Cayman Bay Reveal

UPDATE: My living room paint job won a silver medal in the Bloggy Olympics Paint Challenge!  Thanks, Primitive & Proper!

Y'all know I love drama.  Well, certain kinds of drama.  Like bright pink doors in a white house, not Real Housewives cat fighting drama.  Okay, I do actually love reality television, but lack of cable has meant I can only watch decorating shows online and fat people fight over a one-pound advantage on network television...you know, the classy stuff.

A few weeks ago, when the Bloggy Olympics began, I saw that painting was one of the challenges.  I didn't want to show off the cheap furniture I paint (you know, the stuff people are throwing away it's in such bad shape), and as we've been talking about recently here at the Kiefer Cottage, we had some bland rooms to tackle.  So instead, I decided to paint the living room and add some drama.

First, the trim.  It looks so much better, but I hate painting this little stuff.  It reminds me of this gross salad served to me when I was four--my parents had to go out of town for the day and put me in drop-in care at a local center, and I cried because the food was bad, including this bowl full of brown lettuce smothered in thousand-island dressing.  Luckily, I got over that. And I also got over the trim painting because it looks so damn good (if I do say so myself, the picture of humility).

Next, the walls.  We tested both bright yellow and navyish blue, and decided the Cayman Bay Paint + Primer by Behr looked beautiful and would be quite dramatic.  I am in love. 

So without further ado, here's our lovely new living room.

Here is what we started with.

We still have plenty of staging to do because this is a bare minimum.

Also, something has to be done about the wood armoire because it disappears in this dark room. Accents should be lighter in here to make everything pop better.  Plus, the kids' chalk art on the piece, while truly unique, lacks a certain je ne sais quoi.

And of course, there's the ceiling. When we get to it.  Ahem.

But let's admire the art I've got on the walls so far. My friend Carol Scott's painting looks lovely above the piano.  I also love the photos of the kids by the couch.  We will have to remove the glass in the frames because the glare is overwhelming, but otherwise, they are stunning.  I'm also proud of myself for getting them level and balanced using a piece of chalk and measuring tape (does that make me awesome?  No, Starr, that makes you NORMAL.  Only lazy people hang stuff willy nilly like you usually do. But I saw Sarah Richardson do it on Sarah's Cottage!  Sarah is a goddess with whom you cannot compete.  Stop trying.  Please pass me the whiskey. You're depressing me).

Anyway, the ladies and dog are gorgeous with the new color.  The white balance is a tad off in the photo, but still looks nice.

And the kids did their duty by staying out of the way while we took photos.  That green phantom is Drew baby.  I decided that mattresses on the floor in the girls' room certainly were more pleasant than crying kiddos weeping underneath the piano.

We have a green ghost!

I'm very pleased with how the color turned out.  It was a risk because the lighting in this room is pathetic.  We have no overhead lighting, not even any wiring for it, and the window is obscured by the awning outside, making it fairly cave-like at all hours of the day.  However, I've owned that quality in the room and turned it into something cozy and striking at the same time.  Now if I could only finish it all and get myself featured in House Beautiful.  Will it happen? (No)  Can I dream about it?  (I guess so)

Linking up to the Bloggy Olympics Paint Challenge (week 3), hosted by Primitive & Proper, Craptastic, and The Bold Abode.

Also linked up to Serenity Now, Sweet Little Gals, Domestically Speaking, Nutmeg Place, and Savvy Southern Style.

Planning your fall garden

Before you get your panties in a wad since I'm talking about fall when it's 100 degrees outside, let me say that a little work now will save you time later.  Promise.

If you've been growing any cool weather crops this year--many types of lettuce, broccoli, spinach, etc--then it's likely they're about finished if not already?  I know my neighbor down the street who has a garden the size of my entire yard just tilled up half his bed because we've had very high temperatures around here, making the tender greens bolt and go bitter.  At the Kiefer Cottage, we only successfully got lettuce this spring (the damn cat ruined everything else), so I can't wait to plant some cool weather plants again for harvest this fall.

So what have I been doing?  And what will I do later?  First let me say, I'm not a tilling fan. Tilling is not necessary, it merely seems the most logical thing to do, stirring up the soil to get it all pliant and cooperative.  Some argue, however, that it's actually quite hard on soil to disturb it too much and suggest planting the seed but otherwise leaving the dirt alone.  For me, I'm just lazy and broke, not having the energy to hand-till and not having the money to rent equipment.  So instead, I've been preparing the soil in other ways.

