Once Upon a Time

Welcome to my Honeysuckle Nest here in St. Louis, Missouri. This is my retirement home which I found and bought online a year before I retired to St. Louis. As a note of interest the Nest was found on my birthday, February 12, and purchase finalized on my brother's birthday, March 29. I've always thought my mom was working overtime in heaven to get her children settled together - like his house is right behind my backyard.

I've always thought my mom was working overtime in heaven to get her children settled together - like his house is right behind my backyard

It is small, 950 sq feet, two bedrooms and one bath.  Before moving in I had it repainted and updated the kitchen and bathroom. Will post more later - just wanted to say Hi from The Cardinal Nest.

Good Afternoon

Been a crazy March for me. Had to deal with "stuff" - mostly biopsy which turned out negative.  Yea.

Just wanted to say hello and share the mantle of the nest....

1. 

a: a beam, stone, or arch serving as a lintel to support the masonry above a fireplace

b: the finish around a fireplace

2

: a shelf above a fireplace 

The one area that I love to "play" with in the Nest is this area. It changes and it doesn't. Small items move and some disappear in the seasons and pop right back up in another.

I received this baby one Christmas and he is out all year round in front of the "black and white" going on behind him.

A face a mother would love forever:

Many years ago my clown showed up.  He/she has been known to sing "Send in the Clowns" at different times in the year. LOL

If only he/she could decide which color he/she rocks. For some reason, I have not named this character and can only say the Clown has been around for at least 20 years:

Have a glorious day dressed and washed in whatever colors you wish to let shine today.

Snowquestration in the Nest

At home today on a "snow day". At first didn't think it would snow but son of a gun at 9:30 the skies finally opened up.

Snuggled in My Nest

Little did I know that when I first started this blog and posted the first few posts that I would be drawn away by a project that took the whole month of February.

 It was a fun adventure titled "Be Your Own Beloved" and I learned a number of things about myself and others who also did the journey.  We were given prompts every day and then had to take a photo representing those prompts.  Some days it was very easy and others, not so.

But that is over now and I wanted to share a little bit about my nest.  I have been creating today and the subject of this "journal" if that is what it is called is titled "The Lost Chord" - it seems to be centering around a group of "lost children" who are probably not lost.

While I was doing my own thing in February I found a recipe for cheddar corn chowder. It was so delicious I call it dangerous. So creamy. I found it on another blog. I am not big into corn or chowder so it was a challenge to make this dish. I will definitely try it again.  If you want the recipe, here is the link:  Cheddar Corn Chowder from the Barefoot Contessa -- she knows how to make a grand evil dish!

A little garlic bread also made the chowder taste really good and of course the bacon wasn't bad.

Changing the subject rather quickly here -- Within the nest are a number of birdhouses collected over the year along with "cats" that my friend Janie has given me. All live happily in the nest and no birdies are served against their will. Is this going anywhere, you might ask?  Yup.

I need to go over to Honeysuckle Breeze and post some photos of my creation today.

Going to leave you with my yellow ducky - found on sale at Tuesday Morning years ago.

Take care, and I will return shortly. I have been taking photos and really do not want to share all at once.

Always remember to bless your nest. Let the walls absorb your joy and serenity.  I honestly believe a home does absorb the energies of those who live within the walls. I think I have some kind of Stephen King lurking in my heart when it comes to homes. Yup, a novel (if it has not already been written) could be written about the home and how it will turn on its owners if not treated right. Far fetched? Maybe or may not. Just remember that yesterday a sink hole in Forida ate a man in his bedroom...... OK, that was not the nest - but a sink hole under it. YUK.

Take care of your little nest, just in case I'm not wrong. LOL.

Below is one of my "Be Your Own Beloved - A Part of the Whole 16/28: "In my world, crazy hair, slouchy clothes on a day off - and photo all dressed in sepia! Love my part of the whole in my nest."

The Heart of the Nest

Is it really true that the kitchen is the heart of the home?  I'm thinking it is although I love most of the rooms equally. However, the warmth of kitchen brings beautiful memories of sitting at the kitchen table while my Mom cooked our supper. "Mom" could be intermingled with "grandmothers" "aunts" "dads" - etc. I have wonderful memories of my grandmothers baking goodies and we got to slip a taste of the raw dough. Oh my! In my nook of a kitchen, there is not chair to seat and watch me cook, but there is the dining room table area that you can look into the area and chat while I cook away.

Since cable and the explosion of cooking shows ... The kitchen is where my cooking experimentation takes place in my little nest.

Watching The Food Channel - Chopped - has given this cook the opportunity to experiment with much more freedom and less fear. Top Chef is also a favorite show of mine and OK my dirty little secret - I also love Hell's Kitchen......

Tried and true recipes are always fun. However, making new ones is always a gamble. Mother gave me my little blue coring ware dish and after she passed away I inherited the bottom two which always brings a smile to my soul when using these to cook with. Grand memories of Mama float to the surface!

When experimenting after downloading a recipe or cutting it from a magazine, I am always making notes on what I like or don't and some are thrown away. Some are not eaten after cooking all day in the crock pot. My mistakes are seem to be around "seasoning" the pot. However, one lesson learned -- always, remember:

bon appetit

The Launch

Yes, it is now time to launch this new blog and I hope all of you reading this will enjoy.

As you know, or maybe not, I have a second blog, Honeysuckle Breeze, which deals with my artistic endeavors.  As the years have flown by, the poor breeze is languishing for me to visit more often.

So why a second blog?  I need some inspiration from the busy pace of life. Yes, I am creating but not posting a lot. I've given up trying to figure the whys. So what the heck.

Have a cup of coffee, read a good book, and just relax and enjoy. Will be back soon,

Marlynn

Welcome to My Nest

This is a new journey for me and you. This is where I will show you my nest and why I love it so. It is a wonderful place created over the years to wrap a warm comfy quilt around my world. Enjoy. Take a stroll when you want. I will be here waiting.  Just knock on the door.

Glad you showed up, peeps.