Lantanalane

Teen no more

2012-01-25T20:16:00.002-05:00

Trev turned 20 on Monday. I no longer have a teenager in the household so I guess I will have to accept he's now a bonafide adult.

Nah, never mind I am not going to accept it.

Elf on the Shelf

2011-11-24T13:05:00.001-05:00

Recently while shopping for Deco mesh to make a new Christmas wreath I happened to see a Christmas display with all these boxes of Elves. I decided to look a little closer and noted the title"Elf on the Shelf". Now, not being hip to what is taking America by storm obviously, I didn't really give it much thought. But in recent days I had begun to see this same Elf in varying poses and places on Pinterest. So, I decided to see just what the hubbub was all about. I googled it and much to my surprise this little Elf has a story and a job. He spends time in your home and each night flys back to the North Pole to report to Santa how "good" the family he lives with is doing. I can tell you without a doubt, had this same Elf been around when my sweet little children were growing up, well I would have definitely invited one to stay with us. And each day I'm sure my children would have "looked" to find him hiding about in our house. I can imagine their excitement to spy him in certain spots or places. I would have taken great care to hide him, pose him and would have had lots of fun telling the kids stories of this little elf's antics.

Years ago, at least as far back as the mid 90's I actually bought a couple of elves. I had seen this display at Pottery Plus with these elves climbing a little ladder that had been placed up against a tree. It looked as if they were decorating the tree. I bought them during the "after Christmas sale" and packed them up. I never saw them again. True story.

Over the years as each Christmas came, I would look in our boxes of Christmas stuff, but those little elves never turned up. When we moved out here to Castle Hayne I found the ladder which had fallen apart, so I threw it away. As the years passed, I would think of those elves every now and then and wonder where in the world did they go. It bothered me that they had just mysteriously disappeared. I even thought at one time that maybe I looked at them but never bought them but then I would remember the ladder.

You can imagine my surprise, when last week they turned up! If they could only talk! There they were in a white box with a few other things, looking as good as new. Wrapped in plastic and at least 15yrs old. Now, they don't look like the "Elf on the shelf" little elf except for their faces and they are dressed in green with striped legs instead of all red. But I do believe I will find them a nice little spot to sit and take in the festivites during our holiday season.

Rainmaker

2011-06-25T09:48:00.002-04:00

Well, shortly after posting about needing rain, we actually got some!

A small storm rolled through and it rained steadily for 20 mins or so. Not nearly enough but it is a start.

We are still in a drought situation and our usual weekly predicted forecasts show a possibility of 30% chance of getting rain.

We need to up the odds, so if you know a rainmaker, please let him/her know to send some our way.

Hot, Hot, Hot!

2011-06-23T11:15:00.005-04:00

Do we ever need some rain.

Parched grass, dust bowl city, curling dry leaves.

We are smoking here!

Holly Shelter is on fire, so today is overcast and smokey smelling.

Chance of rain 30%.

Whew, did I say we need rain?

May 15

2011-05-24T17:25:00.003-04:00

Hard to believe but we celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary in fine fashion here at the ole Steed farmette. Bird watched, planted, weeded, etc ...you know all the things we usually do on the weekend...lol.

It was another anniversary for me as well...my 33rd year as a nurse at NHRMC...now that just blows me away. Dang, who would have thought!

Done!

2011-05-14T20:16:00.009-04:00

La was officially awarded her Doctorate this morning.

I don't think I will ever be able to comprehend how hard she worked or the countless hours she spent in the lab.

And through it all has remained a wonderful, talented, funny and beautiful young lady.

Proud...you bet!
Happy for her...even more so!
Heart bursting with love....best believe it!

Love you La!

Opps

2011-05-06T16:37:00.009-04:00

What in the world!

Completely neglected to do my annual birthday tribute to my middle child. Laurie did such an awesome job on hers that I was smiling the whole time I was reading. But hey, that doesn't let me or him off the hook.

So lets begin by saying just the other day I was talking about Aaronus to my manager and in doing so I mentioned his love of lists.

He was such the little list maker.

Dinosaurs...species...size....diet....check.

Solar system....planets...size...facts....check.

NBA teams....city....colors....record....check.

State capitals....check

Countries and their capitals....check.

Gi Joes....name...speciality....weapon....check.

Memories that have me smiling all over again. Yes, he was such a little list maker.

Happy 24th son!

New Blog

2011-05-01T16:25:00.002-04:00

I've had a new blog for a while...Simplelifesforme.blogspot.com.

Decided I needed to keep the garden and small house dreams over there.

Hoping soon the small house will be a reality...it's in the planning stages. There's a really cute on on the small house blog this week featuring a young couple. Inspirational!

43 lbs

2011-03-29T19:03:00.002-04:00

Well it's the biggest catfish I've ever seen. Caught at the Lock and Dam #2 by none other than Trevor.

He came home, we took some pictures and then he proceeded to filet it into large pieces. It took 2 gallon size bags to hold all the meat.

Preety amazing!

Sprung!

2011-03-26T13:11:00.005-04:00

Sunflowers planted by the birds....

Lettuce planted in plastic storage containers.....

Lettuce planted in recycled fencing turned into raised bed....

Potatoes coming up.....

Spring is certainly here...birds are singing, weeds are popping up and my little garden is awakening.

All is well!

Everything's Big in Texas

2011-03-12T17:06:00.004-05:00

Well, it's been 13 days since Aaron and Kayla packed up the car and headed west. West to Texas that is. They have a small apartment and life is good.

Ahh, enjoy it my son, these will be the days you remember so fondly.

I often say, Monty and I were our happiest when we had nothing but a small apartment.(What I mean by that is when you own a house.. along with it comes taxes, mortgage, upkeep and responsibility)(Not that we were irresponsible but it was kinda nice not being tied down to anything).

I personally have never been to Texas, but I know my parents went there back in the 50's. I have a picture of my Dad roping a steer. I never ask him much about that trip, wish I had now of course. The only thing I know is they went there to visit my Aunt Vada, my Mom's sister.

Ah, but I digress. Back to Texas, where everything is big. Wonder where that saying came from? It is a pretty big state and they do wear pretty big hats.

Hmmm...probably has something to do from back in the days of the cowboy.

Bygone Era

2011-02-19T15:42:00.012-05:00

There's a place up the road, just outside of Burgaw called Burgaw Milling. It's an old building on the main highway just past where you turn off to go through town. The unfinished hardwood floors and dust laden shelves must have been grand at one time. While it's unkempt appearance may keep people away, others flock to shop as we witnessed this morning. This store, like it's counter part in town(Farmer's Supply), carries seed, feed and the like for area farmers to buy. And it attracts folks like us who just like it's old homey time feel.

So this morning, on the spur of the moment, we decided to ride up there and buy some lettuce seeds, onions and etc. We arrived to a steady stream of people going in and coming out. Walking through the front door, we were greeted by narrow aisles carrying bird seed, dog treats, leather gloves, etc and of course one fat resident cat. We approached the counter to see an older couple(not sure if they are married) working to help people with their orders. Onion sets, Silver Queen corn,and horse feed being sold to young and old customers alike. Seed was being measured and put in brown paper bags. Seed potatoes like Yukon Gold or red, sold by the lb. were being weighed on hanging scales. The couple diligently worked patiently with each person, taking their orders and making small talk. Money exchanged hands and familiar faces were called by name. Monty and I just stood there waiting our turn, taking in the old style business ways. The man kept a running tab of his sales on a piece of paper. There wasn't a cash register but instead a calculator and a laminated tax schedule. Money was placed in an old pull out wooden cash drawer. Finally it was our turn when all of a sudden it hit me. If they didn't have a cash register, then they probably didn't have a debit or credit card machine. So, I sheepishly asked the man if he accepted debit cards...and you guessed it....No....no machine....cash or check only.

Well, not all was lost. We did receive a planting guide for vegetables and were treated to business the old fashioned way. People waited patiently for their turn. No foot tapping or exasperated sighs. No foul language. Just old farmers and young horse people getting ready for their gardens or stocking up their farms. It was nice. Really nice.

61

2011-02-14T19:38:00.002-05:00

Really. 61.

Now how can that be....seems like yesterday.

He was 32. I was 25.

He had a beard. He still has a beard.

He had a gold tooth. He still has a gold tooth.

Valentine's Day. His birthday. On Valentine's Day.

Wow, 61!

Happy Birthday Montus!

If only...

2011-02-12T15:54:00.007-05:00

How in the world did it happen?

My eldest is 28.

It seems like yesterday, I was putting her hair up in ponytails. Matching her grosgrain bows with her outfits. Playing with Samantha or dressing up Barbie dolls.

If only I could just go back to those days for a little while.

And kiss her sweet smooth skin and laugh at her toothless grins.

And hold her hand and go back to her first day of school.

Or sit in the Auditorium and listen to her play the bells.

If only....

Dr. La

2011-02-01T19:34:00.008-05:00

That's right, Dr. La officially began working in her new professional career last week. I think Friday takes on a whole new meaning when you're working a 9-5 kind of week.

And just a random thought I've had bouncing around in my head...from the get go, ever since I've had to face the fact that she's truly moved away...I've just had this vision of her being like Mary Tyler Moore walking down the street... Remember how the opening of her show went? And the song......

And a here's few interesting tidbits:
Mary Richards (Moore) is a single woman who, at age 30, moves to Minneapolis after breaking off an engagement with her boyfriend of two years. I never knew that show took place in Minneapolis!

