Mosaic Monday #133: Happy Homemaker

 

As I look back over the month, the photos suggest that I have been nesting.  Cooking.  Crafts.  Being spoiled for Mother's Day.  Celebrating a new creative space.  But inexorably, the days are lengthening, and I am returning to my summer habits - gardening, kayaking with Dear Neighbor Friend, strolls in the back forty, river walks in Whitefish, hikes with Man with Hat, and so much more.  So, before May becomes as faint as last year's tan lines, let's take a look!

May in Montana moves from brown to green in a matter of weeks, but frost can threaten anything that is not native, or particularly vulnerable specimens.  I have learned the hard way not to plant pots or driveway baskets until June.  Desiring a little color on the front porch, I decided to make a spring wreath.  With the exception of the peacock feathers, which came from DNF, all of my materials came from the thrift store.

I resolved to cook once a week to give Head Chef a break, and generally I am on track.  (I have cheated twice and opted for dessert rather than a meal!!!)  The Somerset Stew recipe is another meal from Jan at Low Carb Diabetic; we added sausage to our dish.

Mom crosses my mind frequently.  I've lost count of the number of times I reached for my phone to call her.  One day, I was moved to make a childhood favorite, Snickerdoodles.  I talked to Mom throughout the baking process.  So yummy!

In college, I started collecting recipes in a school folder.  Some were typed out on the family typewriter.  Some are newspaper clippings, long since yellowed.  A cherished few are in my Mom's handwriting, such as directions for the Thanksgiving turkey.  It has been a (mild) source of annoyance for Head Chef, since it clutters his kitchen, and it is falling apart.  So, it is now in my "office" (more later) and it will be put in order one day.  In the meantime, reminiscing as I held the innards that have come away from the folder, I decided to make Broccoli and Cheese Crepes.  

Spring always carries memories of rhubarb.  My Dad's garden had several plants, and we ate rhubarb in many forms from sauce to crumble to raw, the moist end of the stalk dipped in sugar.  (But beware that you don't eat the section too close to the leaf - my older brother did that once and he got quite sick!)  I was a bit shocked to find that Head Shopper had to search high and low to find enough rhubarb for this crumble recipe!  It was worth it!

Ever since we moved into this house, the dining room table and the couch in the great room have been my "office" and crafting center.  I had plans to create a crafting space in the dormer of the upstairs bedroom - big enough for a large desk, and with a view of the lake and hills.  I had envisioned a tall desk - think bar height - and something unique.  However, once #1 Son moved in with us, I began to realize it was not a practical solution since the area would be unavailable anytime we had guests.  Spousal Unit and I agreed that we could reconfigure the loft to accommodate me.  After lots of fruitless shopping for desks/tables at vintage stores, Spousal Unit suggested I look at standing desks on the Web.  Eureka!  

The design by Uplift is attractive and also fits the rustic industrial theme of our house with the dark wood and black metal hardware.  Without too much fuss, Spousal Unit and #1 Son assembled the two separate desks (each one raises and lowers independently).  The "L" shape configuration is ideal for the space and provides significant working surface for me.  And there is still enough room for the couch (we donated the cocktail table that used to be in front of the couch; we plan to buy two small ottomans and two small side tables).

Given the open nature of this set-up, it is important to both of us that my work space is organized and in keeping with the design of the house.  I was thrilled to find this wood top storage unit with three meshed metal drawers - it is an added bonus that you can see the contents of the drawers without opening them!

I am also endeavoring to keep all of my supplies within the footprint of the desks, so using this vintage crate for binders and placing the Pendaflex on top of it maximizes the space. And isn't this trash bin adorable?

Here is the current look with one desk raised to standing height.  (I wanted to show you the view, but the picture does not do it justice!)

On Mother's Day, Spousal Unit spoiled me with breakfast in bed, and also surprised me with a box of chocolates.  

I always shed tears when reading my Mother's Day cards.  It's like being wrapped in a warm blanket of hugs!

So, here we are, with one day remaining in the month.  Life is too precious to take even one day for granted, so I will not write that I am anxious for June to arrive.  Instead, I will leave you with more of May's bounty - lilacs along the Whitefish River, and reflections in our lake after a passing rainstorm.  Enjoy!

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.

Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.

The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Tuesday (U.S. Mountain time).

Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.

Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.

As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.

Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.

Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Could it be April Fools' Day?

Do you feel you're living in a dream?  I keep hoping I will wake up and no-one will know what I am talking about.  

Or maybe this is the most sophisticated April Fools' joke anyone has ever pulled.  If only that were true.

