In Our Garden - May 8th

Pennant by The Bees Knees Shoppe.

Happy Mother's Day! We had a wonderful, relaxing day. Spent the morning and early afternoon with my guy's parents. Went out for brunch to The Craftsman in Minneapolis, and it was deeeelicious! Can't wait to go back. Then we all went to their house for awhile.

We had dinner and spent the evening with my parents at their house and grilled. It was the perfect, gorgeous day for that.

In between we spent a little time at home, worked in the yard a bit, and mowed for the first time this season.

In our garden, the lilacs are going strong!

Here's the state of the cherry tree and serviceberry tree. The blossoms are gone, and the fruits aren't quite here yet!

The thyme is growing back in our herb garden, and the chives are filling in nicely.

With so many lilacs, we knew we had to incorporate them into our Mother's Day gifts.

This past summer I went to Arkansas for a weekend of Canning at Freckled Hen Farm with Natalie. While we were there, Megan led us in such a great craft - what I made that weekend is the jar in the background above, on the left below.

The one next to it is what my guy and I made this weekend. We made two of them, one for each of our moms. We used the smaller jars since the wood we had was narrower. My guy saved the wood from flooring he pulled up at work (it was just going to get tossed in a dumpster!). The leather around the jar is a belt I thrifted from Goodwill. I've been keeping my eyes open for good belts while thrifting ever since we made these with Megan last summer.

On the back of the wood we nailed a hook for hanging it up.

And of course we filled the jars with lilacs. Our moms loved them!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend.
xo,
Katherine

In Our Garden - May 1st

Happy May Day! I picked this bouquet from our May garden (more photos and details at the end of this post!).

Some of the lilacs are just starting to bloom...

...others are still buds.

The rhubarb is looking fantastic! I'm ready to pick some and cook with it. Yum!

We have just a few tulips left.

And the chives are beginning to bud.

There's some growth on the raspberry bushes, and just the hint of flowers to come.

The cherry tree is holding on to its blossoms.

The serviceberry tree, which was covered in white just a week ago, has only a few flowers left.

The rhododendron is looking stunning right now!

The ferns are beginning to uncurl.

The pagoda dogwood by our porch is beautiful.

I went out this morning to pick some of the spring flowers in our yard to make a May Day bouquet.

My guy and I go to my parents' house every Sunday for dinner, and we wanted a little something to take to them today.

A riot of pretty colors from the garden, plus a cheerful happy flag from Natalie Creates and a homemade tag by me (with washi tape!) were just what we needed!

I love the red edging on these yellow tulips...

Hope your Sunday is wonderful and filled with color!

xo,
Katherine

Valentine's Toast

Tell your loved ones how you feel with toast this Valentine's day! 

 To make this love-ly breakfast (sorry, couldn't help it!), start by toasting two pieces of bread.

Choose a red jam in any flavor you like (I used some of the homemade raspberry jam we make every year).

Take a heart-shaped cookie cutter, and cut out the shape on one of the pieces of toast.

On the other piece, spread a thick layer of jam.

Put the cut-out piece on top of the other, and your sweet Valentine's toast is done!

I'll be making this for my guy for breakfast on Tuesday.

Have fun with different shapes!

(The part you cut out is cute with a little jam on it, too).

Enjoy!
xo