It's hard to imagine that we're solidly into January already. The days already seem to be getting longer. The chickens want to hang around the backyard and horse pen until after 5 PM when they were tucked in for the night by 4 PM just a couple of weeks ago.

So, also our interior environments must evolve. It's time to take down all the interior Christmas decorations and clean. It was nice not to dust the mantels for a month--just wait until you see what's accumulated!

Then,  once the decorations are removed--oh how lifeless the house seems...

So, my proposal to avoid the shock of non-glitzy mantels and bare tabletops is...just push into the next season and keep the lights going!

Just swap out your evergreen garland for some floral or vine-y silks and your faux plants with live ones!

Here's an example of my living room fireplace, now re-done post Christmas. The little white lights (from the Christmas clearance racks) replaced colored lights, floral garland replaced pine garland.

And here's an example of the centerpiece on the porch's breakfast table...from faux holly to a potted floral plant. See the before and after below. The flowering house plant, Kalanchoe, was a gift from a friend in October. I moved it to the side of the soaking tub in the bathroom during the holiday season. And now it's back as a centerpiece--African violets or cyclamen would also be a pretty choice.

So, while the house may initially seem barren when the Christmas decorations get put away, quickly dust and replace with a new season of fresh-and-home-y.

Posted by Karen at 11:51 CST

Updated: Friday, 11 January 2013 12:30 CST

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You know what happens when the first chill hits my house, don't you? I grab a sweatshirt and bring in some firewood and start a fire. There's nothing "earthier" to me than the sight, sounds, and aroma of a fire in the fireplace.

We're lucky to have enough wood around the farm to keep us in supply for both the fireplace and wood furnace. And both the fireplace and wood furnace keep the natural, renewable resouces in balance--the wood furnace in particular is very energy-efficient. If you are ever looking for other options other than gas/oil and you have access to renewable woods on your property, please look into wood stoves. And, for counter-balance, don't ever waste your money on a wind turbine (long, expensive story for another blog).

Meanwhile, I have a lot of other activities this weekend, including re-potting the houseplants I placed outdoors in order to bring them back inside before the weather gets too cold. I have an orange tree that I bought at a home improvement store in the Spring when it was a little stick of a plant--it's a now a good-sized bush!

So, always looking for a great, homestyle dinner without having to do much prep, here's a recipe for ROAST BEEF and GARLIC ROASTED POTATOES

done in the crockpot to let you work on other projects!  Serve with sauteed kale greens for a colorful and healthy, home-styled dinner.

Roast Beef with Garlic Roasted Potatoes

2-3 lb. chuck roast (with or without bones)

1 can of diced tomatoes

Prep crockpot with spray oil or rub with olive oil. Place meat in the pot and pour the can of diced tomatoes over it.

3 or 4 small potatoes, cut up

2 tbsp olive oil

2-3 large cloves of garlic, chopped

Toss the potatoes, oil and garlic together. Spoon onto both sides of the roast.

ADD- a few sprigs of fresh rosemary and a little chopped parsley.

It should look like this picture below. Cover and cook for 8 hours.

When done, remove roast to a serving plate and cut into serving portions. Plate the meat. Then remove potatoes with a slotted spoon and add to each serving plate. Then add your favorite green vegetable side.

Here, I show the roast beef with sauteed kale greens. These were sauteed with a little olive oil, seasoned with salt, pepper and a couple dashes of nutmeg. They are "crisp-tender" and a good contrast to the beef and potatoes.

(SPECIAL NOTE: If you have cooked more meat than needed, remove the extra meat to a bowl. Using 2 forks, shred it and add some salsa and cheese to the meat and use it for a superb beef enchilada filling for another meal.)

Posted by Karen at 09:56 CDT

Updated: Saturday, 22 September 2012 09:59 CDT

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Been very busy--like everyone else, it seems this Summer. So, when I found this Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker in my kitchen cabinet, I couldn't wait to pull it out and treat myself to some really good and really easy ICE CREAM.

It's very easy. First, freeze the insert in the freezer overnight. Then place it in the machine and add your ingredients. Turn it on and in about 20 minutes, you've got up to 1 and a half quarts of ice cream. Too much for a couple of people, so I elected to make a quick pint or so of strawberry ice cream. 1 pint of cream, 4 oz of crushed (over-ripe) strawberries with the juice. If you want it sweeter, add a pack or two of Stevia.

Don't stop with strawberry, try any crushed fruit.

And don't stop with cream when ice MILK or Yogurt will also make a nice icy dessert.

In fact, don't stop with dairy bases, you can also make nice fruit ices or savory SORBETS--dig into those interesting palate cleansers--don't stop with desserts!

