Random 5 On Friday....uh Saturday

Joining in a day late for Nancy's Random 5 on Friday, only today is Saturday....that might give you a clue as to overall disposition lately. 

1) Oh my goodness, it has been 6 days since I have posted anything new, maybe, just maybe I haven't been totally inspired by much lately.  This winter has really taken a toll on my overall attitude.  This week alone we have had another major snowstorm that pushed us into the annuals of being the 5th snowiest winter since 1800 something...whoop whoop (fake excitement), we had temps that rose almost to the 50 degree mark which caused much melting of above stated snowstorm, followed by downpours on Thursday which caused major flooding coupled with the melting snow, after all the rain a major fog rolled in, cancelling another kazillion airline flights, followed by 50 mph winds on Friday.  Now I state again....where does one get inspiration from that series of events??? 

2) I did get excited the day of the major snowstorm when I spotted what I always think of when I imagine spring is on it's way.....a robin.  

He even turned around so I could capture both sides of him.

But then the very next day I read in the newspaper that the robins that we are seeing are either 1) those that hang here all winter, never going south or 2) Canadian robins that winter here.  Talk about bird brains, number 1 who wouldn't want to go south for the winter? and number 2 who would in their right mind want to winter here??  My attitude is showing again.

3) I am really trying to get in the mood of Spring by purchasing flowers....

I am even hanging on to the tulips even tho they are way past their prime....

4) I am really trying to eat better these days.  Leading a single life sometimes leads to bad eating habits. After preparing meals for almost 50 years, first for the two of us, then when the children came along, the four of us, then back to the two of us when the kids fled the nest, then my mom moved in and it was the three of us...so for many a year there were loved ones around to prepare meals for.  Gathering new recipes, watching cooking shows was then a part of my life.  But now with just me, that urge to prepare a meal has fizzled. I am finding new ways to add a little more healthiness to my daily diet. Trader Joe's has answered some of those needs.  They have (not only great flowers) but fresh veggies and fruits neatly packaged and already prepared which makes it super easy to correct some of my bad eating habits.  Instead of a donut for breakfast (not to say that never happens) I buy their already seeded pomegranates and sprinkle them on top of my cereal for breakfast.  They add that extra sweetness and crunch, actually I could eat a handful on top of nothing....!!

5)  Yesterday when the winds were blowing, another good day to stay inside I started reading "The Girl He Left Behind" by Jo Jo Moyes.  Well, honestly I couldn't put the book down.  The title of the book is actually the title of a painting that was painted before World War I by a young artist in Paris for his beautiful new wife.  The early story begins with the German occupation of France in 1916 then moves to present day London with the painting being the connection of those lives and times.  Well written, wonderful characters and I am returning today to finish it.  The "kids" sleep either on my lap or on the floor near me as I read on.

I know I lead such an exciting life, but in February, in Chicago this is about as good as it gets, for me anyway.  

"The word happiness would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness." ~ Carl Jung

Until next time......

I Don't Like Grumpy

Ha fooled ya....probably not.  But as I was strolling thru some of this past summer's images, found this one and figured some of you out there in deep winterland would appreciate some summer-time color. It will return, I promise eventho some of us are buried and shivering and apparently bored as to be looking at last summer's images.  Last year I was begging for snow, now not so much....I think I am feeling a little trapped....what is wrong with me....never, never satisfied.  Because of our very frigid temps many roads are still a little icey-dicey and the piles are getting higher each day.  In fact it is snowing right now as I look out the window.   Not much, and tomorrow's forecast is for rain.  ay yi yi where is all this moisture going to go?  Icicles are starting their dreaded formations...these are mine at the backside of the house.

Hmmm, I have read several blogs about troubles with blogger.  I was feeling so smug that I had not experienced any of their issues and just as I was writing this, a message popped up saying that I had unlogged from a site, did I want to re-log back in and then wham, half of my post was gone.  Maybe it was reading my "bitching" words and decided to stop me in my tracks.

I was complaining about the depth of the snow and how my "weak" ankles are not the least bit sturdy manipulating thru the heights and worrying about dropping my camera when blogger decided to delete that portion of my post.  Hmmm

What's with the starlings sticking around this winter??  Yesterday I saw them hanging around a restaurant's garbage bins and today this in my backyard....and no, I do not have garbage in my backyard.