And if you're thinking that my garden isn't doing that great because I didn't rip the soil to shreds before planting...well, I didn't do any prep whatsoever in this bed, just dug little holes in the soil for the seeds and fertilized with fish emulsion (poop) a few weeks later.  My only challenge was whatever pest dug up some of the seeds, leaving my rows a tad uneven.

Kansas Corn.

Grand sunflower plant.

Anyway, in my failed broccoli bed, I planted an annual grass, which would be considered "Green Manure" in this case since it acts to restore nutrients to the soil without actually using real poop. 

My green manure.  It's a little sad because of the drought, but it's done its duty already.

Very soon, I'll put heavy layers of newspaper over it in a few weeks to kill the grass, and then layer compost, real manure, and whatever else I feel like on top of it all.  That will help build up the soil.  If you've got a weedy bed you'd like to use, put cardboard down because it's heavier and will keep the weeds from breaking through, wet it down with the hose, and then put all the other ingredients (compost, manure, etc).  Do it NOW if you can.  It all needs a few weeks to settle down.  

Note: It is okay if the compost isn't fully done doing its magic and is still has scraps in it.  Just make sure there's a good mix of the food scraps and brown stuff (newspaper, dried leaves) so it all rots in a balanced fashion.  I've even planted herbs straight into half-finished compost and they've thrived.

You should also be thinking about seeds.  You don't want to be scrambling when it comes time to plant, which could be as early as mid-July in the Kansas City area (just google it for yours).  So make your orders or stop by the nursery to pick up whatever seeds you'd like--if you have time, do it this weekend and mark your calendar for when they should go in the ground.

Another consideration, and this goes for any gardening, regardless of time of year, is your tree cover in the yard. If you want to be a serious vegetable gardener, you'll have much more success if you have lots of sun. We had to remove lots of trees because some were dying and others were in the way of the new electrical line we had put in last year.  Now we get plenty of sunshine in the yard, hours and hours of it per day with just enough shade to keep us cooler to play but not enough to dwarf the plants.  I read in one book that vegetables are something like 90% sunshine, so keep that in mind if you have dreams of a record crop and barely a lick of light popping through the green canopy.  You'll either have to cut down some trees or adapt your plans to include more shade friendly plants rather than sun-loving veggies.

Overall, I'm not a gardening expert. I still don't know much about companion planting or how to keep pests away without spraying them (that's why my plants have been eaten up some...I mean, a lot).

But I turned this:

Into this:

And I'm not going to say it was all luck since I've had gardens for years but never one this successful!

If you aren't planning on a fall vegetable crop (because you don't feel like it or because your zone just isn't conducive to it), then let your gardening dreams rest in the back of your mind until the end of summer. The best time to prepare your spring garden will be at that time. Don't worry, I'll remind you again.  I'll remind you so many times that you'd like to reach through the interwebs and strangle me.

P.S. Remember the orphaned pumpkin seedlings from earlier this year?  While the one in the front yard died because it didn't get enough water or sun, one of the vines is happy enough to have started some fruit:

I can't wait to see if this plant produces a mutant gourd!

I've linked up to Savvy Southern Style.

All the credit goes to Winslow

Y'all know I tend to avoid most parenting topics because honestly, there are plenty of folks out there who have lots to say about what we should and should not be doing (most of whom are usually *way off* in my experience).  But I thought I'd share what's happened in our family that could help you if you've got little kids in the house.

Winslow has potty-trained herself.  The past week has gone beautifully, beginning with her throwing a fit over wearing a diaper.  So except for our road trip Saturday, she has been diaper-free, even at night.

The lesson?  That kids do things in their own time.  Remember how Katie was 3.99999 years of age before finally getting on board?  Well, Winslow is only 2.5, and we hadn't really begun to think about potty training. She initiated everything and made what could've been a very time-consuming (for me) and frustrating (for both of us) experience very easy.

Mind of her own, that child.

Now I know why some people are so smug about their kids not using diapers anymore.  Many are taking credit for something that probably would've happened anyway.  I learned long ago that my children are influenced by me, but certainly aren't under my control 100%, and they are their own people.  I don't parent the kids differently and yet they are miles apart in personality and temperament.  But I've been mocked and laughed at and told I'm a lazy mother for not forcing the toilet on the kids. Even well-meaning folks' brags about how easy it was felt like stabs to the heart since with Katie, our earlier attempts had been miserable and had resulted in total failure.  Thank goodness I'm over that now and can move on to turning my kids into musical prodigies and wiffle ball experts.

