Enjoying This Cool Morning Weather

A perfect spot for the cool mornings and cool evenings.  We are loving our screened in porch.  I really think I could sleep there and just might.  I do enjoy it in the morning when everything seems to be new and fresh.  There is still dew on the flowers and grass and the smell of a new day is so welcoming.

I tried something new.  I heard about the blossoms from squash and how delicious they were and since we do have a little plant I got busy and cooked.  Thank Heavens for the internet as I look up the blossoms and got information on what to pick, when to pick, how to prepare the blossoms, how to cook the blossoms.  There are many different ways to cook them.  I just cooked them in a little olive oil and they were delicious.  Next I am going to stuff them with a cream cheese mixture and bake in the oven.  Sounds very good to me.

More of our back yard.  All my plants are doing great thanks to Jim.  He keeps all of them watered and has fun doing it.  He has been planting weeping willow trees all over our yard.  We started out with a couple that we had bought and we love them so much he looked it up how to propagate.  Well it explained how to do it.  You trim your trees and take that branch and plant it.  Crazy uh?  It works and we are very happy about it.  Tootles

San Francisco Graduation but first Beautiful Flowers !

 Took this real quick of my pretty flowers from my CSA basket.  Love how they are arranged.  I try to have flower in my house all the time.  It just shows you care about your home.  I say this as I am sitting at the computer, looking at the floor and seeing all the dust bunnies floating across the floor.  Hey, with 4 dogs and one cat in and out I am not surprised.  We have Edward R. Merle, Tasha, Bella, Olivia and my sweet cat Elviria.  Next time I will have picture of all of them.  Havent done that in a long time.


We went to San Francisco Saturday.  You remember the second hottest day of the year, with
 Friday being the other hot day.  Well, we got out of

 Dodge for the cooler weather of San Francisco.
As you can see in the trees the marine layer was hanging over the coast.  It was great !  The temp. was between 60' and 65'.  Oh, how we loved it.  We stopped at the "Palace of Legend of Honor", We didn't go inside but will try to get to it next time as they were having Water Impressions.  I'm sure it was amazing but we wanted to stay outside and enjoy the coolness.  So we walked around the grounds and I took pictures of the statues and the building.

 I love this Lion.  They are so majestic.  Would love to have these in my yard, on a smaller scale, well, maybe not.  That would certainly be different.

There were many people working in the flower gardens in front of this building.  They were having a grand time and I'm sure it was a volunteer event as were all ages with big smiles on their faces and doing a great job I might add.

 Of course we have the "Thinker",  Now I do have two of these on a smaller scale like maybe 8".  I saw them at the Dollar Store years ago and was very glad I picked them up.  That was when you could get unique items from the Dollar Store.  Now I"m afraid all we get is junk from China.

 We stopped at the Cliff House and looked around. I was there in the early 60's with Aunts and Uncles, along with my parents.  It's very different now.  At that time you could get an ice cream cone and it's seems the one building had a museum in it.  Now it looks like a cafe and gift shop.  While they seemed to be very nice was a little disappointed there wasn't more.  Oh well, I guess you can't expect it to be the same.

How about this picture !  Two of my Granddaughters who are sisters.  Of course the one in the drivers seat has just Graduated and is sitting in her Present.  Yes ! and three cheers for her.  She has done wonderful and is heading to Butte College in the fall. The one in the passenger seat has done very well herself and will be  entering the 8th Grade which will be her last year there.  My how time flies.
I have two other Granddaughters who I am very proud of, Two Grandsons, with a Grandbaby on the way and Two more Boys who call me Grandma.      Tootles !

Fruits and Vegetables !

