Random June Pictures

Hi there everyone. Two more days left in June....where oh where did this month go???? I have been busy with my gardens, pulling weeds, planting flowers and vegies. Even tonight I was planting while it drizzled here and there. Tomorrow is supposed to be a nice day though, so I may be planting a few more flowers. Eventually I will take some pictures of some of the things I have done.

So here are my cute Flamingos.....enjoying their little pond. I have had to move these guys a couple of times. I think they finally found their resting place. Which is here, for now.

A picture of JP on the ladder cleaning the gutter. This gutter is on the side of the house and has been over-flowing with water during the storms. The water was not going down the spout because it was so clogged up. Finally he went up there.

Yep....finally the water is flowing down the spout, look at that water running down and all that junk that was clogged up in the gutter. Such a relief when things are running right in our little house.

So here we are. The Flamingos had to move again and I had to take down my little bamboo fencing that camouflages the neighbors stuff in their backyard. See that green fencing??? The neighbor sold it and a man from Green Bay came to take it down. So, the neighbor said I had to move my fencing.  After waiting a week I decided to put my fence back up again leaving 5 inches between my fence and their green fence. Finally I could have my yard back in order again. The green fence is down now...I am glad I put up my fencing, I don't have to worry if Kylie decides to take a walk in the neighbors backyard.

Here is a picture of the side of our house.....Still working on this. Pulled weeds down at the end, planted a zucchini plant and a few flowers in the pots. I painted the stool white, it was an ugly green, time for an upgrade. This is a work in progress. More mulch is needed for the side of the house.

And Kylie....she just rests all day and lets me do the all the work. She is now on medication for her liver. Every morning she gets a pill an hour before she eats....we are on a new schedule. She might be around 12 years old now...so these pills will be something she may have to take for the rest of her life....$45 a month. Not including the liver panel every couple of months for $55 each time. Oh well, she is part of the family so we do what needs to be done to keep her around.

Time to close, hope you are having a good night. Keep looking up cause better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

Days Flying and Still Much To Do

Hi there everyone. Yeah.....I know.....right????? These days are passing by so fast. Getting away from me. I am still working on my gardens. Finally tackled the weedy garden in the front yard. I should have taken a picture....will do that tomorrow. 

Saturday, I did manage to clear the weeds away from my two rose bushes and lay some mulch. It does look nice. Now if I can just get the rest of the front yard to look nice. I have lots of mint growing that literally took over the front yard along with strawberries and violets. It's really hard to tell what's what. But, I do have till September to get things organized. 

JP's family is coming for a visit sometime this summer, would be nice to get things done by then. But I don't know if that will happen. Last Tuesday the neighbor next store, asked me to take down my little bamboo fencing that kinda covers their mess in their backyard. When I look out my kitchen window I see JUNK.....so my little fencing covered that. 

So I took down my fencing because they were having a man come and take their green fence down, then they will be able to put up a privacy fence. Well, the guy came, paid for it, pulled off the wires that held the fence together and left and has not been back to take the rest of the fence down. This could take all summer to get done. As I know how slow the neighbors work. They also have another place up north they are working on. 

So I waited and waited for the guy to return, got tired of waiting and put my little fencing back up, 5 inches on to my property so it is NOT leaning on their fence. They should be able to work around it....I just needed to see some semblance of organization. It is very depressing looking out my kitchen window and see junk piled up....it's almost like hoarders live next store to me!!!! 

Hopefully by her birthday, 7/11, the green fence will be down and her privacy fence up. What a mess in the mean time.

I got a few more tomato plants yesterday along with a pepper plant, a zuchinni plant and another cucumber plant....now I just have to find good places to plant them. Also bought 3 more bags of mulch. Yep, I went through 2 yards of red mulch this spring and could still use more. 

I am looking for a lavender/blue rose bush. I found one at Menards the beginning of Spring, but did not buy it. I should have, but procrastinated, as usual. But then, I did not know where I would plant it. But know I do.....now I have to look again for the rose bush. Maybe Shopko will still have some roses. It is hard to believe that the stores are closing out......where did this season go to????

Hey, I have already seen Christmas stuff up at Hobby Lobby....now that is really pushing it!!!!!

In September we are getting this tree cut down. It actually sits on ours and the neighbor on the other side of us. See, they already have their privacy fence. We tried to get this tree cut down 5 years ago, but the estimate to cut it down was $2600. We did not have that kind of $$$$

So Habitat for Humanity will do it for us. In September they are doing a " Rock the Block" where many houses will get fixed, yards cleaned, trees cut etc. I am afraid this tree will fall on our shed and garage. The neighbor is also worried that the tree will fall on his garage and fence. He also thinks it will fall on the neighbor behind us......whatever.....lets get this tree cut down. It's just a weed anyways "box elder" that has a bunch of bugs in the spring and fall.

