Welcome to My Berry Garden Thanks to The Home Depot #DigIn #ad

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Home Depot.

I am VERY excited to report that we have blackberry plants! 

We ordered them from homedepot.com and they came nicely packed and arrived on the big brown truck. The process was easy as pie and the plants were sent from Wisconsin so they know what to expect weather wise. That is something to consider when planting.

Hubby was all set to plant in the prepared area so out he went. First he dug the four holes for the plants.

Then he removed the blackberries from their pots and loosened up the roots and put them into their new homes. I think they are going to be much happier in a place where their roots can spread!

Next he brought out some "magic elixir" - ie: goat manure mixed with hay. We have tons of it and it goes on anything that grows around here.

He spread a bit around all of the plants. It helps to keep moisture in and weeds down.

Of course he had observers - just like with any job that goes on around these parts. There is always at least one cat along to lend pawsistence.

Now he was ready to set up the containment system for the blackberries. There are apparently many ways you can help your blackberries grow - the hubby chose one he thought would work best.  The blackberry plants arrived with a sheet from the grower with several different ideas. It was very helpful - the hubby had already researched growing blackberries and had an idea of what he wanted to do and this sheet gave him a couple of new ways to go. He went with one on the sheet from the grower. I've made a video of the process so you can see how he went about it.



If you cannot see the video you can view it on YouTube HERE 

I am so very thrilled to have this berry garden in and I thank the Home Depot for having everything we needed to get it going. The strawberry plants that our neighbor gave us are doing very well:

This year we are pinching off the blossoms so that the plant will grow stronger. Hopefully next year we will get berries from the plants. We are also hoping to add blueberries to the garden soon too; the soil isn't quite acid enough so we are working on that by adding coffee grounds to the area where we plan to plant the blueberries.

The berry garden inspired us to also plant an herb garden! It's set just off of what will be the back door to the yurt. It will soon have steps down so I will be able to go out and pick fresh herbs when I need them! I will also have plenty to freeze or dry for use all winter long. How wonderful is that!? We bought all of the supplies for this garden at The Home Depot as when we picked up the supplies for the berry garden! We also fenced in an area to plant asparagus.

Next year we hope to put in fruit trees. So soon this will be a very productive little farm.

If you would like to start growing plants, flowers, trees - the Home Depot can help. Check out all of these great resources:

• The Home Depot Garden Club website: http://thd.co/ZNbhDj
• Garden Club board on Pinterest: http://bit.ly/16u0wsu
• Garden Club Community Forum (Ask an Expert): http://thd.co/1146A7d
• The Apron Blog: http://thd.co/XoelrO

So start your Spring DIY project with The Home Depot!

It’s home improvement time, and The Home Depot has everything you need to #DigIn for Spring. No matter what projects you want to tackle, they have great values on all you need. They’re ready to help you with renovation ideas and expert advice, too.

Get over $300 in email exclusive savings each year, sneak peeks on new products, monthly lawn & garden ideas for your region and access to The Home Depot’s gardening experts. Click here to join the world’s largest garden community today! Or go to homedepot.com/gardenclub to see some of the many benefits of membership.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Home Depot.

Pike in Papillote with Violet Balsamic Reduction Sauce on Israeli Couscous - Recipe #ad

I received a sample of Violet Balsamic Vinegar from Devo Olive Oil Company.

I am lucky enough to have a friend that when I barter she offers up the delicious lake fish that her husband catches in the beautiful alpine lakes here in Montana. I've gotten bass and pike and both are yummy which coming from me is saying something since I am not a big fan of fish. This recipe uses pike but could easily work with any mild, white fish.  It showcases a surprising vinegar - Violet Balsamic Vinegar. I know! I'd never heard of it either and it was a revelation. Not overly floral but very, very distinctive. I knew from the first taste that it would be perfect with citrus and delightful on fish. So here is my humble effort:

Pike in Papillote with Violet Balsamic Reduction Sauce on Israeli Couscous

It was not at all complicated and it was very delicious.
The full directions are in the widget - everyone liking the widget? - but I'll give a brief description with step by step photos here:

Place the orange slices on the greased parchment.

Add the seasoned fish, dried tarragon and additional orange slices.

Fold most of the way, add the wine and orange juice, fold over completely and pop in the 350° oven.
While the fish is cooking make the sauce. I also made some simple, roasted green beans - what else! - to finish out the meal.

OPEN CAREFULLY!!!!!! Steam is HOT!!!!!
This is actually a wonderful way to cook fish as it stays nice an moist.

The fish goes over the seasoned Israeli couscous and the sauce on the fish.
Mmmmmmm.

The violet flavor is not at all overwhelming; it's somewhat hard for me to describe. It - don't laugh - tastes a bit purple. It did not taste like perfume and just the slightest like a violet smells.  OK, OK. I know. That is really bad for a description but it is REALLY good. It was truly delicious on this fish and I can see it being just as yummy on vanilla ice cream. The violet paired exceptionally well with the orange juice.

I never said I was an expert. I just know what I like.....



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Disclosure:  I was sent free samples from Devo Olive Oil Co. for my honest review. I received no compensation for this post.

Seduction by M.J. Rose - Blog Tour and Guest Post #SeductionVirtualTour

I am very happy to give you a peak into the novel Seduction with an excerpt from M.J. Rose:

“Imagination is intelligence with an erection.”
― Victor Hugo

Excerpt from SEDUCTION - From Chapter 14

      I imagined you were dreaming your own dream, oblivious that I was even there. And that increased my desire for you. Often the wanting is more satisfying that the fulfillment. I have come to prefer anticipation to satiation. Longing can make one feel alive in more profound way. You see everything through champagne bubbles. Your senses are alert. You imagine how your lover’s lips will feel, how her skin will taste. What it will be like to unbutton her chemise, slip it off her shoulders, press your mouth to her skin, cup her breasts in your palms and feel her excitement harden her nipples. You picture her leaning into you. Showing you just enough of her want ignites yours.

Be sure to read my review and the entire Seduction Tour Schedule

About the Book:

Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Atria Books
Hardcover; 384p
ISBN-10: 1451621507

From the author of The Book of Lost Fragrances comes a haunting novel about a grieving woman who discovers the lost journal of novelist Victor Hugo, awakening a mystery that spans centuries.

In 1843, novelist Victor Hugo’s beloved nineteen-year-old daughter drowned. Ten years later, Hugo began participating in hundreds of séances to reestablish contact with her. In the process, he claimed to have communed with the likes of Plato, Galileo, Shakespeare, Dante, Jesus—and even the Devil himself. Hugo’s transcriptions of these conversations have all been published. Or so it was believed.

Recovering from her own losses, mythologist Jac L’Etoile arrives on the Isle of Jersey—where Hugo conducted the séances—hoping to uncover a secret about the island’s Celtic roots. But the man who’s invited her there, a troubled soul named Theo Gaspard, has hopes she’ll help him discover something quite different—Hugo’s lost conversations with someone called the Shadow of the Sepulcher.

About the Author:

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the ’80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors – Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose’s novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype. She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE. You can also find her on Facebook.

You can read my review of Seduction

You can read my review of The Book of Lost Fragrances

You can purchase Seduction on Amazon.com
You can purchase The Book of Lost Fragrances on Amazon.com

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of Seduction from Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for my honest review. I received no compensation for this post.