Fresh Lavender

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Today I Made Pickles

Yummy Bread and Butter Pickles!

Hopefully this jar will last us a while! haha.

If you want the recipe, type it in the search box top left.

I got the big pickle jar at a garage sale last week....perfect timing!

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Blackberries

From my garden this this past weekend.

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Random Thoughts

1. Patience is paying off and finally the blackberries are beginning to ripen!  Not enough for a pie but maybe some muffins!
2. You know that Angie's List commercial with the dog that shreds the feather pillow all over the living room?  I had a similar experience one evening this week.  I walked into the boys' room to find it plastered with shreds of batting!  The Spencer was flopped on their bed watching a DVD acting like everything was totally normal with tufts of batting in his hair.... One young man calmly laying in a room of chaos.  I asked what happened but of course he didn't answer.  He had a spare comforter spread out on the bed and I found their usual one turned completely inside out on the floor...minus the batting! Then Spencer started giggling.  I said, "Did you do this?  Yuck!" and he answered, "Yuck!" and laughed and laughed.  I guess he found a little rip in it and started pulling the batting out little by little and eventually got the whole thing turned inside out. It must have taken hours! It was hilarious! I wish I'd taken a picture.
3. Remember Pepper, my latest little rescue cat?  He's still doing great!  His eye infection is completely gone and although he definitely has some sight issues, he isn't bumping into things any longer.  He trots along beside me when I walk around the house, sleeps on the couch and runs to the kitchen if he hears the refrigerator open.  I still haven't taken him to the vet yet but he's coming along just fine.  He's put on some weight, too.  He's a sweetheart and all the other cats have accepted him just fine with affectionate head bumps and friendly sniffs.  
4. The lady that knocked on our door 2 years ago asking if I might be interested in taking in a sick cat came back this week to see Star. It was a sweet reunion for both of them, I think.  Star just purred up a storm as she was held and the lady almost cried for joy at seeing how healthy she is now.  It really seemed like Star remembered her and why wouldn't she....she saved her life, literally.  So fun to show her how Star is thriving now.  She really was at death's door when she came here.
5. We just got our first grill.  Yep, that's right...we have never had an outdoor grill!  For 25 years we had a JennAir stove/oven that had 2 burners and a grill side that vented out under the house.  It was just like a grill but in the kitchen.  When we had to get a new oven last year we discovered that those were no longer made and had to sadly get a conventional oven.  I thought I could made do with a grill pan but it just wasn't the same.  The good thing about the outdoor grill is that The Mister feels like he should be the king of it so we've made the adjustment of teaching him how to cook.  His prior resume is sticking a frozen pizza in the oven and even that isn't done right 75% of the time. haha.  He's still overcooking or undercooking things but they are tasting better with each try.

So what's been happening with you?

I have been terrible about visiting and posting,

haven't I?  I have a few things happily taking

up my time lately.  Hope your summer is going well!

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Random Thoughts

1. Did you have a nice Independence Day? We had Taylor and Lauren home for the last several days and it was a very nice time!  I need to see those big kids every so often! He turned 26 on Sunday, which is hard to believe. haha. They traveled home today and tomorrow we get back to our regular routines.  You know Wednesday is going to feel like Monday, right? 
2. I bid on this old chippy colander at an auction recently.  I thought I might sell it but it seems to have found its way into my kitchen to stay.  I'm thinking it will be a good thing to have when I'm out in the garden picking veggies!  It can go straight into the sink for everything to get a rinse!
3. Our new little rescue cat Pepper is doing great!  I still haven't gotten him into the vet but he is improving every day.  And what a sweet kitty he is!  Nobody responded to my notice on Facebook about him, so I guess he's ours forever and that's ok with us!
4. Can you believe it's July already?  The summer is flying by!  Here in Ohio our gardens are starting to flourish with lots of green fruit growing and teasing us before everything ripens.  It's always fun to watch sprouts break through the ground and thrive in the soil and a good watering every day.  Speaking of watering, it's hilarious to watch the cats when I use the garden hose.  They act like it's a big snake and they are ready to pounce if it makes a move. :)  Never a shortage of entertainment in this house!
5. I think I'll be picking my first basket of blackberries this week. There actually might be enough for a small cobbler!  Yum.
6. And God Bless you, America.  Happy Birthday to you!