I am trying to capture more compelling images since that is my "word" for the year.  The only thing I find compelling in this is the need to hire someone to remove all of this "ivy" that is growing on the west and north sides of my house.  I planted the green ivy....the brown came from my next door neighbor.  Don't know if it was planted or drifted in from parts unknown, but it is extremely aggressive and probably is doing some damage to the siding of my house.

I have 3 huge things on my "to-do" list and I keep putting them off, keep putting them on the back-burner, keep doing everything but what I should be doing.  That is probably why I am in a cranky mood. And I know the answer is to get busy and get them done, complete and finished.  But first....

lunch.  My daughter gave me some soup mixes for Christmas.  Frankly I thought it was a brilliant idea since she knows I don't do much cookin' anymore and these soups are simply delicious.  The one pictured above is called "Florida Sunshine Red Pepper Corn Chowder" from Frontier Soups.com.  I first discovered Frontier Soups several years ago at a craft show.  It was one of the "classiests" craft shows I ever attended.  I won't go into detail because it "unfortunately" no long exists, but that was my first introduction to these soups.  They were made by a woman from Waukegan, IL, a neighbor so to speak, who loved cooking.  Her friends and family urged her to go "into business" because they were so delicious which led her to "Frontier Soups".  A dry mix with you adding the fresh ingredients.  They are healthy, no salt added, gluten free and mighty tasty!!  She has a bounty of choices.   If you go to the website there are a variety of soups, appetizers, bread mixes and apparently she has expanded all over the United States.  Wow, just from her kitchen to the world, love it!!  If you can't find a store near you, order from the website, they ship!!

So I better stop and get busy with one of those HUGE items on my list.  If I don't I'll stay grumpy and I don't like grumpy.

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."  ~  John Rohn

Until next time.....

Brunch on the Porch

My good buddy Marti, had a brilliant idea a few weeks ago.  She thought it would be a great idea if we ended the summer with a brunch on the porch...my porch.  The good news was...she would do all the cooking, all I had to do was provide the spot.  OK...I can do that.  As it turned out, she had help with the food, many stepped forward and volunteered to bring food, but I don't remember anyone stepping forward and volunteering to come over and clean my house prior to the brunch....just kidding.  I love having people over and I would have cooked all the food too, but it sure was nice just providing the dishes, coffee and tea.  I hope she comes up with a good idea like this again.

I decided that since the ladies were to be on the porch I would make that banner for the porch that I have been thinking about all summer.  I have fallen in love with banners...on pinterest I have a board specifically for "banner love".  Last summer I was in love with pinwheels, this summer it's banners.  So ta da...here is the back porch banner.

It is made out of double sided scrapbook paper, the letters are chipboard (painted), the line is baker's twine and each banner is attached with those little tiny clothespins.  I added a button on a couple of the letters along with the green trim at the top of each banner.

When I knew that I would be having 10-12 women over for brunch I decided to order those cute little milk bottles and paper straws that I have seen on other blogs.  Too cute. Now do I need 12 cute little milk bottles and paper straws??  Well, you know the answer to that one, but oh the juice tasted so much better in these little bottles.

The girls arrived and the fun began....

Two ladies came late and another one does not like her picture taken...but these are the ladies I was able to snap a pics of.  Dear, dear women they are...loving and kind, each and everyone.  I have been blessed with my friends.  I don't know how I could have gone through my life without my friends.

There was wonderful food, fruits and muffins and crescent roll-ups, and quiche (2 kinds) and a  potato casserole, coffee and tea, and ofcourse orange juice in the milk bottles.  And you see those cute little signs...another "thing" I bought for the occasion...tiny blackboard signs with clothespins on the back to label the food.  I found a "fine-point" chalkboard pen at "Paper Source" that washes right off just like a black-board, so these can be used over and over!!  Cute huh?

And finally, Marcia, who came just a tad late brought me a bouquet of flowers (uhh I guess I should have given 1/2 to Marti...sorry, Marti).  In the bouquet were these tiny roses.  I removed them from the big bouquet and added them to their own mason jar vase.  So pretty with the blue and pink.  Thanks, Marcia.

Before she left, I gave Marti a disc with pictures of her granddaughter that I took last Friday....she was thrilled...and here is a couple of my favorites of the group.

So that was my day....just about next to perfect, including the weather.  How was your day?... grand, I hope.

"In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends."  ~  J. Churton Collins

Until next time.....

