And Then

I feel like the ball in a pinball machine.  On multi-ball mode, going for the high score.  In other words, I am moving too fast.  But I have had some fun lately.  And this week holds much more fun to be had.  I will be able to slow down soon.

Let's recap the fun I've been having.  Mrs. Irritation visited with her beautiful daughter last Wednesday and Thursday.  We had a great time.  AND I got to meet Mouse when she joined us!  They loved playing with the pups and loving on Keystone.  I LOVED seeing them!  

We enjoyed a weird storm straight out of a horror movie.  See?

We had storms with vicious upside-down-meringue clouds

We had some good food.

Such a good one this time!

We went wild berry picking ON MY OWN LAND!  Can you believe it?  We have wild berries all over our woods.  It is a-m-a-z-i-n-g!!!  I loved having my little helper, Mrs. Irritation's daughter, hold the bucket while I dove in deep into the forest.  She made sure the pups didn't get our goodies.  She found that she LOVES berries.

On the edge of our "forest"

Close-up of our amazing berries

Then she helped me harvest the garden.  This was our first harvest of the year!  We had a few tom's ready, a few jalapeno peppers, and some giant Marconi peppers.  This was a great haul for still being June (last weekend)!

Notice these tom's?  Yea, so did Jessie*

Holy berries and peppers, batman!

Yes, those peppers are large enough to stuff.  And tasty enough to eat.  Man they are good.

Sunday, I had a chance to PICK EVEN MORE BERRIES!

I missed having my little helper while I tromped through the woods whistling to keep the snakes at bay.  I hauled in quite the load. 


*So Todd cleaned the tom's and had a nice little plate of our first tom's of the season for Friday night's side dish.  He put it on the coffee table.  Then when we were about ready to eat, he wondered why there was one clean plate on the coffee table.  Oops, we forgot how our pups are not the well-mannered adults that we've been accustomed to having.  We think Jessie licked the plate clean.  I wish you could have heard the shock in Todd's voice as he was yelling.  It's hard to sound serious when you're in shock and you're not totally sure who the guilty party is. 


Now I leave you with the best picture of the visit.  One of Mrs. Irritation's favorite things to do.  Make squishy-face!

Joey makes a great squishy face

Have a wonderful 4th of July!  We are celebrating this year.  We will enjoy good family, good dogs, good friends, good food and good times.  Cheers.

The Gardens

My parents have nice established gardens.  They are truly amazing.  It makes for a tranquil and peaceful setting.

Looking East on the North side of the house

Looking West on the North side of the house

My dad's garden

My dad's vegetable garden is pristine.  The rows of veggies are perfectly lined in straight rows with plenty of room to walk between the lush green plants.  There's not a weed to be found.  And he doesn't even mulch because he doesn't have to.  While he sleeps at night, he can hear the errant weed break soil and try to grow.  The next morning, he plucks the intruder before it can even photosynthesize enough sun to start growing for real.

Some day when I retire, I'll keep up on my weeds like that.  Until then, I'll mulch the heck out of my garden beds.

My first Sweet Baby Girl of 2013--the best cherry tom ever grown (picked and eaten, Sunday 6/23)

Now you know where I got my green thumbs.

A Weekend of Firsts

What a wonderful weekend I had. I really needed this weekend because I've been positively itching to go to Oklahoma for a nice relaxing weekend to see my parents (it's been 14 months since I've been there). When Todd said a little over a week ago, "let's take your fathers day present to him", he didn't have to ask me twice. Ummmm, YES, please!

It has been hot and humid there. Summer is in full swing. I'm not used to that yet. Saturday brought an unexpected rainy afternoon. We sat on the porch, enjoying the cool breeze, admiring the *gorgeous flowers*, and watching the crazy hound dogs frolicking in the raindrops. We had nothing else to do after we ran to town to do a little shopping and of course, hit a few garage sales so Todd could find a bargain. It was a perfect day.

Speaking of gorgeous flowers, I think my mom is playing a trick. How can these 3' lilies be real???  See exhibit A. I swear she stuck the most perfect fake flowers in her flower bed just to fool me. They are too perfect and too gorgeous to be real! 

Exhibit A: the tall one is 3 FEET tall

Don't they look PERFECT?!?

Absolutely amazing

Ok, fake ones couldn't be this gorgeous.

Keystone knows the drill in OK. He's not a new dog in this hunt. He demanded his walk and treat from grandma on Saturday morning. Since the little ones had never been there before and we got in so late Friday night, mom didn't take them on the morning walk. I joined them on Sunday morning and took them for their introductory lap around the field. They did awesome. I felt like several times, they would look at Keystone and ask with their eyes, "is this what we are doing? Is this it, because this is fun! Are we going that way?" and it was so cute. The little ones probably walked 4 times our distance with all of their running back and forth. Joey and Jessie would stalk each other in the tall grasses.

