Just a quick little post before I go work a short afternoon here in a bit.
The sky yesterday:
Every day, there’s a chance for rain and then, a few sprinkles or more commonly NONE. Ugh. We need some rain! (Just not on Friday as the preschool kids have an outdoor event that night). Oh, and can’t believe I’m saying this one but cooler might be nice as well. Still in the 90’s in these parts.
This little guy was being pretty resourceful, getting his drink after I watered my herbs:
This doesn’t bother me. Now, if he’d just stay out of the birdseed!
Finally, what’s happening today besides my work? Nothing really. And I’m okay with that. I made a loaf of banana bread this morning.
I’m re-washing the clothes I forgot yesterday (ugh) but that’s okay because I threw the coffee stained shirt from this morning into the batch. On top of spilling coffee on my shirt this morning, I also dropped the hose while watering the garden and it fell backwards getting me fairly wet. Wet enough I had to completely change clothes and put my shoes in front of the fan to dry. Interesting start to the day.
Threw a roast in the crockpot for dinner later.
My purple asters from last year are returning and starting to bloom again.
By the way, did you know there are now 99 days until Christmas? Mrs. Claus does have a few stocking stuffers stashed but really needs to get on it, I guess.
Well, time to finish this and go back to paying a few bills and finishing up an online training class. What’s happening for you on this Wednesday?
I’m still here. End of July, beginning of August is simply a blur to me now. My husband and I did manage to take a much too short getaway to Omaha for our wedding Anniversary at the end of August. We did nothing for Labor Day (which was nice).
And last week, I managed a walk at the local nature center. So to show I’m still here….a few phone photos of the butterflies I spotted.
This last one is not the best photo but this poor butterfly was just trying to hang on (or take off) in a pretty good wind. I could relate.
A bit late with my Saturday post of simple joys but wanted to do one. Been a bit of a busy week so I’m going to keep it shorter.
Chickens
One day last week at work, the kids made paper plate chickens. I loved all the unique personalities of each one.
(The one with all orange is mine. Made it at home the night before and only had orange construction paper. Not even sure why I had that.)
Tiny Flowers
The asparagus fern is happy again and showing it with tiny little white flowers.
I bring them in each winter and they struggle so much but then, outside in the summer, they are happy again. Also, not exactly flowers as tiny as on the asparagus fern, but the brown-eyed Susan flowers are as tall as me and blooming again.
(I love my garden and flowers some theme of flowers or plants probably going to be mentioned every week.)
Dinosaurs!
We went to see this today and I enjoyed it. Had some nice throwbacks to the original film without pandering. Definitely a lot less silly than Dominion.
Kind of went back to the scary roots of the franchise. Wouldn’t have minded seeing it in 3D.
Two weeks in a row with the Sunday night version of Happy Homemaker Monday! Okay, maybe I can do this after all. Note: it’s late-ish so hopefully you’ll forgive any glaring grammar errors.
Tomorrow, I’ll link up with all the other lovely bloggers who join in with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom.
Am I counting down my summer work days now? Perhaps. Let’s see what’s in store for the week ahead.
The Weather
We had a random quick rainshower this afternoon but none of the overnight storms we were supposed to get. Mostly, just typical summer weather here. Hot and somewhat dry. Highs in the upper 80’s. Chances here and there of thunderstorms (Tuesday has the biggest percent chance).
Right Now
Working on this post…
Something Fun to Share
One of my lesson plans for this week (probably Friday) is making butter with the preschool kids. I had to test it today. It worked!
Basically, you buy heavy whipping cream, put it in a glass jar (actually, I think any jar should work) and shake! First, you get whipped cream. And then, butter. Took approximately 19 minutes of shaking to get the butter. And we happened to be having waffles for dinner tonight so…
Thinking and Pondering
Just typical Sunday night anxiety pondering the week ahead, how the kids are going to be after 4 days off (eek), what to wear, etc…
How I am Feeling
I’ve been kind of tired all weekend, probably because I stayed up way past my bedtime on Thursday watching Netflix.
