Pretty Flowers and JP's 70th

Hi there everyone.....Hope you are having a good day!! Well, today is JP's 70th Birthday. He said he never thought he would ever make it to 70....yep, we are just a vapor. Here today and gone tomorrow. 

I will probably go to the store and find him a chocolate cake or some specialty chocolate pie....not sure yet. Maybe buy him a plant that we both can enjoy. I probably should buy him a new pair of work pants too. But I will wait till I get a coupon from Shopko...spend $50 and get $10 off....my favorite kind of deal.

Have not decided yet what his special meal will be....probably steak, mushrooms and potatoes.....I would like to get one of those Cowboy Rib eye steaks......and do a reverse sear on it. Put it in the oven first then sear on a fry pan.....sounds interesting.

I finally took some pictures of these lovely pink variegated tulips. They almost look like peonies don't they??? So pretty.

A few more views of these tulips. I need to put another layer of red mulch down, the weeds seem to make their way through the mulch....gerrrrr.....hard to keep up with the weeds.

My cute little pansies. I have some yellow pansies planted in planters on the front porch. Last night I planted red petunias. Tonight I pulled some snow on the mountain and some blue bells.....they look like weeds right now....so now is the time to be rid of them. Laid some mulch down but could use another layer. Oh well.....a little bit each day, I might be done by Fall.

We may order some more mulch, have not decided as yet. It's much easier to order 2 yards of mulch then buy the bags...you don't know from where that mulch is coming from and if it is diseased. Here, we buy this mulch that is actually recycled pallets and then dyed red. They use a magnet to release the nails. 

We have about a wheel barrel and a half left so that is not enough to finish what I want done in the front and back yard. My yard will really look nice when it finally gets done. I hope I am not just dreaming....that eventually it will be reality.

Well, I think I shall close this post for tonight so I can post it tomorrow on JP's Birthday. You all have a great day and keep looking up~~~better days are coming. Cheers ~ Louise

My New Blanky, Some Flowers and Blue Apron Invite

Hi there everyone. Welp......it's the last day of August....someone please tell me, where has this month gone????? Remember that song that Frank Sinatra sang...."and the days dwindle down, to a precious few...September, November....."  Now what was the title to that song. Always think about it this time of the year, fall is in the air. 

Well as you can see, I bought my new blanky at Shopko. It was a $50 blanket and I got it for $21...not a bad price. Kylie likes it very much as it is soooo soft and cuddly. I love the color.

Here are some flowers I picked to sit on my table....pretty huh?? Oh and some zinnias too.

These are my volunteer Brown eyed Susans......they love coming back every year in different places of my garden. I wish I could get them to grow in my back yard....but I guess there is too, too much shade back there.

This is my second planting of petunias....the first crop died out and these petunias came free to us. So, wah-lah a new place to grow.

Three days (9/3) till my hernia operation....I have to be at the hospital at 5:30 am....uge, not looking forward to this little field trip at all. You would think I would be used to this after going through two cataract eye surgeries (July 22 and Aug 5), but no, I am not. Fear of the unknown grips my spirit. I would like to have that peace that passes all understanding....the kind of peace that Jesus gives, not what the world gives. Although I cannot say there is much peace in this world, so yeah, I will take the peace that Jesus gives any day or hour.

I have some good news.....Blue Apron (here is their site) just gave me 3 free invitations to invite 3 friends to try out Blue Apron. You will receive 3 free meals with meat, vegetables, spices and directions that come in a refrigerated box with ice on the bottom. It is delivered to your front door and you can start cooking one of the meals that night. I have already invited one blog friend, so I have 2 invitations left.

I really like this concept...as I am trying new foods and spices that I would not otherwise buy at the store....because I did not know how to use it or make it. One of the previous meals called for coconut rice...man that was good and the chicken stir-fry that topped the rice was delish.....JP wanted a second helping and so did I.

