Full Bloom!

Here is my Hydrangea in full bloom. I love it. I might try a tip for when you cut the flowers for a vase. Your suppose to dip the stems in boiling water first. But I don't know if I have the heart to cut them. Look how pretty they are up close. I know in other parts of the country they get much larger. But I'm just thrilled that my pretty plant is living!!!
And always with great color!

Purrrr fect Day!

Today was very much a outside kind of day. I took my morning bike ride and then enjoyed the outside!! Notice how big my Hydrengea is getting? It has tons of buds. Everything is in full bloom.

Purrr fect place for sitting! Buddy was enjoying outside also.

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather! And always with great color

Lovely Day!!

I woke up this morning to the most lovely day. Just had to get outside. Even though I had lots of house cleaning to do. I couldn't resist taking pictures of all my roses and flowers in bloom. Mother nature is busting out all over. The birds are all out building nests.

Buddy was pretty excited to get outside also. He sure did want those birds.

Look how big my hydrangea is! It's full of buds. Can't wait till it starts to bloom!!

There is something so calming about working in the yard. Getting your hands muddy and watering. The patio just felt great. Here is another picture of my old bread rack that I spray painted.

I can't really sit out on my front bench now that the ground cover has taken it over. But I haven't had the heart to trim it all back. I guess I should. What do you think?

Later in the day I BBQ'd. All the neighbor's were out enjoying the lovely evening. And always with great color!!

Topiary!!!!

I love love love Topiary. But usually they run kind of high for my budget. I had these pots to my entry that I wanted something new in. And the dead Halloweenish plants weren't cutting it. So since my back was somewhat good today. I took off to Walmart. Not that I thought I could walk the whole store. But enough to pick up a few things. I think the drive over to Walmart hurt me more. UGH!!! Anywho, I walked into the nursery section and tah dah!!!!!! TOPIARY!!!! Woweee Soweee!!! I picked out two. After coming back home, they were my first project. It's been so beautiful lately. Warm for a November. So here is the finished picture. I'm very pleased at how they look. I just hope I can keep up the shapes.
So everyone have a good weekend. Get outside and take deep breaths of the beautiful day. And always with great color.

Salads Yum!

It's been such a nice summer so far. Not too hot and cooling off in the evenings. I have been making more salads for dinner. They are so refreshing! This is a picture of a taco salad I made. The tomato on top is from my sister's garden. It's suppose to be yellow. And it was yummy to my tummy!
This salad was a fried chicken salad. It was great too!! Buddy just thinks he will sit this meal out. Don't think he's liken the lettuce. My own garden kind of sucks!! I have had all tiny veggies. Blah. Here is my one tomato!! I guess they don't like growing in pots. It's pretty small. But when it got red I ate it on a dinner salad. And it was pretty tasty too!! Oh well, and always with great color!

Leftovers!

Another thing about this economy is eating at home lots. Might be a good thing. But I was always used to cooking for a Husband and two growing teenagers. Now it's just me and my 30 year old son. If he happens to be around.

So the other night I made Spaghetti. Tons leftover. So here is what I did with them. Spaghetti Pie!!!! It might look a little scary, but it's yum. You mix an egg and grated Parmesan cheese in with the noodles. Make like a crust. Yeah it kind of looks like a birds nest. Then fill it with the meat sauce. Next mix cream cheese and more Parmesan cheese. Drop teaspoons on top. Cook at 350 for 30 minutes. Leftovers of this are tasty too. lol

Garden update:

Look how big it's getting! Ok I have a question. This suppose to be a red pepper. Do they turn red on the plant or after you pick them?? lol
Hope everyone is having a great week. It's hot as a chili pepper here.

Pink Pink Pink! I'm in the Pink!

Well we are having another hot one. Might have to start walking a bit earlier. UGH! Anyways, I have lost 3 lbs. I think the heat takes away the appetite.
I was watering my poor hot garden and plants this morning. I ate my first strawberry!!! Couldn't wait. lol Then I was watering my hydrangea. It's such a pretty shade of pink. And the bush has gotten big this year. It's about 3 years old and was tiny. I have never had any luck with them before. So I'm overly excited. So bear with me......
I picked this bouquet for my dinning room table. I have asparagus fern growing up in my planters. So I added some for filler. It's so pretty. They are one of my favorite flowers. Just wish they had some smell!!
Today is also my Mom's birthday. She would have been 78 years old. But she passed away in 2006. She once painted a painting of Hydrangea's. I wonder where that painting is now?? Oh well, they remind me of Mom. Love ya!! And always with great color!

