Happy Father's Day!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY HONEY!

Love you,

Mary Ellen

Ashleigh, Clayton & Reed

Daddy Let Me Drive

This song reminds me of my Daddy - or "Deddy" as we called him. 

From sitting on his lap steering the tractor with him as a little girl.  To my first driving lesson in our old Chevrolet Cavalier.

Miss you Deddy!

Poor Man's Zucchini "Crab" Cakes

Poor Man's Zucchini "Crab" Cakes

Recipe from Homestead Blessings 

I used the first zucchini harvested from our garden to make these tasty zucchini cakes.

For next week's meal plan, I'm going to try this zucchini cakes recipe from The Pioneer Woman's blog served along with some homemade ranch dressing. 

I hope our plant gives us more zucchini this season!

Picking Blackberries at Vollmer Farm

We spent a very HOT afternoon this past Sunday picking blackberries at Vollmer Farm in Bunn, NC.

Like their strawberries, Vollmer's blackberries are organically-grown.

Blackberries!

Ashleigh picking some blackberries

Reed with his bucket

Clayton decided to find some shade

A dragonfly amongst the berries

Our blackberries

After we finished picking berries, we headed back up to the market building where the kids had fun playing in this old airplane.

We also cooled down with a treat from the homemade ice cream shop - the Wildcat Whopper!  Two bananas, 7 scoops of homemade ice cream, 5 toppings, whip cream and sprinkles!

Yum!

Clayton playing a game of checkers with Daddy on the front porch.

Just a swingin'!

We're looking forward to going back in a few weeks to pick blueberries and maybe some more blackberries.

I'm sharing our blackberry fun with:

A Southern Daydreamer - Outdoor Wednesday

BBQ Meatballs With Local Grass-fed Beef

BBQ Meatballs made with local, grass-fed & finished beef (Rare Earth Farm, Zebulon, NC)

Local green beans (from Cloverfields Farm, Timberlake, NC) sauteed with garlic

Recipe adapted from Kraft Food & Family

INGREDIENTS:

1lb local, grass-fed & finished beef (Rare Earth Farm, Zebulon, NC)

1 cup bread crumbs from sprouted bread

1 local, pastured egg (S & L Farm, Louisburg, NC)

2 tsp dried parsley

Onion powder (or 1/4 cup fresh, diced onions)

Black pepper

BBQ sauce - homemade or favorite bottled (I used Annie's Naturals Organic BBQ sauce)

Combine ground beef, bread crumbs and egg in a large bowl.  Season with dried parsley, onion powder and black pepper.  Form into meatballs.

Heat olive oil over medium heat and brown meatballs.

Preheat oven to 350.  Place browned meatballs in casserole dish and cover liberally with BBQ sauce.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

I'm sharing this dish using local ingredients with:

Balancing Beauty and  Bedlam - Tasty Tuesday

Yard Sale Treasures

I only picked up a few yard sale treasures this weekend.  At one of our first stops, we picked up a 3-tier folding, metal serving tray and lamp for $6.

The serving tray

Floral pattern on the lamp shade

A rhinestone pin for $1. 

So I can add some bling to my projects!

This very dusty wooden pedestal stand was in a FREE box.  

With a little cleaning up, I think it would look quite nice with some white shells and starfish. 

And this old wooden porch chair for $2.

I have an entryway project in mind for this old beauty!

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm sharing these yard sale treasures with:

Southern Hospitality - Today's Thrifty Treasures

Coastal Charm - Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

House of Grace - Twice Owned Tuesday

Market Day - June 12th

From the Midtown Market

Eggplant, tomatoes, green beans, FREE Ichiban eggplant & FREE lavender bundle (not pictured) - Cloverfields Farm

1lb grass-fed & finished beef - Rare Earth Farm

Parsley bundle - Piedmont Biofarm

1 dozen pastured eggs - S & L Farm

Spring Onions

Fresh flowers (not pictured) - Blue Dragonfly Cut Flowers