During the first spring in my current home, I noticed the spiky green leaves unfurling in a unruly flower bed. I thought it was some sore of thistle. The round ball of green held itself tightly together for several days. Then one morning--bam! This beautiful red flower with its black center had burst into bloom. … Continue reading Poppy Blooms
Author: pinklilypad2013
Bring Back My Brain
Today my brain just would not function the way I wanted it to. Luckily I didn't have any urgent matters that needed my attention, however, I do have a list that I would like to cross off some items that are on there. Coffee didn't work. I drank a liter of water. I attempted to… Continue reading Bring Back My Brain
Salty Soaks
Making your own bath salts is super easy. Plus, it's fun to customize them to your current needs. Your skin is your largest organ in your body. A hot soak with bath salts softens skin, improves circulation, eases muscle aches, detoxifies, and is just plain relaxing. I made a recent batch with these four main… Continue reading Salty Soaks
Magnificent Mango Cake
Because I have lived most of my life in the Northeast, mangos have an exotic fruit connotation in my mind. One of my friends at Penn State was from Hawaii. (What a change in weather climates!) She described how her family had a mango tree in their backyard. This was mind blowing for me as… Continue reading Magnificent Mango Cake
Play-doh Forever
Play-doh! You just read that 8 character word and you automatically know what I am talking about. You remember the yellow cannisters with the colorful lids that corresponded to the hue of putty inside just waiting to be transformed into your latest scultural masterpiece. I think the majority of us has played with Play-doh growing… Continue reading Play-doh Forever
Irish Soda Bread
Several years rolling now, I have hosted a St. Patrick's Day party at my home. One of the usual attendees was absent this year, and she was the one who always brought the soda bread. While my local supermarket has a wonderful bakery, I decided to make the bread myself. I knew it wasn't a… Continue reading Irish Soda Bread
Cleansing Wipes Are Wiped Out
Recent health threats of a new virus have caused Americans to stockpile toilet paper and cleaning supplies. On a recent trip to Target, the toilet paper was well stocked, but the shelves of disinfecting wipes were left bare. The store was also wiped clean of hand sanitizer. Recently I had made my own batch of… Continue reading Cleansing Wipes Are Wiped Out
Episode III of Apres Ski What’s For Dinner Creation Success
I enjoy coming up with my Apres Ski creations, but haven't taken the time to document them. I have never been a "Pantry Chef" but have always admired those who can pull off a gourmet meal from whatever scraps are in their kitchens. I hope to develop this skill through the Apres Ski dishes. This… Continue reading Episode III of Apres Ski What’s For Dinner Creation Success
Yates Coat Summary
Sewing my first coat is definitely my most personally challenging sewing project to date. I loved the process of its creation, and I am over the moon happy with the final result. This coat adventure started this past fall. On a daily news website I frequent (though not as much as I should), there was… Continue reading Yates Coat Summary
Throat Spray
My 13 year old daughter developed a classic upper respiratory illness. Her cold symptoms included cough and congestion, but her main complaint the first couple of days was her sore throat. I gave her a tablet of ibuprofen to help with the discomfort during the day, but I also wanted to help the actual problem,… Continue reading Throat Spray
The Pink Lily Pad and Two Tadpoles 