Learning curve

I wanted a pond for water plants and fish.  Paul wanted a better way to collect rain water for the garden.  So he bought a 8ft stock tank.  Pipes feed water from the gutters into the tank.  The tank sits over the original cistern that was built for the original farmhouse.  He put in an overflow valve to flow into the cistern.

Next came gold fish and pond plants.....

And finally the fish high rise.  It took them a few days to figure it out but now they love it!

Paul says it's a reverse glass bottom boat.  They can view the outside world from another angle.

We can't wait to share it with Olivia!



Ginger syrup recipe

I love club soda; I love ginger ale; but I just discovered how much I love ginger syrup.  It's so easy.  I can pour it in my club soda to make my own ginger ale, or add it to my iced tea.  My first batch I made with Stevia, but from now on I will use real sugar.  It's definitely worth the calories.  I found the recipe on epicurious.

ingredients:
3 cups water   
2 cups surgar
2 cups thinly slice fresh ginger (1/2 lb; from a 10-inch piece), left unpeeled

Bring water, surgar, and ginger to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan, then stir until sugar is dissolved.  Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes.  Pour ginger syrup through a sieve into a bowl, discarding ginger.  Chill, covered at least 2 hours. 

Syrup keeps, covered and chilled, 2 weeks.

I wonder how it would taste added to my iced tea with bourbon.  I will definitely do the research.

In a perfect world....

I would live in a farm house like this.....

You can see more pictures here: http://www.dwell.com/articles/Hope-Floats.html