The opening title sequence features many scenes filmed on location in Minneapolis in both summer and winter, as well as a few clips from the show's studio scenes. The sequence changed each season, but always ended with Mary tossing her hat at an intersection in downtown Minneapolis. Again, had no idea...Minneapolis!

And of course the song...
Who can turn the world on with her smile?
Who can take a nothing day, and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile?
Well it's you girl, and you should know it
With each glance and every little movement you show it

Love is all around, no need to waste it
You can have a town, why don't you take it
You're gonna make it after all
You're gonna make it after all

How will you make it on your own?
This world is awfully big, girl this time you're all alone
But it's time you started living
It's time you let someone else do some giving

Love is all around, no need to waste it
You can have a town, why don't you take it
You're gonna make it after all
You're gonna make it after all

My brain must have sublimially been trying to tell me something....like maybe she's going to be fine after all?

19

2011-01-23T21:01:00.003-05:00

He woke up smiling.

19 today.

Oh dear, where has the time gone?

With a seemingly blink of an eye.

19 today.

My youngest.

My "little red headed boy"

Happiest of B-day's Son!

A Snowy Day

2011-01-10T15:16:00.010-05:00

After much teasing over the last several weeks(I'm not counting the inch or so we got after Christmas...didn't cover the ground completely) we finally got a significant snowfall!! I'm guessing somewhere in the 5-6" range. It was so peacefull and quiet as it fell. Amazing how still everything becomes during a snowfall. The birds did show up in force, feeding, flitting and flying in. The cardinals were beautiful against the white....so pretty!

So, here's our little piece of paradise on a snowy day....

Heading to Minnesota

2011-01-08T09:43:00.005-05:00

La headed out yesterday to drive up to Minnesota. A new job, a new life and a new apartment await her there.

In the meantime we have to adjust that she is no longer "just up the road" but now many miles away from us. I have to be honest. I don't like it one little bit. Yes, it was inevitable that this would come to pass, great jobs are hard to find and when one is offered the red carpet...one must sieze the opportunity.

We are excited for her, but sad nonetheless. We won't be there to help her arrange her furniture or have Monty hang her curtains and pictures. We're not there to share in her excitement of a new place, new town, new everything. And my heart hurts.

We said our goodbyes on Wednesday and with tears in my eyes it was hard. I came in, laid on the couch for the next 2 hrs and thought about when we dropped her at college and came home without her. Feels the same but different. This time there won't be any coming home for all the holiday's or a random drop in on weekend here and there. No, now they'll be work shedules, summer vacation and holiday schedules she'll have to work around.

I know somehow it will all work out. But, for now I feel my little family unit is changing. And, I don't like it one little bit.

All's well or at least for now

2011-01-01T17:49:00.008-05:00

Our holiday season was Crazzzy!

First starting with Thanksgiving. Aaron on his way home from Asheville hit a deer approx 50 miles from home. He was able to drive the car on in to our house and the following Monday we took it in to a repair shop. That's when we then found our insurance did not have a rider on it to pay for a rental car while his car was being repaired. At any rate he needed one to finish up his vacation and get back home so we sucked it up and rented him one.

Then 9 days before Christmas our Christmas tree fell over breaking lots of balls and sending water everywhere...what a mess! I didn't even bother putting the bulbs back on that fell off. Surprisingly the darn thing once righted still looked pretty good.

Next up was our trip to the Inlaws the weekend before Christmas. Driving down the interstate the steering wheel began to vibrate. We pull over only to discover the tread on the back left tire is coming off. We put the spare on make it on in to Raleigh. If anyone knows anything about Raleigh you don't want to go anywhere near Crabtree Valley mall during the busiest shopping weekend of the year, but that is exactly where the ole spouse ended up. Traffic was terrible and finding no other place open on Sunday to buy a tire he ended up at place called Just Tires. He bought a tire and preceded back to his parents house. After much revelry, food and fun we loaded up the car to come home only to find the brand new tire---was now almost FLAT! We went to the nearest Convenience store and put air in it. Then we rode back over to Just Tires to find they had closed early. We stopped only once on the way back to put air in it, finding out on Monday the tire stem was not seated correctly. Aggravating to say the least.

But wait..the craziness didn't stop there. Remember Aaron is in Asheville with no car. Well now he needs to get back home for Christmas and to pick up his car. The girlfriend says no problem I'll drive him down.. an hour out ...her car breaks down!! It's now Christmas Eve and if you've ever tried to rent car on a major holiday, well hold on to your hat! You are going to pay out the waazooo. We paid $166.00 for a one day rental to get them home.

After all of that I thoroughly enjoyed having all the kids home and the time we spent together. Bittersweet because next year they may not be able to get home at the same time. La and Aaron are taking jobs in Minnesota and Texas.

And if you are wondering about the car.. the place that repaired his car did a great job. Whew!

A little rain.....and a rare sighting

2010-09-26T17:15:00.009-04:00

When's the last time I saw one of these guys? Well, I can tell you it's been a while. The last turtle we had in the compound escaped at least a couple of years ago, so I would guess that would be when. Every now and then Trevor will mention seeing one down the hill in the backyard. You'd think living in the country that we would cross paths more often than we do.

But today, seeing this girl, it reminded me of the days of:

Walking in the rain, jumping in mudpuddles, carrying umbrellas and keeping an eye out for a hidden turtle in the leaves.

Rescuing misguided turtles from sure road death.

Finding turtles at auctions.

Naming turtles after the ever so famous Ninja turtles. Remember Raphael, Leonardo, Michaelangelo and Donatello?

Naming turtles girl names like Madeline or Samantha.

Being brought turtles by concerned neigbhors who knew of our turtle compound.

Watching newly hatched turtles, with their shells so soft, head toward the small pool.

Yep, with light drizzle falling, it's not surprising to see her out an about. After all we were always more successful of finding them after a rain.

Enjoy the memory!

Beautiful Blooms

2010-08-07T13:01:00.009-04:00

These are the last of the Zinnias and they're going out in style! So vibrant and as much as I have enjoyed the different colors this year, they have been high maintenance plants requiring lots of water. Maybe because they are in a raised bed? Or maybe not. The flower package said that once established they were drought tolerant. At any rate they will not be going back in the raised bed next year. Some have gone to seed and I think I'll scatter them on the ground and see what happens next year.

On the other hand, my impatiens have done wonderful and have mounded quite nicely. I haven't experienced any wilting that they are prone to in really hot weather. They look great on either side of the steps and I have hardly watered them at all. However they do get a nice drenching from the porch eaves when it rains. I especially like the hosta in the corner.

So that's what's blooming here on the ranch, hope it made you homesick.

Funny Thing

2010-07-25T09:37:00.007-04:00

My youngest never ceases to amaze.

Yesterday while out in the garage cleaning, he pops up and says "These 3 acres are going to be my farm. My place to raise 13 children".

OMG, really? 13 children? He said it jokingly.

He loves this house. This property. How close we are to the river.

Then we talked about him maybe going to Haywood County Community College for a fisheries degree. I told him "You go to the mountains and you won't be back".

Trout fishing, hunting, woods. Hmmm. He's thinking on it.

We're empty nesters!

2010-07-22T11:22:00.002-04:00

Our little bluebird has left the nest.

Perhaps he/she will make a visit to the birdbath in a couple of days.

It's possible the parents could lay a third clutch this summer, lots of time left.

But do they have the energy?

Lantana

2010-07-18T12:19:00.004-04:00

This year the largest of my lantana varieties has flowered with beautiful tri-colored blooms.

At a distance some of the blooms appear salmon in color.

The plant is covered in yellow and orange blooms, yellow and pink blooms and then those that have all 3 colors.

Pretty neat!

One is the Loneliest Number

2010-07-10T14:37:00.007-04:00

Bluebird update.

Our pair ended up laying 4 beautiful little eggs.

1 little baby chick hatched on Tues.

The remaining 3 eggs were not fertilized. We candled them and no developed embryo was seen inside.

Parents are breathing a sigh of relief. Only 1 mouth to feed. lol

Bluebirds ...Round 2

2010-06-20T17:48:00.009-04:00

Can't believe it, but we have a newly constructed bluebird nest with 1 egg. We had suspected they were going to nest again after they began building a nest in the "white" house. They then abandoned it and began building one in the "cedar" house last week.

We think it's the same pair because they have young immature birds hanging out with them. As it turns out, young juvenile birds will sometimes stay with the parents and help raise a 2nd brood.

Very exciting! The watch and wait continues! And something else funny when I think of it...with the last nesting, the first eggs began hatching on Mother's Day and here we go this time with the 1st egg being laid on Father's Day. What's the chance of that happening?

Zinnia's

2010-06-14T17:36:00.004-04:00

The front bed of Zinnia's has started to bloom quite nicely. Lots of different colors and the green "Envy" ones are especially pretty.

Here's a little arrangement I whipped up this afternoon along with a couple of sunflowers.

I'm trying a flower preservative recipe that's supposed to keep them fresh for a week, so stay tuned. If it works, I'll share it with you.

Man of the Ranch

2010-06-06T13:26:00.003-04:00

Let's see Pioneer Woman has "Marlboro man".

Farm Girl has "Farm Guy".

And I have the "Man of the Ranch".

So, what do you think? Does it fit him?

Here Chickie...chickie

2010-05-28T17:35:00.001-04:00

As you can see, happy bug eating chickens.

Starting to Grow

2010-05-27T17:57:00.001-04:00

Chives and peppers starting to take off.

Tomatoes starting to flower and getting big enough for the trellis.

