The Hunger Games cookies

These cookies are for a dear friend's daughter who is loves The Hunger Games as much as MY daughter!

District 12 training uniform

I must admit, that I entered the whole HG hype with skepticism.  Traditionally, if something is a big hit with the masses, I don't like it.  Not that I try to be contrary; it's just how I roll.

Mocking Jay bird

So, I reeeeealy wasn't overly enthused to read the book or go see the movie.  

The much needed gifts from the districts.

But when the book got a good review from my oldest son Drew, I became curious enough to read a chapter or two.   Before I knew it, I had read the whole book.  

Katniss becomes the "girl on fire".

It really was a compelling story.

Katniss is a wonder with bow and arrow.

Almost made me want to take up archery.  

I said ALMOST.  

Another mocking jay with a rather bad representation of a ring of fire.  

Since I liked the book, and Isabelle was DYING to see the movie, I agreed to go.  I figured the movie would not be very good - books remade into movies never seem to be - but I have a daughter I didn't want to disappoint and a discount refill tub for popcorn, so it was a go.  

Coal mining in District 12.

Just so you know, my daughter and I can eat our weight in popcorn.  

Kind of difficult to have the odds in your favor when it is one out of twenty four...

I enjoyed the movie.  Of course, in my opinion, the book was better, but the movie really captured the spirit of it.

Tracker jackers.

I can see, however, that it would have seemed disjointed to watch the movie without the book for background info.  

Effie Trinket

I LOVED the costumes, hair, and makeup for the people of the capitol.  JUST FABULOUS!

Katniss Everdeen

I haven't started the next book, but I certainly will finish the series. And we will be back in the theater with our discount popcorn bucket when the time comes for the sequels!

Do you think she will go for Peeta or Gale.....?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOLLY!

Happy earth day!

I don't know the original source of this popular pass along joke, but whoever came up with it is my kind of thinker.  A more clever thinker for sure, but we  certainly do see things eye to eye!  I hope you enjoy some pictures  snapped this week in my garden, and perhaps get a new perspective on yours!  

God's thoughts on lawns

GOD:
Frank, you know all about gardens and nature.
What in the world is going on down there on
the planet? What happened to the dandelions,
violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago?
I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan.
Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand
drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar
from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies,
honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to
see a vast garden of colours by now. But, all I see
are these green rectangles.

St. FRANCIS:
It's the tribes that settled there, Lord.
The Suburbanites. They started calling your
flowers "weeds" and went to great lengths to
kill them and replace them with grass.

GOD:
Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colourful.
It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees;
only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to
temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really
want all that grass growing there?

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains
to grow it and keep it green. They begin each
spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any
other plant that crops up in the lawn.

GOD:
The spring rains and warm weather probably
make grass grow really fast. That must make
the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS:
Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows
a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week.

GOD:
They cut it? Do they then bail it like hay?

ST. FRANCIS:
Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up
and put it in bags.

GOD:
They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop?
Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS:
No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to
throw it away.

GOD:
Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize
grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow,
they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS:
Yes, Sir.

GOD:
These Suburbanites must be relieved in the
summer when we cut back on the rain and
turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth
and saves them a lot of work.

ST. FRANCIS:
You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the
grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses
and pay more money to water it so they can
continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD:
What nonsense. At least they kept some of the
trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do
say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring
to provide beauty and shade in the summer.
In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form
a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and
protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle
of life.

ST. FRANCIS:
You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites
have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves
fall, they rake them into great piles and pay
to have them hauled away. 

GOD:
No. What do they do to protect the shrub and
tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist
and loose?

ST. FRANCIS:
After throwing away the leaves, they go out
and buy something which they call mulch.
They haul it home and spread it around in
place of the leaves.

GOD:
And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS:
They cut down trees and grind them up to
make the mulch.

GOD:
Enough! I don't want to think about this
anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge
of the arts. What movie have you scheduled
for us tonight?

ST. CATHERINE:
"Dumb and Dumber", Lord. It's a story about....

GOD:
Never mind, I think I just heard the whole
story from St. Francis.

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Bird cookies galore

I love birds.

I do whatever I can to attract them to my gardens, adore them as a decorating motif, and their singing absolutely delights me.

You noticed my hopping bird in cage graphic above, right?

I have several ornate bird cages that I use for decorating.  In fact, just this week I put a plant in one and hung it in a corner of my dining room.  And outside, I have a large vintage cage on a stand (scored at a flea market for seven bucks!) that  I fill with colorful annual flowers.  

