Feeding Your Neighborhood Birds

I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn. ~Henry David Thoreau

I remember the first year my husband and I moved to a duplex, and though it was still in the city, it had a backyard with a maple tree. I hung my first birdfeeder and was hooked. I love feeding and watching the birds, especially in the winter. We live in the country now, and I still put out birdfeeders, but I also plant flowers and herbs that I can leave the seed heads on for the birds. I wrote an article for OFL this week explaining which plants will provide seed for the birds in the fall and throughout the winter.

The article is here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Providing-Food-for-Neighborhood-Birds.html


I hope you have something planned for outdoors this weekend. We are visiting my son at college, which has a beautiful campus. It's homecoming and they have family activities scheduled all afternoon. I can't wait:)

~Brenda

Freezing the Summer Harvest

A tangerine and russet cascade
Of kaleidoscopic leaves
Creates a tapestry of autumn magic
Upon the emerald carpet of fading summer.
~Judith A. Lindberg

I meant to blog this weekend but we ended up taking a family outing to an art festival in the city. We've went every year for four years now, and it was nice to walk and chat
with the kids. We even picked up my son at college to come along with us. We shared Chinese food from a stand outside a sushi restaurant, and had a lovely day.  Our next outing is apple picking!

Fall has been in the air, and I realized I hadn't given any harvest tips yet, so I wrote an article on freezing homegrown produce and herbs .  Freezing is a good way to go for preserving many vegetables and herbs. I share what freezes best, and which methods work well.  

The article is here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/Freezing-the-Vegetable-and-Herb-Harvest.html

~Brenda

Planning for Spring Blooms

Every child is born a naturalist. His eyes are, by nature, open to the glories of the stars, the beauty of the flowers, and the mystery of life. ~R. Search

Each spring I take walks around our property looking for green popping up from the ground.  It never fails that I look a tad too early, and wonder why the daffodils aren't sprouting yet. It's hard to be patient after a long winter.  It's even more difficult to gear up for planting in the fall for blooms that won't be seen for several months.  I wrote an article the other day for Old Fashioned Living on naturalizing bulbs.  Yes, I was a bit long winded, but there were a lot of tips to share on the subject.  Naturalizing is such a whimsical way to plant bulbs that it's hard not to smile while I'm writing:)

The article is here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/How-to-Plant-Bulbs-for-a-Burst-of-Color.html

~Brenda

Putting the Garden to Bed

I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house. So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

It's almost time for the garden season to end here in Michigan, and that means "putting the garden to bed" as the old phrase goes. I wrote an article for Old Fashioned Living with tips on putting your fall days to good use preparing the soil, storing bulbs, bringing in herbs and more. I love working outside in the fall! You'll find the new article here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/Putting-the-Garden-to-Bed.html

This was a rather odd garden season with the heat and lack of rain. My roses are doing better now than they were earlier in the summer, now that it's not so hot.  The gladiola, hibiscus and even the calendula were light on blooms too. I'm looking forward to the fall color in Michigan this year, and the crisp cool air.  We're planning on preparing a place for a new herb garden this fall.  I hope you all are enjoying the last days of summer.

~Brenda

A Labor Day Menu for Friends and Family

All of us, from time to time, need a plunge into freedom and novelty, after which routine and discipline will seem delightful by contrast. ~André Maurois

I hope you all have a lovely Labor Day weekend.  My two boys started college classes this week, and my daughter is starting middle school on Tuesday, so it's been a busy week and we're ready for some relaxing.  We are thinking about heading out to Lake Michigan for a walk on the pier, which my husband and I have been doing together for over twenty years now.  We always go later in the day, and stay to catch the sunset:)

I put together a Labor Day menu I hope you all will enjoy.  It includes:

Grilled Chicken Wings & Legs
Spicy Grilled Burgers
Red Potato Salad
Savory Coleslaw

You'll find the article here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/Labor-Day-Menu.html

Drive safely this weekend and enjoy yourself!
~Brenda

Easy Weekday Casseroles

The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

When I wrote the newest article for Old Fashioned Living  it had cooled off a bit here in Michigan, and my thoughts were drifting towards autumn days.  Now it's back up to 90 and humid, and I'm avoiding the oven again.  The nights are still cooler than they have been though and I know those autumn days really are on their way.  Casseroles are great weekday dishes during the cooler weather, and I've shared a few recipes and tips in that newest article.  You'll find:

Easy Pizza Bake
Ham and Noodles Casserole
Easy Chicken Tetrazzini
Salmon Noodle Casserole

You'll find these recipes here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Easy-Weekday-Casseroles.html

~Brenda

Easy Meals for Busy Families: Mexican Chicken

The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives. ~Robert Maynard Hutchins

I wrote an article for today that includes a recipe for slow cooked Mexican Chicken and refried beans. This is one of my favorite meals because it can be used for burritos, tacos or nachos with little fuss plus leftovers are great for after school snacks or lunches.  The chicken can also be used in recipes for white chicken chili or chicken enchiladas.  

You'll find the recipe with variations and more pictures here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Easy-Dinner-For-A-Busy-Family.html

~Brenda