Wednesday, June 29, 2005

COOLED OFF

I had forgotten how beautiful Zinnias can be... I think I will be planting them in my garden from now on. Asters too. I remember my Mother always planting them..... wonder why I stopped. Maybe because I wanted something more exotic or something... can't beat these for beauty though can you. Its true the leaves sometimes get mildew on or the bugs eat them but I found a good solution and that shouldn't be a problem anymore if I get to them on time... Wonder if the next flower will get this big after I cut it off... can't wait to find out.
It finally cooled off today. What a relief ~ feet not swelling today :) It will probably rain but thats ok because then I can do other things besides water the flowers. Even have coffee today instead of more iced tea.
Remember when I told you about the darn Blue Jay.... he was at it again last night when I was sitting on the porch reading, first I heard the chirping of the babies and then fluttering of wings.... don't know how they got there so fast but there were at least 6 red cardinals and a bunch of sparrows flying after the Blue Jay.... accross the street and into a tree and I didn't see them any more. Hope the Blue Jay learned its lesson or at least goes to another neighborhood......I think Blue Jays are so pretty but they are also very mean ~ especially at this time of year. Maybe they are better in the winter when they just eat the corn and bird seed.
Hope its cooler for you this morning too and you are having a very nice day, Sandra

Monday, June 27, 2005

HOT AND HUMID TODAY

Looks like I had a happy time at the wedding Saturday night. Janice took this picture of me with the penquin on my shoulder... It was a nice wedding and nice to see my brother again. He is living in Ohio now so we don't see him much anymore... My other brother was there too but didn't stay long. always nice to see family even if not for a long chat. I would have liked to talk to them all a lot more. Del asked Leo and I to sit at his table because we were the first ones he saw and didn't want his table to have empty places as it was his reserved table by the main table and all. So we sat there but then didn't have a lot of time to see everyone else.... some left way to early. It was nice while it lasted though. The music was so loud we actually didn't get to hear anything anyone said unless it was shouted in our ears though... you know how weddings can be. It was a very nice weddig though and I'm glad we went. :)
It's going to be a very hot and humid day today. I won't be doing very much but I may have to water my plants as it didn't rain enough yesterday to do the trick... then I just may have to stay in and work on my afgan.... it might as well be winter. Last year we didn't get any days in the 90's and that suited me just fine but we are making up for it this year I guess. darn. I'm sure the tomato plants would grow just fine only getting in the 80's... right? LOL
Its already 78 this morning ~ didn't get cool at all last night. maybe tomorrow.
I will try and smile anyway and hope you are too, Sandra

Saturday, June 25, 2005

Two little bunnies

These are two of the baby bunnies we have this year in our fenced in yard... They have a lot to eat so I guess they will stay... they are eating the nice tender plants that grow under the bird feeder... thats good and maybe this year we won't have that hump that seems to form from all the bird seed falling when the birds get too fussy or to sloppy and drop the seed. :) Today the birds were singing so nice they put me almost to sleep... so relaxing but all of a sudden I heard them making all kinds of noise so had to go and check... A blue jay was steeling a baby wren from its house so I had to go out and calm them down but the darn jay got away with it.... next time I will go out sooner I guess... poor wren and all the sparrows were making lots of noise and flying around the jay trying to help.... I like sparrows. Yesterday we saw a young one just learning to fly that had white tail feathers and white on the wings.... wonder if that is a special kind or just part albino or something... we looked in the bird book but didn't find anything.....
Today we are going to a wedding of my nephew.... should be nice for awhile... hope a lot of the family go... My kids were invited but for some strange reason only one of my seven is going, darn.
It's much cooler today and cloudy but we didn't get any rain yet, unless you count a few drops.... Hope you are having a nice week end, Sandra

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Hot summer day

It's going to be in the 90's today.... a little warm for me. I spent part of the morning watering all the plants and that kept me cool and I am also doing the laundry which isn't a bad thing either because most of that is done in my nice cool house. Leo is cutting the front lawn so I made some iced tea and we sat  on the porch with that for a bit.... he likes me to make iced tea for him when he is working in the heat...
I'm still working on my afgan and it is slowly getting finished... probably not until July sometime though. It would be a wondrful thing if it was finished in July..... I made the afgan but the cross stitching is what takes me so long. It gives me somethng to do though and will be something  nice to show for the work.   :)
My tomato plants are getting taller and even have some buds but they don't look as healthy as I would like.... I keep watering and pulling weeds though so maybe they will get better soon...
Last night I had to take Leo out to supper because he mulched in back of the garden and under the cedar trees..... so today I wonder who is taking who out....lol  We will probably eat in or go dutch I guess.
Hope you are having a beautiful summer day and staying cool....How do you do that? do you have a secret or do you just love the hot weather? Sandra