On The Menu
Easy muffins: 3-4 overripe bananas, an egg, and a cake mix.
Craving a lighter menu this week. We’ll see…
MONDAY: Pasta with chicken sausages, tomatoes and zucchini
TUESDAY: Salsa Verde chicken and rice skillet
WEDNESDAY: Homemade Subway (maybe the real thing, who knows…)
THURSDAY: Husband’s choice as I have plans
FRIDAY: Clean out the fridge? Not sure…
On My Reading Pile
Just finished two kind of depressing books (hopeful outcomes but heavy reads, I guess): The Road by Cormac McCarthy and The Comeback by Ella Berman. The Ella Berman book was not what I expected the story to be but it was a very good, couldn’t really put it down kind of book.
On My TV This Week
Stayed up so late Thursday night watching Ginny and Georgia on Netflix. Finished season 3 on Friday. Husband and I watched the finale of Duster, really good show on Max, hope they give it a season 2. And of course, I watched Independence Day but not until Saturday so broke with my Fourth of July tradition a tiny bit.
Looking Around the House
Did I say at work on Wednesday that I was going to clean it during the 4 day break? Yes, I did. Did I clean the house? No, I did not. Well, not enough anyway.
On My To Do List
What’s up? Bee butt!
Work
Go to grocery store. When? Maybe tomorrow
Return library book, pick up one last book on hold
Go out with friends on Thursday
Pay bills
Other things as they come up that I am forgetting right now
I’m back today for a second week of Simple Joys Saturdays. I have three simple joys today.
Sandals!
My sandals aren’t new by any means and I’m not wearing them right now. I had to go out a bit this morning and I have a weird thing about driving in sandals. However, I usually come home from work each day and switch into these. I wear these to water flowers and wander to check on the garden during summer mornings. These sandals just say summertime to me and that, of course, brings me so much joy!
Fireworks!
We didn’t do much to celebrate yesterday. G had separate plans and no family/friends were doing any big gatherings. I’d love to do one here except ugh, trees. And Fourth of July is the only time you’ll ever hear me say ugh, trees. I love my trees! Unless it’s the Fourth of July and I want to have a party but we can’t because it’s hard to see the fireworks. We still do a few fireworks in the front yard/street. And my husband, J, and I had fun doing just that. And watching the backyard/corner neighbor’s huge show through the trees.
I have always loved the simple joy of watching fireworks. (And I like to light some as well, not as much now…think I’m mellowing on that a bit)
Bees, butterflies, and moths
I took this picture at work. We’re starting to see a lot more bees and butterflies now. I included moths in my first sentence because of the picture (I said something about a butterfly to a preschool kid and was immediately corrected that this was a moth, ha! Smart kiddos.). The butterfly garden at work filled with milkweed, coneflowers, and spiderwort to name a few always brings me a bit of joy. I even spotted two goldfinch in it on Wednesday! Bonus joy in getting to share that with one of the preschool students who also saw them before they quickly flew away.
Technically, I guess this is a Happy Homemaker Sunday post. However, I’ll be at work most the day on Monday and posting after work doesn’t tend to work out well for me.
So if you’re reading this on Monday, wow, it’s the last day of June! And for me, it’s the beginning of a 3 day work week. They’ve kindly given us both Thursday and Friday off for the Fourth of July Holiday.
Let’s just get on with this Happy Homemaker Monday (though it’s Sunday) post. Don’t forget to go check out all the Happy Homemaker Monday posts over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom!
The Weather
Woke up to thunderstorms. It’s 71 degrees right now but that won’t last. Supposed to be 91 degrees later plus oh, the humidity that’s coming. Still, glad to not have to worry about watering my flowers today. 50% chance of more rain tomorrow, then low 90’s and sunny the rest of the week.
As I Look Outside My Window
Out the front door actually.
Everything looked pink as the sun rose during a thunderstorm.
Right Now
It’s raining, it’s pouring, the old man is snoring…ha. Well, my husband did go back to bed. (He woke up super early)
Thinking and Pondering
Wondering what we’re going to do for the Fourth of July. G might have his own plans. I do know I’d like to go see the new Jurassic Park movie or possibly go to the zoo on my extra day off on Thursday.
