Hey my Sweet Lifers! One of the easiest to grow and certainly a lovely addition to any garden is chives. They are, with reference to taste, the lightest of the onion family. They are also one of the oldest herbs as they have been cultivated for 5,000 years. Culinarily speaking there’s nothing better on...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! I must say for anyone who tried to keep a garden growing during this heat wave we have had…CONGRATS! I admit I cleared the beds and prepped them for fall and perhaps even this spring. With the critters nibbling whatever they can to stay sustained in this heat I left...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! Well I spent most of the tail end of my summer and into fall stomping up and down the roads all along 30A in Florida. There are so many parks and unspoiled sea lines it’s breath taking. A peaceful and preserved place for every creature great and small to live...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! Hope ya’ll are digging in and prepping those beds for some fall harvesting. I have prepped and added nutrients to all my beds and will start sprinkling some seeds over the next few weeks for radishes, beets, carrots and collards. One of my favorites to grow and use in the...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! Oh I just love watching HGTV and my mother in law did too. Both of us have always had a knack and passion for decorating and for me, a sincere appreciation for old houses. I got the chance to spend some time in Laurel Mississippi as B and I have...
Lean in and let the cultivation for knowledge begin! August 2023 Hey my Sweet Lifers! Tis the season to cultivate and learn. I smell the inside of books and spilling ink as we roll into August and see...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! Boy do I love cilantro…like I use it in all meals starting with on my eggs for breakfast and in my pasta dishes and with every meat! I tried growing it over the past several years and every time I tried to it would look real nice for about two...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! I hope all of ya’ll are having a wonderful start to summer. I have been enjoying mine most thoroughly. I’ve been learning a lot about what seeds to sow and when to do so in the flower garden and watching things sprout up and grow has been quite satisfying. The...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! About ten years ago a neighbor asked me if I would like some aloe vera for my garden. I was barely wet under the ears with my gardening skills and I planted the tiny little things under a tree out in what is now the Sweet Life Garden. Over the...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! First of this year I was scrolling my social feed and a painting struck my eye. It was done by an artist who I have admired and am friends with and something about it spoke immediately to me. Something that can be interpreted as a feeling that it must be...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! I was recently having a conversation with one of my dear friends and she asked me to go to a party. Well she “sort of” asked actually. Our conversation went like this. My friend started off by stating that she wanted to have a party and she wanted me to...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! Recently, I saw a post from a dear friend regarding a perished bee having fallen prey to the hand of an unscrupulous person who thought it swell to put pesticides on their dandelions. Dandelions are not weeds! In the spring, they are some of the first flowers to feed the...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! If you ever thought you were the one to choose your fur babies let me just tell you they choose you. Recently, I went out to bring in my girls, Sasha and Angela for the night; and each time I called their names I heard a loud “meeeeeow!” in response...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! I don’t think there’s anyone except my great Aunt Melda Lee that doesn’t like garlic. I shared a recipe with her years ago for my collards and I had barely gotten garlic out of my mouth as one of the ingredients when she twisted up her face and grimaced! I...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! On a rather brisk day in February back in 1976 I received a bike for my birthday. I remember wondering as I wobbled on the seat and with hands shaking held on tight to the handlebars, if I would ever not be afraid of getting up on that contraption! A...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! There are many things I love about having a garden. One is the ability to walk outside and pick fresh daily items to use for my recipes. I suppose if I did not love to cook this would not be as pleasurable. What I love perhaps the most is when...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! I’m guessing that most of you celebrated the holidays and got to spend time with those you love; hope so anyway! I have been asking my little’s coming in for their visits what their best gift ever was that they got for Christmas and I have been getting a lot...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! Hope ya’ll had a marvelous and merry holiday! There are many flowers that serve as both a beauty and as a handy helper to plant in your garden. One of these is calendula, also known as Pot -Marigold and Poor Man’s Saffron. It is, in my opinion one of the...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! Whatcha got planned for 2023? Many of us have been doing a lot for a lot of people for a very long time, years go by and in the haste of living…some dreams get lost or left behind. While some of that stuff has mattered, essential to the sheer running...