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

HAPPY SUMMER

I took a picture of my first lilies to bloom today on this first day of summer... aren't they pretty. I also have some daylilies in bloom but not the fancy ones yet... only the yellow ones, they are nice though aren't they? They are the first and last to bloom so thats a good thing.
I have been working on my afgan lately, and as they say "slow and steady wins the race". I started on the second panel and did one leaf yesterday, it took 8 hours. Very very slow but I don't know of a faster way to do it if I want it to turn out the way it should... This panel has 6 leaves and some vines and blue flowers in between.. I will finish it though. If I can make those puzzles and then tear them apart after I sure can make this afgan and have a nice gift for my Grandson.... that keeps me going. That and taking a picture and showing you how it turned out.... I will finish it but understand I have one more panel after this one so it will take awhile.
Hang in there with me, lol
I hope you are having a beautiful summer day, Sandra

Saturday, June 18, 2005

Charlie taking a stroll

I let Charlie out to take a little stroll but he wanted to eat all the plants and I was afraid to let him do that. I don't really know what is poison and what will cause him a stomach upset... so after only a few minutes I brought him back in... I have some cutting back to do in this area it looks like... Too tired today though. Leo had gotten me 5 big bags of cocoa bean mulch and it was staring at me so today I had to clean out the weeds and cut back some plants and spread it around.... boy was I tired after that. After a shower and a bite to eat and an iced tea I am feeling a little better.... my plants in back still need water but Iam hoping for rain. Leo said it isn't going to rain but it is cloudy and I am hoping.... haha
Dan took Leo to play golf this morning and he is tired now too but he had a good time and is happy because he beat Dan... Dan likes to take him golfing for fathers day but he always picks the most expensive course so this year the other kids didn't go.... we have such a nice one closer and just as nice but Dan wanted to take him there.... its ok because Iam sure Gary will take him too so he will get a couple of games in this month. Gary and Leo already went a couple of times...
Today is our "50" class reunion.... we are not going but I have a friend who is telling me about it and sending pictures... Hate to think we have been out of school for 50 years already. I thought you had to be really old for that to happen. LOL
Hope you are having a nice day,Sandra

Friday, June 17, 2005

little critters

It's a beautiful day today in Green Bay!  I put the little picture in so you can get an idea of what I was seeing this morning as I was getting ready for the day in the bathroom. I can see this little garden either from my bathroom or kitchen window. Today I was looking out the window for a few minutes just watching what was going on. First I saw a chipmonk enter the garden and then a little rabbit scurry away from under a bridal wreath bush on the end of( where you can't see) then a squirrel was just sitting by my white bench over there and 2 bright red cardinals were eating at that feeder... I think the squirrel was waiting its turn, don't you? Isn't this a nice way to start my day. I'm so lucky.....
Yesterday my daughter brought me some pretty pink for-get-me-not plants so I planted those... I like the blue ones but her pink are so pretty too. then I did some weeding and trimming but have lots more to do. I heard you shouldn't work in you garden when the plants are wet because it spreads disease so I have an excuse not to be working this morning. :) I was working on my afgan yesterday and the day before... I will have one strip embroidered today and 2 more to go.. it takes awhile but it is so pretty when its finished. I'm just happy I can do it and am going to try to make one for each of my 5 grandchildren... I'm only on the second one... and they will probably all get married in the same year or something... one is married and 4 to go... Carley will not be getting married for some time though as she is only 7, LOL I have time...... as long as they all don't get put on hold like this one did after Brian broke up with his girlfriend. I hope he finds another girlfriend now because he is such a nice guy and has a good job and a nice house etc... He has a cute little dog too, What girl couldn't resist?  
   It's actually cold this morning but I'm not complaining, I enjoy the cool down. Hope the weather is nice for you today too, Sandra

