I made this arrangement from maiden grass in our yard! This is my first time using the grass inside. I am not sure if it will last or just fall apart. Does anyone know? It is beautiful in the meantime!

As you saw in my previous posts, I have been drying herbs to store them whole and ground. It was time to clear out the garden until next year but our herbs looked so good still so I decided to bring them inside to have fresh herbs all winter. The fragrance they bring to the kitchen is better than any candle! In addition to the aloe plant, we have sage, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. I didn't plan to keep the chives in the bottom left but at the last minute I found a pot and will see how they do inside.

This is the porch Bobby designed and built. We had the front of our house in remodeling mode a lot of the summer with the new driveway and porch, so we did not do much landscaping. Today we redesigned the beds and mulched to create a canvas for my Fall decor in the coming days. Normally I am not a fan of red mulch but since we have a reddish roof and reddish shutters I think it looks great and makes our white house and porch pop. 

Today, we gathered our final garden harvest (in between crazy careers, house purchase, house remodel, kid in year-round sports, and a new chicken family). 

This is not an end. It's a reward for persevering. The colors of our harvest are still beautiful on this dreary chilly day. Some plants were neglected with our focus on a kitchen remodel, new porch, new driveway, and celebrating  triples and touchdowns. One of my favorite quotes "There is always, always something to be thankful for."

Stay tuned as I learn to love weather below 85 degrees, grow to know that an end is not an end, just a different perspective. And oh geez, maybe even see the purpose of sitting on ice fishing. 

I wanted to try growing rainbow carrots from seed. Bobby built me a raised bed for carrots and cucumber since we didn't have room in our garden. Then we bought chickens...

While trying to learn what our girls liked, I grabbed a carrot top (in addition to sweet potato vine, celery leaves, clover, herbs) and they went CRAZY over carrot tops. I love our girls so much I decided to let the carrots grow and use their tops as a treat. 

We are now cleaning up our garden for fall and I pulled our carrots. 

I am wondering if these can still be salvaged even though we left them in longer to feed the girls. Next year we will have to grow two carrot crops - one for the hens and one for us. 

Adrian is our Plymouth Rock, Ruby is our Rhode Island Red, Hennifer is our Easter Egger. They are spoiled beyond belief!

I love working from home. I can go to the coop during breaks and really spend time with nature and what makes me rejuvenate. I am blessed!

This is Ruby. She is our day old chick that really needed extra lovin'. Now she is confident and loves me right back.  

Our girls love grasshoppers so we added some to their coop decor. Bob didn’t like that the coop roof was green and the run roof was white so new roof it is on the coop! He also built them a perch they love.
I’m a little jealous they have sand and a turquoise water wall in their house.

Every time I say we are done and I can post the reveal, I think of more things to add to the coop :)
Click Read More to continue.
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I am still adding touches but it is close enough to reveal.

To recap, Bobby custom-designed and built the large chicken run to accent our already existing chicken coop. We painted the run and coop grey to match our shed and color scheme of the house. The coop was barn red when we got it. I liked it because it matched our roof and shutters on the house but once we built the run we knew it needed changed. 

Since Bobby and his dad want to eat my girls, we all agreed (yes, Terry you agreed to this too!) that my 3 girls will be our laying hens, and we will add meat chickens to the flock. I won't name the meat chickens or get attached to them like I am to Ruby, Adrian, and Hennifer (seen below)

Our baby chicks will stay in the Chick Shack and our larger chickens will stay in the run where Bobby will be adding laying boxes aka The Hen House.  The sun was so bright when we took the pictures, it makes the coop look brown but it's grey as you can see in the above pic of Bobby in it. 

We chose teal blue water as the backdrop for the coop. We honeymooned in the Gulf of Mexico and this little pop of color adds so much charm to our backyard!

I am so proud of Bobby for his workmanship and making everything fit just right in the space. It made decorating so easy and fun. Our girls are loving it. They are a little over 6 weeks old and should be giving us eggs at 4-6 months. 