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! If you’re feeling like you want to up your game in home cooking then might I suggest growing some tarragon. This herb has the ability to “elevate” dishes to the next level. Considered one of the four fine herbs in French cooking, it plays well with fish, chicken and pork. ...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! Of all the herbs I grow parsley is the one that I can never get enough of. I grow it everywhere and as soon as the root forms I move it to the main garden so it can flower and spread it’s seeds for even more! Parsely is a member...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! During a roadtrip back from North Carolina it struck me as we were wandering around in the Blue Ridge Parkway and through various states, there’s a lot of things you miss when you fly. Things that you should stumble upon and allow yourself some time to enjoy…others that make you...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! I must say it does feel a bit strange finding oneself playing bridge in the middle of an afternoon on a weekday. Most people give me a look when I say I am busy on this particular day and then tell them why. They then proceed to say things that...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! This summer has really poured a lot of hurting on the garden. We have set records by having the hottest one since 1913. As you can imagine some herbs survive and even thrive in that kind of temperatures; while others said “adios!” Because I do so much cooking, preserving and...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! Peppermint is one of the oldest herbs we have. It has been found in the pyramids in Egypt and apparently deemed useful not only for the living but for the dead as well. Mint was also used as a trading commodity. The word “mint” traces back to the actual minting...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! I just got clocked by a hornet in my armpit in the sweet life garden! I know, what a way to intro my column this month, but keep reading and it will make sense and perhaps even make you smile. I am constantly being reminded of the fact that at...
Het my Sweet Lifers! One of the most versatile herbs to have in your garden is thyme. There are more than 400 different species used from culinary to medicinal to just fabulously decorative. The tiny petite flowers are a pretty addition to plates and the scent is lovely when making floral arrangements from your...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! There’s a running joke between me and my oldest and best friend about when to buy things. Not the items that everybody needs eventually like furniture, appliances and houses, but the personal stuff that makes life a little sweeter. You know… the pocket books, and jewelry, clothes and as of...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! I hope that somewhere tucked in a bookcase or perhaps hanging on your wall there’s a piece of art that has been created either by you, a dear friend or by someone in your family. As all of you know, both my parents...
Hey my Sweet Lifer’s! Today is a day for all of us Star Wars™ fans to celebrate not only the actual movies that have captured our hearts and entertained millions over the years but to fully embrace what the series really means. It is about good vs. bad… right vs.wrong… evil not winning over...
The Sweet Life Gardener Basil June 2022 Hey my Sweet Lifers! Of all the herbs for...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! By now all of you should have gotten beds prepped and made some decisions about what you’d like to grow in your own gardens. I have been busy as well getting seedlings hardened off and ready to go into the main beds they were planned for. I have in the...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! Ya’ll know March is National Literacy Awareness month in celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday I hope. He is still one of my favorite author’s with his “Green Eggs and Ham” reigning in at numero uno in my memory banks of childhood. My God mother still mentions it every time I...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! There are so many challenges to think about when planning a garden, like understanding the way the sun lands throughout the day, the quality of the soil, and rotation and location annually. Unless it lives in the Sweet Life Garden year round, each year every bed is delicately and thoughtfully...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! What is this thing called LOVE? Over the years countless sonnets, stories and songs have been written on the subject and through searching for the answer to the question of love, yet another answer most profound reveals itself. The answer to the question “What is the meaning of life!”The Apostle...
Gardening in Texas February 2022 Hey my Sweet Lifers! I love to plant...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! Every now and then something happens that makes you stop and realize there’s always an angel on your shoulder. Always. Over the years I have referred to these experiences as “God Winks” that reassure us that we are headed in the right direction and cast a warm feeling on what...
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Hey my Sweet Lifers! How are you? Are you happy? I know, there’s always a lot going on and what kind of question is it to ask someone “Are you happy,” anyway? Happiness is a fundamental part of living a sweet life and the way to achieving it might be simpler than you think. ...
