Gardeny things, a recipe, cute dogs and whatnot...

Things are finally starting to turn around in the garden. After the seemingly endless rain. After the bugs had their way with everything, quite the smorgasbord, the sun has turned it all around.

Everything is growing bigger, taller, stronger...

The echinacea and chamomile and calendula are in full bloom and the bees are loving it!!!

I made a fantastic herby raw beet, green onion and kale salad today.

The recipe went something like this:

-1 big bunch of kale

(I ripped it up into pieces by hand after pulling it off the stock)

-3 small-medium beets, peeled and roughly julienned

(also by hand, I don't have one of those fancy food processors that can do it for me)

-1 green onion slices thin

-1 lemon

-olive oil

-gomasio

-maple syrup

-salt

-fresh herbs

(I used basil, thyme and rosemary from my garden)

Once I had the kale, beets and onion all cut up in a large bowl, I mixed the juice from 1 small lemon with maybe 1/4 cup of olive oil, gomasio to my liking, a glug of maple syrup and salt to taste. I then poured this mixture over the veggies and mixed it all up. I let it sit for a few minutes and then viola!

Sorry my measurements are not very exact. I am not very good at following recipes or truly paying attention to exactly how much I am putting in... But if my directions are too crazy, this is a good basic guideline that you can jazz up however you like.

I have been taking the doggies to my favorite beach in the area in the morning.

They have been having a grand ol' time running, playing with other dogs, retrieving the ball from the water and eating sand (yes, I said eating sand. I know, YUCK!... Right?)

Veda has been like a swimming champion. Oh, I love her so!!!

Mu has been the ambassador, testing out all the other dogs playing and running skills. She seems to be quite fond of a little havanese named Teo.

She has also been super cuddly (but that's not really a new thing).

................................

Oh, and I have been working up a storm. I have (some might say) feverishly been practicing my screen printing skills. And I have to say, I am pretty impressed with myself.

I have 3 shirt colors I have been working with right now:

grey, charcoal and navy (and I am waiting on a purple).

The grey has my "Mountains" design in white, charcoal has it in green and navy I have been playing around with a lighter, almost sky blue and also a "purple/lavender" which actually comes out as more of a grey. I am undecided as to which I like best or which I will use as the actual color.

All of them have the mountains design printed on the front and a Little Owl logo on the back.

Anyway, I think they look fantastic!! (I am a wee bit proud of myself right now, can you tell?)

I can't wait to get them in the shop!

Ok, well that is all.

I am off to see a friends reggae band down the street.