We recently had visitors from the UK who are gardeners, so we took them to JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh for a visit. One of my favorite parts of the gardens is The White Garden. It is a wonderful place to spend a day. You can walk around and enjoy Easter lilies, white agapanthus and…
Coleus plants add color to a garden bed like very few other plants do. I am always looking for plants to give my garden a burst of color which will last throughout the season. I plant the normal flowering annuals such as pansies, petunias, zinnias and others. But there is one variety which gives huge…
This chunky roasted tomato vegetable marinara sauce with pasta dish is the perfect meal for Meatless Monday (or any day of the week!) I enjoy eating meals that don’t have any meat in them, especially for lunches. I love to use roasted tomatoes in my sauces. Roasting them in the oven brings out the natural…
Follow some of these plant propagation tips and you will have a whole slew of new perennial garden plants without the outlay of cash at the garden center. If you garden, you will know that the cost of buying new plants can get very expensive over time. You don’t have to spend a lot of money…
Coconut oil is not just used as a great cooking oil source. There are so many other uses for coconut oil that you not have thought of. There are few things that are more talked about right now than coconut oil. It seems as though every time I open a magazine or browse my timeline…
Since my husband is the lover of heat in recipes and I like things a bit more savory, these recipe for Mexican style stuffed peppers is my compromise that suits us both. My husband and I often eat out at our favorite Mexican restaurant. When we do, you can guarantee that at least one of…
I love all types of outdoor seating but garden benches are my favorite place to have a rest. Anyone who visits my home and walks around my gardens knows that I have a LOVE of outdoor seating. I have 8 garden beds and 7 garden seating areas. Pretty much anywhere you walk in my gardens…
I love all sorts of sunflowers. They are my daughter’s favorite flower and I plant them in all of my garden beds each year. I have some in my test garden that are about 7 feet tall right now and still not opened. I plant the large yellow type and rust colored ones too, but…
Don’t let pain stop you from your favorite hobby. These 11 tips for gardening with arthritis may be just the thing that you need, too, to keep enjoying your time in the garden this summer. Getting older does not mean that the love of gardening has to be abandoned. Everyone who reads my blog knows…
If you are looking for a tasty appetizer to start off your next BBQ, you can’t go past this recipe for mango salsa and homemade tortilla chips. Summer is getting closer and that means that grilling season and get togethers are right around the corner. Keep reading to find out how to make both the…
One of my favorite things to do with my fiends when we entertain is to have a progressive dinner party. We go from one house to the next, with each friend contributing something to the dinner party menu. My blogging friends and I decided to have a Cinco de Mayo progressive dinner party online this…
This spicy bacon wrapped chicken bites recipe is perfect for Cinco de Mayo! My husband is a heat freak. He loves really spicy foods of all types and he believes hot sauce belongs in every recipe. Me…not so much. I like a bit of heat but not as much as he does. So, finding the…
This recycled bird bath is now being put to use as a great looking plant stand. You’ll never believe how it came to be! My husband is the king of finding things that I can recycle to use in my garden. Last year, it was a set of musical instruments that made a great garden…
This light seafood piccata with pasta gives me all the taste of a restaurant version of the dish but is so much lower in fat and calories. My husband and I love seafood and often choose it when we eat at our favorite restaurants. But, so many times, the restaurant version is full of heavy…
These rustic succulent planters will show you how to use ordinary items to display your plants for a casual look. For the last few years, I have been experimenting more and more with succulents. These drought-tolerant plants can really take the heat and can be potted up in so many ways. If you love succulents as…
With this recipe for my version of cheddar bay biscuits, your family will be able to experience their amazing taste of them anytime you like. Anyone who has eaten at the Red Lobster knows that their famous cheddar bay biscuits are to die for. But there is no need to go to Red Lobster to…
Mother’s Day is right around the corner and spring has us out in our gardens. That made me think about a project for ways to transform your garden with mom in mind. I’m sure many of my readers are looking for something wonderful to give to their mothers for this special day. After all, it…
These low calorie brownies have no oil but still pack a powerful flavor. The secret is using diet soda for this slimmed down dessert. Making these diet Dr. Pepper brownies is easy and they have a much lower calorie count than normal brownies, so they are easy on your waist line. The brownies are lighter…
If you garden a lot, you will likely have a run-in with poison ivy at some point. These natural ways to treat poison ivy will help you beat the itch. Leaves of three, leave them be. That is the old saying for dealing with poison ivy. If you garden a lot, you will most likely,…
These DIY newspaper seed pots cost almost nothing and make perfect containers for your seeds. They are a fun budget garden project that the kids will love. Starting seeds indoors in the late winter and early spring really increases the time that you can enjoy your vegetable garden in the growing season. Some plants need…
This Mediterranean Bean & Chickpea Salad is my latest recreation of some of the dishes that I have been sampling when we eat out at Mediterranean restaurants. For another healthy and filling salad, check out my antipasto salad with home made red wine vinaigrette. It is full of bold flavors. My husband has long been…
This Roasted Yam Salad with seasoned chicken has the most amazing flavors. It’s simple to make and just full of hearty goodness and flavor. Salads don’t have to be boring and this is one proves it in spades. This vegetable salad is the perfect way for me to incorporate a wonderful blend of superfoods into…
These chocolate chip oatmeal muffins have a few tweaks to them that make them lower in calories, but still loaded with flavor. They make a great breakfast on the go. There are some mornings when I go all out and have a cooked breakfast, and then other mornings when I am looking for something quick,…
This one pot creamy spinach sausage fettuccine recipe is one that I get asked to make again and again. It is that tasty! I love fettuccine, my whole family loves sausages, and I love meals that come together easily. Pasta and sausages go together in my house like a hand and glove. My husband loves…
Making lunch time healthy is easy if you follow these tips. With a bit of thought and a little planning ahead, you can make sure that your lunch time is healthy by choice. If you are like me, you may find that preparing a healthy meal at lunch can be a bit of a challenge….
I have to admit it. I love a girls’ night in. It gives me a chance to have a few of my gal friends over, watch some chick flicks without the guys complaining about it, and enjoy some of our favorite foods. It is a no stress night that is filled with laughter and fun,…