A Haven for Vee

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Food and Flowers, Boys and Baseball, Givers and Gifts



What a valuable resource a blog can be! For example, when my son brought this yellow flowering plant by on Sunday afternoon saying that he had no idea what it was, I could tell him because he brought the same kind of plant by one other Mother's Day. It is Lemon Chiffon Superbells. Now if only John had given me one of the red plants before. Neither of us knows what it is. A begonia of some sort? Anyone know?


Because of unseasonably cold weather this week, the plants must live inside. 




Eventually, I'll move the Chiffon Bells to the front yard, probably where the Morning Glories used to live behind the mailbox there. I no longer grow Morning Glories because they are only around for six short weeks. Not enough color for May, June, and July. They proved to be more trouble than they were worth, but I did love them.





Sam found this bird bath (I have zero intention of providing a buffet for the squirrels) at the local Flea Market. He loves Cardinals, both the baseball variety and the birds. This is made using a deck spindle for the base...very sweet! 







Laurel gave me this pretty little bedside lamp with a USB charger built right in. I have never had a bedside lamp before. Now that I have used it for two nights, I am totally sold on a bedside lamp.




The best gifts of Mother's Day are always my visitors . I am blessed to live in the same town where both my adult children live. I see my grandchildren weekly, especially in spring when they are playing baseball. (It may not look like it in the photo to the left, but they were playing baseball online and loving it.)


 

Someday, I won't be so antisocial, but these games are played in the evening when it is cold. The car is cozy enough and this vantage point right behind home plate has proven to be my favorite. I believe that Jake is on the pitcher's mound as he is pitching this year. Sam made Little League so he's busy playing second base. This week, I have four home games to attend. Two for each grandson. John loves that I am out of the house for the evening news. Now he can watch in peace. ☺


~*~*~*~

 ~Waiting for Breakfast~


~Delicious!~




I tried a couple of new recipes this week so am sharing. The first has already been baked twice so they are a keeper.  The grands liked them and you can find the recipe at Life is Good. Look around! Karen's photos are wonderful and Maryland is beautiful.

~Karen's Chocolate Chippers~


           
This Pinterest recipe is being shared because it is such an easy way to prepare  tacos for a family. I love ease. We did not enjoy this batch as much as we would have IF I had purchased a truly mild salsa. My error. I'll do it correctly next time because it was not only easy, it was good. It can easily be adjusted to suit your family's tastes. Find the recipe on Pinterest under Taco Bake or here.



A wonderful week to you!



58 comments:

  1. You always make me smile Vee. Have a beautiful day, Happy Belated Mother's Day to you.

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  2. You are certainly blessed living in the same town as your family and watching those darling Grandsons play baseball is a great bonus. I think I would watch from the comfort and warmth of my car too...

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  3. What a sweet post Vee! I agree that hanging baskets make a beautiful Mother's Day gift....and that sweet little bird feeder!!! Spring is simply holding off up there isn't it? You need some sunshine and a day outdoors! Have a lovely, lovely week!!! Oh, and thank you for the recipes...sound delish!!!

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  4. I think your flower is an Impatiens. I've had them a lot in the past and they continue to bloom through the summer. You could put it in the ground or leave it in the pot to enjoy on your back porch. I'm glad you had a wonderful Mother's day. Sweet hugs, Diane

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    1. Yup! I agree! I think they're called Madagascar impatiens ... they have a dark variegated leaf, yes? And over-sized blooms ?

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  5. As Estelle suggested we need some sunshine down here in Ky. too. Dark and gloomy every day after day is not good. So glad you had a great Mother's Day. Jealous of your family all being in your town. Love the birdbath feeder.

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  6. Sounds like you had a nice Mother's Day...I agree with Lavender dreamer, I think the plant is Impatience. IF it is it will spread in the ground and be quite lovely, and does very well in cool weather and without a lot of sun. I say all of this knowing almost nothing about plants however, lol. I would sooo love to live close enough to any of my grands to catch games of any sort. I can go....but it is NOT close. Usually at least 1/2 hour or more away and WAY longer with traffic...sigh. I enjoyed many of Melody's games when she played in a strategically placed car, lol. Both for cold weather, but especially hot with the air conditioner blasting. Have a good week Vee...I am off to check that taco bake recipe...

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  7. Bingo, Diane and Debbie! Thank you! I thought they looked familiar, yet not. They are New Guinea Variety Impatiens, which have a much larger flower than what I am familiar with. I had to stop using impatiens when they were attacked by some sort of disease; apparently, they have a handle on it now because they are being sold again. I used to have a veranda that ran the length of my home so would hang pots of impatiens because they preferred the shade. They were a win-win because they let me know when they were thirsty.