Another item I liked and have actually found at the store after much hunting was Polenta. I have seen the rolls of polenta, but not the kind you make yourself. I might make that tonight with the pulled pork I made the other day.....sounds like a tasty meal.

So if you are interested in receiving a box of free food from Blue Apron (again here's the site) please leave a comment, saying you would like to try this out. Even if you are not  interested....still leave a comment. The only stipulation I have is that I must know you and you are a regular visitor to my blog....oh and you like to cook for your family.....thank you. I will email you to get your email address, then send it on to Blue Apron and they will contact you for your address and when the best delivery date is. I think this is so nice of them.

There are two other Companies that do this, "Plated" and "Hello Fresh" Have not heard the reviews of Hello Fresh....but Plated I have. I think I will stick with Blue Apron....thank you again.

Well, guess I will close here for now, you have a great day and keep looking up.....yes, I am trying to do that too!!
Cheers ~ Louise

OOOOO.......Apple Blossoms!!!

Hi there everyone. Wow, can't believe how fast this month has gone by. We look so forward to Spring and it flashes before our eyes in seconds. Time races by so fast!!

Took some pictures of my apple trees.....both are blooming, I am so excited for the apples, both trees will produce. The tree on the left will be the red apples. The tree on the right will be the green ones. Hopefully we will be busy harvesting apples in September.

So pretty, so many apples. I am not sure when I should spray..better go to a nursery and find out.

I noticed today the flowers are starting to fall off....looks like snow on the ground.

Here's a close up of the pretty little flowers. In the background is the fire pit. I still have a lot to do there...it will take a little time getting the things done that need to get done.

I bought two tomato plants, two cucumber plants. Planted those the other day, still have some white waverly petunias and red geraniums to plant in the front of the house. Oh and there are naturally all those weeds that need pulling...which never ends.

So tomorrow JP has an appointment with the urologist, he has been having a few problems. Hopefully the Doctor will find out what is wrong. Well, time to close here, have to get the dishes done, a load of clothes and figure out what I will make for JP when he comes home at 1am.
Cheers ~ Louise

Pretty Flowers in My Garden (God's Creations)

 Hi Everyone!! Hope you are keeping cool in this hot summer weather. I am sure all the flowers and vegies are enjoying this weather as this is their best growing time.....warmth makes for happy plants (for some). In the top picture is my wonderful white rose plant. I almost had JP dig it up this spring because it was not even sending out shoots of growth,  I really cut it down to hardly any stems then "suddenly" it started to grow.....boy that was a close one for this rose bush......at this blog writing it must have 12-16 blooms on it. I'll take a picture of it tomorrow.

In this second picture is my Delphinium "Guardian Early Blue" a perennial that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Hope it makes it through the winter, it's hardy to -30 degrees below.

 

 In this picture is a White  "Platycodon Grandiflorus" Balloon Flower. There is no green thumb required for this little plant and is unbelievably easy to grow. I still have to find a place to plant this little girl as she likes sun to part shade. So far she is liking it in the patio garden, as she would get the morning sun and evening sun.

 My yellow rose bush out in front of the house. This is her third year, still pretty small, but she makes beautiful blooms.

 I have liked this plant to sit on my front porch for the last 4-5 years. It's a Sonic Deep Purple New Guinea Impatiens. It always lets me know when it is thirsty and survives on the porch with indirect sunlight. Of course it is an annual and I must buy a new plant every year....but this is the one that gets this spot every year.

 So here is my $1.50 Hibiscus plant that I got from Walmart 4 years ago.....she's a going and growing strong. Although, tonight when I went on the front porch, this plant had fallen off the table and onto the floor. I am not sure if the squirrel in question knocked it over or the wind. Nothing else was knocked over, so I am thinking the squirrel was looking for some mischief cause I didn't feed him in the back yard with all the birdies. But he has another surprise for his cute little paws.....I smeared Vaseline on the shepherd hooks so he can't get into the birdie houses and eat the bird seed....lol!!!! I will let you know who won this war!!!

 Petunias in all their glory!!!

