May Day is coming soon. Do you celebrate this holiday each year? This is a time to celebrate spring and to look forward to the warmer months of summer. It’s also a great time to surprise your friends with a May Day gift. May Day festivities are a part of many cultures. Parades, may poles, bonfires and dancing are ways people celebrate world wide. In the US, May Day celebrations oftenRead More →
It’s time for a new soup of the month. We are now into April so I wanted to share another soup with you! I hope that you have been enjoying trying the new soups each month. This month I will be making a delicious Seafood Chowder. It is still early in the growing season. That means that we are not yet getting a large variety of new fruits and vegetablesRead More →
When I started blogging last year, I knew nothing about how to blog. It took me 4 weeks to send my first post because of fear. But I overcame that fear and hit publish. And I have continued to hit publish. Today, I am celebrating 1 year at Pinecone Cottage Retreat! The past year was amazingly full. Here is a list of some of the major things that occurred inRead More →
Today, I have another bird related craft to share with you. Spring and Easter both bring nests to mind. So I wanted to show you how to make my terracotta pot bird nests. I really am fond of terracotta pots. But they aren’t the best containers for plants because the pots dry out so quickly. However, they are great for crafts like these bird nests. For these nests, find someRead More →
Ready, Set, Go! The planting season is on us. Well, the early planting season is beginning in my part of the world. It is still way to early to plant things like tomatoes and peppers outside. However, there are a number of early season crops to plant now. Some plants like the warming days with chilly nights. We are still dropping into the lower 30’s with frost most nights. SoRead More →
Woo Hoo, Spring is finally here! It’s time to celebrate and in our home, that means Sunshine Cake. This cake has as many variations as it has fans. That’s okay. There can never be enough Sunshine Cake in this world. This is my go-to recipe for dessert during the spring and summer months. I encourage you to celebrate spring with Sunshine Cake! While your cake is baking, I thought youRead More →
Since we have been talking about bird decor I wanted to share with you my hanging birds. It is easy to take a few branches and fill them with paper birds. Choose a variety of decorative papers that coordinate with your home decor or with the season. Then make a bunch of these little birds to hang. This is a nice weekend craft that you can make for yourself orRead More →
Even though Spring is officially still a week away, Daylight Savings Time always feels like the start of the new season. It’s staying lighter longer and the days are a “little” warmer. As spring starts to slip in, I begin to think about birds. I’ve been hearing birds outside my window lately. And I am waiting to see the first robin. As I wait it’s a good time to decorateRead More →
Have you been planning your flower and vegetable garden for the season? There are still weeks left before the actual growing season begins for many of us. However, there are plenty of chores that can be done now to begin to get your garden ready for planting. Gardening really involves so many activities during the year. Here are some of the things that you might want to do to getRead More →
Your Mom was probably the first to tell you this. When you are under the weather one of the best foods to eat is a simple Chicken Noodle Soup. There are studies that actually support your Mom. The moistening steam can help to clear your sinuses. Chicken soup also has an anti-inflammatory response that might reduce your symptoms. The fact is it is just soothing and comforting when you haveRead More →