The Tennessee Blue Book....

When I was in elementary school, I remember there was mention of the Tennessee Blue Book.  I'm not sure when it was, perhaps the year we studied Tennessee history.  Anyway, it is certain that the Blue Book from those days was a bit smaller than this one.

Larger than I remember from childhood.

The Tennessee Blue Book includes a variety of facts about our state.  Of course, there is a listing of the governors, as well as important accomplishments through the years.  My favorite pages are the ones that illustrate things like the state insect, the state flower, and others.

There are also several state songs.  That is material for another post.:-)

You probably have a similar book for your state.  Let me know!

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

Catching up....

Yes, it has been a little busy here, and I have a few pictures I haven't shared.

The lilies began blooming over a week ago, and they are still looking very nice.

More lilies!

The Husband bought these at a great bargain at the end of the season a couple of years ago, and they have surprised us both!

Slow to bloom.

The pink azalea has always been later to bloom.  The bushes are just now filling with blossoms.

I want to mention our daughter's blog.  If you have a chance, go check out cafecarol.com to read about her experience auditioning for the cooking show that premiered on CBS on Wednesday night.  She has some really good pictures! 

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

It is a good thing....

....that I took time to enjoy this on Monday afternoon....

that lemonade....

....because Tuesday morning came bright and early!  I was out to the Senior Center for a bit of bridge before having to leave there a little early in order to be present for this month's gathering of retired co-workers from my school.  Of course, I forgot to take the camera inside to take a picture of my lunch choice.:-( 

It was necessary for me to leave THAT group early as well as the Women's Chorus was once again scheduled to sing in a nearby town at a retirement/assisted living/nursing home complex.

I was taking the pictures from the car to try to show you some of the surrounding area in this complex.  The last picture is of some of the retirement residences - plus a good view of my windshield wipers!:-)

Anyway, needless to say it was a very full day, and I returned home ready to think about nothing!:-)

Today, I am keeping company with this....

...and the first load of laundry is done, ready for the dryer!

Perhaps I'll work in some time to once more sit on the patio with some lemonade!

The weather forecast for later is for a possible heat index of 90 degrees, feeling like 95 degrees if one is in the direct sunlight!  That seems like summer is here!

Have a great day!

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Last week....

The new week has begun.  There are a few events written on the calendar, but it doesn't appear this week will be like LAST week!:-)

These began to bloom....

 

 

 

....so some of them found their way into the house!:-)

The Women's Chorus, of which I am a member, presented our current program at an assisted living facility.

This is the theme of our current program....

....and these are the songs we sing.

The Husband and I met my sister and brother-in-law for a delayed birthday (mine and The Husband's) celebration lunch.   Check out this fantastic gift from her!

Isn't it great?

Thursday was the day for the area Retired Teachers Association, and I attended.  These were being given away, and I was thrilled to come home with one.

I will share this in greater depth another time.

You may have a similar book from the state where you live.

With all the rain we've been having, these mushrooms began growing in our yard!

We eased into another nice, cool week-end.  The Husband says it was "Honeysuckle Winter."

Here they are!

The honeysuckles are certainly in full bloom!  However, we also still have blooms on the wild blackberries as well as the thornless.  There might have still been a bit of "Blackberry Winter" lingering.:-)

Wild!

Thornless.

 

 

In addition to what has been mentioned, we also attended a dinner at church honoring Primetimers.  I made that first shopping trip to the new Publix which I had mentioned in the blog a few months ago, and The Husband played in a golf tournament.

I decided to begin the week taking advantage of a beautiful day and a comfortable breeze. 

Fresh lemonade!

It was definitely time for a nice, cold glass of fresh lemonade on the patio!  Won't you join me?

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

The week-end....

This week-end, we added some trimmings.

Always we remember the sacrifices made by many for the freedoms we enjoy today.  Especially on this Memorial Day, let us remember to be thankful.

A trip to the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning resulted in this purchase.

Chard!

 

 

It was used in this.....

A chard quiche from Munchomom.com website!

.....and was baked in this dish.

Patriotic!

 

 

Yes, the pie plate is Longaberger from several years ago.  I believe this design has been discontinued at this point.

The church picnic was on Sunday afternoon.  It was catered, except those attending were to take desserts.  This is what I baked to take.

A Weight Watcher recipe!

The recipe for the cake is really simple. 
PINEAPPLE ANGEL FOOD CAKE
1 box angel food cake mix
1 can (20-oz.) crushed pineapple in juice

- Mix together until no dry mix remains.  Pour into 9 x 12 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.  I store it in the refrigerator.

