Look at the variety that a box of zinnia seeds from Dollar Tree produces! Amazing!!!
Old-fashioned beauty at its finest!
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Tuesday, June 29, 2021
Summer Bucket List 2021
Spring is over and the summer season is in full swing! I've been thinking about some of the things that I'd like to do and accomplish over the course of it. I know that, in reality, I probably won't get to all of them, but having a list will certainly help me to focus on the season and remind me to enjoy it to the fullest!
Baby White Scalloped Squash Growing in Our Garden
"...ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand."
(Luke 21:30)
1.
2. Plan my summer menus (these will be posted weekly in my 'Master List and Menu Plan Monday' posts)
3. Wish my husband and our sons and sons-in-law a Happy Father's Day 👴
4. Attend our youngest daughter's wedding 👰
5. Celebrate summer birthdays with the grandlittles (there are a bunch of them!) 👧🎂👦
7. Eat watermelon 🍉
8. Celebrate Independence Day 💖☆💙
9. Observe a full moon 🌕
10. Make red, white, and blue jello 💖☆💙
11. Make homemade ice cream 🍨
12. Catch a lightening bug 🐛
13. Enjoy a banana split 🍌
12. Take a vacation (even if just for a few days and is somewhere close by) 🚗
13. Enjoy the Perseid meteor shower ⭐🌠🌟
14. Get together with my friend, Dorothy, to celebrate our 60th birthdays together 🎂🎉60th🎊🎈
15. Make notes throughout the season on this year's garden and use them to help make a plan for next year's 🌱
16. Sort ministry materials and start a study schedule 📚
17. Go stargazing 🌟
18. Grill burgers on the grill 🍔
19. Take a night hike 🌜
20. Play in cool water on a hot day 🤽
21. Go camping ⛺
22. Visit a state park that I've never been to before
23. Enjoy fresh produce and herbs out of our own garden 🍅
24. Take a walk in the rain ☔
25. Visit a botanical garden 🌸
26. Start sorting old pictures and putting them into albums 📷
27. Purpose to find what I've got in the house that can be used to create an income 💵
28. Enjoy a summer storm ⛈
29. Hike a new trail 🥾
30. Host or attend a bonfire 🔥
31. Observe, sketch, or photograph at least a dozen new and interesting things found in nature 🐢
32. Collect, tumble, and polish rocks and gemstones 💎
33. Preserve what I can of the summer bounty 🌽
34. Cut flowers fresh from the garden and make a bouquet 🎕
35. Continue with efforts to go-through, use-up, clear-out, clean-up, re-purpose, recycle, and give-away ♲
36. Get my car serviced and back on the road 🚗
37. Wash, level, and reset the bird baths (and keep them filled with water) 🐦
38. Trim and de-weed the flower beds 🌼
39. Lay tile in kitchen, hallway, and bathroom ▩
40. Reroof the house (at least check into the costs of doing so and coming up with a plan) 🏡
That's what's on my summer bucket list. Now...what's on yours?
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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24. Take a walk in the rain ☔
25. Visit a botanical garden 🌸
26. Start sorting old pictures and putting them into albums 📷
27. Purpose to find what I've got in the house that can be used to create an income 💵
28. Enjoy a summer storm ⛈
29. Hike a new trail 🥾
30. Host or attend a bonfire 🔥
31. Observe, sketch, or photograph at least a dozen new and interesting things found in nature 🐢
32. Collect, tumble, and polish rocks and gemstones 💎
33. Preserve what I can of the summer bounty 🌽
34. Cut flowers fresh from the garden and make a bouquet 🎕
35. Continue with efforts to go-through, use-up, clear-out, clean-up, re-purpose, recycle, and give-away ♲
36. Get my car serviced and back on the road 🚗
37. Wash, level, and reset the bird baths (and keep them filled with water) 🐦
38. Trim and de-weed the flower beds 🌼
39. Lay tile in kitchen, hallway, and bathroom ▩
40. Reroof the house (at least check into the costs of doing so and coming up with a plan) 🏡
That's what's on my summer bucket list. Now...what's on yours?
