Take a Deep Whiff

Go ahead. Lean in and see if you can smell these beauties. I wouldn't be surprised if you could. They are so fragrant I can smell them when I walk out the back door. They're beautiful, too. And huge. I would guess that the flower is a good 8" or more across.

The last of my Asiatic lilies to bloom - and the best of them all.

The timing was perfect when they bloomed last weekend after the news of Debbie's cancer and the concerns with Leslie's pregnancy. I needed some comfort and these soothed me. Kind of an omen that all will be well.

Let's visit the garden

Today has been emotionally draining and I'm ready to take some respite in the garden. The weather is hot and muggy, though, more conducive to sweating and mosquito bites than meditation and emotional rest.
Instead, I'll share some photos I took over the weekend before all the company came.

I'll look at them and remember that I am extremely blessed and what will be, will be.


This poor girl has seen brighter pink days. I didn't get a shot of the pink lilies before they faded. She's still pretty, though.
These guys were planted by the birds. I always leave some of the sprouted birdseeds to grow into a sunflower "forest" near the birdfeeders.

One of the first perennials I planted back here was this bee balm. The blossoms look a little raggedy to me, but the bees and butterflies love it and it smells gooood.

Dark-eyed Susan is looking a little wilty. It was HOT the day I snapped her, but she's a trooper and keeps on smilin'. :o) These are all "volunteer", too. I just let them go to seed and watch for them the next summer so I know where not to mow.

Oh! And looky here! They think they can hide, but I will find them. And roast them. And make them into delicious soup. Soon, my pretties. Ripen quickly!

There are some mutant zucchini also and I'm afraid to go look at them again. I must've planted the "big" variety because there are no tender slender guys. They're all BIG. Long. Fat. I'm going to make them into lasagna. Using those little Roma guys for the sauce.

Okay, thanks, I feel a little better. I always do when I'm out there.

Back to the Grind...

Okay, not really. My life is not a grind. :o) We're just back to our normal routine after a couple of weeks of special stuff going on. Here's a quick re-cap:

We travelled to North Dakota to visit Jessica. Long drive to the middle of nowhere.
Cute little apartment. Fun places to eat.
Here are Nick and Jessi at Buffalo Wild Wings.When we got home, Greg spent a week of vacation time replacing the countertops in our kitchen. (A more detailed before/after post to come soon, I promise.) He found out he really hates to glue down laminate.

Tonita and family arrived to visit for this past weekend. On Saturday morning the guys went out shooting. Here's Ben aiming the 9mm at some clay pigeons.

Abbie and Grace made brownies to add to our feast on Saturday night. (No, they didn't dress alike on purpose.)
Greg fried a turkey, we had burgers and dogs, potato salad, beans, a couscous salad, an Italian bread salad, devilled eggs, fruit salad, olive cheese bread, Mexican caviar, Texas caviar, roasted corn dip, chips, birthday cake, brownies, Rice Krispie bars, and chocolate chip cookies.

Since everyone was here, we took the opportunity to celebrate Alan's birthday with him.

Speaking of birthdays, today is Grandma's #91. We visited for awhile this morning and wished her many more.

Tonita, Grandma, me

I love having everyone here and will miss them. We're already planning a "girl's week" in Texas next summer.

For now, there are weeds to pull, a garage to clean up, and lots of crafting and creating to get done this week. Better get to it...

A Movie Review

This afternoon the theater staff got an early screening of "The Dark Knight", the sequel to "Batman Begins". I almost didn't go since we're working on the kitchen (and I use "we" loosely - Greg is working on the kitchen), but he said he didn't mind, and I really wanted to see it, so I went.

I am SO GLAD I did.

This is probably one of THE BEST movies I've ever seen.

Violent, yes. That's the PG-13 rating. Action-packed is an understatement. We laughed, clapped, cheered, gasped, and I even almost cried at one point.

A no-brainer that Christian Bale is the best Batman ever. Aaron Eckhart and Maggie Gyllenhall were good.

But this movie is about The Joker.

Heath Ledger. His most incredible performance. Disturbing, yes. He made me nervous. You know how those insane villians will. He was amazing.

