2011 Canning Season

So today my goal was to work in the veg garden. The only problem was that I got a late start and the humidity was already high. We did get a good size bucket of Corn on the Cob.  This was the first time I planted corn since moving to town. My grandkids and I planted a bed, 4'x16'. So far so good. We are getting nice sized ears, not real big but they are filled out nicely. We also picked Okra, tomatos and a large bucket of Cucumbers.  I had planned on cutting the greens far back but it just got too hot, too fast. Beans are coming regularly. First time I have grown Yellow wax and Purple beans. We are expecting some storms to move through tonight and tomorrow so I am hoping that cooler temps will hang around for a few days so I can get some outside work caught up.

My flower beds new some attention also. Everything has done good this year. Getting established, just in time to rearrange!  Oh well, my outside area is my canvas.  My moonflower has bloomed for the first time, I cam in to get my camera but the batteries are dead. So tomorrow..................

Facing August

So I have gotten over the fact that I have a bunch of dumb asses for neighbors. I now know that living is town is just where I have landed. I will always be in the country-If not in body in my mind.  And today I have decided that I will move on from this funk that I have been in.  I will put on my "Big girl panties".....Buy address labels and learn to make this house our home. For real.

I am not getting any younger. That is the cold hard truth. Am I disappointed?  No, I have been blessed in my life. I had great role models growing up that shaped me into the person I am.  I have bits and pieces of my family that until one sleepless night I realized I had just overlooked.

Tonight I will say a prayer- I will thank those that have passed, I will thank god for putting me in this place and I will close the door that keeps me looking down the road.  I have no where I need to be, no one I need to see.

I think I will take a long bike ride..........

This is May?

What happened to April? I think that I missed it during of our late season snow storms. Well let's see.....Haven't finished stocking #3, haven't worked on a new stained glass piece...Seems like I haven't done much of anything, but I know I have been busy because if it wasn't for the calendar I wouldn't even know the date! Since I don't remember April I will just jump into May's happenings since it is almost the end of the month.

We have had a mixture of weather; cold, rain, sleet, snow showers,sun, wind and even a humid day. But the past two weeks there has been more nice days than bad ones. We were able to get the compost "hill" out of the garden. I think it took about 100 trips- Filled all the low spots in the yard, filled 3- 4x4 raised flower beds and took a load to Aubrey's and filled both of her whiskey barrel planters. This week we were able to get the garden tilled, fertilized, beds made and planted. All I have left are black-eyed peas and some peppers. There is a spot about 6x3 that is empty but for the most part I am done. Tomorrow I will get what I need to fill it up and the waiting will begin!

Flower beds are all doing great and it appears that everything survived the winter. We have been getting loads of asparagus. All the berry bushes are loaded with blooms, even the cherries bloomed this year. First time for them. My greenhouse was awesome! All in all things seem to be moving along as they should. I do have an unwanted visitor- A tiny precious bunny..looked so cute out hopping through the yard, that is until I discovered it had eaten my new Red Lobelia. It runs for cover under the waterfall at the pond so in order to catch it I think I am going to have to take the whole thing apart to catch it. Unless of course Jasmine catches it first.

I also survived Story Time at the library. I just have one more week to read and then that will be it until September. Nolla asked if I would read again. Corra will be in kindergarten but Carter seems to enjoy it so it will be fun.

The last week of May will be much calmer I think. Resting up for what starts the 30th. Aubrey has a week of vacation so we are tackling the kitchen project. One week to 1. Build a new double oven cabinet (yes changing again) 2. Paint all the cabinets 3. Order new counter tops 4. Install back splash---- Oh yes- My new glass knobs. And then I will have to make a new curtain. That should take a week. Right?

The life of retired empty nesters!

Next post- Why do people have kids and then don't want to parent them... A tale of bad neighbors!!!!!

