My goodness, we are at the end of another month! This year is truly slipping away.
This weekend in the U.S. is Memorial Day. It always makes me sad and GRATEFUL. This is not a weekend for parties, cookouts, the race or 3 day weekends - it IS about honoring those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms and the freedoms of others around the world. I have friends that have lost their children during conflict and it breaks my heart for them. I am so humbled by the sacrifice they and others have given. Please stop and say a prayer of thanks for all the men and women who GAVE ALL for us and for their families.
I sure had my trees cleaned of old limbs this week with the wind and rain we had. It has finally gotten beautiful out and the sun is shining. It will be hot for a couple days, then back to normal.
The peonies are now done! That makes me sad. Gosh, they only last about a week and a half and then done. I just love them - I wish they bloomed longer. The roses are going nuts blooming. My Blaze climber is incredible.
I have had a pileated woodpecker out back this week! So neat. I still haven't had a hummingbird that I have seen or heard. Usually they start here about June 1. Keeping the feeders clean and filled!
The blue jays and the robins have sure been enjoying the birdbath. They get in there and bathe and flap and preen - it is so neat to watch.
Well, I have a new neighbor! I think it will be OK. He is an older fellow that is alone. I would say probably late 50's or 60's. He said he is a chef at a retirement facility close by - 4 minutes to his job. Which is why he wanted the house. He walked over to the fence - put his hand out and introduced himself straight away. He did that as soon as he saw the fellow on the other side as well. That says a lot. I met his son as well. I hope it all works out!
The house rented in 2 days for $200 more than the last people paid!!!!! Crazy.
Today is the 500 Mile race. I am not a big fan - but I sure hope it is a safe event for the drivers and the fans. Yesterday I saw the fighter jets in formation go over the house twice. Must have been a practice run for today - I have never seen that happen ahead of race day. It always gives me chills to see.
There have been old fashioned bi-planes going over pulling advertisements behind them, many times this weekend. Reminds me of the old days!
This week for me:
- I pulled weeds and pulled more weeds! Oh my goodness, they grow crazy
- I got the garden readied up for planting
- I got my garden in!! At least what I have. I still think I want to plant more - we will see. I got tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and peppers in.
- I received a FREE magazine in the mail
- Mowed the entire yard and did a HUGE trim job
- Trimmed and touched up roots of my hair
- Collected probably 80+ gallons of rain water this week
- Neighbor saved and gave me a bucket of ashes for my garden - got that all spread
- Picked several final peony bouquets
- I did run to Kroger for a couple of sales. 8 oz. cheese bars on sale for 1.47 each. Sour cream for 1.27. 2 lb. packs of strawberries for 2.47. I also found a 10 pack of peaches in the .99 clearance bin. Can't beat those prices and all things I use and love
- Made a pizza with all kinds of bits from the frig and freezer - boy it was good
- Got to have the windows open a lot
Meals this week: (easy)
Beef, potato, cabbage skillet
Ham, cheese, tomato and potato chip sandwich
Leftover beef/pot. mix and salad
Beans & rice with smoked sausage
Leftover beans/rice and fresh veggies with Italian dressing
Homemade pizza 2X
How was your week? Did you get any gardening or yard work done? Any great deals? Give us a shout out and let us know what is going on in your part of the world. I love hearing from everyone.
This has been a sad week in the news. So much innocence lost this week. Evil is every where in this world and we all need to PRAY like we have never prayed before. I have to believe that in all things there is a reason and chance to be better. God knows all - and He has those innocent babies in His arms now. May the love of God be with each of you and comfort you through all things.
Blessings from my humble little home to you and yours.
"Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?"
John 14:1-2
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments."
John 14:15
Dear Lord, Help us to each live the life we should be living and to be humbled by the love that You have shown each of us. You gave your life for us. Help us to forgive, as it is often a difficult thing for us to do. Guide us and show us the way.
Amen
I played around with making yogurt cheese and it turned out so well and is delicious. Our discount grocery frequently has 3 quarts of plain organic yogurt for $1 and I wanted to find a way to take advantage of that great deal. I seasoned this batch like Boursin cheese and have enjoyed having it for lunch with crackers. I ended up with about a quart for around 70 cents. I am going to try spinach dip next.
ReplyDeleteThat is fantastic! Sounds like a very resourceful treat! You will have to tell us how you made it - PLEASE! Thanks!
DeleteLine a colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth and set that over a large bowl. Dump in two quarts of plain whole milk yogurt. Pull up the cheesecloth around it and fasten with a rubber band Refrigerate and allow to drain for 24 to 36 hours. You will need to empty the bowl after 12 yours or so.
DeleteRemove the cheese to a mixing bowl and add:
2 t. pink salt
1 T. Parsley flakes
1 t. dried dill
1/2 t. each garlic powder, dried basil, dried chives, black pepper
1/4 t. dried thyme
You are supposed to be able to freeze this but I have not tried.
