Let's Play Catch-Up

Let's play catch-up with my week in review.

Forgot to post the yearly photo of The Hubby's family.  I tell ya, my mother-in-law, soon to be 88 years young, looks better and better.  What a fabulous lady that I love dearly.  She is going to be representing her retirement home as their Ms.  M for the state of Oklahoma.  So proud of her and she will surely win.  

My easel has been a bit clogged up with trying to finish this one.  It's still not done but I am loving it so far.  I think this week it will finally be called DONE!

This week also brought the 8th wedding anniversary of B&B2.  They've been together for 10 years and in that time they have created such a lovely family.  Sweet Snicklefritz was given the big girl camera and took this photo, at 3 years old.  I think we have an artist on our hands, don't you agree.  That girl has an incredible eye.

I'm not sure I mentioned it but I'm doing the low carb thing and am down 6 pounds with stuff like this!  The other night I didn't want to go to the store for dinner stuff, yet again, so I opted for what I could find in the fridge.  So a broken omelet with a touch of cheese, fresh spinach and salsa.  The Hubby loved it and so did I.  It was so pretty which makes the eye happy too.

I've also been asked to donate a painting again for the Cattle Baron's Ball this year and he subtly hinted that roosters are in vogue.  Since I didn't have a ready available photo in my stash of pics I put the call out on Facebook to friends and family that I knew had chickens or the opportunity to snap pics and was nearly overloaded with tons of reference photos.  Here's just a few of the many.  Hey, I may do a series of these.

We ventured to the cabin Friday night and it was very quiet.  I don't think anyone was there, well, there were some but everyone chose to keep it private.  Anyway, Saturday there was a remembrance of one of the cabinite's that passed away recently.  Sweet TP Harris left us so we spent time with his family and friends at the cabin to bid a bittersweet farewell to a one in a million guy.  They had wine and munchies (which I DID NOT eat).  There were tons of fabulous pictures and lots of visiting.  Worth the time spent.

When I pulled up the cabin Friday afternoon I was pleasantly surprised by my Japanese Keirra in the corner of our fenced yard in front of our NEW fence.  Oh my it just glowed yellow.  Love it!  One of my very favorite plants and brings fantastic memories of my Greatgranny who called it the Mexican Rose, which was totally wrong.  Took me years to find in the greenhouses because of the mistaken name.  What's wonderful is that it's only supposed to bloom in the spring, in Oklahoma I find it blooms off and on in the summer too and it's deer resistant and is perfect for wooded area.  Score!

Garden Disaster

Yes, I said garden disaster because that is what happened this year.  Even though we needed the rain, it messed up most everyone's garden this year.  Last year my garden went gang-busters in the tomato department but this year we've hardly had a bud, except for cucumbers which love the rain.  

It started out really nice and my hands got all dirty for the cause, but produce abundance just didn't happen. 

(Don't you love the mirrors!  They are all around our fence.  The Hubby finds them at the flea market and they look great on the fence.)

It's nothing but lush green weeds and overgrown tomato plants with no tomatoes.  

Years ago when my first garden in our first home was huge probably 10x20 sq. feet. and I tilled the entire thing myself.  I had no idea about how to do it.  My mother was awesome in guiding me.  I read constantly and watched The Victory Garden.  

In fact, I became so enthused with gardening that when I finally got the chance to go to college my very first class was horticulture which I aced.  I was going to be a horticulturist.  Sadly, that was the only class I took for a few years as I had another baby and the business was booming.  I kept gardening but we then moved and the backyard we got had a pool and a tiny corner raised bed.  I continued gardening successfully in that little corner.  

Ten years later we moved again (we tend to move every 10 years and we are in our 4th house now right at 10 years there) but the yard had no appeal to me and I just got too busy to garden.  I epically failed in this yard.

We moved yet again after 10 years into the house we have but the yard did not lend itself to a "garden," and The Hubby was not about to let me dig in the middle of the yard where there was a maze of a sprinkler system.  That was a good thing, a sprinkler system as I got very tired of dragging hoses and watering.  On the downside of that is that if it is programmed the plants can be over-watered and add to the over abundance of rain this year, well, none of the produce as was last year (see pictures!!!)

This photo is of the son-in-law's previous garden, I reference this to show the TG&Y tiller we gave them to use.  It is circa 1979 and still running to this day!

Best laid intentions but not planted this year.

Sad that this is just about what I have this year, NOTHING but weeds.

Next year!!!!!

This blog post idea comes from the lovely Mama's Losin''  It! Go visit and read more!