We've all resorted to COVID-19 humor to pass the time and bring some levity to the otherwise horror-movie scenario.  Today I am doing my part to contribute distraction by pulling from my archives and linking up with my blogging buddies.  Please visit these linky parties, and maybe in the comments below, you can tell us about the best April Fools' joke you ever performed (or were subject to).  

*****

March 30, 2020

LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color hosts I Like Thursday, and don't we all need some positives right now?  Head on over there and you're sure to find something inspirational.  I just cried my heart out at her 3/29 post featuring the "For Good" duet by Kristin Chenoweth and Rachel Levy.  It's a perfect tribute to what many of us bloggers mean to each other.  This post covers many of my "likes", from Montana sights to critters to food.  Enjoy!

Amazing Crepes Restaurant - March 2019

I've said before I am motivated by food.  It just brings me bliss. I have no doubt that it springs from the delectable meals prepared by Head Chef every day.  Having said that, I am looking forward to dining out.  Being served.  Enjoying a cocktail I don't make at home.  Feeling the vibe of other people, as laughter and conversation ebbs and flows.  This longing came over me as I looked back at some of my restaurant meal photos - something we took for granted not so long ago.  Check out Friday Bliss, hosted by Riitta, to see what bliss means for some other blogging friends.

Spotted Bear Distillery - March 2019

Red Columbine - May 31, 2019

The advent of April prompted me to pull out my gardening journal, and my plans for spring planting that were developed six months ago.  With that came the sudden realization that I should be sowing Columbine seeds soon.  The official guidance recommends sowing on top of raked soil 3 to 4 weeks before the last frost.  We live in Hardiness Zone 5a, and its average date of last frost is April 15.  Yikes!  I need to get moving.  And wouldn't you know, the next day I woke up to an inch of snow?  So, this is a Columbine picture from last spring; you can find more current flower photos if you link to Floral Friday Fotos.

Last May, I was helping my Dear Neighbor Friend with some of her students, and I had some spare time before one of the sessions.  I recall that it was a glorious spring day; I was drawn to walk the neighborhood around the school, and I made a terrific discovery.  The East Side Historic District of Kalispell is in the National Register of Historic Places!  It features no less than 74 buildings, mostly homes, each one sporting its own plaque with a detailed description of the building and its history.  I photographed nine homes that day, which are worthy of their own post sometime.  For right now, I will show you my favorite and link up with Betty at My Corner of the World, who is making the world a smaller place one week at a time!

McIntosh House - Queen Anne style built in 1894

Animals are never far from my mind since we live in the woods.  I have only to look out the window and I will see some sort of wildlife, most commonly birds and deer.  A couple of weeks ago, I offered to collect the trail cam disks for one of my neighbors, and I am sharing just a few of the resulting pictures in this post.  To put some other "wild" into your life, pop on over to Saturday's Critters, hosted by Eileen.

Mr. Coyote out for a stroll

Father shows Son the ropes

Not sure if the turkeys think of the driveway as a runway or a red carpet, but they sure like to strut their stuff!

You might not be a flower person, or have access to wildlife, but everyone can see the sky.  Be it blue or gray, dotted with clouds or studded with stars, the sky has been a fascination for man through the millennia, so it is no surprise to me that Skywatch has a multitude of participants every week.  I have been saving this picture from our visit to Skipton Castle Woods back in October, and I think this is the time to let it fly!  Be sure to look heavenward over at Skywatch!

We are cat lovers in this house, so I never need an excuse to visit Brian's Home.  Dolly, Simon, Zoe, Seal and Brian are always up to something, and it is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.  (It may be a wry knowing smile, like "yep, my cat does THAT too!")  In this case, we are joining Thankful Thursday, because I am particularly happy this week to be the lucky recipient of the 2020 Little Bird Calendar from Sylvia.  Thanks again, Sylvia!

I feel better the minute I look at this charming little birdie!

Optimistic we will have a baseball season!

Tom the Backroads Traveller has been a faithful participant in Mosaic Monday, often linking up twice.  Thanks, buddy!  He also hosts entertaining linky parties such as the Barn Collective, Tuesday's Treasures and Willy Nilly Friday, which I am joining this week.  Just as the title implies, you can post anything!  If you are in a willy-nilly mood, or WANT to be spontaneous, check it out! The ideal opportunity to show you some murals that were outside the American Sign Museum, which I wrote about here. 

Hopefully you have found some diversion with my post today.  I will leave you with a final mural.  The future is out there waiting for us.  Have faith.  Show a little kindness to someone who needs it today.  Say a prayer for the health professionals who are putting their lives on the line.  Until next time!