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  8. I see that your question has been answered. They are such a lovely flower and the foliage is equally as pretty. Looks as though you had a very special Mother's Day. You truly are blessed to have both of your adult children and grandchildren living so close. We get to see our two older children and their families this weekend.

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  9. Yours was a nice Mother's Day! Mine too! It is wonderful being a Mother and Grandmother!

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  10. Looks like you had a lovely Mother's Day and received such lovely gifts! And yes, it is New Guinea Impatiens but it is the sunny kind, not the kind that thrive in the shade. They will droop it hot weather without plenty of water. I have had many of these and they come in a wide array of colors!

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  11. I spent a good deal of my childhood at baseball fields like this watching my brothers play. They are always open fields and windy and cold in the spring! We always wore jackets and wrapped up in blankets!

    Your flowers are pretty, and I agree with the red one being impatiens. They will do very well for you! The yellow are so pretty too! Cheerful colors!

    Those boys are growing up, just as Kyle is! I'd love to slow time down just a bit, but I can't. That teacup bird feeder/bath is darling! Well done, Sam!

    I like what you've done with your blog decor, friend!

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  12. This was a very pleasant blog post. My guess is that the red flowers are, as you said, some kind of Begonia. But then, I'm viewing them from afar!! (smile)

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  13. I love the quote in your heading! I used to love going to my sons little league games, how fun that you get to see your grands playing.

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  14. Hi Vee,

    What a perfectly nice Mother's Day you had!! Mine was nice too -- so many things to be thankful for. :)

    I, too, was going to tell you that your plant is a New Guinea Impatiens, but you figured it out on your own. Good work! We see them a lot down here, and they do require a lot of water. I adore the charming bird bath! Hal and I made a teacup bird feeder a few years ago, and I don't put seed in mine either. The squirrels would destroy it in no time flat. Yours is extra pretty! I'm so glad your daughter gave you a bedside lamp; I read every night, and couldn't do without mine. I'm glad you're enjoying it.

    Thanks for sharing the recipe sites with us, Vee, and I hope you have a wonderful week!

    Hugs,

    Denise at Forest Manor

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  15. What great gifts for Mother's Day....I like those New Guinea Impatience. They are more sun tolerant than other varieties. And you and I share the blessing of having our adult offspring in the same town that we live in. It's where they grew up. I have friends whose grandchildren live thousands of miles away. They only see them once or twice a year. It feels so sad to me.Well, every life is different....

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  16. Is that sugar bowl Johnson brothers Devonshire? My mom had those dishes when I was growing up and I still have a set of square salad plates I use a lot. And I also wanted to mention that my grandson Nathan plays baseball as his favorite sport.

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    1. Kristi~

      It is from my Friendly Village set made by Johnson Bros. Made in England. Is Devonshire the specific place in England? I don't see "Devonshire" on the markings.

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    2. Devonshire is the name of the pattern...It also has a lot of brown in it. that's probably why I confused it with your Friendly village.

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    3. Just looked it up...very pretty pattern!

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  17. Great post . . . beautiful flowers. Thanks for sharing the recipes. Love the last picture of the planter made like a small iron!

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    1. Thanks, GrammaGrits. Do you blog? I can't find you, if you do. That little "iron" is a couple of inches tall and is a recent gift from a blogging buddy. She and I think it may be meant as a toothpick holder. It does make a perfect little vase.

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  18. WOW- you certainly have a happy post here, Vee. All your goodies are awesome!

    I baked pecan chocolate chip cookies yesterday and they're the best I've ever made. I think I know why - cuz I took my time. My eggs were room temperature, I didn't rush making my butter soft, I really mixed the wet ingredients well in the stand mixer.....I was super careful not to overmix the dry ingreds into the wet, and I wrapped them well and placed in the fridge overnight. Those extra things (to me extra, I am usually in a all-out fired up hurry) made a huge difference.

    Yes, that is a begonia. Begonias do soooo well for me here, unlike most everything else, haha. They don't like to be overwatered though, so they may need a better pot as soon as it gets warm - something that drains well.

    God bless - have a wonderful week. Hugs! ♥

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    1. now i look back - yep - they're impatiens - wow i thought for sure they were begonias too - sorry! xxoo

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  19. Lovely baskets for Mother's Day. I see you now know they are New Guinea Impatiens. Flowers are always a welcome gift at my home. The charming bird feeder would indeed make a feast for the squirrels, Vee. Have you tried just safflower seeds in a feeder? The squirrels don't seem to like them and the birds love them, especially cardinals. Thank you for some new recipes to try. Also I know what you mean about going to freezing games to watch the grands. The car is much cozier. ♥

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  20. Happy belated Mother's Day! And thanks for the new recipe - I would like to try it this week!

