Spreading some joy

Isn't it fun to get an actual card in the mail? 

With email, FB, texting, and numerous other electronic media blasting at us 

from here and there....

a simple hand written note can bring 

a bit of peace and serenity 

to an otherwise hectic day. 

At least that is the hope. 

 

Mint chocolate and pink...

Love this color combo. Makes me think of yummy treats.

See...I have been working a on few things. Just slower to finish any of them during the summer. Too many other fun things to do like go to the beach with the kids.

(etsy)

 

Juice anyone?

I'm raising my glass to Kimmie and my Tea Tuesday friends. My glass happens to have juice instead of tea today.

I've come up with my own flavor combo that is pleasing to my taste buds. It did take some trial and error with some pretty nasty glasses of juice to choke down.

I have so much more energy and less cravings for "naughty foods" on days that I juice first thing in the morning...well, second thing.  I have to have a cup of coffee first thing.

Halle's morning power juice:

1 beet
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 inch chunk fresh ginger

Organic veggies taste the best but I have made my juices without when I couldn't find what I wanted.



I currently have a Jack LaLanne power juicer but what I really want is a Champion Juicer.  My parents had one when I was a kid. It was avocado green. Yup...it was the 70's.  I drank carrot juice with bee pollen sprinkled on top most mornings.  Hated it then.  I would hold my nose and slam it down.
Funny how our taste buds change over time.


Happy Tuesday everyone!

 

Landscape project

We finally tackled a project that we've been thinking of doing for quite some time. This multi-trunk tree is a beautiful accent to our yard but is a pain in the @$$ to mow around.  In fact, the last time I mowed around it I bent the throttle linkage on the mower from bashing into in the wrong way. Whoops!

Mr. G and I have no landscaping experience. We didn't have a clue what we were doing. During the process there was lots of sweat, a couple trips to Home Depot and a few cuss words muttered.

Today I planted the annuals, I picked up at 75% off, in pots. I decided to wait to plant perennials until next year. I have lots of hostas in need of division for starters.

I used a trick I learned on Pinterest for the pots.  Place a coffee filter in the bottom of the pots instead of a terracotta shard or rock to block the drainage hole. Genius!

The kids have been having a blast with all the trimmings around the yard as well. They've created some sort of "survivor-hunger games" type scenario. We've had up to 5 kiddos playing peacefully together with a 10 yr age span in total. Amazing!!

I love the imagination they can muster...check out the "campfire" with cooking spit.  

   

Missing Tea

I never realized that I'd be busy over summer.

Honestly, I don't know where the times goes.

I'm afraid my Tea Tuesday friends from Kimmie's blog may have forgotten about me or worse, thought I forgot about them.

I'm skipping the tea for today and going for a big glass of ice water.

We've had so much rain here. Now high temps and humidity...with more storms due tonight.

My garden is mud...

Luckily the plants aren't seeming to mind.

I've got tomatoes on every plant.

In addition to gardening, I've been "home-schooling" this summer. Trying to keep the kids brains engaged so they can retain the info they've already learned. 

Other craft goodness has been on the agenda as well. 

We just came home from knitting group... 

And I've been sewing as well. 

So I guess when you add up everything going on, it's not to difficult to see where the time went. 

What's keeping you busy this summer?

 

Graduation card

For an future engineering student. 

Thought the math page would work quite nicely.

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing."

~Abraham Lincoln

Inspired by Pinterest

It's happened again...I just have to make some new things I've seen on Pinterest.  

Such as these Kale chips! 

OH YUM!

Crispy, crunchy, healthy, yummy.

Here's a link to the the original post. 

Credit where credit is due....

The second inspiration didn't have any readable instructions...just a series of photos pinned. So, unfortunately, I can't give credit to whom it's due.

Here's the original "pin" (left) which summed itself up nicely.

<-----

I used an ugly canvas I picked up at a garage sale...gessoed and tissue papered it before painting it green.

I thought the green left behind my leaves was a little boring so I went back with painted and retouched them. 

Looks pretty dumb on the shed door but I happened to have a nail there for the photo op.

Have you been inspired lately?

 

Tea with the birds

As I sip my yummy iced tea (from the bargain bin, $0.75 baby) and make my Target list, 

I hear a curious sound. 

Rustling in the serviceberry tree. 

The Cedar Waxwings have returned....

They come every year to pick it clean. 

I think they are so beautiful. 

What I don't think is so beautiful are the messes they leave everywhere. Apparently those berries go right through them. Sorry...TMI.

Gracie is very entertained. 

What more could a cat want....warm sun to lay in while watching dozens of birds right outside the window.

What are you doing today?

Obviously Target is on my list...as well as stopping by my friends Tea Tuesday blogs.

 

Quote tip-in

I have a passion for words. Quotes especially. I find myself making more and more quote tip-ins. I guess that means I'll need to put together another book one day. 

We've been watching the Hatfields & McCoys mini series. 

I think that's what brought out the photo.  It's actually from an old Reminisce magazine. My folks used to get that one...I've saved some of them since they have such fun stuff inside.

Thanks to Elizabeth for the awesome handmade paper behind the photo. She makes the best handmade paper I've ever seen!

 

Busy, busy end of school

Ever have one of those weeks that you have all planned out way a head of time...then when the week begins you completely forgot that you had a zillion things to do?? That's been my week. I think the 3 day Memorial Day holiday weekend was what started me off on the wrong foot. Monday turned into Tuesday in the blink of an eye. 

 Tuesday I was a bit under the weather...allergies and such.
Wednesday was filled by inventory at the school library.

Yesterday I got to go to the Arboretum as a chaperon for Little J's class. I really love it there. We should really get a membership...but I digress.

The girls enjoyed the Japanese garden...

especially the koi.

I enjoyed a moment of quiet serenity myself. 

But we can't forget about the flowers...

So many beauties. 

It was hard to choose which to share.

This was my favorite floral photo of the day.

Soft and dreamy...and pink!

Today will be my "catch-up" day. 

The team of fairies I wished for at the fountain never showed. A girl's got to dream, right?!?!

How are you preparing for summer?