Cute little acorn squash.

Cukes getting bigger.

Pumpkins suffering from the heat today, but they perk right up afterwards

Happiness is.........

2010-05-23T14:48:00.004-04:00

Zinnia's growing ever so tall........

Cukes doubling in size.......

Little baby bluebirds soon to fledge and fly away........

Sweet little sunflowers peeking out........

With more on the way........

Bright colored salmon impatiens .......

Sunny and slightly overcast today but still nice enough to just sit out on the porch and enjoy the farmette.

What's happening in your neck of the woods?

Skronsk Graduates!

2010-05-18T16:48:00.006-04:00

Can't believe I didn't realize how dark this photo was and I was in full sun! And it's the only one I took!

The mountains were beautiful and so was my first born son. Brought tears to my eyes as people gathered in the Quad to see the 2010 graduating class of UNCA.

Such pride and overwhelming love for Skronsk as his name was called and I was so proud of my boy!

Free giveaway!

2010-05-17T11:57:00.002-04:00

Need a chicken laying box?

Click here for your chance to win one.

Looks like a really nice design...my chickens would be soo eggcited to lay an egg in there I'm sure!

Pillowcase Dresses....Hey Anna

2010-05-16T21:11:00.015-04:00

Today's paper has an interesting article regarding making sundresses from pillowcases. Very cool idea since most of the time you can find pillowcases at Goodwill for a little over a dollar or maybe fifty cents. They can also be made from a yd of quilters cotton fabric.

But anyway, the one featured today was a floral print, modeled by a young girl 3-4yr old. It looks really simple and from what they say only takes 30-40 minutes to make one.

Here's the pattern you can download it and give it whirl!

This pdf file has step by step instructions...actually like this one best.

Here's a link that shows some really cute fabric ones:

Holy Toledo...check this one.
And yes, I'd love to see some pictures!!

Pretty and Pink

2010-05-13T18:15:00.003-04:00

Spirea that is.

Lots of varying shades of pink on wavy green leafed stems.

One of my favorite summertime bloomers!

Enjoy!

They're Here!

2010-05-10T16:55:00.002-04:00

Four little fragile and featherless chicks all snuggled down in the cup of their nest.

They must have begun to hatch last evening with the last one this morning. More updates to come....

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T20:03:00.002-04:00

After checking multiple times today, our bluebird nest of eggs remain unhatched. A lot of activity in and out today with the male at times perching on the outside looking in, but sadly no chicks yet.

So to all you Mom's out there that already have their little "chickees", hope you enjoyed your Mother's Day!

Bluebird update!

2010-05-02T20:46:00.005-04:00

The saga continues. The bluebirds won out on the cedar house and ended up running the chickadees out. Not sure what happened to their eggs, they were just gone and the only trace was a broken shell at the base of the pole. I removed the chickadee nest, which was pretty neat with the moss and dog hair lining the cup.

The bluebirds then began in earnest to build their nest, completing it last week. The female started to immediately lay eggs and as last Monday, she had 4 little eggs ready for sitting. So, since then, the little woman has been busy tending and defending her nest. Occasionally the chickadee flys down to the house only to send her and the male into a tizzy in which they chase the chickadee into the neighboring yard.

Currently, we are now on day 8 and should have babies somewhere at the 12-14 day mark. So we are anxiouly expecting!

Rainbow!

2010-04-27T19:37:00.006-04:00

Tonight's little storm produced the most perfect and vivid rainbow I have ever seen. My camera and the pictures I took don't do it justice but it was spectacular. I've seen double rainbows before, however what made this one different was the lower one's colors were so clear.

What a treat! I wonder if that means I'll find a pot of gold?

It's Alive!

2010-04-18T11:25:00.005-04:00

You know it's good to be wrong occasionally and wrong I was in the case of my lantana. Seems it just needed a little more time(and maybe some really warm temperatures) to awaken from it's dormant period. So far, all but 2 hills have started to show signs of life, so all isn't lost! Made my day yesterday when I discovered I will have some color in the front yard after all.

How about this color? The darn thing is just beautiful right now and is my favorite color of all the azaleas.

Lantana "less"

2010-04-11T10:31:00.013-04:00

Well, the prolonged cold snap we had during winter took it's toll on my lantana plants save one spot. All my plants in the front yard - gone! The only place I have a few sprigs coming up is under the dogwood tree on the side of the house. There it was sheltered and insulated most likely by the surrounding azalea's. Such a shame, as they were all transplants from our old home place. However, on a happier note, what I have left is the purple variety which is quite difficult to find, so I'll nurse it along and hopefully be able to transplant it back to the front.

Here's a picture I took of it in November, right before I cut it back. This particular variety looks it best in late summer and early fall. The yellow/orange variety in the background was quite showy as well but had less blooms by Nov.

The yellow/orange variety grew to be 5 x 5 ft. and was loved by the hummingbirds and butterflies. I'll replace it but it'll be a while before it gets big as in this picture.

This was taken in the summer and you can see how bushy it gets.

Transplanting hosta today, as you can see I have a few pots....

Stage 1 = Done!

2010-04-05T20:10:00.012-04:00

The decking is complete on the back porch and it's so nice to step out the door onto a nice flat surface. It's 20 x 12 and I am loving the space!

And on a totally different note, here's a good example of lazy. Our cat, Smidge dozed in this box all afternoon. I mean really, cats can find the darnest places to sleep.

Prime Real Estate

2010-04-04T11:15:00.012-04:00

Nice little house, cedar sided, located on quiet street with lots of woods. Already occupied with cute little nest and 5 eggs.

Newer construction, located slightly further back from the road. Quiet location, brand new and just waiting for a perfect couple!

Yesterday we noticed a pair of bluebirds checking out our blue bird house located in the front yard. Unfortunately, a chickadee had already claimed the space by building a nest and laying her eggs. As a matter a fact, there are now five eggs in the nest.

So, we put up another house in hopes of attracting the blue birds over there. Well, they checked it out, then promptly went back to other house. Taking turns both would fly down to the entrance and peer in but neither would actually go inside.

This morning they started the business of staking their claim again. They both would fly to the top of the house and take turns flying down to look in the entrance hole. Finally, after doing this several times, the female got enough nerve to actually go all the way in. She then started to bring out pieces of fur that lined the chickadee nest. Flying to a nearby tree she would clean her beak on a limb to dislodge the fur. I worried she was going to break the chickadee eggs but as it turns out bluebirds will actually build their nest on top of a chickadee nest. She'll lay her eggs on top those already in the nest.

What I don't know is, will the chickadee eggs hatch along with the bluebirds? Perhaps this will be a blended family??

Standing tall

2010-04-03T11:53:00.008-04:00

They're starting to grow up! Amazing at how much bigger they got this past week. Hoping they'll be ready to eat in another 3-4 weeks. However, I may go ahead and harvest 1 or 2 heads over the next 2 weeks, just so I won't have them all ready at once.

And this is the first thing I'm going to fix!

Stir-Fried Baby Bok Choy with Garlic

1 lb baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher Salt, Black Pepper
1-2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp reduced sodium chicken broth

Heat skillet or wok over high heat. Add olive oil and add garlic and stir-fry until pale golden and fragrant. Add half of bok choy and stir-fry until leaves wilt, about 2 minutes. Then add remaining bok choy and stir-fry until all leaves are bright green and limp. Add soy sauce & chicken broth. Stir. Cover with lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Season wih salt & pepper if desired.

Hens and chicks

2010-04-02T12:16:00.009-04:00

These little hens and chicks fortunately do not lay eggs.

However, on the other hand these little girls are seriously becoming broody and wanting to sit on their newly laid eggs. They get quite irritated to see me checking in on things! Notice the tail feathers? Those ruffled feathers mean "stay away" or I will try to peck you if you come any where close to my eggs. And no I didn't move her, but I will get her eggs this afternoon. No little chickies this go, unless of course you all want them.

Busting out!

2010-03-28T12:24:00.013-04:00

Well, we're greening up around here!

This week my hydrangea started leafing out and I'm expecting the dogwoods woods to pop out any day.

Last week the hosta started peeking through along with my Autumn Joy sedum.

Everybody I've talked to has "spring fever". The stores are stocked with veggies and flowers and with signs of spring busting out everywhere, I'd say "Spring has Sprung" for sure!

Leaps and Bounds

2010-03-27T12:01:00.008-04:00

The lettuce is taking off! Everyday now they are adding on leaves in the center. I'm guessing they are going to start growing up at some point or a least that's what they are supposed to. They look pretty healthy and I can't believe the difference a week makes.

The bales are in and of course now I need it to rain. So far that's not happening. Yesterday's 30% turned out to be a sprinkling only, so I need it to rain like cats and dogs. Otherwise, I'm going to have to start watering them every couple of days.

Green with Envy

2010-03-21T13:32:00.010-04:00

Saw these packages of Zinnia seed last week in Lowe's and scarfed up 3 packages. I think the name "Envy" is perfect for this color. After doing a little research they will not keep their deep Chartreuse color if planted in full sun, so I'll need to find a different spot from where I had orginally planned to plant them. May need another bed...Monty's going to love hearing that. As it stands, I still have another month to go before planting, so I should have time to select the best spot for them.

I got the lettuce beds mulched yesterday.

As well as transplanting and mulching the Alberta dwarf spruce that I put in my big blue pots.

Now if I could just decide on what I want to plant in the beds along the front of the houses. Just not happy with what's in there now, maybe I'll switch them out for Indian Hawthorns. This month's going to be busy with trying to get everything planned and ready to plant for the first of May. It seems gardening chores never end around this time of year. Whew!

