Sea Shell Bird Bath

Now that it is summer, I have been trying to do as much work as possible in our yard.  We moved into our home in September, so this is really the first chance I have had to make some gardening decisions.  I'll be showing some pictures of the flower beds in our front yard in a little while, but I've also been doing some work in the backyard as well.  One thing I wanted to set up was a bird bath.  It's so nice to see the bird enjoying themselves in the yard!  I think we might even have a cardinal's nest in one of our trees out back!

I don't know about you, but I somehow always seem to end up with a big pile of seashells.  I don't know if they're from the dollar store, collections from past vacations, or if they just materialize out of thin air and into my craft room.  However they get there, I always have a heap of them.  So I thought I would use them in my bird bath!  I actually got this idea from one of my parents neighbors as I was raiding her yard for plants to steal :)

I used some plain shells, a small flower pot, and a few metallic shells from an old DIY project I featured on the blog.  Then, I just added water!  It turned out pretty cute, and I've already seen a few little birdies hanging around their new pool.

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

I've got a delicious Granny recipe to share with you all today, only it's not technically a Granny recipe.  It came from Granny's recipe box, but the recipe itself is from Marie Sipe.  So, thank you to Marie for this delightfully simple to make jam recipe.

You will need:

• 5 cups chopped rhubarb
• 4 cups sugar
• 3 ounce box of strawberry Jello

Combine the rhubarb and the sugar in a large bowl and allow to sit in the fridge overnight.  The rhubarb will release some of its water during this time.

The next day, pour the sugar and rhubarb into a pot and heat until  the rhubarb begins to get tender.  Stir in the jello, pour into jars, and seal them up!

It's really as simple as that- and oh, so yummy!

Summer Reading List

Ahhh, summer vacation is here at last!  I cannot believe that my first year as a teacher has come to a close.  It seems like an eternity has passed since the first day, but it simultaneously feels like it went by in the blink of an eye.  I'll miss my kiddos, but I'm definitely planning to soak up every moment possible of this summer!

Like so many things (dishes, laundry, shaving....), my leisure reading became basically non-existent during the school year.  The first year is rough, trying to plan and grade, and stay on top of things!  So, I'm excited to to finally have some time to read for pleasure this summer.  My reading list is... well, it's extensive.  I'm hoping to get through them all, but here they in no particular order:

Anne of Green Gables: This beautiful edition was gifted to me by an old friend from college who long ago fell in love with Anne.  I am just starting this book for the first time.  So far?  Enchanted! 

War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning: This text is written by a war correspondent.  It is based on his experiences reporting on war, but offers insights as to why societies are drawn to war as well. 

Luncheon of the Boating Party: Author Susan Vreeland creates the story to go along with the same-titled Renoir painting.  It sounds like a fun concept, and I'm excited to read it. 

Invisible Man: A classic I'm embarrassed not to have read yet, I'll definitely be checking this off my list this summer. 

No god but God: Many of my students are Muslim, but I know so very very little about the religion.  This is a book that I hope will be a good introduction to understanding Islam. 

Portrait in Sepia: I started this near the end of the year, but didn't get far before finals pulled me into the dark hole of paper grading.  I loved Paula, and I'm looking forward to reading something else by Allende.  She's the sort of author who makes me forget I'm reading. 

The Language of Flowers: This is about a young woman who grew up orphaned and who uses flowers as a means of connecting with others.  I don't know much about it, but it's been sitting on my shelf for a while... looking at me. 

The Art of Racing in the Rain: As a dog owner, I anticipate crying like a baby. 

The Elegance of the Hedgehog: About a young girl living in a Parisian luxury apartment, the concierge, and a wealthy man who befriends them. 

The Memory Keeper's Daughter: In 1964, a doctor's wife has twins at home.  The doctor realizes immediately that his daughter has Down's Syndrome and instructs his nurse to bring her to an institution.  She takes the baby instead and raises her as her own. 

The Goldfinch: I'm the last one to the party here.  I know. 

Teach like a Champion: And just because it's summer doesn't mean I won't be attending trainings and reading at least one teacher education book.  This was given to the staff in our building, and while I have read parts of it, I'll be reading it in full this summer.

Alright, so what am I in for, friends?  Have any of you read these?  I'd love to hear what you thought!

Lavender Lemon Shortbread

I loved the shortbread I made the other week so much, I wanted to try some different flavor combinations.  Since I am also growing lavender for the first time, I thought that it would be fun to try some lavender recipes this summer.  This is my first!

Now, I know a lot of lavender recipes can taste like... soap?  And I also noticed that a lot of the recipes call for lavender flowers.  Well, I wanted to offset the potential soapy flavor, and our plants just weren't flowering enough.  So, I added the zest of one lemon, half a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, and one heaping tablespoon of chopped lavender leaves to Add a Pinch's shortbread recipe.  The result was delicious, slightly savory, and not at all soapy!

Enjoy!

Strawberries with Toasted Pine Nuts and Honey

I love all the fresh fruit that starts to hit the produce aisle this time of year!  Everything is juicier, sweeter, and more delicious than ever.  So, I like to take advantage of it and use as much fruit as possible, and it's such a natural fit for dessert.

This is a yummy dish that is so simple to make.  Simply pour some pine nuts into a hot and oiled pan and toast on your stovetop for a few minutes.  Remove the pine nuts from the pan and let cool while you slice your strawberries.  Top the berries with the nuts, and finish it off with a drizzle of honey.

Yum!!

Saturday Snapshot:New Orleans Food

Because, let's be honest, food is a way of life in NOLA.  Respect must be paid.

From beignets to pralines, I don't think I've ever eaten so many sweets... and that's saying something!  Three kinds of butter served with dinner, beautiful desserts, seafood mac and cheese from Miss Linda, oysters, waffles as bread... the list goes on and on.  This is my last New Orleans post until I visit again, so I wanted to be sure and highlight all the good eats we had :)

DIY Tassel Sandals

I am loving the tassel trend!  So, I went on the hunt for some sandals with an ankle strap, and I lucked into a pair of $10 Ralph Lauren shoes from TJ Maxx.  I found a string of tassels at Michael's, and sewed them on!

It was so easy!  I made sure to run the needle between the two strips of leather that make up the strap.  This way, if I change my mind about the tassels, they can be removed with no noticeable damage.

What do you think?  What summer trends are you excited about?