In fact, once you have your ice cream maker out, try every frozen concoction you can think of--they will all be great.  It's going to be one, long, hot Summer.  I will share more recipes as the Summer lingers, but get your machine out now and don't miss a moment.

Posted by Karen at 22:10 CDT

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The morning was so beautiful when I woke up, I decided it's the PERFECT day for doing a quick little project I've had in mind...

PAINT THE DOOR

I'm a big believer in the mood effects of color and, one thing's for certain--what is greeting you immediately as you approach your house is a door. Now, everyone knows this about the FRONT door, And all of you reading this certainly have a happy, welcoming front entry door.

But, that's for guests, right? You usually come in through a garage or  back door. But, it's still YOUR welcoming to your home. So, match your color to enhance your mood.

My project today was to paint the entry from the outside into our "mud room" where I find myself going in and out several times a day. I also just placed a little bistro table and chairs outside that entry door so an accent door will actually ground my personal wine bar and enhance that mood, too.

So, here goes, I continued with the same accent color as interior doors in the mudroom and the same accent color as my front door. And I am using a high gloss because it's super durable and easy to wash. Another plus is--while I have the paint out, I can inspect my other doors and touch up nicks and scratches of wear (and dogs.)

• clean, then prep surface with a little light sandpaper
• trim out with a small brush
• then paint and let dry

It's SUCH a happy difference from boring white, isn't it? Now, get out and spend literally under an hour of your physical time for a happy ending...or should I say a "Happy entry every time"?

Posted by Karen at 09:24 CDT

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I sure hope you didn't pack away those little Italian lights we all use for Christmas holiday decorating. I love to use the white lights mixed with floral or vine garland around fireplaces during the "off season"--they make great mood lights and night lights and they are especially easy when you have them pre-set on a timer.

Outdoors, the Italian lights can be strung in ornamental trees--if you look around, you can find the lights with variable twinklers that "flicker".

Another idea is to string them around or in the base of a larger planter. Again, it's best to put them on a timer--maybe one or two sites on a dusk-to-dawn timer so when you look out onto your garden from inside the house at any point during the night, you are drawn to the drama.

Posted by Karen at 08:20 CDT

Updated: Friday, 23 March 2012 08:20 CDT

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I can't believe that just two days ago I was outside in a T-shirt and jeans,  pruning grapevines.

Yesterday and today, a T-shirt and jeans were the first layer, covered with a hooded sweatshirt (hood up!), jacket (hood up!), snowpants, hiking boots and ski mittens. And the activity? Snow clearing with the snowthrower--feeding animals, snowshoveling... 

So it's now kind of settled down into mere frigid weather.

Time to create a cozy indoors...

 As you can see, I haven't cleared off the table with Christmas cards, so light the candle for a little warmth...

Did you notice all the snow on the porch beyond? 

Get the fireplace going. Really get a roaring fire to counteract that wind chill of ...minus 9!

 Did you get something like this for Christmas? These are called "Bath Bombs" and they similar to huge, fragranced "Fizzies" for the bath. 

Seriously, they are huge, aren't they? Each has it's own fragrance combo and  great mineral salts for your skin.

But, before you soak those aching muscles in your "Bath Bomb" bath--make a quick Quiche Lorraine (recipe is archived under "recipes"). Here's mine right out of the oven--since I am indulging I did NOT skimp on the anchovies. 

Now get into some cozy, comfortable, loungy clothes, and enjoy that quiche in front of your roaring fire...

Posted by Karen at 12:47 CST

Updated: Saturday, 14 January 2012 09:07 CST

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Stage yourself a Merry Little Christmas corner …

It’s a suggestion, not a demand…so don’t over-react by getting stressed-out. (You know who I'm talking to)

I have heard a lot of people saying “I’m not putting up the Christmas tree this year”, “I just don’t want all that work”, “I’m not in the mood”, “Too much else to do.”

I know, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the Christmas holidays. But I think there’s a compromise possible. And, in under an hour, you can stage yourself a little Christmas niche that will perk up your mood yet still keep clean up to a minimum.

First, decide what community part of the house you spend most of your time. Then find a “staging area” where you can put a small tree, and a comfy chair in which you can sit and have a cup of Christmas cocoa or a glass of wine while opening up your cards (or checking your e-cards on your wireless device!).

The area is defined as a “stage” by outlining the space with some Christmas garland…easier to do if you’ve chosen a spot by a window. And windows also let you count your tree as “outdoor” decoration if you can see it outside!

Props Needed:

A real or artificial tree

Lights (not needed if you picked up a pre-lit tree!)

Timer 

Ornaments

A “tree-topper”—(extra credit if the ornaments and topper reflect something about you!)

