upcycle, recycle, in no time flat!

I'm always drawn to old things...things that look like they just need a little love. Weathered signs, window frames, and vintage watering cans have all found their way home with me, but this time, a silver teapot - ahhh, yes, it looked like it had potential.

Not as teapot, for it had two broken legs, but as a windchime! Hmmm, out came the drill and filament line.

A hole here and there...
A hammer to flatten some old silverware, then a hole in each handle...

 

 

 

And before I knew it, done!

Now, it's not everyone's cup of tea...but when the wind blows and the silverware begins to "sing" in the breeze, I love it.

Yep...use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without...our grandmothers were right!

May...merry & madcap!

For anyone with kids, you know that May is, yes, both merry and madcap! From band & orchestra concerts to award ceremonies & celebrations, it's full from beginning to end. That's not a bad thing, just a somewhat frenzied thing!

And so, in the middle of a fast-paced month, this arrives in my mailbox...

Yay! Perfect timing...our girls at church are prepping for Girls' Camp and the outdoor cooking certification will be here on the farm. This issue's packed with recipes from those early-morning breakfasts, to lunch, dinner & yummy desserts.

So, how to make this madcap month even better? Turn to page 82...

and I'm tickled to find my article on cast-iron! I'm always happy to be invited to write for GRIT magazine...they have some of the best how-to articles out there for homesteaders, farmgirls, and wannabe farmgirls. (And lucky for us, girl campers, too!)

Thanks to the good people at GRIT for this issue...we'll definitely use it for camp, but check back with us in July when we celebrate Pioneer Day, it'll be perfect!


(PS...someone asked me about the term "Kitchen Orchard" from my last post. It's an old homesteading term...generally it meant 5 trees close to the house for the homesteaders' use, not a full-size orchard meant for taking fruit to market.)