Who is the luxury traveler? In my conversations with families over the years, planing experiences and balancing budgets for vacationing; the subject of luxury always comes up. Many people think that luxury travel means expensive travel, this is not necessarily so. What does luxury mean for you? For many it means paying a premium...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! There are many lessons about life taught daily in a garden. One of the more poignant lessons for me has been watching and waiting and observing just how things work with God and faithfulness in His timing. l marvel at the harmony amongst vegetables and flowers and insects that live...
Hey there! I bet everyone is just like me thinking about their next adventure. It seems I have as much fun in the planning of a vacation for either my own family or yours as I do actually doing the vacation or getting texts and pictures from ya’ll showing me what fun you are...
Hey there my Sweet Lifer’s! The Sweet Scoop is a monthly one on one with me taking you through what I have been doing behind the scenes and giving you my opinion, advice, thank you’s to viewers and of course “Sweet Vibes!” We are going to be talking about how to be sweet both...
My 2021 Book Club is essentially what I am reading this year. So often I get asked what are you reading and every year I try to mix up what I call “brain candy” with lots of business stuff. There’s also that stack of gardening, cooking, decorating, and psychology magazines that I find myself...
Hey Sweet Lifers! I am with my dearest friend Micheal Segura who is a decorator and designer at Craftex. He has been throwing sprays and making ribbons turn into beautiful bows for years and together we show you how to make a simple pumpkin table craft for fall. His floral arrangements are simply to...
Hey there Sweet Lifers! I am showing you how to take a plain grapevine wreath and make a fall decor for your front door. The entrance to your home should give some clues as to what it’s like to live there and in this episode I show you how to make a wreath and...
In this episode Alisa shows you how to make a designer looking doorscape using easy and budget friendly items. Shows full creation and installation tips on the how to’s of fall home decor. This is part one of her Fall Decor and more series. Want access to all of my columns and lifestyle tips?https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/wVRcgMV/sweetlife...
Hey Sweet Lifers! Here’s a FAST SNACK that you can make with the children. It’s the ever favorite crispy treat molded into balls and transformed to cute pumpkins for fall!You’ll need:5 cups of cereal4 tubs of whipped marshmallowsbutterfood coloringgreen pipeable icingrollo candieswax paper What you’ll do:combine the cereal into the mellow mixture add in...
Hey there my Sweet Lifers! Well Santa stopped by as I am one of his HEAD Elves and had some christmas cookies and we made a chocolate martini before stepping into our “Martini Talk!” Here’s how to make a chocolate martini real fast!You’ll need:Martini GlassesIceYour favorite VodkaYour favorite Chocolate liquor ( I always use...
Hey Sweet Lifers! I have discovered a fast easy fix to those avocados that always seem to ripen before I can use them. In this episode I show you how to pickle them so they will last a little longer. Want access to all of my columns and lifestyle tips?https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/wVRcgMV/sweetlifewebsite: http:/www.alisamurray.com 713-598-2207alisamurray@yahoo.com...
In this episode Alisa shows you how to make a absolutely scrumptious peach, raspberry and jalapeño jam. Taking fruits from harvest to preservation is as important as growing them yourself! You’ll seee how easy not is to make a jam that can be used on brie, bread, crackers, and as a sauce over chicken...
In this episode Alisa shows you how to can properly tomatoes using the water bath preserving method. She takes you through the steps from sterilizing the jars and lids and seals to blanching and peeling and then shows you hot to make those tomatoes last through the fall. Want access to all of my...
Chocolate LOVERS rejoice! Here’s how to make a buttermilk fudge pie!There really isn’t anything better in life is it? This easy recipe will have you enjoying pie in a few hours. My family loves it with fresh whipping cream infused with either vanilla, almond or my magnolia syrup! You will need:3 eggs2 cups of...
Hey Sweet Lifers! I show you how to save the herb garden and freeze them so you have for fall recipes! It’s easy and less expensive than trying to find herbs once their season is over. We gather from the garden what’s left and preserve them in olive oil cubes for soups, sauces and...
