Yard Ornaments

These are my Three Little Pigs.  I have them amongst my mint.  I made them in ceramics class years ago.  No, I did not form them myself, they came out of a mold.  When I reveal that, it's' funny how some people react.... Oh well, I thought you designed them.  So somehow there value has just dropped way down.  I did paint them and that was fun, anywho just wanted to give a little history on my pigs.  Ha!  They were originally presents that I gave away, to family.  Well you know how that goes, they don't know what to do with them and they can't just throw them away so here they come back to you and I certainly don't know what to do with them, so here they are in my herb garden.  Don't think I mentioned they are piggy banks, guess they just didn't have any change to put in them ,what with the bank and atm cards now, who has change anymore.  The little lamb on the side is one half of a cake pan my Mom use to bake my birthday cakes in.  I don't know what happened to the other half.  Did I ever feel special when she made that.  Oh, the good old days !
     I think I mentioned before we no longer have cable or any other company
 to watch all those thousands of channels.  What we do have right now is nothing.  That is we turn our tv on and  right now we get about 6 channels, 5 very good and one snowy (the older crowd will get the snowy) This friday we are getting the antenna for digital and should get several more channels.  Not that I think we need so many.  Let's face it with the thousands of channels how many times did you say....." Honey, there is nothing on".  At least this way we are saving ourselves 80. plus every month.  Hey, that's a lot of moola. I'll let you know how many more channels we get and the quality.
     This morning it is down right cold.  I am not kidding.  Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, just surprised and a nice one at that. 
     I'm fixing up a new area outside for reading or just sitting quietly and drinking tea.  Right now Jim is clearing it and we are putting in a box planter.  Will take a picture of it when it's done.
     We have a new kitty !  Well, we don't actually have it yet.  It just showed up at the far corner of the outside yard.  We have another cat there, that is not very social and seems happy to be fed and just left alone.  This new kitty, is all black, I think, as I nor Jim has been able to get very close before is skitters away and hides amongst the bushes and we are unable to see it.  Jim is feeding it of course so hopefully in time it will become more friendly.  Jim just came in and said Elviria our black cat is rolling around in the grass a few feet away from the kitty, and the kitty is inching up.  Well see !   Tootles

Adeline watches over my herbs.

She has been with me for a long time.  I love to dress her up in different costumes.  I once had her dressed as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Then of course I took two sticks painted them red and white strips added some old shoes, that I had painted bright red with glitter on them, stuck them on the end of the sticks put them half under some shrubs in my yard and WaaLaa!  The Witch of the West or was it East, I can't remember but you get the picture.  I really have fun just putting her everywhere.  My kids think I'm a little crazy but I think it's fun.  Wish I had several more.  I'm always looking.
      Hey, I'm excited about going to the gym tomorrow, not only for the exercise and the swim class but we (seniors) are having a cooking class.  It seems a chef , I believe from Chico, is going to show us healthy cooking.  I believe he is going to demonstrate how to and what ingredients.  I don't think we are going to do anything other then try out what he makes. (I think).  It should be interesting and different.  I'm all for trying new things.
     I've been swimming off and on today.  Taking advantage of our pool.  It sure cools you off fast and I get in some of my exercises. 
     We watched the movie "Gran Torino", with Clint Eastwood.  I know, I know it has a lot of bad language and racial slurs but and that is a big but, the movie itself has such a good lesson.  Especially about American family life today, what with cell phones, texting, and the disconnection with each other even in the same room. Somewhere along the line respect and manners have lost there way.  It also shows you to have a more open mind, what you assume isn't always what really is going on.  I have to say I liked the Movie very much even with the language and such as that was the only way to tell the story.  If you haven't seen it, Do so.  I think it's something we all should see. Tootles

Thank God, it's only 95' and An Angel in my Garden !

Yes, that's right, only 95' And we have the delta breeze.  Yea, for Delta !  I swear it's such a relief to not have the air on and all the windows are open.  We have one fan going and it's very pleasant.  Who could ask for more ?

We had a mishap at the gym the other day.  A gentleman was in the shower and apparently had a heart attack.  Just so happen in the next shower was a paramedic who heard him fall.  He was able to work on him until the ambulance arrived which saved his life.  Our prayers go out to him and his family.  Then one of our members in our swim class had fallen at home and broke her hip.  From what I understand it was a small break maybe even a fracture.  She is in the hospital and will be transfered to the rehabilitation center in the next day or two.  She is 89 and always has a smile on her face.  She is missed and I'm sure she will be back soon.

More pictures of my yard.  Are you able to see Tasha, my dog on the porch.  She is a very sweet dog and I love her to pieces.  Then as you can see I have an Angel in my yard.  She keeps us safe and protected.  I put bird seed in the dish it makes for great bird watching.  Under the Angel is our wild berries.  They are becoming ripe and I have already been nibbling. Yum,Yum. 
Our week is almost over, my, how time flies.  I know we say it all the time but it's true it does go way too fast.  I guess because we have experienced life a little longer we do notice these things.  I remember when I had 3 little ones under 5 and I thought I would never get away from diapers or bottles.  Now I realize that time was so short and I know I did not enjoy that time as much as I should have.  Oh, the voice of regret, how it appears out of no where and shadows you for a time until you have to shake it off and tell yourself if you knew then what you know now, you know you would enjoy every second.  Then you must go on and forgive yourself your many faults and pray there won't be any major regrets in your future.  Hang in there !  Life has so many wonderful blessings and I'm proud to say I have many in my life.  Good Health, Healthy Food.  Tootles

Eleanor and Elviria

Are you able to make out my two cats?  They think I put the chairs there just for them, after all they just fit. Ha!  See how good my hydrangea is doing,
how I do love this plant.  Trying to find everything I have that is white and adding it to my little porch.  It's always in the shade and I love it.  There is a large walnut tree opposite the chairs and they are yummy.  This year the tree is full of walnuts so we should get a good crop.

