Odds & Ends

April 30, 2013April 30, 2013 / Ally Bean / 27 Comments

:: We started putting together pots of flowers and herbs and vegetables this past weekend. The project turned out to be more difficult than I thought that it’d be. With our revised backyard [2 summers ago we added a lower level terrace at the back of the yard], we have fewer trees near the deck and more deer in the backyard. So I’m looking for sun-loving flowers that deer won’t eat. Not so many of those around.

Hence, the pot project has been postponed until next weekend when I hope that I will be more clear about what plants I want to put where. Hello Google. Time to research.

:: We like coffee cake. Once upon a time there was a product for sale in our grocery store called Aunt Jemima Easy Mix Coffee Cake. In the box there was a small cardboard baking pan. The dry coffee cake mix came with a small plastic bag that you could use, instead of a bowl, to mix the batter with water and an egg. Then there was a small packet of streusel topping. We liked this small coffee cake, but it is no longer available.

So, I decided to try Martha White Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake Mix instead. It isn’t as small nor as fun to make as the Aunt Jemima Coffee Cake, but the results were good. We’ll use it again, but with much less streusel topping on it. Oy vey! It was way too sweet for us.

That being as it may, Martha White has gifted us with a new family saying: all streusel, no cake. [Think “all foam, no beer” OR “all hat, no cattle.” That kind of saying.] Clearly, we are a simple people who are easily amused– or maybe it was the sugar talking.

:: Over the weekend our new loveseat arrived. We ordered it a few weeks ago from Arhaus, but because it was a standard style + fabric there was hardly any wait time before it got here. It is gorgeous and looks perfect in the living room– very grown-up, but not at all stuffy. Plus it’s a mid-century modern frame which I find comfortable to sit on.

Now, I need to get going and find a rug to put under it. It’s been over 3 years since I started this living room make-over, but I promise when it is complete I’ll post some before & after photos. Well, definitely the after photos. I don’t know if I have any before photos to share. Huh. Bad planning, that.

[Hello FTC! Blah, blah, blah. Not getting any kind of compensation for my personal opinions here. Blah, blah, blah. Disclaimer written. Blah, blah, blah.]

First Photos With My New Camera: Outside From Small To Large

April 17, 2013April 17, 2013 / Ally Bean / 34 Comments

Over the weekend I bought a new point & shoot camera. It is a Nikon COOLPIX P520 18.1 MP Digital Camera with 42x Zoom. It will replace my Nikon COOLPIX P90 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 24x Zoom that I’ve enjoyed using for many years.

This new camera is similar to the old one, but has more bells & whistles on it. *yeah* I’m looking forward to learning about each cool thing that my P520 can do, but for these photos I just winged it. This camera is, after all, a point & shoot model, so why not go with the obvious?

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[Hello FTC! It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? I haven’t bought much lately. Huh. Well, just as a reminder, please note that I’m not being paid for my opinion here. I’m just explaining my experiences without any compensation whatsoever. That’s the way I roll, but then you knew that.]

The Last Snow Of The Season… Or So I Imagine

March 9, 2013March 9, 2013 / Ally Bean / 18 Comments

On Wednesday we had what I imagine will be our last snow of the season.

It was the kind of snow that covers everything it touches with what appears to be wallpaper paste or cotton balls. This snowfall didn’t slow things down like early and mid-winter snow does. In fact, by mid-day Thursday the streets and sidewalks were clear.

But while it remained on the trees and bushes, the heavy snow made for some pretty photos. There are times when the grayness of winter is quietly stunning.

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{ maple leaves on a snowy branch }

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{ snow-covered rosemary in a pot }

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{ view outside through the front door sidelight }

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{ moss + snow on the trunk of a tree }

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{ a view into our ravine from high above }

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In The Garden On A Mild Winter’s Day

January 12, 2013January 12, 2013 / Ally Bean / 20 Comments

Yesterday afternoon we had a few hours of weak sunshine. I went outside for a walk around the house and was pleased with what I saw. Instead of the usual winter grays and tans, I saw some pops of color.

{Red: Holly Berries}

{Orange: Dried Sedum}

{Yellow: Dwarf Grasses}

{Green: Creeping Thyme}

{Blue: Afternoon Sky}

{Brown: Dried Leaves}

Around here winter is best known for its gloom, but seeing a bit of color in the garden yesterday made me forget that fact. Instead, I was treated to a preview of what spring has to offer. Warmth + hope + cheeriness.