Another sneak peak. We honeymooned in the Gulf of Mexico and the turquoise clear water was breathtaking. So we brought a piece of it into the coop. Ruby couldn't wait to check out what we did. 

Believe it or not, there are people who take their chickens to the beach. Just sayin'

Check back for the final reveal soon! 

Our girls (Adrian, Hennifer, and Ruby) will be 6 weeks old tomorrow and are growing so fast! Bobby designed a run for them and started building it. Check back for the finished product in a couple weeks!! 

We were sitting outside enjoying the progress of our chicken run Bobby is building and something landed in my hair. I thought it was a grasshopper when I grabbed it but it was the most beautiful baby praying mantis. 
It is not green like most. My insect friends, what exactly is this? Is it in fact a praying mantis?

God's beauty and grace never ceases to amazing us. 

Thanks Terri for the info on what type of praying mantis this is!! (see comment below)

In our previous blog post, we dried herbs and stored them whole. Storing them whole is said to keep the flavor longer then grinding or crushing them. We have plenty of herbs so we decided to experiment and store them crushed for Round 2. 

We dried the same herbs as last time - Rosemary, Oregano, Sweet Basil, Thyme, and Sage. This time we added Chives. More on chives later in this post. (Click Read More to continue)
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We hung our herbs in a dark dry area of our lower level we use as a pantry. We found drying them at least three weeks works best. Some of our herbs have large leaves (Sage and Sweet Basil) and they were not ready in two weeks. 

To keep the process as authentic as possible, we used a mortar and pestle set to crush the herbs. The entire process took a little over an hour. With something automated like a Magic Bullet, the process could have taken 20 minutes. There is something about using your own hands that makes it more gratifying even if it does take longer. However, if you do not like to see or feel herbs in your food, you may want to elect to grind the herbs with a blender/grinder.

Do you have experience drying chives and know why ours turned brown? Leave us a comment below. I am wondering if we dried them too long. The other herbs took 3+ weeks but maybe the chives did not need that long. We hung a new bunch today to dry and are going to remove them in two weeks to see if that makes a difference. The aroma in the jar is amazing but the sight of brown chives is not appetizing. Open to suggestions!

Here is the finished product!! We used small mason jars and they are just so cute! I love them! If you recall our previous post where we stored them whole, we made labels for each jar. These jars are small so we opted for labels on the back with the initial of each herb. I am imagining Bobby and Sage rearranging them to spell things that mom won't approve of... maybe initials were not a good idea.

Farm to table is our ultimate goal. We started with a garden now we have moved on to hens for farm fresh eggs. (Click Read More)

With limited backyard space, we researched and decided on a Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock, and Easter Egger. All are docile and good with kids. We especially wanted an Easter Egger for the green/blue eggs. Our teenager is seeking protein daily so what a better solution than going to a coop and gathering some eggs to scramble! Don't forget about the yummy herbs in  our garden to add to scrambled eggs.

The chicks were mailed through the post office to us! When they arrived at our local post office they called us laughing that our chickens were here. You could hear them chirping in the box and it was so adorable!! ​

The first night they stayed in a pet stroller in our bedroom. They grow fast and by a week old they were in the coop. 

Two weeks later they have tripled their size. Adrian is the black Plymouth Rock, Ruby is the Rhode Island Red photobombing, and Hennifer is the Easter Egger. We love our girls and they are spoiled!

We have learned to multi-task and be creative with a teenager involved in many sports. We were in a baseball tournament in Warren County, Ohio but instead of staying in a team hotel we looked for a campground nearby. We found Winton Woods Campground and it didn't disappoint!! www.greatparks.org/parks/winton-woods/winton-woods-campground

Between games and at night we had fun at the campground. It was very clean, had a store, and everyone was kind and respectful at the campsites.  Add this one to your list! 

Cooking with fresh herbs makes even a basic meal taste yummy. 