On The Menu
What are we going to eat this week? Good question!
MONDAY: Maybe French toast casserole
TUESDAY: Korean meatballs and rice
WEDNESDAY: Something easy maybe just Rotisserie chicken and salad
THURSDAY: OPEN
FRIDAY: Probably hot dogs/turkey sausages on the grill, maybe pasta salad, and a dessert of some sort *depends on what we end up doing*
On My Reading Pile
At home:
at school:
On My TV This Week
We’ve been watching Duster on Max and the new season of Resident Alien on Peacock. There are some Disney shows/movies I’d like to see (the new Snow White and the Frozen musical among them)
Looking Around the House
Well….it’s still a mess but I know I can get it back to presentable fairly quick.
On My To Do List
Grocery store (though I’m debating if I can stretch it until Thursday but probably not)
Laundry (in progress)
Finish planting some herbs/flowers/vegetables picked up on clearance
Figure out what we’re going to do on the Fourth of July
Sort/clear out a bit of clutter around here
From The Camera
Sunnier days in the Flint Hills of Kansas
Quote for the Week
I just stumbled on this July quote and it sums things up so nicely for those of us who love our summers:
“July is hot afternoons and sultry nights and mornings when it’s joy just to be alive…” (Hal Borland)
(Don’t fret fall lovers, I keep seeing where my lovely summer is half over or something…SIGH)
So I’m going to try a little series here while I’m working full-time hours without much time or brain space left to post as much as normal. A simple joys Saturday post. The idea came from this fortune cookie paper:
I can’t promise every Saturday but I’m going to do my best. Each Saturday, I plan to share a simple joy (or two or three) from my week.
And of course, if you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time, you can guess this week I’m starting with the front porch and flowers! These bright pink petunias greet us as we come and go up the porch steps:
Here’s a little view from my front porch bench where you’ll see another pot of pink petunias. The pink petunias are a summertime favorite of mine.
They are called wave petunia and I believe the color is “bubblegum.” They are a bright pink that fade to a light pink after blooming. You have to remove old blooms from petunias to keep them going. These flowers will last until and maybe a bit beyond our first frost!
It brings me joy and I find it soothing to pick the old flowers off the petunias to keep them going. And I also enjoy getting up extra early so I can get out there and water my flowers before work (very important during a heat wave).
Surprise Flower!
The main simple joy I want to share this week is my surprise sunflower! Surprise flowers make me so happy. By the way, if you scroll back up to the first picture of petunias, there’s a surprise dianthus getting ready to bloom in there. Just noticed it!
I didn’t plant this sunflower as I have terrible luck with sunflowers despite them being one of my summertime favorites. It just showed up in the garden area at the edge of the driveway and fits in as if I planted it there.
It hasn’t bloomed quite yet but it’s getting closer.
Not sure how this is going to work the next few weeks (probably Sunday night postings that I publish later) but I’ve missed the Happy Homemaker Monday posts!
Hot! We’re under a heat advisory until 7 tonight, we’ve been under it since last Friday, I think. It’s 91 but feels like 100 currently. Chance of a storm this afternoon. Supposed to be in the low 90’s all week with a good chance of rain on Thursday and Friday. Then, we’re back to the 80’s (for the temp not the decade though I’m not sure I’d complain about it if it were the decade, LOL).
As I Look Outside My Window
sun on my indoor plants, ignore the dust and cat hair, please
The birds are upset with me because I’m out of birdseed and haven’t been anywhere yet to get them more.
Right Now
I’m taking a break from cleaning the house up a bit to work on this post.
Something Fun to Share
Do you keep your Fortune cookie fortunes? They don’t come true if you don’t keep them!
A different one gave me an idea for perhaps a new series of blog posts…stay tuned.
Thinking and Pondering
All things I planned to do with my week off and none of it happened. I told my hairdresser this morning, I think I was out of mental space. Not sure if that makes sense? And I’m not ready to go back to work yet but who ever is?
