Julie Barefoot In The Backyard

Hello

Happy Barefoot Spring, and Summer in my Backyard

And Fall and Winter, but not so much. 🙂

Our Backyard Peach Tree

We spend a lot of time outside in our backyard. Gardening, Landscaping, Grilling, Picnicing, Playing….

The Dogs love it in the Backyard, so does our Grand-Daughter Isabelle.

There have been some changes this year.

With Gordon working overseas I have decided to downgrade my massive Herb Garden, (situated on the side of our house) and to move it inside the Lanai Extension.

A smaller version of it, anyway. Oh, all the pots and planters are still on the side of the house for when we decide to make it all grand again. But for now, I don’t need all that.

I really don’t need the massive amount of herbs that I once did. I am cooking for 1 now. ME! And, sometimes I do create large meals that I will share with my daughter, son-in-law and grand-daughter. But most of the time I am just cooking for me. So, I created an area where I can harvest my most favorite and used Herbs for my meals. It’s just more convenient for me.

The New Planters

The larger one is for me and my specific Herbs, and the smaller one for Isabelle and her new found love of gardening. (Or so I hope!)

In her Planter are Mint and Flowers

I wanted Isabelle to have an Herb as well as something beautiful.

Me, with Spooky and Sparky

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My Favorite Section of the Backyard

I Like Having a Gardening Center

Something Just For Me

My Personality, My Tastes, My Style

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Gordon Created This Landscaping Area Years Ago..

We’ve Had Many Different Themes Here

This one, is one that I am greatly enjoying.

It represents my backyard evolution.

Mate

Pronounced Mah -Tae

This is a beverage we learned from Meghan Markle and her show from Netflix.

We saw the beverage at Sprouts and decided to try it. It is very good!

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Be Sure To Check Out:

Let The Summer In

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For Tutu on Mother’s Day, 2025

This is something that Veronica and Isabelle made for me.

I love it!

Isabelle’s feet turned into a butterfly. 🙂

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Mother’s Day, 2025

I wanted to be photographed in my favorite spot in the backyard.

Italian Wine and Roses

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Plenty of Beautiful Green Basil…

…In My Favorite Yellow Pots

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My Mother’s Day Dinner of Baked Valentine Jezebel Ham, and Arabic Potatoes

(Recipe Down Below)

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My Lemon and Herb Garden Treats

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Delicious Mother’s Day Garden Treats

Isabelle’s Mint

(Recipe Down Below)

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Why, Hello There!

A Beautiful Backyard Visitor

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2024, Backyard with Julie and Isabelle

The Lanai Extension

Gordon and Julie, 2025

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Isabelle’s Garden Planter

The Doggie Planter I Found While Shopping and got it for her Because she Loves Doggies.

(Doggie Project Down Below)

I Am Not The Artist Of The Family, Obviously 🙂

Backyard Lilly’s In My Hair

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Bluey Garden Set

Mini Garden Station for Isabelle

(I found it online and ordered it. Gordon put it together.

I’m hoping she will understand the concept of it as time goes by. She does like playing with it.)

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My hope is that Isabelle will grow up with an interest in planting something, nurturing it, and watching it grow into something useful and beautiful. It always starts at a very young age. Children grow up watching their parents and grandparents, and develop their interests. My intention isn’t to teach her to become a gardener. But, my intention is to teach her to be able to grow a few things on her own to help substantiate her future life. If she chooses to expand on that knowledge, then wonderful! But, it does start somewhere.

She Does Love To Play Here

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Isabelle and I will Eventually be Planting Seeds Together

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Uh, Oh… Texting and Driving is never good!

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Backyard Blogging Starts Right Here

The Orchid’s Perfect Spot

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March/April, 2025

Every Spring we clean up our backyard that usually gets a bit overgrown during the Winter months here in Florida.

Lots of clearing, pulling up weeds, thinning Bamboo, and Pressure Washing.

This year was no different. We did all of that above, and even created a nice garden area inside the Lanai Extension.

The New Planters Project

The Planters I purchased online. One for me, one for Isabelle.

It’s just a matter of assembling them, purchasing all the potting soil to go in them, followed by the plants and flowers that you choose.

The Planters came with a cloth bottom that goes in the bottom before you place your dirt in it.

You do want to purchase Potting Soil. Potting Soil goes in pots, other dirt goes on the ground. Even though these are planters they are still considered pots.

