Crazy Idea

I know I do not have time to have chicks in a cute chicken coop in my yard. But, I sure would like to have some and also it would be so nice to have fresh eggs.

Isn't this the greatest luxury chicken house ( too beautiful to call a coop) you have ever seen?   Check out https://heatherbullard.com/2012/11/at-home-chez-poulet-coop-chickens/ It is special.  Needless to say, I would never be able to have such a luxurious home for my babies

I have not been able to get this idea out of my head for the past three years. This year is not a good year to start this project since I will be traveling in June and again in August which I am very excited about.  But, I still want some chicks.

 

When I was growing up in the suburbs of Los Angeles, we always had chickens in the back yard and I clearly remember the  fresh eggs. I did not realize how wonderful it was at the time. The chicks were not free range but they surely gave us great eggs.

Maybe, next year will be the Year of the Chick for me. It usually takes me some time to bring my ideas to fruition. Check back with me. There still may be chicks in my future!

And, to all of you chick owners - Enjoy.

Where Did It Go

 I can't believe that I have lost a lens from my glasses. For the past week and a half I have looked, looked and looked some more for it. Lately, the screw on the one side has been becoming loose and I have had to tighten it on more than one occasion with a tiny optical screw driver. Well, the short story is that I was lying on the sofa resting my back and I took my glasses off because I can see the TV quite nicely since I have had cataract surgery. I mostly need my glasses for reading. For the first time in my life my drivers license does not state that I must wear corrective lenses. Well anyway, I remember sitting down at the computer and noticed that my lenses was missing. Now, how does one loose a lens between the sofa and the computer room and not be able to find it? That is such a mystery to me. It has to be here somewhere. It certainly can't just evaporate ! ! !

The time has come to get new glasses. It has been three years since my last prescription. So, today I will be going to have my eyes examined and get new glasses. If and when I find the lens that fell out of my glasses, I will at least have a backup pair of glasses.

I hope you can see Clearly today.

Mary

Soups On - Come And Get It

Look at these little babies. Aren't they cute? It is a rainy day, but I was able to take this photo through the dining room window. I have been thoroughly enjoying watching my little friends play "dive-bomb" every morning  when I open the drapes. I wish I could get a photo of these little creatures that would show all the wonderful florescent colors they display, especially around their little necks. Each and every feeding port was occupied by a hummingbird just prior to me getting this photo. I guess I was lucky to get the photo before they ALL flitted away chasing each other.

Like I said, "Soup's on".  It would be nice if you could come over and have a Little Soup Tasting Party with me today. I decided that since the weather is acting like winter, I would do a little winter-type cooking. Some of it will go into the freezer. Isn't soup good during all the seasons?

Our first soup for your pleasure is Lentil Sausage which I have prepared many times and it is always a winner.

Pasta e Fagioli is our second selection. This is the first time I have made this recipe. Yum, yum good.

And, then we have Chilly Chili Day soup. This basically is a soup that only requires browning of ground beef, sautéing onions and then adding the remainder of ingredients that are all in a can. Doesn't get much simpler than that. Easy and very good! 

Thanks for stopping by today. I wish you were here. If any of you would like any of the recipes, just let me know. You know how much we all love comments.

I hope you are having a Fabulous day.

Lady Banks' Has Arrived

In spite of this undesirable rainy weather, this beautiful evergreen climbing Lady Banks' Rose has come to life. It was like almost over night. I was able to get these photos during a burst of sunshine before the heavy rains visited us again. I am beginning to wonder if the winter weather is ever going to come to a close. Most everyone that I know is ready for more sunny days. 

This climber does a wonderful job of covering the fence.

Rain, rain go away. Come again another day.

Busy Weekend

The weekend was another event filled time. We walked several laps of the football track during Saturday afternoon and stayed for the closing luminary ceremony. It was a very enjoyable and tremendously inspiring day. We plan to do it again next year. But, we think we would like to go to the opening ceremony in the morning and then return at sun down when the closing ceremony takes place.

This is a 2000 painting by artist P. Buckley Moss. Be sure to check out her website.

