TWEET, TWEET........BIRDHOUSES!

I remember every Spring when I was little building Birdhouses with my grandfather. We did the same with our son when he was little and many of them are still around. Do kids do that anymore?

I have always found Birdhouses quite beautiful. Not only do they function as a home for birds but they add so much loveliness to your yard. It is nice to look up into a tree and see these darling little homes, many so painstakingly made to resemble real houses.

My grandmother had an old Victorian Birdhouse that sat on a lovely old staircase post in the yard for years. I have it now and it needs some work, when I am finished I think I will keep it in the house, it holds some lovely memories.

I really like the old Victorian Birdhouses. Many times they were built to resemble the big houses. The details were incredible. I have found new one online especially on Etsy. It is nice to see that people still care enough to create functional yet beautiful homes for birds.

If you don't have a birdhouse you should get one. It is so nice to sit and watch the birds building their homes every Spring. They seem so proud when the find a house to live in. Whether you buy one or make one or just redo an old neglected one, they will give you hours of pleasure and the satisfaction that you have done a little bit for nature.

Images from PINTEREST. Stop by WICKED FAERIE QUEEN today and see some really amazing tents.

ANTIQUE ROSES & EDIBLE BLOOMS!

There is nothing like a Rose. I do not mean the Roses you get from a florist or even your garden variety Roses but the old, fragrant, full Antique Roses. Our farm is 230 years old and we are fortunate to have Wild Roses growing all over the property.

They look like these. Tight and compact almost like a Peoni. The aroma is almost overpowering first thing in the morning.

They do not last that long but the small window that they bloom is just breathtaking.

I have tried to dig some up and move them closer to the house but I don't know how old they are and their root system is endless. I just enjoy them as they are, wild and rambling. If you ever get the opportunity to smell a Wild Rose, do so because there is nothing like it.

These may not be real Wild Roses but I think that these gorgeous cakes capture them perfectly. The first one is from PEGGY PORSCHEN ACADEMY and the second is from THE PINK CAKE BOX.

Images from PINTEREST.

FOR THE LOVE OF THE HEIRLOOM TOMATO!

I love tomatoes. I am sure most of us do. I have grown my own over the years but have found that mine, and others I have bought just do not taste like the tomatoes I had on my grandparents farm.

We have a small farm right in the middle of an agricultural belt. Fresh vegetables are aplenty all around me all summer so I do not have to grow them but I really like to go out to the garden and watch the progression of my plants and reap the bounty of my work.

These are some of my tomatoes from last summer. I planted them early and did use a Yellow Early Girl. Although it was not an Heirloom variety it was quite good and sweet.

We have 2 acres. A lot of it is trees so the best place I have found for growing tomatoes is at the east side of our house along the porch. I have planted in pots and last year in the flower garden at the end of the porch. The tomatoes grew fantastically. This year we are building a raised bed right along the whole length of the porch, I have a really long porch. Now, staking is another problem I have had. They always fall over. I like this idea and I may do this.

Our neighbour has a green thumb. He has grown heirloom tomatoes for a while and they are delicious.

I have decided to try just Heirloom Tomatoes and some vegetables this year. I have ordered Black Krim and Tula of Russia Tomato Seeds from HEIRLOOMS RUS SEEDS on Etsy. I also ordered some Easter Egg Radish Seeds because they looked so cute.

I am looking forward to this new venture. I have never planted tomatoes from seeds before. I am hoping they come to full abundance so I can eat them fresh off of the vine and use them in recipes such as this Heirloom Tomato Sauce from KATY ELLIOT-HOME-ART-FOOD BLOG it looks just delicious like all of her recipes.

I will be doing a step by step progression of my new garden and my heirloom plantings. If you have a great garden and some lovely Heirloom Veggies or some hints of growing them I would really appreciate the advice. E-mail me any pictures you have from now or other plantings and I will put them on my blog. I look forward to this new adventure and sharing it with you.

My tomato pictures are from me other images are from PINTEREST and the HEIRLOOMS RUS SEEDS veggie pictures are from their Etsy page.

MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT MACAROONS!

Saturday I made my first Macaroons. Well, first I must say that they do take a little time. After you have prepared everything and piped them onto a tray you have to let them sit for 1/2 an hour to set. They should feel a little firm, mine never did.

You have to tap the bottom of the tray to release the air bubbles, this apparently gives the Macaroon it's "foot". I did that but as you can see mine never got their feet. You also have to smoothe the tops with a wet finger so the Macaroon is smooth and glossy when baked. I did that but they were not glossy.

My Macaroons looked more like Whoopee Pies but I must say they were delicious. The had the crunch on the top and the soft centre and the ganache filling was heaven. I will not give up. I am planning to keep trying different recipes until I perfect the allusive Macaroon.

Drop by my other blog WICKED FAERIE QUEEN today and meet my newest family member, Rufus.

MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE MACAROON!

I love macaroons! I have admired them for many years in photographs thinking how perfect they looked.

The lovely array of French Pastel colours, tempting you with their perfect symmetry, puffy and delightful.

Much like the Red Velvet Cake ( another one of my favouites) the French Macaroon is fairly new to us in Canada. I have not had the good fortune to find bakeries here or in Toronto that specialized in an array of these scrumpcious beauties. I did some research and last year I found a small bakery/coffee shop near our sons home in Toronto. Of course I had to go.

I chose a chocolate and a pink pastel to try. As soon as it bit into that pillow of flavourful delight I was hooked. The soft crunch of the first layer to the chewy centre of the cookie and then the creamy, delicous filling. Oh, heaven!

I could not think of anything more wonderful than receiving a gift of these lovely pleasures. Unfortunately they are pricey and I still only found the one shop. I know I can purchase them online but I do not trust the post so I found a cookbook with simple directions and I am going to try my own today.

In my research, I discovered that I am far from the only person in love with this yummy confection. I found this lovely blog NOT SO HUMBLE PIE and she did a whole post on the pros and cons to different techniques in the baking of the Macaroon.

They look absolutely mouth watering and it gives me hope that I may just be able to pull of my own Macaroons.

Now this could be a good thing or a bad thing. I do so much adore these sinful delights that if I am good at it I may just devour them all. If they do not turn out I will be disappointed but I will not give up until I have perfected the French Macaroon! I will keep you posted.

Images from PINTEREST.

WISHFUL WEDNESDAY...FINDING MY BLISS.

It is my birthday tomorrow, feeling a bit blue, I need to find my bliss. Perhaps these beautiful places will help me.

I wish I could go through these gates and sit in the sun on this bench for the afternoon...dreaming!

Or perhaps find this faerie swing ing the woods.

And end the day in a magical treehouse or mystically lit tent.

Ahhhhhh.....BLISS!

Images from PINTEREST.