"...the little things are infinitely the most important."

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said it quite well and I wholeheartedly agree.

Sunday I finished planting in pots and mason jars from the wedding, my new little pansies. Purple, lavender and white are the colors we chose along with burgandy and bright yellow mums!
I have never been one to have a green thumb, that wonderful gift was given to my mom. She has single handedly turned my parents once straw and red clay back yard into a beautiful garden. If only I were a quarter as talented as she is I might just be able to redo our alley way side yard. Yes, more alley way than yard, it's teeny. I would post pictures of it's current state but I'm afraid that it's more of a disaster area filled with over grown weeds and an unfinished walk way than picture worthy.
Though my flowers which have been newly planted {well, just the pansies} may die by winter they are the little things that will make going onto our porch and walking down the stairs more enjoyable. I'm thrilled that we bought them, we also purchased my very first pair of black and white polka dot gardening gloves and hand shovel. And so, the little things are infinitely the most important.
On to other vessels: the brownie venture went quite well! Remember that one post "Mise en Place" all about making sure everything is measured out before you begin to ensure that everything goes smoothly? See what had happened was, I didn't quite do that. I ended up being short on the butter needed as well as chocolate chips but regardless of those misfortunes the brownies turned out yummy! Rather than using the called for finely chopped unsweetened chocolate I used special dark chocolate chips and a Hershey's bar. Also the recipe called for a 9"x13" pan but I used more of a 12"x6" leading us to a mountain of brownies. To be honest, I find nothing wrong with a mountain of brownies.

So this post didn't have everything I wanted in it, I must be off to the grocery store because our fridge is definitely lacking.  Oh and by the way, fall and Memphis have now become friends. Fall brought it's friends 'crisp air' and cooler temperatures' with him....or her :)

Something Worth Doing is Worth Doing Well

 
 In reading one of my magazines there was this post's title quote,
"Something worth doing is worth doing well"

Apparently I am very lacking in the "doing well" department of keeping up with this blog.
As promised in the last post I did infact make an apple crisp but it turned out more like apple oatmeal instead.
Sad day, right? I took a few pictures which I hope to post (a promise is a promise) sooner than later.

In that I am making promises to be kept I will be updating tomorrow with a full post on all of the goodies, fall tv shows and movies I'm obsessing over. Also a few notes on life in Memphis... like work, finding a church, gardening and trying to be a good wife.
I'm off to bake the homemade brownies I've been promising Adam for a couple of days.
Goodnight sweet Saturday...


Photo Courtesy Of: Morning T

Mise en Place

 

"Mise en place" is a french term meaning "setting in place."

Ever since we moved into our home a little over a month ago I have made it my duty as a wife and also for our sanity to put items away in their own respective homes.
As with my linens and books I cook in the same manner.
Before I begin a meal (attempt would be more like it) I try to make sure I have all ingredients chopped, prepped and measured so everything will go as smoothly as possible. As for today before another attempt at cooking is made, I gather only the most random ingredients left in the fridge and prep. Think....concoct.....what can be made? I decided it was time for soup. Everything but the kitchen sink would go into this pot. Some chicken broth, kale, can of stewed tomatoes, 1 clove of garlic, green onion, yellow onion, ground turkey and some potatoes. I boiled all of those ingredients in hopes that it might just cure this rainy days blues.

All of my utensils have their spots as do the plates and pans but sadly my storage and pantry is pretty lacking. Honestly, we only have 4 cabinets and 4 drawers! Seeing as there's not a space for our food we've found shelving units with canvas boxes to house our kashi bars and canned green beans. After living here for a month and cooking most every night I find that my desire for different ingredients and more spacious storage has grown. I'm thinking of adding shelves above the stove for a pretty way to display mixing bowls and my favorite vintage plates.  Until those handy days are here, I will be inspired by these:

pretty shabby

                              Photo by Michel Arnaud, Good Housekeeping, July 2007. 

House Beautiful

Martha Stewart/Blueprint Magazine

Desire to Inspire

We have a larrrge bowl of granny smith apples on the counter and I do believe before they go bad I will make some sort of dessert out of them now. Pictures to follow tomorrow.
Wish me betty crocker luck, please :)
betsy.davis

{Photos at top of page credited to: Desire to Inspire

New Beginnings

Hello friend ,
It is with great happiness that I start this blog.
More than anything else I feel as though a new chapter has begun in this life of mine and with one of the greatest people I have ever known.

July 26th Adam and I got married on a sweltering summer night on his parents front lawn. The weeks leading up to the wedding now seem like a large blur with endless details to remember.
After a wonderful honeymoon in San Francisco (our newest favorite city) and Orange County we made our way back to the south for a week of recuperation.  It was so nice just opening presents and spending time with family rather than running crazily around town trying to find matching ties for the groomsmen, making sure hay bales were purchased, weeds were picked and my "something blue" was incorporated. At the end of that restful week Adam and I loaded up our little honda and headed off to Memphis for our new life as a married couple.

 

Adam in front of our house 

 

 

Being married is by far the best adventure I've ever had. It is now the two of us who make the decisions for what goes on. No longer is it Adam as a single man who can come and go and spend as he pleases nor can I. It's a partnership, a love relationship, a friendship where we're actively looking out for and taking care of one another.
Has it been fields of daisies since we stepped foot on this blues city soil? Heeeeck no! We've been dealt many many tough cards but have risen above those hardships.
I meaaaaan...
Day 2 of moving into our house: car over heats requiring new radiator and air conditioning cuts out on us, no hot water and dishwasher broken, also we were without a washer and dryer for 1 month. Hello Memphis laundromats!
Tip #1: Don't bake a pizza in a home without AC, 89 degrees inside is miserable in August. Just sayin.

In all honesty the good outweighs the bad and we are both happier than ever before. We live a simple life of cooking at home together every night and watching more movies than seemingly possible. I'm with my best friend discovering a new city, embarking on a journey ready for its challenges and surprises.

This blog will be the shadowbox of my life as a married woman; I will be cooking (aspiring to be decent cook), posting photos of my favorite clothes and designers, videos, music, make up, hair, organizing, cleaning, working, friendships, Memphis and whatever else the Lord has in store.
I thank you for reading and can't wait to share with you my little lovely life.

betsydavis