Cool Stuff From Friends {Friday Five}

It's been awhile since I've posted a Friday Five but my friends go on being awesome and you need to know about their projects: 1) Clintonville writer Sally aka Real Mom Nutrition just published a fantastic book, Cooking Light Dinnertime Survival Guide: Feed Your Family. Save Your Sanity! It contains tips, hints, and lots of recipes for feeding your family real whole food every night in Sally's very approachable writing style. Stay tuned to her website for a local book signing event.

2) Several fellow gardeners are part of the organization team for the Central Ohio Plant Swap coming up May 17 in Hilliard. Though I've never been able to go, this FREE event gives you a chance to infuse your gardens with new varieties. I've heard it's especially good for sourcing perennial flowers.

3) Homeschooling mom and licensed professional counselor Dawn Friedman is teaching Parenting for Attunement this June. Dawn is a grounded, thoughtful, open-minded counselor and her parenting classes will help you solve parenting challenges with respect to your needs and your child's. Register using the code 'harmonious' for 20% off registration, making the two-class series just $100 per pair of adults - can be couples, friends, or any two people who want to support each other to be better parents.

4) The fine folks at Clintonville Farmers' Market are holding a canned food drive for the Clintonville-Beechwold Resource Center at the market tomorrow. The Worthington Farmers' Market moves outside this week and collects produce donations weekly for the food pantry too.

5) Finally, our friends at the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association are coming to our homestead as part of their farm tour series! Mark your calendar for June 22 at 1 pm to visit the chickens, gardens, hoop house, and orchard.

What coming events do you recommend? Leave links in the comments!

Cool Stuff From Friends {Friday Five}

It's been awhile since I've posted a Friday Five but my friends go on being awesome and you need to know about their projects: 1) Clintonville writer Sally aka Real Mom Nutrition just published a fantastic book, Cooking Light Dinnertime Survival Guide: Feed Your Family. Save Your Sanity! It contains tips, hints, and lots of recipes for feeding your family real whole food every night in Sally's very approachable writing style. Stay tuned to her website for a local book signing event.

2) Several fellow gardeners are part of the organization team for the Central Ohio Plant Swap coming up May 17 in Hilliard. Though I've never been able to go, this FREE event gives you a chance to infuse your gardens with new varieties. I've heard it's especially good for sourcing perennial flowers.

3) Homeschooling mom and licensed professional counselor Dawn Friedman is teaching Parenting for Attunement this June. Dawn is a grounded, thoughtful, open-minded counselor and her parenting classes will help you solve parenting challenges with respect to your needs and your child's. Register using the code 'harmonious' for 20% off registration, making the two-class series just $100 per pair of adults - can be couples, friends, or any two people who want to support each other to be better parents.

4) The fine folks at Clintonville Farmers' Market are holding a canned food drive for the Clintonville-Beechwold Resource Center at the market tomorrow. The Worthington Farmers' Market moves outside this week and collects produce donations weekly for the food pantry too.

5) Finally, our friends at the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association are coming to our homestead as part of their farm tour series! Mark your calendar for June 22 at 1 pm to visit the chickens, gardens, hoop house, and orchard.

What coming events do you recommend? Leave links in the comments!

All The Details #diykitchen

The flooring, appliances, and cabinets are all set in our DIY kitchen project so now we're left with the little, annoying, time consuming details. I focused, measured, and drilled the fourscore drawer and door pulls so now the doors are functional. Alex has two of five zinc-covered counter tops installed. I replaced outlets and switches so they all matched in color and replaced all the switch plate covers. Together we cursed our way through installing a light fixture with too many moving parts over the island.

What's left? Cover panels for the sides of cabinets, toe kicks under cabinets, those three pieces of counter top, a couple more light fixtures, and all the accessories like shelves, magnetic knife bar, and artwork. I suppose I should finish painting some day too.

We are distracted by so many other more appealing tasks like working outside in the garden and cooking in our shiny new kitchen. But we'll work through the details soon and post reviews about the major elements in the kitchen.

