Breathe... It will get better soon!

Hello, my few and faithful followers!  August is less than 2 hours away and I am actually posting for a second time this calendar year!  Break out the horns and streamers!

Folks, I have to admit, this year has not been my favorite!  Gomez was laid off from his job of 7 years in January and, though he has gained amazing employment with a very old and large company, it has been one metaphorical storm after another.  If he ever gets through the training portion of this new job and finally gets through his 90 day probationary period we will party like it is 1999!  Again!  Seriously, time is flying by at an exponential pace, but this training is slow as a snail.  Oh.  Did I mention he is out of town a lot?  Just a trifle detail.  Maddening, more like it!  The poor lad called and told me he cannot listen to one of our favorite bands anymore because the songs make him miss me too much.  Damn you, Robert Smith!

On top of the afore mentioned fiasco, we have had relatives with health issues, deaths, the theft /disappearance of my very sentimental Christmas present from Gomez and all of the other not-so-amazing events that happen in this thing called life.

Oh, wow!  That feels better!  Get it all out and... Breathe!

Visiting the lighter side, I have been very busy with my job and household chores and projects.  If I inhale anymore paint fumes I may need to go to rehab!  My front doors and patio fence have never looked better, though!  The past few months have found me getting certified to work with crystals to help others and really getting to know who I am, what /who I believe in and where I want it to all lead.  It has been an interesting sideline to this tedious year.  Bottom line, be deeply grateful, have trust and the patience of a saint.  It isn't any easy road to hoe, but I think I will be better off for these lessons learned.

Things will and are getting better.  Is any one else out there having the same kind of year?  If so, leave a comment and let me know so I can include you when I send out the good crystal vibes! 

Peace and crystal blessings!

P.S. Has anyone seen a tanzanite ring set in white gold anywhere?

Happy Birthday, My Dearly Departed Brother and Mentor!

So, nothing like starting the new year off right with a long over-due post.  And to make it worthy of the name of my humble blog, I will make it about my brother and mentor who left this mortal coil 25 years ago on November 2, 1988.  Hard to believe I have lived without him in my life for that long, or that HE WOULD BE 52 YEARS OLD TODAY!!  Only one word for that... Weird.  His name was Frederick (not really, but that is his name here for anonymity's sake).  He was a force of nature and a unique and charismatic individual.  His chosen profession was as a Cosmetologist and he was an incredibly talented hairdresser and makeup artist.  He would have been famous had he lived.  I know it!  But, alas, he did not get to realize all of his potential, as he was just too, too good for this planet.
He taught me a lot, albeit he was 9 years older than me and I was his little muse.  He loved Bo Derek and the movie "10".  My scalp and hair were not happy about this.  Nor was my neck, thinking about it. Hours of my childhood were spent with my head laying sideways on an ottoman as dear Frederick braided corn-rows into my hair as he watched the afternoon soap operas.  But I always looked great after the torture!  I secretly loved the attention and he knew it.  He was the "sparkly" person every child cherishes looks forward to seeing.

The summer before his passing I got to live with him in the big city.  He gave me trust and a short leash and I never let him down.  During this period he taught me etiquette, manners, grace and to always strive for perfection.  During Gomez's family gatherings this education has come in very handy, indeed!  That summer is forever emblazoned in my brain, from shopping, Disneyland and concerts galore to getting drunk the first time on champagne at a little Italian dive we used to frequent.  I wouldn't change a single moment because I was with him. 

Oddly, I ended up somewhat following in his creative footsteps by accident when I started my career working on wigs and being a makeup artist.  Hopefully he would be proud of me and my accomplishments. 

Frederick, Morticia and our brother Wyatt, Christmas 1971

 

This post could go on forever, but I will stop here.  Maybe I will chronicle more moments with him in the future, but for now, I am going to go bake Red Velvet Brownies in honor and memory of him because he would love them!

Happy, happy birthday, my love!  I know you are with me more often than not.  I love and miss you!

Still not good at this whole blogging thing... Or, how the Grinch is trying to steal my Christmas

Well, another almost year and I am finally up to posting a new entry.  Honestly, I just don't think about it.  I also don't have any sponsors to beholden to either, so I guess I am like thousands of others out there who have a blog and just don't play with it.  Sorry, blog!