The Dirt Has Been Placed In The Planters

I’ve Also Purchased The Plants and Herbs

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Starting To Plant…

While Isabelle Plays…

Isabelle May Be Playing In Her Garden Center, But She Does See Her Tutu Working

That is Important

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As Isabelle Grows I Will Include Her More Into My Projects

But For Now, She Plays

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Isabelle Does Love Rocks!

This is My Bleeding Heart

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Cute Doggie Planter Project

I found this cute doggie planter, and knew that it would be great for Isabelle and her garden planter.

If you can, place some sort of Tarp down to collect the dirt so the project doesn’t become a huge mess you have to clean up.

I chose these yellow flowers for the doggie because they would look nice, and be great in this medium light part of the Lanai Extension.

Use Potting Soil, and Plant the Beautiful Flowers

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This is the Last of This Backyard Grand Palm

It Recently Died, and we Removed It

(I just wanted to place it here as it has existed since we bought our house in 2006. And now, it has died in 2025. I think Hurricane Milton speeded up it’s demise. That area will be revamped, but no time soon.)

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Our Planters Are Completed

This is a great area for the sun to shine down on our Garden Planter’s.

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Isabelle Taking Notice of Her Flowers and Herbs

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I Love All My Backyard PINK!

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Isabelle and Her Bluey Sidewalk Chalk

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My Special Project, Thanks to Brodie

This area of the house was vacant of anything. We did have a lovely wooden potting bench at one time, but the Florida sun and humidity will ruin all woods eventually.

It did last about 5 years before we got rid of it.

I got the idea that I wanted to place a large cabinet here. Something with shelves and drawers. Where I could place pots out of sight that I didn’t use, and to even make it very attractive with nice pots and plants. Even serving up some foods for when we entertain or eat outside.

I would like to say that I have a great idea for a future project for this area. See that long window? That is our Den window, that used to be Brodie’s bedroom. I think that it would be nice to turn that window into a doorway to allow another backyard exit. Kind of like a Mother-In-Law Suite. The rectangular window in the top right of the photo above is the Guest Bathroom. Also, on the other side of the den is a spare bedroom. It might be kind of nice to create what would be an entire different wing of our house where someone else could live in that part of the house. Not that I want to do that. But, it would add value to our home and would be great for when guests visit. And, imagine how nice it would be to create an outdoor ‘porch’ of sort there as well? Kind of like a Mother-In-Law Suite.

Brodie is Assembling My Cabinet Above

This was a Mother’s Day gift to myself in 2024.

Having Brodie put it together for me is a gift in itself. 🙂

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Brodie Did A Really Great Job Of Putting This Together

The Finished Results 🙂

I have since added a few things here and there.

I love it!

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Recipes Start Here

Dubai Chocolate, My Special Treats From Gordon 🙂

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My Lemon and Herb Garden Treats

I based these on my love of Dirt Cups.

You know, the dessert made from Chocolate Pudding and Kool-Whip, with Oreo’s and Gummy Worms? A lot of people would place the delicious dessert in Garden Pots. I always loved them.

Except mine are based on Lemons and Herbs from my Garden.

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The first thing that I did was to make my Lemon Pudding to set overnight.

You can use as many Lemon Pudding’s as you like. I used 4! Just follow the package instructions.

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I Put Them All In One Bowl And Covered With Saran Wrap, Place In The Refrigerator

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Isabelle’s Mint

(I cut some to wash for our Lemon and Herb Cups.)

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Next Day: Time to Make the Lemon/Herb Cups

Ingredients:

The Ready Made Lemon Pudding that has been Refrigerated overnight

Tub/Tubs Kool-Whip, Thawed

Some Clear Plastic Cups

Lemon Snap Cookies, Crushed

Isabelle’s Fresh Mint (Garnish)

Micro-Greens

Fresh Lemon Peel, or Grated Lemon Zest (Or Both) Garnish

Lemon Cookie Thins (Garnish)

Mint Malted Milk Balls (Garnish)

Sunflower Seeds, Garnish

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Lemon Pancake Cookies, and Sunflower Seeds

My Lemon Pudding I Made the Day Before….

Me, Ready to Get Started

This food project is to be as big or as small as you like it to be.

I spooned about half of the Lemon Pudding into a separate bowl, and then added some Kool-Whip.

You eye-ball this for your own tastes. Then mix together.

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Lemon Snap Cookies…..

CRUSHED!!!