Stocking Project

I got so caught up in the usual whining about the weather that I forgot about the progress I have made on my stocking project. I completed  stocking #2 and am well under way with stocking # 3. It has been moving along nicely, so I guess the weather has been ok. I have gotten quite a bit of little projects completed. One was a rag doll I started working on probably five years ago. During my great sewing room organization weekend right after Christmas I pulled all of my started but not completed projects out and made a list. I am determined to get them all finished by the end of the year. I have added a few new things to the list but they aren't major projects-just little pick me ups. One being a new print that all I have to do it mat and frame. I have wanted it for years but was too cheap to buy it but was lucky to find just the print for a fraction of the cost.  So here are the latest two completed projects:

Now back to work! Gardening time is right around the corner

Ahh...Spring

Spring arrived on Sunday, with much anticipation of warmer days and melting snow. And yes we did have a lot of melting. That is until Tuesday when we got rain, rain that turned to sleet and then sleet that turned to snow. And snow that fell and fell until we had 4 1/2 inches of wet, heavy snow to shovel. Wednesday was a nasty day with high winds and yes more snow. What a blessing Thursday was with sunshine as far as you could see. No wind was the icing on the cake! Shoveled extra space for the dogs to run around and bark in. Today was another picture perfect day. Temps into the 40's, again no wind and plenty of sun. Ended up firing up the snow blower, things aren't melting fast enough. We are looking forward to a warmish, sunny weekend. But one more thing- forecast is calling for close to 3 new inches of snow Sunday!

As of Thursday! Thank goodness it looks nice!

The snow won't stop

Yes, I am becoming a whiner! I just can't seem to shake my cold/cough/whatever it is. Looks like it will stretch into month 2!  I need some sunshine, bare dirt, green grass, bare feet. But the snow keeps coming. We had another blizzard that dropped 12 new inches of blinding white snow-but not to stop yet, because just a couple of days later 2 more fluffy inches fell. Now I am not going to complain about the blinding white of it all because that at least means that the sun was out. And it is beautiful-but it didn't need to get so cold again.
 Ahh..finally.. March is here-so why is it just 4 degrees? And windy? Now the roads are like ice slicks. And the wind will continue to howl, that is until it starts snowing again tomorrow night. Do I sometimes question choosing to live in the upper mid-west. There are times when I am ready to be outside that I do question it! But anyway, March will be the transition month- by the end of the month I should have seeds started for the veg garden, some herbs and I am sure a few "needed" perennials. Fun times are just around the corner.  By April I am hoping all of the snow will be gone and I can start to rake the yard and mark off hard scape areas I will be doing this year. I am going to have to relocate the asparagus patch as we are tentatively planning on adding on to the garage. Who thought moving to town was going to be easier? Not as much work he said? Always something to be done.
I am half way through with stocking # 2.  Just two squares left to quilt on my wall hanging and fingers are crossed that I get the last two bedrooms upstairs painted before the end of April. I am having color issues so kind of forgot about it for a couple of weeks and will get back on it next week. 

Christmas in February?

No, we aren't having Christmas in February. It's just that when we put up the Christmas tree this year I realized I was kind of tired of some of the old stuff. Bright idea? I am on a mission to make new stockings for everyone this year. This is #1- Bucilla Stocking Kit- Chillin Santa!  I saw it and knew it was the one for Albert. He would like nothing better that to be on the beach in December-well actually not just December but on a daily basis. So I did commit to, when the time was right I would move to Hawaii. 

Ok let's see- February:  We have had record cold. Last week the wind chill all week was in the -25 to -35 degree range.  Our last big snow brought about 5 new inches. Saturday temps went up into the 40's and over the weekend we lost about 1 foot of snow. We should melt off quite a bit more this week. Temps will be 30 to 40 degrees and sunny most of the week. Exciting stuff.

I spent the weekend painting the upstairs and landing-maybe I'll finish it up today (hopefully). Albert had errands and dr. appointments this am so I got my stuff done and am now waiting for him to get home. Brian is home sick with the kids. Valentine date tonight! Off to Marshall for supper- Nice quite day for me though.

34 days until spring-  Seeds have started to arrive!!!