewing Seeds

Here are some of the foods that we have been growing over here in every possible square inch of available dirt. We even bought extra dirt, just in case. Isn't it funny that you have to purchase dirt?...for money? This is really good dirt though, the best. Which is why quite a bit of our garden came up from seeds that we planted last year.

Morning Glory (This came up from some seeds that I planted last year...One even made it all the way through the peas and out the other side.


Rogue Lettuce.


Grapes. Well. the leaves anyway. Grapes still to come.


Here are those peas from an earlier post still.not.ready. When they are ready, there will be a week long feast of peas, there are enough to feed you, your family, your extended family, your Aunt Edna and your bowling team excluding Ralph.


The effect of gamma rays on the man in the moon marigolds. Natural insect repellent.


Baby bell peppers


Pumpkin? blossom. I am thinking this might be a squash, we planted this last year...so who knows. I guess we'll find out.


The first jalapeno of the season.


Happy Tuesday!

Dolores Getting Things Done

Hello Monday -

Let's try this again, shall we?

Many, many sewing projects to do this week...kitchen curtains (finish the hem darn it), buying/cutting/organizing class project fabric, a gift project that I cannot mention out loud just yet and a whole bunch of those hats that I made for my mother.

I would like to get all these tasks done by Tuesday Night...please stop laughing so loudly, I can hear you. If I do not happen to finish this list, ahem, I will be satisfied to have everything done for classes on Wed. But I am aiming high.

Ryan and I got a lot done this weekend despite the fact that I was working on my trapeze act. All of which I will list now because I want to brag a little.

1. We reinforced the peas that were trying to lay flat across the bell peppers with fishing line just like McGyver would if he was faced with this challenge. Remember that episode when he grew peas?
2. We planted a bazillion marigolds for insect repelling purposes and to fancify the garden.
3. We laid bark down on a dirt path on the side of our house. We did not plan to do this, but we are extremely spontaneous when it comes to bark and paths.
4. Ryan cut down a palm tree and broke our shovel in the process. This probably happens to pro wrestlers all the time while they are gardening. Note: Ryan is not a pro wrestler.
4. I planted some cacti, chamomile, $1.00 wildflowers,an herb garden, more tomatoes, and some fancy plants to cover the hose apparatus and I did I mention I swung on a trapeze? Note: I really did swing on a trapeze.
5.We made some bird feeders that you will be jealous of. But don't be, I will show you how to make them and I will post pictures sometime this week.
6. Picked weeds. Picked some more weeds. Ate some lunch and got back to the weeds.
7. Hung a morning glory plant in my kitchen. This is against what most professional gardeners would recommend, but I am doing it anyway. So there. I will take pictures when I looks like I want it too. Science.


More about the trapeze later this week.

Homemade Oreos

I came accross a recipe for homemade oreos in the wide wide world of the internet quite a while ago. Not being a fan of the real deal oreo, I wasn't very keen on the idea of trying the recipe. But, as things usually do on the internet, the recipe popped up yet again, and I noticed that the filling, listen closely...had cream cheese in it. No kidding, why didn't you say so in the first place internet? I would have dropped what I was doing way back when and made these 'little devils' (see recipe) immediately. Creamcheese, as far as I am concerned, makes the culinary world go round. It's not for everyone, I know, but if you have anything against creamcheese, put those feelings aside just to take a quick bite of one of these cookies, you will not regret it. Man oh man, I packed up the rest of the cookies and dropped them off at the homes of families and friends...mostly because I had two for breakfast on Sunday and that is just madness.





In our house we only drink Huell Howser approved milk.



Here is the recipe:


1 box of devil's food cake
3/4 c of shortening
2 eggs

Mix these ingredients together for outer cookie wafers.
Roll into small balls (1 inch diameter..ish)
bake on cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes. Balls will flatten out while baking, so do not flatten before baking. And no need for greasing the cookie sheet. Do not over bake, they should be slightly mooshy (technical culinary term) and allowed to cool to hard for about 20min before frosting.

1 8oz package of creamcheese
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla
1/2 stick of butter

Allow creamcheese and butter to soften before mixing together, unless you are the incredible hulk then mix straight out of the fridge. Spread this good stuff on an overturned wafer and top with another overturned wafer. Take small spoonfuls of this frosting to taste between cookie frosting (just a suggestion).

Homegrown radishes

We planted quite the crop this year of onions, red potatos, carrots, peas and radishes??? Not sure what the reason for the radishes were come to think of it. I mean, I like radishes but not as much as you would think if you saw our garden. EVERY seed we planted sprouted. So here is the first picking of our radishes. These were packed up with the oreos and distributed. Radishes were not as big a hit as the oreos as you might imagine. There are about a million more radishes on their way - other than eating them raw, or having them in potato salad, I am kind of at a loss for what to do with them. Radish Rose garnishes were suggested (thank you Sarah) dinner at our house will be fancy for a while - Any other suggestions?

Happy Monday!

A Break from Sewing...

Cheeseburger Cupcakes...

It is kind of unsettling how authentic these look, in fact I have made them several times since and there are always a few party goers that are stumped by these cupcakes thinking they are the real thing. They are very tasty and very fun to make. I also make 'fries' to go with them (not pictured here).

'''''

I knew that I would add a revision to this post. All the above is true, but I thought that it was necessary to add that I did not do this alone. No, in fact, I had help. My husband, who never even flinches when I tell him that I am building a teepee, or that I need a duck or a chicken, assisted me in this endeavor. Not only does he willlingly participate in these adventures, but about fifty percent of the time it's his idea. There are many posts to come that will fall under the catagory of "Joint Venture" and this is just one of them. The extremely authentic fondant 'american cheese' that looks as though it has melted..genius, was entirely the husband. He even made his own condensed milk because we had none. He is a boy scout through and through.

This is not to say that there are not disagreements during these adventures. In fact I remember being doubtful that condensed milk could be condensed at home. But...I was wrong, so wrong (did you hear that?) And it was delicious.

So yes, Joint Ventures...more to come involving sawing furniture in half and carrying a coffee table like a pack mule through a crowded swap meet.

Welcome to my life.