This year we added an herb garden to our backyard vegetable garden. It was so fun going to our 'own store' each night to gather seasonings for dinner, or even breakfast! Scrambled eggs with fresh basil, oregano, and thyme is delicious! The health benefits to each are amazing too! (click Read More)

If you haven't experimented with growing herbs, do it! It is easy peasy and they require little care, which is great for us since we are on the go with sports and vacations. 

We finished baseball season and are heading into Fall football season so I wanted to try drying herbs to keep them once the plants started to die. I researched grinding and storing versus storing them whole. I decided to store them whole because the flavor is supposed to last longer. 

It took about 3 weeks for them to dry hanging in our basement/pantry. I put them in mason jars with erasable labels so everything can be reused (reused, repurposed, and recycled is great!) It is very convenient to have our herbs ready to go as we cook. We normally do not follow recipes and experiment with this and that. ​

If you have questions about herbs or drying, reach out to us. Our email is kathynbob@blivelyoutdoors.com

There have been so many wonderful things happening for us I haven't had time to post about them. We've been to Siesta Key more times than I can count, we purchased a house, which included doing a demo the day after we closed, making it 'our Home'. 

Sports was hectic for Sage, our Freshman (now Sophomore), and we've spent time with all of grandchildren: Zoo lights with Gabby, Zane, and Hank and spent Christmas with Maverick. 

I (Kathy) started a new job that allows me to work in conservation, Bobby has been promoted in his job with bountiful opportunities.  

We are blessed and I don't want to lose sight of why we started bLivelyOutdoors. It is not a coincidence that once we started giving to others and fighting for our children's future and our land, we were rewarded beyond measure. 

I will be updating more in the near future.  Thank you for your gracious following and encouraging words.

Love y'all!

When we were planning our trip to Siesta Key area for our honeymoon we joked about wanting to know where the sharks were - so we could avoid them!

​We quickly became passionate about their behavior, travel, and conservation efforts. Our favorite site is www.ocearch.org/tracker/. You can download the app and track you favorite sharks. 

You can also track sea turtles, swordfish, whale sharks, and sea lions.

It was only fitting that Santa brought Bobby an OCEARCH tshirt.

We spent November participating in 3 Turkey Shoots. 

The Union County Sheriff's Office holds an annual Turkey Shoot as a fundraiser.  Bob grew up going to Turkey Shoots with his dad but this was my first one. 

I didn't participate this year. I don't have a 20 gauge yet and I am not able to use a 12 gauge due to a shoulder issue. I had fun cheering on Bob and learning the ropes and tricks of the trade. 

There is no need to take your own ammo unless you are participating in the clay shooting. 

Union County had 10 shooters per round. The prize was a $20 gift card from Meijer (to buy a turkey). It is $5 a shot but you can get in an event worth money and that is $10 a shot. 

Bobby signed up for the first round for $5 to win a turkey. And Yep! He Won!!! 

At this shoot, everyone gets their ammo from a deputy and waits for the "Fire" call. 

Bob went on to win another round and we left with two $20 gift cards! I am so proud of him!

Next up was a county on the other side of Columbus - Fairfield County.

We found a new stomping ground with a great group of people at a fish and game club in Fairfield County. They hold several Turkey Shoots a year and this was our first time attending one at this location. The President of the Club welcomed us and explained the rules. 

Instead of signing up for which shoot you want (ham, turkey, combo, money) you get what is available when you get to the window to buy your ticket. Again, it is $5 a shot or $10 for money shoots and combo shoots. In a combo shoot, you win a ham, a turkey, and 10 lbs of bacon. 

The first shoot we attended, Bobby spent $5 on a chance to win $50 and WON!!

Just like Union County, you do not use your own ammo. They provide it. However, there are 17 shooters in one round, or event. Once they call your event, you go to the line and shoot when you are ready. In case, it wasn't clear, you shoot at targets, not actual turkeys! 