My cute little sunflowers, (I'm forgetting their name at this moment, will check it out tomorrow and let you know). So this is just the beginning of my flower parade. So many creations of God's Glory, HE sure is a God of many, many creations. 

I have some more daisies in the 'fire-pit' and some Bee Balm and a few other interesting flowers. Well, going to close this blog for tonight. Getting a little warm sitting here and I need to go into the kitchen to cool off a bit. (that's were the air conditioner is running) 

So you all have a great couple of days, see you in a few. Keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.

Cheers ~ Louise

Birthday #66 Continued

 JP hit #66 on the 17th of May......now he has caught up to me and we shall be 66 together.....fun, fun. Made JP a chocolate Wacky Cake with cream cheese frosting and strawberries, here you see it all lit up with one candle.

 This is the birthday card I made for JP. Actually made it at Betty's house and thought it was the perfect card to give to JP.

Although I did have to explain it to him and what the card meant with the guys rear end showing....he finally got it!!

 So we went to B.J. Clancy's for dinner Friday evening. For JP's free dinner, he got fish, green pepper soup and a fruit bowl. As you can see, before I could take a picture, it was all gone.

 Me, I got a salad, London broil and fries........yum!!!

 Here you see JP is "SUPER EXCITED" about getting his free chocolate ice cream....there's a sparkler shimmering.....kinda hard to see........I said to JP, in this picture "You sure do look like your mother!!!"

 Today we went to the Outagamie Master Gardeners 15th Annual Sale. I ended up getting a garlic plant and a little purple flower......not sure where I will plant it yet. Not sure of it's name either.

Here, we are at Van's Northside Hardware. They have beautiful flowers here. Got some red and white petunias. White Geraniums, and White Cosmos.....I guess that is my color scheme....white and red. I did buy a pink flower....forget it's name...but it will sit on the porch because it does not like direct sun, more of a shade plant. Maybe it might end up somewhere around my fountain, lot's of shade there.

Well, we never made it to "Serious Burger" maybe, next week. Allergies were bothering me some today, but we did manage to get some more painting done on the front porch. Still have the floor to stain, maybe in a couple of weeks. There is lots of weeds to pull in the front yard.......gosh, so much to do!!! But every little bit that's done, makes for one more accomplishment!!!

Time to close, it's almost 11pm and I still have a few more things to do. Tomorrow is church. If the weather is nice tomorrow we shall cook on the grill and maybe plant a few plants and bring out my ceramic animals.

You all have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draws nigh.

Cheers ~ Louise

My Hibiscus and Three Cards

Added the above card to my Etsy store yesterday. The price is $3 + postage. The card: red cardstock was run through the cuttlebug then cut and punched with a circle punch. The butterflies are punched with a Martha Stewart punch. The circle is stamped with a flower and "Just Saying Hello" Very simple, yet elegant.

This picture is my lovely $1.50 Hibiscus plant which I bought at Walmart a couple of years ago. She seems to like her environment. Coming in, in the Fall and sitting in the sunniest window in the house. She gets watered  twice a week and fertilized every couple of months. Her first winter with us she got a bad case of mites. This past winter was a little bit easier....no mites. Not sure what I had done different but what ever it was, it worked. She's a blooming constantly now and enjoys the nice summer days.

The above and below cards are both going in my Etsy store in the next few days. The above card will be $4 + postage. Because it is a larger card and it has alot of techniques using my cricuit and cuttlebug in a few steps. If you are interested in what I did, just email me and I can tell you.

Well, I hope you all are having a great day.....the weather here in Wisconsin is so beautiful. Bought some red petunias to plant outside and a few other plants need to be planted, I have 2 Lady's Mantle plants that need to find a place in the landscape....but I am not sure where. Need to look up in the computer what they look like, then maybe I will know where they go. Oh and those weeds need to be pulled.....they never stop growing.

Well, you all have a great day and keep looking up for your redemption draweth nigh.
Cheers to all ~ Louise