Dog tired!

2010-03-14T13:25:00.011-04:00

Yesterday was spent pulling up weeds, digging wild onions, watering the lettuce and deciding what I am going to do with all the hosta I have in pots. Today, I am so tired, no make that dog tired(whatever that means). My poor fingernails look terrible not to mention my aching back...lol.

Here's my new squirrel proof birdfeeder that a guy in Lowe's talked me into buying. Said he was on his 3rd one and that it was really squirrel proof. He even demonstrated how it worked. Got to love those old "birding" type men. He started telling me what to do to attract all kinds of birds, didn't want to hurt his feelings and tell him I pretty much already knew, so I just stood there and listened, nodding my head. But $19.99 later I owned this little baby. It took several days for the birds to try it out.

This goldfinch was actually on another feeder and I couldn't get up to close with scaring him off, but most are already starting to turn quite yellow! Just click on the picture and it'll make it big enough to see him.

In addition to all the goldfincheds today, we've also had pileated, downy and red bellied woodpeckers on the suet. Lots of bird chatter and action today!

Moving right along

2010-03-13T10:23:00.009-05:00

The lettuce is looking great! New growth in the center of each plant all ready...whoo hoo! No, seriously they have experienced very little shock with only their outer leaves yellowing. I actually picked a few of them off before deciding to let nature take it's course and allow them to wither and fall off.

I also divided my daylilies and replanted them behind the lettuce. Eventually I hope that entire bed will be daylilies. I'm going to buy a couple of yellow ones this year to plant in front of the these (after the lettuce is harvested). The back row is all orange, so I think the yellow will be a nice complement. But, I also like pink, so I may change my mind...who knows!

I'm getting the other bed ready for straw. We have decided to definitely plant a pumpkin vine and a squash plant. I also bought the decorative gourds to try again this year and I'm going to plant them in last years bean bed.

It's coming along, slowly but surely. Monty has gone to get the straw bales for all the rest of the beds. We plan to let them age naturally over the next month before planting in May. No prep with fertilizer will be needed if we go this route and we'll save a little money and be more environmentally friendly at the same time.

Today's going to a nice sun shiny day to just putz around in the yard! Hope you can get out there too!

"Lettuce" admire the new vegetable bed

2010-03-07T16:20:00.004-05:00

Ok, Monty finished both new beds this weekend. I had enough of last years old decomposing straw bales to fill one and just enough left over to top off one of the raised flower beds. I now am going to have to come up with something to fill the second new one. I'm thinking of putting a couple of strawbales out there for my gourds and pumpkins. They should have plenty of space to run. Or maybe some cucumbers.

This morning we went to Lowe's and Walmart and were able to score a 6 pack of buttercrunch lettuce and a couple of 9 packs of bok choy cabbage. I plan to plant them as well as the mesclun seeds in the new bed after Tuesday's rain. All three should be ready for picking in the next 40-45 days. Since I have never grown any of these before, I'm excited to see how they'll do and how much I'll actually get to put in our salads. It's an experiment at best!

On second thought, I think I'll go ahead and plant them this evening. That way they'll have a chance to settle in before the rain. Toodles!

Electricity

2010-03-06T20:11:00.015-05:00

We decided to lower our thermostat this winter to see what effect it would have on our Progress Energy bill. Cutting it down to 64 degrees at the beginning of December proved to be quite chilly and we used our gas logs to help out. It was soon apparent after having to order another propane tank 3 weeks into the season, that using our logs daily to help out wasn't going to save us any money. It would take hours of running the gas logs to raise the temperature from 64 to 68 degrees, especially since our home's living room, dining room and kithen are open to each other. No partition walls between rooms means you have a greater area for the heat to dissipate and lose warmth(or at least it sure feels that way).

So, we upped the thermostat to 66. If we needed to turn on the logs to take the chill off, it of course didn't take as long to raise the temp up to 68. We started layering our clothes and have found 66 degrees to be quite tolerable by doing so. I put an electric radiator heater in the bathroom and turned it down to the lowest setting. Surprisingly it has done the trick to take the morning chill off when we shower.

Did we save any money? Well, yes we did. To the tune of $40 less this month compared to the same time last year and we did it during one of the coldest winters our area has had. The proofs in the pudding, lowering the temperature down a couple degrees has definitely saved us a few bucks this winter season.

Well, I'll be!

2010-03-04T18:43:00.008-05:00

Waste management systems for dog poo. I'm not sure how long these have been around but I just heard of them yesterday. Monty said Lowe's Home Improvement has started to carry them and for ~ $25 you can buy one.

The idea is very simple and here is a little information taken from a website that sells them:

The Four Paws Waste Manager is the easy and “green” way to dispose of dog waste. The Waste Manager was designed to perform like a mini septic tank. The Waste Manager works “naturally” with rain/sprinkler water and enzymes as a catalyst to speed the breakdown of pet waste. Four free Natural Enzyme Tablets included. Additional Tablets are available for sale separately.

Since we have a pretty large lot, Monty long ago quit scooping every time Nina does her business. Instead it just lays out there on our lawn until it decomposes or gets stepped in, which usually elicits a loud #@#@. When that occurs he usually takes the initiative to search for and clean up the piles. Maybe having this system ready to go will make it easier to just get rid of it to begin with. No more hurling it down the hill, burying it or worse yet just letting it lay out there.

Sounds like something I should definitely check out.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree...

2010-02-28T15:15:00.014-05:00

It was in my teen years that I began to explore crafting and DIY projects. From the 70's decoupage rage, the 80's cross stitch craze, the 90's sewing costumes and clothing phase and the 2000's landscaping and garden projects, our kids have pretty much seen a little bit of everything. So, it's no small wonder they have been more than willing to try DIY projects themselves.

La's first apartment allowed her to hone her crafting skills by pulling together a color palette she built her room around. We sewed pillows, a duvet cover and a slip cover for her love seat. Her next apartment got even better. We painted her bedroom furniture, replaced drawer pulls, repurposed furniture, refinished furniture and sewed curtains so she could pull it all together for her very own signature look. Her current apartment is so cute and her decorating skills have definitely evolved. She designed her living room end tables which Monty built. Building on her prior color palette, she added in new colors and completely got a new look. I am so proud of her creativity!

Aaron's first apartment saw Monty putting in many hours to build his platform bed, end table, desk, book shelf and ottomans. It was in the middle of summer(hot and humid) and both of them worked to sand, stain and finish his furniture. Aaron knew what he wanted and with Monty's help brought it to life. I know Aaron gained alot by getting out there and learning the basics of furniture making. He was so stoked over his apartment!

Ahh, Trevor. He has never been afraid to try anything. I am always amazed at how detailed he can be. He's currently taking a silk screening class in school and needed to come up with a project. Didn't take him long to come up with a design. Knowing pretty much what he wanted to do from the beginning made it easy to decide on the subject. I loved his idea and the only thing I suggested was to add in some marsh grass. The end result looks pretty darn professional and his teacher told him he did a great job. I have to agree. Now who wouldn't want to be on his team to go duck hunting?

Composting

2010-02-27T09:50:00.013-05:00

We have attempted in the past to compost, even going so far as to buy a composter. As a matter of fact, we have 2. They are placed down the hill in our backyard out of sight. Only problem is they are truly " out of sight, out of mind". Needless to say, we were good about it to begin with but in the last year have become quite slack in using it. Maybe I should clarify that statement. It was the ole DH's job to empty the kitchen container in the compost bin and "he" has become quite slack in keeping up with it. So, I have now taken over the job and started it up again, only this time I am emptying the food scraps into the raised flower bed in the front. Walking down the hill, fighting briars isn't exactly my cup of tea. I figure it can't hurt to use the flower bed right now while it is empty. Once the flowers are in I'll have to find another spot or move the composter up in the back yard where it is more accessible.

I'd even like to start a worm composting operation, the worm castings are great fertilizer and of course totally organic.

Really the hardest thing, is just getting into the routine of doing it. My grandmother kept an old milk carton beside her sink that all her vegetable waste went into. She emptied it out daily in her garden. It was her routine to do so, but then again, she was recycling way before it was the "thing to do". She never forgot the hard times during the depression, never took for granted electricity, wasted nothing, repurposed and reused everything she could.

Taking her lead, instead of using a milk carton, I am using the bottom half of a soda bottle. Not to big, doesn't hold more than a day's worth of scraps and it forces me to go out and empty it. It is quite amazing how fast it fills up with lettuce scraps, coffee grounds(with filter), orange peels, etc.

365 Days of Trash

2010-02-24T16:39:00.014-05:00

I am always on the look out for new blogs and here's the most recent one I've discovered...quite interesting.

http://365daysoftrash.blogspot.com/

Ok, we finally got on the "green" wagon and bought one of those grocery cloth-like reusable bags. I had already gotten another one from our benefit's fair last fall, but had never used it. The DH(and myself)have never been big fans of the plastic ones. The paper ones are ok, but are subject to ripping if packed with heavy items. After light discussion, we've decided to stop using both. Since we are proud owners of 2 "green" ones, the ole DH tried them out last week. He has reported them to be very satisfactory and definitely something we(he) can get used to. Notice I said he had tried them out, as you know I am not one to love grocery store shopping. I have to give Kudos to the DD who has been using them for quite some time. She too, is moving toward using more reusable "green" items and less disposables.

I don't know why buying that darn bag has made me so happy, maybe because we are reducing what goes into the landfill?