Unfortunately, the one thing I don't put in them is, um, birds.  I did a stint of bird sitting once, and was nipped at and had LOTS of food thrown out of the cage at me.  I think I will stick with flowers in mine :)

I put up a couple of new bird houses today, and I am hoping to attract new residents.  Did you know how important birds are as pollinators?  They also eat their fair share of pesky bugs.  
Speaking of bug eaters, here is the one of the guys living in my pond.  

Please excuse his use of bad language.  He has an appalling attitude.

 Birds also add life and movement to a garden, and I want flying, flitting, and buzzing everywhere I look!

I should give you another interesting fact about birds, but instead I will warn you about using black icing too soon on top of another color, like I did with the cookie below.  See how it bled into the blue?  Very bad form on my part - I hang my head in shame.

To finish my bird cookie day, I made some painted blue birds.  

Please try to ignore how wonky my circle outlining is.  Once again, very bad form!

Blue birds are often times seen on vintage graphics,  and I think they are just darling.

They represent HAPPINESS!

Pure innocent charm!

Mr. E is taking these into work tomorrow as a thank you for his group working very long and hard for the last few weeks.  

I always think there is nothing like a big old plate of cookies to say thank you.  In fact, I think a plate of cookies can deliver just about any happy message!

Fairy garden

 I have always been fascinated by miniatures.  With my love of gardening, fairy gardens became the perfect enchantment for my outdoor space.  I began making them a number of years ago, and Isabelle  always had such fun helping me build them.  It was like having an outdoor doll house!  

I have always tucked them away in the landscape, but this year, I wanted to do something a bit different.  With a very old wheelbarrow and a can of raspberry pink spray paint, my fairies got a new home.

The fairy house is extra special to me (and the fairies) because my husband made it out of hypertufa for me.  The roof lifts off so a candle can be put inside.  When you see a gentle glow in the windows, the little people are home for sure.

I make pathways out of mosaic tiles and stones.  I always choose flowers that are tiny like sweet alsyssum.  Succulents are another good choice for miniature gardens.

Don't you think the fairies must enjoy having tea parties on their dear little chairs under the gazebo?

These tiny ladies are industrious as well, always keeping their broom by the front door so that the walk can be swept daily.  

And the fairies aren't the only residents of the house.  Every spring I find a stash of acorns inside, so I know that a family of chipmunks reside there in the winter months.  

And because I encourage a non sexist environment, a gnome was allowed to move in this year.  Don't worry, they are just friends.

The smallest dwarf alberta spruce looks like a towering tree in this miniature world. 

Can't you just picture the fairies riding through the flowers on their little blue bicycle?  

Ya Ya the watch cat makes sure that fairy land stays safe and secure.  

Last year, we gave friends a fairy house that the Mr. E had made.  Every couple of weeks, Izzie and I would sneak over to their house and add something new - a birdhouse, little terracotta pots, a wheel barrow, and more.  The best part was, we never said anything about it.  When the family started to notice new things appearing, they began accusing EACH OTHER!  It was such fun to do the "sneaking" and hear about the girls rushing outside each day to see if the fairies had added anything new.  Such fun and absolutely

MAGICAL!

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The enchanted garden

Crab apple is my favorite flowering trees

OK, I know that this is a baking blog, but I am giving serious consideration to changing it to 

THE ENCHANTED OVEN AND GARDEN

Korean spice viburnum smells so spicy and sweet

Because my time is divided pretty equally between my kitchen and my gardens.

Columbine getting ready to do it's thing

I am almost finished with my annual massive spring yard clean up, and things are looking good.  I finally broke down and bought myself a child sized rake to assist in cleaning out leaves from under and behind shrubs.  It has been life changing  :)

My spot of choice for afternoon coffee

The koi and goldfish and awake and HUNGRY!

The always hungry fish

Things have been blooming in the last month and a half, and there will be color straight through the fall.  I firmly believe in planting for every season.

Forget me nots

All of my pansies survived through the mild winter, and I had to add a few more for good measure.

Sweet darling pansies

One of the things I love most about my gardens, is that there is something new to see each day.

Leopard's bane - long blooming and underutilized - get some immediately

I am so glad I planted tulips last fall.  Tedious chore, but when they bloom - Wow!

Tulips from Lowes marked 75 % off late last fall

And how about a bouquet of lilacs to perfume the house?

Lilac - the most beautiful scent in the world

 I painted an ancient wheel barrow raspberry pink, and made a fairy garden in it.  

Zee fairy garden in zee pink wheel barrow

I think I will give a fairy tour tomorrow.

Mendhi inspired cookies I made for my son Teddy

I couldn't have a post without showing you a few cookies, though, could I?

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