Sweet Saturday Mornings

Siennalee is at her easel, thinking the deep thoughts of artists.  "Daddy!  I need you to come hold this flower."

Daddy is on the couch, contentedly watching football. "Why?"

"Because I want to draw a picture of you." 

It's said so sweetly, both parents let out an "awww," and Jason is off the couch in a blink while I grab my camera.  It has, after all, been a while since I've blogged.  And I do so love to capture these sweet moments.

(Photographer's note: Please enjoy the typical-Saturday-ness props in the background.  They are there purely for this Saturday Morning Photo Shoot.  Why yes, yes I am crossing my fingers behind my back...)

Daddy's always a good subject.  Aside from his Boy Hair and beard.

The artist and her creation.

"I don't really know how to do BOY hair," the artist confessed.

The artist posing with her subject.

Then the subject and artist then had to trade places.  (I love the look on her face.)

Not sure if the original subject's creation was what the original artist envisioned, but the photographer sure enjoyed it all.

Good Things: Posts, Cleaners, and Oh Look - a Recipe!

Good Things: some quick reviews on some of the newest - and quite random, I assure you - things I've lately discovered.

1., SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post

SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post

The SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post really is all it proclaims itself to be.  Gunther took to it quickly and in the month or so that we've had it, kitty-cat has generally ignored the other features of the house on which he was starting to sharpen those growing kitty claws.  

The scratching post is quite tall - tall enough that a cat can get in a really good, satisfying stretch as well as (as the picture indicates) do a bit of climbing.  (Please note: the cat in the picture is not my actual cat.)  

We also got the SmartCat Perch for the Ultimate Scratching Post which fits nicely on the top of the post and gives Gunther a place to climb to and, well, perch.  Since the post is so tall, he gets a good view of the house, as well as the birds and activities outside yonder window, and probably feels a smug reinforcement of that overall sense that he does indeed own his home.

The post is covered with a rough, jute-like material that he seems to really enjoy scratching.  

The Ultimate Scratching Post, plus Perch, was in all a bit more spendy than some of the scratching posts out there, but the craftsmanship of this post is so solid and the features so perfectly geared for Gunther that I've no doubt the Ultimate Scratching Post will far outlast most of the other like-minded products on the market.  Two thumbs up!

 

2., Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Products

In an effort to begin to steer my household toward more natural cleaning products, I discovered Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day.  

My first purchase was a countertop spray in a seasonal smell called orange clove and my-oh-my did it make wiping the counters into a whole new experience.  Even before my orange clove counter spray ran out, I was scoping the rest of the Mrs. Meyer's line-up for its replacement.  

Mrs. Meyer's product scent choices are incredible:  basil, lavender, lemon verbena, geranium, and several seasonal offerings.  I have to admit that the geranium scent is a bit too perfume-y for my taste, but I found the others so pleasant that it was very hard to choose.  I finally settled on basil and am very happy with my choice.  I routinely use the countertop spray and have now added the all purpose cleaner to my arsenal of household cleaners.

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day products do run a bit higher price-wise than the routine cleaning product; however, if you price them next to other natural cleaners you'll likely find the cost fairy comparable.  I started out with the countertop spray, just to test out the scent and the quality of cleaning.  As my other cleaners run out, I'll be replacing them with more natural cleaners and will likely continue using the Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day line as cost and cleaning quality continue to line up.

Using Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day products is a treat.  It's a little out-of-the-ordinary way to lend a big something special to a very ordinary thing: cleaning.  You're left with a beautifully clean and extraordinarily scented home. 

3., Recipe: Roast Sticky Chicken - Rotisserie Style

Now, if I'd been consulted prior to the naming of this recipe, Roast Sticky Chicken-Rotisserie Style, I certainly would have pushed for a better - or just plain different - name.  Even now that I've made it, the name is still a quandary.  I get the "roast" part, and the "chicken" is a given, and the "rotisserie style" - yes, also important.  But the "sticky?"  

Let's move on.

This recipe is a fabulous roast chicken recipe.  And yes, it is the closest thing to a rotisserie style chicken (without the actual use of an actual rotisserie, or dropping by the grocery store) that you can get.  And the most important part?  It. Is. Fabulous.  

This is a recipe off allrecipes.com, which has been one of my go-to recipe sites for nearly 8 years now.  The most important part of this recipe is to add the seasoning to the chicken and then let it "marinate" in the fridge for at least 6-8 hours.  (I let mine hang out in the icebox overnight and probably will do it the same way the next time I make this.)  Another key to this recipe, besides letting it "marinate," is to stuff a quartered onion - and I also added a halved head of garlic - into the cavity.  The chicken is going to take a long time to cook - nearly 5 hours at 250 - but it is SO worth it.  (The recipe calls for two small fryers but I used one big one and it still turned out beautifully.) 

If you find yourself suddenly in the market for a smashingly good roast chicken recipe, do try this one.