Anyway, as the holiday season looms, once again, I find myself wanting to be crafty and I am darn good at it!  The trouble is, I don't FEEL it...  Meaning ideas abound, but the mere thought of expending time or energy on any of them is just daunting.  Depression symptom?  Maybe, but mostly likely I have just been so busy with other aspects of my life all year that I just need time to do... nothing.  We are also flipping families this year for the two big holidays and, while I am glad to do it, I am having the weepies about not being with my family for Christmas this year.  In all fairness to Gomez's clan, we have not been with them for Christmas in about 15 years.  However, this will be my first one away from my family since my daddy died 5 years ago.  Oh!  And my mommy just got re-married in our backyard less than two weeks ago, so there is that concern as well.  Thankfully she and the new hubby have my brother and his flock to make merry with.

Gomez and I have had to be away from each other for several months out of this year and it is very unusual and, quite frankly, it was hard and neither one of us liked being away from hearth and home and pups and each other!  We actually like each other and like spending time with each other.  I even feel guilty right now as I sit writing this, because it is taking time away from us.  The fact that he is in feeding his motor-head with cars and motorcycles on TV assuages my guilt to a degree.  The only times we have had together throughout the summer were on paranormal investigations and then we were sometimes separated or, as the job dictates, we have to be somewhat quiet and sit in the dark listening for things to "go bump in the night".  Hardly romantic and rather exhausting with staying up to all hours, but it is fun and it something we both enjoy doing.  Speaking of which, I will be trying to add and update my Ghost Hunting page soon, maybe even today.  Look out!  I could be on a roll!

I segue, so let's get back on track... crafts and crafty, clever things and ideas!  With a name like Morticia, I obviously like certain things like gardening, knitting, herbalism, embroidery and so on and so forth.  So, naturally for my Christmas gifts this year I will be trying to make natural-based homemade gifts.  I can't tell you what all of them will be, as Ophelia will, no doubt read this and one of these goodies will actually be her birthday gift.  I will post photos later, however, so you will get to see them all.  First on the list of things to make is liquid soap.  Not the cheater kind that you make with a bar of soap and dilute it, but real, good stuff!  Below is a pic of some I made last year.  I normally make bar-soap, but I find most people put it on their shelf because "it is so pretty, I don't want to use it."  Really?!  I slaved over a hot pot for the better part of a day making four batches of the stuff and it isn't being used?!  Well, maybe the liquid version will get its moment of glory!

Last year's liquid soap.  Not bad for my first attempt!

 

Baked goods will also be on the list of gifts given and will include homemade dark chocolate and gingerbread cookies that make the body swoon.  Still trying to come up with the perfect gift for my close menagerie of friends who are all so very different, but not.  How to bring joy to them all in one fell swoop?  Not sure, but I am getting close.  For the imbibers of spirits in my life, there will be Apple Pie "Moonshine" and Cranberry Cordial that are steeping away as I type.  I will try to post the recipes for all from those who are so inclined to be adventurous.

 

Well, the guilt is over-riding me, so back to Gomez and a lazy Sunday together (Yay!).  I am going to go pop in the Grinch DVD and get him out of my system.  No Christmases will be stolen in this house if I have anything to say about it!  Be blessed, be well, be happy and thank you for reading my version of a psycho-therapy session.  Ciao for now!

Long time no blog...again! And a rant about idiocy...

Hello to all from the wintry tundra of the mountains I call home!  Happy Valentine's Day, too!

Violets, the official flowers of February

It has been a while since I have bothered to even think about this poor, neglected blog of mine, but upon doing some research online for a homemade version of Purex Crystals, I decided to take inspiration from Jen at  http://www.peopleiwanttopunchinthethroat.com/.  I love her rants and she makes me laugh and I do believe we both feel better for it.  And it so much cheaper than therapy!
fair warning, though, for those of you who go to her site, she does use some naughty language.  You cannot say I did not warn you!  I love her site even more because of it!  Raw honesty is so refreshing!

Anyway, it appears that every single person in the blogoshpere who has made their own "fabric softener crystals" cannot read the back of a Purex Crystals bottle!  The ingredients say:  Sugar, bentonite clay, fragrance and colorant.  Sounds pretty simple, right?  Then why are all of these fabulous bloggers using SALT and EPSOM SALTS to make this stuff!!  My next project will be to replicate this glorius concoction and then post the results for all to see.  If I fail, oh, well, but if I am triumphant the world will know and I will post the recipe!  It is simply figuring out ingredient ratios.
So, with that off my chest, I can now go conquer the world and enjoy this oh-so-sweet holiday! 