Doesn't this look YUMMY.  I can not tell you how much I love this.  It just makes my heart sing.  I have made so many things.....mini cherry pies, small apricot pie, a yummy soup that's to die for.  To think I am going to get this about every other week is just amazing.  I am not kidding.  I am so happy to have this delivered.  It takes the guess work out of picking them out myself at the store and wondering where have they come from.  Once I was at Winco and in the produce a man was putting out veggies, can't remember what they were but the box he was taking them from was from China !  WHAT !  I have bought the organic labels there and really other than the Farmers Market the only places I have bought fruits and Veggies were at BelAir, Raley's and of course my favorite Sunflower.  But  now I have a variety in my kitchen.  This way I will try new and different ones.  So here's to eating, enjoying and loving life.  It pays to join a CSA.  Thanks Paula.  Tootles

 Lady Bug, Lady Bug !  What a mystery they are.  If they land on you it means Good Luck.  This one didn't land on me but it did land close by, horse shoes or not I'm going to count it.  I did move it down on the flowers.  It is just interesting finding the different bugs and such in your own yard.

Then of course we have Elviria.  What a sweet kitty she is.  Where ever we are in the yard or in the house she is right beside us as well as our dogs.  But she is so pretty just had to take her picture.

Today is Memorial Day.  My Grandmother always called it Decoration Day as we would go to the Cemeteries and put flowers on the graves.  Growing up did not really understand just what we were doing and my cousins and I would end up playing tag or just tumbling down the hill much to my Grandmother's dismay.  It just took a stern look from Mother to get us all in line.  Now I realize how sad it must have been for my Grandma and my Mom and her Sisters as they had a Brother who died in the war and two Sisters who died very young.  One was a few weeks old and the other 14.  By the time I was old enough to understand we had already moved to California so never got to go back.  I did go several years ago but of course Grandma wasn't with us but she was there so it was very sad indeed.  I think that is one tradition that is not followed so much but I will say this, if I were still in Kansas or happened to be there at this time we would be going and decorating.  I am lucky enough (thank God) to not have family in Cemeteries here.

Well, on that note will leave you all with "Living Life to the Fullest" and don't put off anything.  Tootles

Get Comfortable

Cup of tea, soft chair, sun warming your back listening to the birds and all of nature.  Go, do it.  Tootles

Happy Mother's Day, Ada Belle !

 What a beauty you were.  What were you 15, 16 ?  You can tell you had high hopes for the future.  Your gentle smile, your lovely eyes tell a story all by themselves.  Your thoughts and dreams were where ever your imagination took you and I'm sure they took you far.  The world was wide open for you with a promise of adventure, excitement, and love. May the Heavens Bless you for being my Mom.  You were everything a girl could ask for.  Did I appreciate you, NO.  I guess that is what a lot of us say but hopefully you knew how much I loved you.  You were there when I scraped my knees.  You were there when I wanted that in style dress we couldn't afford, you made me one and it was beautiful.  My friends thought I was so lucky and I was.  You were my Brownie Leader.  How great was that !  You were always involved.


Then I became a teenager.  Well let's not go into that.  

This is your day and I miss you very much.  I wish I could spend the day with you.  Remember when we learned how to crochet and knit ?  We had such fun. I miss your cooking.  No one can make fried chicken, homemade noodles, and any kind of pie.  You always made Holidays special.  You were the one who brought everyone together.

Even though you are gone you are always with me.  You are by my side and I feel your love and protection.  How lucky I am for having you Mom.  What a lucky man  Dad was.  Thank you Mom,  for making our lives very special.  I talk about you to my Children, your Grandchildren and my Grandchildren, who are your Great Grandchildren and my Great Grandchildren, who are your Great, Great Grand Children all the time especially the ones who never got to meet you.  Oh, but I know you are here and loving all of them.

You had it right Mom.

For one who bears the sweetest name,
Who adds a luster to the same.
Who shares my joys,
Who cheers when sad.
The Greatest friend I ever had.
Long life to her for there's no other.
Who can take the place of my dear Mother.

Miss you Mom.

In the Play Yard

 Beautiful flowers.  Our Granddaughter gave us a box of wild flowers several years ago and they are still coming up.  Aren't they beautiful.  We just love them and think of our Shaunna every time they come up.

This is where we were last week on the added porch.  Jim is having a good time playing in the back yard also.  We stopped as the birds are nesting in our eves and we don't want to disturb them.  Notice my tomato plant hanging from the edge of the roof. My Grandson (Michael, Shaunna's brother) and his family gave me that for my birthday.  Love it.

Must get back to playing or reading or cooking or just roaming around the town.  Tootles