Pumpkin Plantin' Time

These couple of acres will soon be filled with growing pumpkins and gourds. There will be hundreds to choose from - I absolutely LOOOOOVE to watch them grow.

This is my sweet hubby Shaun laying off a row for gourds which my lil' boy, Casen is planting out of a SOHO cup - isn't that cute? It's great when we all get to do stuff like this together - Casen develops a great sense of pride about it 'cause he calls them "HIS pumpkins" and "HIS gourds". That's O.K. - I'm glad he likes to help!


I know it is hard to imagine pumpkins while we are in the middle of the 4th of July holiday week - but it's time if we want pumpkins for fall decorating. This day here in Kentucky was picture perfect - almost fall-like. No humidity, great breeze, beautiful blue skies - I'm so grateful for this day and for being able to use our land to grow things that we and others love and enjoy!

Happy Plantin' Friends,
Cathy Cobblestone

Happy Monday!

Here's hoping your week gets off to a beautiful start. Remember, life is only what we make of it - so be happy! Blessings to you!

Cathy Cobblestone

It's Soooo Easy!

OOPS, sorry, this picture needs to be at the bottom ... Read on

Before...
In Progress...
All Done!



Well, back when we first married I decided to tile underneath our cabinets - now we are only talking about a total of 6 ft. (3 ft. on each side of sink) - so it's a very small amount. I should have known then not to pick a specific color, but I did and in no time, I was tired of it. I should know better, I like to change WAAAAYYYY to much. So a couple of years ago, I painted the tile with just latex paint and covered up the color. So then I was unhappy it was so plain - imagine that. I'd been thinking about painting on the tiles myself but lucky me, I was in Wal-Mart looking for Bible School supplies and found those rub on decals in black. They were perfect - so I snatched up two packages - around 3.00 each I believe. It took me about 10 minutes to put them on and VIOLA - looks like hand painted tiles. LOOOOVE IT! There are all kinds of patterns - maybe you could find one that would enhance your space!

My second tidbit for today is about of all things, SQUASH. One of my sweet customers brought me all kinds of squash yesterday fresh from the garden and I was wondering what I was gonna do with all of it. We love fried squash and I have tried several squash casseroles but browsing through one of the local church's cookbooks - I found Squash Patties. They reminded me of "tater cakes" so I thought I'd try them - YUUUMMMMMYYYYY! They were so good so I thought I'd share with you this simple recipe.

SQUASH PATTIES
2c. grated yellow squash
1/4 c. self-rising flour
1/3 c. self-rising corn meal
1 small onion, chopped
1 egg, beaten
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Spoon out into hot greased frying pan (you can use olive oil). Brown on both sides and drain.

Have a great weekend friends - hope you are getting lots of delicious veggies from your gardens.

Cathy Cobblestone

I've been a paintin'!

Well I have had this sideboard/buffet piece for a couple of years and I dearly love it! Always knew I'd paint it but couldn't ever seem to find the time - I'm sure you all know how that is! Well, my boys went fishing the other night and I just took a notion - Lord knows, I had many more "pressing" projects, but I just really wanted to do it. I had some extra black paint left over from my kitchen cabinets so that is what I decided to go with. I was really leaning towards something bold like a bright green but I played it on the safe side. I'm glad I did - 'cause now I love it even more. After a quick sanding and some antiquing glaze - decorated with my favorite lamps, my "bright green" bird cage and some fresh flowers - it fits right in. I have to say, I'm glad I had that paintin' notion!

Happy Creating Friends! Remember, Make your home your own!
Cathy Cobblestone

They're Everywhere, They're Everywhere!

Mums, that is! Oh my goodness, were we ever so busy today! Plantin', plantin', plantin' our lil' rooted cuttings of mums and asters. Red, Yellow, Orange, Purple, Pink, Bronze and Gold mums and Lavender, Purple, Fuchsia and Pink asters! Did you know they all have women's names? - like Red Glenda and Orange Hannah or Alberta Bronze and Pink Victoria - isn't that fun. There are so many varieties to choose from - you might jus' find one named after you!

One thing I'm super excited about this year is that we went to drip irrigation. You will see in one of the pics my hubby, Shaun and son, Casen hooking it all up. For 10 years, I've been watering in excess of 1,500 pots by hand each and every day during the growing season - sometimes twice a day. Hours and hours spent with a water hose in hand - I will not miss that one bit. This will really free me up to do other things I love to do - like PAINT.

I'll keep you posted as they grow - I'll also show you the beautiful flowering cabbage and kale we plant for fall as well as pansies and purple baron millet! Even though summer officially starts this weekend here in Kentucky - I always do look forward to autumn - it is absolutely my favorite season!