Another first for them was the neighbors swimming pool. Keystone LOVES to swim and is used to diving right in. Joey and Jessie didn't quite get it. So we will go find a creek for them to walk into for them to find their fins. They are intrigued with the concept. If all humans had gone in the pool, that would have made a difference. I could see that Jessie wanted to want in and Joey wasn't traumatized. (I'll share pics later on this experience.)

As for food, Saturday morning we had sausage gravy, homemade bun toast, and fried eggs for breakfast. For dinner, we had chicken fried steak, mashed new red potatoes from the garden with gravy, buns, and zucchini baked with Parmesan and panko bread crumbs. It was all fabulous. 

For breakfast Sunday, we had bacon, fried eggs, and awesome grain & nut pancakes with fresh fruit. So yummy. I had cupcakes all weekend too. Strawberry and also banana-peanut butter cupcakes. But not together.

My breakfast today, YUM!

Todd's breakfast: he loves my mom's fried eggs.

On our drive home, we accidentally found a Taco Tico. I wasn't hungry, but I had room for a couple of beef enchiladas. I love those things.

My Taco Tico beef enchiladas--I love their sauce

Now it's time to get back to my normal eating pattern. With the addition of a few extra cupcakes we brought back.

 I love going to Oklahoma. Now Jessie and Joey understand why Keystone and I get so excited about going. Todd does too, actually.

And now for a pic of part of our garden:

I'm cooking Rainbow Swiss Chard for the first time tonight.
And there is a red tom peeking at you at the top of the picture!

Oh, My Onions!

I can't believe our onions are up this tall.  Can you believe it after less than 2 weeks?!?  These were onion seeds that Tullybird planted (so well) when she was here helping us plant the garden.  An onion seed is like a little onion bulb about the size of one large garlic clove.  

Here's the proof!  They loved all the rain we've been having.  THANK YOU, Tullybird!

Look what Tullybird planted!

I LOVE Gerbera daisies.  They are the prettiest flowers on Earth to me!  They are my favorite flower.  The big, bright heads just make me smile.  I bought a very healthy looking plant with MANY buds on it when we went shopping for plants to finish the garden.  I had no idea what color it would be.  Maybe yellow, maybe pink, maybe red.  It was my surprise plant--look at the beautiful color it ended up being!  (I'm very happy)

  

Pumpkin Harvest & BluesNBrews 5K

Howdy!  I had an action packed weekend full of dirt and sweat.  So I would call that a great weekend.

 

Saturday started with the harvesting of the pumpkin patch.  In total, we got 25 pumpkins from a 4'x8' frame.  We had at least 5 or so more pumpkins that were claimed by the bugs/rotted so much that they went straight to the compost bins.  I was expecting more than this at the end of the harvest.  Next year we are going to triple our frame size.  We have the field, so why not?!?

 

We only had two pumpkins that were untouched by the bugs.  THOSE seeds will be grown next year for sure!  Also, I have a few tricks up my sleeve for next year's battle with the bugs.  They better watch out, cause we've got plans.

 

Even though I was wanting even more in total, it's a very attractive line up.  I have a few picked out for the front porch and a few to give away.  I'm afraid they wont last too long though because of the blemishes by the bugs.  It's like they took two bites and went on to the next one.  Geesh, talk about picky eaters.

 

I dunked them in bleach water to try to slow the growth of bacteria, so let's cross our fingers, shall we?  Here they are lined up drying after their bath:

It's Pumpkin time!



Sunday has been a great day because I ran in the inaugural Blues N Brews 5K with Heather!  I also exceeded the pace time I wanted and surprised myself at the end--wahoo!  That must explain why my knee and ankle are wildly throbbing right now and I am hobbling around like a little old lady.

 

Today started WAY too early.  We woke up at 5:30.  Todd was such a good sport about this.  We picked up Heather and made our way downtown to where all the crazy people were:

 

 

Notice the sun coming up in the background?
I noticed the moon was almost full when we first got there.

My and my medal.  And my Blue Moon beer.
Because I had to put a Brew in this race.

 

We were very pleased to make it to the finish line with good times.
Not real pleased that there was no food, no free beer, no dancing cobras,
and the concert was way later than we wanted to stay.

The Blues Travelers were playing a free concert this morning for the event, but it was like 2 hours after we were done, so we bailed.  Nice thought, but maybe next year.



Todd is such a great sport about these events!