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  21. Lovely pictures and looks like a great mother's day. :-)

    Blessings
    Jill

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  22. Hi Vee!

    Your flowers are gorgeous! I have never heard of the, Lemon Chiffon Superbells, I'm sure they are just beautiful! The red plant is pretty too, please share the name of it with us when you find out what it is. I think there are probably many plants that grow in the east, that would die in a heartbeat here in the west.

    So many fun photos to share! I love the bedside lamp, I would not be able to get by without mine, and such a pretty color too!

    Baseball is just part of the routine at my house too. Most of the time we have to walk a long way to the diamond, I'm always exhausted when we get home . . . did I mention that the wind never stops blowing in Idaho?!

    Blueberry jam, chocolate chip cookies and tacos - sounds like a wonderful supper to me! I am definitely going to try the tacos!

    Hugs,
    Barb

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  23. I'm mostly chuckling that John gets some time with the news alone. Oye the news. It seems I've got to listen yet I hate to listen. If only they just told me about tornadoes and floods and crime and stopped with all the political analysis. Your bedside lampshade is very nice!

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  24. So glad you like the cookies. They are always a big hit whenever I make them. Thanks for the blog mention and the kind words.
    Once upon a time my two kids and 4 grandkids lived near me too. You are blessed to have then near you. Now I'd be happy if my daughter would just talk to me.

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  25. What? Don't tell me you talk back to the TV, Vee! Even if you are watching the game from the car, at least you are there. That's what is important.
    Sam is surely my buddy now. I was raised in a true blue(red) Cardinal's fan family. Watching them even today still brings back such happy memories.

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  26. Chiffon Bells is such a pretty name for your plant - I've never heard of it before. Do you rant and rave at the news? Is that why John enjoys watching in peace? How great to watch the games, even from the car. As Kim said, it's being there that counts. Bedside lamps are SO convenient! And yours is such a pretty one!

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  27. Sooooo...I have a favor. Is it possible, since I am a new follower, to get some of those yummy-looking cookies?? :) they look amazing. I am a HUGE baseball fan (Cincinnati Reds). I think baseball is my favorite thing about summer.

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  28. Awe, looks like you had a wonderful Mother's Day Vee. Love your flowers and I do love the pretty tea cup on the spindle thingy. YES, it is indeed a blessing to live nearby to your children and grandchildren. I think I would go into a deep depression if mine ever moved! But we have been so blessed as well. Matter of fact Vee I have it timed out....I can get to one daughter's (new house--moving in this week) in 6 minutes...another daughter's house in 8 minutes and anothers daughter's house in 12 minutes! LOL! My man says I am crazy and NO ONE times out how long it takes to get to their children's house! Oh well...I've been called worse things than crazy! Have a good day girl. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  29. What a lovely Mother's Day! I'm still experimenting with flowers and their success here in North Carolina, but it's fun to see the new plants that I've never grown before. I'm trying to get work caught up so I can pick strawberries and can some jam. I end up giving most of it away, but love the process. You're very lucky to have your family close by--I wish my grands lived just a little closer!

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  30. I am glad you had such a nice Mothers' Day. I am thankful that I did as well. I love the photos you provided and I have to have one of those bird baths. I will surely find a deck spindle and make one. I am working on redoing some nice flowers and stuff around our house and I think that it will certainly be a new addition.

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    1. Carol, ordinarily, I would visit and leave a comment. I did visit; although, I can only leave a comment in some other name. Not joining groogle + so... Anyway, I did enjoy your discussion of what farnhouse style means to you. I think of gingham, too. I may get some red gingham to make a summertime valance myself. I'll try to show the other bit of the bird bath soon. There are many tutorials I suppose.

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  31. Smiling here...that John will be happy to watch a lot of uninterrupted news these days! I certainly hope the weather warms up for you before ball season is over...so you can move from the car to the bleachers. Do you honk the horn whenever your grandsons make a good play?

    Glad your kids stopped by to show their love on Mother's Day! I see your plant has already been identified. I guessed 'impatiens'. Enjoy your lamp. I bought two new bedside lamps yesterday...and am demoting my old ones to the guest room. :)

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  32. Definitely Impatiens... I love them, just looked at some coral ones at WalMart this morning. What a lovely Mothers Day you had!

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  33. Hope you have found out what your lovely plants are, I see you have lots of suggestions! Whatever they are called they are very pretty and that is what is most important isn't it!

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  34. Aww Vee - you always make me smile! Looks like you had a lovely mother's day and the flowers are beautiful. Love that your pretty bedside lamp has a USB charger outlet - so handy! BTW the quilt that hangs in the background is beautiful! Must check out that chocolate chip cookie recipe ...

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  35. I laughed out loud at the squirrel buffet comment. :-) You're very blessed to see your grandchildren every week. They're blessed, too. I'm glad your Mother's Day was a good one.