Yes, that's it exactly!

And, now to provide you with a little inspiration...

Out with the old

2010-02-21T16:28:00.009-05:00

Today was so nice that I decided to start cleaning out the raised beds holding last year's straw bales. It really is recycling at it's best -- the old decomposed bales are perfect to put in the flower beds out in the bird garden. My new annuals will love the rich decomposing goodness and I will get to enjoy flowers all summer.

I was quite productive and was able to get the old pepper bed and 1 side of the tomato beds done today. I'm even thinking of having the ole DH make 2 more raised flower beds out front. They sure are easier to weed, maintain and are so much better on my lower back! Not to mention, I may try to plant more cukes out there this year(remember last years did terrible only producing 3-4 cukes off of 2 vines).

So, all in all, I got a head start on one of my spring chores and it feels pretty good!

Snow what?

2010-02-14T11:50:00.010-05:00

This year's snow event comes in third place when compared to previous years snow totals.

Here's the breakdown:

Decemember 23-24, 1989 = 15.9"
January 25-26, 2000 = 5.0"
February 12-13, 2010 = 3.8"
January 23-24, 2003 = 3.0"
January 20, 2009 = 0.9"

And here's a few pictures of our winter wonderland.

Chowing down!

2010-02-06T09:52:00.012-05:00

In the past several weeks, we have been inundated with goldfinches. So much so, that we are refilling our bird feeders every day practically. The flit and fly in every minute or so, sometimes perching and scrambling for position. Add in the cardinals, titmouses, chickadees and the occasional squirrel and we have a smorgasbord of activity! Our little bird visitors, so beautiful in their winter plumage, provide a spot of color in the otherwise drab winter landscape.

It doesn't take much to attract them. Hang your bird feeders filled with sunflower seed or sunflower hearts for the majority of birds or use a thistle feeder to attract the goldfinches. Once they find your feeders you'll certainly enjoy the show!

This little guy popped in this morning, cleaning up leftovers on the ground. He looks like a goldfinch, but actually is a pine warbler.

photo credit goes to hiltonpond.org

Nightmare

2010-02-03T20:01:00.000-05:00

Sad, but true.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

Living Simple

2010-02-01T20:42:00.007-05:00

I think this couple has the right idea....it's about 27 mins long, but take the time to really listen about their journey and renewed outlook.

Organization 101

2010-01-31T09:08:00.004-05:00

For some time now, I've had a dry erase board on the wall of our office. It is conveniently located to the right of where I sit to surf the net. When I first put it up, I tried to be good and jot down reminder notes, but more often than not, I didn't.

So beginning this year I decided to tighten up and write myself reminder notes on the board. Now, every day when I get on the computer, I take a look at my reminders and check them off as I go along. I have to admit it has done wonders with keeping up with my "to do" list. I'm even writing things down for the rest of the fam.

Although it has always been in my nature to want to be organized, I have miserably failed over the years. It took moving into this house and designating a space for a home office that has made me want to be better organized. It is just so nice to go to look for something and find it without tearing up the place "trying to find it".

There is, after all beauty in organization. Yesterday, I decided to file our taxes. I pulled out our tax folder and away I went! Done! Then I did Trev's taxes and filed his FAFSA. Done!

Ohhh what a feeling! You know what I mean?

Wedding favor idea!

2010-01-30T10:04:00.011-05:00

One of the girls I work with is helping plan her stepson's wedding and came up with the idea of placing these pedestal candles at each place setting on the reception dining tables for guest wedding favors. She wanted to dress them up a bit so I made these little tags for inspiration. She bought ribbon and scrapbook paper to match the color scheme of the wedding. We came up with several sayings for the tags. I also played around with the "initial" tag using different styles of fonts. I then dressed them up a little further by gluing the paper to a rim tag. I love the results. The rim of the tag brings an understated elegance to the candles, perfect for the tablescapes. The place settings with silverware, white candle center pieces, flower petals and these little candles will surely dress each table beautifully!

It was really easy to do on the computer. I just typed the sayings or initial, then printed and punched each one. I played around with the best color combination and decided green on navy looked the best(IMO). Gluing them together was a breeze! The rim tag came with the wire hanger which was perfect to attach to the slip knot as I tied each one. She only needs 50, so it should be an easy afternoon project!

So simple! I love it!!

Other ways to use this tag? Well, I can see using the initial tag done in pink paper with jewels and attached to teen gift bags filled with bath stuff, makeup, etc. How about childrens party bags filled with goodies...ohh the possiblilites are endless!

Supply List
Candles(AC Moore)
Ribbon
Scrapbook paper
punch round 1"
punch scallop 1.5"
rim tag 1 1/4" ( you can get 50 of these from staples for $7.99)

A little known fact....

2010-01-24T19:11:00.016-05:00

I'm not sure why I thought of this, at this very moment, on this particular Sunday in January, but I did. I used to have a clothesline. Yes, a real one, made from metal poles from which two lines were strung. I hung my clothes out to dry for 22 yrs. Then we moved into the new house. I figured it was time to move into the 20th century, so I bought a dryer. You would have thought I would have sprung much earlier in our marriage, when the kids were young and dirty laundry plentiful. I held firm through those years, washing every Saturday. I would start in the morning, dilligently hanging each washed load on the line. Sometimes if I was lucky, and it was a hot day, when the last load was hung, I could take the 1st load off. The only bad thing in summer was the humidity. If it was really humid, the clothes sometimes soured and I would have to wash them over again. That was a pain for sure. When winter came, I just hung them up in our little mud room. Winter was different, as I would have to start on Friday so they could dry overnight. Now, that was a pain too. Clothes hanging up for 3 days tends to make you somewhat ill. Especially if you had to push them aside to get out the back door.

I don't think my kids knew about "soft towels" until they had the good fortune of showering over at a friends house. That's when they would ask why ours were so rough. HeHe. And the jeans, on cold days, they practically stood up by themselves. So, in my way of thinking it was actually a good thing we never had a dryer. Those rough feeling clothes and towels were actually natural exfoliants. Plus, we never had to worry about shrinking anything and our clothes lasted forever!

So, my point here is the dryer has not really made my life any easier. I do know my electric bill is higher. Sunshine is free. The DH once had a guy ask him, "How do you dry your clothes when you don't have a dryer"? (Duh). He said, "We hang them on the line". The guy was amazed. I do plan to start hanging my clothes back out when we finish the porch so once again, I'll be able to see clean clothes fluttering in the wind. And, if I'm lucky between now and then, I can score me a couple of old clothesline poles.

Birthday Boy

2010-01-23T09:10:00.011-05:00

I climbed the steps up to his bedroom this morning at 0750. I leaned over, gave him a kiss and wished him Happy 18th Birthday. Then, I leaned over again and gave him another kiss, wishing I could keep him this way forever. Wishing, we could go back to the days of kindergarden and do it all over again when we'd play "our" game, "popajay, popajay", or he would place his feet atop mine, so we could walk together. Since we've moved to the country, one of my favorite things for him to say in the evenings has been, "Let's go outside and survey the ranch", and we would, walking arm in arm or hand in hand, looking over the property, dreaming of what we'd build and not caring what passerbys might think of us. Ahh, such good times and happy memories!

So, today is the day. #18. This coming year will be so exciting for him as he starts his little cabin in the woods, works on the boat with his Dad and plans his next hunting season.

Yep, a new day to start making more fun memories!

Carpooling, week 3

2010-01-19T16:48:00.016-05:00

Well, as most of you know or maybe you don't, I am now into week 3 of my carpooling experiment.

What, you ask...carpooling? If you can believe it, yes. It all started after reading the book, Ishmael over the Christmas holiday. This story was written to make you think, be aware of how we came to be and how we have become insensitive to what is happening on our earth; how we only have one earth, and so forth. It was very inspiring and I decided I should do what I could to lessen my impact on "mother earth" so to speak.

We began to think about how many miles Monty drives to work(16 miles one way)and how many I drive(11 miles one way)to get to work. We figured it really wasn't that much out of his way to drop me off first and since we work the same hours, it was a no brainer to at least give it a shot. Funny thing is, total mileage one way is 17 miles. So, in essence we are saving 20 miles a day, therefore reducing at least one car's toxic emissions into our air, not to mention the gas saved.

We're settling into a routine of sorts, and even on the days I'm not working he still drives the car since it gets the best gas mileage. The only problem is I have to wait on him in the evening. I rationalize this wasted time as being no different, as if I were waiting to catch a bus to take me home.

With several successful weeks behind us, we are now looking at how we can combine shopping trips to save even more miles driven. But, to stay organized I am going to need to purchase a weekly planner so I can keep up with our route. After several months I hope to be able to see if it also will positively affect our budget, which will be a nice little kickback.

Sometimes being "green" just takes a little effort on our part and yes, we are feeling pretty good here at the ranch.

Left over...

2010-01-18T20:46:00.004-05:00

Tostados.

Thank goodness we had the forethought to cook extra the other night, keeping totally in mind that we'd have round two later in the week. We've been doing the "fix extra" meat for some time, and now we're starting to see the benefit of fixing fast and easy meals. With just a little planning, you'll too, be able to prepare a meal that's practically stress free.

You really should give it a whirl!

Clothespin Project

2010-01-16T10:21:00.011-05:00

I have always loved clothespins, and over the years I have made quite a few things from them. They are not, just for hanging clothes out on a clothesline, you know.

The first thing I ever made was the famous clothespin reindeer, and that was way back in probably 1983-84.