I Spy With My Little Eye

A great big dragonfly!

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Random Thoughts

1. My spring cleaning job for the week was to clean/purge/organize the shelves in our family room.  Some things went to the thrift store, some to my etsy shop and everything got washed or dusted.   It had been a while since I removed everything from those shelves. The dust was like felt..well, maybe not that bad....but there was dust and cobwebs aplenty. haha.  Much better now and the fresh arrangement makes me happy.
2. If you're my friend on Instagram, you know that a couple of weeks ago I bought 50 pounds of Georgia peaches from The Peach Truck! We've been enjoying them all kinds of ways for most of our meals! We've eaten them fresh, biting into them with juice running down our arms and I've made them into lots of sweet and savory dishes. Fresh peach salsa on fried catfish was our favorite and the peach ice cream I made today was pretty good, too!  Now there are a nice variety of things in jars and in the freezer to enjoy this winter. Very fun and worth all the work!  I have about a dozen left to finish off in the next few days!
3. I got my veggie garden planted a couple of weeks ago!  It's just a little thing..just the right size to enjoy without it taking up all of my time.  Tomato, cherry tomato, zucchini, jalapeno, spaghetti squash, butternut squash, cucumber and bell peppers.  One plant of each does us just fine.  I also planted a few rows of rainbow carrots, radishes and sugar snap peas.  The blackberry and blueberry bushes are looking good for their second season and it looks like we'll be enjoying a pie or two, at least from the blackberry.  I've heard that the blueberries don't give you much for the first two years.  I think I see 4 blueberries in total. haha.  Hopefully next year!

What's been keeping you busy?

Hope you're having a good June so far!

♥

I Spy With My Little Eye

At first I thought it was a snake, curled down into 

this old watering can full of pink geraniums!

But looking closer, it was this little toad.

He got an unexpected shower when I watered the

flowers but he didn't seem to mind at all!

He also didn't mind having a conversation with me

and he seems to love having his head rubbed!

I told him to beware of the cats and I'd be back

tomorrow to give him another shower!

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Poppies

These flowers are new to my yard this year!

I have to say, I think I like the buds

even more than the blooms!

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Blackberries

So excited to see these!

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Random Thoughts

Sitting beside me on the couch as I type.

1. We had a great thunderstorm this morning.  Dark as evening, lightning and thunder, pouring rain.  Then the winds blew it all away and the sun came out.  Loved it.
2. I'm dabbing into spring cleaning a bit each week instead of blocking off a solid few months. haha.  This week I wiped down all the doors inside the house.  All 25!  Why do we have a crazy amount of doors?  Good grief!  Each closet has 2 bi-fold doors.  A few have 4 doors!  I'm happy to say that they are done and all those six panels dust catchers are fresh and clean.  Tomorrow I'm planning on making all the light fixtures clean and sparkly.  I should be completely done with spring cleaning by Christmas! ha.
3. If you love vintage linens, I'm slowly putting some in my etsy shop. I don't know how many people use dresser scarves or table runners these days but some of these would be very sweet repurposed into throw pillow covers or tea towels.
4. We're packing up the Jeep over the Memorial Day weekend and heading to Pennsylvania to visit Taylor and Lauren!  It will be our first trip to their new home and we are so excited!  Well, not so excited to ride 6 hours with the guys, but we'll see how it goes. haha.  I'm especially excited to be the company instead of the hostess, which seldom happens!
5. When we get home, I'm looking forward to planting my little veggie garden!  The Mister tilled my little planting beds last weekend so everything is ready to go.  Maybe if I get myself ahead of schedule, I can get it planted next week, but I will be surprised if that happens.  Meanwhile, my blackberries have blossoms! 
6. The boys have a three day weekend starting tomorrow!  I'm looking forward to not having to pack lunches tonight and sleeping in a little in the morning.  Maybe that's the reason for the glass of wine tonight....it's the weekend here already! :)

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Clematis

cell phone camera

Rain and cool temperatures are making my

clematis very happy!