Sunday morning we attended church and it was Earth Day Sunday. The gardener in me really enjoyed one of the songs which we sang called - - -

THE GARDEN SONG
 by David Mallett

CHORUS
Inch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
Gonna mulch it deep and low
Gonna make it fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row
Please bless these seeds I sow
Please keep them safe below
'Till the rain comes tumbling down

Pullin' weeds and pickin' stones
We are made of dreams and bones
Need a place to call my own
'Cause the time is close at hand
Grain for grain, sun and rain
Find my way in nature's chain
Tune my body and my brain
To the music of the land
CHORUS
Plant your rows straight and long
Season with a prayer and song
Mother Earth will make you strong
If you give her loving care
CHORUS
An old crow watching from a tree
From his perch in youder tree
In my garden I'm as free
As that feathered thief up there
CHORUS

Almost every Sunday following church services, we join very good friends for Brunch. Following Brunch we stopped by one of the local wineries for a little tasting. About a week ago we met the owners while we were out for dinner and they came over to our table to talk, commenting on how happy we looked.  Believe it or not, this is happening to us a lot!  Living in a little community tends to make people very friendly. It can be very enjoyable.

Hope you had a Fabulous weekend.

This Time It Is the Red Anemone And - - - - - - - - - RELAY FOR LIFE

 

I think these flowers are so stunning! And, it is a good thing that I took these photos before the most recent snow we had again a few days ago. But, today we are having a beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the high 70's expected.  I think there is one more storm forecast  for this coming Wednesday.

At least, we are having a lovely weekend and that is a good thing because today is the American Cancer Society Relay For Life event. We will be attending this afternoon and staying for the evening luminary ceremony. My Special Man is a five year cancer survivor and we are so blessed that he has not had any further issues with cancer.

I hope you are having and Wonderful and Healthy day.

Rainy Day Travel And A Little Shopping

Such a rainy day to be traveling to the Bay Area! It rained all day on and off with some periods of very heavy rain. We left at  8 AM and arrived at our first stop, The Elks Lodge in the city of Sunnyvale by 11 AM  in time for My Special Man to attend an annual luncheon reunion of retired engineers from the Aerospace Profession.  It was my plan to go to lunch and do some shopping during his reunion but the rain was coming down so hard that I decided to stay in the car and knit on a red scarf that I started before Christmas. During one of the briefs periods of little to no rain I took this photo of the Lodge.

This is a silly photo of me in the car looking at the rain drops on the side rear view mirror. As you can see, this was not a very good day for taking pictures. 

  

And, this is the red scarf on my lap as I sat in the car knitting.

After getting a quick bite for me to eat at a drive through (that is all that I wanted) we went to SANTANA ROW an upscale shopping, dining, entertainment and residential environment in San Jose to shop.  The rain was coming down hard so I did not take any photos of the beautiful floral landscaping and the upscale shops. Much to my surprise the buildings did not have any roof overhangs and thus when we exited a store we were immediately in heavy rain. Hassling with an umbrella was not something that I wanted to do.  It did not make for a very enjoyable shopping experience. However, we were able to go to Orvis to buy some luggage for our upcoming travels to Germany. My Special Man was looking for a special feature of a garment bag included in a one-piece luggage and we found exactly what he wanted. We do plan on returning another time and spend the day shopping and just having fun! Since we were making it a one day trip, we needed to head home which would be another 2-3 hour drive. 

Santana Row (Google image)

It is raining again today.

Sending you wishes for a Sunny Day.

Gracie Azalea

I have named this plant "My Gracie Azalea". This was a florist azalea gift that I received seventeen years ago prior to living here, when I had back surgery, from a dear neighbor named Gracie. She was quite a bit older than me and is no longer  with us. And, I miss her dearly. This plant is a real survivor having lived throw inclement weather conditions that azaleas don't especially like and poor soil (inadvertantly purchased after the New Orleans flood) that was contaminated with mold. At that time, I really thought the plant was going to die. It did not have a leaf on it and the root ball looked terrible. But, I trimed it back and repotted it with new quality soil. And, look at it now!

