I’ve always been a fan of a great at-home bar. I strongly believe it’s a must-learn life skill to mix up classic cocktails, and as an avid host, it’s important to provide an array...
Looking back on Easter as a child, I remember how excited I was to dig through my Easter basket. Full of chocolate bunnies, malt ball Easter eggs, Peeps, golden coins, and my favorite Cadbury...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Crisp, refreshing, and always vibrant, citrus is one of the healthiest and easiest foods to cook with. Especially this time of year as it brightens up those last grey, winter days and provides a much needed preview of the first signs of spring. So whether it be for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner I promise these quick, easy no-cook citrus recipes will quickly become some of your new favorites. Truly, MKR
With spring officially upon us (at least here in the South it is) I’ve packed up all my winter clothes, filled my closest with bright, sunny essentials, pulled my bicycle down from storage and shined her up so she’s ready for a ride. In the spring before the pollen is in full effect and before it hits 100+ temperatures one of my favorite things to do with my family is pack a picnic, and go to the farmers market in the park.
Stopping by the farmers market first always allows me to pick up fresh flowers (because who can resist a bouquet of beautiful blooms, especially if they’re local?!) and all of the pastries my basket can carry! We lay out a blanket and lie there for hours catching up on what’s transpired the week before and I usually pack a salad along with something easy to nosh on like homemade pimento cheese. But today is not a story on packing a picnic (that is coming Monday), today I wanted to talk about those spring essentials that are filling my closet; because planning your picnic outfit is just as fun as the picnic itself.
I surprisingly love to wear a sundress if we’re picnicking; it’s effortless and easy, always breathable, fun to move in, and all around a great look. This sleeveless dress from J.McLaughlin was calling my name from the second I scrolled by. I love the juxtaposition of the punchy pink with the graphic snake skin pattern; it’s the perfect balance of feminine with a little edge and honestly it’s one of the most comfortable dresses I own. Since the weather is still a bit fickle here, a light jacket on top was a must and is always a spring/summer wardrobe essential. White denim keeps things light, and is there anything better than a bright, crisp white piece of clothing? Plus it’s always classic design make it a no-brainer when you’re layering during these warm-and-cold days.
Anytime I’m outside in the sun, I have a hat with me; panama, wool floppy, fedora…you name it, year ’round a hat is an always essential for me. I picked up this panama hat last year from J.McLaughlin, and I still bring it on every picnic (and vacay). Panama hats tend to lose their shape, but not this one and trust me when I say it’s been on plenty a trip.
Last year J.McLaughlin also launched sunnies and I’m so glad they did. I’ve opted for these classic tortoise ones, but I’ve got my eye on these blue aviators as well. And since more is always more with accessories in my humble opinion, I snagged this gorgeous floral scarf to give my outfit that extra pop. Plus I love how a scarf this size can double as a light throw in case there’s a chill in the air. Lastly, how great is this basket-weave bucket bag?! If that doesn’t get you in the mood for springtime picnics, I don’t know what will!
So there you have it, spring time essentials from J.McLaughlin, (which honestly has been a constant in my life with each change of season), and a bicycle chalked full of flowers; if this doesn’t get you excited for warmer weather I don’t know what will! Happy Friday friends! Truly, MKR
P.S. On Monday I’ll be sharing a few tips on just how to execute a great picnic plus sharing my easy breezy recipe for homemade pimento cheese and great, portable Mason Jar salads.
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Photography, Kathryn McCrary for Waiting on Martha | This post is in collaboration with J.McLaughlin, a brand we love and adore. All opinions are 100% our own.
I’m not sure if you remember, but this time last year I was falling in love with growing herbs in my garden. That love for gardening, the taste of fresh-picked greens, and the fulfillment from seeing something grow and prosper at my very fingertips has only doubled, as can be expected. So this year, I set out to expand my home garden by learning how to plant an indoor lettuce cart.
The idea of an indoor lettuce cart struck a chord with me; I loved the thought of cultivating some of my most-used vegetables in the kitchen at home, and the wheeling the cart up to my counter whenever I wanted to use them. And the fact that it’s INDOORS helps make it possible to enjoy homegrown greens all winter long. I was in love with the idea of just with a little snip-snip-snip, having homegrown spinach in my salads, arugula on my flatbreads, cabbage in my slaw and broccoli on my plate!
I did a little research, and after buying this super convenient salad garden on wheels, I set out to plant the already-sprouted varieties with fresh soil and fertilizer. I visited my local nursery and bought already-growing vegetables: spinach, red leaf lettuce, cabbage and broccoli. But you can, of course, grow the lettuce from seed and a seed starting mix (one that’s gentle enough to grow the crops from seed). I really wanted to do arugula since it’s one of my all-time favorites, but sadly the nursery didn’t have it when I looked. And I know broccoli may be a little ambitious this time around, but I’m willing to give it a shot!
You’ll find that lettuce is a very low maintenance vegetable to grow, but it does need a lot of sun. One of my favorite things about this lettuce cart is that I can fit a lot of vegetable varieties on it, and since lettuce can grow pretty close together, I don’t run the risk of overcrowding the sprouted plants. Since we may still get another frost here in the A before it’s truly springtime, it’s nice to have this cart that I can wheel in and out of my garage to get optimal sunlight.
Tell me friends, do you have plans to grow an indoor lettuce cart this year? Find a few essentials as you get started on your own indoor lettuce cart in the scrolling widget, and read a step-by-step tutorial below! Truly, MKR
P.S. We just added these amazing Organic Grow Kits in the shoppe! Get started with your lettuce cart with one of these…so fun! xo
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You want to find a place in your house that gets 12 hours of bright sunlight every day. For lettuce especially, a south-facing window is apparently best. Try to find a place that won’t have any cold drafts or too much heat (and of course, away from curious furry friends!). If you can’t find enough light from a window, you can grow your crops under special lights like these.
Next, you’ll want to find good containers for your crops. Look for flat, shallow containers that allow for good drainage.
For the soil, stay away from “potting soil” – it’s usually too rough/course in texture for growing your plants from seeds. Instead, this organic seed starter works great.
For those of you (like me) who bought their crops already-growing, transfer them into the containers with the seed starter mix. Otherwise, moisten the soil and fill the containers a few inches with the mix. Next, scatter the seeds about an inch apart. Top them with a thin layer of planting mix.
You’ll want the containers to maintain moisture, so you can cover them loosely with plastic wrap to create a greenhouse-effect. Keep the seedlings moist but not overwatered.
Check the crops daily for signs of sprouts, and once they appear, you’ll want to remove the plastic cover. Thin the seedlings out with a pair of scissors so that they have about an inch around them to grow.
As soon as the plants start to have their first set of true leaves, you can give them liquid fertilizer like this one. Watch their moisture level, and make sure the seedlings stay moist but don’t ever get drowned in too much water.
Indoor baby lettuce will be ready to be harvested after 3-4 weeks (it will be about 4″ tall). To harvest, cut the outer leaves first, trimming the base about an inch from the soil. You’ll want to leave the rest of the leaves to grow a few days longer. When the plant is completely harvested, you can plant another from scratch.