May all who have found love have it grow deeper,
and those who have not, may they find it and have it flourish!

Magical Bean Pot

If any of you are familiar with Celebrating Home products, you probably know about their "Bean Pot", pictured below, that you can cook just about anything in.  It is stoneware and can go in the freezer, fridge, microwave or oven and is dishwasher safe.  Yes, I realize this sounds like an ad, but it really is an amazing addition to any kitchen because it makes cooking so much easier.  I am going to use mine to make a "Chocolate Lava Dump Cake" to go with Christmas dinner.  It is called a "Dump Cake" because you dump the ingredients into the pot, mix it and bake it.  So easy!  I am including the recipe below.

Chocolate Lava Dump Cake

You will need:

1 box chocolate cake mix

ingredients listed on cake mix box

1 can chocolate frosting
Powdered Sugar (optional)

Bean Pot

Place all cake mix and ingredients in Bean Pot and whisk, stir until blende.  Drop 5-6 heaping tablespoons of frosting on top.  Place lid on pot ( if your microwave is small, flip the lip upside down).  Cook on high for 8 minutes or until knife comes out clean.  If additional cooking time is needed, do it in 1 minute intervals.  Let set for 5 minutes before serving.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.  CAUTION!  It will be very hot!!  Serve alone or with ice cream.  Enjoy!

Look out spirits, here we come!

Gomez got me an EMF detector for Christmas, so now we can really go do some investigations!  We hope to be able to join a local group to cut our teeth and learn a few more things.  I will keep you posted! (No pun intended!)

Christmas is already here!

Merry Christmas!  I hope everyone is with family and friends and feeling loved, warm and contented.  Being in Arizona with my family we are definitely warm...62 degrees on Christmas Eve!  Seeing all the family at my brother's house last night was so much fun, with everyone eating until they were about to burst and teasing and poking fun at one another.  There was not a dull moment! 

Gomez, the pack 'o pups and I wish you all a very merry, blessed Christmas and hope that the love and spirit of Christ carry you through the new year with health, wealth and happiness!  (And, yes, our tree is black!) 

New Knitting Project

Fall is here and with it the desire to be cozy and nothing is cozier than knitting and having your project warm your hands and lap as you work.  My friend from the fiber arts group I belong to, Babs, taught me how to do this amazing double-sided knit stitch that allows you to basically knit two pieces of fabric together at the same time.  The result is an ultra-warm garment with a "pocket" to trap air that warms up when worn providing insulation.  (Babs, I try to keep my blog anonymous, so that is why you are referred to my your favorite nickname. ;-))  I am currently making my inaugural project with this method for my mother's boyfriend and I have to say I want to keep it for myself!

Not too bad for my first try! I will try to post the how-to later.

To blog or not to blog, that is the question.

After trying to get used to this whole blogging thing, I am wondering if it is really worth it.  I mean the time and energy it takes, even every so often seems quite wasted if no one reads or looks at it, right?  Isn't the whole point of blogging for people to read it?  Since I am not interested in making an income or advertising my little place here I will just suffice it to be my online outlet to get things out of my head and in writing.  If people happen to read it, so be it.  If not, oh well.  At least I have a creative outlet for my mind.  If you like my blog, let me know.  If not, let me know how I can improve it.  I am only a novice after all.  Thank you to my sister-in-law, K, for helping me set it up and get started.  You are amazing and I do not know how you do all that you do.  I love you more than you know.   Ciao for now!  I WILL be back!

Ahhhhutumn...

Autumn.  My favorite time of year, heralded by a crispness in the air, cooler temperatures, changing leaves, candy corn and, of course, the anticipation of Halloween, or as my Auntie Karen says, my"high holy days".  There really is no other time of year that makes me feel the way I do at this very moment, almost giddy with child-like excitement and wonder.  The place where I grew up was, in alot of ways, like the town of "Perfect" in the Walgreens ads that were out  a couple of years ago.  Fall meant thinking of and making the perfect costume and going to the annual Halloween carnival to play games, participate in the cake-walk and enter the costume contest.  My dear, late brother used to design and make me the best costumes!  They were so good, in fact, that I won "Best Costume" for my class every year but one!  Trick-or-treating was safe and always with good friends in the the little village that was near our school.  Sadly, the village no longer exists, but the memories will always remain.  I can still feel the brezze on my skin and see the leaves dancing as we went form house to house. Oh, how I miss those days!  To have them again would be great, but now as an adult I have found ways to instill that spirit into the season by decorating the house and having a big bash for all of our friends.  This year may be just a small gathering with our intimate friends and children, with all the goodies and trimmings I can manage, but Halloween will be celebrated in some way.  Off I go to enjoy the scents and sights that are already here and, maybe even break out the decorations!

