C.D. Loken's Blog, page 7

Strawberry-Rhubarb Freezer Jam

The rhubarb in our garden is abundant this summer, and I'm not lettingone juicy-tart stalk go to waste!So far-I've made cake, muffins, and of course, pie.But one of my favorite rhubarb recipe's is one that can be enjoyedall year long!

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Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop #129!

Happy Tuesday, friends! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend! I decided
to unplug for the entire weekend-so I could devote my time to hubby, family,
and get caught up on some major(and much needed) housecleaning!
Since I didn't post my usual Sensational Sunday post(where I share my favorite
posts of the week)-I decided to share my favorites from last week's party now!



1. Favorite room refresh- Kari-Anne from Thistlewood Farms has combined not
one-but TWO of my favorite design styles, in her Farmhouse (and coastal) bathroom
refresh! Who wouldn't want to soak in her bathtub-surrounded by so much
loveliness!
2. Favorite up-cycle- Who says birdhouses have to be boring?  Not Claire from the blog, Pillar Box Blue!  She  made these ADORABLE birdhouses out of cardboard and leftover fabric!!
3. Favorite tablescape- Paula from Frog Prince Paperie created a GORGEOUS tablescape
for her parent's 40th anniversary party!  I LOVE the combination of blues and green-
and you really stop over and check out her dessert bar!! WOW!
4. Favorite recipe- Speaking of dessert....Linda, from Best of Long Island and Central Florida had me at lemon curd-add strawberries and a flaky pastry crust-and I'm in heaven!!! YUMMY!
A BIG thank you to all who inspired me!
I can't wait to see what you all have to share this week!
Now it's off to see what your favorites were and
to PARTY!!!!

Blessings and hugs,

Welcome to our party!Last week was the BEST PARTY EVER!

618 posts.

I have to say it again so that it really sinks in...618!!!!

We finally broke through the 600 barrier and way beyond!





So, in addition to the most viewed, very popular and editor's pick features this week, we are also featuring number 600 and 618 in celebration of this milestone in our party history!
Most Viewed



How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies Naturally by Thinking Outside Of The Sandbox



Very Popular Healthy 3-Ingredient Pineapple Blueberry Popsicle from Our Thrifty Ideas

Grilled Ginger Soy Chicken Recipe From About A Mom

Help Wanted, Writers! from Ducks 'n a Row



Editor's PickAs frustrated as I have been with Facebook - cuz I really LOVE Facebook but Facebook hasn't been very nice to me lately - I was naturally inquisitive when I saw this post in the mix. She came up with a really new (to me) technique to use to get more reach on my Facebook page. I am so going to try this!





Easy Trick On How To Get Facebook To Show Your Posts To More Viewers by Crafts A La Mode


And, numbers 600 and 618. 

Yipee!!!

American Flag Punch Pinata by Made With Happy

Patriotic Food Ideas for 4th of July by Dreaming of Leaving



So let's get this party started!


Sinea of Ducks 'n a RowBlog / Bloglovin’/  Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest  /Twitter
Kristen of Musings Of An Average Mom   New!Blog / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter
Erica of eLeMeNO-P Kids   New!Blog / Facebook / Google+ / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
Diane of Recipes For Our Daily BreadBlog / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter
Dawn of Spatulas on ParadeBlog / Bloglovin' / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter
CD of CD's Country LivingBlog / Bloglovin'/ Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest 
Carrie of A Mother’s ShadowBlog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest /Twitter
Heidi Jo of Simplee ThriftyBlog / Bloglovin' / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter 
Jaime of The Stay At Home Mom Survival GuideBlog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest
Tammy of My Life AbundantBlog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
Brittany of Mommy On DemandBlog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter
Kim of 2JustByouBlog / Bloglovin / Facebook / Google+ / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
Nicole and Susan of Flavors By FourBlog / Bloglovin / Facebook / Pinterest



Love this party?
Tweet It and It Will Grow!
Simple guidelines...
Please follow our host and co-hosts in as many ways possible (social media links above) ♥PLEASE TWEET THIS PARTY !!!!  We want everyone to know about it!Add as many of your family-friendly posts as you would like, no giveaways, Etsy shops or blog parties please. You are welcome to share them in the comments, though.Visit three or more others. Let them know you've been there! Visit our FEATURES and comment, pin or share -- do what you can to bless them!When you are PINNING, please remember to do it from the original post. ♥Follow our Wonderful Wednesday PINTEREST board, if you'd like (below) ♥If you are new,  let us know in the comments so that we can follow you back. ♥And, thanks for joining us!
Follow CD's Country Living's board Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop Favorites! on Pinterest.

