Though I love sharing new recipes, I’ll have to admit this is one we’ve done many many times. Not just for Thanksgiving, but really any time Dane decides he wants to smoke a bird on his Big Green Egg.

​We usually then use the meat in many dishes that week. Last week we smoked a small Turkey, and used it in Turkey sliders and a Turkey Tetrazzini recipe that were so good. 

There’s no question that Thanksgiving will look different to many of us this year. But with smaller gatherings, or even just to pull out all the stops to help us forget the hell of 2020 for one night, why not serve a smoked Turkey for Thanksgiving this year? Although this brine is great for roasted turkeys too!

Happy Thanksgiving from my family to yours! 

Here in St. Louis, we're still experiencing temps in the 70's. Well, this week anyway. Next week looks to be a range between 63 and 55. From there, who knows? It's the midwest so you know what they say, "if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes".

Anyway, with cooler weather coming (hopefully to stay awhile), I've been looking around the interior of our home to see which projects I want to tackle during the colder months. Ideally, I guess it makes most sense to start on the main level of the home. But when inspiration hits, you gotta run with it! Hey there, laundry room.

Our laundry room now is worlds better than our laundry room at Dresden. However, there is the serious issue of poor space planning. When the previous flippers came up with their laundry room floor plan design. they set it up to where the washer and dryer were the main feature of the room. They're the focal point. However, they didn't take into account the inaccessible space they created on either side of them. 

The only thing I know for sure is that the new countertop will be wooden. Aside from the reason that it's the cheaper of the options since Dane can make it for us, it also makes it customizable. I plan to stretch the length of the existing countertop and take it all the way to the wall. However, if possible, I'd like to have a custom cut and a hinge installed so that I can make use of the inaccessible space under it. Maybe a laundry sorter? 

I'll also need suggestions for the dead space on the other side of the washer. Right now it's a storage shelf with a rod for hanging clothes to dry. However, I'm short and my washer is tall...so I can't easily reach the items in the back. I'm thinking of maybe making that space a laundry basket storage area? I'll be taking this convo over to our Instagram for suggestions, so put your creative caps on!

Can you believe it's November already?! I feel like I'm in shock with each passing month. And although Fall is my most favorite season of them all, I'm a little sad that the gardening season is coming to an end. ​

I spent my Spring in quarantine learning all about gardening, my Summer was spent learning more about gardening and updating my front landscape, and now that I'm in the Fall, I want to keep going with a vegetable garden. 

But in my Zone 6, it isn't advised to keep going much longer. If you don't know which zone you're in, enter your zip code here.

The ideal time to plant spring bulbs is in the Fall, but when exactly depends largely on where you live. Spring blooming bulbs need about 12-14 weeks of colder weather in order to stimulate root growth. 

Fun Fact: These bulbs were my Great-Grandmother's! I love that if taken care of, these bulbs can be passed down generation to generation. Now, let's hope I can keep them going.

To plant your bulbs, you'll want to dig a hole according to the label on your purchased bulb bag. Because these specific bulbs were passed down generations, there wasn't a label. So I went down about 5 inches, which was the recommended depth for a few other bulbs I planted in our front landscape. 

Once the hold is dug, you want to set the bulb with the pointed side up. However, if you can't get your bulb to stand properly, don't stress. You can also lay your bulb on it's side and it'll find it's way. 

If planting alongside a hard surface such as a sidewalk, wall, or container, be sure to place your bulb enough away from that hard surface so that it doesn't freeze over the winter. The soil around it will help keep it warm.

When your bulbs are set and your hole is filled back up, consider using a barrier such as chicken wire to help keep squirrels from snacking on your newly planted bulbs. I cut sections of chicken wire up with wire cutters and placed them on top of my bulbs, securing with landscaping pins I found at my local hardware store. 

The quickest and easiest answer is your local hardware store's garden center. I found so many options and varieties it was hard to choose. But go early in the season if you can. A lot of people in your community will likely have the same idea.

If shopping online is more your speed, here are a few sites that I've personally explored. These bulbs go quicker than a dropped crumb in my house, so be sure to set your calendars for next year!