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This and That

I got my herbs all moved outside for the warm seasons!

11 herbs in all.  Some from seed and some are plantings from

the garden center.  My rosemary is big and in it's own pot

and has thrived over the winter in my garden window

so it might stay there for the time being.

This old planter is holding thyme, basil, dill, parsley, 

cilantro, sage, chocolate mint, sweet mint, oregano and chives.

Some of these are new to my little garden, so it will be fun to

experiment with a nice big variety!

The Easter decor has been replaced with what's not exactly

 spring-ish but definitely eclectic.  The jelly beans are in an

 antique humidor I found at an estate sale recently.  

Similar ones are selling on ebay for $150 and I paid $5!

 It just belongs on this table with it's black lid with tiny red 

 and gold flowers.  The little hornet's nest under the dome was 

found in our yard with the boys were young.  I think they

took it to school for show-n-tell one time.

I got a wonderful surprise box in the mail from Dianna on Saturday!

How very sweet and totally unexpected!  I was touched with her 

attention to detail and how she picked up on things that I like

and gathered them up to make a very nice gift.

We're new to each other here in blog land but she's

a keeper for sure! If you've been a reader here very long 

you know how much I believe in little acts of kindness!

Thanks, friend!  I've been nibbling on yummy things

ever since I opened it! haha. 

Look who has been back a few times!

What kitty can resist rotisserie chicken, right?

He will come into the kitchen and eat cat food and get

a drink of water, too!  But....he did a little exploring around

the house and I caught him 'marking' our laundry hamper.

I raised my voice and clapped my hands and that cat tore through

the house and out the door and clear out of the yard in 5 seconds flat!

haha...He hasn't been back but when he does come back eventually,

I'm going to have to add to that the original list of rules about

behaving oneself and that means being a gentlemen at all times!

But look at that face!  He has a regal look about him!  He's sooo dirty

and his fur feels awful...lots of burs and scratches.

We're still enjoying some beautiful spring weather.....

warm sun, balmy breezes, sleeping with the windows open....

and some thunderstorms scattered here and there.

If only spring would last until fall....  

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Fern Fronds and Water Droplets

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Spring Blooms

1. Periwinkle
2. Bleeding Hearts
3. Red buds
4. more Red buds
5. Johnny Jump Ups

A walk around my back yard today.

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Monster Geranium

This may not look big to those in the south where geraniums

are considered perennial, but I've never seen a geranium 

plant this big here in Ohio!  This little thing was about 5 inches

tall when I brought it inside at the end of fall.  I had planted

it in the ground where it must have been too shady and too dry

because it just stood there all summer.  It didn't grow and

it didn't bloom.  I've repotted it twice over the winter

and it seems happy!  Looks like I need to 

find a bigger pot for it again.....

Fresh Herbs

My rosemary and chives are still going strong

after bringing them inside for the winter!

But the rest of my pots slowly succumbed to

the dim light and dreariness of the past season.

Last week I planted new seeds and 

have enjoyed watching them sprout.

Cilantro, thyme, and dill.

The basil, mint and Italian parsley haven't

sprouted yet. Hmm.  I'll give them a few

more days and might have to try again.

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Well, Hello There!

Sedum, sprouting at my home sweet home.

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White Geranium

Look!  She's blooming!

I brought this little geranium in for the winter

in hopes that I could keep her alive until spring.

She's actually doing better inside than out!

I think she was in a spot that was too shady.

She didn't even bloom over the summer!

Finally, she's happy!

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Pink Azalea

Last summer I bought this beautiful azalea at the grocery.

It's a topiary with a braided trunk.  It did very well outside

and I even had to replant it to a bigger pot.

Well, I just couldn't let it die with that first frost, so I

brought it inside for the winter.  It seems to be doing very

well, even deciding to bloom!  I'm hoping I can keep it alive

until late May when it can safely go outside again!

♥