For Drew-baby, I'm sure we'll take the same laissez-faire approach, and I'm also sure we'll still be told we're late to the party and that he'll be calling me to wipe his bottom from his dorm room in college.  I will just smile and change the subject to things like third-world dictators since that's much more interesting and relevant.

As for dangerous thinking, I am allowing myself to fantasize about not buying diapers again until my children have their own children.  It might happen in the next year since Winslow is so close in age to Drew. And then I'll be rich with all the extra money I'm not spending on diapers!  And there'll be nothing more to worry about ever again since all that matters is perfect toilet training!  Oh, the possibilities.

P.S. Don't worry, I won't talk about potty-training again anytime soon, although I might talk about my new toilet, which is the most awesome throne ever to be shat in.

When Daddy's Gone, Momma Goes Nuts

I know I'm already cuh-razy, but this weekend has put me over the line into absolutely insane.  Ryan's been in California galavanting with his childhood friend Brandon, ogling hot women, eating good food (currywurst?), and sleeping in.  So what have I been doing?  Painting?  Cleaning? Being otherwise productive?

Nope, not this gal.  I've been trying to just hold it together.

While I was on the phone with Ryan, my youngest two decided to make toilet paper art.  And then when I snapped a photo, they both hid their faces like common criminals (or celebrities).

Yesterday, we got our chickens from Padgett Pasture. I brought my camera along, but decided that posting photos of chickens being slaughtered might offend even the most sarcastic of my readers (the snarkier the person, the more sensitive she is, I've learned). The girls made notable observations about the process, saying "I don't think the chickens like being killed" and "Mom, it stinks out here!" and "That chicken will taste good once Mommy cooks it."  Drew played in the mud.

My friend and neighbor invited us over for dinner, and when we got home, everyone collapsed.

The cake of pain.

Out of sheer loneliness, I then made a cake.  Because I was suffering a great depression from missing my husband, and I'd been dreaming of a good tiramisu for weeks, I decided to make a melancholy (read: easy) version that even the saddest (laziest) of bakers could tackle, and even made up the recipe myself, adding in a few tweaks to make it chocolatey (only for its medicinal properties of course).

After finally getting a slice a couple of hours later, I fell asleep, making up for the lost hours from the night before.  I missed having Ryan around to get up in the middle of the night when I hear suspicious noises, and I even missed the whiffs of dragon breath that linger as he rolls over.

Thankfully, Ryan returns this afternoon.  And the children have been well-behaved.  And I've got loads of leftover cake to make me feel better.

Tiramisu for Dummies*

1 Box of Yellow Cake Mix (plus whatever the box calls for)

1/4 c. brandy

A cup of strong coffee or espresso 

Sugar to taste

Mini chocolate chips

8 oz Mascarpone

2 c. whipping cream

Powdered sugar to taste (at least 1/2 c.)

1. Make cake according to box instructions, putting in a tad less oil and adding the brandy.  Bake in a 9x13 pan that's been greased.  (My box said 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, which was perfect)

2.  Let cool for a few minutes.  Make your coffee--I used Ryan's Moka, but made regular coffee--and add in enough sugar to make it sweet.  

3. Poke holes in the cake with a fork, every half inch or so.  Brush the coffee onto the cake. I wasn't very generous with it and the cake could've used more.  Next time I might just pour the coffee onto the cake.

4. Dump a lot of mini chocolate chips onto the cake.  Enough to cover the whole cake.  Wait a few minutes while the chips melt. Use an offset spatula to spread the melted chocolate across the top of the cake (a spoon might work too).  Let cool an hour or so.

5. Let the Mascarpone (or cream cheese if you don't have the Italian cheese) soften up.  Take it out of the carton and stir it up a little.  Use your mixer to whip up the cream and powdered sugar until it hold medium soft peaks.  Add in a little bit of it to the cheese to get it all incorporated. Then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream.  Top the cake with the mixture.  Refrigerate.

My "icing" was lumpy because I didn't work too hard to mix everything up well.  But honestly, it's still tasty and allowed me to drown my sorrows a bit.

Send cool thoughts to us here in Kansas. The forecast predicts temps over 100 today.  Thank goodness Ryan got me that box of white wine before he left!

*This is tiramisu in the vaguest fashion ever.  If you get on my case about it not being authentic, I'm going to send you photos of chickens being "processed". 

Get the chicken, silly!

I'm supposed to take the kids with me to buy chicken today at a farm in St. Joseph, and if I don't put it out there on the interwebs, I'll forget.

Thanks for helping me remember.