This is a very big tree, all we need is a good gust of wind and down it will come. As you can see, this summer is going to be a summer packed with lots of activity and changes. One nice thing will be, there will be lots more sun back there and I can have my garden back that got lost to too much shade by this tree. 

A Note: Today Habitat for Humanity called and the tree is un-assessable for cutting. I guess the other tree will not get trimmed either. I am kinda disappointed in that decision. I have to find out if the City of Appleton will take it down or We Energies. There are wires running through the tree and I don't know if it is telephone or electric wires.  

Well time to close here, it's getting late. Keep looking up, better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

Solar Sun Fountains and Kylie

Hi there everyone....hope you had a nice Father's Day Week-end. We had a nice one. Quiet with a little bit of work mixed into it.

JP's Father died in the 90's. My father died in 1961. My step-father just died last month. I got through it though with not too much pain and sadness. Pops has lived in Las Vegas since '86 and I probably saw him 4 or 5 times in 31 years. The last time was when my mother had died in 2001 and I went for her Memorial and her ashes were spread in the mountains of Las Vegas. A lady friend (who they grew close to and called her their daughter) spread my mother's ashes and she planned on spreading Pop's also. She knew I would not be coming out there, so she would take care of it. End of a chapter in my life.

On to happier news. So this is part of my back yard....it's coming along nicely. I bought this new Solar Sun Fountain, in the red planter. It came all the way from China....really cute I think....I moved it today, so it is in more sun. Doesn't work well in shade.

This little fountain, I picked up at a Plant Sale in May. Paid $1 and the pond container was free. The above fountain......$30 and the container $15.....my splurge. Love my Flamingos, they like the pond too.

Kylie came for a visit while I was playing in my little garden. Yesterday I finally put up my bamboo fencing for a little bit of privacy from the neighbors stuff that I have to look at everyday from my Kitchen window......sometimes gets depressing. The  neighbor lady says that sometime this summer they will be putting up a taller privacy fence.....can't be soon enough for me. I will take pictures of my new bamboo fencing as soon as I get the second section up. What I have done so far....looks really good.

I might have too much in this little section, but when I sit on my bench, I am always looking at everything and deciding if something should be moved or a weed pulled....sitting on my bench does not last long.

Looks like in both these pictures that Kylie is enjoying the little fountain also....probably the sun feels good on her back. I should take lessons from her on how to just stand around and relax.

I have one tomato plant growing in a pot....it's getting pretty big and needs lots of watering. Beefsteak...looking forward to those BLT's.

I have some Beefsteak tomato plants growing in the front of the house and one between the two garages. This year I shall see which place grows the best tomatoes....I want to get a cucumber plant....but have not been able to find one. I wonder, is it to late to start some seeds???

Went to Menards today and got a Wave Petunia plant, Sweet Basil plant and a Mosquito plant....sounds interesting. I might plant it by my park bench, so I can enjoy my backyard. There is still so much to do....like I said, by the time I get things done, Fall will be here...oh well.....then comes winter and we start all over again.

Well, time to close here, it's going on Midnight and I still have not gone downstairs to work on a few cards. I got another Paper Pumpkin Kit from Stampin' up yesterday and made a few cards from that kit....I should take some pictures real soon.

You have a great day, keep looking up, better days are coming.

Cheers ~ Louise

MAN!!!! These Beans Were GOOD!!!

Hi there everyone. Hope you are having a good day. We had a storm go through a couple of hours ago....tornado warnings...time to go hide in the basement. Guess it was pretty bad all around us. A roof few off one of the buildings on College Ave. with lots of debris on the street. 60-70 mph winds. Lots of trees were up-rooted and blown down. Will have to watch the news tonight to see which building, it was a warehouse. College Ave is the business area of Appleton....with lots of tall buildings many bars and restaurants. I very seldom go shopping there. Not even sure there are stores to shop anymore.

Last night I made "No Soak Pressure Cooker Baked Beans" Guys......these were the best beans I have ever made!!! And boy did they do a good job with the creation of gaseous emissions. I am sure I added to the "Climate Change!!"

If you have a "Pressure Cooker XL" or any other one of those cookers that cooks with pressure....this is the recipe for you. I wanted to make beans....but every recipe I found, the beans had to soak over night. I just knew there had to be a recipe that I could use without having to soak the beans. So up popped this recipe.