Next, came little Christmas bears, sitting on lace positioned atop a clothespin. I loved this idea, because they could be placed at the end of a tree branch where nothing else seemed to fit. I'd say I probably did those somewhere around 1994-95.

Years passed before I thought of something else to do with the trusty clothespin. In 2000-2001, I came up with the idea of gluing a poinsettia to the top of the pin. These were used to fill in those "holes" every Christmas tree seems to have. I loved them, and I still put poinsettia's on my tree to this day.

My latest project, actually has nothing to do with Christmas. I had bought a pack of clothespins a while back with the intention of using them on my clothes line. Then we had to take down the line when we started on the back porch. So, there they were, in an unopened package just begging to be made into something useful. So, I copied an idea from a craft project site and came up with these. Using scrapbook paper, I cut and glued the strips to the pins. I added the punched flower, finishing it off with a button. I took them to work and clipped them on my co-workers wall pockets, where they are perfect for keeping notes or reminders. I think they would be great for holding together bills needing to be paid, vegetable or flower seed packets, things to do, etc. I'm thinking of doing me a little set for my office. So, there you go, a project you can complete in 20 minutes or less!

Christmas Packaging

2010-01-10T12:19:00.011-05:00

Well, here you go, my nifty packaging idea that can be modified for a variety of uses, other than what it was originally intended, which of course, is a gift card tin.

I bought 10 of these tins at Halloween, from Michael's, with the intention of filling them with candy and giving them out to my coworkers. I just couldn't motivate myself at Halloween, so I put them away with the idea I would have to come up with another use for them. Right after Halloween, of course Micheal's started putting out Christmas ribbon and I happened to find a very cool ribbon with the same color as the tins. Right then, I knew what I would use the tins as packaging for my handmade tags, tying the tins up with the ribbon. So, I purchased several rolls. I was glad I did, because as October rolled into November, the ribbon sold out.

The tags fit perfectly inside the tins and with the ribbon they turned out pretty cute. Even the handmade tags ended up matching that same green color as the tins. Nice little coincidence.

Other uses :

Fill them with peppermint candy, Reece cups, Hershey candy or other festive wrapped candy.

How about chap stick, cough drops, etc for someone under the weather?

What about filling them with handmade hair ties and little clippies, for cute little girls?

I could keep on thinking and coming up with ideas, but you get my drift. But hey, if you come up with a really cool idea, you have to share. OK?

Hunting and Fishing

2010-01-09T10:04:00.008-05:00

If he could, he would, on a daily basis.

It makes me want to buy hundreds of acres.

Build a cabin.

Live in the woods.

And let him fish and hunt to his heart's content. Plus, he's so cute in his camo jacket.

Chicken Parmigiana...Pioneer style

2010-01-06T19:56:00.006-05:00

Tonight, we tried The Pioneer Womans's version of Chicken Parmigiana. It was such a simple recipe and her directions along with step by step photo's made the whole process so easy. Dinner, including the prep time was 45 mins from start to plate on the table. Now, that's my idea of a quick and simple meal. We had a nice little spinach salad to compliment the meal and I have to say it was delicious.

So, if you need a new recipe to add to your collection, this is definitely one you should try.

MMmmmm, mmmmm, good!

PS: the recipe link is currently on thepioneerwoman.com home page

Scrap-tastic Cards and Tags

2010-01-02T18:19:00.018-05:00

You know how I've loved using up my scraps of left over scrapbook paper from the projects I've done over the last year. Well, I'm finishing up the year with a few cards I made to thank people for their lovely gifts. I also made lots of tags from bits and pieces of paper, paper that had stamping boo-boo's, and even packing paper that came with cardstock to use as gift tags. Not only did I do these tags for me, but I gave them away as presents too. I'll have to find the pictures I took of the tags in a package idea I came up with to contain them. I'll try to find the pictures and do a post tomorrow. I have to admit the tags were really very pretty on my gifts and presents.

The cards were so simple to do, punching snowflakes, adding a button and sentiment and DONE! Same for the tags, punched a bunch of scallop circles, stamped the sentiments, punched them out, glued them together, added leftover rhinestones, the ribbon hang tag and DOUBLE DONE! My kind of project, fast and easy.

As you know, there's no time like the present to start gathering ideas for the next holiday season. It'll be here again before we know it!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T11:48:00.005-05:00

2010. What will it bring.....mmm

Don't know.

I have only one Resolution for the coming year and that is to save more money.

And get the back lot cleared. Well, forget the one resolution, I have now thought of several.

Ohh, would like to finish the top of the garage into an apt...rent and save more money. I've been saying we were going to do that all of last year and didn't happen, so, will it happen in 2010? I'll have to wait and see on this one.

Maybe get the driveway paved, but that's spending more money...mmm, have to think on this one too.

Redo my bedroom. That's been on prior resolution lists and still isn't done. Could be done for next to nothing if I repurposed the old furniture. Need to dwell on this one.

Ohh, here's another one. I want Monty to make me a Dining Room table, but that doesn't fit into my resolution category, should go in his though...lol.

Could work more, so I could save more, but don't want too. So, what was the point of even bringing it up...random thought only.

Ok, that's pretty much sums it up. 2010, I hope it's gonna be a good one!

Season Finale

2009-12-28T14:43:00.015-05:00

Well, our Christmas season is winding down and I have to say it has been one of my most memorable ones. Namely, because our children have gotten along with us and themselves pretty much the best they ever have. So much more enjoyable for all of us concerned. I felt crappy much of Christmas eve and Christmas day having come down with a rotten, sneezing cold. Today I feel so much better, although my head is still full of it.

Wanted to share my most awesome(or at least I think so) last minute gift for Anna(I was her secret Santa). I decided this was the perfect gift for Anna after visiting the Pioneer Woman's website and seeing her children's version of the Nativity. With only 1 evening to do the entire manager scene, I powered it out in ~ 4 hrs. Whew! I went to bed feeling good about the whole project only to wake the next morning to realize I had made all the wise men's faces the same color. Then, on the way back home I realized I had left the tails off the sheep and the lone ox in the scene perhaps, looks a little "cow-like" just like P-dubs kids set. lol

Oh well.. without further ado...the Nativity.

Twas the night before....

2009-12-24T17:37:00.009-05:00

Tradition.

My little holiday village is set up every year by none other than Trevor.

For years now, it has been his job to place the houses, people, trees, snow and candy canes. Bittersweet this year, as he is getting older and now it has become somewhat of a chore.

But, ahh were the days when he excitedly pulled out each piece, remarking which house he liked the best, looking at the people and houses that Aaron and Laurie helped me paint. He actually painted the grist mill(I helped him clean the lines up, but he did the majority). When he was four, he would push the dining room bench up to the buffet and rearrange the people and cars with his little mind in imagination land. Yes, maybe next year I will find those pictures of him playing. So sweet and such fond memories.

I guess next year I will have to see if he will continue the tradition, or will I have to assume the duty.

My family is complete, everybody's here now with Laurie and Aaron home. The house is full of lively conversation and cheer! Merry Christmas to all.

♪♪♪Fa la la la la... la la.. la la! ♪♪♪

2009-12-17T15:43:00.003-05:00

Well here it is, December 17 and I am running out of time.

I have most of my shopping done, with the exception of a few gifts.

Unfortunately, I cannot for the life of me think of something to make or much less buy for said persons.

On a happier note, I am listening to Christmas cd's, which are filling me with holiday cheer.

Time for an eggnog, me thinks.

Cheers!

Baby, it's cold outside

2009-12-06T16:26:00.008-05:00

Well, that is if you consider 46 degrees cold. I happen to think it's considered on the cool side, which is why I am in my flannel pj's and hoodie. Quite toasty am I.

Last week when it rained, we saw lightning and heard thunder. Wive's tales say when it lightnings in December, you will see snow(or I think it does). So I'm waiting for this to happen. This month, say Christmas eve, that would be dang near perfect timing if you ask me.

Wilmington has only seen snow on Christmas eve one time in the last twenty years. 1989. Aaron was 2, Laurie 6. It was the most magical Christmas ever. Big snow flakes that drifted down, falling for hours. A foot or more I do believe fell that day. The kids went outside laughing, falling down, making snowballs and in general, were just amazed at all the snow. Since then, we've had a few small snow events but nothing like 1989.

So, I think a repeat of 1989 is in order. I'd sure like to see some cute little snowflakes gently falling from the sky, sticking to the ground and causing everything to come to a standstill.

Quiet and snow kinda go together, don't they?

Still consumed

2009-11-29T10:37:00.009-05:00

I know, you're probably sick of hearing about Pioneer Woman but I have one more little stat to throw out there, or maybe a couple.

First, the Drummond family owns ~119,000 acres in Oklahoma where they have 4000 head of cattle and like 2000 wild horses. Can you imagine how large an area this would be? Gives new meaning to the phrase "as far as you can see".

Next, they also own a 6000 acre southern Oklahoma farm where they grow grass and hay for their cattle. Let's see, I have 3 acres they have 6000...mmm.

Lastly, her site gets 13 million page views a month and has a place in the "Top 100 most powerful and influential blogs" with a ranking of 22. (Dooce is ranked 21).

Ok, now have you been over to the site and checked out those recipes along with the ranch?

Help!

2009-11-28T20:15:00.005-05:00

OMG, I can't get off Pioneer Womans's website. Today, I decided to look at some of her recipes and boy do they sound good. Not only does she have Marlboro Man, kids, cattle and a cool blog, but she can also cook too. Dang!

I want her cookbook *hint-hint*.

