Thursday, June 27, 2024

Thursday Things - June 27, 2024

I'm in the midst of another whirlwind week with lots going on, but I wanted to take a few mintues to catch up and say hello!



I've been working like crazy to get my Zazzle store up and running and have ordered several items to have on-hand to sell outright. I have hundreds of photos saved to make into product, but it's just going to take time. I'm working on a 2025 calendar right now.

My friend, Jenny, has a pop-up community market and she has graciously allowed me to put some of my things in her shop. I will be adding more things as time goes on, but I am certainly grateful for this opportunity to get some stuff out there to the local public close to home.



I discovered a good stand of white crownbeard growing in my backyard last night. A co-worker had given me a couple of plants back in 2017 and they produced frost flowers that fall, but, by the following year, they were gone. 

Last year I noticed two very tiny, spindly-looking plants growing in another part of my yard where there had never been any before. I was surprised last night to find about a dozen-and-a-half tall, strong, and robust plants growing in that same area. I will have frost flowers in abundance in my backyard for sure this year!



Some people call white crownbeard "wing stem" because of the little winged appendages that grow along the stem. 



Other people refer to white crownbeard as "frost plants" because of the beautiful, frosty creations that form at the base of the plants when temperatures plummet.



To learn more about frost flowers click HERE

Granddaughters, Esther and Hannah, both celebrated birthdays this week 



Esther's birthday was Tuesday; Hannah's was yesterday.



I enjoyed celebrating with both!

Well, the day is getting away from me and I have much to do, so I will go for now, but I hope to see you again soon!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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Monday, June 24, 2024

Master To-Do List and Menu Plan Monday - June 24, 2024 - The Short, Sweet, and To-The-Point Edition

After a busy weekend and a great Monday, here it is, late night and I'm just now getting around to this week's to-do list and menu plan. 

Zinnias From My Garden

Instead of dilly-dallying, I'm going to get right on into this week's post so I can, hopefully, get it posted before midnight.

Grey-headed Coneflower

This week's master to-do list...

- Clean house
- Do laundry
- Celebrate granddaughter, Esther's, birthday
- Celebrate granddaughter, Hannah's, birthday
- Look for ways to weatherize against the extreme heat and cut utility costs
- Work

Recent Products Added to My New Zazzle Shop

This week's menu plan...

Monday - Leftovers from the weekend
Tuesday - Out
Wednesday - Fish, fries, and coleslaw
Thursday - Crispy chicken cakes with baked sweet potato and mixed vegetables
Friday - Homemade pizza
Saturday - THM Egg Roll in a Bowl
Sunday - Cheeseburgers and macaroni and cheese

View Across the Street

That's all for now! I hope you had a nice day and that your week is off to a great start!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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Thursday, June 20, 2024

Summer 2024 Bucket List

Once again, the summer season is upon us and, as usual, it promises to be a busy one. I've been thinking about some of the things that I'd like to do this summer. I know, 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! 



"...ye see and know of your own selves that
summer is now nigh at hand" 
(Luke 21:30)

Summer Bucket List 2024

  • Write my summer bucket list
  • Plan my summer menus (these will be posted each week in my 'Master To-Do and Menu Plan Monday' posts) 
  • Celebrate summer birthdays with the grandlittles (there are a bunch of them!)
  • Eat watermelon
  • Welcome a new granddaughter into the family
  • Observe a full moon (June 22 - Strawberry Moon, July 21 - Buck Moon, August 19 - Sturgeon (also a seasonal Blue Moon) September 18 - Harvest Moon (supermoon)
  • Lead an evening wildflower hike at the Battle of Island Mound State Historic Site
  • Complete the following programs at work... 
    - Winged Jewels
    - Nature's Clean-up Crew
    - Spider Sniff
  • Complete the following library programs...
    - Vulture Venture
    - Ssssnake
    - Nature's Masked Bandits
  • Celebrate the 4th of July with family and friends
  • Catch lightening bugs
  • Serve as an election judge
  • Enjoy fresh-cut flowers from my garden
  • Divide irises and clean flower beds
  • Get the word out about my new Zazzle shop and add lots of new products
  • Celebrate my 63rd birthday
  • Enjoy the Perseid meteor shower
  • Listen to cicadas
  • Find a cicada shell
  • Observe a periodic cicada 
  • Paint, hide, and find rocks with the grands
  • Visit Cape Girardeau, Missouri
  • Enjoy fresh produce and herbs from my garden
  • Speak at a 4-H meeting
  • Get van serviced and any needed repairs taken care of
  • Schedule an eye exam and get new glasses

That's what's on my summer bucket list (thus far anyway...I may add to it as the season moves along). What's on yours?

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Spring 2024 Bucket List (UPDATE)


It's the last day of spring and time for an update on my Spring 2024 Bucket List. Items completed have been crossed through and pictures and comments in bold type and (in parenthesis) have been added where applicable. 