Sunday Doin's

Yesterday was a wonderful day as I got to STAY home and enjoy resting.  Yes, I know I'm getting ready to have about 6 weeks of "resting" but I needed to be home, in my yard.  I finally planted some of my pots before the rest of the plants I bought died.  I piddled in my yard and found these lovelies.  My pink peony was blooming!  I really wanted a double one but I love this just the same.  Sadly, we may miss the blooming of the ones at the cabin.  Not sure if we will get there before my surgery next week.

Then as I moved on to the tomatoes, I was pulling weeds and look, LOOK what I found.  One of my Juliette tomatoes had babies!  Yeah!  I'm not much on small tomatoes, i.e. cherry, but these Juliette tomatoes are quite yummy, and prolific.   

Well, on to my week.  It will be a week of trying to get all done at the office and Friday payroll.  Stock up in the refrigerator and freezer.  I may try to get some casseroles in the freezer so The Hubby can feed me.  Hopefully he doesn't feed me too much BBQ, his go to pick up food.  

This and That

 Look what is in my garden.  I started these babies early, like March 17 and now I already have tomatoes.  Hopefully the squirrels, rabbits and birds LEAVE THEM ALONE!

This weekend I boogied out early for the cabin for the Memorial Day Weekend and spent a bit of time painting.  It was great fun.  

Remember the squirrel I painted...well, I posted it on Facebook before it was finished and one of the cabinite people jumped on it immediately.  I finished it and sent her an email with the picture.  She loved it still and wanted it.  When I delivered Mr. Squirrel on Thursday she admitted that she didn't even know what size it was but loved it.  

Later the next couple of days I received an email of where Mr. Squirrel found his place in her home.  

And look at the top, that is another of my paintings, one of my first.  It's Afton's Sunflower.  

While there delivering the art she asked what I was working on right now and I immediately showed her on my phone the sweet turtle doves.  She LOVED it and said she might have to have it too. 

Then yesterday afternoon she emailed me again and has commissioned me to paint her sweet Arnie.  Arnie was her late husbands dog that had been dumped around the cabins like 15 years ago.  This boy is close to the end of his very lucky life.  He had multiple seizures a day, diabetes and is just old but very much loved.  So I will try and capture him on canvas.

Planting Has Begun

All of these pictures say everything I am feeling right now.  SPRING!  I couldn't be happier that gardening time is here.  

My new lilacs are popping and the very old one we moved when we added on to the house. 

I really went totally overboard at the greenhouse on Friday and got tomato plants, along with peppers, cucumbers and various herbs.  I know it's early. 

But I had a lot of help and my Wall-O-Water's to make the transition to warmer temperatures.  I've used these things for years and they really work.  I also don't have enough and need to go back to the greenhouse to buy more (hope they have them)! 

Clayton was great help along with the robin in the previous picture.  See if you can spot her.

What is amazing is that I tilled and hoed and pulled weeds and planted over 15 plants but got up this morning without nary an ache or pain!  That is great progress after 25 pounds of weight gone.  

Random 5 Friday

Random 5 Friday.  I'm seem to only be able to do this lately as far as writing goes, but that is okay.

1.  Missing a lot of exercise days with my trainer and I'm not sure exactly why.  There are several reasons:  sickness, allergies, sleeping, work, just getting bored with it.  I don't know if I need to add more or less or what but I do know that the sleep thing is getting more priority.

2.  Spring is kind dragging it's feet getting here because on Tuesday I was FREEZING and Wednesday when I dressed for the chilly I was BURNING up.  It's time to layer I guess.  Spring storms have been threatening all week so we now go into tornado watching season.

3.  Getting excited to spend a whole week at the cabin, all by myself.  I did it a couple of years ago and it was THE BEST!  I'm not sure when it will happen yet because I have to wait for Bri's classes to end because I watch Rio.  Soon, very soon!

4.  Farmer's Markets start up around here this weekend and since we're staying in town, think I may have to venture to one.  Maybe Bri and Rio and I will go.  I have a cute little shopping cart and will bring my camera for possible painting shots.  Bring on the veggies!

5.  Do they still make "Paint-By-Number" projects?  I was just looking at the one my momma did as a child and the thought occurred to me.

Random 5 Friday

It's that time for Random 5 Friday hosted by A Rural Journal...come join in the fun:

1.  2 a.m. is way too early for this girl to wake up but it is what it is.  I don't know why I am constantly waking up at 2.  Sometimes I can go right back to sleep but this morning, NOPE, wide-eyed-and-bushy-tailed I was.  Tried to just close my eyes and drift off, but no.  Then read a bit.  Television...none of it worked so 4:10 a.m. and I just got up.  Makes me nuts but usually I can go all day and not be tired.  Could be that I just got so much sleep the past couple of days because I was SICK!