I might try a another picture but sorry about yesterday those of you on the kindle it did not come up right.  You think you have it all figured out and then it's not.  This is Elviria she is the one who cleans all the other's faces (I'm not kidding).  We have two goats, Rose and Alice, our dogs, Tasha, Bella and Olivia, she manages to go around and cleans all there faces.  What a little Mother.


Hey, I have been tuning into a unique radio station.  I think I have talked about it before as my friend, Kathryn  substitutes in StoryTime, Tues. at 7:00.  (Kathryn should have the job as she is so good).  Anyone may have their own show, I'm sure they have to get approval by soneone but from what I understand it's generally a go.  I have listened to fabulous jazz, and I'm not really a jazz fan, but this I really like.  There have been American Indian songs, Hmong songs as well as storytime.  If you want the real news, not the scripted movie star version, this is the place you should be.  You get the real story.  I haven't even listened to everything yet but I plan on it.  The     address is     www.kzfr2.org      try it.   Tootles

Hello and Welcome !

Trying to not focus on the heat.  I know it's the end of July and we still have August to go and let's face it Sept. and Oct. can be pretty hot also.  So I just as well get over it.  Triple digits are here to stay for a while.

These are our tomatoes and squash.  Hope the tomatoes start doing better.  We did have them in a topsy turvy, where they were upside down growing from our porch.  It just was not working out so we moved them over to the garden where our squash is growing.  I don't know about you but it just was not right.  A comment my Granddaughter said, " Aren't plants suppose to grow up towards the sun"?  I rest my case.

Our Gym is doing fine.  I can't express enough how just going there has changed my life.  It's opened up a whole new world for us.  We have met the nicest people and on top of that we are getting into shape.  Have you started yet?  Check out the gym's in your neighborhood or get together with friends and start your own workout but please just do it.  You don't want to meet your friends in the Dr. office.

I'm now reading "Hidden Hand" by Emma Dorothy Eliza Nevitte Southworth  1819-1899  It's written a little different than I'm use to but I really am enjoy the story. It will be interesting to get to the end.  I also have the new update for my kindle and have been happily organizing all my books.  Boy, you just don't realize how much time it takes to do this.  I've been working on it for almost a week off and on.  It really will make a difference as I have found so many titles I have wanted to read and forgot about so of course they are now up front.  Happy Reading, Good Health and Health Eating.  Tootles

WildFlowers

Here are my wildflowers my Granddaughter gave us several years ago.  I told her it was the gift that kept on giving.  There are several bunches in different colors, I just love them, don't they look beautiful.

We have finished out another week at the Gym.  I'm now doing the rowing machine and love it.  It's really an all body workout.  I really enjoy the swim class also.  It's so nice to visit with different people and everyone is so nice.  One of the ladies, Colleen told me about a cooking class that's Monday right after our swim class.  How thoughtful of her, so of course when we were leaving today, as today was the last day to sign up, Jim signed us up.  I'm am really excited about it.  I have never been to one before.  I don't know what they will be doing all I understand is there is going to be a Chef teaching.  Sounds like fun !  Thanks Colleen.

Oh, exciting news my husband Jim has won a dinner for two at "Johnny's" a nice restaurant in Chico Plus a nights stay at the "Hotel Diamond which is where the restaurant is.  Is that not cool!!!!  I am so excited and cannot wait.  I will tell you
all about it. 

Our weather is awful, awful, awful.  Yesterday was 103' and today it's suppose to be 105'.  Help.  Needless to say we are staying in.  That's the way it is in Northern California at the present.  Tootles

How does my Garden Grow ?

Hello !  Thought I would show you how my herbs are doing.  I have Rosemary, Sage, Oregano,and Mint.  It alway smells so good and I love to go pick  some and add to my meals.  Then it really smells good especially in the kitchen.  Believe it or not I have a mini Rosebush behind the Rosemary.  You can't see it so it definately not the place for it. So Jim is going to replant it on the other side of the house.  The Roses on it are so tiny and beautiful I want it out to enjoy.   Do wish the kindle was in color just so you could see how green the plants are.  The other side of the house we have a small garden which I have cherry tomato, beefstake tomatoes and squash growing together then we have our berries which are wild.  Rasberries that is.  I can hardly wait for them to become ripe.   A lady at the swim class I take, Colleen told me about growing blackberries.  She said she bought 3 at Lowe's, you buy them in the winter time, plant them and it usually takes a few years to get a good amount.  Colleen has had hers three years and she says they are doing very good and she even got quite a lot on the second year.  I will get me some plants this fall for sure.

Oh must tell you about the book I finished a few days ago.  It's call Tuscan Holiday by Holly Chamberlin.  It was one of the best reads I have had in a long time.  If you have a daughter you'll understand, she is self centered and everything is for me,me,me.  You have to feel for the Mom as she struggles to remain calm and handles everything with class.  It was great as they talked a lot about Italy, the towns, especially the cafe's and notable spots.  Although I have never been I feel like I was able to enjoy the magic and romance of Italy.  Read it, I'm sure you will enjoy it, plus it's one of our free books.

I think I am also going to be buying (don't faint) "The girl with the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson.  I  have read some reviews and it look pretty good plus I like it that it's one of three.  If it's a good book I never want it to end so with three that would be great.  I'll let you know.  Good health, Healthy food and all that.  Tootles