Just a Little Patience

Yesterday was kind of a big deal in the Kershner house. We finally ordered a new sectional. After years of wishing and dreaming, our sofa and loveseat was officially worn out enough to need replacing. 

I have been saving pictures of white slipcovered furniture for at least 15 years. It's been one of a handful of things that remains constant in my decorating taste. I wish I hadn't let fear stop me from getting it when we got our last sofa. About 5 years ago I had a slipcover made for this chair and with 2 kids, 3 cats and 1 dog, I've never regretted it.

After a couple of years of research that took us to Pottery Barn, Ikea, Crate and Barrel, Arhaus and local furniture stores, we decided to go with this one from Ballard Designs.

So now that all the sitting, searching and choosing is done, I of course want it like yesterday. Or sooner. It won't get here until the end of July so I'm going to have to practice extreme patience and try my hardest not to wish the next two months away. Also? I call the corner.

Food for Friends

I have this friend named Teresa. Maybe you know her and her lovely blog Meadowbrook Farm? She's not just my blog friend. She has actually slept under my roof, although it's been much too long since that happened. This has bumped her into IRL friend status. One of my favorite things about T (that's what I call her because we're IRL friends, remember?) is her Carrot Cake Recipe. I love her wit, charm and sweetness too but geez that Carrot Cake is ridiculous and I can't even tell you how many of our family celebrations have been marked with the baking of one. Maddie made it for Mother's Day yesterday. She has become quite the expert at this particular cake. Look at that lovely swirling frosting. She informed me she learned her technique from Martha. I'm not sure I will be any prouder when she graduates from college than I was at that moment.

So all of this makes what I have to tell you that much more embarrassing. T has been begging me to blog my Caramelized Onion and Sausage Pizza for ages. It's not even my recipe but belongs to Giada and I have just tweaked a couple of tiny things. I'm kind of a terrible friend. No wonder she hasn't come back to see me. Since I requested this pizza for Mother's Day it seemed like the right time to finally blog it for her. Only I was so busy being Queen for the day, that all I managed to capture was this one quick picture.

Caramelized Onion and Sausage Pizza
Prepare pizza dough (I use Trader Joe's fresh dough)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 red onions thinly sliced
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
10 oz pkg Italian sausage
4 oz gorgonzola or blue cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Put olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the sausage. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage and cook, stirring constantly, until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Drizzle pizza dough with olive oil. Spread the onion mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Grill pizza for aproximately 10-12 minutes turning 1/4 turn every few minutes to prevent burning the crust. Sprinkle with chopped basil before serving.

This pizza grill pan is our secret weapon. We own two because two is almost always better than one.

So there you go T! Now you can finally make it, although, I think you and I both know you should just get on a plane and have me make it for you.

Friday Favorites- The Mother's Day Collection

Mother's Day can be so wrought with expectation and disappointment. I hope that you Moms are celebrated and cherished on Sunday. If not, you have my permission to celebrate yourself on Monday and treat yourself to something nice.

I love this ring dish so much that I had to get one for each of my girls too. Find it at anthro for only $12!

Hoping my breakfast includes a favorite beverage in this glass, also from Anthro and also $12.

This wonderful book by the uber talented Elyse Major who happens to be one of my favorite blogger girls of all time! This book is so charming and fun and fresh and the projects are so approachable. I'm planning on doing several with Emma this summer as part of our weekly studio time. I can't wait to dive in!

This has become one of my favorite shows. It always makes me think of the movie Doc Hollywood from back in the day. I adore any book, movie or tv show about a small southern town with quirky characters. Hooks me every time. As a matter of fact, if you can recommend any to me, that would be like your little Mother's Day gift to me. While we're on the subject...

 

This book! The book, not the movie. The movie is good, but the book is amazing! One of those books that stays with you your whole life. I have it on my nightstand and I'm going to reread it this summer. I can hardly wait to wake up early while Emma is still sleeping and sneak out on the back porch for some quiet time with these old friends.

That's it. Celebrate your Mommas if you've still got them! Treat them right and tell them how much they mean to you. It's a privilege to have the opportunity!