A little nurturing can go a long way!

I hope you are having a Wonderful Day.

Thinking About My Travel Clothes

It's time to get serious about thinking what I am going to pack for my trip to Germany.  Since I do not live near any shopping malls or any place with a selection of nice clothing, I have been doing some Internet shopping. On line shopping is not new to me, but, shopping for clothes on line is. Unfortunately, I never have been able to "buy off the rack" as the saying goes.  Therefore, I have found that I am having to return a lot of items that just will not work for me even with the usual alterations that I have to make. I think I will have to "go to the city" to finish my shopping. Fortunately, we will be going to an event in the Bay Area next week and we can spend a little time in the mall. I am hoping to finish my travel wardrobe. Since we will be staying in four star hotels (I am going to  be very spoiled)  I found that my clothes closet needs to be expanded for me to feel comfortable.  I really am just a "country girl" now that I have lived here in the foothills this long. It would be so nice to have the shopping  finished so I can focus on other things like doing a little more reading and studying about Germany.

Hope your day is Fabulous.

Birth Of An Anemone

Today I was able to watch the first flower of this anemone plant open - hour by hour as it unfurled its beauty.

This is a favorite flower of mine in the garden.  It  was growing near the front patio when I moved here. I have managed to divide it to make several plants. 

In addition to the white/pink plant, there also is a similar plant in red.  I have been able to divide that plant, as well.  It is getting ready to start opening its buds. I have planted the red plant on the right of the stepping stone you can see in the photo below.  I have no idea what the actual name of the plant is. But, one thing is for sure, it likes where it is growing and produces nicely each and every year.

I just realized that many of my posts talk about a favorite plant in my garden. I guess ALL of them are my favorites. Because all of them bring me much joy.

Wishing you a Joyful day.

 

They Are Blooming and The Sun Is Shining

Look at these Ice Princess white tulips. Aren't they elegant and stunning?

And, they aren't white with SNOW!  Can you believe it? These tulips were in snow one week ago!

This is such a strange year in the garden. It is difficult to know what is going on day to day. Some of my garden plants have been very unhappy with all "these goings on" in the garden. They tell me that they are very confused!  

Are you ready for a little trivia about Tulips?  By now, I think you know that I enjoy trivia. So, here goes.

"The tulip is a wildflower said to originate from Persia. In the 1500's tulips were extensively cultivated in Turkey, and because of their resemblance to the "tulbend" a turban worn by Turkish men - - - were called tulipan.

In 1562, tulip bulbs from Constantinople reached Antwerp by ship. Before the turn of the century, tulips had been such a rarity that only the wealthy in Holland could afford them; consequently, tulips became a status symbol for the rich.  However, by the 1620's, buying and selling tulips became an activity for merchants, and "tulip madness" ensued.  Tulip trading crashed in 1637 throwing Holland into financial ruin.  After the Dutch government enforced strict laws for cultivation and selling bulbs, the tulip became the national emblem of Holland." This info is from the Notes From My Cottage Garden blog.

I hope you are having a Grand Day and the SUN is shining where you are.

Rainy Day Entertainment

Yesterday afternoon was a good time to go to the movies because we were having a heavy rain storm. The movie provided a lot of good laughs and was very entertaining. I especially enjoyed the performance of Janet Jackson.

As outrageous as the story line was at times, I have no reason not to think that there are many marriages that are as tumultuous as Tyler Perry's comical depiction of "the journey of the marriage".  For me, I have always preferred a life that is a little less chaotic! That does not mean that I haven't had a chaotic life at times. It is nice that at this age I know how to avoid all the "trauma drama" for the most part.

Go see the movie. It was a lot of fun.

Laugh a little Today.

The Birds Were Singing

While working in the garden this week, it was so nice to hear so many different birds singing their spring songs. That is one of my joys of working in my garden. And, of course, it is always so grand to see all the blossoms and colors emerge at this time of year.

Even though it most likely will be raining before this Sunday is over, one of the many things I am grateful for are the birds.  Also, today, My Special Man will be sitting with me in church because the choir is not singing today. That means that he will not be sitting and singing in the choir. It will be special to sit together.