I think it is the dogs' favorite time of year, too!

 

Gomez always goes for a traditional Jack-o-lantern and I try to be a bit different.

15 Years and Counting

This last week saw the arrival of our 15th anniversary and it was cause for some reflection and reconnection.  Time really does fly when you are having, er, fun!  Most of  the time we manage to squeeze in some fun!  Life really is easier and more fulfilling when you have your best-friend/soul-mate at your side.  I don't know what I did to deserve Gomez, but I am glad I did it!  What an amazing, kind, generous, sweet, loving, loveable, intelligent, corny, strong, wise, self-sacrificing soul he is!  My in-laws are amazing, too!  Always ready to help and love each other, no matter what.  I am so blessed to have them in my life.  (If any of you read this, I mean it!  That means you, too, Clan F!) 
It is disconcerting, however, when people you have not thought of in years no longer have a name that flashes right into your head and you have to search for it.  We are both searching for a couple of them a few days later, but they will eventually come back at 3 AM with the frustration of not being able to sleep. 
We reminisced about meeting each other and those who filled our lives then, as well as our sweet little girlillas who left us way to soon.  RIP Liffy and Nellie!  We love and miss you!  It is astounding that life changes so much and so drastically!  This has been a great exercise is perspective and really has made me thankful for the people who are now in our lives, whether it be everyday or less often.  Eash one of you means so much and I hope you know it.
Here is to the last 15 years and, hopefully to at least, 50 more!

When Gomez goes away, Morticia plays! (With Artisan Bread!)

My sweet man was called away on business and while he was away I dabbled in the kitchen arts, yet again.  I love the ladies in my fiber arts group!  So many ideas flying around, but this one I caught and have managed to try!  Artisan Bread sounds scary, but it isn't.  One of our group members brought a great book for another member to peruse and after I looked at it, I went online, found the dough recipe and instructions and whipped up a batch of dough.  The first baking attempt taught me that baking stones, sadly, do not last forever.  Mine was 10 years old and had enough "season", i.e., old oil and butter in it to smoke up the house.  FUN! NOT!  My second attempt was with an overturned cookie sheet with parchment paper and the results were incredible!  Crusty on the outside and chewy, soft goodness on the inside!  Yum! 

Subsequent attempts have been even better and the lucky few that have received a round all said it was really good and I think one even said it was "amazing"!  If anyone is interested in trying it, let me know and I will get you the link to the recipe.  It is super easy!

Thanks to my great friend, Miss K., for the unselfish gift of a Pampered Chef baking stone to help my efforts.  It works perfectly!

Mesa Verde with the Nieces

Another summer, another vacation with the "Girlillas"!  Mesa Verde was incredible!  Loved the architecture and learning about the ancient culture.  Can't wait to go back!  By the way, Barbara A., I know where you got your southwestern giftwrap!  Does Teec Nos Pos, Arizona ring a bell? :-)

Long time, no blog...

Spring has never arrived and summer is trying to come forth and I have not blogged in quite a while.  Let's see what my brain spills forth...
My latest endeavor is cheese making.  This afternoon will be my first real attempt at it, but my friend, K,  and I took a class last Saturday and it was fascinating.  We found that it is not unlike making soap in many ways, but it is quite easy as long as you pay attention to what you are doing.  The class taught us how to make a 30-Minute Mozzarella, Mascarpone, Cream Cheese and Ricotta.  My challenge is to now try to make them with goat's milk instead of cow's milk.  I will post my results as they come.

Round 2 of the "Crud" is upon me and I have to to cancel a trip to my mom's this weekend and stay house-bound.  Nothing like not really being able to do anything when you are the type to ALWAYS be busy with something!  Hopefully by Monday I will be mostly back to my old self.