This time we took our 15 year old, Sage. It was his first Turkey Shoot but not his first time shooting a 12 gauge. 

He did very well, hitting the #2 circle on the target a couple times. 

Bobby spent $10 on a combo round to win a turkey, ham, and 10 pounds of bacon. And yep, he WON!!! Proud wife again!!

After celebrating Bobby's sister's birthday, we had a couple hours to spare so we went to the Scioto River. Just below Griggs Dam to be exact.

I wish I brought a towel and swim shoes! The river was peaceful and shallow and soooo inviting. We watched ducks and soaked up the sun on the shore. We thought we were just scouting a new fishing spot but we ended up with a new swim hole on our bucket list. 

Such a relaxing sound with the beauty of fall in the leaves in the water. 

We also stumbled across a Medicine Man drum circle. ​

We saved two trips for one post since it was the same location but different times of the year. White sand, blue water, offshore fishing, and sun was our desire, so we headed to Siesta Key/Lido Beach for our honeymoon in February 2021 and again in September for our 6 month anniversary. February was our first time there and we couldn't wait to go back!

​Southwest now has service from Columbus to Sarasota but at the time of our first trip they didn't. We flew into Tampa which is an hour drive to Siesta Key but the scenery is beautiful so it didn't seem like an hour.

Our hotel was on Lido Beach just 3 miles away from Siesta Key. We felt like we had the best of both worlds staying in Lido and visiting Siesta. Siesta can be crowded. Lido is smaller and more quaint. 

I recommend renting a car because once on the Keys there isn't access to gas stations, groceries, fast food etc. within walking distance. Lido offers a free shuttle from hotels to St. Armands Circle where shops and restaurants are located. The  Circle is a must if you are in the Sarasota area. 

Another must is Siesta Key Oyster Bar (SKOB). It is a tradition to leave a dollar bill on the ceiling and walls. The server will bring a marker and stapler, you bring the dollar bill. After just 6 months our first dollar bill was buried and couldn't be found. 

Siesta Key is known for white sand and blue water. At times, the water looks green but is still clear. The emerald green water reminds me of the water at Dale Hollow. I am definitely a fan of water I can see through! I guess I want to know what is chasing after me when I'm swimming in the ocean :) 

Lido Beach has sand nearly as white. There are areas that are great for shell and sand dollar collecting.

In addition to the boat we chartered that Bobby will talk about later, we rented a 2-person kayak to explore Sarasota Bay in February. We rented it for 4 hours but 2 hours was plenty of time. It is work paddling through the mangrove tunnels. When we returned the kayak early, they said most people don't stay out the entire time. 

We saw live starfish! A first for both of us. It is not uncommon to see manatees but unfortunately, we did not see one. Look closely for the starfish in the picture. 

After sleeping in, we loaded the kayaks and grabbed bait at the gas station by the fairgrounds in Hilliard (they have meaty crawlers!). We took a scenic route from Hilliard through Plain City and Mechanicsburg, then landed at Kiser Lake in just over an hour. We launched our kayaks at the beach, but there was a marina that would work for launching too. 

Next to the beach was a rocky point so we started there. It was around 4' deep and the wind was pushing us in. We paddled further staying along the shore. The lake was around 12' near the middle. We chose to stay along the shore with downed trees and some  vegetation. Then it was on!!!

As you know, we compete for First, Biggest, and Most. We recently added Variety to the list. Yep, I won First. I caught it just past the vegetation. I thought I was caught on the weeds at first. It zig-zigged reeling it in and when it got to the front of my kayak, it jumped out of the water almost on my kayak trying to throw the hook. It was time to scream for Bob to help me finish landing it. He told me to keep my rod tip up and wear him out. 

We do like variety, and Bobby went up from me to fish around a downed tree. He caught a perch and catfish. He now had the most and variety.

After awhile the bites went cold. We decided to paddle across the lake. Remember the time I pulled him? It was his turn to pull me. 

