Sweet corn tablescape

I'm back from a short break. Family is the most important thing to me. I have been away from my blog so that I could help my daughter move home to Indiana from Virginia. First we had to remodel her new place and then the long journey to pack and move. Now that she is all settled I can get back to blogging.

I grew up in the country surrounded by corn fields. When I see those beautiful tall tasseled stalks it reminds me of my childhood. The smell of the maze while driving through the country is so refreshing. I started collecting Shawnee Corn King pieces several years ago and I love to display the pieces with my fall decorating. I recently was able to find 4 lunch plates so naturally I just had to set the table in sweet corn style. I picked my sweet corn yesterday to have on the table this evening. I can't wait to taste the sweet buttery flavor.

I used my Ivory Fiesta dinner plates and topped them with my Shawnee Corn King lunch plates.

My dear friend in IL owns a antique store and called me when she found these corn glasses. She knows me well. I used my yellow check napkins and folded them along with green napkins into an ear of corn.

I picked a corn stalk bouquet and used a tin milk pail for the center piece.

I found the salt and pepper shaker at a festival last fall. The casserole was a gift from my sweet husband.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing special memories of childhood with me.


                                                       Blessings, Missy

My little vegetable and herb garden

I wanted to grow a garden for three reasons. One, I wanted to teach my children that anyone can grow their own food. Two, I love fresh organic vegetables.  Three, I want to help save money on on grocery budget.  I decided to try the lasagna garden technique that I had been reading about. Late last fall the boys cut some branches to edge the garden and hold in all the organic layers we were going to add. Next the boys hammered in the sticks and weaved in a few more. Then we layered news paper ten sheets thick right over the grass. Next we layered dry chopped leaves, and well rotted chicken poo and hay from my moms pile. We saved out kitchen scraps, coffee grinds and egg shells all winter and added them to our garden. We topped the garden this spring with fresh cut grass clippings and a layer of compost. 

We also placed pots in the corners planted with mint and chives to help ward off pests and to use in the kitchen. I learned the hard way to contain mint.

The garden is planted and doing very well. 

Heirloom tomatoes planted deep.

I am also trying the companion planting to ward off pests the organic way. Can you see some off the flowers? 

The Brussels are growing and the Broccoli is doing well.

We have Basil planted in the center of the tomatoes.

I love fresh homemade pesto don't you?

Cucumbers are coming up. The boys want to make pickles so we have a few hills planted. This next picture is a separate bed of greens and spinach. I covered it with fencing to keep the neighbors cats from using it as liter box and it has worked like a charm. 

We have another separate bed for corn, green beans and squash but the soil temp is still not warm enough to plant. I hope you enjoyed my little organic garden.

                         Blessings, Missy

 

 

Cinco de Mayo

I thought I would get out some dishes that put me in the mood for Cinco de Mayo. I am having a couple friends over for taco soup and enchiladas. I think maybe a margarita or two is in order. I am thinking maybe a more casual buffet style. 

The perfect reason to use Fiesta Ware. 

I'm going to use those boot glasses that I have been picking up at GW and my dollar store cactus margarita glasses.

I found the chicken napkin holders a while back and wanted to see how they would work.

I hope you have a fun Fiesta weekend.

                          Blessings, Missy

Rescue rabbit and my other pets

This past weekend I rescued a bunny from becoming snake food. Someone posted a rabbit for pet or feeder on a reptile page I belong to. This is nothing new for people to sell feeders but what got me was the pet part. I sent a pm and asked about the rabbit. The women said she had just gotten the rabbit the day before as a pet but quickly found she was allergic. She said he was very friendly. I told her I would take him to keep him from becoming snake food. I drove an hour to pick him up on Sunday. He is so sweet and cuddly. He had been taken care of very well and loves attention. He is even liter box trained. So without further a due meet Peter Rabbit.

 

I named him Peter because he looks like Beatrix Potters Peter and I am a huge fan. 

Since I am posting about Peter Rabbit I thought I would share my other pets as well. I love reptiles and especially tortoises. I rescued a Sulcata tortoise about 4 years ago. She was in such horrible condition that I really did not think she would live. After weeks of intensive care she made a turn around. Her shell is forever disfigured but I love her anyway. I may write a post on her story alone. The local news paper and the Springfield paper have both written stories about her. Without further a due meet Lana. African Sulcata tortoise 3rd largest tortoise species. 