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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Monday, June 28, 2021
Master List and Menu Plan Monday - June 28, 2021
It's late Monday evening and I'm just now getting around to working on this post. How was your week and weekend?
Our week and weekend here was a whirlwind of activity surrounding the wedding of our youngest daughter, Amanda, and her husband, Aaron, on Saturday.
Here are a few of the photos that our son took at the event...
The big question of the day was whether or not my husband would be able to be there. As of last Wednesday he was put on comfort care and the hospice nurse told us that she didn't know if he would make it through the weekend. You can read updates on his Caringbridge site by clicking HERE. The wedding day update can be found in the June 26, 2021 entry. These photos tell the outcome...
Other than taking care of my husband and activity surrounding the wedding, I really can't think of anything significant that happened this week. Let's get on with this week's post...shall we?
This week's master to-do list...
- spend quality time with my husband 👫
- clean house 🏡
- do laundry 👕
- figure July's budget and bills 💵
- tend the garden if I get a chance 🍅
- celebrate Independence Day however I can (hopefully I can make it to town to pick up the stuff to make red, white, and blue jello cups!) 💖🤍💙
I'm not going to attempt to plan menus this week. The refrigerator is full of leftovers sent home with, or brought to us, by the kids from the rehearsal dinner, reception, and granddaughter, Essie's, birthday party, which we attended via Facebook video call on messenger. There's probably enough food in there to feed us for a week and beyond. I have put what I could in the freezer.
Well, that's it for now. My husband is ready for bed and I need to go. I will close for now and be with you again soon.
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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Monday, June 21, 2021
Master List and Menu Plan Monday - June 21, 2021
Greetings, Dear One! Happy Monday! 💗
I hope that you and yours had a lovely week and weekend and that the men in your life had a terrific Father's Day! 👴
Oriental Lilies
I was in the middle of muffin-baking and pie-making on Friday when the element burned out in my oven. I was able to fenagle the broiler switch on and off to finish baking the muffins, but daughter, Amber, came and got my pie-making components and finished my pies up at her house. I ordered a new element for the stove and it should be here today.
My red, white, and blue petunias just get prettier
and prettier with each passing day.
Purple Coneflower
Now, here we are...it's Monday and the week ahead promises to be a full one. Here is a sneak preview of what's to come...
Let's get on with today's post...shall we?
Master to do list...
- Spend as much quality time with my husband as possible
- Clean house
- Do laundry
- Wash bedding
- Observe the full Strawberry Moon 🌕
- Celebrate granddaughter, Essie's, 7th birthday 🎂
- Celebrate granddaughter, Hannah's, 3rd birthday 🎈
- Wish my dear friend, Dorothy, a Happy Birthday 🎉
- Help with where I can and attend our youngest daughter's wedding 👰
- Visit with family and friends that come in for the wedding 👪
Watched this wild turkey walk the length of the field
across from us one day last week. That was a first!
After the weekend and with all that's going on this week, I'm not even going to attempt to plan menus. Both of our girls brought food into the house over the weekend and there are tons of leftovers. I honestly don't think I'll have to do anything more than heat stuff up here and there throughout the week.
Okay...that's it for today.
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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Saturday, June 19, 2021
Spring Bucket List 2021Update
Well...here it is...the last day of spring 2021. With everything that's happened with John this year, my spring bucket list certainly didn't go as planned, but that's okay. Despite all, I did manage to mark a few things off my list. Things that were accomplished will be crossed through like this and any notes that I want to add will be found in parenthesis and in bold type (like this).
“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest,
and cold and heat, and summer and winter,
and day and night shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22).
1.
2. Plan my spring menus (these will be posted each Monday in my weekly Master List and Menu Plan Monday posts) 📇
3. Observe a bright and beautiful full spring moon 🌕
4. Get back to doing programs at work 🐞🐾🐢
(Due to the COVID pandemic and the closing of the nature center, the last program that I presented was over a year ago. The nature center reopened April 1st , but, due to my husband's illness I've been unable to work since the middle of March.)