It was getting hot, and the other side had lily pads. We didn't want to fight the pads and weeds, so we tied our kayaks together in about 12' of water, put on some music, dropped our lines in and floated.

We floated down the lake to the beach and BAM! I now tied for most. 

My friend stopped at the Country Restaurant about 10 mins from the lake when she visited Kiser. That was our plan but it closed at 3:00. We hope to go back again and try the restaurant. 

One of the many things Bobby and I have in common is that we HATE surprises, especially birthday party surprises. I asked him what he wanted to do for his birthday and of course he said a nice quiet day of fishing. We haven't been able to fish as much as we would like with his new job so off we went. 

The temp right now is 90 with a feel of 100. We slept in and took our time leaving so we weren't sure if the fish would bite with the high temperature.
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Our soon to be (in 4 days) 15 year old played in his first high school football game yesterday so leaving bright and early wasn't an option. Bobby and I prefer 4:00am but pretty sure Sage wouldn't. He battled on the field all day in high temps and his team continued to battle. On 4th down after 3 plus quarters in the heat, they were still fighting and Sage scored another TD. Hilliard Darby led the entire game and beat Olentangy Orange 18-15. 

Sorry to digress - back to fishing. We fished at an old golf course pond (no we won't tell you where!!! ha ha). It was our first time there. The pic at the top of this post was of Bobby on his birthday today. He comes from a long line of nature lovers surviving off of the land. His Grandpa Lively would squat and fish the same way. I snapped this picture and have it now as one of my favorites. 

Years ago, Bob's dad, Terry, started a fishing competition whenever he'd go fishing. Winner of First, Biggest, and Most. We continue that tradition. Clearly, I (Kathy) win all categories. Ok, maybe not. But today I did win First with a nice looking Warmouth (version of a bluegill). Granted, I won it because I baited my hook first with a fat, active worm and casted while Sage and Bobby were discussing the best spot to start. Boys are so easy to outsmart!! 

The day ended with me catching the least, not the biggest, but I did catch the first. Sage caught the most bass - 4 and Bobby caught the biggest bass, a 4 pounder. Although not large, Bobby caught 2 crappie. So we ended the day with bluegill, bass, and crappie. 

All 3 of us had HUGE fish break our line and/or get off our hook right before landing them on shore. We are guessing 12 pound bass. And that is the fish story we are sticking to. You should have seen the one that got away.

Now off to dinner with the rest of the family. We threw back what we caught so no fish fry tonight, we are supporting our local restaurant instead. 

Thankful for a beautiful day and making memories. 

With travel baseball there isn't a lot of time to tend to our garden. We did manage to get 2 okra plants to grow. Tomatoes and onions were abundant, and the brussels sprouts are almost ready to harvest. 

One of my newly tried and favorite vegetable is okra - especially pickled okra.  Even our 14 year old eats them!

We had our last packages of frozen catfish we caught that we were planning for dinner. We needed a veggie to go with it, so I steamed some bagged carrots from Kroger with turmeric added for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits . With a football player in the house that wasn't going to suffice for him, so we grabbed a green tomato, okra, and onion from the garden. 

Time to experiment!

We started with olive oil sautéing the onion. Added salt and pepper. As it cooked, I (Kathy) added sugar because you can't go wrong with sweet. (Found out later, Bobby added Slap Ya Mama cajun seasoning to the catfish!).

Okra is slimy before it's cooked. I know that sounds unappetizing but it's the truth. Cook it correctly and it will be your favorite! To give it a kick, we added apple cider vinegar with the okra, then the green tomatoes. The order is important because they each sauté at a different pace.  

The end result was A M A Z I N G!! Definitely keeping it on our list. Bobby's baked breaded catfish was yummy even though he snuck in Slap Ya Mama and thought I wouldn't notice. He did make homemade tarter sauce for me to cool it down which was also a hit. 

Everyone cleaned their plates, even the 14 year old football player.