Doing Happy Homemaker Monday so extensively helps keep me on track as it summarizes the past week and lays out a fairly concise plan for this week. Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Happy 4th of July! It’s Independence Day! I hope you have something FUN planned for today. I also hope everyone stays safe if you are doing fireworks!

The weather has been absolutely beautiful!! I have ZERO complaints 😀

I’m really trying to take just one day at a time! I’m really happy that I have no where to go today and nothing to do that I don’t want to 🙂 We’re just going to hang out, do a little grilling and minimal cooking to make the potato salad and apple crisp for dinner.

Breakfast is my normal hot water and yogurt.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING I was able to get everything accomplished on Sunday so we can just relax and play today. 🙂 GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have my mammogram and a pedicure tomorrow so will try to get most errands and shopping accomplished between these 2 appointments. When I’m in town like that I would normally get a mini snack quesadilla and ice tea at Del Taco but, sadly it burnt down a few days ago in the middle of the night. 🙁 It’s so hard for me to eat out for lunch and that was one thing that agreed with me. 🙁 PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS I finished my quarterly “LIST” update that I’ve been doing along with Jean – you can find it here. Despite this being a shorter week I’m bound and determined to finish a pile on my desk that’s been getting shuffled around when other things have come to the forefront. RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m good through July despite some last minute changes, but am starting to work on August. I had been putting off working on August, but since we’re pushing our trip to September I need to start thinking more seriously about it.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX We watched quite a few on this streaming channel this past week. Back Trace with Sylvester Stallone, The Man From Toronto with Woody Harrelson and Kevin Hart, The Do-Over with Adam Sandler and David Spade, The Mist based on a Stephen King story and Coin Heist PRIME Killer Joe – not a favorite 🙁 though I love Matthew McConaughey normally. CABLE Tried to watch Taxi Driver as I had never seen it and deleted it pretty quickly – not my kind of movie! Cooking shows, NASCAR

I’ve really been liking this Australian author Phillipa Nefri Clark and have started her Charlotte Dean Mystery Series. I’m just finishing Book #1 Deadly start and will follow up with #2 Deadly Falls. There are 5 in the series that take place over a year in time. The series is a follow up to the River’s End series I just finished.

Hubby and I took a painting class last Saturday and it wasn’t as easy as it looked like it would be! THIS IS CERTAINLY A WORK IN PROGRESS!  Imagine an adirondack chair or two under the umbrella with a cooler and maybe a corona on top 😀 That was my original plan so we’re still a long ways off! I may start completely over and lose the clouds altogether!

AND A FUNNY 😀

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	GRILLED STEAKS, POTATO SALAD & APPLE HAND PIES	CHILI CHICKEN, POTATO SALAD AND MELON BALLS	STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC CHICKEN SALAD	PAPRIKA CHICKEN & SNAP PEA SALAD	CORN/YOYO CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR OR YOUR ON YOUR OWN NIGHT	CHICKEN with TOMATO CREAM SAUCE, MASHED POTATOES & SALAD	BBQ PORK CHOPS, POTATO SALAD & MELON
DESSERT	GRANNY’S APPLE CRISP

• TOMATO CUCUMBER SALAD
  
• SHEET PAN SWEET & SPICY BBQ CHICKEN
  
• TEX MEX BACON CHEESEBURGER CASSEROLE
  

• CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA
  
• CHEESY CHICKEN CAKES
  
• CHERRY CRUMBLE BARS
  

• CORN SALSA SALAD
  
• GARLIC BUTTER PARSLEY CHICKEN
  
• WINE MARINATED FROZEN GRAPES
  
• BUFFALO CHICKEN MUFFINS or MEATBALLS
  

 Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

I had a busy and productive weekend despite the heatwave that descended on us this past week. Yesterday I volunteered at the Eagles cooking and serving brunch for new members and brainstorming with a friend on some new recipe ideas. I also got some indoor chores accomplished.

I hate to be the bearer of this news, but we are officially at the midway mark for 2022 and Christmas is only 181 days from Christmas. Which also means we’re only 187 days from the new year, 2023.

We began a heatwave over the weekend and while it isn’t as horrible as so many others are experiencing everywhere else in the country and the world or as bad as the southern California desert when I was a kid, it did happen literally overnight for us! Last weekend I needed a jacket when we went to dinner with our niece and her boyfriend. We went from early spring type temperatures to summer temperatures hitting triple digits yesterday in literally just days. We’re slated for the low to mid 90’s with lots of sunshine yet today and then it will incrementally drop back into the 70’s by next weekend. At least there’s no humidity to speak of. 😀

Mt heart hurts. 🙁 I don’t normally get political in these posts. I’m all about personal space and people doing what is right for themselves.

