Opulent Cottage

Black Eyed Peas and Basil

No, not together :) But if I get desperate enough for something to do with all of these peas, I might give it a try! No fancy photos today folks, just catching up for a few minutes.

When our black eyed peas started coming in at our space in the community garden, we were getting a bowlful this big almost every other day --

Until they REALLY came in! Now it's a five gallon bucketful every other day!

I guess I'm not a true southerner, because I have never cooked with fresh black eyed peas! Most of what we are harvesting now is being blanched and frozen, and I'll be testing some recipes later in the season.

If I can keep the cats out of the peas, that is. 

I made a fabulous New Year's Day soup with black eyed peas, sausage, and plenty of Rotel, and when we get sick enough of eating salads and grilled chicken, I'm going to give it a try in the crock pot. Anyone have any other recipes or suggestions for me?

And can we talk about the basil? I have never, ever, had a crop like this year! We have several areas planted with four different varieties. Our attention to our little garden has really paid off this year. The extra cool weather we had earlier in the summer helped too, I'm sure. 

This huge bowlful came from just a few plants in the poolside garden bed.

I washed and spun it in the salad spinner, and processed with a good amount of olive oil. 

This batch, once processed, fit into two sandwich-size zip bags, which I flattened and laid in the freezer. This mixture can either be stirred into recipes or made into pesto! I love freezing them flat like this, they don't take up much space, and I can just break off a little piece if that's all I need. 

I would love to hear all about what's coming in at your garden!

Joining:

Brenda for Tweak It Tuesday at Cozy Little House

From the Farm Blog Hop at Sunny Simple Life

Friday Happy

A few happy sights this morning --

I made a centerpiece with a basket, some fresh lemons, wildflowers in a mason jar, and the pretty plates my girl gave me for my birthday. From Pier 1, of course :)

Our outside kitty girl has made the morning glory teepee her cozy spot! I have seen this little cat around here for years, and now she comes into the garden to visit me almost every morning. Abby has named her Lila. I'm pretty sure that I woke her up when I came out this morning.

The morning glories are finally starting to bloom. And this is the first time I have ever had enough sun to grow zinnias. 

We went to Costco the other day, and I found a pack of dish towels that included this cute rooster towel. Adorable! Seven assorted towels for $10, no need to resist that purchase :)

I hope you are all looking forward to a good weekend! 

Joining:

From the Farm Blog Hop

Elaine's Sunny Simple Monday

Kim's Wow Us Wednesday.

A New Outdoor Seating Area

After spending so much time laboring in the garden this spring, I really wanted to create a new area in our back yard to sit and admire our hard work. Maurie snatched up an adorable, crusty potting bench from our neighbor's curb last week, so I put it to use right away as a focal point by the veggie beds.

Don't hate, now :) Yes, that makes a total of THREE potting benches that we have found curbside. Apparently folks around here don't share my adoration of anything weathered and well-loved. I am swooning over this all the more because of the lichen growing on it, and just smitten with the curvy top.

I finally whipped up a couple of pillows using the outdoor fabric from JoAnn's. I have to say, it's so easy to sew with, and it's half off right now. I got lucky and found some pieces in the remnant bin, too. If you already have pillow forms, this is really the way to go. The selection is great -- so many bright, fun colors. I made two pillows with 1-1/4 yards, which only cost $12.50. You just can't beat that price. I'll definitely be going back for more now that I know how great this fabric is to work with.

This little umbrella is really coming in handy! It gives me a place to get out of the sun for a few minutes, and the colors just make me happy. Who thinks I should go grab another one for the back patio?!! Okay :)

Thanks for coming by! Now that we are a little caught up outside, I have lots of other projects to share with you all! More coming soon :)

xoxo, Andrea

Joining:

Nita for Mod Mix Monday

Brenda for Tweak It Tuesday

Dawn for Budget Decorating Party.

Kim's Wow Us Wednesday

Courtney for Feathered Nest Friday

Cindy for Show and Tell Friday.

 

Getting Ready to Party

I'm trying so hard to have a couple of computer days, but it's just been too gorgeous outside here this spring. We have had more rain and cool temperatures than I can remember in years. We awoke at 3:30 this morning to some more wonderful rain, probably another inch, and it's a lovely 72 out right now. So back out into the garden for me, again today. 

That bucket will be my best friend for the next few days! It's time to do our annual mending of outdoor furniture. Benches, tables, and all the Adirondack chairs (ten of them!) will be getting a fresh paint job after tightening and replacing weathered boards. Many years I have done this chore when it's 105 out, so I'm really happy for the cooler, although humid, weather. 

How cute is this striped umbrella? $10 at Big Lots, folks! Not the greatest photos, but you get the idea. They had solid colors and other stripe patterns, too. We're getting ready to host a block party, so I picked up a few things to make the front yard festive for the event. I'll be back with more to show soon :)

Joining:

Debra's Be Inspired at Common Ground

Courtney's Feathered Nest Friday

Cindy's Show and Tell Friday

Elaine's Sunny Simple Monday.

An Amazing Garden, and New Planting Beds

Isn't this garden beautiful?!!

No, it's not mine -- I wish it was mine! But it's right next door, which is almost as good. It is beyond dreamy. It looks like this year round, but with seasonal plants. Soon he will replace the springtime geraniums with caladiums, as the geraniums can't take all of the sun in the summer. Then this fall we will enjoy gorgeous mums and pansies. Azaleas next spring. It's always gorgeous!