Now I'm off to bed to nurse my ailing body parts.  They aren't rebounding like they used to.  Oh, planting 100 irises today may have something else to do with it.  I only have 50 more to go.

 

The Garden Is In!

Hope all the moms out there had a great day.  My mom is travelling, so I hope she had a safe and enjoyable day.  As enjoyable as it could have been, visiting a loved one in the hospital.

We worked our tushes off this weekend.  I cleaned like a madwoman for the visit of Tullybird.  I am SO. EXCITED. I have a "fun" agenda created for all that we are going to do, starting tomorrow late afternoon when she arrives.  I have plenty of drink and rest time built in.  I think.  Well, I know I have plenty of drink time built in.  And best of all, I have a designated driver lined up for her birthday dinner!  I know, SCORE, right?!!?!

After I cleaned like the Queen would be visiting, I made my way to the garden.  OH WHAT A GARDEN IT IS!  It's 20' X 80'.  That is FEET not INCHES.  This thing is HUUUUGE.  I'm very excited.  Todd worked hard to get the fence up.  I am nervous about not putting up chicken wire to keep out bunnies, but Todd is right.  We have no bunnies.  The dogs in the 'hood see to that.  So we are doing as the neighbors do, and not putting up chicken wire.  Still makes me nervous.  But it's the worms that are ruining some of our crops, not bunnies.

Would you care to guess how many plants I planted in the ground today?  Go ahead.  It took hours.  Just guess.  If you thought double-digits, you would be wrong.

101.

I planted 101 plants in the ground today.  That is why I will have consumed 3 Advil before retiring to sleep.  I hurt.  I hurt bad.  But it's good to see all these little guys in the ground.  See:

All our freshly planted babies (with aspari-guy in the foreground)

After planting, Todd and Stones toddled around spraying poison ivy.  Aren't they just adorable?

Keystone is the ultimate passenger.  In *any* kind of vehicle.  Truck, golf cart, wave runner...

Hope you have a great week.  I know I will!  I will be more active this week in posting about the yumminess consumed with Tullybird.  We have plans!

Oh, Hi There!

Where has March gone?  Someone tell me, cause I just don't understand.

Here is a miscellaneous list of updates starting with the best news first.

Abby's test results came back and the "large" bump removed from her nose is benign!  Super yippee for our little girl.  I can't explain why I wasn't worried, but for some reason I knew it wasn't anything to get my panties in a wad.  Bonus: she looks completely normal (this picture was taken pre-surgery but she looks the same).

We took Shadow to the vet for her very first vet visit ever.  That would be like an 80-year little old lady going to the Dr. for the very first time.  The up side?  She had no reason to fear the place.  "What's this?  A new place with nice people who pet me, take my temp in my ear instead of up my bum (which she has never experienced)?  Great, count me in!"  She got her shots, a treat, and some love from some nice people.  I don't think she will hate going back next year.

Needless to say, we found a local vet I really like.  And the best part about it is that we live in a SMALL town.  The vet bills?  Are SMALL too.  Annual visits for 3 dogs and the bill was about $200?  Really?  I'm never ever moving again.  Ever.  Quote me on that.

Speaking of little old ladies, on our way back from the TPF (Texas Pinball Festival) last weekend, we stopped on the turnpike at McD's for a bite to eat (there was nothing else available).  The bathrooms were super busy.  I walk in and tell Todd my order then head towards the back and think "crud, this little old lady being escorted by a little old man 5 people ahead of me can't move very fast. Patience, I must exercise patience".  So what else can I do?  I slowly follow the crowd into the bathroom. 

It's not the worst bathroom I've been in, but it's not new by any means.  After a few minutes, it's just 2 young teenage girls in front of me, and I think finally, I'll get there. 

All of a sudden I hear "Help, I need help".  I look at the girls in front of me and think to myself "self, with the look of utter panic and bone-chilling fear on the faces of these young'uns, I'm the only game in town".  So I walk back there and say something like "can I help you, ma'am?" 

Turns out, this little old lady had this hip brace thing on that straps around her waist and around one leg (around her thigh).  On top of her pants.  And she had to pee but couldn't get it off.  She HAD TO PEE.  So I wrestle (gently) around with the contraption, figure out how to get the leg brace unlocked, but unfortunately, she asked for help a little too late.  She said "I'm afraid I peed my pants" and she sure did (although I didn't feel anything through her clothes).  I felt so sorry for this poor little old lady who was obviously embarrassed by her predicament.  I helped her down onto the toilet. 