THANK YOU - that sounds pretty darn easy!! I will sure keep that recipe on hand!
DeleteYes, Cheryl, there is great strife & sadness in the world. I am fortunate and thankful to experience the opposite where I live. Living in a rural setting and getting my hands dirty helps me to stay grounded and in touch with something bigger. I bit the bullet and set out some bedding plants yesterday. There is still a risk of frost in this area into the first week of June. But 2 barrels and hanging baskets will test that. Today I'll do some more flower beds. The best deal last week - 24 marigolds and petunias for ~ $17 each. The garden is planted with the favorite crops being green beans, carrots and tomatoes. I still need to pick up the tomato starts. It's been a week of setbacks with a septic pump that needed replacing, an oil change that revealed a transmission fluid leak, the garden tiller needs repair, a Visa/phone debacle still in progress, a fallen downspout from the gutter at the back of the house, a cut finger, a cold sore. All this balanced by an offer from my sister to lend a hand and an early BD gift of firewood from my cousin. I'm prepping for a visit from my British penpal of 50 yrs who arrives in 4 days. A friend and I celebrated another friend's 80th BD and I got to care for the little neighbor baby who is now walking at 11 mos. Fun exploring outside with her. Meals: chicken noodle soup, BBQ meatball sandwiches, stirfry. And the first watermelon of the season. Enjoy the upcoming week.
ReplyDeleteLove that you can still see all the wonderful and beauty. What a costly week - in many ways! Hope all your flowers and veggies make it through. June is just a couple days away! Oh, have some great fun and make many memories with your pen pal. That will be such a lovely visit. ENJOY your week!
DeleteMona, if you haven't heard, Lysine works great for cold sores. I just dealt with one 2 weeks ago, but I started Lysine at the first tingle and it was gone completely in 3 days with no pain from it. I hate the darn things!!
Deletethanks Debby - good tip.
DeleteIt seems like all your meals this week were one-pot meals. Great ideas.
ReplyDeleteI am glad your neighbor seems nice. I will trade him for my seven neighbors with seven barking dogs! Deal?
Nope - no deal! I was hoping for no big old dogs. I don't mind dogs at all - I was just worried about the cats! I have barking dogs across, behind and 2 doors down!
DeleteI love easy simple meals.
I am so pleased that i am at maintenance stage in my garden.
ReplyDeleteIt was hard work. My Son in law mowed the grass for me yesterday.
I took them out for late lunch in thanks for all they do for me. I had a gift voucher. All the main courses are now £2 more expensive.
Next weekend is a long one for us as its the Queen jubilee. I've no plans. I am going to my sister in laws the following week for a few days. I will go on the bus as it is free for pensioner.
A great deal as she lives in the South of Ireland. Do you know that Ireland is not united? I will need to get Euro as we use pound sterling
I look forward to your blog. Xx
Maintenance stage is great! Can't wait. They are hard work, but so worth it.
DeleteNice you all got to go to lunch together.
That will be wonderful to get to go on a nice trip like that and to have free transportation - that is huge today. I would live to see Ireland. It just looks to be beautiful.
Love having you here!
Wishing a safe Memorial Day weekend to all.
ReplyDeleteYou've had another busy week, Cheryl! Sounds like others have, too. Laid low with stomach flu most of the week, I sat at my laptop and found bargains for window coverings for the house. It has (nice) blinds, but there's no a/c, and new construction means no trees to shade any windows. I found pinch pleat panel sets for as low as $25!! Machine washable!
Hubby and son moved the 1st of the furniture into the house yesterday. It will be a multi-phased process. We hope to be able to fully move in by Flag Day. Whether we realize it or not, we're so blessed to live in America. Blessed that so very many gave their all in service to our country. Tragedies like what happened this week should remind us to put aside our differences and figure out how to be united in purpose. Just my opinion. --Elise
i sure hope you are feeling better. Great find on the curtains. No AC - that doesn't sound good! I hope you will have at least window units!
DeleteYAY on starting the move. It won't be long now.
Yes, no matter what, we are blessed to live in a relatively free country. We have to work to together to be our best!
I'm much better, thanks. We're on our way into town to check out window unit a/c sales prices. This is Arizona's White Mountain region (6000-7000 ft. altitude), so summer temps average 70s and 80s as highs, with cool nights and mornings.
Delete--Elise
Glad to hear you are getting better. You need some kind of AC just in case! Hard to imagine Arizona staying cool!!!
DeleteMost folks look at Memorial Day as the first holiday of the season, losing sight of the true meaning. When I was a kid we called it Decoration Day. Usually had plenty of peonies to make bouquets.
ReplyDeleteErin, my youngest daughter who lives down the road, and I went to my sister-in-law's house on Saturday for lunch. Her daughter and granddaughter were there also. So good to visit with family and Mary is an excellent cook. We had a chicken and pasta casserole, her delicious homemade rolls, a nice salad with a German chocolate cake, a lime jello dish and fresh fruit. We talked and laughed and had a big time.