Mini Apple Pies

Hi Everyone,

Well since it's been so warm out. I'm staying inside where it's cool. Today I got the cooking bug. I had seen on one of my friends blogs these pies. She made hers like pot pies. With meat, potatoes etc. I thought I would try them with apples. You use Grands biscuits. Flatten them out first. I buttered my cookie sheet. (Yeah they are old and I use them lots). Plopped down the bottom dough. Then I cut up 2 very large apples. Mixed in some sugar and cinnamon. (I seldom measure). I scooped cup fulls of the mixture onto the dough. Then put a small teaspoon of butter on top. I then flatten out a biscuit for the top. Tried to seal them closed around the edges. I guess I could have rolled them out with a rolling pin. But I didn't want to work with the dough much. So yeah they are kinda leaking. Oh well, I cut a small X in the dough on top. And sprinkles them with more cinnamon and sugar. Here they are before they went into the oven. 350 for 20 minutes.

Cook until nice and brown. I gave a couple (one pack makes 4 pies)to my daughter. I don't need to eat that much sweet stuff. lol They were TASTY!! Warm with vanilla ice cream would have hit the spot. Thanks so much for the cute idea! Bon Appetite!!

Had to share a picture of my Hydrangea bush. It's so big this year and look at all the blooms. When they turn color I will post another pic. I know other parts of the country grow huge ones. But this is the desert in Southern California. So I'm jazzed!!! Always with great color!!!!

Poor hot Buddy!

Poor Buddy. He doesn't like this hot weather we are having! So he's back to taking his naps on the glass coffee table. I just had my hair cut for the summer. And I think I will have to get him a hair cut this summer also.

Latest decor idea. I had this large jar. I decided to fill is full of pasta. What do you think? I did have it full of fake limes. But I wanted a change. Now that I'm home more I've been cleaning out cupboards. Yes, finally got the kitchen cupboard cleaned. And the hall linen closet. That was not fun. How do we save so much stuff???

Garden update!

Look I have a strawberry!!

I'm doing the Happy Dance!!!! Really, I'm excited to see things growing. lol

Now look at my bell pepper!!

It's getting bigger!! I just hope they don't overheat with this hot weather. It's crazy hot! Making my morning walks sweaty and uncomfortable. But I keep plowing along. Just have to eat more ice cream. Right?? I've doing lots of thinking about life and God's plan for me. I'm seeing that he takes me through some things to teach me patience. Also so I will appreciate when the good things come along. Whether they are people, jobs, home, gardens or almost anything. At least I am learning and growing as a person. Which even at my age I can still do! Love your family and friends, coworkers, and enemies. They are all a part in God's plan for you and me. And don't pass up the opportunities to tell people how special they are to you. Love you all. And always with great color!

What a difference a Day makes!

Hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day weekend. Mine was great. First off Saturday I resigned from my job. Long story but it's a good thing. Not enough hours and a hostile environment. And with having to call in everyday. I wasn't able to look for something else. So I'm happy to leave.

Had a super day with my daughter. We love going to a restaurant in Redlands, CA. Martha Green's. It is also a bakery. Nothing like their broccoli salad. Except Melanie's sister makes a better one. The whole place is decorated with chickens. Chicken everything. So of course I love it and feel right a home. They even bring you a chicken shaped cookie with the bill!!



As you can see Buddy laid low with Brandon. Brandon is playing Call of Duty. Better not touch that remote Buddy!!
Garden update!!
Check out my Bell Pepper. It's only the size of a quarter. But Woo Hoo I grew something!!!



All in all it's been a good week. I've gotten lots of things done around the house. Things are actually dusted and clean!! Now what Buddy??

Garden!

Today was beautiful. Warm but just cool enough that you wanted to spend the day outdoors. Since they didn't need me at work (again). That's another story. I had the thought to plant some veggies. My sister Carol had just planted two beautiful above ground planters. Her soil is like sand, mine is like stone. Hard Hard Hard. I had plenty of good size plant pots. From back in the day when we had billions of houseplants. Think I only have two now. lol So I set out to Home Depot for some plants. After I caulked my shower. UGH!! I hate caulking. But it was getting nasty and needed a redo. I feel good when I get these little projects that need to be done around the house finished.

So I got Red bell pepper, zucchini squash, crookneck squash, strawberry, and tomato plants. Here is the finished garden. Hope they grow. It's been ages since I've done this.

I also the other day replanted my flowers in this three teared planter.

Then I came outside and had lunch at the Bistro table. I had tried a new recipe. It's canned white chicken, Cranrasins, Celery, and nuts with mayo. Yum it was good.
And the whole time Buddy just laid in the living room chair and slept. What a life!!