More flowers and garden produce.

The garden has begun to share more produce.I picked the last of the radishes and strawberries.The peas are just beginning.New peas and potatoes.Yummmmmmmmmmm.


I am linking to http://www.tootsietime.com/2012/06/fertilizer-friday-flaunt-your-flowers_14.html

Marvelous muffins.These are strawberry/rhubarb.These are all that are left of 15.Mr.T. likes them.

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 T baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup unsalted butter(melted)
1 1/2 cups fresh fruit(blue berries peaches,rhubarb etc.)mix dry ingredients together,pour in buttermilk and melted butter,alternating until all moistened.Do not over mix
Bake @ 400 degrees for 20 min.watch close may be done sooner.

Topping
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
mix and top muffins before baking

I took a few more pictures of flowers in the yard and in the screen porch.The pretty pink begonia was a gift from my friend Pat.Roses are blooming and the marigolds are bright and beautiful.j

Porch and patio plants/picture heavy

 I shared baskets in a former post that I wanted to have filled with plants this summer.Things are looking good.Some still a bit small but will be full and beautiful soon.I had really good luck last winter keeping some of the plants in the greenhouse.The ferns,tall purple spikes and begonias did really well and are looking good outside.The last 2 pictures are on the patio. I saw milk separators used as plant holders.I had 2. They worked great on the patio. My motto this year.Use it or lose it..j

linked to http://www.tootsietime.com/2012/06/fertilizer-friday-flaunt-your-flowers_14.html

Big job/Hosta garden

We are back from another weekend of camping at the lake. Good friends and good food.Nothing better.Mr. T started a big job this past week.He and our friend Larry started to side our house. A very big job for 2 retired guys.The difference is going to be great.

This morning Mr.T. got to work early.Working on the side of the house where my bedroom is.He knows better than to poke the bear. GRRRRR! I looked out the north bedroom window(not a room I am usually in) to see my hosta garden from above. What a pretty site. Have a great week everyone. j

 

Wild things

After our experience with the squirrels I had hoped no more wild things would bother to visit.Well last week we had several. Some I like others not so much.
We feed an outside cat. She and her brother were found under the bushes.Mom had died. We took care to have them spade and neutered but they were not invited to live inside. The male wandered away years ago but Sissy stayed and became Mr. T.'s side kick while he works around the house.
This history, of the cat, is part of the story. Because he feeds this kitty  we have had other cats. Many have been trapped and taken to farms. What we thought was a big hairy cat turns out to be a raccoon. Brazen thing did not even run away but sat on the patio and stared at us. It was a very clever coon..Took 3 nights to trap it.

It went for a very long ride out into the country side. I sure hope it does not find it's way back to town.
Also this week we had a snake in the fish pond. When I saw it it had a fish in its mouth. It has gone to snake heaven.No picture of it.
I got a new bird feeder for mother's day and we have put it up ,along with a finch feeder we bought. This morning we had an oriole visit but no food for him.I need an oriole feeder. We have had blue jays, finches,sparrows, and starlings so far.It is nice to sit on the screen porch and watch them all.
The Hallie Anna vine outside the screen attracts the humming birds and the humming bird moths.

We camped with Cameron at Malory Park Friday and Sat. He was in heaven. He caught  10 small bass Sunday morning. I'm not sure how many he caught the other days.
He and Papa(Mr. T.) took a long hike. Malory is where we did a lot of camping when our kids were young.
Good times.Good memories. Hope your days are good.j

Remember those who serve./little sewing

It has been a busy time. Summer is here weather the calender says so or not. Record highs predicted. It is 90 degrees. To hot for me! I will be getting back to sewing.
There has been little of that. The yard and gardens have taken up our time.I did help a friend by doing the binding on a baby quilt. My favorite part of quilt making.

The peonies are blooming. It would be nice if they lasted a bit longer. The lilies are starting to bloom.
Not much to blog today.Hope you all are enjoying good weather. Have a great week.

Remember those that serve and have served to keep us free. j
https://www.facebook.com/FIF.HOH

Camping/Trip to Mn.

What a good time we had going to visit our youngest daughter and her family.
Hallie had her last high school concert.
It was very good. The music teacher and his professor composed a piece in memory of their fathers. The professor was there for the concert.We had a chance to meet him after the concert.

Hallie, her dad and the professor.






On the way back to Iowa we stopped to stay over night at our friends.Sharon has a bird feeder by the porch.As we were sitting there a couple of hummers came to feed.I got several good pictures.

 We camped along the Mississippi river in a very nice camp ground. the weather was cold the first night but the day temps were great.
 The view was great.

Hope you all have a really good week.j

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New water feature

I got a better picture of the water feature I made for the patio area.It is so nice to listen to while we sit in the screen porch.All things I had and really needed to do something with them. We are working on downsizing things. If it does not have a use it needs to live somewhere else.I was going to make a shelf out of the door in the back garden area but it worked out here. My little Japanese maple got hit by the frost but is recovering nicely after a bit of trimming.

Yesterday I had a very nice surprise from our good friends Larry and Mikki .Larry made me a birthday present.I love hand crafted gifts and get very few.This one we will use often while camping.










While I was out I took a few more pictures of flowers in the yard.The Hallie Anna vine is just starting to bloom.I wish you all could smell how wonderful it is .It is also under the screen porch windows.Double enjoyment. the sound of running water and the scent of the blooming flowers.











 The clematis is blooming. Also the bleeding heart and strawberries.

Mr.T Brought me some rocks from the farm to add to our front water feature. 

If you are ever in our area stop and sit a spell.
Have a great weekend.j

I will link tomorrow to http://www.tootsietime.com/search/label/Fertilizer%20Friday~~Flaunt%20Those%20Flowers

Spring /plants

I took a few pictures of things we have been working on in the patio/yards/porch.I finally brought out most of the plants I wintered over. We got 2 more water features set up. The weather has been beautiful. It is cool today but better,for me, than hot humid. On the porch,bamboo water feature in a copper boiler, ferns, begonias, airplane plants.

In the patio area we added an old hand pump to a big pot filled it with water a small electric water pump .A piece of an old door a little wreath and tada.fun water feature.!It is outside the screen porch windows.The sound of the water is so nice.



 





 Moss on the fire brick.
More work to do have a good week.j