Non Astringent, Asian Persimmon In South Texas

I'm in San Antonio. I grow Asian persimmons and have done so for about twelve years. The first tree was a dud (that's what the picture above is.) It was an astringent persimmon, a Saijo. It was fantastically sweet, but had the texture of a water balloon filled with snot. Varying degrees of ripeness from … Continue reading Non Astringent, Asian Persimmon In South Texas

Sourdough Sighting

At it again. My dough ball has never looked better. I have fun with this, and nothing tastes better than fresh bread! I have recently been following this lovely lady's instructions: https://youtu.be/Br9ezqYPyic?si=YgA9pLhA-NV1gqCI I'm definitely not this soft spoken, but I do enjoy her dough folding and shaping instructions. Meet you out in the garden with … Continue reading Sourdough Sighting

Quick Mini Greenhouses From Milk Jugs

I love using milk jugs! My kids drink a lot of milk and we always have empty gallon milk containers. These are always useful in my garden! I use them to harden off transplants and in this blog entry: to keep tender plants (like tomatoes) outside, where they're warm and have plenty of light, while … Continue reading Quick Mini Greenhouses From Milk Jugs

Winter: Garden Planning

Winter is a wonderful time to read up on gardening literature. When your garden is fast asleep, it is the perfect time to make preparations for next year. Whether you are new to gardening or an old hand: this is the yearly time for reflection. What has worked for you? What have you struggled with? … Continue reading Winter: Garden Planning

Tomato Paste

If you are in a position to look at a device to help you make tomato paste or sauce, seed different fruits and remove skins, do I have some advice for you! I have made paste from tomatoes before. I used to own a Foley food mill and used it regularly. (Like: an original Foley … Continue reading Tomato Paste

DIY Red And White Mushroom Solar Light

These cute glass mushrooms with solar lights built in are so easy and so cheap! Since I haven't had a craft on here in a while, I feel like I'm overdue. I'm super excited to share this idea with you! We're coming up on a year since my husband was able to come home and … Continue reading DIY Red And White Mushroom Solar Light

Please Don’t Rock Your Yard!

While we were in Colorado there was a trend to rip out anything that was growing and replace it with a gravel landscape. Every time I saw someone ripping out their grass to do this: I wanted to throttle them. Here is why: rock is not low maintenance. I understand those who don't garden are … Continue reading Please Don’t Rock Your Yard!

Painting Pavers To Look Like Books

I got a call the other day from a neighbor. "I have seven bricks, do you want them?" "Yes! Yes, I do!" I have plans for bricks, and free ones are the best kind! These plans were sparked by regularly spending hours on Pinterest (Can't sleep? It's Pinterest time!) and randomly remembering a few pins … Continue reading Painting Pavers To Look Like Books

I Painted My Kitchen Cabinets And I Love Them!

Four years ago today I finished this project and wrote this post on how to paint kitchen cabinets. I have to say that they are still one of the best home improvement projects I've done. Not simple. Not easy. But very worthwhile. The finish is just as nice as the day I rehung the cabinet … Continue reading I Painted My Kitchen Cabinets And I Love Them!

Fine Paints of Europe: Dutch Door Kit

This is the most reflective paint I've ever seen! I'm at it again! My mom came to visit me and it's been crazy! We cut down two trees with a chainsaw. It was the above ground growth on an incense bush and a pomegranate, that died back during our horrible freeze. My 20 year old … Continue reading Fine Paints of Europe: Dutch Door Kit

Candy Cane Straws and Ice Cream Sundae Outdoor Decorations

So now that we're past the #!$@:! Frigging pool noodle lollipops, I have some relaxing projects to round out a candy themed Christmas display. First are the super simple candy cane straws. You can make canes with a bunch of PVC elbows but I think those look way more like a PVC pipe creation rather … Continue reading Candy Cane Straws and Ice Cream Sundae Outdoor Decorations

Big Beefy Pool Noodle Lollipop Decorations

This tutorial shows you how to make the best looking pool noodle lollipops out there. Don't mess with the dollar store noodles. I decided to add some Christmas tutorials for my decorations outside. I'm creating a candy background for some characters from the Nutcracker Ballet. My first task was making some candy. I decided on … Continue reading Big Beefy Pool Noodle Lollipop Decorations

Just In Time For Christmas: Modern Cinnamon Pickles And Lemon Candy Pickles!

My grandmother used to make cinnamon pickles out of watermelon rind. It was a dessert she proudly put on our plates. They were delicious and in memory of her, I now make them yearly for my extended family and my kids. Last year I also tried a vanilla pickle which was pretty gross. I'm not … Continue reading Just In Time For Christmas: Modern Cinnamon Pickles And Lemon Candy Pickles!

Happenings In The November Garden

We still have a couple of weeks until we freeze for the year. Most of my plants are shutting down. A few completely tropical plants are starting to fruit. I will be repotting some of the smaller plants into a single pot and bringing others indoors as is. My son's lemon tree is about ready … Continue reading Happenings In The November Garden

Rendering Lard

This is super easy. 1. Get out a crockpot/slow cooker. Don't use something to cut this on that will be hard to get the grease off of. 2. Put 3-6 lbs of pork fat, cut into 1 inch cubes, into the cooker. Look for organic grass fed pork. Otherwise, this will be more similar to … Continue reading Rendering Lard

Silver Faceless Aliens

Happy Halloween! This year: Silver Faceless Aliens! They are human height and shape and creep everyone out! I instantly had the idea after looking at this mask. So much fun! Like all of my projects: it's super cheap and has a big impact. I'm making four. Here are the supplies you'll need: 59 inch silver … Continue reading Silver Faceless Aliens