5. Enjoy a Russell Stover's maple cream egg with my oldest daughter on her birthday (it's tradition!)
6. Pick a bouquet of pretty yellow daffodils 💛
7. Dye eggs
8. Make a traditional Pana di Pasqua (Italian Braided Easter Bread - It's been many years since I've done this and, since I don't remember what recipe I used to use, I've got a couple of new ones that I'm considering.)
9. Host an egg hunt for the grandlittles
10. Celebrate Resurrection Sunday (church and lunch with family and friends afterwards) ♱
11. Listen to spring peepers 🐸
12. See a prairie chicken
13. Plant a vegetable garden 🌱
14. Celebrate spring birthdays with the grandlittles 🎂
15. Attend KCM's Branson Virtual Victory Campaign (April 8th through the 10th) 💻
16. Observe Indian paintbrush blooming on the prairie
17. Eat fresh asparagus
18. Celebrate May Day with a basket of fresh flowers 💐
19. See a brand new baby bison 🧡
20. Include fresh dandelion greens in our spring salads 🥗
21. Celebrate Mother's Day by sharing flowers with the ladies at church, my daughters, and daughters-in-law 🌸
22. Eat fresh strawberries 🍓
23. Honor my husband with something special on Father's Day and wish our sons and sons-in-law a Happy Father's Day, as well 👴
(I didn't realize that Father's Day fell on the First Day of Summer this year. I will be moving this over to my Summer Bucket List shortly.) 🙃
24. Observe a birds nest with eggs in it (and hopefully observe the babies until they fly away) 🐦
25. Put up a new hummingbird feeder
26. Take a walk in the rain ☔
27. Spend a few days at the lake with dh for a belated anniversary getaway 💑
28. Smell lilacs 💜
(At least I tried to smell them; since having COVID I can't smell much of anything.)
29. Start a 2021 nature journal and record at least three new things in it 🌵🐝🐍
30. Spend a couple of days with our youngest daughter and her family 👪
31. Visit a state park that I've never been to before
32. Hike a new trail 🥾
33. Create and complete a spring cleaning list 📜
34. Put up a new clothesline 👚👖👕
35. Get on a serious walking schedule 👟
36. Lose 20 pounds ⚖
37. Schedule eye exams for dh and myself (get new glasses) 👀
38. Lay tile in kitchen, hallway, and bathroom ▩
39. Shampoo carpets (has been on my list for a while now)
40. Reroof the house (at least check into the costs of doing so and coming up with a plan) 🏡
That's it for this season! I hope you and yours have had a lovely spring and are looking forward to the warm summer months ahead!
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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Monday, June 14, 2021
Master List and Menu Plan Monday - June 14, 2021
Greetings, Dear One! Happy Flag Day! 💖🤍💙
I hope you and yours had a good weekend. Ours was good here. Saturday was restful and Sunday was full with makeshift church in the morning and company and phone calls the rest of the day. It made the weekend pass quickly, for which I am thankful.
A Cactus Rose
Now...here we are...it's Monday! A whole new week lies ahead of us full of sweet blessings, as well as, difficult challenges, I'm sure!
Yucca Blooming in Our Front Yard
Dorothy and I
Now...take THAT, COVID-19!!! 😡💪💣👊💥
Not much has changed with my husband. We continue to just take things one day at a time and all that comes with it...be it the good, the bad, or the ugly...and, usually, there's a little of each throughout the day every day. At last weigh-in he was down to 92.2 pounds. He eats little, but continues to keep up with the protein drinks (one to two a day) and has done well in upping the water and Gatorade. Each day is a blessing and continued prayers on his behalf are much appreciated. Thank you!
Red, White, and Blue Petunias
Then this sweet thing happened over the weekend...
A swarm of honeybees visited our yard and overnighted in one of our mulberry trees. I took great pleasure in visiting and observing them and they were low enough that I could get some decent pictures. I'm hoping that they'll take up residence in a hollow tree nearby. 🐝
Well, let's get on with this week's post and see what's going on...shall we?
