Vegetable garden

Soft Neck garlic

While Scott mowed the back lawn this morning I worked some in our vegetable garden. I cleaned out 3 raised beds and together Scott and I harvested the "soft neck" garlic (it's like what you buy in the grocery store). The garlic that I harvested I took the time to braid them together for easier hanging and drying. I may braid Scott's garlic harvest tomorrow. I transplanted the larger yellow squash and cucumber plants that I had started from seed earlier this year. I hope that they will survive the transplanting. I also transplanted the little pepper plants even though they haven't all gotten their "true" leaves. I hope that these little guys make it as I have chow chow to make and I want to can a bunch of jalapeños as I LOVE THEM! I planted the last bed in beets as I want the greens as well as the beets for pickled beets.  

Volunteer tomato and Zinnia

OH I almost forgot I have a volunteer tomato and a zinnia in this one bed where the garlic is hanging and I decided to just let them "grow where they are". The tomato plant all ready has some blooms on it. 

Yellow Squash and cucumbers

Scott's trashed picked mower and the cleaned up and planted beds in the garden.

Tomorrow morning I will go out and clean up 5 more raised beds and get them planted up with the little tomato plants and some mesculen mix for salads. I don't know where we will plant all the tomatoes that I have started but we will make them fit somewhere. And I also have a LOT more little cucumbers to plant - PICKLES! I hope to have enough to make some pickles.  Also tomorrow morning I plan to re-do the rose bed; I want to transplant the ramblers away from the screened porch so that when Scott does fix the screen again the roses won't rip it to shreds - right now he is too disgusted with roses and animals tearing up the screen that he refuses to fix it. I'm thinking we should just turn it into a sun-room and have windows at the bottom and the top to open and recirculate air.

 The little wind mill has been spinning nearly all day with the gentle breeze that's been blowing. You can see Amelia's work in the yard in the back ground - BAD DOG! DIGGER! At least she doesn't dig out - KNOCKING ON WOOD!
  

Another Evening by the Congaree River

Scott and I decided we needed a leisurely walk by the river just to unwind from the week. It was wonderful! The air has a crispness tonight that is a welcome reprieve from the mugginess from the recent storms that moved through - I'm going to enjoy this "cold front" while it lasts. We talked about all we would like to accomplish this weekend..... A trip to the Antique mall just to browse as we are broke, mow the lawn and clean up the flower beds, work in the vegetable garden, visit the new beaver pond we noticed driving the other day; laundry, etc..... Then we decided that we probably won't get to it all. It was so nice just to be "us" together.

Honeysuckle

The Congaree River

CSX Train on trestle

A view back from where we came.

Carolina Adventures Kayak group

Interesting Character Fishing

The two of us being silly and happy even after 27 years together!

Me and my Best Friend!

This N' That

Local Mocking Bird singing it's heart out atop our cedar tree.

Wispy Sunset clouds Tuesday evening.

My Garlic farmer - almost time to harvest. These bulbs are HUGE!

Scott and I being silly!

I was a Good Girl

I just mailed Carrolyn's Round Robin (from the previous post) home to her as well as the "I Spy Squares" that we are swapping for an "I Spy" quilt. We are sending each person in the swap 4 little squares ( 1 at 2 1/2", 1 at 4 1/2" , 1 at 6 1/2" and 1 at 8 1/2").  I also mailed these squares to Diane; I'll cut more if more folks jump into the swap. Here are the fabric's I cut squares for the 3 of us...

Blocks for an "I Spy" quilt

I also mailed 1 yard of BUTT UGLY 1980's peach fabric to Diane to work her magic on and make something "pretty" or at least functional from and then she will mail the creation back to me. I've had this fabric for way too long and can't even remember what possessed me to buy it in the first place.

SORRY DIANE! - It is ghastly isn't it?

Time for a nap... been up since 3:30 AM. I have more to share but I'm just to pooped to party at the moment.

But I want to keep it!

Carrolyn's RR hanging on the neighbors fence

 OK... so the first thing on my list was Carrolyn's Round Robin. The border I had originally created was a bit wild on it's own to set next to the previous round so I added a 2-inch break of red; then added my string pieced block border and then I added another 6-inch border in a deep green. I LOVE IT! But I will be nice and mail it out to Carrolyn tomorrow after I get off work at Noon-ish.

Here it is laying across my dining room table.

Two (Three) Things from yesterday's list

I'm participating in Simplicity's skirt sew-a-long on Face book and here is a picture of the pattern and the fabric that I will be using for that....

Simplicity Pattern # 2185; view D

And then just for me I will be making two sun-dresses using Simplicity pattern # 2209; View A. Here is a picture of my "wild" fabric choices...

I just hate clothes shopping and things I make fit "me" better. So I'm off to the sewing room now. HAPPY STITCHING!

