I love a parade!

It's about time for a new post! 

Work has been steady and good and I can't complain, but it does mean less house time, and when we get house time it means lazy time - so less to report. Finally we got some good weather so most of our days are spent in the yard.

When my parents were here we got 3 Hostas (Funkia) and planted around the house. We also transplanted a few small ones that we found back by the patio. My father - a gardener of many years - suggested these plants because they thrive in the shade. We have big beautiful trees surrounding the house, so it lies more in shade than sun.

Hostas from the store that are doing great!

Our transplants that are doing equally great!

We also celebrated the fact that we most likely have the knot weed beat in the flower beds around the house by throwing a bunch of seeds around. Morning glory, daisies and black eyed Susans. My dad and I also planted sunflowers on the south side of the house thinking they would love it there, but again, trees and shade mean unhappy sunflowers. About 6 guys are coming up though and we'll see how tall we can grow them. After all, they are Russian Mammoths so I have BIG hopes.

Not so giant yet - but just wait!

The Gunk Haus has been open for 3 days and we've been there twice. It is most definitely living up to the CRAZILY high expectations (mostly because we have anticipated their opening for so long and we've driven past soooo many times with our mouths watering) of the people round the hood and beyond. On saturday we went by for hot dogs and weisswurst in the garden and last night we brought a Sangria happy crowd for dinner and most of us went for the burger. Elizabeth's homemade Pretzelbuns are to die for! Delish! Best of luck to them and if you are in the area you have to stop in!


We spent Memorial day weekend in best patriotic style with good friends, good food and a parade down Maple Ave! TOOOO CUTE! Bagpipes, marching bands, fire trucks, tractors and civil war reenactors. C'mon! This is TOO good.

Alene, James and Taylor - flag toting and country lovin! 


If ONE more person tells us "oh the pink one eh - you got a lot work ahead of you." But looking at this picture I would unfortunately have to agree with them, grrrrrr. This is NOT her best angle. Yikes...


I thought this wet flirty cardinal was kind of cute. "Hey baby, what da ya say you let me in out of the rain and we'll take it from there."

Finally a decent picture of a red winged blackbird.

And a beauty shot of one of our beloved mourning doves.

Recovery this morning consisted of crabcake bennies. I made this sauce back in the fall and it was time to revisit THE REMOULADE. But if your clicker finger is tired and you just want the recipe RIGHT NOW here it is:

2/3 cup olive oil

3-4 garlic cloves

Mix in blender.

3 egg yolks
1 table spoon hot mustard or dijon

whisk together

Combine the 2 slowly to make mayo!

In a blender chop up:
1 red pepper
1 onion
2 tablespoons of capers (kapris)
1 jalapeno

Add to the mayo along with 2 table spoons lemon juice, 1/2 tsp of Worcester, horseradish, salt, pepper to taste.

It's time for some major changes around here, the biggest one being painting the outside of the house. I say midnight blue and James says dark green. If dark green means I get a yellow bedroom, then maybe. 
Next thing inside is wiring the pastry shop and the master bedroom and we are going to start ordering fixtures for the master bathroom. I have to stop talking about the NEW kitchen - I'm just so jazzed about it but it's still the 5 year plan. Here it is!

This is what we got going on right now. (Click on the pic to make it bigger.) Scale is 1:whatever. We got a crappy laundry room blocking all of our gorgeous view and a bathroom smack in the middle of everything. The proposed plan is this:

Moving the bathroom to the corner and opening up everything. Breakfast nook by the wall of windows, a big kitchen island and a bar window towards the dining room. 

Aaaaahhhhhh.... it would be so nice. 

It WILL be so nice.