2 cup pinto beans (I used 3 cups Navy beans)
4 cups water (6 cups water)
1 cup diced onion
4 strips bacon, chopped
1 can 16oz diced tomatoes
1/2 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/4 cup HONEY - SORRY forgot to add this ingred.
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt to taste
2 cups chicken stock

I left out: 1-6oz can tomato paste, 1 Tbsp molasses, 1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar and 1tsp salt. Only because I had no molasses or white vinegar.

I shall be adding baking soda to this mixture, maybe that will stop the gaseous emissions...lol!

Rinse beans and place in pressure cooker with 6 cups water and 1 Tbsp. salt. Cover and lock in place, closing steam vent. Press the bean selection and set timer for 30 minutes. While the beans are cooking mix the sauce together except the bacon and onions. Set the sauce aside.

When the beans are done, release the steam and remove the beans, strain and discard the liquid. Set the beans aside, they should be soft. If not, the next 30 minutes will soften them.

In the cooking pot, over the stove, I sauteed the bacon until slightly browned then added the chopped onions and sauteed for 2-3 minutes. Added the combined ingredients and the beans to the pot and stirred well. At this point, I added two cubes of frozen tomato paste.

Replace the lid and lock, close the steam vent and press the beans option and adjust the timer for 30 minutes. When the timer goes off, carefully release the steam, remove the lid, stir and serve. You can leave the beans in the pressure cooker on the keep warm mode to allow the sauce to thicken for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Enjoy.....I did freeze a container for later use. Best beans I ever made, just wish they agreed with me a bit more.

Thought I would add a picture of today's storm. It was really raining hard here. There were high winds and the sirens were blowing. According to the news reports, there were trees going down all over Appleton.

We had the car in yesterday to get fixed. Exhaust was getting a bit loud and the air conditioner was not working. This year I decided it was going to get fixed....not going through another warm summer without the air. So it was $514.00 to get fixed. I should get that paid off by Sept. then we need to get a new battery and 2 new tires before winter.

I might be going to a "Garden Walk" on Saturday, it will cost $10 and one canned food item. Not sure yet, as it depends on the weather mostly. We will see when the time comes. I am still working on our yard....still want to get some cucumber plants and of course there are still lots of weeds to pull....never ending is it???

Well time to close here....have a good night and keep looking up, better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

Pork Spear Ribs....Yummy Good!!!

Hi there everyone.....how is your Wednesday going so far??? I guess I am caught in a "time warp." My mind is still in May. Look at that calendar......it says June 7th already!!! So far this week, we have been whacking at weeds....where did they all come from? I have also run out of mulch and we need to get some more in the next few weeks, guess that depends on finances too.

Our car needs to go in for some work. I decided that I am not going through another summer without air-conditioning. So we will have that fixed and also have the exhaust fixed.....it sounds like a race car. When JP comes home from work at 1:30am you can hear him from 2 blocks down.....geez the exhaust is loud!!!! So that will be next Tuesday that the car is going in for work.

Kylie has not been feeling well lately. The Vet wants to do a liver panel on her. That will be $55, so I guess that will be sometime this week or next. And JP....well, he has another appointment with the prostrate Doctor next Friday...they are calling it "active surveillance" as JP does have cancer, but does not want an operation. So the Doctor is watching it to make sure it does not grow or spread. Lovely.....

The only way to calm my spirit is by EATING!!!! I found a great way to make ribs in my Power Pressure XL....man these are good!!!

As you can see, I used cayenne red pepper, Hungarian Paprika, salt, brown sugar and oregano for the seasoning.

Rubbed the seasoning all over the ribs. Then put the ribs in the pressure cooker for 30 minutes. Let the steam build up, cook and let the steam out. Oh...I did pour a little bit of BBQ sauce on the ribs before cooking and after cooking too.

So here is the finished product.....looks pretty good...yes??? Good enough to eat!!!! I did stick the ribs under the broiler for about 5 minutes. This will most likely be on the menu more often, especially when I see ribs on sale. I will do the ribs on the grill to see how that works...probably delicious!!

I got a new addition to my stamping stuff a couple of weeks ago. A Personal Cricut for $30. It came with a carrying case, 4 cartridges, pens and needle for cutting and a new cutting mat. Such a deal, I could not pass it up. Since then, I have bought two new cartridges, banners and envelopes. I must remember to take some pictures of the Cricut.  Sooooo, I think that is what I will be working on this summer as it is cool in the basement and may be too hot for this old lady to be outside this summer. Ah....who knows what I will be doing......as the weeds never stop growing. I just know if the spring when this fast how much faster will summer go????

Well, time to close here, must got get breakfast...I think 2 soft boiled eggs with toast and strawberries is on the menu. Had that yesterday and it kept me full for most of the day.

You all have a great day and keep looking up, better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise