First Year Gardener

Hey Ya'll!! I've officially been a home owner for 2 months now! YIPPEE! And this year, in lieu of the fact that I have a yard, I've decided to try my hand at gardening. There is something very liberating about growing your own food. I was raised by a 60 year old lady (MY GREAT GREAT AUNT), my Auntie, who kept a garden every year. As a child, I would wander through her garden and look at all the pretty tomatoes growing up the vine. They were always the prettiest shade of red. I LOVED walking the dirt rows of the garden in my bare feet. There was FOOD growing in her back yard! Who'da thunk it?!

I grew up eating corn on the cob, fried okra, squash, onions, watermelon, cherry pie, peach preserves, blackberry cobbler - and sometimes, if she was feeling especially perky, she made the BEST fried green tomatoes. In the hot summer, we would go out and pick peas, put em in paper grocery sacks and sit in the living room after lunch, in front of the a/c window unit, watching soap operas and shellin' peas. It was one of my favorite things to do. I'd shell peas until my hands hurt and I LOVED every minute of it. If there were no peas to shell, sometimes we'd share watermelon out on the front porch. Sometimes, it was even a YELLOW watermelon. I had never seen anything like it. I'd also never seen anyone put salt on their watermelon! yuck! I prefer mine as sweet as they come... but I still loved her anyway.

Her brother and his wife (UNCLE JOE & AUNT CEIL (SHORT FOR LUCILLE MAYBE?)) lived next door to her. He raised chickens, had a couple cherry trees, and when I was really little, he also grew sugar cane. As a small child, I would wander through his sugar cane field and pretend it was a jungle. I remember that he'd pull his pocket knife out from the pocket in his overalls and cut me off a piece to suck on. It was a little gritty, so you didn't want to really chew it... but it was wet and sweet, like sugar water. I would suck it till it was dry as a bone. I loved it.

It's those simple, but oh so precious memories that have inspired a desire in me to have a garden of my own.  There is something so 'home' about the idea of a garden. Something so self-sufficient and 'old school' about living off the land and taking care of yourself. It also makes me feel connected, in a small way, to my Auntie.

My garden is a little different from hers though. She was from the old school country garden era (JUST THE BASICS). I added a few extras to her 'tried-and-true' foundation.

Sweet Basil

 Is it sad to think that food can be cute?! This is the most adorable basil I've ever seen! I was re-potting into a bigger container so that it has room to grow.

Eggplant

Ya'll, there is NUTHIN' like eggplant parmesan. I LUV me some eggplant!

Yellow Squash

The only thing better than fried green tomatoes in summer.... is fried squash, or sauteed squash, or steamed squash - heck, ANY kind of squash will do! That's why it is a necessity in my garden.

Watermelon

A summer just wouldn't be a summer if you didn't have watermelon! I plan on having LOTS of watermelon this year! I hear that they're an alkaline food! Oo.... cold watermelon on a hot summer day lounging by the pool. MM Mmm.

Okra

...or as my Auntie used to call it.... OKRIE! Good ol' okrie! I love fried okra... but what I love MORE than fried okra is pickled okra!! And what better time to practice my pickling and canning skills this fall... than with a big ol' bag of okrie!

Lettuce

Gotta have lettuce. I have spinach growing too, but they weren't very photogenic yet. Spinach is really my favorite over lettuce, but a garden wouldn't really be a garden without it. You'd basically just be growin' all the side dishes without the main course. haha.

Tomatoes

And last... but definitely not least.... the queen of the garden... tomatoes. Fried green tomatoes... pasta sauce... salsa... YUM.

I'm also growing parsley and cilantro, but those were just starting to peak. The previous owners of our home must have been garden freaks as well... they were growing mint, onions and rosemary... PLUS the yard has a pear tree, 2 olive trees, and a passion fruit plant. It also used to have a cherry tree, but we cut it down before we realized what it was. (IT HADN'T BLOOMED YET! I FEEL SO BAD.) But the reason we cut it down was because the whole back porch area was grown up with trees and it was one of the ones blocking our view of the pool. What good is a pool if you can't see it?! Eh?

So that's my garden in a nutshell. Hopefully later this summer I will be posting recipes for fried green tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, salsa, pickled okra, eggplant parmesan - and any other recipes I can think of to use up all these veggies. Maybe even some canning ideas.

Until next time!

Just Call Me.... Annie Oakley

Yesterday, the hubs and I suffered through took a 10 hour course to get our CHL. For those of you that aren't familiar with the lingo - that's a concealed handgun license. It's not that I feel like our Saturday was completely wasted, but quite frankly, 10 hours was a bit excessive. We started at 7:30am and could've easily had that bad-boy wrapped up by noon, having learned all that we needed to know in 4 hours. The rest was just story-telling. Unfortunately, the law requires the course to be 10 hours long, so we just made the best of it.

You wanna know how I did??  I passed the written exam with a 98, and as far as the shooting goes - I was the best woman shooter on the course. We shot 50 rounds of ammo. 20 rounds from 11 feet, 20 rounds from 21 feet and 10 rounds from 45 feet away from the target.  Some of the spiratic shots were all from 45 feet away, the rest were pretty close to dead center.

So, why, you may ask, am I interested in having a concealed handgun license? FOR PROTECTION... DUH. Our back yard sits on a busy road here in our city, next to a beautiful city park. There are constantly people walking, jogging and biking down the sidewalk that sits on the other side of our back fence. We live in a very nice and safe neighborhood, however I'm not so naive to think that a break-in cannot occur. I want to feel safe in my own home. There is nothing worse than hearing an unfamiliar noise at night and laying there listening soo hard that your heartbeat starts playing in surround sound and it's all you hear. NOT THAT IT HAPPENS OFTEN, BUT IT DOES OCCUR ON OCCASION. 

Also, let's be honest: our world is getting a little bit crazier with every passing day. You can't turn on the news without hearing of shootings in movie theaters, shootings in schools, shootings in churches.... the fact of the matter is that those places have been relatively safe up until recently. Only a whack-job would think of shooting into a crowd of innocent bystanders who are captivated by a big screen, or innocent children being educated, or a sacred house of God. And let me tell you - there are more and more whack-jobs roaming the streets than we probably realize.

I was raised to respect life. The men in my family were hunters. My dad instilled in me as a child that a person was only suppose to kill something to eat it. And even then, he talked about praying over some of his "kills" after he had shot them, because he felt pity. He had taken a life and it was a serious thing, not to be taken lightly. Kids now-a-days aren't raised in this same respect. They are engulfed with video games full of shooting and killing: zombies, enemy combatants, and Lord knows what else. There is no emotion involved, because it's GAME. There are no consequences, and half of the time, there are no father figures in thier life either to correct this mentality. My personal opinion is that our society is growing more and more callous to life because the old ways have stopped being passed down. There is no emotion left in killing, and these kids who are so comfortable with emotionlessly killing in video games are the same ones who are emotionlessly killing innocent people crowded into movie theaters, schools, restaurants, and churches.

I believe in legally protecting myself. It is currently legal for you to protect your home and property without a CHL. You can even carry a gun (concealed) in your vehicle in most counties of Texas. But what happens if I'm at the movie theater, or a restaurant, or in church? Our instructor advised over and over again (LITERALLY THE SAME STORY FOR ALMOST 2 HOURS) that we have the right to protect ourself, our family and our property, but anyone else - we were sticking our neck out. I do not have the right to patrol my neighborhood for burglars. I do not have the right to interfere in others business (using my gun), even if they are in harms way. This is what 9-1-1 and the police are for. I DO have the right to protect myself if I am the one being attacked, if my immediate family (my husband or children) are being attacked, or if my property is being burglarized.

Let me talk specifically to the ladies now: you do not need a CHL to carry a gun within the confines of your home, or even to carry a gun in your car (as long as it's hidden)... but you need to know how to use it in order to protect yourself. If your husband is away, if you are a single lady, if you live in an unsafe neighborhood, if you live way out in the country....if you are handicapped, or elderly... you need protection. I spent many years as a single lady with no one looking out for me, but ME. There was no one there to protect me in the middle of the night, or even at high noon when some stranger showed up at my doorstep trying to sell something. You never know who you are dealing with in the world today. We always want to believe that people have good intentions, and most do... but predators are out there, and they come in all shapes and sizes - and most are unexpected.

I will be the first to say that I hope I never have to use my gun. I even joked with a couple of the guys in my class, as they were commenting on my target, that I was there for protection and not for pleasure. I don't really enjoy being around guns. They make me nervous. I didn't enjoy sitting on the front row of class while the instructor waived an EMPTY gun all over the place. They can be very dangerous and frightening if you don't know much about them or how to use them. I encourage all of you ladies, to go and take a class, maybe not a concealed handgun class, but at least a gun safety class. Guns come in all shapes and sizes - even little bitty ones that are perfect for ladies to use for protection. Do it for yourself, for your children, for your peace of mind.

You should never be afraid of something that could protect you in the event of an emergency. You may never have to use it (AND I PRAY YOU DONT!), but at least know HOW... just in case.

The Color Run 2013 Tulsa Oklahoma

WOW! This last weekend was FILLED with excitement. The Hubs and I headed to Tulsa so that I could participate in The Color Run! For those of you not familiar with The Color Run, here is the promo:

SO! Have you ever heard that saying, "Friend of a friend of a friend?" Well... that explained my running team! HAHA! My friend, Cristi, was there to meet a blogger friend of hers, and then we met friends of that friend and even a friend of that friend too! We were all on the same running team and got lots of good pictures together. It's so nice to meet new people. Makes the world seem a little bit smaller.

Did I mention that there were over 13,000 people there?! They had to send us running in groups of 1000. Thankfully, we were one of the first groups! And I should mention at this point, that I walked the race instead of running. The only time you'd see me running is if someone was chasing me with a knife. I'm NOT a runner.

So off we went! Roaming the streets of Tulsa in tutu's and covered in colored chalk. They actually had color "zones" along the trail where there were workers prepared to chase you down the street and coat you with color. Heck, the orange zone got so excited, I got slapped in the face with the orange chalk bottle. It bounced off my face and flew into the crowd so she had to chase it down. I got chalk all in my ear, and not to be gross... but suffice it to say, blowing my nose was a colorful experience for a couple of days. LOL.

