How to Build Raised Planter Beds

Objective: build 2 eight foot by three foot raised planter beds 

Materials:

3 8′ redwood 4×4s

4 12′ redwood 2×6s 

24 3″ lag screws and washers

2 12′x26″ sheets of galvanized corrugated metal and a box of  metal to wood screws with sealing washers

Tools: drill, bits (including socket bits), shovel, angle grinder with metal cutting wheel, saw (we used a miter saw), pencil, tape measure

    

 

 

 

 

 Here is a location for one of the beds. 

 

 

 

Cut list: 

12 2′ 4×4 redwood              4 8′ 2×6 redwood              4 3′ 2×6 rewood         4   7′8″ x 13″ galvanized        

4 32″x13″ galvanized

Use the saw to cut the wood and the grinder to cut the metal. 

Steps: 

1. More to come soon! 

 

 

 

 

            

Soupper Supper

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This past weekend, we had the honor of having 23 people over for dinner! It was a soup potluck and friends brought delicious thai chicken soup, lentil soup, chicken tortilla soup, and minestrone. It was such a beautiful evening of fellowship, prayer and worship. Plus, I have been sick for more than a week so I am so thankful to the Laurie and Phil for helping out so much! Dono lead a great worship and guided everybody to focus on praise and thanks, especially that the truest way to respond to to God in praise is by serving His people.

Thanks everybody for coming! It was just great.

Pho-tastic!

 

  Yesterday my wonderful husband made us pho for lunch. For those of you who are not familiar with pho, it is a vietnamese noodle soup, typically served with beef, though we had it with chicken Phil has been researching some pho recipes and came across this one. 

The best thing about this soup is it completely satisfies the craving for chicken noodle soup with a lot more flavor. The stock is simmered with ginger, star of anise (haha, anise) and cinnamon. But then the condiments are where it is really at: lime wedges, cilantro, basil, hoisin sauce, sriracha (thai red chili paste), and bean sprouts. Each person can add in various measures of each and every condiment and then proceeds to slurp down the piping hot soup. 

One of the most pho-n things about sitting down to a lovely meal of pho is thinking up a pho-ew pho-tastic puns. Pho-nomenal!

Tiny, but mighty.

Some hotels are cool.

Phil and I have found that with a little planning when traveling, it is possible to find some great deals that will completely beat the normal big chain hotel experience. The first time we ever did this was in Austin, TX. We had read about a place called the Hotel San Jose and so after a very unsatisfying stay at the Red Roof Inn, we headed across town to the Hotel San Jose. It was awesome! Plus we had a great time with our friends the Griffins. This time we stayed for a night at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs. It was great! We eve got an idea for putting up a seasonal screen door over our french door to our back yard. Plus we got to have a great dinner with Joyce, Phil’s mom and then lounge around in front of the outdoor fireplaces and jump in the hot tub. Despite the cool look and and beautiful surroundings, this was a very reasonably priced adventure. If Phil and I do it, you know it can’t be too pricey. So for any of your SoCal folks who need a night or two away from home and work, I highly recommend Ace Hotel, Palm Springs.