"For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations."
(Isaiah 61:11)


- Write my spring bucket list
- Plan my spring menus (these will be posted each week in my 'Master To-Do and Menu Plan Monday' posts)
- Celebrate Palm Sunday

Palm Leaves

- Celebrate Purim


(This is a fun picture! Look at all of those beautiful, little Queen Esthers running around there!) 💗

- Get together with the aunts

The Aunts (Bev and Geneva) and I

(These two were little girls when I was born and they lived right next door. They're more like older sisters than aunts and I love them both dearly!)

- Renew my conceal and carry permit
- Celebrate Resurrection Sunday

Sixteen of My Twenty-four Grandchildren
on Resurrection Sunday Morning

- Taste a morel mushroom

Fried Morel Mushroom

(Two were found in my backyard this year...one by my son-in-law and another by one of the grandsons.)

- Observe the solar eclipse

Photo Taken in 2017

(Didn't make it over into totality this time as planned, but did observe the partial eclipse in backyard with children and grands.)

- Celebrate spring birthdays with the children and grands


- Gather a bouquet of ox-eye daisies

Ox-eyed Daisies

- Assist with and attend a baby shower for daughter, Amber

Amber Opening Gifts @ Her Baby Shower

Selah Hosanna Joy
8 lbs. 3 oz. - 21 inches long

- Plant a garden and watch it grow
- Observe Indian paintbrush blooming on the prairie

Indian Paintbrush

- Enjoy a rainy day
- Present spring nature programs at work and at the local library

Indian Paintbrush

Baby Bison

Grow As We Go
(Life Cycles)

- Observe sweet williams growing along the banks of a country creek

Wild Sweet Williams

- Go for a walk in the woods
- Pick up bedding and vegetable plants at the Amish Greenhouse

Geranium

- Present a nature program at the Golden City, Missouri public library

Baby Bison
(Golden City)


- Attend Spring Training @ Roaring RIver State Park

Roaring River State Park
Cassville, Missouri

- Cook burgers on the grill
- Attend a 'Little House' meet and greet

Mr. Oleson Impersonator Handing
Out Candy to the Girls
Alison Arngrim 
(Nelly Oleson)
Wendi Lou Lee
(Baby Grace)
Charlotte Stewart
(Miss Beadle)
Dean Butler
(Almanzo Wilder)

- Renew tags on van
- Deep clean the kitchen
- Plant zinnias

Zinnias From My Garden

- Smell lilacs

Lilacs From My Garden

- See a brand new baby bison

(I've heard from co-workers that we have at least five new babies this year, but I've not seen a one of them as of yet.)

- Observe a bird's nest with eggs in it
- Clean out and organize the garage

(I've worked on it and have definitely made a big difference, but it's still not finished so I'm not counting it.) 

- Pay closer attention to labels and start eliminating health and beauty products that contain sls

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 17, 2024

Master To-Do List and Menu Plan Monday - June 17, 2024

It's Monday afternoon and I'm just now getting a chance to sit down and vist with you. How was your week and weekend?

Black Swallowtail and Regal Frittilary Butterflies
on Butterfly Weed

My week here was full (programs, work, and an unexpected trip to Arkansas) and my weekend was actually productive.



I finished the diamond painting journal that one of my granddaughters surprised me with. It's really nice and was fun to do. I didn't even know that there was such a thing! 

Before

After

I hardly ever have a Saturday off, but, it just so happens, that I did this past weekend. I used the time off to work on getting my new Zazzle shop set up. They were having issues over the weekend and, even though I added several new products, nothing was showing up. I think they're up now, but I will check again here in a bit just to be sure. If you get a chance, please, check it out  and give me some feedback. I'd really appreciate it! I'll be adding more new products soon. 

Clouded Sulpher Butterfly on Pale Purple Cone Flower

Please pray for Tiger (one of Fiona's two-year-old kittens). She came in with a limp and swollen foot Saturday night. She slept pretty much all day yesterday, but is eating and drinking and acting quite a bit better today. I'm starting to think that she might have gotten stung by something. Please pray for complete health and healing in her foot.

Tiger When She Was a Baby

This week's master 'to-do' list...

- Clean house
- Do laundry
- Pick up a few bulk items at the Amish store and go grocery shopping
- Lead an evening wildflower hike
- Get my Zazzle shop up and running and add a few new products
- Work (Hug-A-Herp Day is Saturday)

Lady Bug

This week's menu plan...

Monday - Mini tacos with black beans
Tuesday - Stuffed pepper casserole
Wednesday - Out
Thursday - Out
Friday - Turkey Italian sausage with fried cabbage and baked potato
Saturday - Leftovers
Sunday - Cheeseburgers and macaroni and cheese

Bumble Bee on Common Milkweed


That's it for today! I hope your Monday is going well and that your week is off to a great start! 

Until next time...
~Rebecca

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