Front Porch Refresh!

Happy Friday, friends!I'm so excited to FINALLY be able to share our newly freshenedfront porch with you all today!   Initially, hubby and I hadn't planned on doing anything withthe front porch until after we painted the exterior of thehouse (which we're hoping to do early fall), butafter a long winter of shoveling snow and salty boots from the sidewalk-theporch floor was looking pretty sad and worn-and truth be told, so was trim work,
ceiling and furniture!
Since we spend so much time on our porch in the summer-I decided
it just couldn't wait until fall to be given some TLC. So the first thing I did was get out the hose and wash everything down.
Then I scrubbed all of the shutters-washed all the windows,
and painted all the trim and the ceiling.
Next was the porch floor. I usedGLIDDEN porch and floor paint (in dark gray).I won't bore you with the entire process of painting the floor-but I will
offer one tip that I learned the hard way.  DO NOT be impatient to walk
on your floor before the recommended time-especially if you live
in a humid area like we do! That little mishap-plus a few days of rain,
caused some big delays in getting the porch done as quickly as I had planned! But, in the end it worked out just fine-because it gave me time to giveour wicker furniture a fresh coat of paint-and ourold farmhouse table a refresh too! The table was just the perfect size to serve cake and sweet tea when friends stopped overfor a Sunday afternoon visit last weekend-and hubby and I plan to spend many a summer
night having dinner for two on the porch, now that we have a place to do so.
I also did no-sew covers for all the cushions and pillows (like I did here last year)but this time, instead of using a shower curtain-I purchased 2 sheetsets on clearance for $7.00 each. The porch is covered, so I don't worry so much about them being
weather resistant, and we usually bring the cushions
in at night anyway-especially if there's a storm brewing!    The best part is-for less than the cost of purchasing ONE cushion-they can be
changed up whenever I get the urge to do so(which you all know is often)! Once I had all the furniture looking comfy and cozy-it was time to add 
a few more 'homey' elements.  Like curtains.....  I found these curtains at a yard sale, earlier this Spring.  The bottoms
needed some hem work-but at $2 for the pair-I couldn't pass them up.
The material is lightweight and dries quickly-and in the evenings, there
is nothing more relaxing than watching them blow around in the summer
breeze! Of course I had to add a few potted plants and flowers too!
Coleus is one of my favorite shade plants!  I love the pop of
lime green and their textured leaves! Right now they don't look so spectacular,
but by mid-summer-the urns will be overflowing with color!


 And whether in a hanging basket, or a pot...
I simply adore the whimsical flowers of the Lobelia. 
Impatiens LOVE that our porch is mostly shaded until late
afternoon- and I love that they are so forgiving! (This one got disrupted when the pot fell
 off during a storm  but it survived!!)
 This is the first time I've put Calibrachoa on the front porch,
but so far, it seems to be doing well.
And let's not forget the perennial beauties planted in the garden in front of our porch!
Right now this lovely white Azalea and  pink bleeding heart are in bloom
Soon lilies, roses and hydrangeas will bloom and wewill enjoy their beauty and amazing fragrance all the way into fall! But I'm not going to even think about fall just yet.
It is absolutely GORGEOUS out this morning, 
so I think I'll grab another cup of coffee and join hubby on the swing.Life is too short-and work can wait-at least for a few minutes!
I'd love to hear what you think of our porch!
I'll be linking up at these amazing parties-so stop on over and be inspired!Blessings and hugs,

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop #128!

It's party time, friends, and I can't wait to see what you all haveto show us this week! I'll be sharing my favorites tonightand tomorrow-and don't forget to check out some of myLOVE'S from last week's party here! Blessings and hugs,

Hey, we've got some exciting news! 


Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop has expanded! We are now on 13 blogs. Welcome our two new co-hosts, Kristen of Musings of an Average Mom and Erica of eLeMeNO-P Kids. 














Sinea of Ducks 'n a Row

Blog / Bloglovin’/  Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest  /Twitter




Kristen of Musings Of An Average Mom   New!

Blog / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter




Erica of eLeMeNO-P Kids   New!