"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments", something too many folks ignore.
We also called it Decoration Day when I was young! We always took tin cans filled with peonies to the cemetery.
DeleteYes, many think of it as the official start of summer and the summer activities. I bet many younger (and some older) people have no idea what it is really about.
How nice to visit with family. That is always a good time. Sounds like a nice girls day!
Sooooo many folks ignore the commandments - sad!
Another busy week here, makes the time fly.
ReplyDeleteShopped early in the week. No bargains at Aldi or WM. Got (among other things) 2lbs of blueberries and 3lbs of ham lunch meat in the weekly food box. Bought a 30-gal garbage can at WM for a total of 3 rain barrels. Had some rain this week and they are about 1/3 full.
Planted cucumber, zucchini, and some re-rooted green onions (that I got for free in the food box). Have already picked a quart of strawberries, most of which will go in the freezer. Need to weed the peas and shade them and the seedlings for the forecast 88F today and tomorrow. Will plant tomatoes later this week. I'll be digging up farther along the outside of my carport for extra tomato plants when the weather cools down later in the week. My rose bushes are starting to get buds, the bearded iris are about done (plenty of bouquets in the house recently), and salvia and a few Dutch iris are blooming. Planted spiderwort, a stella d'oro lily, and my free petunias from last week in pots for my front steps (we don't use the front door). The spiderwort and lily were transplanted from other, less desirable parts of the yard. Mowed and used some of the dried grass clippings to mulch the onions.
Took advantage of a cool day Saturday and baked a chicken pot pie and cherry pie for this week's dinners/desserts and brownies for the freezer.
Due to recent policy changes in my local Project Linus chapter, I am pausing my relationship with them. With that in mind, I made space in my shed and moved most of the tubs of fabric, yarn and batting out of my bedroom. It's amazing how much more space I have in there, and I can actually get to my bookshelves again! I firmly believe in the PL mission, and should our local chapter change leadership and get back to the true mission, I will work for them again. If not, then I will move on.
read "Crusader: By Horse to Jerusalem" by Tim Severin. He and a companion recreated the path of the First Crusade from France to Jerusalem. It was an interesting read. Picked up three books on Russia from the library. Read "A Short History of Russia" by Mark Galeotti. Rather disappointing, as his treatment of the peoples and culture was derisive, dismissive and condescending, but about what I expected from a book published in 2020.
DeleteAlthough organized religion left me over 20 years ago, I still maintain a close relationship with God. I truly believe that if people actually followed the 10 Commandments the world would be a much better place.
What a busy week! You sure got some tasty foods and transplanted a lot! That is a shame the things have changed with the admins of the PL group. I hope you can get back into it - you do a lot of good there. I have a friend in the PNW that mentioned that group the other day - and is thinking of doing some things.
DeleteI can understand going from organized religion. Many years, I was so disillusioned by all the requests for money and by the deep judgement I was seeing from many who should never have judged anyone.
DeleteYou can believe in God and be very spiritual without THE building!
Basically the 10 commandments are our basic laws! YES, we should all follow and YES the world would be much better.
Sadly, I think it will take a lot more than prayer to fix the issues creating the almost daily mass shootings that happen. But it certainly can't hurt especially when it is sincere as your prayers are.
ReplyDeleteNo gardening yet, though I picked up my bedding plants yesterday. I've decided to go with a yellow and white theme this year. My peony is just up as is my bleeding heart so I won't see flowers for two or three weeks or more yet.
Prayer is all I have - so that is what I do.
DeleteMy peonies are just done and you are going to be just beginning. I sure wish they lasted longer. Yellow and white will be a very cheerful theme.
I hope to see pics of them all later!
Things are poking there way up in my garden. I really worried about my hydrangea but it coming along beautifully. My cherry trees are starting to blossom as well.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
It sure is lovely to see all things become beautiful again. Glad your world is waking up!
DeleteI will have few peonies this year ...husband trimmed the blooms. Next year I will have more.
ReplyDeleteOh no! Trimmed them? They are so beautiful and full of scent - sorry you won't have more!
DeleteMy tomatoes and peppers are growing great and I need to stake them this week. Basil, parsley, organo, and chives are ready for a first cutting and into the dehydrator. And my butter crisp lettuce and swiss chard are producing enough for dinners each night. The snow pea seeds must have been too old - they have poked through but are no where near putting out tendrils to climb. My pickle cucumber seeds all sprouted (since they were old seeds, I over-planted, just to be on the safe side) and are about 3 inches tall. Hoping I have a good harvest! Stayed away from the grocery store for the last 2 weeks. Need to stop by Aldi for some dairy items, but that's going to be it for the week (I hope). Make it a great day!
ReplyDeleteSounds like your garden is doing fantastic. That is wonderful and potential food for your pantry!
DeleteMy plants have really grown since planted - heat and rain!
Have a good Aldi shop.