She told me her hubby needs to get her some clean undies.  I go out to see if I can find the little old man who had hobbled along with her to the bathroom door, and I don't see him.  Fortunately another lady (good-Samaritan #2) realized what was going on and told me that she would find him and get the undies.

So I go back in.  Did I mention I had to pee?  So I go real fast in the stall next to the little old lady, and I yell over that I'm right there, don't worry.  I text Todd so he doesn't think there is some Texas Chainsaw Massacre happening in the women's bathroom, and then I come out of my stall.  I was shocked to open my door and see her standing there butt naked from the waist down.  Cause she had peed herself.  She said "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." to which I said it's OK.  She said that she's diabetic and that doesn't help the situation.  I told her it will all be OK, let me go see what's holding up the panties.  I go out and I see a family of PEOPLE looking through bags in a car.  THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY NO CLEAN PANTIES BECAUSE NOBODY IS WALKING BACK IN.  But then this teenage girl starts walking back to grandma.  Or great-grandma.  I ask good-Samaritan #2 what the status of the undies are and she said the girl is a relative. 

SERIOUSLY?  THERE IS A FEMALE RELATIVE AND SHE DIDN'T HELP HER OWN GRANDMOTHER?  WTF IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?  Old people do not have cooties.  The "old" isn't contagious.  It may be inevitable if you're lucky, but it isn't contagious.  It's not UNCOOL to be seen helping your elderly relative--it's called BEING A HUMAN BEING.

I thought about it for a split second, and I thought if this teenage girl is this helpless, that elderly lady may need more help, I want to make sure she is OK.  So I went back to grandma and asked "Is that girl a relative, are you OK now?" and she said "oh yes, thank you so much".  I tell her to take care.  I am now excused.

POINT OF MY STORY:  I'm going to be old some day.  I hope to God I don't pee my pants in a dagnabit McD's of all places.  But I hope and pray that your granddaughters will be kind enough to help me in my hour of need.  I am confident anyone reading my blog will raise women responsible enough to help an elderly senior citizen.  I promise, I wont have cooties.
   
I'll update you on TPF from last weekend soon, complete with pics. A real good time was had by all...  However it did take me a couple of nights to stop worrying about that little old lady.

I gave blood last Friday!  I'm really happy I did it.  I am beginning to recognize the regular phlebotomists.  It's the same group who comes to my place of work to collect blood every 2 months.  It was absolutely painless (well, a tiny sting, but it was nothing, really) and I have no bruise.  Totally worth saving up to 3 lives.

I spent yesterday planting plants and doing yard work.  YOU GUYS, it did NOT require a devil's fork and crow bar, there was NO SAND, I only encountered 2 small dinky pebbles, NO boulders, PLENTY of earth worms, and I got to play in DIRT.  REAL DIRT.  You have no idea how completely giddy I was after planting 8 clumps of maiden grass in just a few hours (NOT DAYS).  I am so happy to be back in farm country again.  My nails wont be clean until October.  And I'm happy about it!

Here is the grass I planted (there had been 3 established clumps, now there is a total of 11 clumps):

Also planted yesterday were: onions, potatoes, and asparagus.  Today the blackberry and raspberries were planted. 

April, bring on the rain!

Speaking Of Gardens

As an experiment about a month ago, I planted broccoli, 2 kinds of lettuce, carrots, 2 kinds of radishes, and a couple of other things.  These are cold crops.  I'm very late in getting the seeds planted, but hey, it's an experiment.  Fast forward a month and...

We have BABIES!!!  I have little green sprouts.  The broccoli and both kinds of radishes sprouted.  I think I see carrots too.  Who knows if they will survive the "cold" we get tonight, but I think they will be just fine.  If we can craft some kind of cold frame before it gets super cold, we'll be chowing down on the rabbit food in a few months.  Maybe before Christmas?!?!!

And if it all dies, at least I tried.  I'll just call it "practice" for this early spring.

Warm thoughts

In the middle of winter, I love to look at pictures from last year's plants.  Today is pretty warm, and it reminds me that all the stupid weed seeds are currently out there germinating, and taking hold, in this pathetic sand we call a yard.  But with plenty of perseverance, my plants will mature yet another year.  Kind of like we do...

We grew pumpkins:

and sunflowers:

Here is my funky Echinacea/Purple Coneflower:

I have an agave that "had" babies!

And now, for my very favorite flowers.  These are my double-blooming iris.  Yes, they bloom TWO times a year, and they are just magical.  I had gorgeous flowers in June/July, and again in late September/October/and into November!  These pictures will make you have Spring fever!

Just wait until 2011 growing season, these beauties will have doubled their size and flower production.  Now to come up with a game plan for combatting those pesky weeds....