Blog / Facebook / Google+ / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter




Diane of Recipes For Our Daily Bread

Blog / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter




Dawn of Spatulas on Parade

Blog / Bloglovin' / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter




CD of CD's Country Living

Blog / Bloglovin'/ Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest 




Carrie of A Mother’s Shadow

Blog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest /Twitter





Heidi Jo of Simplee Thrifty

Blog / Bloglovin' / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter 





Jaime of The Stay At Home Mom Survival Guide

Blog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest




Tammy of My Life Abundant

Blog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter




Brittany of Mommy On Demand

Blog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter




Kim of 2JustByou

Blog / Bloglovin / Facebook / Google+ / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter




Nicole and Susan of Flavors By Four

Blog / Bloglovin / Facebook / Pinterest




Last week we had such great posts. So many were your favorites that there are 10 features this week!  

Here they are ...


Most Viewed 




How To Schedule Pins on Pinterest from The Pin Junkie



Very Popular 


Cheesecake Brownie Bars from Flour On My Face


Individual Frozen Creamy Chocolate Mini Pies from An Italian In My Kitchen


Classic Iced Lemon Bread Recipe from Real Advice Gal

Dear Bus Driver by Unremarkable Files


Cookie Butter Rice Krispie Treats from Teaspoon of Goodness


How To Deal With The Ferocious Fours and Fives by Janine Huldie


Easy Cinnamon Sticks Recipe from Cincy Shopper


Orange Julius Cupcakes from Adventures of Country Divas


Editor's Pick







Quick Chili Cornbread Casserole by The Tumbleweed Contessa





And now for THIS week's party!


Love this party?







Tweet It and It Will Grow!



Simple guidelines...


Please follow our host and co-hosts in as many ways possible (social media links above) ♥PLEASE TWEET THIS PARTY !!!!  We want everyone to know about it!Add as many of your family-friendly posts as you would like, no giveaways, Etsy shops or blog parties please. You are welcome to share them in the comments, though.Visit three or more others. Let them know you've been there! Visit our FEATURES and comment, pin or share -- do what you can to bless them!When you are PINNING, please remember to do it from the original post. ♥Follow our Wonderful Wednesday PINTEREST board, if you'd like (below) ♥If you are new,  let us know in the comments so that we can follow you back. ♥And, thanks for joining us!

Best Ever Brats!

   Summer and brats go hand in hand-here in our neck of the woods!Around here-these juicy sausages can be found at practically every local festival-county fair,or back yard barbecue-and everyone has their own'special' recipe for making them.
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Sensational Sunday Love Links!

Happy Sunday! I hope you all are enjoying your weekend!  This past week was a busy one for us-so we definitely took time for some R and R yesterday, and later we had  friends over for aback yard barbecue.  Unfortunately, it rained- so we ended up inside!  Oh well,  the company was great- and the food was  YUMMY!! I served my Creamy Potato Salad - Best EVER Brats (I'll be sharing my secret recipe with you all next week!), along with Calico Beans! Today I plan to get after those darn weeds that keep popping up in my garden-along with a few 'outdoor' projects I didn'tdo on Saturday!But first...let's take a look at my love's for this week!
1.  Favorite DIY- Flavours and Frosting  came up with a clever(and inexpensive) way to display her YUMMY desserts!  [image error] 2. Favorite recipe- Speaking of desserts...Who wouldn't LOVE one of Adventures of Country Divas Orange Julius Cupcakes?  Yes please! 3. Favorite outdoor space- I seriously could spend all day in Debbie's cottage garden-enjoying all of her lovely treasures, flowers, and vignettes! So much inspiration!! 4.Favorite tablescape- Martys Musings used a blue and yellow theme (along with hermother's GORGEOUS china) to create a bright and cheerful tablescape!  5. Favorite Front Door Decor:I'm LOVINGthis patriotic wreath that Deb made using strips offabric!  SO ADORABLE-and the perfectway to welcome guests for a Fourth of Julyget together!!
6. Favorite Summer Home Tour- I'm loving the chance to check out
all the amazing  homes decorated for summer that are popping up all over Blogland !  Aren't
you? My favorite this week has to be Tidbits and Twine! The tour starts in this GORGEOUS dining
room-and by the time we arrived at the guest bathroom-I was drooling all over
my keyboard!  A MUST see for sure!

What caught your eye or made you swoon this week?
I'd love to hear about it!
A BIG thank you to all who inspired me this week!
Blessings and hugs,

Freshening up a Farmhouse Table!

