Still Hot, Still Complaining About it

I try to get out early before the sun gets too hot. 

Watering to be done and plants need to be cut back and weeded daily. 

We had someone come today to take a look at our chimney (it needs repointed and a cap.) He made me feel like all the hard work was worth it. He kept commenting on the gardens and landscaping. 

I found this rock from the wall on the right now who or what do you think did that? 

My neighbor loaned me a book about watercolor painting.

One quote I read was "You have got to ruin a lot of paper"

So, I am back to painting I hope daily. 

It is still so horribly hot, and I am not happy about it either.

Trying not just have ice cream for dinner and calling it good.

So, I have diet root beer with a about a tablespoon of heavy cream in it. It tastes a lot like a root beer float. Is it the same? Nope but it is a good refresher. I very rarely drink soda, so it is a treat.

One of the ideas with the rubber stamps is I made my own ribbon.

I just ripped a long piece of fabric any size you want and stamped it.

I am using colored pencils to color them in. 

***

Like I said before we are so freaking hot!!! I am so over it!! 

It is supposed to break tomorrow night hopefully.

Speaking of tomorrow I am meeting my daughter and sweet B for a pedicure, dinner and a play. I am so looking forward to that. Any time with my girls is perfect. 

Have a great rest of your week and stay cool. 

Heat and More Heat

Look how happy my blueberry muffins are lol.

I try to get in the garden early before the bird and chipmunks get the blueberries. I am getting a handful a day. Yesterday while waiting for my coffee, I see the blueberry bush swaying back and forth. I run out like some kind of mad woman chasing the chipmunk out. Good thing the new neighbors cannot see into our yard, it wasn't pretty.

Church sale last week I scored some goodies. 

I learned some new ways to use rubber stamps while I was with Donna, and these were cheap and never used before. 

 

And I scored this handmade shade it is a perfect fit for a lamp I have. It is so beautiful when it is lit up.

It has been hot and more is heat coming. So, husband and I have been playing cards on the porch after dinner waiting for the fireflies to come out. So lovely and peaceful. I am so over this heat!!!

But the gardens are flourishing. I should have a bumper crop of tomatoes this year. 

***

I am getting my car inspected tomorrow NH just passed a law to no longer have car inspections starting 2026. Not sure how I feel about it. We have winter that rusts cars and breaks.  

Have a wonderful week!

I Blame It On The Heat

I have had this book in mid-read for a couple of months.

I have had some eye issues, and it made it difficult to read.

I am on a new eye med, and I need new glasses. But I get to the last 5 chapters yesterday and realized I have read this book before!!!

UGG!

I picked this embroidery pattern up a while ago, so I decided to transfer it to some fabric I had. As you can see there is a lot to transfer. I was given a transfer pen as I have never done this before.

One end is water soluble the other end (that I did not know) was air soluble. You can guess which one I used. So right before my eyes it was all disappearing!! 

I give up!

This plant was given to me when I retired this is the 3rd summer I have had it. I winter it over and by the time it goes outside for the summer I think this is it. It looks dead but voila back it comes!

****

The ricotta appetizer I posted I wanted to reply to some people who have no reply emails.

I whip the whole milk (name brand) ricotta with an electric mixer until it is smooth and light.  No need to add anything at this point. 

If you want to flavor it add whatever herbs or flavors you would like. While whipping the ricotta I roasted some tomatoes I added onions and garlic put olive oil on them and balsamic vinegar. (you can put whatever you want on the ricotta olives, artichokes, etc etc)

I spread the ricotta on a plate drizzled the juice from the roasted tomatoes then put the tomatoes all-round the outside edge.

Dig in with some nice bread or crackers. 

I hope that answers everyone's questions. 

****

Family BBQ this weekend I am looking forward to seeing everyone.

Stay Cool!

Knowing When To Give in

Day lilies are in bloom.

Hollyhocks.

Crazy picture but we dove in before I could get a picture.

I whipped up some ricotta, roasted some tomatoes, onions, garlic, with some fresh basil topped with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It goes on the top of the ricotta with crackers or bread yummmmy. My one hint is always purchase the name brand ricotta. It is always smoother. 

I was given some homemade vanilla I used it all. It still has the vanilla beans in the jar to make another batch I used the bourbon I got as a little gift. 6 to 8 weeks later voila I will have another batch of vanilla! 

My lavender is so full and wonderful this year. I cut some today and made a small wreath for my downstairs bathroom. 

Sat we went to visit King Arthur Flour. Big mistake! It was crazy!!

We usually go during the week when it is not so crazy. But I got what I needed and a few things I didn't need more on that later. 

***

I spent several days punching on that piece. It was still a mess!!!

So, I made the decision to pitch it. I did not enjoy one minute of it, and it kept looking sparse and horrid. It was time to move on. There are a whole lot more crafts in the world to try to love or hate. 

***

I hope your 4th was safe and wonderful.

Have a lovely week. 

Forgetting Everything I Know

Not the greatest picture of my roses but they are so beautiful right now and will bloom until the next hard frost. 

I mixed up my own version of dry ranch dressing. I found it better and no preservatives. 

1/2 cup of dried buttermilk

1 Tab of garlic powder

1 Tab of onion powder

2 tsp of dried parsley

1 1/2 tsp of dried dill

1/2 tsp of dried tarragon

1 tsp of salt 

1/2 tsp of cracked pepper

1/2 tsp dried mustard

2 Tab = 1 packet

I put it all in this jar and shake, shake, shake. Put the cover on tight and keep in cupboard.  

The local grocery store had a sale on lobsters. I treated myself to two

they cook them I just cracked them. They are hard shell, so it was hard cracking, but I got 3 lobster rolls out of it and it cost 20.00 seeing as most lobster rolls are 30.00 and up each, so the cracking was worth it. 

I have struggled with punch needle the whole I time I have tried it. 

I was going to paint this one and stitch over it, but the paint bled.

So, it is large enough to fit my rug hooking frame to keep it nice and tight. And that was the trick I think I am punching away so much better. 

****

This morning, I was walking on our road and out pops a black bear from the hill on a trot. We were just feet apart! I was so shocked and so was the bear. And then I forgot everything I know about bear encounters! I turned (and hurt my knee) put my back to that bear and ran!!! (You cannot outrun a bear ever!) Luckily The bear did the same in the opposite direction. It was a young bear but if it had been a mother bear, she may have chased me. I am mad at myself for being foolish. What I should have done

 is raise my arms over my head to make myself look as large as possible and slowly back away. Never turn your back on a wild animal that large, that bear even though young, I think last year's cub was probably around 200 lbs.

*****

Have a safe 4th!