Summer Happenings

We have been busy here at our house.  Mr. G is improving and noticing some significant change since beginning acupuncture therapy.  However, with the nerve beginning to "come back" there is new pain involved.  He is better, but has a long way to go.  It seems like he will have two or three pretty good days, then a really bad one.  Sunday was a bad day!!!  Monday, was a good day.  He even tackled some rebar removal in the grove.

This rebar must have been used at one time to stake this avocado tree when it was young.  I have always worried about it being here, and yet, we never removed until now.  Can't risk the grandkids getting hurt.  I know what my kids are thinking...."hey, why didn't you worry about removing it when we were little?"  Sorry kids, better late than never. Besides the one to worry about getting impaled on it would be me!!  I am the klutz of the family.

On Sunday there was a car wash going on here in the driveway.  Just about everyone got in on the action.  Noah was a good  helper to his Mommy.

 The sky was such a pretty blue on Sunday, with pretty puffy clouds.  Sure made it muggy out though.
Noah was so serious about washing the car.   Look at that concentration!

Sunday night we went over to babysit Hannah and Claire so Gennifer and Jake could go out to celebrate their 8th anniversary.  Wow, it sure doesn't seem possible that they have been married for 8 years!  I didn't have my camera, but we had fun playing with the girls, and since Greg wasn't feeling well, he went home as soon as they were in bed.  I spent the time crocheting my blanket.  Or, I should say, trying to.  I have stumbled upon a few blogs recently with the most gorgeous colors of yarn, and crochet flowers and pillows, that I wanted to learn more than just single and double crochet.  I learned a little bit of knitting a few years ago, but I never really mastered it, and dish cloths were about the extent of my knitting expertise.  We have a great shop here in town, The Knit Affair, owned by Torey, a great gal who is always happy to show you how to knit or crochet.  But my time has been limited, and I had to try to teach myself some of these new stitches.  I studied the you tube videos and did a couple of flowers.  I bought a couple of books, and learned a lot that way.  But this one blog featured a blanket that I thought I could do.  She posted an abbreviated version of her instructions, and apparently, I am too much of a dunce to get it.  Mine does NOT look like hers.  Oh well, I will keep plugging along anyway. Her blog is delightful. She lives in North England, and I love visiting her blog and hearing about her life.

Attic24

Now if only I could make my crochet stitch look just like hers!
Another blog I have discovered that I LOVE is The Garden Bell.  She is a wonderful gardener, and does the most beautiful crochet! The Garden Bell  And a third new discovery, she too is a gardener, and does beautiful crochet.  In fact, it is these last two blogs that made me want to go find beautiful colored yarn, the colors of summer, and learn to do something other than single or double crochet.  As you can see, I have a long way to go.

  These are the books I got to try to learn more.

 During the summer I like to make big salads for dinner.  Especially when it is just the two of us.  I had a lot of produce from my garden so I made one of our summer favorites, a Spinach and Strawberry Salad.

 Spinach, cucumbers from my garden, strawberries from my garden, green onions, walnuts, baby mozarella balls cut in half, avocado, and a poppy seed dressing.  If I had mushrooms, those would go in too.  And usually I use a goat cheese, but I didn't have any, so I used the left over baby mozarella balls from the caprese the other night.  Mr. G was wondering why I didn't put the smoked salmon from the Farmer's Market over the top.  But I like my spinach salad meatless.  We feasted on this with a loaf of crusty french bread, and it was delicious.

 And speaking of my garden......my daughter Erika has been banned!  On Saturday afternoon when I was taking a little rest, she stopped over and wanted some produce.  In picking her produce, she not only picked, but PULLED OUT, not one, not two, but three entire squash plants!   Hello.....we use nippers to get the squash, not brutal strength!!  

Into the compost bin it went.  And actually, it probably freed up more growing room for the other plants to spread out.  
My cukes are coming in nicely.  They are so crisp and yummy.  Next summer, I am doing one whole box of cukes and then I will make pickles!  

Cantaloupe are looking good.

I didn't plant nearly the variety that I did last summer, but I have never had my garden yield so much as it has this year.  I am convinced it is the composting!  It adds such nutrients to the soil.  I use no sprays or chemicals whatsoever.  But I compost faithfully.

Next year I plan to use at least 4 raised boxes, maybe 5.  
Remember me showing  you my gigi hill bags that I recently got at my neighbors party?  I am having a gigi hill party on Thursday, July 29th.  These bags are just so pretty and functional.  I have a loaner to carry until the party to show people the bag.  I love a big purse.  This carries everything you need and then some.  

The pockets are see through so you know just what you are rooting around in there for, and can actually find it. 

A pocket for cell phone, water bottle, notebook/checkbook, sunglasses, lipstick, key fob, etc.  

Oops, my unpedicured toes got in the picture.  Mom, you would love this bag!

Well, it is getting hot here today.  Somebody about 2'2" is pulling on me to go swimming.  So I better scoot.   Oh, one last thing.  I could NOT STAND letting my hair grow out one more second.  I had Gennifer cut it all off!  Phew..does that feel better!