MAY RANDOMNESS

Any of you that know me well know that I only go outside when necessary.  I did, however, make my annual Spring trip to the backyard today to check out the flower and vegetable gardens.

We have baby birds in the birdhouse. But, Mama bird was squawking telling the babies not to show their little heads as there was a crazy old lady out there with a camera.

We have large windows across the back of our house, so I do enjoy all of Bob's efforts in the yard every day.  I'll venture out there again in a month or so!

I did venture outside a couple of times in May to go to middle-school track meets.  I can't deny my cute grandson.

Wyatt has been at our house a lot recently building a tubulum for the middle school music room.  He always has these ideas of things to do in his Papa's workshop.  They made it from leftover PVC pipe and salvaged pallet wood.  Bob and he delivered it to school today --- the last day of his attendance in middle school.  Now, it is onto high school and more big dreams.  My part has been to keep this growing dreamer fueled with food.

When I wasn't cooking, I've spent a lot of this month on the computer.  We have an upcoming class reunion, and I made a photo book with 85 pictures of our school years to be raffled off at one of the dinners.  For the raffle, I also made 20 note cards with scenes from our hometown.

And, just because quilting is always my passion, I found time to finish this quilt top.  Now, this summer I want to just sit in front of the air conditioner and hand quilt it.

In retrospect, I guess it has been a busy May.
  
Hope you enjoy this upcoming holiday weekend.  Be safe.

I'm joining the following:
A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday

SPRING RANDOMNESS

Spring has Sprung!!

Time to do the yearly reorganization of the garden sprinkler system.

 That Master's degree in Hydraulic Engineering (for you non-engineers - that's the flow of water) is worth something!

 Time to plant peas, onions, lettuce, and spinach.  Wyatt is good help in the garden.

Caitlin read that a definition of a boy is "dirt plus noise".

Speaking of Caitlin -- rafting season has started, and she has started her summer work schedule of 50-hour work weeks.

That leaves very little time with this Grammy.  She and I have always done kitchen crafts together for holidays.  This year she has left me to my own devises.  This idea is all over Pinterest, and I thought I could handle it by myself.  

Let the Bunny races begin ----

I'll include these with their Easter goody bags.

Easter will be quiet for us this year -- just church, which is the most important thing anyway.

Our son, Mike, will be home next week for a day or two when he is on Spring break.  So, we'll have a belated family pulled-pork dinner one night then.

In the meantime, I'll continue sewing on a future quilt making these little 4-inch medallions.  I have 28 of them done -- more to come.

Being a winter-type person; I usually have spring-depression, and not spring-fever.  But, with Easter and the Resurrection, it really is a joyous time of the year.

Joy to you-----

I'm joining the following:
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday
Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday and Everything Else
Coastal Charm for Show and Share Tuesday

THE GARDEN, THE CUTIE, THE BEAUTY!

THE GARDEN ----

Usually by the middle of August in our dry, arid climate, our garden is looking a little weary.  We've had more rain and cool weather; so things are still looking good!

In the vegetable garden, the lettuce, beans, and peas are finished, but Bob is harvesting zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions, blackberries -- and the Halloween pumpkins are growing.

That's not all that's growing ---

THE CUTIE ----

That would be our grandson, Wyatt.  He has grown 3 inches this summer, and is now taller than I am.  He spent 8 weeks involved in recreation-district track and field.  I love watching him run the hurdles.  How does he do that?  I was so uncoordinated as a child!  He has also spent three mornings a week at the high school lifting weights with the big boys.  In our small community, that's a 'Rite of Passage' for boys -- all in preparation for 7th grade football.

Every Friday this summer, he has spent the day with Bob and I.  He mows the yard, helps Bob with the garden, and they do their favorite activity of putzing in the garage.

This kid also loves to cook, so this past week he and I had some kitchen time together. 

We made empanadas for lunch with a hamburger, green chile, and cheese filling.

Football practice has already started, school begins next week.

THE BEAUTY ----

a.k.a. Caitlin, our favorite (only) granddaughter.  This is her second summer working for a local rafting company.  Conditions and business for rafting have been good this summer, so she has gotten lots of hours.  I've hardly seen her.  On her one day off a week, boyfriend-time cuts into Grammy-time!

She has decided, though, that she wants me to take her senior pictures.  So, on her day off last week, we spent the whole day together.  In the morning, we went out for Photo Shoot #1; then in the afternoon, we shopped.  We have more photo shoots planned - more outfits, more locations.

This girl and the camera do play well together.

Even the out-takes were fun.  Focus, Cait, Focus!!!!

"I'm off to see the wizard!"                                         "What's that wire thingy up there?"

And, now she is a Senior in high school.

After taking care of both kids as preschoolers all day, every day way back when, and now this -- I'm having a hard time and experiencing pre-empty-nest syndrome.  It's almost worse than when my own children flew the nest.

I have to tell myself, "It's all good."

(Just don't fly away too soon.)

I'm joining the following:
It's Overflowing for Share Your Creativity
Boogie Board Cottage for Masterpiece Monday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Monday
Coastal Charm for Show and Share Tuesday
Confessions of a Plate Addict for The Scoop Tuesday
Our Home Away From Home for Tuesdays at our Home
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Green Willow Pond for What We Accomplished Wednesday
Savvy Southern Style for WOW Us Wednesdays
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Imparting Grace for Grace at Home Thursday
Nancherrow for Fridays Unfolded
Romantic Home for Show and Tell Friday

GARDEN ABUNDANCE - A RECIPE FROM THE PAST

 The first of August is upon us, and that means an abundance of produce from the garden - at the moment it is green bell peppers.  This is a recipe from the 1950s that I use every year when the green peppers start to take over my refrigerator!  It also uses up extra homegrown tomatoes, onions, and corn.

STUFFED PEPPERS

4 large (or 5-6 small) green bell peppers

1/2 onion, chopped

1 lb. ground beef

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

3/4 cup corn, cut from cob (or use frozen or canned)

salt and pepper

fresh bread crumbs and butter

Remove tops and seeds from green peppers.  Brown meat and onions; add tomatoes, corn, and seasonings.  Stuff peppers; stand upright in greased dish and spoon remaining meat mixture around the peppers.  Top with crumbs dotted with butter.  Cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

We had ours with a lettuce salad, a toasted bagel thin, and a slice of world-famous Rocky Ford cantaloupe.

 This cantaloupe was purchased at the farm stand where it was grown in Rocky Ford, our childhood hometown.  It doesn't get any fresher than that.  Just had a reminder from a blogging friend -- always wash your cantaloupe before cutting into it.
The last few days I've been searching autumnal decor ideas on Pinterest -- I'm excited.  Not too long now until Fall!

I'm joining the following link parties this week.  Please check these blogs out for a myriad of inspiration.
Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday
Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday
Townsend House for What I Am Eating Friday
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks
Funky Junk Interiors for Saturday Nite Special
Creative Home Expressions for The Creative Home and Garden Hop Sunday
Creatively Living for Monday Funday
Smiling Sally for Blue Monday
A Stroll Thru Live for Inspire Me Tuesday
No Minimalist Here for Thursday Open House