The Simple Woman's Daybook...Week of July 26th

For Today...from Mandy's Daybook


Outside my window...the sun is shining, the sky is rumbling rather loudly and short, but heavy showers.

I am thinking...that the wall is not going to paint itself!

I am thankful for...my mother, who drives 14 hours to pick up her grandchildren each summer and that this summer she's driving another 14 hours to bring them home to me.

I am wearing...black exercise capris and a yellow t-shirt

I am remembering...when I was a little girl, my mother would read the Ramona Quimby books to us when we were little girls.  We're going to watch Ramona and Quimby together this weekend.

I am going...to really finish my daughter's room, but not tonight.  It's taped off, so I'll start and finish tomorrow.

I am reading...my Bible, starting Heat Wave and Strengths Finder 2.0 for work.

I am hearing...the dryer beep and some weirdo playing the harmonica on America's Got Talent.

I am hoping...that the next two days go by quickly; want to see my girls!

I need...to wash the dishes and put up the leftovers from dinner.

On my mind...anxious to see my girls and praying that the drive home is safe and uneventful.

From the learning rooms...I'm going to read this book and find out what my "strengths" are...just love work reading assignments.

Noticing that...I'm still pretty relaxed.

Pondering these words..."Whoever tries to live right and be loyal finds life, success and honor." Proverbs 21:21. 

From the kitchen...Teriaki chicken, rice, mashed potatoes (for hubby) and rolls that need to be put away.  I can still cook! 

I am creating...That darn wall that refuses to paint itself!

Around the house...getting the house ready for my girls and my mother's arrival.  I know they'll mess it up within minutes of arriving, unpacking 5 weeks worth of stuff tends to do that, but I like them to come home to their space clean. 

One of my favorite things...long chats with my mother who also happens to be my best friend!

A few plans for the rest of the week...just trying to contain my emotions; the last week is the toughest and getting the house ready. Also, enjoying the quiet nights with my husband.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

A bloom on my Echeveria 'Plush Plant'.

You can participate in the Simple Woman's Daybook by going to the link below.
http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Have a wonderfully delightful week!
Mandy

Summer Reading

I've been a little lazy sharing my books this week, so I thought I'd cover them all at once.  Last week, while I was waiting at Sam's Club for them to replace my car battery, I found a new book called The French Gardner by Santa Monteriore.  The front cover looked enchanting and the back completely had me hooked.  It was a love story going back and forth between the present day and previous owners of an English estate with glorious gardens.  It really was a great book...wasn't too pleased with the whole affair bit, but that was kept to a minimum until the end as well as the language that accompanied it.  The ending was both happy and sad at the same time; I hate those endings!  The whole gardening bit was great though, I could see myself in these gardens and it was a lovely place to be.  I finished that one early this week and picked up on that I've had out for three weeks now to read and keep getting sidetracked with other books.  Between Sundays by Karen Kingsbury was fabulous!  Her books never disappoint and are guaranteed to be feel good, no matter what the outcome with lots of tears! This one was no different.  There was a foreword by a 49ers quarterback, Alex Smith, that set the tone for part of the storyline.  He lives by "in the end, life isn't defined by what takes place on the first day of the week, but how we live between Sundays".  Loved it! Now, I'm finally getting to the one I was super excited to find.  I'm an avid fan of ABC's Castle, and was thrilled when they announced that they were publishing books by the fictional Richard Castle from the show.  I wasn't going to pay $20 for the book at Barnes and Nobles when I saw how skinny it was, so I've been scouring Half Price Books every time I'm there.  Finally, it was there and my coworker laughed when I almost broke out into a "happy dance"...I did squeal though! Tonight, I'm finally going to get it started...hope I'm not disappointed, but I doubt I will be!

I should have time to finish this one and maybe another one before my girls get home on Friday.  So much to read and so little time!!

Happy Reading,

Mandy

Tea Rooms and Succulents

We tried a new little deli today...it was a totally chickie tea room type deli/bakery; very girly girl!  If you're in San Antonio, it's called Sugar Baker's and is the cutest place I've been in ages! The food was delicious and the desserts looked out of this world yummy, but we were very self controlled and said "no thanks". I can't wait to take my best friend there...I love it when I find the cool spots first; it doesn't happen often! So, afterwards my coworker says, "Let's swing by Rack Room.  I want to look at their sandles."  I'm always up for a shoe adventure, so we took detour.  On the detour, some succulents in front of Whole Foods caught my eye and it was my turn to ask if we could make one more stop.  They had the neatest looking thing and I had never seen it before, so I started gathering them while she walked down to the next store.

