Wait. This is retirement?

Wait. This is retirement? Homestead life, sourdough, gardening, slower mornings & discovering what retirement is really like. Marine veteran (Wendy) and Navy veteran (Ray)

🍋 One of my favorite meals to make lately… Chicken Piccata.I picked up these fresh noodles at a farmers market (I think ...
05/22/2026

🍋 One of my favorite meals to make lately… Chicken Piccata.

I picked up these fresh noodles at a farmers market (I think they may have been lemon basil? Someone help me if you know 😄).

One thing I’ve learned with piccata—thin chicken makes all the difference. I slice the chicken breast in half and gently flatten it until it’s thin and wide so it cooks quickly and stays tender.

Then comes the best part… buttery lemon sauce, capers, and all those bright flavors over fresh pasta.

Next challenge: I want to try making the noodles myself someday 🍝

Do you make Chicken Piccata… and if so, do you serve it over pasta, potatoes, or something else?

☕🍂 Coffee with a little story behind it…On our trip to Belize, I brought home cacao and finally decided to turn it into ...
05/22/2026

☕🍂 Coffee with a little story behind it…

On our trip to Belize, I brought home cacao and finally decided to turn it into something cozy.

So I mixed up a small batch of a little coffee blend experiment:

🍫 Cacao from our trip to Belize
🍁 Cinnamon
✨ Nutmeg
🫚 Ginger
🤎 Just a tiny pinch of ground clove

Finished with whipped cream and a sprinkle on top ☕

Funny how travel has a way of finding its way back into your kitchen.

Would you try this?

My great nephew is arriving soon and I decided to try making my first diaper cake 🤠🐎I had no idea how much work goes int...
05/21/2026

My great nephew is arriving soon and I decided to try making my first diaper cake 🤠🐎

I had no idea how much work goes into one of these little creations…but honestly I loved every minute of imagining him arriving and adding all the little details.

He’s already got cowboy boots, a bandana, woodland buddies…and apparently people are already asking if it’s too soon for a pony 😂🐴

Anyone else ever make a diaper cake? I’d love to see yours ❤️

Leaving my plants for a long winter slumber in Michigan was harder than I expected…especially knowing this was our longe...
05/21/2026

Leaving my plants for a long winter slumber in Michigan was harder than I expected…especially knowing this was our longest winter away and fully accepting I might come home to a plant memorial service 🫣🌱

Before we left, I set up a few DIY self-watering systems and crossed my fingers.

Results?
🪴 A few still haven’t forgiven me.
🪴 A few love me again 💕
🪴 And a few are still deciding if they’ll speak to me.

Granted…several were succulents (aka the overachievers 😏), but I was honestly surprised how many pulled through.

Swipe through for the survivors, the drama queens, and the plants currently negotiating terms of our relationship 😂, several more are not pictured (3 year old poinsettia still hanging on strong)

⬇️ See comments for which houseplants are said to offer the greatest benefits.

Peace lily, philodendron, dracaena, and schefflera can be toxic to pets if chewed.

PS: I always keep a small pail of potting soil inside for topping off plants or quick transplanting. And those little green collapsible transplant mats? SO handy for keeping soil off the counters and floors.

🍓🥪 My mom made me this lunch bag when I was in 4th grade… and somehow it survived school lunches AND my working years 😂(...
05/21/2026

🍓🥪 My mom made me this lunch bag when I was in 4th grade… and somehow it survived school lunches AND my working years 😂
(Second photo is approximately the era ❤️)

Back then she was always creating something… appliqué, sewing, tole painting (especially strawberries 🍓)… all those handmade touches that made a house feel like home.

And apparently she made things to LAST because I actually kept using this “brown bag” lunch bag long after elementary school.

Funny how something that seemed so ordinary at the time becomes one of the things you treasure most years later ❤️

Anyone else still have something handmade by their mom or grandma… or something you kept using WAY longer than expected?

I didn’t fully understand the difference between freeze dried and dehydrated foods… until recently 😂anybody else??So bas...
05/20/2026

I didn’t fully understand the difference between freeze dried and dehydrated foods… until recently 😂anybody else??

So basically:

🥶 Freeze dried = frozen first, then moisture removed with a special machine
• keeps shape/color better
• lighter/crisp texture
• longer shelf life
• rehydrates really well
• think astronaut ice cream 🚀

☀️ Dehydrated = slow heat removes moisture
• chewier texture
• more concentrated flavor
• great for herbs, fruits, onion powder, soup mixes, etc.

Homestead learning continues over here 😅

What’s your favorite thing to freeze dry or dehydrate? 👀

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