celebrating May Day . . . pink tulips and apple blossom tea

Have a beautiful day!

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Simply Suzannes at Home 

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our little garden and heirloom tomatoes

My dad grew up on a farm in Kansas, and although he left and moved to California in his early 20s, his heart was still that of a farm boy.

My dad, siblings, and I planted a fairly large garden in our backyard every Spring . . . tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, strawberries, green beans, and squash. I have so many fond memories of tending our garden with my dad . . . and, of course, reaping the rewards of our care. We were proud little farmers!

My husband and I have talked about building a small garden box for a few years, so that we could plant a garden; but I wanted to wait until I knew that our little ones would be old enough to participate in its care.

~ my little gardeners hard at work ~

I thought we would try a potted garden this year, and depending on its reception and participation, maybe we'll build a garden box next Spring.

We got a head start on our tomato planting when our dear family friend gave us 3 small tomato plants; two heirloom varieties and one sweet cherry tomato plant. She did the hard work for us and researched varieties that are strong, so that we can enjoy a healthy crop. Thanks, Lisa!

I bought 3 large pots and two big bags of dirt. We mixed Miracle Gro's Moisture Control Potting Mix and Miracle Gro's Garden Soil for flowers and vegetables. The first protects from over and under-watering (which is important when you have little ones who like to water their plants to death), and the latter provides nutrition for growing strong plants. It turned out to be a great combination, because our tomato plants have grown 2 feet in 3 weeks! And the best part, we have 6 small cherry tomatoes  . . . and 2 small heirlooms. The kids and I are so excited!

~ our first heirloom tomato ~

Since planting our tomatoes, we've added two varieties of strawberries, and green beans, to our garden.

I'm pleasantly surprised at the ease of caring for a potted garden. The pots are easy to move, as needed . . . and our kids have enjoyed staking claim on their own tomato plant/pot, which makes gardening more fun for them.

When our oldest daughter, Charley, found out that I was going to share photos of our garden with you, she drew this picture to show you how plants grow . . .  from seed to bloom. 

Did you notice the strong roots!?

Next on my planting list . . . HERBS!

Basil, Italian flat leaf parsley, and mint are my favorite herbs to grow in late Spring and Summer.

Speaking of herbs, have you seen, or heard of, a Savour Greek Basil Tree? I can't get enough of this basil topiary. I'm excited to share photos of the two that I bought. I need to finish aging the terra cotta pots that I found for these beauties, and then I'll share them in a post. They'll be a part of my kitchen decor through the Spring & Summer months.

How about you? Will you plant a garden this Spring?

~ my vintage garden book ~

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a vintage garden book

I shared this beautiful book a few weeks ago in this Spring-inspired post of our living room. Isn't the metal plate on the cover charming?

It was given to me shortly after my grandma, Monie, passed away.

She was an avid gardener. Very knowledgeable. In fact, she owned a florist shoppe for several years in the small town that she lived in all her life.

My grandma not only had a green thumb, but she was blessed with green fingers. Everything she tended to in her garden was always green and lush. Folks that walked past her house would always stop and admire her yard. Her home was definitely the beauty of the block.

More often than not, she could be found in her garden. She loved green, anything green, especially ferns. I'm almost positive that that's why I adore them. I planted fern trees in our backyard shortly after she passed away. I smile when I see them out our family room windows. It's as though I have a little piece of her . . . a beautiful reminder of the incredible woman she was.

I've always enjoyed gardening. I'm sure that that's why my mom gave me this beautiful book. She knew that I would treasure it.

When I have a quiet moment, which isn't too often . . .  but when I do, I enjoy sitting in our living room and browsing through it ~ with a cup of tea ~ and admiring the illustrations and simple read.
Isn't it beautiful?

A peak into the inside cover . . . 

A beautifully illustrated welcome . . .

A few of my favorite pages . . .

The little ones and I planted a potted garden this Spring . . . heirloom & cherry tomatoes, green beans, and strawberries, so far.

Titled 'The Charm of the Informal Garden' . . . 

This reminds me of my grandma's garden . . . airy and natural.