Personally, I DO NOT believe in abortion, BUT it is NOT my place to decide what is right for anyone else and in what instance! You can be both PRO LIFE and PRO CHOICE. So I don’t think the government (federal or state) having the control to make that decision for them is a good thing either. It’s a personal choice between a woman, her family and her doctor – there are too many gray areas…. We do not live in other people’s lives or bodies. I have enough trouble making the right decisions for myself… As a woman I can see the potential for so many other issues that women have been fighting against for so many years…

But! No matter your religious, moral or ethical beliefs… This isn’t ONLY about abortion…

Government control over personal rights and how you act/react on YOUR PERSONAL religious, moral or ethical beliefs… The biggest point to be had in the events from this week is that this is only the beginning of an agenda and that it opens MANY, MANY doors… doors that COULD send us spiraling backwards in society on soooooooooo many levels.

Between the political upheaval, COVID, earthquakes, floods, massive heat waves, spiraling economy and inflation… I PRAY we see relief from all of these things, but more importantly that people wake up and realize that we are NOT in control here and need to act accordingly… As I said, my heart just hurts 🙁

You guessed it 😀 … Hot water and peach yogurt.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING Finished the laundry over the ungodly hot weekend while staying indoors. GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a small list for this week, but will work it in with a doctor appointment this afternoon. I also have a painting class Saturday afternoon and have convinced hubby to tag along and do a date night. PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS I need to update the quarterly follow-up for the yearly list I’m doing along with Jean to post on Friday. I’m finishing up a few pieces of correspondence that need followed up on also. RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING Menus are done through July, but would like to find some fresh salads and new dressings/vinaigrettes for August.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX Maze Runner – The Cure DISNEY+ Doctor Strange Multiverse, FREE GUY with Ryan Reynolds CABLE NASCAR races, Cooking Shows, The Haunting and a REALLY old black and white called Down Three Dark Streets with Broderick Crawford and HIGH SIERRA with Humphrey Bogart and Ida Lupino

I finished the River’s End series and am reading Last Known Contact by the same author. I’m really enjoying her.

There are many photos I could post here, but today is and always will be a tough day for me as it is the anniversary of my dad’s death. He was gone WAY TOO young and has been for WAY TOO long now 🙁 so instead I’m posting this old favorite of mine that was taking many years before I was even born.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	ENCHILADAS SUIZA	BBQ CHICKEN & CORN SALSA SLAW	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	CHILI & CORNBREAD	CHICKEN COBB SALAD & TWISTY ROLLS	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	BUFFALO CHICKEN MEATBALLS & HOT SLAW
DESSERT						BROWNIES?

• OVEN BAKED CHICKEN & RICE with GRAVY
  
• CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN THIGHS
• BBQ MEATBALLS & BACON CHEDDAR BAKED POTATOES

• ARROZ CON pollo CON queso
• CHICKEN THIGHS with CREAMY BACON MUSHROOM THYME SAUCE
• ZESTY CREAMED CHICKEN
  

• TEX MEX BACON CHEESEBURGER BAKE
  
• GARLIC BUTTER CHICKEN
  
• SHEET PAN SWEET & SPICY BBQ CHICKEN
  
• WINE MARINATED FROZEN GRAPES
• TOMATO CUCUMBER SALAD

I love doing Happy Homemaker Monday so extensively. It helps keep me on track as it summarizes the past week and lays out a fairly concise plan for this week ahead, but it also gives me a sense of accomplishment and hope. Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

We had a super rainy weekend so we missed the car show on Saturday that we had been planning on attending. They had already rescheduled it from last weekend and then this weekend was even worse. Only a about a dozen cars even showed up! The temperature has also dropped back down to the high 50’s. Unfortunately, it was also the city wide garage sale weekend. Hopefully, most people will be able to do next weekend instead so all their hard work preparing all year doesn’t go to waste.

I helped out on dinner service at the Eagles Friday night when someone failed to show up. I also spent quite a bit of time reading and working on cleaning out photo files. So for that reason 😀 BIG WARNING – today is a little photo heavy 😀

The rest of the week is supposed to be partly sunny, but still lower temperatures which is fine by me! I’m a BIG believer in the whole “a butterfly flaps its wings” theory which makes me think much of this is a result of the quadruple trip around the globe that the aftermath of the underwater volcano in Tonga took last January.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING Laundry is up to date after the rainy weekend. I tried to get all the chores done while stuck inside in hopes of a better weather week and working outside a bit. GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a painting class on Tuesday evening so will work my errands into the afternoon to avoid using more gas than necessary!!!! PAPERWORK, PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS As always have a few irons in the fire and waiting on some resolutions, and will end up having to write some letters regarding simple issues that aren’t being resolved internally because of inefficiency on the organizations part. RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I just haven’t been feeling really adventurous lately 🙁

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX We started watching the series Lincoln Lawyer and it’s pretty good, but I think I really enjoyed the movie more with Matthew McConaughey. PRIME The Tender Bar was a really cute movie. We also finished watching season 1 of Night Sky with Sissy Spacek and JK Simmons. Hubby had never seen Conspiracy Theory with Julia Roberts and Mel Gibson so we rented that one rainy evening. CABLE I’m ALMOST finished catching up with season finales from while we were gone. I also have several movies and cooking shows to catch up on.

I finished the StationMasters Cottage which was book 1 in the series. I actually enjoyed the Australian lean to the writing and have moved on to the Jasmine Sea, book 2 in the Rivers End series by Phillipa Nefri Clark.