2.  Sick, yes I have had a bellyache, and I mean bellyache.  Gosh it was crazy the cramping and "other", but I think I'm on the mend.  Definitely taking it easy with the food.

3.  I did feel well enough yesterday to go to the office for a bit and then the grocery store.  Took a bit out of me but I was determined to get my agenda fulfilled for the day.  Since the weather was AWESOME  I planted in my already tilled garden, potatoes, onions, lettuce and spinach.  That done I was SPENT!  But it is in the ground and I am quite happy.  Here's to fresh stuff.  (I know The Hubby and I have sort of given up potatoes, but NEW POTATOES, well that is a different subject and we will partake!)

4.  On that little note, I have decided that it is time to get serious with the diet again and get back on Jorge Cruise's The 100 Diet.  It's really counting sugar calories but since June of last year I have dropped 25 pounds, 5 of which I have put back on.  For The Hubby this is a great diet because his triglycerides are usually HIGH, scary high.  Mine have never been an issue.  He doesn't have a weight issue AT ALL, but his blood work can be a issue.  Since we've pretty much given up potatoes, pasta, and bread it is amazing how easy it has been.  Now don't get me wrong we do get "a-hankering" for the stuff and indulge but not often.  I told The Hubby the other day that it is amazing how I rarely go down the middle of the grocery store anymore, no processed stuff.  I buy fresh vegetables, meats and some frozen stuff for convenience.  Stuff like veggies, fish and chicken.  I have some goals, not only health.  A ball at the end of April for a DVIS (Domestic Violence Intervention Services) fundraiser, a doctors appointment, and my 40th class reunion in the fall.

5.  My oldest high school bestie found out this week she may be headed to Phoenix with her job.  I am not happy about that as we have just found each other again a few years ago, but it is what it is and I know it would NOT be permanent.  She's kind of had a rough time and I hope things work out for her which ever way they may.  I'm just so happy that we have found each other again, forever!  I love her dearly.

Let The Ramble Begin

I've hit that place again where I just don't have much to say, but really, I think it's not enough time on my hands to sit and place thoughts here.  So let the ramble flow I say and we'll see what happens.

This week I've been plagued with a bit of the allergy thing, waking up with an intense headache this morning.  I finally got rid of it just a bit ago with a strong bit of coffee and just moving around.  It also meant that I didn't work out this morning.  My bad!  I didn't work out on Tuesday either as I had to have my car at the dealership early for a recall notice, oil change and stuff.  Oh well, I will be back at it on Tuesday after a weekend of fun at the cabin.  

I've also been grandchild sitting this week as Bri started teaching again.  So on Monday's and Wednesday's I am watching Rio at the office for a good bit of the day.  I was a bit apprehensive about  it because she is still sort of breastfeeding but we had absolutely no issues this week.  She played all morning long, we giggled, laughed and danced then it was a nice lunch and the eye-rub then I knew it was time.  I picked her up, turned on her sound machine, pacifier in place a few pats on her back and she went out like a light.  What was nice was that she slept 2-1/2 hours on Monday and 2 hours on Wednesday, and she's sleeping about 12 hours a night.  I think she has finally got it but it's also that her two front teeth are finally in.  She has four on the bottom and two on the top so far.  

 She is certainly a fabulous eater.  Cottage cheese being her favorite but at the office yesterday I also fed her fresh figs from my garden which she loves every time she eats them!

 Last Thursday night we enjoyed a fun night celebrating The Hubby's birthday and Rio chowed down on avocado from a veggie roll!

See, the office is perfect for the little munchkin.   

My recent haul from the garden.  Sadly, I'm only harvesting cucumbers, figs and grape tomatoes this year.  Next year I am going to have a killer garden.  This year I just kind of threw stuff in the ground.  Fall, I will start adding some mulch and composted manure to enhance it for the coming season.  I really want to work it without the damn mosquitoes eating me alive the minute I walk out the door.   

I'm home for the day and am going to enjoy every minute of it.  I have got to get my head around my art show that is fast approaching.  I think I've got stuff ready but I want to paint some new stuff.  There are a few shows in the next couple of months but I'm not sure I have it in me right now.  Too much chaos in my head and around me and I will stop doing everything and just sit back and look a the mess.  It will overwhelm me so I have to be cautious.  We are about to begin the new building too so I know that will take up a lot of my mind and thoughts too.  The good thing about all that stuff is that I will get an art studio out of it sooner than later!