Hey Sweet Lifers! For many years I have been the artist for so many families and those children come to see me when they are born and all throughout their childhood’s. I become a part of their family as they do mine and we spend a lot of time together doing things that are...
This year marks my 15th anniversary writing my column Living the Sweet Life. This year also marks my 50th. As a way of reflection and remembrance this year’s Sweet Life will be a continuous study of Aristotle’s 12 virtues and how they are applied to my life. Enjoy! Ambition is defined as “a...
Yes, you read that title correctly! In the most outlandish time for feasting each year I began to think about what a detox would look like…especially during the holidays. With that in mind I discovered that it’s really 12 days and it’s not scary at all and even may perhaps start off the new...
There’s lots of reasons we send flowers, usually for a celebration of a holiday or season and in all cases when someone dies. Flowers signify a gesture of caring and thoughtfulness but did you know each flower has historical heritage tracing back specific meanings for both the sender and the receiver? During the reign...
Have you ever kept a diary? I remember getting those cute little one’s that had a lock and key back through my teen years. I would actually use mine to make lists and goals for myself and sometimes jot down stuff that I did not want to forget. In college I had to keep...
In the Garden it’s time to plant fall tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, kale and lettuce varieties. Mulch and till in manure to ensure a nutrient rich soil that will feed the plants as we go onto the cooler months. Refurbish around the pool with new annuals like petunias that like it a little cooler mixed...
That was a question that I asked myself recently. By “Him” I mean GOD of course, and my reasons were many. Most of us who are Christians are trained and taught to pray and for the most part...
If there’s ever been a place that from the moment you walk in you feel like you’ve been there before and there’s a sense of “home” then Turquoise Grill located at Sugar Land Town Square Plaza, 16019 City Walk, Sugar Land, TX is the place. I remember several years ago walking in...
When booking luxury travel, there are several attributes that catapult the 5 stars of fine properties apart .Yes it’s their service and impeccable attention to detail that takes a property experience from a 4 to a 5+, but its also most often exclusivity by the way of seclusion, fine dining and opportunities...
You and I are nature. We are not some separate entity detached from it. We are in this world to make a positive impact and it is when we loose our consecutiveness to nature that we essentially loose ourselves and our purpose. I wrote earlier this year about the last of the white rhino...
Have you noticed how different a text or email is from an actual call or face to face conversation? Lately I have been especially keen to pay attention and try to add a nuance or three so that my communication is not misread or worse still misinterpreted! I am always cheerful when I meet...
Top 10 Things to do in the month of May Go to your local garden center or online and purchase some Mexican olive trees, avocados and oranges. Now is the time to get new trees planted and don’t forget to prune the herbs and freeze them in ice cube trays for use later. If...
If your like me, the guest potty is the perfect opportunity to shine as a host. I love to add pressed hand towels that reflect the season coupled with homemade hand soap. It’s a nice touch with a little vase of freshly picked flowers from my garden, to show your guests that you care...
How’s your Facebook lately? Been checking in on your Instagram? Has it just been my feeds or have you also realized that all those sites are starting to blend together and much of what is on there is nothing more than a place for our friends and family to show off? There are...
Lent comes each year and I spend those weeks, as so many of us do, fasting from some things that I like coupled with reflecting on my life; contemplating what I can improve both spiritually and physically. After all of that time in a reflective state, my mind looks joyfully towards a time to...
Who do you love? When you think about your life do you have a clear understanding of the role that love plays for you? I know that I do. Love is the theme of this month’s issue and me and my Valentine are your cover. Inside that story is a tale of a great...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! Well, it’s hard to believe but the studio is celebrating it’s 25th year this month! Kinda crazy right?! I thought so too, but when I look back on everything we have captured it all started to seem very real. The years have flown by and my littles are either all...
Hey my Sweet Lifers! There’s one herb in my garden that is appreciated more than any other by my sweet life cats and it is of course, catnip. I planted a small amount of it at the edge of the steps a few years back and now it is a huge plant that brings...