Squash Growing in the Garden
- spend as much quality time with dh as possible 💑
- take time to think, plan, and dream 🤔
- take time to rest and relax 😴
- read 📚
- wish our next-to-the-youngest dil a Happy Birthday 🎂
- wish my husband, our sons, and sons-in-law a Happy Father's Day 👴
- clean house 🏡
- do laundry 👕
- clean out fridge 🥶
- work fresh fruit up (make fruit salad, strawberry shortcake, and banana and chocolate-chip oat-bran muffins) 🍉🍇🍓🍌
- wash windows 🏠
- make hummingbird nectar and refill feeders 🌺
- work in the garden 🌱
- weed-eat the edges 🏡
- work from home (data entry-finish Bogart and submit) 💻
Yucca Blooming in the Front Yard
Monday - Broiled salmon, baked potatoes, brussel sprouts, and oven-roasted carrots 🐟
Tuesday - Ham, baked beans, fried cabbage, and biscuits 🐖
Wednesday - Taco salad with guacamole 🥗
Thursday - Chicken, rice, and mixed vegetables 🐔
Friday - Homemade pizza 🍕
Saturday - Turkey sausage, eggs, sautéed onions and peppers, and toast 🦃
Sunday - Pasta with meat sauce, green peas, and homemade bread 🍝
Orange Daylilies
That's it for today you all! Have a nice day and a great week ahead and I'll be with you all again soon.
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Chive Butter
Chives are one of my summer favorites!
They are a member of the onion family and even the flowers are edible!
I love serving chives fresh from the garden in a variety of dishes, but my favorite way to enjoy them is chopped up on top of a baked potato with butter and sour cream.
To make I simply harvested a handful of fresh chives from the garden, cut into thin slices, and mixed with a half-cup (one stick) of butter that had been laid out and brought to room temperature.
Afterwards, I divided the mixture evenly between eight cavities of an old ice cube tray and popped it into the freezer until the butter was hard.
What about you? Do you like chives? What are your favorite ways to use them?
To learn more about planting, growing, and harvesting chives visit THIS PAGE on the Old Farmer's Almanac. It is from this page that I learned the importance of dividing my chives and how to use them in companion gardening. Now I have a whole row of chives next to the tomatoes, plus the big clump that's still in the herb wheel. If all goes well, I should be able to freeze and dry a year's worth of chives before the season is over, plus have plenty to give away and share.
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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Monday, June 7, 2021
Master List and Menu Plan Monday - June 7, 2021
Greetings, Dear One! Happy First Monday of June!
How was your week and weekend?
Our week here passed in one big blur. In reality, I don't think I accomplished too much of anything this week. In addition to laundry and picking at housecleaning (didn't even do a thorough job of that) I did get the June budget figured, the bills paid, and shopped for groceries. That's about it.
Orange Daylily
Purple Coneflower
Please pray, too, for my friend, Dorothy. She was in the hospital a while back with COVID, got out, went back in for post-COVID complications, and has now been diagnosed with COVID pneumonia. She was placed on a ventilator Thursday and they are only giving her a 20 to 30% chance of coming off it.
Me and Dorothy
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
I did take a trip out to the park this week and got these neat bird shots on my way home. The one above is of a scissor-tailed flycatcher; the one below is of a dickcissel in flight. I caught him just as he was releasing himself from the shrub that he was sitting on just a split-second before.
Dickcissel
This week's master to-do list...
- spend as much quality time with my husband as possible 👫
- clean house 🏡
- do laundry 👕
- work from home as I have time (data entry) 💻
- get in a visit with our youngest daughter and her family 👪
- make that chive butter that I didn't get to last week 🧈
- read 📚
- mail a few cards 📬
- try to get a grip on myself and my emotions 😵
This week's menu plan...
Monday - Turkey breast cutlets (freezer), baked potatoes, oven-roasted carrots, and baked apples 🦃
Tuesday - Taco salad with guacamole 🥗
Wednesday - Oven roasted chicken breasts, brown rice, and sautéed peppers and onions 🐔
Thursday - DD is grilling (chef's choice) 🍔
Friday - Broiled salmon, baked sweet potatoes, and brussel sprouts 🐟
Saturday - Cashew chicken with vegetables served over brown rice 🥢
Sunday - Leftovers
Well, Ladies, that's it for this week. Have a nice day and a great week ahead!
Until next time...
~Rebecca
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