Pioneer Woman

2009-11-26T16:49:00.008-05:00

Pioneer Woman, aka P-dub. Her site is located at www.thepioneerwoman.com

I have now successfully finished reading the entire saga called, " Black Heels to Tractor Wheels" and it was not only entertaining but fun to read. A modern day tale of "love at first site" so to speak. She's a lucky person to be able to live out the dream of ranching, to raise her children at home, ride horses, work cattle, and learn life skills that so many us will never experience. Yes indeed, lucky!

Hook, Line and Sinker

2009-11-25T07:56:00.010-05:00

Recently, on a favorite blog of mine I read about a woman who is currently on a book tour to promote her cookbook. Last week the entire post was all about this woman, P-dub. Finally I couldn't take it any longer and decided to visit P-dub's site and learn what all the hubbub was supposedly about. Well, hours later, 2am in the morning and not wanting to stop searching P-dub's site, I found out why so many people are following her blog. Her fascinating account of life on a modern ranch will suck you in, and suck you in hard. It's a love story, it's her children, her husband who she lovingly calls "Marlboro Man" and the wonderful photo's of their working cattle ranch. I had no idea, or should I say I never gave it much thought, of how there are still working ranches in the Midwest. Her children are so fortunate! Makes you want to head west, not tomorrow, but like yesterday.

Recycling...

2009-11-08T20:36:00.008-05:00

Today I finally got around to making the girls at work a "fall" goodie bag. The plastic bags I used to hold the candy actually came from the journal books I made back at the end of summer. The book covers were made from a thicker plastic and I just couldn't throw them away, so right then I decided I would hang onto them and use them for a future project. Recycling at it's finest.

I originally thought about doing something for Halloween but I knew I'd have to find the candy on sale, so I just waited until after Halloween and bought the candy at 1/2 price. Each little bag cost around .35 cents to make. Not bad.

They turned out really cute with the fall ribbon, tags and matching foil wrapped candy.

Fall Foliage.....not

2009-11-01T13:32:00.008-05:00

I have to face the stark reality that we are just not going to see any real beautiful leaf changing this year. Here it is the 1st of November, the leaves have started to fall but very few have even turned. No pretty yellows, oranges or reds. Just a few sad yellow brown ones. I'm holding out that the dogwoods may put on a little show, but my maple appears to be a no go.

We'll see, I'm not giving up hope yet!

On another note though, our pecan harvest is in full swing...we have picked up the last of them and now waiting for them to dry out some before freezing. I had our 2007 harvest shelled and have started the arduous job of sorting them. However, after seeing what they cost at Walmart for a pound, I have to say I am wealthy in the pecan department.

Take a look. Just think fudge, cheese balls, pecan pies.....hmmmmmmmm.......

Sunday Snipet's

2009-10-18T10:37:00.003-04:00

Graduation 2010.

Hadn't really thought about it, until the other day when I realized that Laurie, Aaron and Trevor will all be graduating in 2010. I suppose the order will be Aaron in May, Trev in June and Laurie in August. Now, how cool is that?

Of course, this brings back another year's momentus occasion. 1997. That year I dropped Trev off for his 1st day in kindergarten, Aaron off for his 1st day of middle school and Laurie off for her 1st day of high school. I was the only parent that I knew of with children starting in 3 different grades, in 3 different schools on the first day of school. That was pretty cool too.

The Boys at work.....

2009-10-05T12:38:00.017-04:00

Roof rafters almost done

Monty putting the first piece of plywood on the roof

Hammering down plywood

Trev at dusk...he looks like a warrior with spear on his back...was really a 2x4 leaning between the rafters. I just love how this picture turned out, his silhouette against the cloudy sky at dusk. If you click on the pic, the enlarged picture even shows his eyelashes!

Our new screened-in porch and den are coming right along. The boys worked late into the evening to start putting plywood up on the roof. It looks big when you stand to the side and look down through the space. And I guess it is, since the dimensions are 12x40 ft, with each room being 12x20. I'm going to love walking out the back door into a covered space!!

Now, I've been thinking on how to arrange the windows and how to purpose each room. I want to add storage to the den area and have tentatively been thinking of a wall cabinet system that would maybe have an desk area(for laptop use) between to pantry style cabinets that would function as a closet/storage area. Can you envision it? We are also going to put a door from the den to the porch area.

So, exciting!! Stay tuned for more pics and progress as they finish the roof!

Visitors

2009-10-04T11:34:00.013-04:00

Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Now, I'm not saying the fountain had anything to do with this, but I do have to wonder if the sound of water brought these guys in for a visit. Yesterday afternoon, we saw 2 new species of birds in our yard. Aaron, of course has seen them before, but we just hadn't caught a glimpse of them until yesterday. I noticed the female Grosbeak, seeing first the bold eye stripes. I knew immediately it wasn't one of the usual birds I see out in the front yard. It had a seed beak like cardinals, but what struck me was the large size of the eyes. After Monty got a good look, and checking our bird guide, we were sure. It pretty much hung out the rest of the afternoon, flying in and out at the sunflower feeders.

American Redstart

Right after seeing the Grosbeak, I began to see a small warbler like bird flitting quickly about in the top of the birch tree. I could tell it was eating insects by the way it was moving about from limb to limb, barely staying still long enough for us to get a good glance. We were patient and pretty soon both of us got a really nice view of it as it sat for a few seconds on a branch. A very pretty bird, the American Redstart showed off the beautiful yellow stripes on his tail along with his soft gray head. At one time, we had two out flying from birch tree to birch tree.

Our Ranch

And lastly, Trev cut the lower limbs off the bottom of the birch trees yesterday and boy does it look nice. You can now see through them, down the middle of the bird garden to the front porch stoop. He then cut the grass, and well, I have to say the Steed ranch looks pretty awesome.

It's beautiful today and I'm loving it!!

The Fountain

2009-10-03T10:37:00.011-04:00

My latest endeavor to add the sound of water to my garden has resulted in this little baby. The big, blue ugly barrel is well, quite blue. However, it does serve the purpose of holding enough water, that I am not filling it up but every 7-8 days. I'm happy with how it turned out, except of course for the "blue". I've thought of several ways I could camouflage it, but I'm still undecided. I also want to raise the actual platform up level with the lip. So, all in all, I'm liking it.

Haven't seen any birds checking it out, but it does provide a nice little trickling sound as the pot bubbles over and the water runs down one of the two holes cut into the platform, which was the top of the original lid to the barrel.

Cost of fountain:

barrel = $4
ceramic planter = $8
pump = $49(which I've had for 3 yrs and used in other water features)

So, somewhat pricey, but still reasonable. And all for the sake of attracting the migratory birds flying by.

Hope you are enjoying the lovely weather!

Decorating.....First Day of Fall

2009-09-26T10:20:00.011-04:00

First day of fall this year was September 21. In preparation for the big day, I actually put out my fall decorations the weekend before. I think everyone appreciates the beautiful colors of fall. I sure miss seeing the fall foliage where the leaves turn from green to yellow to orange. Growing up in W.VA it signified that winter would soon be upon us. The mountain forest was just gorgeous most years and were much talked about as the leaves began to turn. Speculation, mostly about how certain fall indicators would predict the harshness of winter. If you believed in those sort of things....speculation along with what the Old Farmer's Almanac had predicted was what most people went by.

There have been some pretty falls here in Wilmington, mostly because of those who have maple and oak trees planted. Maples can be pretty showy in the fall and depending on the type, can really add that wow factor to a landscape. There's a house over on Hawthorne Ave., off Oleander that has a beautiful large Japanese Maple tree that is to die for. As slow as those trees grow, I would fathom a guess that it was probably planted shortly after that house was built in the 70's maybe? It turns a beautiful yellow orange and it just lights up the their yard. I have a red maple whose leaves do turn the reddish yellow in the fall, but it is still small and just doesn't show off yet. But it will someday!

So, now it's your turn to get out your fall decorations and get in the spirit! It will do wonders for your soul and maybe take you down memory lane as you reminisce about your favorite fall memories!

Happy Fall!!

Matchy Matchy with Martha

2009-09-19T11:09:00.011-04:00

Cute little "wedding" gift thank you notes I made for one the girls at work.

The Kraft brown note cards I purchased from Michael's last week were only $2.50. However, there were only 8 blank cards and envelopes and I needed at least 16. So, off I went to Michael's again. Of course, they didn't have any more of the Kraft brown ones. So, while browsing the Martha Stewart section, lo and behold, a bunch of her note card sets had been reduced! The eyelet white cards were marked down to @2.99. They were originally $10.00, of which I would have never paid full price for, but on sale is a different thing. They are darling! Only wish they had had more! Made from top quality paper, they are very nice indeed. I ended up using the "Martha" colors on them and wow..I think they turned out so pretty. I also used small pearls to use as the center of each flower and placed the colored strip behind the flowers to accent them. The paper I used on the brown Kraft came from my stash. This paper has given me a a lot of trouble idea wise. It had large flowers which I couldn't figure out how to cut, so I could utilize most of the paper. In the end I just measured, cut and glued them on cards. Then I analyzed where to best place the scalloped embellishment. I love how they turned out as well. The brown ribbon I used on them was on sale for a $1. It just tied up so nice. I will definitely be buying more of it in different colors. The two sets compliment each other with similar colors. S0, this little matchy, matchy set will be going to it's owner on Monday. I think she'll be really pleased!