Sadly, we also attended a memorial service for a dear friend who had suffered with Alzheimer's.  While he was not exactly a relative, he was the brother whose oldest sister married my father's youngest brother, so perhaps he can be considered "extended family."  He was 85 and the only surviving sibling of 11 children. 

So - here we are at a new week.  Last week was a very busy one.  I will let you know about that in the next post.  Hopefully this one will have a bit more "spare time."  I am behind in my reading, and I want to try to catch up. 

I hope all will be good with you as you begin this week!

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Today....

Many of us have been disturbed by the images we have seen of the damage following Monday's tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.  There are some fund-raising efforts announced in the near future to give assistance to those affected by this devastating storm. 

If you are wanting to do something to help - and have questions about what that might be - let me suggest that you contact your local United Methodist Church and inquire about giving a donation to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief).  100% of all donations with the tornado relief fund designated will go directly to tornado relief - nothing taken out for administrative costs.  If you wish, you may call 1-800-554-8583, and specifically request your donation be given to Advance  #901670.  This is the number for the Moore tornado relief fund, and this is how we plan to donate.

There is another fund - One Great Hour of Sharing - that is already established to handle administrative costs for donations to those in need, and that is why 100% of funds will go directly to the relief effort mentioned. 

This is Trinity Sunday, as well as Peace With Justice Sunday in our church.

The Mission Focus as listed in the UMW Prayer Calendar for 2013 is  Della Lamb Community Services in Kansas City, MO.

May you have a blessed Sunday.

The week-end....

Happy Saturday to everyone!  This long holiday week-end - for some - is here!  I want to send good wishes along for your week-end.  The weather here is expected to be beautiful, the first such week-end in almost a month, so that will be very enjoyable.

It's a good day to visit the Farmer's Market!  I'll let you know if  there are any good finds.:-)

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate  your comments.

At long last....

At long last, here is that recipe that I promised earlier for these:

30-MINUTE WHOLE WHEAT ROLLS

1 1/3 cups warm water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
2 packages or 2 Tablespoons yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups bread flour

- Combine warm water, oil, honey and yeast in a large bowl.  Cover with kitchen towel and let stand for 15 minutes.
- Add salt and beaten egg to yeast mixture.  Mix vigorously, using a wooden spoon.  Add flour gradually, stirring until well blended.
- Turn dough onto floured surface (such as a counter top).  Use about 1/2 cup bread flour on the table and lightly flour hands.  Knead dough with hands until it is smooth and elastic in feel and appearance, about 5 minutes.
- Roll out dough on the floured surface using a rolling pin or pat it out with your hands, to about 1/2-inch thickness.  Rolls may be cut into any shape desired. (I used a round 2-inch biscuit cutter).
- Place on baking sheet or in a cake pan lightly coated with vegetable spray, sides of rolls touching.
- Let rise in warm place (such as top of stove) for 10 minutes.
- Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until brown.  These needed only 10 minutes.
Yield: about two dozen 2-inch rolls.

This recipe comes from a friend who is known for her participation in groups such as home demonstration clubs.  It was published in the local news paper a number of years ago. 

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Berries - and more....

Happy Thursday to you!  Are you having a good week?

Blueberries!

 

 

Our blueberry bushes are looking good!  We should be enjoying some within a month.

Pears.

 

 

Perhaps the pears will be edible.  These look the nicest of any we have had.

Cherries.

 

 

The cherry tree is also full!  Hopefully there will be enough for us to enjoy - once the birds  have their fill.:-)

Peaches.

 

 

We may even be able to enjoy a taste or two of peaches.  There was some cold weather around the time the peaches were blooming, so we were surprised to see there were some on the trees.

No apples at all this time.:-( 

We are still having rain just about every day here, so the garden spot is still not worked.:-(

The school year has passed quickly here.  Today was the last day for students!  Summer vacation has begun for many!

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

The first harvest....

Last week, I shared with you some strawberries that were a gift from Munchomom and family, grown near where they live.  They were good strawberries, but there is nothing better than having your own!

Strawberries on strawberries!

A couple of years ago, we set out three strawberry plants.  These are the first ones to ripen on those plants this season.

More to come.

The ripe ones were very tasty!:-)  It is a good thing there are some more green ones to ripen later!:-)

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

Another one....

This is another day to bring out this banner!

This is the last birthday in the family for awhile.

Yes, today is Machoman's birthday!  How is your singing voice?  Join me in a hearty chorus of "Happy Birthday!"

I know he will not be enjoying a slice of this today....

Celebrating with cake....

....but I know Munchomom will have something special for him!  The Munchkins will also probably have some sort of surprise planned.:-) 

Happy Birthday, Machoman!  We have loved having you in the family!