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  36. Glad to know that you had a nice Mother's Day!! Oh, having your adult children near is truly something for which to be grateful! After having our son live far away for eight years, we take relish in having them all near!

    What a darling bedside lamp! You'll never go back.

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  37. I'm also glad to live near my children and grandchildren, Vee, and I know they are also happy to have us as babysitters and extra help! It's a win - win for our family.

    I watched my grandson play flag football this evening--from the window of the Y where he plays--I forgot a jacket in the warm midday but it got chilly as the sun went down!

    I can't feed the birds because of crazy squirrels either. That is a cute teacup birdbath!

    Thanks for the recipes --will check out both!

    PS: Is the red plant a new guinea impatiens? If so it likes shade and lots of water!

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  38. Your Mother's Day celebration sounds like a wonderful day. It is,indeed, a blessing to have family members nearby. Your flowers are so pretty and I see that the mystery has been solved on the Impatiens.
    Sam did a great job in selecting the bird feeder. It looks right at home in your garden. I know what you mean about the squirrel buffet. Happens often in my own yard :/.
    Love your new bedside lamp. The color is dreamy. I recently inherited a bedside lamp and nightstand from my in-laws. I had been living without them for years and forgot how much I was missing. I think I had better eyesight back then. Now it's great to have everything right next to the bed (including a pair of glasses).
    Your last photo is charming. The grape hyacinth in the little iron look so sweet and the flag flying in the background makes one feel that all is right in the world. A rare feeling these days.

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  39. Hi Vee, you got some lovely Mothers Day gifts. The orange basket looks like New Guinea Impatiens. They can usually tolerate some sun and the new varieties are sun lovers. The lamp is really pretty and how great to have the charger built in to it! It sounds like you will have a busy summer with grandsons ball games. I hope you can move from the car to the bleachers soon! That cold north wind still blows here. xo Pam

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  40. The plants are wonderful. The red one looks like a guinea impatiens, but I'm viewing it on my teeny weeny phone, so i could be wrong. Our son starts baseball this week and i look forward to watching a game or two, but only if it's warm! Hope you get nicer weather soon. Actually, I'm hoping we don't get the predicted frost because my poor old McIntosh actually has blossoms this year and I'm looking forward to those tasty apples. Hope you have a wonderful remainder of your week.

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  41. Looks like you had a wonderful Mother's Day. The flowers are beautiful. I agree that the best part is having the family together. Have fun watching the boys play baseball...that will keep you entertained!

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  42. I meant to add that the lamp Laurel gave you is very pretty! I love the shade.

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  43. Lots of others have probably already told you, but it is a New Guinea Impatience, tolerant of sunshine, unlike regular impatience.
    Your posts, when you talk about food, always start me wanting to cook something!

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  44. Our weather is a bit cooler, too, and I think some of our plants have suffered..not frozen by any means, just nipped a bit by cooler winds..a really good rain last night and this morning and more in the forecast.
    We are trying to put up the cutest pergola and the wind is giving us grief...bummer.
    And, in case you didn't know..I LOVE flowers in fruit or veggie cans...just my style. :) xoxo

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  45. Loved catching up this beautiful Sunday morning! Got a good smile at viewing the B-game from the car, have done that many times in early spring, my Dh coached Little League for 12 yrs, wonderful memories, he built lasting friendships with those boys, many have told him of his influence on their lives! Sam and Jake probably will feel the same, my, Vee, those boys are growing up so fast!
    Hope your day is filled with many blessings,
    love,
    Sue

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  46. Happy Belated Mother's Day to you Vee. I love your yard.

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  47. That's a pretty lamp and I could see how you'd like the built in charger too. You are a good grandma to go to the night games. A diverse and interesting post!

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  48. Happy Belated Mother's Day, Vee! You sure got some nice gifts. I think the flowering plant is a New Guinea Impatiens, but maybe somebody had already told you. We sure go to lots of games as grandparents, don't we? I went to three just yesterday!
    P. S. I love your new bedside lamp. They're so useful!

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  49. A few snow flurries here this morning .. how about in Maine?

    What a nice Mother's Day you had. Love the plants and the bedside lamp. What a nifty idea, a built-in charger. My bedside lamp is a "touch lamp" with three settings. Turns on and off with the touch of a finger. I've had it for awhile and like that convenience.

    The recipes look great too. Have a wonderful week!

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  50. Your photos are so nice Vee, and I'm loving the tea cup bird bath or feeder. It had gotten very cold when we were gone this weekend and ended up losing a few plants because we were gone :( Hopefully it warms up soon, can't afford to lose anymore plants.

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  51. I don't think anyone has said but in the UK we call them Busy Lizzies
    Praying hard for your John x

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