The drop-spindle spinning is coming along nicely.  I have spun around 200 yards of wool in a color combo called "Burning Bush" and it is quite beautiful.  Pillow covers for my couch are what the future seems to be holding for it.

"Burning Bush" before and after spinning





    This yarn may be my first attempt at plying, which is when you take two yarns, similar or different , and spin or twist them together.  This makes a thicker, stronger yarn.                                            

Second Handspun Skein

I have been spinning when I can over the last couple of weeks and managed to come up with a second skein of about 75 yards.  Gomez and I took a daytrip with a friend a couple of weeks ago and went to a fiber arts store where I found some lovely red and brown dyed roving.  I started spinning it and love the resulting yarn I am getting out of it.  The roving is 8 ounces and it will be interesting to see how much yardage I get out of it.  I may make socks out of it!  Here is a sneak peek!

Dyeing Yarn with Icing Colorant

Spinning is fun, but dyeing what you have spun is even better!  My first official skein of yarn came out to around 55 yards.  I used the back of a folding chair to wind it into a skein from my spindle.

 After researching different methods online, I found that Wilton's Icing Colorant can be used to dye yarn and fabric.  Naturally, I drove straight to my local craft store and got a set of twelve Wilton Icing Colors for about $7.50 after using a 50% off coupon I had.  Not too shabby, right?  The main reason I wanted to try this method was because I could easily obtain the needed materials and I can use any utensil that I dye with for food again after I am done.  Wanting teals and purples I mixed up three differnt colors using 1 tsp. colorant to 1 cup water and mixed thoroughly.  I wetted my yarn in a water bath, using 1 cup vinegar as a mordant, for a couple of hours.  You can soak your yarn longer, but I was excited and couldn't wait to get started.  After removing the yarn from the water bath, I used an old towel to roll the yarn in to absorb any excess water and then it was time to dye it!  Painting yarn is my favorite way to dye, so after covering my counter surfaces with plastic, I used a foam brush to paint the skein in thirds, using a different color for each 1/3.  Next I put the yarn into a microwave safe glass bowl, trying not to overlap the colors too much.  I then covered the bowl loosely with cling wrap and zapped it in the microwave for 5 minutes, let it cool completely and then zapped it again for 5 minutes and let it cool a final time.  Keep an eye on your yarn and microwave so that the yarn does not burn!  Mist with water if yarn starts to dry out.  After it was cool I rinsed the skein in cool to tepid water, used the towel again to soak up any excess water and used a clothing hanger to hang it up to dry.  The end result is in the picture below.

I then decided to dye some merino wool yarn purchased from an online company to see if I could change the time in the microwave and also try a "pot" method.  The second skein I spot painted with the same dye colors and let the colors bleed as they liked, then put it in the microwave and zapped it for only 2 minutes with 2 minutes rest time and then zapped  it for 2 more minutes, allowed to completely cool and rinsed and hung to dry in the same manner as my handspun first skein.  The pictures below show the result, which I was very pleased with.

The lower cooking time caused this skein to come out much lighter, but it is still beautiful.

The third skein was dyed in a pot using a method that uses three different colors and dyes 1/3 of the skein at a time.  I was trying for a sunset-like peach, a blue-gray and a gray-brown after this picture my husband took on a recent business trip.  As you can see from the pictures the colors separated and I got pinks and mauves instead!

  

 Colors I was trying to replicate...

Colors I got...

 As a gentleman in his blog I had found on dyeing silk roving said, the great and fun thing about using the Icing Color is that it is not fixed and stable, so you never quite know what you are going to get! 
So, after my experimentation, it my humble opinion that the microwave cooking method is best when using the Wilton's Icing Colorants.  Have fun and enjoy!  Let me know it you have any questions.

I'm spinning! No, really, I am!

The old ways strike again and this time with a vengeance!  Serendipity is awesome!  Several years ago I watched a program called "Knitty Gritty" and they had a segment on learning to spin your own yarn with a homemade drop (suspended) spindle.  As will happen, I completely forgot that I wanted to try it and while walking through our local chain craft store last week I noticed a book about spinning with spindles on the cover.  (I know this was in an earlier post, so forgive me). Naturally I perused it and decided that I was going to finally try it.  After searching all over town and online, I managed to stumble upon a new fiber-arts guild that is starting locally and decided to join and make my own spindle(s).  I even got my poor over-worked Gomez to make me an incredibly ingenious bottom whorl spindle using a dowel, plexiglass and copper wire!  It has been named my "Smudge Spindle" after one of his other nicknames.  It will undoubtedly be my favorite spindle and so far, so good!  I really love spinning and while I still need to hone my skills, it is coming along nicely!  For basically teaching myself by watching videos online and reading about it I think I am ahead of the curve.  The third time (day) was the charm, as I had the breakthough I needed and figured out exactly how and when to pinch and let go of the roving to get the twist into it.  As promised in that earlier post, here is my progress...