Wow!  You did a fantastic job singing that chorus!  Thank you very much!

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

The week-end....

I hope you have many good reasons to remember the past week-end.  Did it seem to pass as quickly for you as it did for us?

Eek!  A mouse!

I began the week-end by purchasing a wireless mouse on Friday.  So far, so good.  The touch pad mouse on this laptop has been a bit of an "overachiever," skittering all about at will and resulting in my losing entries of all sorts!  Of course, that means I have sacrificed that convenience, although the end result has been well worth it!

Is it THAT time already?

As our local schools begin the year by the second week in August, yes, it is time for graduations to take place.  So, on Friday night The Husband and I ventured out for the graduation of the daughter/granddaughter of good friends of ours.

No pictures of this one, but we did watch the Preakness on Saturday.  No Triple Crown winner this year, either, as Oxbow won this one!

Pentecost - and Confirmation.

Sunday was Pentecost, and it was also Confirmation Sunday at our church.  There were nineteen young people confirmed, one of whom was the son/grandson of the same family with the high school graduate!

Rolls!

 

 

We invited the family already mentioned to come for lunch on Sunday, and many of the rolls in the pan were consumed!

Oh!  Does that call for a recipe?  That will have to come another day.

I didn't mention anything about the rain, did I?  Or the bit of hail that came with Sunday afternoon's storm?  When all was said and done, we have had over two inches of rain in our rain gauge from the week-end!  Back to waiting for that garden spot to dry!

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.

Pentecost....

On this Pentecost Sunday, the Mission Focus in the United Methodist Women Prayer Calendar for 2013 is the Moore Community House in Biloxi, Mississippi.

At my church, today is Confirmation Sunday.  It is a special day for a group of  young people and their families at our church.

I send you special Sunday blessings.

Still waiting.....

....for these to bloom....

Peonies

 

 

....while these are rapidly fading away.

Snowball bush

The snowball blooms have been really pretty, though all the rain caused the blossoms to weigh heavy, contributing to the drooping of the branches.

I heard someone mention this week that the peonies needed ants to crawl over them to take care of the wax covering over the buds.  Have you known that?  When we lived at the other property, the ants were very plentiful on the buds, but here - not so much.  If the wax coating isn't removed, the buds will not open, so I was told.

I hope you are having a good week-end.  Here, we had more rain last night, so the garden work is once again on hold.:-(  We'll get there!

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

A book for you...

Wow!  Friday already!  Are you ready for the week-end?  Is there anything special on your calendar?  Around here, a series of high school graduations is underway, and we are fortunate to know several of that "younger set" which are graduating this year.

We are also hopeful that the weather forecast for "scattered showers" will have them scattered elsewhere, and that we might be able to take that first step to planting our garden this season!

That leads me to a discussion of this book.

Non-fiction.

 

 

Several years, while our daughters were students at Emory and Henry College, Barbara Kingsolver came as a guest speaker.  A marriage between her and one of the college professors ensued, and they lived for a number of years at her home in Arizona.  A decision was made to return to Southwest Virginia to her husband's farmland and to experiment living a rural life for one year.  That is to say that they would only buy food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it.   This book, published in 2007, is written as a result of that year's experiment.

I became aware of the book when The Husband and I decided to return to campus for More Than A Vacation, an event for alumni/spouses held during the summer.  Developing the theme from the book as the basis of our activities, it was suggested that we read the book before we came to that summer's event.

Well, the experiment was apparently successful, as they are still residing in Southwest Virginia and have operated a restaurant - The Harvest Table - using the same concept for several years!  Ms. Kingsolver was even the speaker at the college graduation a couple of years ago, and she is often seen participating in campus events.

The book was especially interesting to me because we are real believers in growing vegetables and supporting area farmers by shopping the local markets.  I was also made more aware of reading ingredient labels and began to be more careful with what I buy. We are dedicated to gardening organically, and we have our own compost which is used to supplement the soil.

I hope you will find much to enjoy in this day! 

Thank you for reading.  I really appreciate your comments.

In full bloom....

I shared this picture with you earlier.

Knock-out rose.

Do you see all the buds on the rose bush?  Well, this is what we have now.

Full of blooms.

I brought some of this beauty inside.

Oops!  Sideways.:-) Rotate counter clockwise.:-)

There was also another Mother's Day gift from The Husband.

Another Knock-out rose.

This one is, of course, much smaller that the others, but it will quickly catch up! 

Here it is - already Thursday.  I hope you are having a good week and are planning for a good week-end that is fast-approaching.  We have a bit of sun this morning, once again.

Thank you for reading.  I appreciate your comments.