We have installed over 170 square feet of new beds here! I'll have a garden report soon. In the meantime I have to go next door and look at my neighbor's amazing garden if I want to see something tidy and beautiful :) But we're getting close!

See you soon :)

Love, Andrea

I'm joining:

Kim for Wow Us Wednesday

Cindy for Show and Tell Friday.

 

Spring Roses

Oh, how I just can't wait to show you all what we have been up to! Major garden transformation has been happening here. Several new beds have been created. We have hauled and planted again and again. Yesterday I became completely overwhelmed, and decided to draw out a map of the garden, as I could almost not remember what all I had planted and where. I counted, and we have planted 35 different vegetables and herbs.

The yard looks like the Tasmanian Devil has been through a few times. Tools, rocks and wood scraps are scattered everywhere. But the roses are beautiful! I plucked a few to enjoy outside the back door while I come in and out. I lit some citronella votives as it became dark, to welcome our other springtime friends, the mosquitoes. Grrrrr.

Hope you are looking forward to a nice weekend! I'll be back when I can :)

Joining:

Courtney for Feathered Nest Friday

Cindy for Show and Tell Friday.

A Gardening Weekend

It was a good gardening weekend here! 80 degrees and a little overcast, with a cool breeze. Maurie cleaned up the winter's worth of acorns and mulched in front, and I puttered in our courtyard and worked on some new planting beds in back. 

My neighbor put this kitchen cart on the curb, so you know exactly what I did -- ran right over and snatched it up.  How nice it will be to have this storage right outside the back door, and a new spot to decorate. I just gathered up some items from around the house and yard to display here. Do you all think I should paint it? Oh, really, we all know that I will paint it :)  Maybe I'll leave the top weathered and just paint the base. 

We made multiple trips to Home Depot this weekend. Annuals for 50 cents? Yes, and yes! And seed packets are buy one, get one free. I needed to replace a few plants that had been munched. I kept hoping they were being eaten by caterpillars, but no, I found the first giant grasshopper of the year. I swear, the thing was so big that it looked like it had teeth. They can plow through an entire plant, roots and all, in one sitting. He was promptly evicted to the alley.

I can't wait to show you all the new areas we are creating to plant in this year! Thank you for coming by today :)

I'm joining:

Brenda's Tweak It Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Dawn's Budget Decorating Party at Creative Cain Cabin

Kim's Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Courtney's Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Cindy's Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

DIY Linky at Little House in the Suburbs

 

Oh Happy Tree Trimming Day

I'm listening to the beautiful sound of chainsaws this morning! This tree has needed a good trimming for a long time now.

I want to watch, but can't bear to, if you know what I mean. I just hope that guy stays up in the tree where he belongs! But the last time we had trees trimmed, the guys had hung their chain saws from their ropes, and were swinging on them like kids on a playground. I guess they get pretty comfortable hanging from small, bouncing tree limbs. That look like they are barely hanging on. Geez.

We sure won't have to buy firewood for a while. And they are going to chip up the smaller limbs into mulch for us, too. We should get a lot more sun in our back yard when they are done! I have already optimistically bought my tomato plants for the summer :)

Happy Monday to everyone!

Blue and White China in the Garden

After two days of cold rain, this morning the skies cleared and the sun came shining into our little cottage. I did the happy dance on my way out to run some errands :)

I only needed to go a couple of places, but my path took me right by the thrift store. I walked in, spied this pretty china, and was out in a matter of minutes. 

 

Of course these pretty pieces needed to come home with me. We are having a very special birthday celebration here next weekend, and I had already decided on a theme of blue and white to decorate our back patio, in the hopes that we will have nice weather and be able to sit outside. 

Sometimes, all it takes is a few dollars and some creativity to create the special look we are wanting. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

 

I'm joining:

Courtney for Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Cindy for Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Donna for Saturday Nite Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Shannon and Debbie for Power of Pinterest Party

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays

Kim for Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Kathryn for Anything Blue Friday at The Dedicated House

 

Glimpses of Spring

This weekend, the change up to spring began here at Opulent Cottage. And it was so easy to get spring fever, with sunny days nearing 70! Not to taunt those of you still in the deep of winter. I keep reminding myself that we could have a winter storm at any time, like 3 years ago, when it snowed on the first day of spring. 

For the next week or so, the house will be in transition. Which means a big, fat mess! Time for the Valentine's decorations to go away and the boxes of spring decor to come down from the attic. I'm not really ready to be looking at Easter eggs and bunnies just yet, so they will stay packed away for a few more weeks. 

I did break down and buy a few spring plants. Home Depot had some really nice flats of marigolds, and for just $12 I filled quite a few pots. I splurged on a few impatiens too (who could resist them for 88 cents!). It's nice to have a little burst of color in our courtyard. Here's a peek --

I'll be doing a post in the future on using items from our home in the garden! You can see how I have used them in the past here in this post. 

Daylilies are popping up, roses are budding, and even my elephant ears are sprouting new leaves. But I just checked the weather, and we will be back down into the 30s tomorrow night, with two days of cold rain on the way. Sigh. It's not spring yet!

I'm joining:

Brenda for Tweak It Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Dawn for Budget Decorating at Creative Cain Cabin

Kim for Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Cindy for Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home