Opportunity is Knocking - 9047 Monmouth Drive 

Almost 1,700 square feet on almost a third of an acre. This MLS-exempt property in the Ladue School District (Reed Elementary) has two bedrooms and one full bath up, with a sleeping area and full bath in the lower level. A beautiful "Leave it to Beaver" fireplace mantle graces the ample living room with light at both ends. This house is being offered in its present condition, and you may take a sneak peek during Alan Brainerd's estate sale on April 4 - 6. Best of all, you'll be in walking distance of my garden where free plants are always available. Save the date!

Spring

 

                                                                    San Francisco

Saint Francis is supposed to have said, "Preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth, using words if necessary." He now graces a corner of my garden, courtesy of my firstborn child, who gave the statue to me for Mother's Day.

Cookies in the Spirit of a Busy Advent Season

The only Chistmas Cookies I found time to bake were from a mix, and no shame here--they were quite good. Here's the recipe:

1 box Duncan Hines Red Velvet cake mix
6 T butter
1 c powdered sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
2 lg eggs
1 tsp lemon zest (this could be omitted)
Note: These cookies could use 1/2 c of sugar.

Oven 375 degrees. Melt butter, set aside. Whisk together powdered sugar and cornstarch in separate bowl.

Mix cake mix, cooled butter, eggs, (and lemon zest if you will) by hand. Dough is stiff. At this point I refrigerated the dough.

Form dough into 1-inch balls and roll liberally in powdered sugar. Place on ungreased baking sheets 2 inches apart and bake for 9-11 minutes.

Store cookies in layers with waxed paper in between, and a breadcrust to keep them moist.

SUMMER'S LAST BREATH

It will be 90 degrees again or I'll eat my laptop. And then it will snow here...but until then I'm remembering a shot I made with my phone when I was rushing off to an open house. Of all the summer pictures, this one says it all.

How I Spent My Summer...

Everything's Better With Cheese

Spicy Garden Burger

It was a busy summer with no time to "put up" any of the garden's bounty, excepting a few peaches. While reflecting on this and grilling burgers, I spied a potted  jalapeno plant that my daughter Vanessa grew. Idea: slice a few peppers, press into the meat, and grill. Presto!

(Tip: be sure to slice thinly and press deeply.)

Maximum Joy for a Minimum Investment




Big Max is currently 40 inches in circumference
 

Around these parts I like to use something called the "Work to Fun" ratio as a yardstick for spending our family's precious free time. Let me give a random example.

A man buys a boat for several thousand dollars, and then spends several hundred more for insurance and licensing. The boat needs some work before it can be "enjoyed," and it is located four hours away. The man's wife (who uses a bathroom that hasn't been remodeled since 1938) works on weekends selling real estate and cannot get away often. She has begun receiving bills for the boat's storage, however.
 
The maiden voyage of this craft on a 108 degree day resulted in a lost ski tube, whining offspring, and a van which ran out of gas on the launch ramp. The Work on a scale of 1-10 was a 10, and the resultant Fun was a 2. You do the math: 10/2=5. Anytime that ratio exceeds 1, it's not worth it for me. For the sake of balance, the man claims he did all the work and that the ratio is a subjective measure. Point taken.

Back to Big Max. After throwing several seeds in a raised bed during June, there is now a pumpkin the size of a VW in my yard. Note the weeds--I've been busy. This is Missouri, and the drought continues. We can only wonder how big Max would be if it had rained! Big Max Pumpkins have a Work to Fun ratio of just 10% and are highly recommended.