Start The Day With Lemon Blueberry Quinoa

Carol 1 Comment

A tasty and healthy alternative to oatmeal, Lemon Blueberry Quinoa is high in protein and fiber. The classic combination of blueberries and lemon with a touch of maple syrup is a wonderful sweet tart mix in flavor. Rinse the quinoa well before cooking to remove bitterness. For vegan, use your favorite milk substitute like soy, almond, etc., or try a vanilla milk for even more flavor.

Quinoa cooked in milk with fruit can be adapted with other fruit such as strawberries, mixed berries, and blackberries. Your family can start the day with a warm tasty bowl of fruit quinoa any time of the year. If you cook it ahead, store in a bowl with a lid in the refrigerator. I even know someone who likes it better cold and takes it for lunch to work.

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June Garden During Heat Wave

Carol 8 Comments

Central Florida is usually hot and sunny. Even during December and January when we can go down to freezing once in a blue moon, we usually have warm, sunny afternoons. The heat wave that crossed the country finally came down to Florida. Yup, I recognized it as more like August weather for us. When I first moved to Miami back in the 1970’s, it took a while to get used to the summer heat. For the last few years here in semi-tropical central Florida , August has become such a hot and humid place. It seems worse than previous years. I have been staying in a lot and when I go in the garden, it’s early morning. Last Saturday I walked briefly in the yard at 9:30 am, and it was bright and hot. The temperature was 86 degrees F. The afternoon will go into the 90’s with a heat index of more like 104 F. My house faces east and the garden is Florida full sun on 95% of my yard. Mornings are worse in the front yard. Afternoons are worse in the back yard. My photos are mostly from the side yard and back yard today. I hope you enjoy the flowers.

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Summer Fun at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park

Carol 46 Comments

This post was originally shared on July 27, 2017. It’s one of my favorite posts, and I’m resharing it.

I’ve been going through old photos and pulled a couple from Cumberland Falls.  It is the largest fall south of Niagara and is often called, Niagara of the South.  Kentucky has nice state parks often with lovely lodges. The historic Dupont Lodge is perched high above the Cumberland River, a lovely lodge from “way back when.”  You can also rent cabins, cottages, and camp sites. As with most places, the price is most reasonable off-season.

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My Home is My Happy Place

Carol 8 Comments

“My home – my haven.  I surround myself with things that I love, a reflection of myself. It is a place of comfort from the chaos outside.” – my friend, Maryce

Your home should be a special place. When you’ve had a tough day, you want to head home and to put everything behind you. I’ve written about home quite often here on the blog. I’ve called it a haven and a refuge. We’ve talked about making it welcoming and cozy. I have even written about how to make your home a happy place.

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Trendy Dining Room Ideas

Carol 8 Comments

Formal dining rooms often don’t have a place in modern homes. Few people want a formal separate dining room. For most homeowners, they want a multifunctional space where cooking, conversing, and eating are not separated. Even if the dining area is separate, we want a comfortable, relaxed place to eat and spend time with others. Contemporary dining areas can use all sorts of style ideas to make them warm and welcoming. If you like to host dinner parties or you just want somewhere for your family to enjoy daily meals, your dining room can become a place that meets your needs. Let’s take a look at trending design ideas.

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Fruit and Herb Infused Water To Refresh

Carol 14 Comments

After being in the 90’s for the last couple of weeks here in central Florida, I officially declared it was summer back on the 4th of June. Today I’m writing this post about infused waters to sip on hot days. We all know we should drink plenty of water. It’s like gas for our cars. Our bodies need it to function, and if we don’t drink enough we can suffer from the symptoms of dehydration. Dehydration can be a major contributing factor to illnesses, causing headaches, digestive problems, obesity and joint pains. By drinking water, you can support your body in improving your complexion, helping your kidneys to function properly, aiding weight loss and maintaining high energy levels.   I know that being dehydrated can make me tired. I can be in the middle of a busy day, and I suddenly my energy drops. Since I have learned that drinking water can keep your energy level up, I now ask myself, “how much water have I had today?”  Quite often I realize I haven’t had any water since breakfast. Time to take a break and have a large glass of water.

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Peony Garden, University of Michigan Arboretum

Carol 28 Comments

Photos are courtesy of my friend Diane. Her garden club visited the W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden at Nichols Arboretum, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is one of the world’s premiere collections. The garden holds nearly 800 peonies and over 10,000 flowers at peak bloom.

June is the time to visit the Peony Garden at U. of M. Arboretum in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The flowers are amazing.

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