                                                  Spinning Day #1

Not too bad for never having done it before.  A bit inconsistent, but worthy of at least a rug!  The roving I am spinning is from Lincoln Long-hair Sheep.  Probably not the best wool, but I bought it locally from a couple who raises the sheep and the price cannot be beat!

                         Spinning Day #2 - On "Smudge Spindle"

It is hard to tell, but the top layer of yarn is much more consistent. Yay!  I am still using the "Park and Draft" method, but I will be able to drop the spindle soon enough!

                                 Full view of my "Smudge Spindle"

My man is amazing!  He had to work some overtime because he had to be in the building while one of his projects was being tested and made this off the cuff!

                                         Homemade Spindles

These were so simple to make using dowels, wooden toy car wheels and, not shown, cup hooks!  To add some character I used some of my rubber stamps to decorate the tops/bottoms of the whorls.  So easy and fun!



On Turning Two Times Twenty

Where does time escape and why does it seem to be so absolutely, mind-blowingly fleeting?  Sunday marked the start of my 40th year on this amazing globe and, as I sit here blogging, I am remembering the original blogger, Doogie Howser, MD, and that I was just a kid when he entered his first thoughts into his computer.  Wow!  Tempus fugit!  30 was really no big deal and, honestly, 40 is no different except that I REALLY do not feel it.  When I write that I do not feel it, I mean not emotionally, mentally and not really even physically.  Plenty of the people in my life feel their age or older, especially physically, but I just don't and I guess that is the perplexing part of this event.  If I live to, let's say, 80, then my life is half lived and if I do not "feel" 40 now, will I "feel" 50, 60 or, if I am so lucky, 90?  This rant takes me to one of my very favorite, albeit anonymous quotes which simply asks, "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?"  My answer?  25!!  I "feel" 25!  Maybe that is because by the time I hit that age, I got married, had my values and worldview and philosophies about life and being human in place.  I am much wiser now than at 25, but I am pretty much the same person now as I was then, although, if you ask my husband, I have mellowed out about a lot of things.  Thank goodness for perspective and having the ability to learn from my mistakes as well as those of others.  As long as I can continue to learn new things from this life then it will be full of wonder and elation.  Gomez gave me the most beautiful card with amazingly kind, poignant words in it.  One of the things he pointed out was that anything I decide to learn or do I master.  Well, I guess my life is mine to master!  On with the show!

     My beautiful card, "Tristan and Isolde" by Marc Fishman

Living in a small town can be sooooooo frustrating!

Have you ever wanted to try an old art/craft, such as, oh say, Drop Spindling, and you get so excited you cannot wait to get the equipment and supplies and start?  Me too.  However, small town living has thwarted me, yet again!  The local craft chain store does not carry Drop Spindles (but they sell an instructional book on how to do it), and the antique store mistook bobbins for spindles.  UUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHH!  If I ever get started I will post my progress.  Until then, I am off to search the internet!  Ciao!

Spring is springing...hopefully!

With Valentine's Day looming tomorrow, I look outside at our snow-covered mountains with the sun gleaming off of them and can hardly believe that Winter may actually be coming to an early end this year.  It has been unusually cold this year and temperatures have been in the below zero range for more nights than I care to count.  The dogs will be glad for warm weather so that their oh so favorite sweaters will be packed away until Autumn! 
I am hoping to get all the things done outside this year that have been put off every year for the last few years.  Hopefully I will actually put a timed sprinkler in the square foot garden if I replant this year, so there will be a harvest.  The front and backyards will get fixed up and landscaped in hopes of spending lazy evenings lounging in their glory.  Sounds good, doesn't it?  Here is to hoping!
If you have never heard of square foot gardening, Google it and learn a fun, easy, great way to garden!

Last spring's attempt at a garden.  Is that Sasquatch with his dog?!