Most likely we will be going to Brunch at a favorite restaurant as we usually do after services.

Wishing you a blessed Sunday.

Mary

What A Pretty Lady

This "Earth Angel" sculpted by local artist, Thomas Baugh is one of my favorite pieces of garden art. In 1999, I acquired this lovely lady named Jaqualine. The artist's studio, Sea Breeze Studio, is in the Sierra Nevada foothills not very far from my home.

One sunny afternoon I stopped by his studio which is nestled at the end of a driveway that is lined with "Earth Angels".  I found him to be a friendly and very unique individual with many stories to tell.  After my visit, I took many friends to his studio to enjoy and purchase his "Earth Angels".

This lovely honeysuckle bush is just starting to bloom and it is planted behind the sculpture.  It is a bush and not a vine and I think the name is Lonicera 'Honeyrose'. Lovely! 

This is an excerpt from a newspaper article in 2007 - - - - - - - While living in Oakland 15 years ago, Baugh stumbled onto what would become his most successful calling-card as an artist - his "earth angels." Baugh says the series was born from practicing some new skills as a stone-cutter. "It was strange," Baugh recalled. "I'd conceived of a full bust, but once I'd done the face I wasn't really sure where the rest of it was going. I kind of just threw it aside and started something else. A few weeks later I just looked at the face again and realized it was already done."

Baugh's earth angels have been described as soulful reflections of peace. Over the years they've become tremendously popular, with thousands sold in California, as well as commissions coming in from around the world.

"Of course, as an artist it's always nice to know there's a market for your work," Baugh said. "But what I really like is selling them to people in our community. I know people around here work hard, and because of that, I've done my best to keep them affordable."

This is another excerpt from another newspaper article in 2008 - - - - - - - Just to the east of Main Street, in a quiet creekside hideaway on Eureka Street, are dozens of what may prove to be familiar faces. For the last 13 years, Thomas Baugh has sculpted the faces of people who are his friends and neighbors and turned them into "Earth Angels," which can be found in yards and gardens all around the county.

Baugh has been sculpting these striking pieces for nearly 20 years, but didn't come up until recently with the concept of reproducing his "angels" by using reconstituted stone in molds made from the original sculptures. This process made it possible to sell his works for less than $100, rather than thousands.

Following a circuitous personal odyssey, Baugh happened into Sutter Creek to join his friend, Kim Wilcher, on a bronze foundry project, then just stayed around.

In addition to the "angels," Baugh molds faces, creating life-size masks of vivid likeness to their subjects. For about $125, he will make an original mold from alginate, the same innocuous, non-injurious material used by dentists to make impressions. Copies are far less expensive, making it not unfordable to give a mask of one's face to all the relatives for Christmas.

Baugh has a Masters of Fine Arts degree from West Virginia University and has taught art at both the Florida Keys Community College and WVU.

This "Earth Angel" is named Nicole. If you think back to around the year 1999 (when I purchased this) there was a famous murder trial that was in the news practically non-stop for many months. This inspiration for the artist came from one of the victims in that trial. I think the intricacy of the small leaves around the face gives it additional charm.

Another Earth Angel named Brittany is hanging from the eave of my garden shed.

Yesterday  I worked in the garden before the next storm came in. And, this morning sure looks like the weather man is correct. Yes, STORM. I thought this was Spring Time ! ! !

Have a Fabulous Day.

The Baked Alaska Was Divine

The Easter dinner dessert turned out wonderfully.  And, I was very, very pleased.  I am sorry that this is the only photo I had time to take.  It looked so pretty when I served it. I used Neapolitan ice cream and the chocolate, strawberry and vanilla ice cream  gave a nice color contrast.

How about a little trivia about Baked Alaska. This dessert was created to celebrate the United States purchase of Alaska from the Russians in 1867.  It was called Alaska-Florida Cake, but soon was changed to Baked Alaska. Supposedly it was popularized worldwide by Jean Giroix, in 1895 by the chef at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo. So, now you know!


It was yummy!

Wishing you a Fabulous Day.


Mary