1 Time to take your compost and sew minerals into your garden area so the soil is rich in nutrients for seeds in the next few months. If you’re really wanting a boost I’ll suggest going over to Southern Breeze and find Cathy Strobel the owner and ask her of a pile of manure. Your vegetables will be thanking you for it!
2 Purchase a membership to the Museum of Fine Art and take your children to see movies and exhibits. Buy them sketch books and pencils and make a art date each month all year long. This will foster a love for the arts and gift them with the knowledge they will need to hold meaningful intellectual conversations as adults.
3 In your kitchen take heirloom tomatoes purchased and seed them, plant into tiny pods and prepare them to sprout so that in a few short weeks of caring for them inside they’ll be ready for your spring garden.
4 On my nightside table now is an old favorite Memories of my Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Make Me by Lee Child. The first is an old favorite that you will enjoy and as February is the month of love…a nice go to. I’m in the middle of a mess with the characters right now on Lee’s book so I’ll let you know later.
5 Take all the curtains down and straight away to be cleaned, wash the baseboards and check all bike’s tires to make sure as soon as the days get a little nicer you can readily hop onto one for an afternoon sip of fresh air.
6 Make a big pot of homemade spaghetti and afterwards turn it into my homemade vegetable soup. Both dishes are hearty and feel good during these hot then cold again Houston winter days.
7 Plan a Spring break for each of your family members. Younger children might enjoy a trip to grandmas and the older set might enjoy a staycation filled with tickets to the movies, trips to Schlitterbahn and bowling.
8 Decorate using moss and little vases filled with fresh tiny flowers and ferns. Even though we are still in winter it doesn’t have to feel that way when you sit down for a warm meal.
9. Start making little Easter baskets to take to the battered women’s shelter
10 While it’s still fairly reasonably temperate in the attic start tackling going through boxes and sort out stuff to give away this spring!
Auntie A’s Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup
I often make one great dish and then a few days later turn it into another something tasty. This reconstitution of food keeps my family happy with variety (who wants to eat leftovers anyway?) and budget in check. For my spaghetti recipe go to Alisamurraystheartistspalate.com
You’ll need: Leftover spaghetti
1 bag of frozen corn
1 bag of frozen baby green lima beans
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 purple onion diced
3 cloves of fresh garlic diced
A hand-full of oregano and a sprinkle of thyme
Pour the thick leftover spaghetti into a pan and dump in all ingredients add water tip it looks like soup and simmer for about 30 mins until frozen veggies are done
While your waiting slice sharp cheddar cheese and place on buttered french baguettes and place in 350 until cheese is melted…by then and just in time that homemade soup will be ready!
Bon Appetit!
~ (use my signature)