TO DO!

I have an ever growing "TO DO" list and I have a lot more I want to add but will  start with 10 things and once something is crossed off I will add something to replace it:

1. Finish Carrolyn's RR - TODAY!

2. Sew Skirt for Simplicity's Sew-a-long on Facebook

3.Make 2 sun-dresses for ME

4. Go through stash and find 1 yard of UGLY fabric to mail to Diane in Maine so she can turn it into something a little less ugly that she will send back to me.

 (SHHHh also need to included a little something for her birthday) - DON'T TELL!

5. Finish my "cake square project"

6. Mail off dish cloth exchange to Down to Earth partner as soon as one has been assigned (I have the dishcloth made and will have it in an envelope ready for an address.

7. Cut "I Spy" Squares for swap partners (One 2 1/2", 4 1/2", 6 1/2" and an 8 1/2" Square from 4 different fun novelty prints)

8. Start on potholders for that swap as there are 8 people signed up so far and they have to be mailed by the end of June.

9. Complete those 6 UFO's that I pulled out at the beginning of the year to finish by the end of March - OOPS!

10. Trim bushes and get more planted in the vegetable garden. 

Of course you all probably noticed that some task have included MORE than one project within them but don't count - I'm trying not to. I'm going to print this post off and hang it in my sewing room. 

Next post will contain some photos - Promise! It's just that there is a storm moving through right now so there is ZERO daylight and picture's would be hazy. OH! Now it's getting loud - better get off here.

Compassion

CAUTION: RANT AHEAD!

I have been thinking about "compassion".... truly caring for your fellow man. I have seen this in action and more often I have witnessed the lack of it in more people these days. People in the Service industry are treated with little regard by those that believe they are entitled to be treated  like they are members of Royalty with some unknown status of righteousness. I just wish more people would act like they cared for more people than they do themselves. People that work in Restaurants, Retail Outlets, Hospital's and the like are there to Serve you to the best of their abilities and receive a massive dose of  misuse and abuse daily and I believe they should be honored for their efforts more often instead of being belittled and snapped at. If a store doesn't carry something and the staff has tried to locate it to the best of their abilities don't jump down their throat because you want something to magically appear; have a little understanding for the wait staff who stay on their feet for hours on end in a hot and humid environment and understand that they are working in places where payroll is cut to a minimum to save the company money and that they are stressed to the max because they are doing the work of 3 or more people. Don't enter a place of business with a chip on your shoulder looking for the negative so you have the opportunity to snap at the staff - look more for the positive.

It only takes one act of true kindness and understanding to make someone's situation seem so much better. So I'm going to try to do my best to do more Random Act's of Kindness to uplift my fellow man and not tear them down. In times like these when so very many people are struggling to just get by I believe more people should do more to make even a few moments here and there a little better for them. We've been fortunate to have the love and compassion of family to help us through our ordeal but there are people that don't have that and a random act of kindness from a stranger can do so much for them. So as much as we appreciate what we have and the support we have been given I would encourage more people to appreciate the strangers in their lives that may be going through a rough spot themselves and need uplifting so they don't give up "hope" - it's a terrible thing to feel there is no hope for better times.

Trent Jeffcoat and Mike Willis and their talented groups

Last night Scott and I had a wonderful time by the River listening to some very talented young men. Trent Jeffcoat was the opening act and he was amazing; we thoroughly enjoyed his performance.

Trent Jeffcoat

Then Mike Willis took stage and was wonderful. During the performance he had a dance off between the little boys and girls; that was so fun to watch. The children just connected with Mike and played right along it was so cute.

Mike Willis taking stage.

Mike as a Solo

Mike with the guys!

Children dancing aka running, skipping, jumping and various other wild moves

The young man on the drum performed several songs of his own and was pretty dang  good too; I wish I could remember his name as I would love to see him perform again. I got on Trent's email list so hopefully I can go see him in the future. So much talent on one stage. 

I got Mike's latest CD and he signed it for me too; so I can listen to him in the mornings when I'm driving to work at 4:30 Am.

After the show ended we went to Zesto's and split a 6 piece wing dinner and had milk shakes - I had a pineapple and Scott got a Strawberry milkshake.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

Boy's Adventures ahead and more Beauty from the Yard

Son - Greg with his $20 Raft

Greg has great plans for his Summer with his girlfriend, Rachel and friends; there is talk of rafting and camping out. We just hope and pray for his and their safety while they are having fun.

Scott mowing the front lawn with his "Trash mower"

A view through the Scraggly oak branches in the front yard

Close up of Japanese Maple leaves in the sunshine.

The last Azalea to bloom in the front yard.

