Making Our Family Barn Mural

During our recent, yearly family get together we completed a family barn mural.  You maybe have seen barn quilts, we went with a symbolic mural design instead.  My family has owned and farmed the land my parents live on for over 100 years.  The mural shows some of the main crops and livestock that have been a part of the farming history:  tobacco, corn, cattle and pigs.  A tree was added in the middle to represent family.

First, the painting process.  Everyone chipped in on the painting-

And done!
The gray was painted around the edges to blend with the weathered barn wood.

I wonder if my great great grandparents would approve.

Beets Are Beautiful

Some of you have already heard this story but I would like to share again for those possible beet haters.
First some beet photos to warm you up to them-

Lovely-

Beets modeling in a row-

How about if I add a little girl-

Does a pouty face help?

How about with a cat?

Yeah, the last one isn't so appealing.

Back to my story-
Beets used to taste like dirt to me.... literally.... they tasted exactly.like.dirt.  I had only tried home canned pickled beets and boiled/steamed beets.  Some people love these and that is great.  I did not.
That is until my husband, who was a beet lover before we met, insisted that we grow them and eat them regularly.  He liked them steamed and I just could not eat them (and I am NOT a picky eater, I will eat most anything).  So to save our marriage (*exaggeration) I tried roasting them instead since I knew roasting usually makes all vegetables sweeter.  It worked!  And our marriage was saved.... then this happened:

Yes, we became known as a beet loving family (notice the shirt, what did you think I meant?).

I was willing to continue to give beets a try because of their nutritional value.  More on that here.  Also, since it is a cool weather vegetable, you can plants them early in the spring for an early summer harvest.  Then plant something new in their place for the summer.  We also plant some beets late summer for a fall harvest.

So what do we do with the beets.  Like I said I roast them, like this-
Wash, crop tops to steam the greens (don't peel):

Drizzle them with some oil, seal them in a pouch and roast for around an hour at 375F (depends on size and amount):

Pierce with fork to ensure soft, let cool to touch and skins should slip right off:

Our favorite way of eating them is quartered with roasted almonds and feta or goat cheese.  Really good.  The kids even love these.  They are sweeter than roasted carrots, almost as sweet as roasted sweet potatoes.  Jonathan LOVES the beet greens steamed (yes, I used to think this was weird too).

The excitement of eating beets might cause problems with eye hand coordination.

There we go.

I have also substituted beets for carrots in shepherds pie.  We will also roast them with carrots.  Roasted beets and carrots are a classic combination.
Recently, I skinned and grated raw beets to make a slaw with aioli dressing.  I would assume there are other dressings that will work.  It was very good, kids were not as fond of this one though.
(Used red and golden beets)

I am sure there are many things you can do with them, like beet chips, but as insinuated before I am new to this beet cooking.  If you have a beet favorites please share.

Ladies and Gentlemen.... A Curtain!

That's right my friends, step right up and BEHOLD this curtain.
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Why so special you ask?  Because this curtain was 100,000 million years in the brainstorming phase.
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If it was normal to talk to a curtain I would say this, "Hey curtain, you must be tired because you have been running circles through my mind for like 100,000 million years".
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(Note that I don't think the world has been in existence that long, for those that were concerned.)

In all seriousness though the brainstorming process of this curtain did feel that long.  I mean.... I stink at decision making (apparently) and home decorating.
OK, I think the long intro has built up too much excitement, so take a moment to lower your expectations for a very normal curtain.
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Maybe I should start over just to be safe.
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Hi everyone,
I finally have made my first curtain.  This is the first version of the curtain and I plan to make a few minor adjustments to the next ones..... but for now.... ta-da here is it:

Making the curtain was not that difficult and maybe I will share those details after I make the planned alterations.  For now though it is just a cut square with the edges sewn under and a curtain rod pocket.  It typically would not take long at all to actually make..... typically is the key word here..... my 'helpers' maybe slowed the process somewhat-

 

Then little man got a hold of the camera-

Yep-

Back to the curtain.
For now it is tied up with some twine (which is just thrown across the curtain rod).  I am not planning on using twine in the end, it looks a little too primitive for me.
For now its just a basic tie up curtain.

Fabric is gathering nicely when tied up.  Was going for a french linen look and I think this Joann Fabric knock off is doing fine.

'Real life' pictures of the prototype curtain-

Tied up even higher-

I hope to have the others up soon.

A House to Home: As Promised.... The Tale of the Traveling Pickles

A House to Home: As Promised.... The Tale of the Traveling Pickles: Posted July 26, 2012 Just like all the pickles I know, we had the same humble beginnings….. as cucumbers.  There were seventeen of us ...