On My Bedside Table
A dusty lamp, phone charger, and if it’s night, the phone on the charger as well as my glasses.
Listening To
Currently the dryer. In the car, I’ve had the country station that plays “oldies” going and enjoyed the nostalgia.
On The Menu
I don’t even really want to cook when it’s nice out but add in a heat wave and blah! Here’s what’s planned:
MONDAY: Vodka pasta, fake Olive Garden salad, and breadsticks/garlic bread of some sort
TUESDAY: Crockpot Carnitas
WEDNESDAY: Grilled chicken (probably marinated in Italian dressing) and broccoli
THURSDAY: OPEN
FRIDAY: Pizza of some sort
On My Reading Pile
I’ve barely started The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I’m about 2/3 through The Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler. I read her first one, The Parable of the Sower and it was good, reminded me of Grapes of Wrath a bit (not on the same level of writing but the subject/plot although high school Jean says The Parable of the Sower was way LESS boring!). This one gives me Handmaid’s Tale vibes but a lot scarier.
On My TV This Week
Husband and I are watching Duster on Max. Just found season 4 of Resident Alien on Peacock. And depending on work, I might start watching season 4 of Dexter (my oldest finally got me to watch it).
Looking Around the House
trying this candle out right now
I think I mentioned it in another post but 2 1/2 months of full-time working with no notice= about 2 1/2 years of housecleaning. Ugh. Actually, it’s not too bad as far as clutter but I see lots of dust.
On My To Do List
We did get the deck resealed on Sunday at least
I don’t even know…
Laundry
Need some new clothes especially work clothes for hot days
Library
Garden stuff
Some clearing of the clutter in hidden areas
Clean out the fridge/pantry
From The Camera
My other two concrete pots with the designs
Quote for the Week
Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace. (Dalai Lama)
Today is the first day of summer, hooray! And almost the end of my “vacation”, boo!
Posting on Wednesday made me realize just how much I missed this space and blogland. So, here I am back again with another post.
Really not much to share in terms of a Friday catch up as I did a whole two month catch up in my last post. As far as this week, I didn’t do too much. Read some books, watched some television, cleaned out my email (oh, that was scary!), and tried a new recipe for dinner (it was a “doom”, not a “boom” as the kids say I suppose).
Today, we’re under a heat advisory for our first day of summer. So I suppose it’ll be a mostly indoor day but I did get out early (well, not really as I’m on “vacation” so waited until about 9ish) and water my flowers.
So for today’s post, I just thought I’d show share of my favorite front porch and backyard flowers. Even got out the real camera!
One: Front Porch
It’s nowhere near finished like it should be for this late in the season (might be the first day of summer but it’s been warm and nice for months).
My poor little lemon tree, fell off the table during a spring storm and sat in a broken pot until I plopped it into a much too small pot. Finally, I repotted it properly without much hope. However, there’s always hope:
Tiny lemon tree blossom!
The flowers in them are bit neglected but here’s a view of some concrete pots I splurged on at Menards one weekend morning:
I have two more out there, one with a bumblebee design and one with a butterfly design. I’ll have to share photos of them next time.
Two: Front Porch Cart
For a bit of privacy, I have an odd cart parked on the side of the front porch filled with plants. (Disclaimer: this is quick phone photo as I realized I had no cart picture).
Close up of my Mandevilla, not visible on top of the cart:
My goal is to fill the whole second shelf of the cart with fairy garden things and whimsy just because it makes me happy:
THREE: Garden Beside Front Porch
My hanging basket of petunias from Mother’s Day:
Just starting to bloom in front of them is the bee balm:
FOUR: Let’s Go to the Backyard
I have a vision of fence line filled with hydrangeas! It’s a bit slow going as I wait until they go on sale half-dead every summer and then buy them.
(Bargain flower shopping tip: Know your perennials! The garden centers clear them out every late summer and fall as they look half-dead. They bounce back!)