Portulaca molonkiniensis 'Maraca'

This is a Portulaca molonkiniensis 'Maraca'.  It grows 12" - 18", enjoys full sun to part shade and produces the most beautiful yellow blooms.  I found out that last part after a quick Google search.  It's going to be the first one that goes in the giant pot...I think!

The plants I've been "succulent sitting" for my mother have had a rough time of it.  We had almost 2 weeks of rain, rain and more rain so they weren't too thrilled.  One of them that we liked the most didn't make it.  Wouldn't you know they had that one too!  In the picture below, it's the first of the three.  Not sure what it's called, but it really reminded me of the old "rabbit ear" anteneas.  The second is some type of Gasteria, that I thought was really nice and fat. The ones we have are much skinnier. The third is yet another Cotyledon Tomentosa ' Bear Paw'.  I know I didn't need that one, but none of ours have the brown tips that look like nails so I thought we needed it too. These are my mothers, mine are scattered about the colllection so as not to draw undue attention from my husband's noticing eye!

The sales clerk was working with them while I was there and is a fellow "succulent addict".  I think I might have helped create two more monsters in the check out line as well.  The guy in front of me thought they were very cool and then the cashier had questions as well.  Would you believe both men's question was, "How do they do with not so much water?".  They were happy to hear they thrive on neglect! So I did my part in spreading the word today...and I didn't buy any shoes.  That alone counts for something!

I don't think I've posted the 'Propeller Plant' yet, here he is...

Crassula 'Propeller Plant'

Looking forward to another relaxing weekend and hopefully will enjoy it minus the headache that's been my constant companion for two days now!  Fixing to break out the heavy duty migraine killers since the usual Advil hasn't touched it...I just love the mold in the air!!

Enjoy yours!
Mandy

What To Do!

Sometime this afternoon, my cell phone rang. Caller ID identified it was my parents house...I should've known it was one of my girls.  Below is an example of daily calls I get from one or the other...you've got to love it!

Me: "Hello" 
Oldest Daughter:  "Mom, you need to talk to your daughter." 
Me: "What now?"
OD: "Hygiene, she doesn't even know when her last bath was!"
Me:  "I'm aware of that, I had the same conversation with her yesterday.  Don't get excited, you went through the same phase."
OD: "No, seriously! We went to lunch yesterday and I told her to brush her teeth and she said she didn't need to because she brushed them last night. Nana made her though."
Me: "Again, you did the same thing at her age.  With you I was worried something was wrong, but now I know it's a phase and she'll be fine.  Just look at how clean you are now!"
OD: "Funny, you need to talk to her."

I really did think something was wrong when the first one went through this...I thought boys were messy and girls were neat by nature.  Man was I wrong!  Evidently, it's not a gender thing...in our house, it's proving to be a 10 year old rite of passage thing! 

Mandy

Writer's Workshop...A Good Mom Moment

Too often, I wonder if my girls are really getting it.  I try and include a relationship with their Heavenly Father throughout normal life, we talk about sermons after church, and I'm always ready to pray with them or for them; whatever they need at that time.  Sometimes though, I question myself on if I'm doing enough.  Good Mom Moments like this encourage me that I just could be doing it right!

One evening, Caitlin came into my room and says, "Momma, I need a scripture." I replied, "Ok, for what?" She proceeds to tell me that she needs something that talks about being perfect just the way you are.  I stopped dusting and pulled out my Bible.  I showed her Psalms 139 where it talks about knitting us together in our mother's womb and being fearfully and wonderfully made. She said that was perfect and gets ready to take off.  I stopped and asked her why she needed it, and she replied, "One of my friends thinks she's ugly and I told her that God made her just the way she was and how could she be ugly." I wanted to cry, but settled for a smile and asked her if she knew just how great she was.  She left the room to go call her friend with the verses; proof of what she already knew, and I took the moment to remind myself that I was doing a great job because my girl "got it"!

Moments like that make all the other "mom guilt" moments matter just a little less!

Mandy

This was from Mama Kat's Weekly Writer's Workshop. Stop by her blog to check out the prompts and join in on the fun.

Simple Woman's Daybook...Week of July 19th

For Today...from Mandy's Daybook

Outside my window...a nice organized porch...finally!

I am thinking...that I'm ready for bed already.

I am thankful for...parents who loved me unconditionally growing up and the relationship that we have.

I am wearing...black yoga pants and purple t-shirt.

I am remembering...my girls when they were little, read several blogs tonight about little ones and it brought back memories.

I am going...to finish my daughter's room this weekend no matter what! I only have one weekend left.

I am reading...my Bible and going to start a Karen Kingsbury book.


I am hearing...my husband yawning and the guinea girls doing their nightly spinout.

I am hoping...that my eyes do not itch like they did today when I wake up in the morning.

I need...to start planning menus again, without them, dinner is hopeless!