AAA+++ all the way around. I'm anxious to see it again.

It just seemed wrong somehow...

I haven't posted in 11 days? Hmmm. Time sure is flying. But that's not what seemed wrong.

It is currently 86 degrees outside, but feels like 93. There is something wrong with that, especially since I must go outside in a little while to mow, but that's not what I meant, either.

On Monday we began a "quick" little makeover on the kitchen. Nothing much, just new countertops - now don't get excited, they're just formica, but they are beeee-u-teee-ful - a new sink, faucet, and range hood were all in the plans. Greg, being the handy-dandy diy-er he is (and I am ever so thankful he is!), got a good start that day, and I thought things might just move along swimmingly.

And they mostly have, but they are TAKING FOREVER. I told Greg last night that when we decide on a project, we need to set our timetable, then double it. :o) He's doing an excellent job, and I'm giving him all the credit for this makeover, because all I've done so far is help lift and carry out counters and paint. He's doing the hard stuff - outside where it is not cool and comfy. And he's doing a GREAT JOB. I'm just getting impatient. This is my second day with no kitchen sink. At all. Just a hole - well, not even a hole, because there is no counter. Just cabinets with no top.

So, I just washed two days' worth of dishes in the bathtub. That is what just seemed wrong.

I washed dishes in the bathroom.

Now I used my big Tupperware fix 'n mix bowls for dishpans, so everything was really fine and clean and now the dishes are dried and put away, but I hope I get my kitchen sink back SOON.

Now I must suck it up and go mow. Sometimes I expect HELL to call and want it's HEAT back. And my honey must really love me since he's been outside in it for two days and hasn't yelled at me once. :o)

I better get out there. And mow. Ugh.

Edited at 6:05 p.m. - I went outside to the hot heat.
I helped Greg carry in the counter with the sink.
I went back outside.
I threw away somebody's dead branch that's been in our yard for over a week and doesn't belong to us.
I mowed the backyard.
I tried to help Greg scrape the laminate off the one countertop we can't replace, but have to just re-cover.
I got yelled at. (I knew it would happen eventually.)
Now I am inside, and that is where I shall stay.

Edited again at 7:33 p.m. - I have a sink. It's installed in the counter and the counter is screwed into the cabinets.
It is not connected to any plumbing. Yet.
Tomorrow.
I'll have running water tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, water will flow.
Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, tomorrow. You're only a day away...

Sorry - I've been up since 3:45 a.m. and haven't had a nap. :o)

They Say it's My Birthday!

Got to sleep in, go shopping in Lincoln, eat at Macaroni Grill, and will have some Italian Cream Cake in a little while. Altogether a very nice day.

This photo is from my 3rd birthday party. I kind of remember it, though not clearly - after all, it was 40-something years ago! :o)

Since then I've had some memorable birthdays - when I was 10 I got to have my first (and only, now that I think about it...) slumber party. We "camped" in the yard in a tent, went swimming, played 45's on Mom's little record player and danced on the patio.

When I was 12, I got to get my ears pierced. Our neighbor, Jane, did the honors using an ice cube, half a potato, and a sterilized needle. Yeah. I know.

Sixteen brought a small surprise party with grandparents and some friends.

I was "legal" when I turned 19. Dinner and drinks with Greg, Andy, and Jodi (it was her 19th birthday, too), then home for cake and presents. That was the "ugly, mean, and nasty" birthday.

Ask Randy. :o)

Number 20 was at my new home with my new husband. Big party out in the barn. Lots of fun.

Twenty-one sucked. Mom left four days before with no goodbye. Just got on a bus and went away.

Twenty-two was better. I was expecting our first baby. :o)

Twenty-six found me with our second baby, five days old.

Twenty-nine was tough. Back then I thought 30 was going to be so "old".

Thirty was fine. :o)

Forty was wonderful. Jessi planned a surprise party for me with help from my sister and SIL, Leslie. It was SO MUCH FUN!

So I'm closer to 50 than 40 now, and that's okay. Each birthday is a gift and every day I remember that.

Independence Day

No big plans for us. We're just enjoying a day off work, puttering around the house and yard.

We wish you a safe and happy 4th of July!!