A Boy and his Buick

Greg was working on his car yesterday and asked if I'd take some pictures for him. He loves this old car.

Carolina Blue Sky

AWESOME! Taken moments ago just outside my front door...

Noodles and Swaps

This morning since I was feeling so much better I decided to cut up the noodles (2 1/2" strips) for the swaps I signed up for in February, March and April. I just love these swaps as you end up with such a variety all ready cut and ready to make into blocks. I had 3 swap partners plus myself to cut strips for this time. Now I will start making some pastel 12" blocks for another swap due in April. I'm going to use this pattern - http://www.mccallsquilting.com/qb/mccallsquilting/pattern_1000/index.html It will be nice to have pastel blocks made up and ready to create baby quilts with since Greg's friends seem to be quite fertile.

What a DEAL!?

Day before yesterday we stopped in at Publix (one of our grocery stores) and they were running a special - for every $25 you spent on groceries they would let you get a $6 Easter Lily for 99 cents. We got 2 and they are so lovely and smell so nice. After Easter is over and the blooms have dropped I will transplant these to my garden.

Nasty Bug!

I've been sick for the last two days with it getting really bad this morning when I started vomiting. It progressed to a sore throat and body aches with chills. I have spent most of today in the bed or the recliner and was finally able to eat a little bit late this afternoon and so far so good it's staying down. I took a couple Tylenol Flu tablets and that has helped some with the aches and pains. Hopefully tomorrow I will be close to normal as I have a bunch of projects I want to work on.

Hand Crafted Birthday Gift

I so like "Hand Crafted" more then "Home Made" -Crafted implies it was made just for the receiver alone. And this set definitely was as my niece, Kayla just turned 14 and LOVES blues and Greens. I'll save the green concept for Christmas time - unless she changes favorite colors between now and then.

Meatloaf - my recipe

This is how I make meatloaf....

1 pound ground beef
1 egg
about 15 crushed saltine crackers
1/2 medium bell pepper, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup prepared yellow mustard
1/4 cup ketchup

Mix these all together real well and put in a baking dish (9x11x2") - form a mound or a loaf shape in center of dish; this leaves room for the fat to cook off.

Mix together another 2 Tbls. of prepared mustard and 2 Tbls. ketchup and spread over the top of the meatloaf before baking at 375*F for 45-55 minutes.

To double just double everything. You may even spice it up a bit by adding other spices and herbs - basil, parsley, Italian seasoning, etc...

Come Walk with us...

Yesterday we decided to go to the old clay pits not far from our house and hike the 2.5 mile trail. We didn't see another person the entire time we were there - so peaceful and serene. We did get to see one quite large alligator and we were quite glad that it was out in the center of one of the ponds sunning itself.

By the time we reached the end we were EXHAUSTED to say the least. It's NOT a simple walk in the woods. Our sneakers were removed by the side of the house as they were covered in swamp funk - best way to describe the fowl smelling mud.






All in all it was a WONDERFUL day and we were happy together.

Happy Sunrise! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here it is Saint Patrick's Day once more and what a glorious sunrise to greet the day....

A Day at Folly Beach with Greg

Signs of Spring in our yard...

Flowers in bloom today! As well as a shot of one of our garlic beds freshly weeded.

Future Looking Brighter

Scott has an interview tomorrow and I believe it will last ALL day.... so perhaps I can find some mischief to get into. We are truly hoping that this will pan out and he will have a job once more. He needs to work so badly; he has never been the type to enjoy relaxing. Vacations have always been best at 3 days - no longer, so being unemployed for this long has really been driving him crazy. I have my work here at home that fulfills me but he needs more of a challenge. So fingers are crossed.

Yesterday I got in a baking mood and made some Carmel Cinnamon Rolls. YUMMY!













Nothing tastes as good as homemade rolls. Those things you buy in the grocery store are so .... YIK!






When we were up to the property the other day we checked on the grass seed that we spread out on the logging road to see if it had started to sprout; it had. You can see in this picture where we've also suffered some ice damage on our pine trees. We have a good bit of clean-up to do all around the property. I love the shape of the old tree in this picture as well - VERY Halloweeny looking. It has some absolutely beautiful moss growing all over it too.



And the rest of the property pictures done up as a film strip. You can see more damage in some of these. Ice is deadly to a Carolina Pine. Where ever a limb broke off beetles can gain easy access and kill the tree completely.

Daylight Savings Time Again

Well last night brought the "Spring" forward so this morning it feels like I'm quite the slacker sleeping in until 10 instead of 9. Oh well I got to catch a small glimpse of the fading sunrise.

I'm going to try to hang out a bit of laundry this morning as there is only a 20% chance of rain today. Perhaps 2 or 3 loads and then save the rest for tomorrow; it is Sunday after all. Yesterday Greg spent the day in Five Points at the St. Patrick's day celebrations. He came home in the wee hours of the morning with green hair. They told him that it would wash out but not all of it did. OOPS! Hopefully it will wash out before his next drill date as they are having inspections. DOUBLE OOPS! He said he had a GREAT time.

The day before yesterday we drove up to our property and walked around. I took some pictures - of course. I am so hoping that our future plans for it can come to be and I'm trying to stay positive but right now it's quite up in the air. Perhaps our country living plans will have to occur in another location. Only time will tell. Scott has an interview on Tuesday so perhaps we will find out a bit of our future then.

Yesterday was my 46th Birthday

Beautiful day spent with the man I love.

















































We even got to see the pileated Woodpecker sticking it's head out of it's hole in the tree... see the empty hole near the top of one of the trees in the center of this picture then go down the same tree... the red fleck is the woodpeckers head.

I went back and enlarged the section where you can see the woodpecker.