Those of you who also follow me on Instagram know that I have a thing for #RailArt or #TrainGraffitti and that living in this small #LumberTown in the country where the train tracks actually run right through the middle of town affords me a multitude of those pictures a couple times a day 😀 I finally found one that is not only truly legible, but funny too!

Here are the 3 whole shots I got of the car show. You’ll also notice I got them through the window as we didn’t even get out because it started raining REALLY hard! I can’t believe how late all the flowers are blooming this year. The weather has been so very strange!!!!!!! Fortunately there was an almost sunny day where I was able to snap a few good pictures. The nasturiums are looking pretty good considering they like the warm sunny weather that we are NOT having. And the johnny jump ups as well as the oxalis (purple shamrocks) are loving being combined with the humming bird vine. Even the poppies and clematis are doing well without a ton of sunshine. I’m still most impressed with the calla lillies. I also loved this garden spider with his dinner.

Do you remember the feral cats that adopted us last winter? Well, they have had kittens. Adorable kittens! I’ve named them Callie, Soot, Sonny Jr. and mini Boots. I’m actively trying to find them homes. They are just so dang adorable! Callie was playing Whack-A-Mole with Soot and mini Boots as they hid in the cinder block and kept popping up and down. 😀 They are just so adorable that I cannot stop taking pictures hoping to catch doing something else cute.

	MONDAY 6/13	TUESDAY 6/14	WEDNESDAY 6/15	THURSDAY 6/16	FRIDAY 6/17	SATURDAY 6/18	SUNDAY 6/19
DINNER	LIME CILANTRO SKILLET CHICKEN	Y.O.Y.O. you’re on your own I have a painting class	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	PEANUT BUTTER BURGERS, CORN on the COB & MACARONI SALAD	OVEN BAKED CHICKEN & RICE	PIZZA BOATS & SALAD	SMOKED CHICKEN WINGS
DESSERT			Yummy Lemon Blueberry Lush was REALLY good, but won’t hold up to up to the summer evening dinner for the EAGLES so now it will be cherry bars.		CHERRY BARS

• CAJUN CHICKEN PASTA
• ARROZ con POLLO con QUESO

• JELLY DONUTS
• CHEESY ARTICHOKE CHICKEN
• BAKED FRENCH ONION RICE
  

• CHERRY BARS
• CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN
• CAJUN RICE & PORK CHOPS

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Did you remember to change your clocks? Changing the clocks (as much of a pain as it is) always makes me feel like spring has sprung. At least we’re an hour closer 😀 That said, I sure wish they’d stop. I don’t even care which time they pick – standard or daylight savings – just pick one and stay with it!!!!!

We had a BIG storm blow in on Saturday with wind so bad it literally pulled my yard stakes out of the barrels, had the wind chimes tangling and being more noisy than I have ever heard and the flag was blowing straight up! It’s supposed to be raining most of this week, but also be a tad bit warmer so that’s okay too. Day times should be in the high 40’s to low 50’s and night times are supposed to be in the high 30’s.

My prayers and thoughts are with Ukraine as I pray for a peaceful ending to this war. I also applaud all those that are able to help in any way they can.

Hot water and cherry yogurt this morning

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING I’m in spring cleaning mode, but the weather just won’t cooperate! For now I’ll settle for getting the bedding and laundry done. GROCERIES & ERRANDS These will wait until I head to town later in the week. Fortunately, I don’t need much. 😀 PROJECTS We’ve done several remodel rehab renovations and the one thing I can say is they are ALWAYS entities in and of their own! There are no two alike and they are ALL fraught with their own issues. But plumbing is by far always the worst part of each one. I wish this was because of a remodel. Fortunately, even as bad as this mess was we have a water alarm under the kitchen sink that went off. Otherwise it would have been 100% worse waking up to it this morning. The part that ALWAYS ticks me off is that the part that fails is usually an inexpensive part in the middle of a line. In this case it was the connector in the middle of the faucet sprayer hose. It had been fixed once before, but has always been the weak link in this model particularly according to the plumbing expert at Home Depot. RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m up to date through March and am starting to look to more spring like recipes for April. The Eagles asked me to make a fruity dessert for their end of the month brunch and I’ve been working up a new recipe for that. Peach Pineapple Pear Bread Pudding 😀 or maybe a Blueberry Cream Cheese – we’ll just have to see 😀

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX We’re watching old Cheers reruns at night before sleep PRIME 🙁 We finished Mrs. Maisel on Friday night. Even with only getting 2 episodes a week, the month went by quickly and now sadly we have to wait until December for the next season. CABLE We’ve been watching old movies from the 50’s. I love seeing things from before I was born. This weekend we saw Rio Grande with John Wayne, Dean Martin, Walter Brennan and Angie Dickinson

I just started RETURN TO SENDER by Jennifer Peel, a new to me author. While I just began it I thinking she is going to be a good change of pace for me.

I have to add this funny, because it’s so so true! I’m getting a 4th booming on my Christmas Cacti too 😀

The spring flowers are trying to make an appearance, but winter keeps rearing its ugly head too. I can’t wait for some consistent warmth and be able to plant some seeds and ground cover in the planter areas.

