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!

Do You Duolingo?

I have a language learning hobby. I ended up with about 8 years of French between middle school, high school and college. I was not at all serious about it until college. I started with several languages on Duolingo, years ago, and ended up just focusing on French. This year I tried to learn chess, … Continue reading Do You Duolingo?

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

Walking And Friending

These are the type of friends you don't need social media to keep up with! Today the emu had some of its own friends. You may be wondering why the heck anyone would want an emu. I did. So I looked it up! Emu meat has the taste and texture of beef. So. Maybe one … Continue reading Walking And Friending

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

Walk=The Same. Things I Notice? Always=Different!

"Oh, that lady's hips!" "What beautiful hips she has." "Those hips are delightful!" No, not a personal description. These are rose hips. 😜 We're playing the "what is that squash?" game in the compost pile. Tomatoes from the food bank. Bright orange zinnia. Beautiful cactus fruit!, What in the heck is this? It looks like … Continue reading Walk=The Same. Things I Notice? Always=Different!

Another Walk

This time in the sun, at double the pace. There's a bunch of really negative stuff in my life right now, (at a distance) so I enjoyed a walk! It was a pretty, but a little bit blinding, walk! Itty bitty start of something seriously pokey! It's just sticks and leaves. I definitely looked closely … Continue reading Another Walk

Flowers in the Desert

Riddle me this, Batman: how does a leaf, follow a stream, a couple of hours after a storm with a clear drop (or three) of rain? It floated through rocks and on muddy water, but the raindrop it carries is still pure. Pretty, even if I can't explain it! I'm in Arizona right now helping … Continue reading Flowers in the Desert

Easy Packing Tape Ghost

This is a great project! I've been able to reuse the original for nine years because I bought a dress form and a Styrofoam head that I restretch the ghost over every year. I really recommend getting a form for this project. Find out how to make her below! Halloween 2023 Oh, I had fun … Continue reading Easy Packing Tape Ghost

Glowing Jellyfish: Outdoor Halloween

I'm always working on our Halloween display. This year I decided I needed jellyfish! I love spooky stuff but the creepy, gory, sicko type stuff just doesn't light my fire. However, glowing awesome jellyfish sounded way too cool to pass up! I got this idea several months ago and ordered what I needed in September. … Continue reading Glowing Jellyfish: Outdoor Halloween

Fall Garden Happenings

Feel like today is 101°F. I'm currently hiding out in the air conditioning. However, I was out there about an hour ago moving stuff so the mowing crew can weedeat the gravel area. Right now it looks like the Serengeti. Grass as tall as my torso. The grass got out from under me this year. … Continue reading Fall Garden Happenings