All The Details #diykitchen

The flooring, appliances, and cabinets are all set in our DIY kitchen project so now we're left with the little, annoying, time consuming details. I focused, measured, and drilled the fourscore drawer and door pulls so now the doors are functional. Alex has two of five zinc-covered counter tops installed. I replaced outlets and switches so they all matched in color and replaced all the switch plate covers. Together we cursed our way through installing a light fixture with too many moving parts over the island.

What's left? Cover panels for the sides of cabinets, toe kicks under cabinets, those three pieces of counter top, a couple more light fixtures, and all the accessories like shelves, magnetic knife bar, and artwork. I suppose I should finish painting some day too.

We are distracted by so many other more appealing tasks like working outside in the garden and cooking in our shiny new kitchen. But we'll work through the details soon and post reviews about the major elements in the kitchen.

Finished Enough #DIYKitchen

On Easter Sunday, sixteen days after tearing out the old kitchen, we hosted our first dinner in the new kitchen. The physical and emotional exhaustion of working morning to night for weeks washed away in the company of the people we love most. The counters might still be in progress, cabinets still empty, and trim still in the garage, but we can cook!

As our friend Krash, who helped with the kitchen, said, "this is your best kitchen yet." He apparently doesn't believe us when we say we're not doing this again.

Updates soon on Kenmore Pro appliances (after they're fully serviced, ahem), IKEA delivery disaster and generous response, zinc counters, and a mid-construction trip to the delightful Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum.

In the meantime, this afternoon I'll be at Wilmington College speaking on a panel as part of the Food Symposium. I'd love for you to join me - it's free!

Finished Enough #DIYKitchen

On Easter Sunday, sixteen days after tearing out the old kitchen, we hosted our first dinner in the new kitchen. The physical and emotional exhaustion of working morning to night for weeks washed away in the company of the people we love most. The counters might still be in progress, cabinets still empty, and trim still in the garage, but we can cook!

As our friend Krash, who helped with the kitchen, said, "this is your best kitchen yet." He apparently doesn't believe us when we say we're not doing this again.

Updates soon on Kenmore Pro appliances (after they're fully serviced, ahem), IKEA delivery disaster and generous response, zinc counters, and a mid-construction trip to the delightful Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum.

In the meantime, this afternoon I'll be at Wilmington College speaking on a panel as part of the Food Symposium. I'd love for you to join me - it's free!

Ten Days...Still Incomplete DIY Kitchen

Distractions like mushrooms, transplants, work and baby chicks aside, our DIY kitchen still isn't completely functional. So much for the ambitious schedule.

But we have been working day in and out. The IKEA cabinet delivery was a disaster but we're working with them to make it right.

We do have double ovens, sink, dishwasher, a vent hood, and many cabinets installed. The newly installed bamboo floor puts our house-original oaks to shame. I painted, some walls twice, and still am not convinced that 'Homey Cream' is the right color.

The cook top comes in Thursday, if all goes as promised. Zinc sheeting is flattening in the basement and ready for building the counter tops.

The poor pets and child are ready for the noise and disruption to be finished. So are Alex and I. We're hosting Easter dinner on Sunday for twelve, so I guess it's time to get back to work!

Ten Days...Still Incomplete DIY Kitchen

Distractions like mushrooms, transplants, work and baby chicks aside, our DIY kitchen still isn't completely functional. So much for the ambitious schedule.

But we have been working day in and out. The IKEA cabinet delivery was a disaster but we're working with them to make it right.

We do have double ovens, sink, dishwasher, a vent hood, and many cabinets installed. The newly installed bamboo floor puts our house-original oaks to shame. I painted, some walls twice, and still am not convinced that 'Homey Cream' is the right color.

The cook top comes in Thursday, if all goes as promised. Zinc sheeting is flattening in the basement and ready for building the counter tops.

The poor pets and child are ready for the noise and disruption to be finished. So are Alex and I. We're hosting Easter dinner on Sunday for twelve, so I guess it's time to get back to work!