Whoopie Wednesday

  Ah....the perennial Shasta Daisy !!  I love these cheerful pretty flowers. I planted about 3 or 4 patches of them in different places around the back yard. And every year the patches are a little bigger and they are one of the earlier spring bloomers. I have Forrest Gumped my way through planting a yard that is full of flowers that bloom all throughout the growing season, so I always have something in bloom.  These have long graceful stems and are great for flower arrangements too, when I feel the need for a bouquet on my kitchen  table. They don't last terribly long, but I learned an old trick from an elderly woman who said that if you put a teaspoon of sugar and 2 teaspoons of white vinegar into your cut flower water it will keep them longer. And by golly, it does help. (You can click on this picture for an even better look at these babies...)

  I spent yesterday doing all kinds of odds and ends around here and never got here to blog. I weeded the garden some,  cleaned the chicken coops, scrubbed my front porch furniture (a birdhouse table and 2 rocking chairs)

                                                              [Click on pic to enlarge]

 They get incredibly dirty through the winter, with muddy animals jumping on them and general weather wreaking havoc.  I potted 4 red and white geraniums mixed up in a couple of pots and I potted several red and white petunias in a big old enamel chamber pot to sit on the back deck.  I got them at my friend Dolly's plant sale. When I went there, she was nowhere to be found (It's in her garage and driveway), I assumed she was in the house, I shopped and browsed and picked out my plants--4 geraniums, 4 petunias, 2 coleus and a beautiful anise hyssop--all for 10 dollars.  I may go back today...When I had added up[ my purchases, I sat down at her little table and wrote her a note..put the 10 dollars down and carried my stuff to the car. It suddenly occurred to me that I had been there quite a while and there was still no sign of her. I was a little worried and went up and pounded on the front door. After a bit of pounding (I was ready to call her sister) she showed up at the door, looking a little bleary and said--Oh hell...I must have fallen asleep!!  It was hotter than blue blazes yesterday and business was slow and she had gone in to the air conditioning for a drink of water and a sit.  lol  We sat outside and talked and suddenly it was 2 hours later and I had to go.

  Coming home I circled through town to where my son has been working on his father-in-laws garage...lordy, he was out there in that heat and humidity working trying to finish up. He looked terrible...I guess he got it finished...he told me that his grandmothers husband had died yesterday...keeled over working in his wife's sisters garden.  A massive heart attack that was swift and merciful. He was a very active man, and they were both in their early 80's when they married after she was widowed. Married 6 years, my son said his grandmother is very philosophical about it all, and is holding up well. He said the first thing she said was" 6 years wasn't long enough, but at least he didn't have to be sick or laid up a long time". Her first husband was sick for years and she took care of the mean little man until the end.  She seemed so very happy to have found love in the later years of her life, and she is a jolly sweet woman anyway.  Godspeed, Kenny...and God bless you, Ruth.

  BY the time I made an easy supper of bbq'd country ribs and corn on the cob and we ate I was bushed. The humidity really zaps my energy, even tho the temps were only 90.

  I need to get out there and get some straw down, but I have to go to the recovery home today and that will eat up my morning and afternoon. I'm stopping by for some groceries and animal feed on my way home from there, and so maybe if the storms don't come I can get out there this evening.  We're eating leftover black bean enchiladas for supper.

  BTW--that potluck dish I made??  Turned out wonderfully.  I made a mixture of finely chopped onion and bell pepper, small diced partially cooked (microwaved) sweet potato, black beans, frozen corn, diced tomatoes and salsa. Didn't really need any seasoning because of the  salsa. I used corn tortillas that I microwaved to soften (Instead of the traditional oil cooking).  I smeared some enchilada sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and proceeded to fill the torillas with a swipe of enchilada sauce, the filling and a sprinkle of shredded cheese.  Rolled them up and placed them seam side down in the pan. Topped it all with more enchilada sauce, a little salsa and some sliced black olives and cheese and diced onion. Baked at 300 degrees for about half an hour. They were DE-LISH!!!!

  Okay--better get dressed and ready to hit my day...I have to leave the house by 1045 and it's after 9 now...

  Have a serene day, all y'all....

  Namaste.