I transplanted this one last fall:
The mama plant:
FIVE: Her Royal Grouchiness and Random Photos
I apparently wore her out and now she’s down here curled up ensuring she gets her full 23 hours of rest in today. Here’s a quick view of our front porch garden tomatoes and another angle of the ladybug planter plus a bit of Russian sage growing in the background.
Hope you enjoyed the mini tour of my flowers that make me happy on the first day of summer! What flowers make you happy?
Blows cobwebs off blogspace. Hello out here! Anyone still around?
I’m still here just been busy with work, burned out and TIRED at the end of the day, and who knows what else? If you’re interested, I’ll share a brief recap of what I’ve been doing besides work though most of what I’ve done was just work. The weekend before Father’s Day, I did get to go on a girlfriend getaway for a weekend. We went to the Flint Hills of Kansas.
Out of practice over here. Just wrote an entire 800 word post and decided it sounded too grumpy old lady and deleted it. Ha. So take two.
Let’s see, I’ll just start at the end and go backwards with what I’ve been up to lately. I’m on vacation this week (FINALLY), a full week before I go back to working full-time in another classroom (my favorite one) to cover summer vacations until the end of August.
Last night was Bunco (a dice game I usually go play once a month) and I hadn’t been since um, maybe February? I had to go as I was in charge of table snacks. It was fun and today I’m sitting around eating leftover m&m’s while doing laundry. Some vacation, huh? Ha! I had a good time though.
Prior to that, just work and more work. The open the school shift is no joke. Lots of days I was nodding off at 7 in the evening. Lots of work stuff I could comment about but then I’ll veer back into grumpy territory and have to start over again. I did help with pre-k graduation and by that I mean I was subbing for one of the teachers who worked on it with the other teacher. The kids did so good! My co-teachers and I were so proud of them! Okay, enough work talk for now.
May
Flowers my husband brought home from a client’s house:
May was busy with pre-k graduation, Mother’s Day, G’s birthday, family in town, high school graduations, and graduation parties. Honestly, I was out of practice with doing all that AND working full-time hours.
Flowers I wanted to buy at Home Depot but had no spot in my yard where they’d work so I snapped a picture instead:
So Far in June
The day lilies I bought back in 2020 are taking off this year!
Also, in the background, we have an actual garden again this year though we had a very late start with it as in didn’t have anything in the ground until the end of May!
A few photos from the Flint Hills of Kansas:
Sunrise from our vacation rental
Milkweed growing in the Flint hills Tallgrass prairie preserve
Does this stone picnic table make anyone else think of the stone table in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe?
Sunset from our vacation rental
Last Weekend
On Saturday, the boys and I exercised our First Amendment rights. I try not get political on here as general policy but this is what we did. Husband didn’t go but said he’d bail us out of jail if needed (after he enjoyed some peace and quiet, haha!).
Taken from on hill to try and get the crowd, not the best photo but there were A LOT of people thereI liked this sidewalk chalk art
No peace and quiet for my husband as everyone was super peaceful. I was very thankful for the people handing out free water as it was HOT. We should’ve taken them up on the sunscreen as well, J got a pretty decent sunburn on his face but he’ll be okay.
I also realized how I used to be in such great shape when I worked on the plaza for years in my early 20’s. Those hills that go to the parking areas are no joke! Not the one where I took my photo, these hills are much steeper and higher.
For Father’s Day, we took my husband out to a favorite Mexican restaurant we hadn’t been to in a while. It was really good. And I made a (long gone now) chocolate pie for our dessert. Plus cards and gifts. The kids gave him some kind of game controller and I bought dinner/gave him a card. Seemed happy. A nice low-key day which he needed. We’ve all been super busy with work.
So Far This Week
Not too much else going on, I’m just enjoying not having to be anywhere. Went for a walk yesterday morning (sky picture above) before rain moved in for the afternoon/evening. It’s working it’s way out of here today.
Today’s laundry day with my only real plans to finish up watching a movie I started yesterday called The Road. It’s a bit depressing so far, one of those dystopian future kind of things. Good for rainy day watching.
Okay, off to change my clothes over and fold the dry ones. I’ll try not to be as slow as this creature before I post again. No promises.
