Baby Steps

Surprise! I know what I said, but you know that it is always a woman's prerogative to change her mind. I change mine often; I changed mine today because this here blog has not been looking its best lately and I couldn't take it anymore.

This is the basil with a few marigolds that live in a railing box on the side deck facing the driveway. You last saw the basil growing in a can on my kitchen window sill in spring. Until the last few days, it has remained more or less under control. Now I must harvest it often. I am making Basil Bombs and freezing them for future use in soups, sauces, marinades, salad dressings or rubs for chicken, etc. I grind up the basil in a baby food grinder and add it to some small container (not my ice cube trays, though) and pour olive oil over to cover the basil, and then freeze it. Then I chop in into TBS size bits and save it in a freezer bag. Just yesterday afternoon, I used a couple in spaghetti sauce...yummy. Think I'll try some on pizza next.

It's been such a long, hot summer that the garden has not done well. The spider lilies were prolific, but much smaller than usual. I didn't even bother with photos until this nearly last one was blooming.

Haven't spent much time on the Haven lately. As you can see, until yesterday, I still had the things out that I put there in April. My mood has not been such that I cared about making things attractive or seasonal or anything. Then I remembered how much John liked seeing the decor change around here and how often he complimented me on things looking nice. I figure that, since it was starting to register, the time might have come to make some changes.

Want to see what's in the bag? Abby made this bag for me and I really love it...the perfect size for

books! So many of you have been blessing me with books...sort of take-me-away books:

Our Love is Here to Stay from Focus on the Family

A Season for Simplicity from Harvest House Publishers

The Apron Book by EllynAnne Geisel

(Kim, I had not noticed that the cover of this book looks like an apron pocket until I uploaded this picture...so cute!)

If Teacups Could Talk by Emilie Barnes

Collecting teacups in Southern California is really an act of faith. Made me laugh! This book has been my bedtime reading for about a week. I learned a lot of new things. One of them is why we might want to consider using a teacup, instead of a mug, for taking our tea. It made perfect sense when I read it. (Yes, I confess to taking my tea in a mug. I might have to change that up from time to time, most especially, if having tea with a friend.)

By the way, if my teacups could talk, they'd say thank you for washing us up and getting us out of the limelight.

In the meantime, I am waiting to see what to do next...perhaps the almost empty space up there will inspire me to do something in a few weeks.

Step by step...often baby steps...it's the way to get anything accomplished.

Thank you for popping by and have a great week!

And Then a Hawk Blew In

Every day for quite a few now, the beautiful summer afternoon erupts into thunderstorms. The warnings of tornadoes and micro-bursts scrolls across the bottom of the tv screen or our radio programming is interrupted with the news. 
The day before yesterday was particularly wild. As I sat looking out at the swaying trees, I saw a flash of something white and large land on a branch. It so happened that the camera was handy for a change and so I took a few 146 photos. I really can't see anymore what I am taking photos of because the viewfinder is so small. How I get a photo is more a matter of serendipity than talent.

~any port in a storm~

You'll be able to see how much I cranked the photo below if you watch that little video above and listen to me prattle on about whatever it was up there. You'll hear me hesitate with the word "vulture" because I was struggling to remember the word "vulture" and I can't do two things at once so well anymore. Remember, I couldn't see it very well in the storm and hardly at all on the viewfinder. But do watch the wild ride that poor hawk was on (and not only from that wild camera shake midway). He stayed for about 15 minutes, until the worst was over.
 ~A Body and Two Feet~

Don't you just know that if any of this had worked out, I'd have been using it for Donna's Photo Challenge tomorrow. ☺
*** 
There have been days when I have not even gone outside at all this summer. The gardens are not doing well and my enthusiasm is on the wane. I came to gardening quite late in life and now my body is not happy with tugging and toting, bending and hoeing.  
For that reason, I was very surprised to see that there was a ripe tomato on the vine. 

A cherry tomato. I should have known. I've been complaining how tiny they were thinking they were Early Girls...somebody mislabeled somewhere... and I am such a rube that I had not even entertained the thought that there was an error. Now all is forgiven and I shall wait for the other nine to ripen just as this one did — on the vine. 

Gotta love marigolds. No bugs. No blight. They keep blooming and stinking all season. Cheerful little buggers they are.
Well do have a great Thursday! I'll catch you later...
ツ

Around the House

Behind the house there's a car parked on the deck railing,

and these fellows to the left of the tree...

I nearly mowed them down, but decided to get the Round-Up with those leaves of three.

Good thing I took a closer look because it was a couple of Jack-in-the-Pulpits! I haven't seen them in years.

There's Jack!

On the right side of the back yard is the luge and my cull pile. When anything healthy must be removed, I toss it over the banking. Now I have a nice little garden of daylilies and columbine on the corner of the forest.

But what is that little red bug? I hope it is not the dreaded lily beetle.

