We live in a pretty little house in a "normal" neighborhood.  As a matter of fact, I REALLY love my home.  We have worked very hard to make it "ours".  I love the kitchen we expanded, working side by side, I love my gardens and the birds that visit my fountain, I love the gazebo that my husband built for me, I love the pecan tree that shades our yard in the heat of summer, and the swing under the pecan tree.

However, we have this desire to have a little more space.  We aren't planning on moving miles away, we aren't planning on living deep in the mountains somewhere - though that does sound dreamy. :)  We simply have a desire to have a little more room to breath the air, to feel a little freer to make some noise building things, to plant veggies in a space larger than 5x10 feet, maybe have some chickens for fresh eggs...

I can't help wondering if when we do have that space (whever that may be), will I miss my pretty little house?  Will I miss my fountain and my birds?  Will I miss my gorgeous pecan tree and all it's wonderful shade?

Then I sit quietly and realize that no matter where I am, or what I have, I know I will be content.  Because I am blessed to have my Lord, and I am blessed to have my family.  Things will grow, things can be built, walls can be painted, and as long as we have the Lord and eachother we are fullfilled and content.

We have a nest box in a large pecan tree out back.  For several years, it has been the summer home to Great Crested Flycatchers.  Sadly though, there has never been any success with the babies.  The first year, the first night they were able to get out of the box, the babies were all killed by a stray cat.  It was so sad for me, I had become so attached and I was heartbroken.   Well, as the years have gone on, this poor pair has had no success in raising young, and it has always been a sad and emotional end for me.  Sometimes the little ones die in the nest from disease, pests, or whatever.  One year, we managed to save one little guy and get him to a wild bird rescue lady - I hope he made it.  Last year we had baby birds and one day they were gone, but weren't even able to fly yet, no sign of them...

Well, this year the nest box has taken on a new occupant... an owl family.  I feel a little bad for the flycatchers, they did return to the tree and were making a lot of noise, but the owl wasn't budging, she had already claimed her home.  I figure the flycatchers will find another place to nest and maybe have a better chance there.  I am excited about our new guest.

I have seen both parents, they are not large, about 7-8 inches tall and cute as can be.  If I make a noise during the day on my back porch, Momma bird pops one eye into the opening and stares at me.  I don't know if they have only eggs or babies, as owls don't really make much noise, so I don't know if the babies will twitter or not.  I am excited to see owl babies! :)

Today is Valentines day, the day that the world says "love is in the air". Isn't it sad that so many people take time, effort and money to "show" their loved ones that they "love" them buy going out at the last minute and buying a huge card, a bunch of overpriced flowers and fat-laden chocolates.  Now, don't get me wrong, I really like chocolate - a LOT - lol.  And I love flowers, though I would prefer to recieve a living plant!  And, of course, cards are precious and sweet and I am not against getting or receiving them. 

However, this is a time when you look at the people who are purchasing these things in the store, and you wonder if they show this kind of affection to their loved ones on a daily basis.  Wouldn't it be beautiful if everyone could love the way God has taught us to love?  Then people wouldn't feel so "obligated" to show it once a year.

Valentines is fun, and I do have fun celebrating it, as it is also my husbands birthday - my sweet gift from God.  Hopefully we will always remember not to focus on the day as a time to show affection and love, but to do it each day, all year long...

There are some things you just have to love about Florida.  Yes, we get disgustingly steamy hot summers, but we also get the advantage of lovely mild winters.  There are times when I wish it were colder, when I would like to have hot cocoa without turning on the A/C. 

However, there are special advantages as well to our mild tropical climate. 

This winter in particular has been extremely mild.  Nothing in my garden has died back, it has been sort of like one long cool spring.  I grew broccoli this "season" (for the first time) in my little veggie patch.  My tomato vines are heavy with fruit, none have ripened yet, but I check everyday, anticipating fresh tomatoes in February!  The weather is perfect for everything right now.  Not too hot to scorch, not cold enough to freeze.  The cucumbers are pretty numerous, last years cosmos are still re-seeding and blooming all over, and my lavendar is in bloom! 

It's very hard for me to imagine that many of you are roof deep in snow right now.  I would enjoy making a snow angel, but I also am looking forward to plucking side shoots off my broccoli today. 

Some people think it's sad that we don't have a cold, snowy winter, but I like to feel blessed that God has given me a little patch where I can grow His glorious, nutritious gifts year-round.

This is the recipe I made yesterday as per my last blog... .  I will give you the "real" instructions and you can choose to be a rebel (and reap the consequences like me), or not have to spend the day cleaning out your oven!  LOL

Best-Ever Chocolate Cake

3/4 cup butter                                               3/4 tsp. baking powder

3 eggs                                                          1/2 tsp. salt

2 cup all-purpose flour                                  2 cup sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder             2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda                                         1 1/2 cup milk

1.  Allow butter, eggs and milk to stand at room temp for 30 minutes.  Grease and flour 3 8x1 1/2 -inch round cake pans.  Set pans aside.

2.  Preheat oven to 350.  In a med. bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.

3.  In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on med-high until light and fluffy (about 30 sec-1 min).  Gradually add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating on med speed for 3-4 min., or until well mixed.  Scrape down and beat 2 more minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.

4.  Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, beating on low just until combined after each addition.  Beat on med to high for 20 seconds more.  Spread evenly into prepared pans.

5.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers comes out with only a few moist crumbs, but NO gooey stuff.  Cool cake layers in pans for 10 mins.  Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

6.  Ice with your favorite frosting, or just eat it plain! 

I LOVE to bake, and without boasting, I'd like to say that I'm pretty good at it.  However, I do have a philosophy: "If your not makin' a mess, you're not doin' it right!" - LOL.  If you think I might be exagerating a little bit, just ask my best friend (goofymamma), she KNOWS, she has SEEN the messes - LOL. 

Well, yesterday, I wanted to try out a new recipe for chocolate cake, and as is common for me, I didn't want to follow the directions given; I wanted to do it MY way (not always the best choice  ). 

The recipe in question called for setting the oven to 350, and dividing the batter between 3, 8-inch round pans that were 1 1/2 inches deep.  Well, I like my cakes taller, and I have always had success with reducing the oven temp., filling my deeper pans 2/3 full, baking longer, and baking beautiful tall cakes - this is what I always do (with OTHER recipes) for my wedding cakes.  I wanted to make a smaller cake so I filled my 6-inch pans 2/3 full, reduced my oven temp to 330, set the timer and walked away...

Soon after, I began to smell that wonderful scent of cake baking - mmmm, I love that smell when it fills the house.  Not long after that, however, there was a NOT so wonderful smell of "smoked cake" - LOL.  I went to peek on the cakes, sure enough, I had not considered that this particular recipe would be rising much more than others I have used.  All three pans were bubbling over and the drippy messy globs were baking on the racks, and the bottom of the oven...not baking, burning. 

 I figured, well, if there wasn't a fire, I would just let this keep going on until they were done - no sense stopping now!

Not only did this continue to happen, but the cakes seemed to take much longer than anticipated, so this baked on goo just got crispier and smellier!

Finally the cakes were done. I managed to remove the crispy crust from around the edge of each pan, and turn the cakes out.  Believe it or not, it revealed the most delicious tender, tasty chocolate cake I have ever baked - I couldn't stop snacking on it!  It was so good that it didn't even need icing, almost a brownie type taste with a light and airy cake texture, mmmmmmm.

Well, I will definitely use the recipe again, but I think I will go ahead and follow their directions next time,...AFTER I clean the oven.