Oh gosh, as I sit here in my nice quiet house, ready to be creative and paint I hear sounds, not good sounds.  Rats!  I forgot the concrete guy is here to grout the lines in the new patio, finally!  That means a LOT of noise out there.  I will have to turn up the music to find my peace and serenity.  I'm also home today as I'm a bit nervous as the neighbors one street over had a burglary at noon two days ago!  That scares me for sure.  Luckily we are in and out so much here at home that no burglar can predict when we will be around and I do have neighbors that are home a lot but still!!!  

Distraught and Heartbroken

I am utterly distraught and heartbroken.  Say it isn't so, PLEASE!  The local garden, Conrad's, that I have been going to since I was a child is selling!  They will sell out to local developers probably who will ruin the ground by developing a shopping mall or houses.  The 400+ acre farm has been growing and selling produce since the 1930's.  I used to go there with my Granny and Momma.  Before there, we went to a place called Bogg's but that has long gone too.  We even used to be able to pick our own produce.  Unfortunately the town has started closing in on the farm and so the land is highly coveted to destroy.  I'm am just beside myself with grief on losing history but understand that the Conrad's are tired and ready to let it go, to take a vacation once in awhile.  It's a very sad day when we lose precious farmland, especially good bottoms farmland.  My Momma and Granny would be as upset as I am if they were alive.  No more taking the kiddos to the gardens and bringing home bushels of corn, peas or tomatoes to freeze and can.  Life as we know and knew will be but fond memory.  I was actually going to head out there this week to get some purple hull peas and I will have to MAKE that happen!

Monday Morning Ramble

Monday morning...uh, yeah, Monday morning.  Another week, another day, another low cal meal! It's day-in-day-out of the same-o, same-o for me right now.  But, I am feeling good and we are going to continue the diet or food lifestyle that we have adopted as of late.  Granted this weekend we did indulge a few blue corn chips and a bowl of fresh strawberries and homemade ice cream but you have to live.  Last night for dinner I had three leftover ears of white corn from the weekend festivities and I decided to cut them off the ear and make a kind of corn tomato salsa to go with our grilled chicken.  We attended our 4 year old great-nephews little birthday party yesterday and went away with a sack full of fresh red tomatoes and jalapenos from their backyard so the idea popped into my head.  I cut the corn off, added chopped tomatoes and jalapeno, lemon juice (would prefer lime but did not have) and red onion.  Let it marinate a few hour and YUMMY!  Tonight we will have it over grilled tilapia.  Oh, and I picked, from my tiny garden, two zucchini and tons more cucumbers.  We ate the zucchini last night, but tonight will be cucumbers and onion in a little brine!  YUMMY, I so love summer veggies for the table.  I am hoping this afternoon to head out to the "gardens" in Bixby for purple hull peas, and hope my Daddy will shell them for me.  He loves to do that and I will oblige him the job, thank you! 

Hope all have a good day!

Gardening Muscles

I finally was able to till the garden after all the rain we've been getting.  Then it was a finding time to hit the greenhouse for tomato plants and etc.  

Tuesday, finally I headed out and probably bought more plants than were necessary, but I did it.  

Then yesterday I did it!  I got in there and played in the dirt. 

Plotted out where I wanted it all to go.  Tomatoes, cucumbers, squash a few herbs, I was ready to make it happen!

All done!  OUCH...this morning I got up and realized I activated the gardening muscles.  

Little Rio is now just about 7-1/2 months old and growing like a weed. 

She is teething, eating a few fruits and veggies and is Miss Personality.  She will be crawling before we know it and walking is just around the corner.  What a joy, yet sometimes a headache for her sweet mama and daddy as sleep is sometimes elusive.   

Spring Is In The Air

Last night I went to Broken Arrow to Main Street Tavern to meet some of my fellow high school classmates to continue the planning stages of our 40th class reunion.  WHAT!  I can't believe it has been nearly 40 years.  The place was packed but they set up a table outside and the evening was just absolutely perfect, and quiet.  There was a light jazz band inside which made it a bit difficult to chat.  It was kind of surreal to be sitting on Main Street eating salad.  The last time I ate food on Main Street was at probably a Rooster Day and it was more than likely a corn dog as we walked, meandering through the crowds.  Anyway, we have a date, Sept 20, 2014, let the party planning begin!

The weather yesterday made it into the 70's and today will be pushing 80!!!!!!  Boy, I'm so very excited for the warmer temps and SUNSHINE!  Tomorrow I "plan" on tilling my small garden space in preparation for onions and potatoes...I have to go get onions!  WOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO  it's garden time!  I seem to be in better spirits, don't you agree!