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	LEMON HERB BAKED SALMON	ZESTY ANGEL CHICKEN	SALISBURY STEAK, SCALLOPED POTATOES & GREEN BEANS	MEATBALL  POTATO GRATIN	PASTEL AZTECA with SALSA VERDE	PORK CHOPS with TOMATOES	CHICKEN RAMEN IN SHOYU BROTH
DESSERT		GRANNY’S APPLE CRISP & PEACH BREAD PUDDING TEST RUN

• PAN SEARED CHICKEN with TARRAGON THYME SHERRY SAUCE

• HAMBURGER HASH
• CREAMY BASIL CHICKEN  
• CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE

• BLONDE BEEF STEW
  
• PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Good morning. I hope you all had a great week and an even better weekend. For some reason this week flew by for me and I don’t feel like I got enough accomplished. I’m still struggling with adjusting my diet on a daily basis 🙁 and that seems to occupy way too much time, especially coupled with the seesaw of unequal and opposite reactions that accompany this new thing called daily life.

Between the pandemic, world events and life in general most days I sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed. Unfortunately, I also know I’m not the only one and we’re all in this together, so I pray that they find a cure for this danged virus and some world peace thrown in for good measure would go a long way to curing ALL of OUR ails.

I am so saddened by what is happening in Ukraine. It is all so senseless and selfish of Putin to invade and destroy Ukraine.  So many lives have been lost. Even more hopes and dreams have been shattered. I keep praying things will turn around and turn around soon!  Prayers for Ukraine and its people.

The picture above is from Facebook, but I also ordered some digital art from Ukranian artists on ETSY in an effort to help somehow. I actually love these and will be printing them for framing.

I know gas prices are going up everywhere because of the price of oil and the the Ukranian/Russian war, but for us here our state ALSO added a 38¢ state tax effective January 1st of this year. Gas has gone from $3.46 at Christmas time to $4.49 yesterday. I’ve always tried to combine my errands to the least amount of trips to town and the least amount of gas used, but this now holds even truer!

We have mostly cloudy days in the 40’s with wind to look forward to before the rain begins towards the end of the week. I keep thinking spring is right around the corner, but then winter rears its ugly head yet again. It’s also another week of below freezing at night so hubby put the faucet covers back on.

I have some spray painting to do in order to spruce up some old hanging planters and patio furniture  that have peeling paint, but the weather is just not cooperating! I just need one, just one still and SUPER SUNNY afternoon above 50° to pull it off 🙁

I wish this could change a little bit, but yet the hot water and yogurt is tried and true 😀

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING I need to change and wash bedding in hopes of switching to “spring” types, but the weather is not holding out hopes for that as we have several nights this week below freezing still. GROCERIES & ERRANDS Hubby has a couple appointments this week that I will tag along on to also run my errands. At the price of gas right now it just doesn’t make sense to make multiple separate trips. PROJECTS I have a couple flannel shirts that are too large for me, but I love the colors of so am going to turn them into aprons based on this picture I found on pinterest. RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m making the phone calls necessary to quit all recipe & menu services because they are just not enjoyed anymore as the recipes have become repetitive and the ingredients less reliable which may be a regional thing. I just used to enjoy them more 🙁 So it’s back to my trusty tote full of recipes 🙂

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX Sweet Magnolias, Virgin River PRIME Mrs. Maisel CABLE FLYING TIGERS with JOHN WAYNE, NASCAR, Walking Dead, Cooking shows ~ Tournament of Champions, Spring Baking, Alex VS America I’m excited to watch the new show next week where they cook along with Julia Child

Someone Like You: A Wild Widows Novel ~ Wild Widows Series Book 1 by Marie Force. This is a companion series to her First Family series (3 books to date) which is a companion series to her Fatal series (16 books to date) – I obviously like this author. I’ve been reading her for years and truly love her series format.

Carrie asked me a week or so ago about how I sketch before I paint. Here are a couple of sketches I did recently, but have yet paint. The one on the left is going to be a cute little bird on a fence post and the one on the right is going to be a lighthouse on a sandy shore. I just use a heavy gauge pencil to canvas. Paint will cover it as I go.

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	CHICKEN AMASU & SALAD	PORK LOIN with APPLE CREAM SAUCE with GLAZED CARROTS	BLONDE BEEF STEW	BLACKENED ORANGE ROUGHY & GREEN BEANS	SALISBURY STEAK, SCALLOPED POTATOES, GREEN BEANS & APPLE CRISP	CHICKEN PAPRIKA with MASHED POTATOES & GRAVY	PORCUPINE MEATBALLS & MASHED POTATOES with PAN BROWN GRAVY
DESSERT		BOLOS DE COCO (PORTUGUESE COCONUT CAKES)

• CHIPOTLE CHICKEN
  
• ORANGE RASPBERRY BUTTER CAKE
  
• CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CHIPS COOKIES

• SWEET GARLICKY PORK CHOPS
• CAJUN BARRAMUNDI with REMOULADE SAUCE 
• PEACH BLUEBERRY CRISPS
  

• SAMOA CHEESECAKE
• CHICKEN with TARRAGON SAUCE
• CALABRIAN CHILE TOMATO SAUCE

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

How are you? Grab a cup of coffee and join me in a look back at last week and a look forward into this week.