On one side of the house, my blue hosta came up. I was worried for a while.

On the other, my neighbors' lilac bush and my rhubarb patch.

The front yard is lacking color these days since the azalea shed her gown of pink. At least, there's a violet or two and a sprig of lily of the valley here and there, though I do plan to use Round-Up on that, too. (I put a box over the top of it and squirt them so the other plants are not touched. I will never ruin my health again trying to dig them out. It's impossible! And they can not be allowed to take over once more.) Some day, they'll have their own patch far away.

And, in the house, some yummy bread sticks. I've featured them before and you can find the recipe *here.*

Not Waterlogued

Now that is a real Monet mess. And if Debbie comes in here suggesting that Monet and mess mean the same thing... ☺ I did it by using the oil painting option in Photoscape. I don't think it has the same quality as the program we've been seeing in Blogdom.

I promised Penny that I'd let her know when the ivy rooted. I just noticed yesterday afternoon that it had done. That is a pretty quick result — four days to a week. Not bad! 
Can you believe that next Tuesday is April Fool's Day? I can't. I do know this: March has been pretty much a joke. We are now learning that the monster storm will be passing out to sea, though it will nail those in Washington County (Downeast). Then, or so we're told, there will be a warming trend that cannot be stopped. 
~~~ On his way home Sunday, two baguettes and a biscuit fell from a neighbor's tree and landed with a thud on the hood of John's truck. Short of our neighbor's tossing bread into his tree, we are not exactly sure how it got up there. (After thinking long and hard, John thinks it may have been a crow.) Though we, of course, have no intention of eating this bread, it has caused us to think about divine provision and, depending on the age of the baguettes, perhaps divine protection. ☺ 
That's it from here. What is the oddest thing that has happened to you lately?
P.S. Oops. Forgot to say that Shabby Blogs returned at some point yesterday. Thanks, Pat, for telling me! So I tested both the backgrounds at the PC and I think my friend was right. The notes are probably fine for autumn, but seemed a bit "heavy" after having enjoyed the lace for the day. On the other hand, the lace is not quite "it" either. I'll keep looking.

Everything From Trees to Watermelon

I'm feeling very chatty these days. My Vitamin D levels must have finally kicked in.

Have spent a couple of days at the Ponderosa doing the little things that John tends to overlook. For example, he's very good at detailing a car and not so very good at detailing a stove. This morning, before the sun gets around too far, I have some window washing on the west side to accomplish. I really think that I'm going to need to hog tie John to get him out of there. He keeps seeing one more thing and one more thing and, at this rate, there'll always be something more that can be done and it will never end. (The most recent was closing in the porch and putting in all new windows. Ackkkk...enough already!)

~~~

You know that you're really not paying attention when people from neighboring countries have to provide you with local news. Pamela asked me if I had felt the earth shake and I replied that three or more trees had been taken down and so, yes, I had. LOL! You know how I love it when a tree goes down over here in the jungle. Anyway, wouldn't you love to see my new view? This has happened quite quickly and one of these photos was just featured the day before yesterday, but I show it again as comparison.

~Before~

~After~

~~~

Here are some first and lasts in the garden. I always like to document them. These photos were taken on the last day of spring.

~the first Bolero Lily~

~The Last Phlox~

(I almost missed it!)

~The first Crimson Knock-out Rose~

~The First Pink Knock-out Roses...yes, the chewers have arrived~

~The Last Peony~

~The Morning Glory just beginning to climb~

~Hoping that one day it'll look spectacular!~

Okay, I've pestered you long enough. Off for breakfast, which will include the first watermelon...now that is another good thing about summer. 

Oh here's a question for you... One grand loves watermelon; the other hates it. Both of my children hate it. Who hates watermelon? Do you love it or hate it?

That Raised Bed

It's been a long time coming. I first started discussing what has come to be known as "the coffin" back on May 21st with the completion on *May 25.*

So without further ado, here's a little picture story with few explanations other than captions.

~60% Top Soil 40% Compost~

~Plastic Lined Planter - sides only~

 ~Many Loads Later~

 ~The Long View~

~Bolero Lilies Ready to Bloom~

~By Afternoon~

 ~The Long View~

~The Glass Float~

 ~Late Afternoon~

 ~Scraggly Poinsettias~

 ~Scraggly Calibrachoa~

 ~Rosemary and Calibrachoa~

~Hosta Experiment~

 ~Front Garden Freshly Mulched Late Afternoon~

~Morning Glory at the Mailbox on Right (plus a grass seeding project)~

~Shasta Daisies and Orange Zinnias - Front Garden~

~Peonies~

I planted five tomato plants, swiss chard, all the usual herbs, lettuces, and a row of marigolds. Somehow, I left out the chives so must find a home for them today. 

John has been such a help hauling and schlepping. We have some last minute tidying up and then we are calling it good.

And how does your garden grow?