Just Place Into A Plastic Bag and Bash With A Wooden Mallet Until Chunky Crumbs

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Toppings Ready To Top 🙂

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The Assembly

Into each of the plastic cups you want to cover the bottom with the Lemon Snap Cookie Chunky Crumbs.

I Did Add a Few of the Micro-Greens to a Few of the Cups.

I tried to kind of swirl them around inside the cup.

I Then Shaved Some of the Lemon Peel

I Then Placed the Lemon Pudding into Each Cup

Bashing My Mint Malted Milk Balls

These were so good!

Continuing To Build On The Cups

Adding Some Sunflower Seeds

Fresh Mint

Placing a Few of the Lemon Pancake Cookies….

I made some plain, some for a medium taste, and the rest for a more garden greens taste.

It is all really up to you on how you make them.

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Outside, and Ready to Eat

Cool and Refreshing

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My Mother’s Day Dinner

I wanted to add the recipes here because this page is all about my 2025 Mother’s Day so I wanted to keep everything together.

Even though the recipes really don’t have anything to do with my outdoor projects.

Baked Valentine Jezebel Ham, and Arabic Potatoes

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My Arabic Potatoes

With Gordon working overseas he brings back the most exotic of spices and even a few interesting cookbooks. It was while I was flipping through one of them that I found a great potato dish. I loved the presentation, not that I copied it here, and I also loved the flavors. They just seemed so delicious together. Although I ignored the presentation, and even changed up the tastes a bit, I am very happy with my rendition of this creation. I hope you like it too!

Ingredients:

Potatoes: I used a Combination of Red and Yukon (About 5 Pounds)

Other Ingredients:

Onion (I used a Vidalia Onion, and a few large Shallots.)

1-2 Cups Vegetable Oil, For Frying

10-15 Garlic Cloves, Minced or Crushed

1 t. Cayenne Pepper

1 t. Paprika

Black Garlic Salt, Sprinkled Over as Desired

1/2 t. Turmeric Powder

2 t. Ground Coriander

Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

Garnish with Fresh Coriander and Micro-Greens

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The first thing that you want to do is to have your Potatoes already washed and prepared.

The Cast Iron Skillet is for my Ham, the Wok is for my Potatoes.

Here I am Slicing My Potatoes into Small Bite Sized Chunks….

and then Placing them into a Large Bowl of Water.

(This will help to remove some of the starch.)

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My Vidalia Onion, and Two Large Shallots

Cutting Up the Vidalia Onion and Shallots….

Garlic to be Crushed

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Having chopped up my Potatoes, and Having them sit into the large bowl full of water, I have now Drained them into 2 separate Colander’s.

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Time To Place Some Vegetable Oil Into The Wok, To Sautee The Onion and Shallot

(About a 2-3 T. of the Vegetable Oil, for now)

Sauteing The Shallots and Vidalia Onion in Vegetable Oil

Do this for about 5-7 minutes until it softens a bit…..

Now, Start To Crush Your Garlic Cloves Into the Onion/Shallot Mixture.

You can either mince them or crush them.

Time To Add More Of The Vegetable Oil Into The Wok, About a 1/4 Cup.

Add All of Your Potatoes To The Wok, Stir Everything Around

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It’s Time To Add The Spices As The Potatoes Cook

This is entirely up to your personal tastes.

To start I did add 1 t. of Cayenne, 1 t. of Paprika, 1/2 t. of Turmeric Powder….

Also, about 2 t. of Coriander and some Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste.

Also, I did a Sprinkling of Black Garlic Salt over Top. Just a Pinch or Two.

Blend Together and Keep Stirring in a Medium-Low Heat

If you need to add more Vegetable Oil, do so. You don’t want your potatoes sticking to the bottom of the Wok. If you would like to add a few more of the Spices, do so. This is all up to your personal tastes.

Season and Taste as you go!

When the Potatoes are Tender then you know they are done. Set them aside until ready to eat!

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Time For The Ham

Baked in my Valentine Jezebel Sauce

Click Here For: A Valentine Jezebel (Sauce)

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This is so easy!

I simply placed a pre-baked Ham into my Cast Iron Skillet and then turned the oven on 350F.

I did add a little bit of water to the skillet, and then started spooning my Jezebel over the Ham.

I placed the Ham into the oven for about 10 minutes to start, and then removed it to spoon over a few more tablespoons of my Jezebel, and then placed it back into the oven for an additional 10 minutes.