This is the 3 year anniversary of SNOWMAGEDDON so I was a bit apprehensive when I saw this WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY on Saturday.

Snow or not (it just can’t decide), the temperatures are going to be super cold this week. Fortunately, with a few days of FOOL’S SPRING last week we were able to complete a couple outdoor projects. Hubby has since put the covers back on the faucets though to ward off the nighttime lows in the teens this week and I have no where to go today, so LET IT SNOW 😀

Hot water and peach yogurt.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING I finished the laundry over the weekend, but want to deep clean the bathrooms and kitchen as well as vacuum. GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have a small appointment at the end of the week, but that’s it for anything big and groceries will depend on the weather. PROJECTS I have sketched a couple of canvases to paint this week if I have time. PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS I made a HUGE dent in the paperwork over the weekend and am filling the empty recycling bin quickly 😀 RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m hoping to go FISH forward next week so am looking for some new orange roughy and salmon recipes.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX Virgin River PEACOCK Marry Me PRIME The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel DISNEY+ Sulphur Springs DISCOVERY + Mysteries of the Abandoned CABLE Olympics, NASCAR

I’m about 3/4’s done with Beach House Romance by Cora Seton. I’ve been falling asleep quickly every night so I only get a paragraph or two read. Too bad I’m wide awake 4-5 hours later 🙁

The ONLY pictures I took this week were chore or food related. I mentioned the “FOOL’s SPRING” above. We took advantage of those couple days and tackled a couple outdoor projects and an indoor one too 😀

The whiskey barrels we installed a couple years ago were showing considerable wear already and the rings were rusting A LOT so I sprayed the rings and barrels with Rustoleum to revive them. Hubby removed all the dead plants and weeds. The red heather in the center tear drop was dead unfortunately 🙁 and the annuals were completely done and one was molding – weird.I found some red/pink heather which will bloom spring and summer as well as some white heath that will bloom fall and winter to offset. And these pretty blue hyacinth smell heavenly and will add a pop of color.

The Japanese maple tree has been doing poorly the past few years and the new gardener pruned it back A LOT this year. He also said we needed to deal with the root issue. The planter had been built with a single layer of blocks, was on a slight slope and not level.

Short of digging up the tree to replant it deeper which would have been a VERY involved process because of the roots being so unruly, it was easier to level the blocks and add a new layer of blocks and tons of new soil to cover the exposed roots to protect them and hopefully reverse the issue.

Of course the blocks are no longer being made in the same size so that added it’s own layer of complications 😀 We solved that by making the other teardrop the same height. We added the old blocks from around the maple tree to the teardrop on the other side of the yard around the whiskey barrel and used all new for the maple tree.

This worked better because we could level out the sloped front area before placing the new blocks. This should help the tree flourish better this spring. Plus now they are “balanced”.

We also started hearing LOUD and weird noises from behind the refrigerator. I needed to clean behind it anyway so we rolled it out 😀

We found that the water filter was overdo for replacing so added that to our chore list and got it replaced. VOILE and thank goodness the noises stopped.

Hubby likes to cool his hot coffee down in the morning with an ice cube so this works both ways 😀

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	TEX MEX CHICKEN POT PIES	BAKED HERBED SALMON	LEMON ORANGE ORANGE ROUGHY	POT ROAST & GRAVY	TURKEY & GRAVY	PORK CHOPS of some sort	BURGERS of some sort
DESSERT		BLACK BEAN BROWNIES

• TACO SPAGHETTI
• BULGOGI BBQ PORK
• CHICKEN DUMPLING SOUP
• YUCATAN CITRUS CHICKEN
• CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

• CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS SOUP
• CELERY SEED DRESSING
• PINEAPPLE RAISIN TAMALES
  

• HAMBURGER HASH
• BLUEBERRY SOUR CREAM BREAD/MUFFINS

HAMB

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

I hope you had a GREAT week and for those of you that are sports fans I hope you enjoyed the SUPERBOWL and are equally enjoying the Olympics. Having been a RAMS fan all my life I’m quite happy with the outcome, though I would have been equally happy with a Bengal’s win after their great season. I will make an effort to get around better this week to visit you all. Last week just wasn’t my week.

FINALLY some rain for a day or two and the temperatures have dropped back into a normal range. Highs this week will be in the mid 40’s and lows in the 30’s with very little sun.

Hot water and pineapple yogurt.

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING I’m going to deep clean the kitchen and do all the hard surface floors to clean up the ants that are back. At least they are mostly dead since I did the Terro traps last week. GROCERIES & ERRANDS I have very few of each this week, but will go tomorrow morning. RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m still doing a bit of research, but have the rest of February planned.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX Hubby want’s to check out Free Guy and The Adam Project PEACOCK I want to watch Marry Me sometime this week PRIME 4 days until Mrs. Maisel begins for the season DISNEY+ I’m finishing season 2 of Sulphur Springs CABLE We’re finishing up the Olympics we have recorded. I also have a couple Hallmark movies to finish up and a couple cooking shows to watch

I’m about halfway done with Beach House Romance by Cora Seton

So I heard a strange noise in the backyard and went to take a look out the window. This is what I found. I guess it needs to be renamed cat fountain since I’ve never actually seen a bird bathe in it. On the upside, I haven’t seen any mice. 😀

I LOVE these!