She still has lots of growing to do.

Next is another tortoise that I have raised since a hatchling. He is also a Sulcata. He has had health issues and had to have surgery that left one if his back legs paralyzed and will require a wheel put on in the future for better mobility. He gets around pretty good for now. Without further a due meet Tank, African Sulcata tortoise.

They have a heated room in the basement for winter an a outside enclosure for summer.

They get along very well so they are housed together.

The last tortoise I have is an African Leopard tortoise. A friend mailed her to me as a tiny hatchling. She is three years old. She is so sweet and has a great personality. She loves her neck scratched. Without further a due meet Dayo, African Leopard tortoise.

This next pic is a more recent one, I just love her baby pics.

She matched my counter tops in this pic.

I also have two spoiled dogs. The first and oldest is my Chihuahua. She is eight years old now and she is very cantankerous. First is her baby pic that I love, she was so sweet. Meet Tinkerbell aka Monster.

Now for the adult pic. Hang on cause its scary and you will see why I call her Monster.

She is a monster but she's my monster.

Next is my Bloodhound. She is two years old. I got her because I wanted to do search and rescue with her. I am an EMT and have always wanted to do search and rescue so naturally a bloodhound was my first choice. First a baby pic, meet Maisy.

I know you just said AWWW, how could you not. Unfortunately after starting the training program the trainer noticed that Maisy did not look quite right when she walked. She was a year old at the time and we had started the intense search and rescue training. I took her to the vet and sure enough she had a bad hip at only a year old. So now Maisy is just my pet and my big lap dog baby. She will need surgery in the future but for now she takes medication to help build the cartilage and an aspirin for pain now and then. Here is Maisy now with a stick in her mouth because that is her most favorite thing in the world.

Well that's all my animal babies. None are perfect but I love them all. Thanks for stopping by.

                       Blessings, Missy

 

Lefton vase collection

I just love Lefton holiday figurines and have collected them for years. About ten years ago I found a beautiful vase with little delicate forget-me-knots applied to the soft pink vase. I turned it over to see if it had a mark and to my surprise it was Lefton. I had know idea Lefton made vases. I bought the vase and took it home and started researching Lefton and found that the company made everything from dishes to wall pockets and just about everything in between. The vases are fairly easy to find but difficult to find in perfect condition due to the delicate flowers attached chip easily. I have been collecting them now for ten years and I am always in search of a different shape or size.

I display them in my bathroom. I chose the wallpaper to go with my collection. 

Here you can see how delicate the flowers are. The vase also has gold accents.

This one has different little flowers.

This one is my favorite for it's shape.

This one has gold butterflies.

A couple years ago I found these and just had to have them. The hand in a ring keeper and the little dish I believe is an ashtray. 

I have one piece that is a taper candle holder. I put it on top of the medicine cabinet. I am still searching for it's mate.

                          Blessings, Missy

Easter kitchen cupboard

I have all my Easter dishes in the kitchen cupboard. We will use them every day through Easter. I love using Fiestaware for the holidays. In the cupboard I have sunflower, turquoise, lemon grass, tangerine and flamingo Fiesta. My Bordello Pinheiro bunny plates and Longaberger egg plates are also tucked in.

                                                       The colors just makes me smile.

My table will look like spring even if it's still cold outside here in Indiana. I will be leaving to visit my daughter in Virginia Beach on Friday and I asked her to order up some nice weather. I hope your day brings you spring sunshine.

                                                                            Blessings, Missy

Easter Mantel

Hippity hoppity Easter is on it's way to our house. The mantel is decorated and ready for the big day.

                       I used Longaberger Easter baskets and my collection of Lefton figurines.

                        I just love Lefton Easter animals, don't you? The lambs are my favorite.

It just would not be Easter without bunnies. I sprinkled in some ceramic carrots for the Easter gang.

You have to have a few ducks and chicks. When my older two kids were little they got an Easter duck. His name was Quackers and he was one spoiled duck. Did you or your children have Easter pets? I may have to take a trip to the farm store to see the baby chicks. Im sure my mom has room in her coop for a couple more chickens.

                                                                               Blessings, Missy