Table with holiday greens (artificial OK)

Comfy chair

Holiday Garland

Recorded/uploaded Holiday music

Pets (optional)

Now, outline your stage, put your tree up on one side, the comfy chair in the other, a little table with Christmas greenery. Add a scented candle. Light the candle. Add a dog or cat (that's Max, one of our shepherds in the picture). Put the music on. Make the cocoa or pour the wine.

Remember to set the timer to come on just before you come home from work and to go off automatically when you retire for the night.

Even if you don’t put up anything else (and you COULD you know, put up a door wreath and that lighted Christmas village scene and nativity you have packed away without  breaking a sweat)—but even if you do nothing else…at least they’ll be a little Christmas cheer to greet you  throughout the next month.

Under an hour…promise.

Posted by Karen at 11:34 CST

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There's something about January and February and March that seem to make them go on forever--besides the weather, that is. I think it's because it is one of the longest periods in the year where you are homebound and you have little to celebrate. 

Valentine's Day is an exception, but it's limited to the lovers, not really a "family" or "singles" celebration time and it's just one day without a lot of anticipatory excitement. 

You might be lucky if someone's birthday falls during those months, but again, it's just one day out of three-plus months of darkness and gloom.

So, I am suggesting that you perk up your mantles or shelves and mirrors with some random "little lights." Set on a timer, you may never have to enter a gloomy living room or kitchen again.

I have little lights in "seasonal" garland on my library fireplace mantle, little lights on my living room fireplace mantle (pictured above) nestled with some feather-y chickens and a vase--and in my kitchen on a "created" window sill.

My faux window sill is a shelf set underneath a curved mirror, to mimic the window it is placed opposite (see above picture). The mirror is hung above an old dressor I've appropriated as storage for large pans and serving ware. A piece of glass on top allows the surface to be used as a beverage service area.  

So for under $10, it's possible to bring a little holiday mood into a couple of rooms of your home to make the winter pass a bit more cheerfully. 

Posted by Karen at 16:19 CST

Updated: Thursday, 10 March 2011 08:59 CST

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Working on the indoor Christmas de-construction today, I realize why people get depressed in the long cold Winter--it's not just the shortened days and rotten weather--it's because they are such a contrast to the holidays. Sparkles, glitter, and twinkling lights give way to stark, bleak, and dark nights.

My solution--to continue my brother's advice about the outdoors in yesterday's entry--now applying that advice indoors.

The Christmas tree in the library was set on a dusk-to-dawn timer arranged next to a window that overlooks the courtyard. I decided that white lights nestled in faux greenery and set on top of the fireplace mantle might produce a similar magical effect. I concealed the cord behind books, but used the same window as the trigger for the dusk-to-dawn timer. It works, the library "winter night light" invites you in. 

Although I hate the Winter Holiday concept when it is forced on us as a politically correct Christmas substitution--it CAN be an inspiration for January and February. There's no reason I can't keep the little white lights around the mirror in my kitchen, simply swapping out the Santas and ornaments on the shelf for some antique china pieces. Set the timer right, I may never have to walk into a dark room this winter.

And, of course, it's a great time to force some paperwhite bulbs to root and blossom. I started mine yesterday. The Norfolk pine minus the ornaments still makes a great houseplant, the African violets are front-and-center in the master bathroom window, the indoor bay tree can be re-potted...

If it's all about setting the mood--I know which way I want mine to swing the next 80 or 90 days, whether in the city or the country. I may even be able to trick myself into thinking it's fun to stay indoors. 

Posted by Karen at 15:43 CST

Updated: Thursday, 10 March 2011 09:17 CST

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After work yesterday and today, I braved the frigid cold and took down Christmas decorations in the front of my city house--specifically, the ribbon and bows off the wrought iron fence, the multiple globes and twinkling white lights and ornaments from my little deciduous tree (the frozen crimson berries were attached and stayed put), the multi-colored lights encircling the red twig dogwoods. ..and then I promptly moved to the back yard where I hung the white lights again to make a path of luminescence from my garage to my back door. I even put a cluster of multi-colored lights into a large pot with "ever-blooming" poinsiettas.

"Why"-- you might ask?

Ah-h-h, it's the wisdom of my brother who designs pools and outdoor environments in Florida. It is his firm belief that people will spend a fortune on their yards and then miss one simple opportunity for improvement...lighting.  Lighting creates mood and allows you to use your outdoors way beyond the short sunlight of the winter days (too short whether you're in Florida or Illinois).

So, it may be post Christmas, but I think I can change my frigid Winter backyard into a warmly welcoming home with some seasonal twinkling lights. Through the yard is how I enter my house most of the time, from garage to the back door. And now, it reminds me of the lovely Winter wonderland of ice and lights  in the park at the base of the Eiffel tower. I can dream my way through winter chill.

Posted by Karen at 17:53 CST

Updated: Thursday, 10 March 2011 09:17 CST

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