Have a happy and blessed weekend!
Cathy Cobblestone

Our New Flower Bed...

...Kinda took on a life of its own. Actually, we had a beautiful sugar maple tree that had begun to die out and it was dangerously close to the house. Hubby cut it down, stacked up some fire wood, and then we covered the stump with a flower bed of course. As always, there is more work to do and it has a lot of growing in to do - but I like it. Anytime you end up with more space to plant flowers - sounds like a winner to me. (I do miss my pretty tree though.)

In this bed you will find an endless summer hydrangea, three blue princess hollys, three dwarf firepower nandinas, an alberta spruce, three red knockout roses, kong coleus, pink baby wing begonias, talinum and 24, oh my, wave petunias!!

Hope your flowers are growing beautifully!

Happy Plantin' friends!
Cathy Cobblestone

Love Grapes????

Then this is the recipe for you! I actually love grapes myself and I'm in love with this delicious grape salad. Now, it is super easy and oh sooooo yummy. Here's all that you'll need:

*1 1/2 pound red seedless grapes
*8 oz. cream cheese - softened
*8 oz. sour cream
*1/2 cup sugar
*1/2 cup brown sugar
*about 1/2 cup chopped pecans
*2-3 Heath candy bars - crumbled

Cream sugars, sour cream and cream cheese together. Mix in grapes and coat well, top with chopped pecans and Heath bars. Refrigerate

I had fixed this recipe in the past - but my dear friend and incredible cook, Karen, put her own twist on it with Heath Bars and I have to say - it took it to a whole new level. Thanks Karen!

Hope you all like this "Great Grape Salad" - Enjoy!
Cathy Cobblestone

My three most special fellows...

are my sweet husband, Shaun, my precious son, Casen and my dear dad, Mike.

On this Father's Day weekend, I want to thank my dad for being such an incredible father to my sister and I. We were raised in a loving, Christian home and he was always kind and good. I always have and guess I'll always be - a daddy's girl.

To Shaun, thank you for the amazing dad you are to our son. For the time you give, the talents you share with him and for the amazing love your surround him with, THANK YOU. He is so incredibly blessed to have you as his father.

I'm also blessed to have two amazing papaws, whom I adore. I'm so grateful to still have them in my life - plus a great father-n-law. They are all wonderful people.

Have a beautiful Father's Day Weekend. Blessings to you all!
Cathy

In the Garden...

You never know what you might find in the garden - and the more unexpected the better. I recently snatched up this white distressed mantle, not having a clue as to where I might put it (which is usually the case). As much as I would love to put it in my home - there is just not a single spot - plus not for sure what kind of paint is on it - which might be dangerous for my lil' guy. So I thought, how 'bout next to the house in that big bare spot - well, it works for me. And since my better half is not crazy about me puttin' holes in the siding - this works great - I just leaned it up against the house! So I'll change it out for the seasons and it will be another nice conversation piece in the garden!

Happy Creating Friends! Blessings to ya!
Cathy Cobblestone

Have a Great Monday!

Wishing everyone a great start to their week! It's gonna be another scorcher here today! So Stay Cool, Create Something Wonderful and Be Blessed!

Happy Monday!
Cathy Cobblestone

Art in the Alley

Art In The Alley

This past weekend we celebrated the Fourth Annual Art in the Alley Festival in our wonderful quaint town of Greensburg. Despite getting off to a rainy start, the day turned out to be a beautiful one filled with lots of artisans, clowns, musicians and many shoppers. My Dad and I had our display next to the neat brick wall, nestled in the corner of the lush Harmony Garden behind the Plaid Peacock. We so enjoyed our day together visiting with everyone. I commend all those who worked so hard to put on such a wonderful event - it was a great time had by all.

Have a beautiful day!
Cathy Cobblestone

SOOOOO Excited!

Well, I told you a while back about a lil' article I was asked to write and now I'm sooooo excited to say that you can read it! Friends, Paul and Tina Wilson, of Small Town Living "e-zine" asked me to write a piece featuring two garden projects. Needless to say, I was tickled pink and happy to oblige. This online magazine has featured wonderful artists in previous issues and beautiful stories and pictures about "small town living". Paul and Tina do a wonderful job and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to share something I love to do with them AND you!

You can visit them and read about "The Glass Garden House" and "The Garden Party Server" at www.stliving.net
Oops, I almost forgot, my friend, Michelle Eastham, was also featured with her precious children's clothes - "Ribbons -n- Rags" - Read all about her love of sewing.

Thanks again to everyone who has been so incredibly kind to me throughout my blogging venture. What a wonderful blessing!

Have a beautiful week!
Cathy Cobblestone