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	FILETS & BAKERS	HF ~  YUCATAN CHICKEN CITRUS BOWLS	HF ~ BULGOGI PORK TENDERLOIN	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	HF ~ BALSAMIC FIG CHICKEN	PORCUPINE MEATBALLS & SALAD	BLONDE BEEF STEW & TWISTY ROLLS
DESSERT		ZEBRA CAKE – WHITE, DEVIL’S FOOD & RED VELVET with SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

• NO KNEAD BREAD
  
• DAD’S DINER MEATLOAF
• APPLE STREUSEL MUFFINS
• GERMAN APPLE PANCAKES
• INCREDIBLE MYSTERY FUDGE
• CITRUS VINAIGRETTE SALAD with GOAT CHEESE CROUTONS

• FOLD OVER TACOS aka MEXICAN TORTILLA BAKE
• GRASSHOPPER BROWNIES
  
• BAYOU BLEND – SEAFOOD CASSEROLE EXTRAORDINAIRE

• TACO SPAGHETTI
• HAMBURGER HASH
• CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
  

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Good Morning! Here we are in the last week of 2021. I honestly DO NOT know where this year went so fast! We lost power again early this morning for several hours so I’m quickly trying to catch up.

I have high hopes for 2022 after 2020 and 2021 being such a chaotic mess. Let 2022 be the year that we prove the glass is refillable instead of half full OR half empty! Please Lord help them find a cure for this dreaded virus!

This is one of those categories that falls under the BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR titles, at least for this week. I really wanted snow for Christmas – just a little – well I got it! and got it again! 😀 It does look like by the end of the week we will be returning to our “normal” wet weather, but then again there wasn’t snow predicted during SNOWMAGEDDON 2019 🙂 We were a soggy mess before the snow, so as it melts and we return to more rain, it could be even messier.

I included Saturday and Sunday in the picture above so you could see what we’re getting. We did lose power for a short time yesterday morning, but fortunately it returned fairly quickly 😀

Hot water and baby food squeeze 😀

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING When the power came back on I was able to get caught up on laundry yesterday (just in case the power goes out again like the DISH cable has). I also deep cleaned the kitchen yesterday after the mess I’d made from all the baking and Christmas cooking. I’ll also do a bit of vacuuming later today. GROCERIES & ERRANDS & PROJECTS Fortunately we have no where to go until Thursday and then that’s just a quick errand. I have no intentions of really being out and about until 2022. I’m working on some drawings for some spring paintings I’ll begin later this week. PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS Once again NOT the week for phone calls, but I will keep moving forward on some paperwork. RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING LOTS of leftovers between now and 2022 using up the Christmas turkey and Prime Rib starting with last night’s Prime Rib Barley soup.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX Joyuex Noel TUBI A Chance for Christmas DVD White Christmas, Home Alone 1 & 2, It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th street 1947 & 1994Die Hard 1 & 2 CABLE A few Christmas movies to catch up on, Kids Baking Championship

I’ve started 3 different books, but hope to finish them all this week.

• Marie Force’s State of Grace from the FATAL series
• When Never Comes by Barbara Davis
• Lisa Wingate’s The Sandcastle Sister from the (CAROLINA CHRONICLES) series

My psuedo STEP SIL (long story there) makes these every year for her Christmas cards. I was lucky enough to receive 3 this year and they look awesome on the tree.

I still need to edit yesterday’s snow pictures, but here are a few unedited. These are from yesterday. I’ll probably get a few more today as we got several more inches last night and everything is completely covered again. I just loved the little old lady (probably about 90) clearing her driveway and walk with the wheel barrow, but I feel sorry for her as it all covered again.

Santa and his hot air balloon are buried under there somewhere. He was already on his last legs 😀 but the snow cinched it.

As you put away the Christmas wrappings, keep this in mind. Those missing/mismatched socks from the dryer that have no mates can have more use in them. I store the wrapping rolls inside of each other and then use the socks to keep them tight and protected.

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	PRIME RIB QUESADILLAS	PRIME RIB STROGANOFF	PRIME RIB & CARAMELIZED ONION SANDWICHES	TURKEY TETRAZINNI	BLACK EYED PEA CHILI	BRAISED LAMB SHANKS with MAC & CHEESE inspired by BOSTON’S DARYL’S CORNER BAR	C.O.R.N.  CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT
DESSERT		WHIPPED SHORTBREAD COOKIES

• MILLIONAIRE SHORTBREAD
• TRIED & TRUE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
• DRIED BEEF PICKLE DIP
• COMPANY CHICKEN

• POPCORN RANCH BAKED
• CHEESEBURGER PASTA
• PEPERONCINI CHICKEN
  

• NONA’S TOFFEE BARS
  
• SHORTBREAD TOFFEE
  
• BAKED BEAN DIP
  

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

How is everyone? Have you finished your Christmas shopping and preparations? For the first time ever I finished a week early and have had time to just bake and enjoy! Part of that has been my self imposed simplicity for the year. I’m loving it and quite honestly there really doesn’t feel like there is anything missing!