The Easter That Went To The Dogs

Easter was celebrated at my daughter's home yesterday along with 3 dogs, 4 cats, and 6 adults.  However, the dogs were the main attraction.  Since I am leaving tomorrow for Galveston, TX I brought Toby with me.  Lisa (my daughter) and Sam (my son-in-law) are my go-to dog sitters for Toby while I am traveling.  My grandson, Brandon & Hilary (his wife) do not leave home without Charlie, their dog, and then there is Mac, Lisa & Sam's new Huskie.  So if you have been following, that is 3 dogs.  The only cat we saw for most of the day was Spookie and there was very little movement from her, she is almost 16 years old and not real active.  She has a favorite spot on a big pillow in front of the window, so unless you accidentally sit on her she doesn't move.

Mac has been attending Doggie Pet Training, privately, I might add, which probably is the best kind since there are no other distractions (ie. other dogs).  Only having 2 lessons, he has come a long way.  I was impressed.

Mac has learned to:  Shake...

Sit pretty...

Roll over

And finally, stay.... (look how good he is, just waiting so patiently before eating his treat)

What a good dog...

But then Charlie decided to get in the act....  Mac says, "Heh, what are doing with my chewy bone and  sitting on my bed?"

"I know you are a guest in my house, but come on....that is my favorite chewy, and by the way, do you have a square tongue?"



"Alright, that's enough, get off of my bed."

"OK, now just try and get this last one...just try."

Toby says..."I don't want any part of this, I am getting outta here with my tail and ears tucked.  I'm a lover not a fighter."

Amongst all this, Bailey arrived with treats in hand.  Since moving into her apartment, she is becoming quite the domestic goddess.  She brought deviled eggs, and a yummy fruit salsa with cinnamon crisps.

Note to self....buy Bailey some serving dishes.

 Then Lisa (mostly Lisa) and Sam served up a most delicious Easter dinner....

From ham with a sweet orange rosemary glaze, fruit salad, mashed potatoes with leeks, to sugar snap peas with leeks.  I couldn't even tell you what was the best, it was all so very, very scrumptious.

And ending with a strawberry, lemon bundt cake.  So moist, so rich, so pleasing to the tummy.

I dragged Brandon & Hilary outdoors to take their picture, what? I ask you is so painful about getting your picture taken?  I mention the word picture and I hear nothing but groans.

And finally, me... it is a little blurry, but at my age, a little blurriness (ie softness) is probably best.

Easter was different this year, as each holiday this year has been.  But life is all about change and we are doing the best we can to handle the change that has come into our lives.

I probably won't be around too much in the next week, since I will be in Texas.  But I will be posting pics of my trip as soon as I can.  Have a glorious week ahead.

"We become happier, much happier, when we realize that life is an opportunity rather than an obligation."  ~  Mary Augustine

Until next time.....

Blue Monday

If you think this was going to be another "pity party post" not so.  I snapped out of it with the sunrise this morning.  Maybe that was the problem....no sun.  It has been a little dreary lately, but this morning, the sun was shining and proceeded to shine ALL day.  It almost feels like spring outside, the birds are chirping, the snow is almost gone except for spots that the sun doesn't reach, but wait a minute this is only January.  But isn't Ground Hog Day coming up this week??....Puxatony Phil will let us know if Spring is right around the corner.  And speaking of Puxatony Phil, one of my fav funny movies is "Ground Hog Day" with Bill Murray.  And it was filmed right here in Illinois....Woodstock, IL, a small town about an hours drive from here.  Yes, it has that cute town square, looks just like the movie.

OK, back to Blue Monday.  In my on-going quest to eat healthier, I ate more blueberries this morning for breakfast....the only blue fruit I know.  And thinking about it I don't know too many foods that are the color blue.  There are plenty of foods that are green, red, and yellow but not so much blue.  So in honor of the only blue fruit that comes to my mind I am linking this up to Kim Klassen's Texture Tuesday with the added layer of hers entitled "simplicity".  A simple fruit with a simple texture.

After shopping (yes I went shopping, that always seems to cheer me up), as I was driving home the sun was setting.  What colors....only God can paint a sky like the one I saw this evening with all those heavenly blues and corals.  That is what makes photography so blow-that-bugle awesome.  To capture that beauty, and then to be able to look at it again and again and again.

Now off to the Bunco Pajama Party...you may see some fun pics later!!

"Earth is crammed with heaven."  ~  Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Until next time.....