I have a story to share with you.No..it's not a novel or anything quite so long and dramatic.It's really more of a fairy tale.So  grab a glass of sweet tea,(or your favorite beverage)and let's sit for a spell, while I tell youthe tale about about my farmhouse table.

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Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop #127!

Happy Tuesday-friends!!!I hope your week is going fantastic so far!Our weather has been absolutely GORGEOUS, here in our neck of the woods,so I am happy to say I FINALLY finished painting thefront porch!   I've also been working on anotherproject.  Remember this old farm table I foundlast June?Well, Hubby and I gave it a WHOLE new look-and I can't wait toshow you how it turned out! I also can't wait to see what you all have to share this week!Don't forget-I'll be sharing all of my favorite link ups tonight and tomorrowand will feature a few more on Sunday's Sensational Sunday Love Links!! (Stop by and check out last week's favorites!)Blessings and hugs, Let's Party!!
I love to read posts that help me to become a better blogger, don't you?  

Well, of course you do! Kristen of Musings of an Average Mom shared two super posts for bloggers and you guys just ate em up. Both were top viewed and here they are!



Most Viewed Bloggers Helping Bloggers from Musings of an Average MomHow To Make Money Blogging from Musings of an Average Mom


Of course, we love other things, too. Janine shares her very interesting experience as a contributing writer on Huffington post. Carrie explores 8 Lost Arts thar are thought provoking and, of course, we love to EAT don't we!  (I mean, cook. LOL) 
Very Popular
What I Learned From Going Viral on Huffington Post by Janine HuldieSummer Blueberry Fruit Tart Recipe by The Sits Girls3 Ingredient Banana Ice Cream from Wife Mom GeekThe 8 Lost Arts from A Mother's ShadowChocolate Cobbler by A Life From Scratch

And then there are cupcakes.  This is the most unique display of cupcakes I have seen and you loved them, too!  I just had to make this cupcake display my ...Editor's Pick How To Make A 15 Minute Cupcake Bouquet by Must Have Mom

So, what will you share this week? 

We can hardly wait to see!




Love this party?
Tweet It and It Will Grow!
Simple guidelines...
Please follow our host and co-hosts in as many ways possible (social media links below) PLEASE TWEET THIS PARTY !!!!  We want everyone to know about it!Add as many of your family-friendly posts as you would like, no giveaways, Etsy shops or blog parties please. You are welcome to share them in the comments, though.Visit three or more others. Let them know you've been there! Visit our FEATURES and comment, pin or share -- do what you can to bless them!When you are PINNING, please remember to do it from the original post. ♥Follow our Wonderful Wednesday PINTEREST board, if you'd like (below) ♥If you are new,  let us know in the comments so that we can follow you back. ♥And, thanks for joining us!Follow our hosts as you can ♥Carrie of A Mother’s ShadowBlog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest /Twitter
Kim of 2JustByouBlog / Bloglovin / Facebook / Google+ / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
Sinea of Ducks 'n a Row  Blog / Bloglovin’/  Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest  /Twitter
Brittany of Mommy On DemandBlog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter
Diane of Recipes For Our Daily BreadBlog / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter
CD of CD's Country LivingBlog / Bloglovin'/ Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest 
Heidi Jo of Simplee Thrifty Blog / Bloglovin' / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter 
Dawn of Spatulas on Parade Blog / Bloglovin' / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter
Tammy of My Life AbundantBlog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Instagram / Pinterest / Twitter
Nicole and Susan of Flavors By FourBlog / Bloglovin / Facebook / Pinterest
Jaimi of The Stay At Home Mom Survival GuideBlog / Bloglovin’ / Facebook / Google+ / Pinterest / Twitter
Follow CD's Country Living's board Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop Favorites! on Pinterest.

Sensational Sunday Love Links!

Happy Sunday, friends!!
Today is all about sharing the love for all my favorite things this week-
and these pink lovelies-definitely made the top of my list!

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25 Fantastic Father's Day Gift Ideas!

   Father's Day is right around the corner, and although my amazing dad
 passed away almost twenty years ago-I still like to celebratehis special day, by bringing him flowers, and sharingwith him-all that's been going on in our lives for the last year!I also have another 'special' man-(hubby), who I think is a prettyamazing dad too-so I always do a little something for him on Father's
Day too!

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