May Gardening and Landscape Tips

It's spring fever.... You don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

I hope you all had a beautiful Spring weekend. May begins in a few days, so I've written an article with tips on nurturing and preparing the garden and landscape. I started cleaning my flower and herb beds this weekend, but came down with a cough, so I had to take a break. The first of my daffodils bloomed, which always brings a smile to my face, even while I'm coughing:) The article has tidbits on the following and more:

Peonies
Bulb Care
Roses
Lavender

You'll find the article here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/May-Gardening.html

~Brenda

Restaurant Style Soups Made Easy

Come and let us seek together
Springtime lore of daffodils,
Giving to the golden weather
Greeting on the sun-warm hills.
~Lucy Maud Montgomery

We enjoyed a few days of Spring, and then it was gone and in its place was sleet, snow and temperatures below 40. Sigh. However it's suppose to be in the 60's next week, so maybe it will feel like Spring again:) My daffodils are popping up, but none are blooming yet. I also spotted buds on the maple tree and the lilac. I know some of you are already enjoying blooms!

The last two weeks I worked on three soup recipes in my quest to make a nice, restaurant style soup without having to use difficult recipes or expensive ingredients. The results turned out wonderful so I wrote an article with all three recipes. You'll find the article here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Elegant-Soup.html

~Brenda

Frugal Sewing Tips from the 20's

 

Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that - one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern will come out all right like the embroidery. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
Yesterday was our first warm day! It was in the 60's here in Michigan and we were actually able to open a few windows.  Lovely:)

Last week I wrote a new article with sewing tips from the 1920's.  One tip inparticular tickled me with advice to reuse "bloomers".  The article is here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Frugal-Tips.html

I hope you all are enjoying the Spring days!

~Brenda

Spring Sunday Brunches

Science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day. ~W. Earl Hall 

I hope everyone had a lovely Easter weekend.  As I write this it's snowing again in Michigan, but we still have many signs of Spring, so I'm sure the warm days are coming soon. I wrote a new article with recipes from the 1920's that are perfect for Sunday brunches.  You'll find:

-Coconut Breakfast Bread
-Oatmeal Gems
-Hominy Waffles
-Rice Griddle Cakes

I also share some tried and true tips for cooking perfect pancakes.  The article is here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/1920-Easter-Brunch.html

~Enjoy!  Brenda

Old Fashioned Easter Recipes

Easter spells out beauty, the rare beauty of new life. ~S.D. Gordon

Easter is a week away, and we've passed the first official day of Spring. If only the weather would catch up to the news that Spring is here we'd be all set:)

This week I wrote an article for OFL with recipes and tips from 1923 and 1928. These are down to earth recipes from a time in our history when homemakers did their best to be as thrifty as possible. The article is here:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/The-Old-Fashioned-Easter-Table.html

To show you just how cold it's been in Michigan, here is a picture of my grandson before he had to take a ride last week:

I'm discovering all the joys of being a grandmother, including snuggling during the day with him, and then turning him over to his parents at night:) Thank you for all the congratulations and well wishes. 

~Brenda

Spring is Almost Here!

Where man sees but withered leaves, God sees sweet flowers growing. ~Albert Laighton

Easter is right around the corner, as is the first day of Spring.  We wouldn't know that from looking outside today in Michigan, because it's alternating between sleet and snow.  Still, the warm days are coming and I wrote my first garden article of the year for OFL.   I love direct sowing flowers and herbs, but not all of them can be sown this early.  The new article gives tips on which flowers can be sown early, including sweet peas, calendula and more. You'll find the article here:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/Flowers-Seeds.html

I also wanted to remind everyone of these articles on the OFL holiday section, as Easter approaches.

A Traditional Hot Cross Bun recipe with tidbits:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/hotcross.html

Natural Egg Dyes:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/egg-dyes.html

Decorating the Easter table:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/eastertable.html

Thrifty Tips for an inexpensive Easter celebration:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/holidays/frugal-easter.html

Tips from readers on their favorite Easter egg hunts:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/thehunt.html

~Enjoy,  Brenda

Household Helps from 1920

Ireland is rich in literature that understands a soul's yearnings, and dancing that understands a happy heart. ~By Margaret Jackson

I hope you'll enjoy my newest article on OFL.  I shared some neat cooking and kitchen tips from 1920, which was an exciting time in our history in some ways, but it was also a time of recovery from World War I.  Homemakers were still as frugal as possible even with the war over. You'll find the article here: 

http://oldfashionedliving.com/Household-Helps-from-1920.html

Last week I was a little behind on my writing, and it could be this little guy that was responsible for my lack of time:)  This is our first grandchild, Jace Alexander, who was born last week. He weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces and he's adorable, perfect and healthy. 



~Brenda