I know that walking a 5k should be a serious feat... but life is too short not to stop for every photo opportunity possible! They had so many adorable props along the way, it was hard not to pass them up! Oompa Loompa Doopadee Doo....

Not to mention all the people who came dressed up in tutu's and costumes. Shout out to the guy with the spikey blue mohawk... and the person who walked the whole race with a laundry basket on their head with white balloons tubes sticking thru it. Looked like a large white coral that you could see from a mile away. Props for creativity!

When it was all said and done... we literally jumped for JOY. And believe me... that was all the energy we had left. Immediately after this picture was taken, we all stole wheelchairs and had our husbands wheel us back to the car. HA! Just kidding. (DARN! I SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THAT!) The truth is that our husbands made us walk another mile to the car. UPHILL. (ARE THEY TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING??!)

It took me a good 45 minutes just to get all the color washed out of my hair and off my skin. Somehow, it got past my top shirt and undershirt and colored my skin! Yall, it was even between my toes! Somehow it got thru my shoes and socks and stained my toes! (HOW COULD THAT HAPPEN?!) YUCK! Seriously, I looked like a smurf. My husband had to keep "inspecting" me for places that I missed. I used almost an entire bar of hotel soap and shampoo to get clean. (YES I WAS THAT DIRTY.) I felt like the little kid who keeps having to go back in the bathroom to re-wash their hands because they aren't clean enough.

So after feeling like we were dying resting up all afternoon, we decided to venture out and grab some dinner. It was so fun to get all gussied up and go out with our friends!

We went to the Melting Pot. Have you had it??! It was my first time. There are no words! I can't begin to describe how wonderful it was. Cheese Fondue with fruit, veggies and bread.... then meats that you cook in your own broth along with WONDERFUL dips... and the final course blew the rest away....

...incredibly smooth chocolate with melted peanut butter added and a plate full of goodies to coat. Cheesecake, red velvet, strawberries, rice crispies, marshmallows, bananas, brownies... OH MY! 

A perfect ending to a perfect day, and an experience that I will remember for life! (I'M TALKING ABOUT THE DINNER) Just kidding! The race too! (BUT MAINLY THE DINNER) Kidding again! (OR AM I?)

Master Bedroom Remodel

Here is a (TINY) glimpse of the transformation that happened in the Master Bedroom! I'm exhausted just reviewing the pictures! Enjoy~

BEFORE

Step 1: Strip Ceiling

Step 2: Remove Carpet

Step 3: Re-tape Corners

Step 4: Texture the Walls & Ceiling

Step 5: Paint

Step 6: Encase Windows, Install New Blinds

AFTER:
Crown Molding Up, New Ceiling Fan, New Carpet

Casa de Jameson

WOW! Has it been a long time since I've blogged or WHAT? Been a little busy. You remember that big, ugly, old house that I posted about before?? Well........ IT'S OURS!

We moved in on Easter weekend, so the past few months have been crazy busy with packing, moving and remodeling. I'll post a few remodel pictures in the next few days, but at this very moment, I am sitting on my back porch, looking down at our ugly green pool that needs to be cleaned and watching the birds fly all over our yard.

I am enjoying the break. It's nice to work hard, but there are moments in life when you just need to sit down, inhale the fresh air and let the pool look like a swamp. Fresh air is good for the SOUL... and not enough people take the time to get a whiff of it!

I'm a country girl at heart, so there is nothing more relaxing than hearing the birds chirp and feeling the cool breeze while watching the sun set. Well... maybe sitting in front of a fireplace sipping hot cocoa on a snowy night. OR taking a steaming hot bubble bath when your muscles are tired and achy. OR eating a cold juicy watermelon on a hot summer day. What about sitting on the beach listening to the waves? Oh wait! Snuggling up by a fire-pit in the middle of fall with the smell of burning wood! Mmmmm!!

Ok, so obviously there are quite a few things that are equally as relaxing... but you get my point!

I SO look forward to coming home in the evenings after work and watching red birds, and blue birds, and mocking birds and birds that I don't know how to identify... fly all over our yard and sing all sorts of love songs... while the neighbors dog (Sam) chases them all up and down the fence barking until his tongue is hanging to the ground, and then the neighborhood squirrel trying to scavenge our gutters. He's a chunky  hefty ...let's just say he's 'healthy'. WAY healthier than the other starved neighborhood squirrels. In fact, he's so 'fluffy', that he doesn't even run when cars drive by. He can be right by the road and he just freezes like a statue in mid-motion, hoping they wont see him. (HOW IN THE WORLD DOES HE GET HIS CHUNKY BOO-TAY UP ON THOSE GUTTERS?) Oh well... he is a CUTIE! I think I'll start praying for his health. We need more pot-bellied squirrels in the world to give us a good chuckle.

Well I guess that's all for now! Until next time... go outside and fill up those lungs with some FRESH air! You'll live longer. ;)