I fell behind a bit last week with BLOGMAS having too much fun baking, but I’m all caught up now 😀

Day 1 ~ Holiday Schedule
Day 2 ~ Elf on the Shelf / Gnomes
Day 3 ~ Christmas Movie MUST Watch List
Day 4 ~ Christmas Music Playlist
Day 5 ~ Quiet Christmas?
Day 6  ~Christmas Cookies
Day 7 ~ Real or Artificial Tree?
Day 8 ~ Winter MUST haves
Day 9 ~ Christmas Cards
Day 10 ~ Advent Calendar
Day 11 ~ Favorite Decorations and Ornaments
Day 12 ~Outdoor Decorations & Lights
Day 13 ~ TAG questions
Day 14 ~ Stocking Stuffer Ideas
Day 15 ~ Neighbor Plates & Gifts / Delivery Drivers
Day 16 ~ WISH List
Day 17 ~ Party Food Ideas/ CHARCUTERIE Boards
Day 18 ~ Favorite Christmas Foods, Beverages & Recipes
Day 19 ~ Inspirations & Stories
Day 20 ~ Favorite Family Traditions
Day 21 ~ Wrapping Ideas
Day 22 ~ Weather/Winter Wonderland Pictures
Day 23 ~ Meaning of Christmas
Day 24 ~ Christmas Past, Present & Future
Day 25 ~ When Do You Open Presents?

Looks like we’re going to get that snow for Christmas day(and then some) that I wished for, BUT this forecast as been ever changing, so while I’m hoping it’s true, I know in reality it will probably change again.

Hot water and baby food squeeze 😀 this doesn’t change much

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING & PROJECTS I was able to complete the laundry yesterday after the Eagles Christmas party. I do have a few items (Christmas totes) to move to the garage before vacuuming. We installed a new LED ceiling fixture in the laundry room on Saturday to replace the old fluorescent fixture that died. And we will install the new ceiling fan in the master bedroom later today. I also deep cleaned behind the refrigerator and under the stove over the weekend. GROCERIES & ERRANDS I do need just a couple things and will do those on Tuesday morning early!!! PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS I’ll work a bit whittling down my to do pile of paperwork and end of the year tasks, but will NOT call anyone this week so they can enjoy their holiday week too 😀 RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m working on a new planner and wellness guide for 2022 hoping to incorporate all my “normal” tasks into a SINGLE planner.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX Christmas in the Heartland DISNEY+ I tried to watch the Home Alone knock off Home Sweet Home, but just couldn’t finish it 🙁 REDBOX The Jungle Cruise with Dwayne Johnson & Cry Macho with Clint Eastwood CABLE It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, a couple Lifetime & Hallmark Christmas movies

I just started a new series from Ava Miles, Beside Golden Irish Fields (Book 1) ~ The Unexpected Prince Charming Series but have been falling asleep almost immediately before getting too far into the book.

Saturday night we froze our butts off watching the Timber Town Toy Land Electric Light Parade which honestly they over named! We are a small town and they try hard, but this year’s parade wasn’t nearly as good as last years 🙁 but I did get a few good pictures. It stayed clear until after the parade and the storm moving in gave the full moon an eerie glow.

MAKE THIS YOUR CHEAT WEEK 😀

NOT SURE IF THIS WORKS, BUT SOUNDS WORTH A TRY 😀

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	ORANGE APRICOT CHICKEN & RICED CAULIFLOWER PILAF	BAKED BEAN DIP & CHIPS	COMPANY CHICKEN and DRIED BEEF PICKLE ROLL DIP & CHIPS	CHRISTMAS ENCHILADAS	ROAST TURKEY BREAST, MASHED POTATOES & GRAVY, HONEYED CARROTS & UPSIDE DOWN APPLE PIE	MARINATED PRIME RIB, TWICE BAKED POTATOES, SAUTEED GREEN BEANS & AUSTRALIAN CHEESECAKE	C.O.R.N. leftovers
DESSERT		AUSTRALIAN CHEESECAKE & UPSIDE DOWN APPLE PIE

• MELT IN YOUR MOUTH BANANA BREAD

• UPSIDE DOWN APPLE PIE
• CAFETERIA CHICKEN & GRAVY aka DADDY’S ROAST CHICKEN
• HOT ITALIAN SANDWICHES
  

• BAKED BEAN DIP
• DRIED BEEF PICKLE ROLL DIP
• ORANGE APRICOT CHICKEN
• TRIED & TRUE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
• COMPANY CHICKEN

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

How is everyone this morning? Are you ready for Christmas?