In the Spring

 I love this quote by Margaret Atwood  “In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”
Yes. That is my daily goal. I'm trying not to let little things like cooking, cleaning, errands and a sore back get in my way too much.

 I don't ever recall feeling quite like I do this Spring. And since it's hard to make myself come in, I had to bring some of it in with me. It's my consolation prize. I used to have such a hard time letting myself cut flowers to bring in. My goal is to plant so many that I won't even notice some missing.

This girl has been my constant companion, always patiently waiting for me to throw her ball. I've given up on this patch of ground cover as it is her favorite bed. It's a worthy trade since she looks so sweet laying in it. This may be my favorite picture of all time.

This flowering crab apple tree was in peak bloom last week. What an amazing sight to see! Now we have a constant snow of white flower petals that are everywhere, including on top of the new layer of mulch we just put down. Also on doggy noses.

Saturday morning we took a break from yard work to roam the Village. Emma was happy to get to kick off her shoes and wade into the river that runs behind us.  Sigh. I love the Village. I bet I've said that 50 times this week. I love the people, the trees, the birds that sing a constant song, borrowing green onions for my salad from my neighbor working his garden, the shopkeepers, the smells and the peace and happiness that it has brought me every day for the last three years.

 Yesterday I used our rain barrel for the first time after I transplanted some lambs ear. It was way more exciting than it should have been. Where before there was emptiness, now there are free lambs ear that I watered with free water. I got that same giddy feeling that I get when I leave the library with a tote full of books that nobody has the sense to charge me for. That feeling motivated me to divide and transplant all afternoon.

In other ridiculously happy news, this Crape Myrtle that I bought last Mother's Day survived an Indiana winter. This is a very big deal for this southern transplant that desperately misses them.  It is a Hopi Crape Myrtle for those of you in a colder zone (I'm a 5) who are dreaming of growing them. I planted it in a location where it was sheltered from wind and mulched the H E double hockey sticks out of it last fall. Fingers crossed that blooms are in my future this summer. Don't worry, I will give you an in depth update this summer. Yay you!

And one more glance because their beauty is so fleeting. I hope wherever you are, there is beauty blooming around you.

This Week

The Spring busyness has descended upon our house. Yours too I bet. In the last week alone I've celebrated our anniversary, helped put together the Village newsletter, done lots of yard work, had dress rehearsal for Em's ballet recital and chaperoned two field trips. It's good busy, but I'm not one of those people that thrives on busy. I thrive on open schedules that allow lots of time for creativity and relaxation.

How else would I find time to work on projects like these curtains? I love them so much. They are even lined. I'm a little proud of myself. I tried to follow a tutorial but the directions were making my eyes cross. I'm more of a wing it kind of girl. Luckily I have an engineers brain so it usually works out fine for me. The thing I am most proud of is that all the windows came out the right length even though the windows aren't the same distance from the ceiling, (see how the one on the right is much higher?). I wanted to hang the rods at the same height which required me measuring approximately 2,327 times. I was still happily surprised that they all turned out the proper length. I figure one day I'm going to start a sewing project and feel confident. That day is not today, fyi. Also, I do not feel a strong urge to sew more curtains anytime soon but, after months and months on my to do list, I was very happy to finally finish these. I'm seriously trying to stop being such a procrastinator but I may put it off for awhile.

 In other news, my Sweet Hubby and I celebrated our thirteenth anniversary. Thirteen years and I don't hate him yet! Actually, between you and me, I kind of completely adore him. He took me to a favorite restaurant that overlooks Main St on Friday for an early celebration. Also,he bought me five yards of mulch. Romantic, right? Ok, I kid. That was just a bonus. Our real anniversary gift won't be here until sometime at the end of June.

Another reason he is at the top of my favorite people list right now is because he made me this table. True, I asked him to make it for me last Mother's Day, but we aren't going to focus on that because he is a rock star table builder and I still need to suck up to him unless I want to wait until next Mother's Day for the benches to get built! Expect an entire post dedicated to his awesomeness after the entire project is completed. That's his incentive. No benches, no words of praise. After 13 years, I know what works!

Well, I'm off to clean more windows and do more weeding. Can you believe there are actually people that think a homemaker's life isn't glamorous?