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Relief from the heat

We finally cooled down, such a relief too. The heat and humidity took more out of me than I thought because today I felt like sleeping half the day, lol  I didn't get much done but I did take out my afgan out and started cross stitching on it. I also put a box of things away and took 2 bags to St vincent de pauls bin.... its been a long time since I did that... don't tell the fly lady. I have been throwing things away but mostly outdoor stuff... you know like weeds etc. :) I also went to the store to pick up some needed things with Leo. I was going to get another hanging basket but decided I have a lot of flowers now and really need to mulch and take care of the weeds first. Besides there are other things I really want to do so I will pass.
Isn't this yellow Peony beautiful. we got it a few years ago and this year it really bloomed nice for us but if I wouldn't have gone into the garden Im afraid I would have missed it. this warm humid weather is making every thing grow too fast and then the hard rain is taking it away.... This cool weather is better. we will have a chance to see the beauty for  a few days at least ( I hope)
I can hardly wait until I finish my afgan so I can take a picture to show you... and then I can start on something new soon...oops... forgot about the poncho.... have to make that first but I can think about what Im going to do as I finish the afghan and poncho... think about how much I could have gotten finished if I hadn't made all those puzzles... oh well, it was fun.
Tonight is going to be a good night for sleeping, supposed to go down to 49 the weather man said. Can you believe that? My quilt will keep me cozy tonight.... hope you have a nice sleep tonight too, Sandra

Monday, June 13, 2005

What plant is this?

I have to write fast.... the last time I put this in a couple of hours ago we had a storm and the line went dead so I lost everything I was writing etc... I hate when that happens. Anyway if anyone know what this flower is I would appriciate it if you would tell me.  I think I got it at Green Acres several years ago( a place to go for different and unique plants that are tiny but really cheap.) Teri , my daughter- in - law and I always went there for Mothers day and we looked for something unique and to see who could find the best plant... well we ended up getting trays and trays of plants .... and then by the time we got home we lost the names for half of the plants we got. This one is special to me and even if I don't know the name it is one of my favorite plants. It has the best fragrance of any plant I have and last night I was sitting in my family room with the door open and could enjoy it.... wow it is so sweet! I can sit on the patio and enjoy it any day as long as it is blooming.... It spreads so one year I pulled a lot of it out and then was afraid I lost it but this year and last I babied it and now have a lot again so next year or this fall I will be able to share it but would like to know the name. Anyone know?????
We are going to be cooling down now and soon the humidity will be gone.... Wed. it should be in the low 70's.... but then it will warm up again of coarse but it will be nice to have the dew point lowered as I don't like it when I have swollen feet. I can't get my weeds pulled when the weather is like this because my feet and legs hurt too much..... and I NEED to get the weeds pulled and the mulch put down soon or I might as well forget about it, LOL
Leo had just finished cutting the lawn and fertilizing the front when the rain started. I thought I might see some burnt out spots in the grass because its been so hot but I guess he knew it was going to rain....just hope it didn't rain so hard it ran off. I don't think that happened as we have a pretty flat lawn. I finished my laundry and had just come home from the grocery store too so we got lucky today. Now I am going to sit and finish reading a good book I started a couple of days ago.. Its a series of books about a group of ladies that like to quilt. Written by Jennifer Chiaverini. Soon I will be wanting to quilt again. First though I will finish 3 projects I have started so I can enjoy it more.
Hope you are having a nice day and evening, Sandra
I found out its Valerian.... it is used for many things ~ among them perfume and something to help you sleep , I guess its used in that night time tea....( check the label next time you buy tea) don't reccomend you harvest it yourself because I heard you have to do it at just the right time and in the right amount or you could be in trouble... but it must be an herb then???? or wild flower I thought and they grow in zone 2-8,  I think it said. Hope you find it as I know you will enjoy. :)