And my favorite page of them all . . .

This photo graces the last page, and reads . . . 

Home gardens are good for all ages. 
Besides the satisfaction of delicious and nutritive results like these, 

they build strong bodies, keen minds, enduring characters and good citizens.

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Simply Suzannes at Home 

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diy moss wreath & a Spring-inspired chalkboard

My husband helped me make this framed chalkboard last Spring.

It undergoes a transformation with every holiday and season. I have so much fun with it! Here are a few of my favorite chalkboard photos from last Summer, Fall, Christmas, and Winter.

I'm a fan of moss, so I thought I would make a moss wreath to hang on the board for Spring. I wanted to share a quick diy, but time escaped me and I really wanted to get it done before the Easter weekend. I managed to take a quick photo of it while I was working on it here.

Supplies

Arlene's Craft Glue & brush

grapevine wreath

bag of moss

It was so simple to make this wreath! No joking, after setting up my supplies, it took me less than 5 minutes to brush glue on the wreath, and then patch the moss on the glue until the wreath was covered.

I found the printed cotton ribbon at Hobby Lobby, and used it to hang the wreath from the top of the frame.

There's a small, shallow shelf under the chalkboard where I love to display pretty flowers. The black backdrop of the chalkboard always makes the flowers pop. It's one of my favorite 'corners' in our house.

Do you have a favorite 'corner' that you like to make-over when the seasons change?

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triple coconut cream pie with roasted coconut and rum whipped cream

I'm so excited to share this beautiful pie with you.

I made it for my husband's birthday a few weeks ago. He's not much of a cake guy, but he does love pie . . . so we made him a birthday pie . . . a triple coconut cream pie!

It's not your ordinary Coconut Cream pie though . . . this one has coconut throughout it, every layer, even in the crust! If you're a fan of coconut then I know you'll love this recipe, too!

My husband is quite 'particular' (to put it nicely), so when he complimented the pie ~ I knew it was good!

Personally, I don't like the texture of coconut, but I do like the flavor. If you're like me, then omit the roasted coconut . . . and then you, too, can enjoy the creamy coconut custard goodness this pie offers, without the coconut flakes.

This recipe is definitely a keeper! Enjoy!

Ingredients

refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box (I use Trader Joe’s brand)

1 can (13 ½ oz) coconut milk, shaken well

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon sweetened shredded or flaked coconut, toasted

1 cup whole milk

½ vanilla bean, split 

2/3 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

5 large egg yolks

¼ cup cornstarch

½ teaspoon coconut extract

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into four pieces

rum whipped cream topping

1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, COLD

1 ½ Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons dark rum (or 1 teaspoon vanilla, or 1 teaspoon rum extract)

¼ cup sweetened shredded or flaked coconut, toasted

1 oz white chocolate, shaved

Preparation

Heat oven to 450°F.

Unroll pie crust onto cooking parchment or wax paper. Brush a small amount of coconut milk onto dough (just enough to moisten it). Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon of the toasted coconut evenly on dough, then press it lightly into dough, just enough to make it stick.

Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon toasted coconut onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate, then form dough into plate. Prick bottom and side with fork. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Cool.

Heat the remaining coconut milk, the whole milk, 1/2 cup toasted coconut, vanilla bean, 1/3 cup of the sugar and the salt to a simmer in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes to dissolve sugar.

In a separate large bowl, with whisk, beat the egg yolks, remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the cornstarch until well combined. Gradually beat the simmering liquid into the yolk mixture to temper it, and then return the entire mixture to saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. Discard vanilla bean.

Heat the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, beating constantly with whisk, 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture is thickened.

Remove from heat; beat in the coconut extract and butter. Pour into the cooled crust. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling and refrigerate until the filling is cold and firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Just before serving, beat the cream and sugar in a chilled bowl using electric mixer at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the rum and continue to beat until slightly stiff peaks are formed. Spread or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled filling. Sprinkle 1/4 cup toasted coconut and shaved chocolate over the top. Store in refrigerator.

Look at those vanilla bean specks . . . yum!

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