Scott wanted to get the front lawn mowed before we left on any adventure. He is using his lawn mower that he rescued from someone's trash - the man throwing it out said that he had taken it in to the repair shop 3 times and they couldn't fix it.... Scott could and did.






This azalea is always the last to bloom and it always puts on such a tremendous show that I've decided to start a bunch of cuttings from it this year. I just love it!





This evening is the first concert at the West Columbia Amphitheater by the River and we are planning to attend. Mike Willis will be the opening act and he is AWESOME!  Can hardly wait!
Forgot the best part .... IT'S FREE!

On my Mind..... Enjoyment of my yard

Easter Lillie's that I bought at Easter Last year - I don't believe I will see any blooms on Easter Sunday.

Tulip Poplar blooms

Every cat that roams around here takes a turn at digging on the trunk of the tulip poplar.

Beauty Through the Chestnut branches.

Old fashioned rambling rose.

Looking like Monday

I have to go do a bit of shopping for a border fabric - possibly 2 for the Round Robin as My Zig Zag Border is a bit too exciting to set up right next to the previous round. I will stop at Jo-Ann's on the way home or maybe Hancock Fabrics. SO!!! It may be Monday before I get it in the mail to Carrolyn - I know she's excitedly waiting on it's return.

I've been missing my Grandmother - she raised me on a Dairy Farm in Upstate NY. This is a picture of her with her Begonias (in front) and Dahlia's (under the window to the right). Don't you just get to missing someone and want to call them and hear their voice? I know I do... she's been gone since 1992.

Grandma with Beauty

Stolen Moments for Stitching

I've been having an interesting week settling into my new schedule. Most days have included an afternoon nap to combat the short nights of sleep and that has cut into the time I had planned to sew. But I've been stealing moments here and there and last night I thought I would take a series of photos to show how my round for the Round Robin is coming along. I should have it completed and ready to be mailed by tomorrow evening. 

Completed String blocks awaiting trimming.

First two sides trimmed to make a 9" block.

Last two sides trimmed to make a 9" block.

Then cut into 2 - 4 1/2"x 9" rectangles.

Cut one in half to make 2 -  4 1/2" squares.

Cut remaining rectangle in half so I ended up with 4 - 4 1/2" squares.

Here are 8 of the 4 1/2" squares laid out in the border pattern I plan to use for the Round Robin.

I may add a narrow solid or tone on tone before I add this pieced border.

Halloween Round Robin returned home!

I received my Halloween Round Robin in the mail today and I am THRILLED with it to say the least. Now I have to get Carrolyn's RR done and mailed back to her THIS week. 

Perhaps tomorrow right after work I will get some sewing time in. Today I had to get some groceries and now it's time to start dinner.... Bratwurst, baked sweet potatoes and some steamed broccoli. 

A Sunday of EVERYTHING!

 I so enjoy a quiet Sunday morning; no sounds of hectic traffic, the air is crisp and clear and the birds are singing all around. I stepped out to get the Sunday paper and thought about coming back in and clipping the coupons but instead I grabbed my camera and went back out in the yard to "take it all in". 

The first picture I took was of some of the buds on the Tulip Poplar tree that grows along the driveway and then I found some that had opened all ready. I think it's magic how buds that look so green will turn into blossoms of yellow and orange. The squirrels just love these flowers and will grab one in their front paws and then slam their faces into the center and eat the centers out. They are really a lot of fun to watch when they are doing this.

When Scott gets up and we've had a bit of breakfast we may drive into Columbia and walk around taking picture's of interesting things on Main Street. There are some very interesting works of Art down there as well as some amazing architecture. I ADORE old buildings and always hate to see one come down to be replaced by a "shiny box". But while we are waiting for him to get up we'll get back to what I photographed to share with you all.

Mustard Green's seed pods

A Happy little Primrose

The Old thyme rose that was here when we moved in.

Hosta's I thought last Summers heat had killed

Why we don't go barefoot in our backyard - Chestnut Hull.

A cream Rose that I planted several years ago.

Windmill blowing in the breeze.

For those that enjoyed the previous posts about antique radios. These are some from Scott's collection that are waiting for restoration. Once he gets them restored we will bring some of them into the house and some he will sell on Craigslist.

The floor model in the second picture belonged to his Grandfather and we will be keeping that one. The one on top of it is a "mutt" radio and I'm hoping Scott will leave a comment here about it for you all. It really has an interesting story behind it. 

My Progress on the "Fall" String blocks for the Round Robin.

And my final bit will be about the Sew-A-Long that Simplicity is hosting on Face-book. You can sew up any view from pattern number 2185; I'm going to make view "D" as I like long skirts that cover my knees and varicose veins. I'll be using the fabric in this picture - a lovely Earthy Red with a Paisley print. 

I hope everyone has a fabulous Sunday and shares some wonderful "memories" with their loved ones.