I’m actually ready. ALMOST! Shopping is done. Packages are wrapped and will be ALL shipped as of later this morning. Rib roast is ordered at the Butcher. Menus are made. Food donations are arranged for the baskets being given away. Cookies are proportioned for the Cookie Exchange later this week.

But, for some reason this year I fell behind on Christmas cards (I’m usually ready by the end of November) and I’m not even sure why! I also whittled down my list this year so there are fewer cards ~ so I have no real excuse. I will get them finished today or tonight.

I’m even up to date minus yesterday’s post on BLOGMAS so all and all I’m pretty pleased.

DAY 1 ~ Holiday Schedule
DAY 2 ~ Elf on the Shelf / Gnomes
DAY 3 ~ Christmas Movie MUST Watch List
Day 4 ~ Christmas Music Playlist
DAY 5 ~ Quiet Christmas?
Day 6  ~Christmas Cookies
Day 7 ~ Real or Artificial Tree?
Day 8 ~ Winter MUST haves
Day 9 ~ Christmas Cards
Day 10 ~ Advent Calendar
Day 11 ~ Favorite Decorations and Ornaments
Day 12 ~Outdoor Decorations & Lights
Day 13 ~ TAG questions
Day 14 ~ Stocking Stuffer Ideas
Day 15 ~ Neighbor Plates & Gifts / Delivery Drivers
Day 16 ~ WISH List
Day 17 ~ Party Food Ideas/ CHARCUTERIE Boards – OOPS I’m a day behind, but will get caught up today 😀
Day 18 ~ Favorite Christmas Foods, Beverages & Recipes

Our forecast keeps alternating between rain and snow so it really could go either way since we are now on WINTER STORM WARNING! Our highs are supposed to be in the low 40’s and the nighttime lows in the very low 30’s and lots of wet, wet days ahead this week.

We’ve also been extremely windy. Saturday night we had to disconnect the Frosty and Santa blow-ups because they were trying to take flight. We also lost one of the old fashioned Christmas light posts when it blew off the porch and shattered. 🙁 The rain pounded for all of Friday and Saturday making everything a soppy mess, but there were a couple hours in the 40’s yesterday where we were able to get the blow ups drained off of excess water, untangled the wind blown lines and re-secure them. Hubby was even able to glue some of the lantern pieces back together, but this will be the last year for it.

WINTER STORM WARNING ~ PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
* Travel is strongly discouraged because of dangerous conditions.
* If you must travel, keep tire chains, a flashlight, blankets, food, water, medications, and 
a fully charged phone with you.
* The safest place during a winter storm is indoors.
* A Winter Storm Warning means that severe winter weather is imminent and poses a threat 
to life and property. Take protective action now.

Hot water and Peach, Apple, Pear squeeze

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS

LAUNDRY & CLEANING Laundry is up to date, but I need to vacuum and finish some reorganizing of the spice cabinet. GROCERIES & ERRANDS I do need to ship a couple last minute gifts today – there was a snafu and the recipe cutting boards we were having made weren’t ready until late Saturday for pick up. I had seen these all over Amazon (I included the picture in the favorite photos section) but I found a local artisan who made the cutting boards from local woods and partnered with another local artisan who did the lasering part. I’m so happy to have been able to support local mom and pop shops instead of some foreign corporate chain. I’m hoping they’ll arrive before Christmas with all the holiday shipping delays going on this year. Fortunately I don’t “need” to go anywhere else until Friday for a pedicure and I’ll do any last minute errands then. I do have a painting class/cookie exchange on Thursday night. We’re doing a really cute stockings hung by the fire scene. Here’s the sample picture, but mine will have 6 stockings. PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS I’ve been whittling away at the stack and aim to have it completed by the end of the year. RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I did buy a new recipe planner for 2022 and will spend some of my down time during the wet week working on the January menus.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV

NETFLIX The Holiday Calendar & A Boy Called Christmas CABLE HALLMARK CHRISTMAS movies, Baking shows, Mysteries of the Abandoned

I’m in between reads right now and need to decide on something, but for now have just been playing words with friends as I fall asleep.

We had this family recipe lasered onto cutting boards (made by a local artisan) made for gifts this year and I can show you how cool they are because the recipients don’t read my Monday posts 😀 I wish the picture was better, but too late to take a new one as they are wrapped and ready for shipping in a couple hours.

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.

	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
DINNER	ORANGE PECAN CHICKEN	ORANGE APRICOT CHICKEN	PHILLY CHEESESTEAK EGG ROLLS	C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT	DRIED PICKLE ROLL DIP & CHIPS	RUSTIC TATER SOUP & HAM SANDWICHES	BAKED BEAN DIP & PIMIENTO CHEESE SANDWICHES
DESSERT		MILLIONAIRES & DROP SUGAR COOKIES

• CAST IRON SKILLET MEATLOAF
• SHRIMP SCAMPI PASTA
• NORWEGIAN MEATBALLS

• PINEAPPLE RUM PUNCH
• FRENCH PEAR TART
• HONEY BUTTER GARLIC PORK  LOIN
  

• RUSTIC TATER & HAM SOUP
• ROASTED POTATO SALAD
• BLUEBERRY SOUR CREAM BREAD/MUFFINS