Saturday, June 11, 2005

Another Puzzle finished

I finished another puzzle. This one was 1000 small pieces and I did it all myself.... no help. Now I know I can do a puzzle so I think I will try and finish embroidering my afgan and finally finish that. This puzzle took me exactly 1 week but I did other things too, like weed my garden and go shopping and house work sort of things. I even read a good book. Now I will try and finish the afgan and maybe the second poncho I started.... It will be nice to have things finished so I can start some new projects.. I was making the afgan for a grandson that was engaged but they broke up so my heart wasn't in it anymore... I will finish it and put it away for another time. I didn't tell him I was making it for him so I can give it to any of my grandchildren I guess...
We had tornado warnings tonight. we have been having severe thunder storm warnings but this was different as it was supposed to go right over us.... so we took the dogs and cat and sat in the basement for awhile..... Guess what...... we didn't even get a drop of rain. Better safe than sorry though isn't it? My son called from his home 5 or 10 miles from us and he said they got 3 inches of rain... he was sleeping and the sirens woke him up so he called and asked us what was happening... LOL I did hear lightening did strike and some trees were blown over so it was a bad storm, we just got lucky.
Hope you are all lucky too, Sandra
Ps.... notice the 2 pieces that are missing? don't know where or how they got lost as it was a new puzzle and sealed..... maybe kitty jumped on the table and had fun with them....don't have a clue.  :)

Thursday, June 9, 2005

Hot again today

It's going to be another warm day today.... and very humid. I will just take it easy today and hope if it rains the humidity will go away. Not much chance of that though as this weather is supposed to continue for another week yet...you know hot and humid with chance of thunder storms. Weird weather for the beginning of June but maybe its good for the tomato plants. I should think anyway. My sister said the corn is going to be much higher than knee high by the fourth of July. Thats a good thing isn't it? I love nice fresh corn-on-the-cob don't you? With a hamburger on the grill, with a slice of home grown tomato. I guess this weather is good for something after all isn't it... the flowers are are beautiful too. Last evening I sat on the porch and finished reading my book while sipping on a glass of iced tea. Life is so good, isn't it !
hope you are having a Happy day, Sandra

Wednesday, June 8, 2005

Butterfly and hummingbird planter

Here is my planter, Angel. Just for you to see what I have in it.... couldn't find all my tags though I thought I saved them we must have gotten a clean up streak and threw them away... darn. I got all my plants at Steins. The center one is Penta and I put in 2 as I know from experience the humming birds like them, then I have that yellow flower Janice plants but I forgot the name and then the Salvia that P Allen Smith says to put in and some Stock... white and red and assorted flowers that apeal to me and to heck with the birds and the bees, LOL   I also found some Zenias and Asters and put them in a planter to see how that would work.... Probably not but I had to see ... still have some to put in the ground but this humidity is not good for me, hope I adjust to it soon. Always takes me awhile to adjust to a new season, wonder why? Feet swell and headaches.... not fair to finally get nice weather and have to wait to adjust. My body is so tempermental ~  LOl.... we have a whistle blowing now and its only 10 on Wed so that must be a storm warning..... so gotta go.
hope you all are having a nice day and no storm warnings, Sandra

Saturday, June 4, 2005

Carley with my puzzle

I was almost finished with the puzzle when Carley came over.... she wanted to help and she was better at it than I expected... She got a little impatient but did find some pieces for me and we had fun. I started this one on June 1st... took longer because it was 1000 pieces but not really hard once I got a plan in action, LOL
Our weather turned to summer .... very humid though and I have been having trouble with my feet swelling so we had to turn on the air conditioner. Darn but you have to do what is necessary. I hope the humid weather goes away soon. I guess there is always something to complain about isn't there.
 I finishe my gardening I guess. I planted the seeds I wanted to but I have room for a few more hanging baskets and am going to try and find some for a special price tomorrow. Maybe I can even find some asters and zinnias that are alreay potted... I hope. I can't believe how the flowers are growing already. I even have clematis and Peonies in bloom and a lot of Iris' along with many others. I even had a day lily in bloom yesterday and today...Its always amazing.
We have another neighbor who put their house up for sale yesterday and another one that is fixing his up for selling.... 4 in all now. I had a dream last night that my neighbor said it was time we sold our house too. I said I didn't want to but she said I had to and then I woke up....what a night mare that was.
It's getting late so I guess its time to go to bed. Hope you have a nice day tomorrow, Sandra

Did you notice the picture of Carley in the frame on the wall.... she is growing just too fast isn't she. She is only seven but is almost as tall as Iam already. Sometimes you can tell she is only seven though ( when she wants her own way and doesn't get it) I guess she still has some things to figure out but all in all she is pretty smart... and fun to spend time with too.

Wednesday, June 1, 2005

Pictures of the back

Now that I have spent all morning with pictures I haven't time to write anything else... I had to get pictures in now so you can see how the yard changes through the summer. But now I have to get going if I want to get anything finished today. Its such a beautiful day I don't want to spend it all in here... Hope your day is beautiful too, Sandra