On another note, I sure have gotten my money's worth out of the punches I have used on all the note card sets. While all the cards are very similar, the recipients don't know each other, so they'll never know a "like" set exists out there. I am using up my stash of paper that was accumulating in my storage cabinet. Pairing down has been my goal and I am whittling away slowly but surely....and that is a good thing!

Playing with stamps

2009-09-13T14:33:00.005-04:00

I recently got a set of clear rubber stamps and the opportunity to use them came up last weekend. Two of the younger nurses I work with will be having their babies at the end of this month and first of Oct. So, of course I had to make them a set of "Baby Thank-you cards".

I simplified the production this time. I decided to keep the cards very similar which allowed me to mass produce them in a more timely fashion. However, it still took me a couple of hours to complete. But, they turned out sooo cute!!

I loved the orange and yellow ones the best, but all the color combos are sweet. One set for a girl and one for a little boy.

I lucked up and found 2 sets of envelopes marked down at Michael's for $2.50 so I scarfed them both up. That saved me quite a bit of time by not having to make them. They were just the right color and I even found I had matching solid paper already here at the house. Paired with scraps from other projects(and you'll recognize the prints)they were perfect matches.

So, here they are!

Forgotten Daylily

2009-09-06T15:58:00.012-04:00

I completely forgot to post this little beauty when she bloomed. For the last 5 yrs this plant has lived in a landscaping pot. Almost killing it was a monthly occurrence, because most weeks I forgot to water it.

I finally planted it in the ground in the spring. It produced a lot of blooms this year, all perfect and a beautiful shade of orange. Besides lantana, I can't think of a hardier species.

I divided the main plant into 3 smaller plants, so next year, I hope to have three times as many blooms!

Beans for Emma

2009-09-05T14:05:00.007-04:00

I neglected to check on my beans this last week thinking they had just about stopped producing, but as you can see I had underestimated the power of the bean plant. This is the most I've picked at any one time. However, some had grown so large and tough a human would not enjoy them(I personally hate stringy beans!) Emma on the other hand, along with Nina love them stringy or not. To say I'm surprised that dogs like green beans is an understatement. Seems beans are considered a hypoallergenic food source. So, for Emma it becomes a treat of sorts along with her carrots she's allowed to have. Nina, who no allergies that we know of, loves them too.

Girls, your beans await you!

La and the Chair

2009-09-01T19:41:00.015-04:00

This chair was a handy me down from a girl I used to work with at the Med Mall. I've had it for at least 5 yrs with the intention one day of re-upholstering it. When Laurie moved into her apt 2 yrs ago she took it to Raleigh and used it as a desk chair. She has since moved into her very own apt and decided it was time to move away from the pink(as we lovingly called it the "pink chair").

So,last weekend when she was down for a visit we went fabric shopping and she found a very nice embossed white fabric to use. I was quite proud of her as she made a pattern, cut the fabric and sewed a slip cover for the back. The only problem was it was way to tight at the bottom and we just couldn't pull it tight enough to staple at the bottom. So we made a second pattern which she sewed and it fit much better. 2nd time was the charm. Live and learn, we had never worked with a curved back so it was a learning experience for us both.

She did a wonderful job on it! I was quite impressed that she didn't give up. Heck, I was ready before she even started to take it somewhere for someone else to do all because of that curved back.

So, the finished chair will now go in her bedroom as a place to sit and get dressed. Amazing how fabric can transform a piece of furniture and breathe new life in it!

Aaron and the Owl

2009-08-24T16:25:00.011-04:00

E.T. the Owl came to visit the bird store where Aaron works. The owner of the owl, an older lady, has had this owl in her possession for 26 yrs., hence the name, E.T.(I believe E.T. came out in 1982?). She travels around with this bird and three others, giving seminars and showing the birds.

First, I can't believe that E.T., the movie is that old....

Second, I couldn't believe the same person has owned this bird since it was a wee thing.

Lastly, Owls are so cool and one of my favorite birds for sure!

Straw Bale Garden Update

2009-08-09T12:52:00.005-04:00

My little bale garden has produced beyond our expectations this year. We have so far avoided the dreaded wilt or fungus on the tomatoes, so I hope I am not jinxing myself by writing this. The tomatoes have become a little leggy but are still flowering and you can see from the pictures, I'm still picking some everyday. I have been sharing them with the girls at work along with eating them everyday in various dishes. One of my favorite way to fix them so far is this recipe:

Prepare a baking dish by drizzling olive oil in the bottom. Slice the tomato into 1/4" slices. Use the small ones because they end up being the perfect size to just pop in your mouth! Place the sliced tomatoes in the baking dish and cover with a slice of the soft mozzarella cheese and drizzle a little more olive oil on top. Bake at 400 x 20 minutes and allow to cool. Grate fresh pepper on top and enjoy!

Another recipe is this one:

Fresh Salsa

Cubed tomatoes x 4
chopped onion x 1
1 can corn rinsed
1 can black beans rinsed
1 bunch cilantro rinsed and chopped

Mix all together and refrigerate x 2 hours, stir and serve. MMMMMMMmmmmmmm!

Well, hope that made you hungry! Time for lunch....of course it will be a tomato and cheese sandwich!

♪♪♪♪ Mamma Mia ♪♪♪♪

2009-08-07T19:51:00.009-04:00

What a great little movie! I know some would not care for all the singing and dancing but I enjoyed every song and every dance! This movie's scenery was absolutely gorgeous - the island, buildings and water were sooo beautiful! I've never been much on traveling but this movie makes me want to see the world. I can only imagine the things I would see if I could just pack up and embark upon such a journey! Of course, I should have never questioned whether I would like it or not, because there are quite a few singing movies that I have loved.

Here's a few: ( Imagine the singing...♪♪♪)

The Sound of Music....♪♪♪♪The hills are alive with music......♪♪♪

Tom Sawyer...74 version

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

The Fiddler on the Roof....♪♪♪Sunrise, Sunset....♪♪♪

Grease ....♪♪♪You're the one that want...♪♪♪♪

Peter Piper Picked a Peck

2009-07-29T20:12:00.018-04:00

Of pickled peppers!

Yep, my banana peppers have been unbelievable this year. We've been picking and eating and getting over run with them! lol

While there are only so many ways to eat them, we've found sprinkling them on top of our pasta salad is the best way when fresh. And trust me you can only eat pasta salad so many times a week. I was getting way more than we could eat, so I knew I needed to try some way to preserve the surplus. With all the time spent nurturing them to fruit I wanted something to show for our efforts!

We've been buying the hot pickled peppers rings from the store to put on our brats. So, last Saturday, I decided the answer to my pepper problem would be to make pickled pepper rings. I chopped the ends off, cut them into slices and placed them in a salt brine to sit overnight. I rinsed them Sunday morning and packed them into sterile jars. The pickling solution was water, vinegar and garlic boiled and poured over the peppers in the jars. I put the lid/rings on and placed them in my canner on the stove. Using the water bath method, I allowed them to boil for 10 minutes, then took them out placing the jars on a towel to cool. Within 30 minutes the tops had popped and sealed.

Wasn't too hard or time consuming and I have to say they look pretty cute in their little jars.

My recipe recommended waiting 3 weeks before eating to allow them to season. So until then they are going to sit on my counter so I can admire my handiwork.

High Tech and Free of course!

2009-07-25T17:59:00.013-04:00

Well, here you go!

My industrious water collection system from our A/C condensate lines. You can see the 5 gallon sheet rock/paint buckets I recycled into collection containers. The upstairs line empties into the 5 gallon. The downstairs line empties into the black 2.5 gallon bucket. When each one fills up, I exchange it with an empty one. This way I pretty much have one waiting on me to use for watering my herbs as well as the potted plants on the porch. I also get enough to do the front flower beds. I just rotate the watering on a daily basis to each group of plants. Works great and I don't have to pull the hose anywhere! I do though, carry the water in 2 plastic wide mouth containers that used to hold bird seed. I can quickly fill them up and away I go. I'm amazed at how much I collect and best of all it's FREE!(Even though I am on well water, I just like the idea I am recycling something that would ordinarily be wasted.)

Give it a try!

Holiday planning..

2009-07-19T17:24:00.008-04:00

Holiday Planners!

There's no time like the present to start planning for the upcoming holiday.I saw the idea of making them on another blog. However, their version of the planner was made from a junior notepad. While I liked the idea, I felt it may not hold up in our pocketbooks. So, as I was perusing Michael's I came across these journal books in the $1 bin. They had flowers on the front covers, but that didn't matter as I planned to cover them anyway. I had already ordered the scrapbook paper online, along with a few rubber stamps in preparation for the project. Hours later I had the first one done, adding to it the more I played with the idea. I decided we need a pocket for receipts, quick notes and the like. Then, I decided we had to have a calendar to keep track of paydays, upcoming events, special occasions, etc. That left the rest of the journal pages to jot down ideas, gift lists, recipes, to do lists and expenses. And lastly, I decided they needed our initial to dress the covers. The finished planner is quite nice and definitely one of a kind!

I love how they turned out!

Colors of Summer

2009-07-12T14:34:00.010-04:00

The colors of some of my flowers are absolutely so pretty.

Purples and Yellows -- cosmos, zinnia's and black-eyed susan.

The Dahlia flowers are perfect-something you can't fully appreciate until you see them up close. Prettier than any picture!

The black eyed Susan is certainly taking center stage, it will surely become one of my favorite summer flowers. This one plant has looked fresh with blooms ever since putting out the first ones. Amazing and it thrives in very dry conditions. My kind of plant!

Hope you're enjoying this nice(and hot)sunny day! Phew!!!