Have a Memorable Weekend

I hope your weekend is a lovely porch-sittin' and ice tea sippin' time.

But, please never forget them....

Total Random-ness

Excuse me, ladies and gents while I type with my mouth full.
I am trying to type this up while I eat my lunch.
A Egg Salad Sandwich with Spinach and Cucumbers...Why? Because when I eat something slightly fattening I throw a bunch of veggies in so I trick myself into thinking I am actually doing myself a favor.
So, anywho, its been busy around here.
We started water on our Peas this week.
Did I tell you we were growing Peas?
Well, we are growing Peas.
They are just a few inches tall at this point.
I have a recipe to share with you all, but its not for digesting...though I spose you could, if you found yourself trapped in your shower and starving to death.
My skin always takes a beating here in this dry, windy dust strewn land.
I love Exfoliantes.
I usually try to keep a tub around.
However sometime last summer I found myself dry and scaly and my tub of sugar scrub exfoliante was empty.
So, I turned over the tub and looked at the ingredient list.
And thats when my palm hit my forehead and I said "Why the blue blazes have I been paying for this!"
I promptly went to my pantry and pulled out sugar and olive oil.
Then I grabbed a bowl and mixed about 1/2 cup sugar with a 1/4 cup olive oil.
Then added some essential oils.
Today I mixed up a little bit more ( I mix it up as I use it, I try not to let it sit around more then a week or two)
I added the sugar and olive oil, but I added some coconut oil (because I am super dry and need all the help I can)
Then I added Ginger Essential Oil and Lime Essential Oil.
With the coconut smell from the oil, it smelt beach-y and kinda like a ocean-side beverage.
Then just use in the shower after cleansing, and before your final rinsing off.
I do not use this on my face, just arms, torso, legs and feet.
Also, be careful because the oils can make the tub slippery.
Do I have pictures of the scrub making process?
No.
Because I was dusty and dirty.
And Hungry and Scaly.
And sometimes you want to eat and shower all at the same time, but cant.
And because I was literally mixing this up at the same time as I was mixing up the egg salad(it really is amazing I didnt get the bowls confused)
And I seriously DO NOT know where my camera is.
Literally, I do not know where my camera is, and even if I do find it I think I remember something about its battery dying, Soooo I am sure I wouldnt even be able to turn it on.
So, that is why I am distracting you with these random pictures of beautiful flowers.

See you dont even remember that I am not providing pictures of the scrub or our cute little peas.

Yup, you dont even care.

But I am going to leave you with this last photo.
I am glad that knitting has become fashionable, however this....
Well, just take a look for yourself:

Speechless?
Yeah, so was I.
Happy Tuesday, Dear Ones!

~ Cookies and Tea ~

Well, its about time I shared a recipe with you wonderful people, right!?
Not a whole lot of baking has been going on here as of late.
But,for a time, I am trapped in my home this week.
Sunday afternoon, Manly out of the blue, decided that we should go out to dinner.
The place we went is about a 40 minute drive away, but we have heard about their Prime Rib so off we go.
And I am driving...I always have to be driving when things like this happen.
We were just a mile from our destination when my car started bucking like bronco with a burr, and promptly started overheating then the check engine light when on....
Long story short, we spent our romantic evening waiting for, then riding back home in a tow truck.
My wonderful Manly will be able to fix my sweet little 1993/212,000 mile car, but in the meantime I am slightly home bound.


So, You had to listen to that whole story about why I am getting some baking done this week (to my waistlines dismay!)
Here is the recipe without anymore jibberjabber.



Chewy Lemon Sugar Cookies

Makes about 24 cookies
Preheat oven to 350

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, plus an additional 1/2 cup for rolling

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 tablespoon whole milk

1 teaspoon lemon oil

1 teaspoons vanilla extract



Set a oven rack in the middle of oven.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

Place 1½ cups sugar and cream cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer.(you will use the other 1/2 cup later for rolling the cookies in before baking:)
Add melted butter.
Mix.
Add oil,then add the egg, milk, lemon oil and vanilla extract.
Add dry ingredients slowly, mixing till just combined.
Roll the balls of dough in the reserved sugar.
Gently press down on each ball with fingers or a glass bottom then bake for 11-13 minutes.
They are lemony, they are slightly chewy and I think they are perfect on a sunny spring day on the porch with a cup of Earl Grey tea:)

Hope you are having a splendid day!

~ Springtime Porches ~

Okay, Ladies and Gents! No matter where you are, I would imagine you are at least seeing some signs of spring. So, Its time to get out on that Porch and start sweeping and scrubbing and maybe thinking about trying something different. Do you have and Pretty Porch Plans this Spring/Summer? How about something Classic?

Or maybe grab some paint and touch up that Porch floor and ceiling (they say if you paint your porch ceiling a light blue you will get less wasps because they wont want to nest there because the ceiling looks like the sky to them...plus its pretty:)

Even with a small Porch you can create a cozy little space

Whatever you decide this summer remember that you need too: