at home in the garden

Spring is easily my favorite season but the little introductions of crisp air, especially in the mornings, makes me happy to welcome Fall. Eager even.  It is so refreshing to feel the air cooling off. Being that I spent many years on the sunny coast of southern California where pretty much everyday feels like this, these are my favorite kind of days!  Inspiring, motivating and just plain lovely. Naturally.

My garden is growing over with the wonderful Cosmo. I seeded a few areas a couple years back and its popping up all over our backyard, making its own place.  I love the wispy wild & free way about them and the bold orange of its blooms. The morning glory vine that I have never seeded or planted is volunteering itself and taking over too, smothering some of my chosen plantings. That I don't like so much! I honestly don't know much about plants and gardening, not more than what I like and love really. I enjoy following my intuition and doing what feels right. I like to take the seeds that have dried on the flowers center and spread it throughout the garden with anticipation of where it might grow-up. I revel in Sage's innocent play with worms or as he calls 'em snakes. Lately he is getting such sincere excitement with those crawlers, he lightens me up with a smile. Ahh playing & working with nature. Real joy.

a summer treat

As seen on Slow Southern Style

Mama J's garden fresh homemade pesto.  Add all the ingredients the recipe (pictured above) calls for into the blender and puree.  Add sea salt and cayenne to taste, a half a teaspoon of each (eyed not actually measured) worked perfect for me this time. I added my fresh made pesto to some pasta and topped with herbed goat cheese...YUM!  You can eat your pesto with crackers, fresh bread, use it as a sauce for homemade pizza or a salad dressing. The options are nearly boundless and it's so rewarding to create a delicious meal using bits from your own garden.

note // the original recipe called for pine nuts & pepper but being a belle of the south I used pecans & cayenne

>>> make it your own + ENJOY <<<

spring dreamin'

I happened upon these lovely photos that induced dreams of searching for the right seeds, thoroughly planning their place, digging in the dirt, planting said seeds, anticipating their growth, harvesting our works payoff, and cooking what we grew ourselves with great enjoyment.  A little sad to see the bounty of kale we've had and used over the past several months go but certainly anticipating the arrival of fresh basil,  mmmm homemade pesto! Ahh, springtime is upon us lets get our hands (and feet) dirty, our gardens planted and our hearts content.

manicured overgrowth

I spent a little time this morning in our garden pulling weeds and cutting paths through the clover. I like the look of the clover growing wild but it was beginning to get hard to walk back there so I made some paths, left some patches in some places and cleared the space in other places.  I am thoroughly inspired by lush, overgrown gardens that are obviously manicured but still have that wild feeling. It's a heart racing kinda inspiration...they are so beautiful...like these pictured above!!  Especially that herb garden how yummy is that and the overgrown entry way.  These are all things that take time to grow, lots of time to develop into that heart satisfying urban forest like overgrowth. A real test of patience and my I want it now attitude but there is not much way around it here now is there.

How do you like your garden?

pictures are from my garden board ... follow if you like

around our garden

currently in south Louisiana the weather has been more often like spring than winter. even throughout the month of January. now our winter climate 'round these parts always fluctuates from cold wintery days to warmer ideal days from one week to the next but this year has been record breaking warm, not that I mind. as we welcome February my hubby (with help from the smallest hands) had a walk around our garden and captured some of its growth.

 Sage with his very own 'cheese'... thats what he calls it :)

>> already excited for spring <<

a place to play

I have been thinking about building a little something for Sage and Kaya

we have lots of old wood taking up space and this would put it to great use

I'm dreaming of something elevated so Sage can climb and jump and slide

combining something sorta playhouse like so Kaya can play house or school

with some swings of course

like a mix between those all wood kids play structures



and a cottage style dollhouse

I am really inspired by this idea...a lot

a cozy little cottage feeling

visit here, here, and here to see more pictures

...my heart is racing a lil' bit

Lately...

a special blend of essential oils of gardenia, vanilla and amber

added to urban harvested magnolia and cypress essential water

:: Magnolia and Cypress harvested and distilled by my hubby...HOMEmade ::

:: paint and old wood = create ::

:: fun with the sun ::

:: in our garden ::

visiting the GREATS...

How special it is that our children have their great-grandparents to share moments and make memories. How extra special it is that they have made such a wonderful home to visit with a magical yard that grows enough food to sustain themselves and their visitors most of the year. Thank you Mamaw and Pawpaw.