Tuesday, March 29, 2016

weekend wrap~



Easter was last sunday and here's my little teeny table set for 6.
i did add glassware, silverware and removed the centerpiece for dinner.  : )
my china cupboard is right behind the table, so we just passed the food
and then set it all back there.

it was cozy, that's for sure~






i bought deep pink ranunculus this week, but am on the lookout for the 
soft pink ones that are my all time favorites. 





i hold on to ranunculus till they are just petals on the table because.....
why not?
 they just get prettier and prettier for days, swaying and drooping poetically.





now, the food. i don't like to cook right, so i asked lars if he'd like to
make the meal. (he does like to cook). i said i'd clean the house and
set the table and be his sous-chef.
he was up to the challenge and decided to make prime rib for the first time,
accompanied by mashed potatoes and gravy, roasted asparagus, ciabatta rolls and a 
lemon torte for dessert.
(my manly-man-hunter-gatherer husband likes to make fancy desserts)
: ) for reals.


he baked a yellow cake and cooled it. then he made lemon pudding. a lot of 
lemon pudding and cooled that, and then the construction began.




the sous-chef rustled up a pretty platter and lars cut cake to size and started
layering cake and lemon filling.








he got it 3 layers high, (i forgot to take a photo- HEY, don't judge, i was 
setting the table and making a pasta salad). things started to slide, so he
refrigerated it and hoped it would set up.



well~~~~~~       it didn't.





he handled it like a champ. he took one look at it coming apart in the fridge,
and said "ok, i'm mad, get me a bowl- it's going to be a trifle"
i was trying hard not to laugh, but of course i did, but we both knew
it was going to taste amazing anyway, so he scooped it all
into a bowl and whipped fresh cream for the top and moved on.
(it was delicious by the way).






there was no horseradish in the trifle. that my friends was for the meat.










the head chef consulted with a butcher at lunds/byerlys about how to
best prepare prime rib and it started with a rub.
then it rested...(and so did he). what followed was a carefully
orchestrated roasting. you start with a very hot oven to get a crust on the
roast, then reduce the heat and cook slower to a precise temperature.
you don't want to screw this up.






the verdict was that the meat was done to perfection. good job hon~






i forgot to take photos when everyone was in the kitchen, but here's the lone one of
3 of the kids. chris was here too- i promise. eric wasn't.





sweet sarah brought me this beautiful bouquet and chris and adria
brought shrimp cocktail for everyone.





later in the day, cole worked on projects in the garage. sarah calls them
his "dad jobs". she patiently hung out till he was done with a shelf he made
for liquor bottles & mason jar glasses, then she got busy and wowed
me with her painting skills to finish it off.

cole's also making cool state maps from weathered pallet wood.
i'm in charge of marketing for him, so let me know if you want one!
they are 24" tall and can be stained, painted or left weathered.
you can also have a favorite location marked on them with a 
heart or star.

















before i end this, i have to show you the table and chairs i 
found free at a drop off site last week.

two friends and i were driving out in the country to tour a remodeled farm house
and a parade home, and i saw all this furniture piled by one
of those metal dumpster deals that are for clothing and shoes.
i said "sorry girls, but i just have to swing in and see what all this
stuff is". being the junker i am- i decided to squeeze as
many chairs in my small jeep as we could. 
3 fit- 4 was a stretch, but i thought 4 matching 
chairs would be useful for one of my kids. lol

well, my big hearted friend cindy immediately said,
"we'll go home and get my van and come back for the table
and the rest of the chairs." she wouldn't take no for an
answer-- i felt bad because it was about 30 minutes from home,
but she said she didn't mind (bless, bless, bless her!) and so we came home,
dropped off my car, got hers and headed back and 
praise Jesus, it was all still there!


can you even stand it? there are 8 chairs and two more boards
for the table too.
it's too big for my dining room, but it's going to be great for ad and chris.
: )

it needs a fresh finish on the top of the table but otherwise it's in really 
great shape.
one man's junk is another man's treasure, right? what a fun find!

________________________________________

*hey!  anyone need a box spring? free! please?



doesn't spring feel great? i had the windows open today and i raked
off one of my gardens. there are all kinds of bulbs peeking up
through the hard soil . i have a lot of yard work to do and i can't wait.
with adria's wedding last spring i was a slacker about the gardens both here and
up north, but i intend to get them shaped up this year. : )
it's so great how even if i neglect them, the perennials still come up and
bloom and it all just makes me happy.

have a good week, 
xo, beth

Saturday, March 19, 2016






this is my dining room.

                                                                                                                      birch lane


*just kidding.
i don't even have a proper dining table right now.
i have a cute little number that seats 4 (barely) that i picked up at goodwill for $14.
i sold my antique one 2 years ago and am waiting for something really great to
find me. 

 i haven't looked reeeal hard, but occasionally i pop on one of these online
stores to see what's new. have you ever looked at these sites?
Birch Lane
Joss & Main

i spent some time perusing them this week and saved some
of my very favorite things to show you.

i love all these muted grays, browns and navy with a little
gold thrown in for a kick.  : )









joss & main






birch



table and chairs~  joss & main




birch lane. we're in the process of putting up galvanized lights something like
this at the lodge. (inside) i'll show you them when they are up.







birch







birch



ohh...this long mirror!    birch







and this beveled mirror. what a beauty~ again:  birch










joss & main



birch










birch






this bench and pillows~ joss & main








joss & main







i love trays with handles. this one is from~ birch











bucket, joss &main


i  just saw this art at a local shop (madison house in eden prairie)  joss & main





birch lane
my youngest could make this. he's making all kinds of stuff from pallet wood.




joss & main

*girlfriends need an outdoor recliner to read in*





birch





                        both of these accessories and the rug below are from joss & main




goodbye now,
go enjoy your weekend. 
if it's snowing~don't despair. we're more
than half way through march, it'll be
gone before we know it.
my daffodils and tulips are up in the
garden and i'm not covering them--nope
it's survival of the fittest here on 
canyon curve and i think they'll be ok.
it's holy week.
one of the things i love about easter is
it's association with flowers.
spring, flowers & resurrection,
praise Jesus!


xo, beth




Monday, March 14, 2016




Ranunculus

they're back! oh spring, i love you for so many reasons and
right up at the top of the list is ranunculus. they are here for
such a short time, and if you've never had them on your table
you are missing out you guys.























































is it any wonder i adore them?
happy monday y'all!

xo