On my mind...not a lot today, pretty relaxed.

From the learning rooms...having a pool isn't as simple as setting it up and being done; it's work!

Noticing that...I've been quite peaceful lately, could get used to this.

Pondering these words..."It is not enough to tell them you love them.  You have to show them.  Words mean nothing if they are not backed up with action." exerpt from The French Gardner by Santa Monteriore.


From the kitchen...omelets for dinner and a clean kitchen thanks to my husband.

I am creating...I have succulent cuttings waiting to be arranged and a bedroom wall that needs painting.

Around the house...not a lot to do, we've both done a good job picking up after ourselves.

One of my favorite things...a nice evening spent with friends and good food!

A few plans for the rest of the week...not very much, just the usual work and home routine.  Spending our last weekend without the girls at home enjoying the quiet and probably get in some pool time.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

A flower from my Passon Vine, 'Incense'...the smell is as intoxicating and whimsical as the bloom itself!

You can participate in the Simple Woman's Daybook by going to the link below.

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Have a wonderfully delightful week!
Mandy

Weekend Happenings

What a weekend!  My husband went fishing at the coast, so it was just me and the animals.  I've been missing my girls and all the commotion that comes along with them, so I invited their friends from down the street to come down for pizza and swimming.  They're great girls and we had an equally great time!

Saturday, Goldie had a vet appointment to check on some growths...she's just getting old, which calmed me down as I was prepared for the worst! Then, I went on the hunt for treasures!!  I hit Thrift Town, it's a local second hand store, and made out like a bandit with a bag full of books and some coffee cups/containers I'm going to use for some succulent cuttings.

I'm most excited about the wire thing and the little green jar mug, but I thought the others would make nice pots with some pebbles in the bottom. It's too hot to go out and mess with them today, that will have to be an evening project.

Then, I stopped at this placed by the petstore and oh, my!  I took pictures of everything in my car because my husband will not believe that I got it all in there!

This pot is huge and much more fitting for my yard than the horse trough I wanted to find!  It had a crack in it so it was marked down to $20, this was incredible since damage free it sold for $139!  A little epoxy glue and with the crack facing the tree, no one will be the wiser! The baker's rack was 1/2 off and the other little holder was on the clearance aisle as well. 

I moved some of the succulents that need a little more shade on it since it doesn't get as much direct sun as the other side of the porch. 

I don't remember having so much fun by myself! 

Mandy

Garden Finds

My coworker's Lollipop Plant that we picked up a few weeks ago on our first Shades of Green adventure encountered a mishap...all she has is a stalk with no clue as to where the rest of it went!  Needless to say, I volunteered to take us back over so she could get a replacement.  I picked up a Crassula 'Propeller Plant'...very cool and I still need to take the picture, but I was realy enthralled with all the wrought iron shelves and such that they had.  I really need, want one that looked like an oriental screen with baskets to sit your plants in.  It was nice and tall and really wide as well, too bad it was over $200...not quite in the budget now, but give me some time to plot.  Next time I'm there I'll take a picture so you can see it for yourself.  I found the most adorable fountain that I did remember to take a picture of though.

I thought this was too cute not to share!  This nursery is quickly becoming one of my favorite places...I could probably spend hours in there roaming through the different areas. 

Happy Friday!

Mandy

'Torch Glow' Bougainvillea

I've been waiting very patiently for my 'Torch Glow' Bougainvillea to start blooming this year.  For whatever reason, the only pictures I have of her are from my 35mm and not my digital camera.  She's still got a ways to go to reach her normal summer beauty, but I couldn't wait to share any longer.

I have to admit that I messed up and didn't prune her during the winter when she was "wintering" in the garage.  For some reason, she lost all blooms and leaves in October and then started blooming all over again.  It threw me off, so I completely forgot to cut her back.  As a result, she's a little wild looking this year.  My husband and I were walking through Rainbow Gardens probably 4 years ago, and I saw this sitting there and put it in my wagon without bothering to look at the price...I just knew I needed this! I'm so glad I did because I've looked for others over the years since and have yet to find another one.  This variety is called Torch because rather than branch out or mound, the branches grow upward and the leaves and flowers are tiny compared to the normal varieties.  I'll have more photos to share as she gets more blooms!

That's it for today...hope everyone's having a wonderful week!

Mandy

Simple Woman's Daybook...Week of July 12th

For Today...from Mandy's Daybook


Outside my window...the sun has set for the night.

I am thinking...nothing at the moment, which is rather unusual!

I am thankful for...happy, healthy children.

From the kitchen...grilled cheese was on the menu tonight, chocolate chip cookies are waiting on the counter!

I am wearing...a brown/white print dress...I was comfy, so I haven't gotten out of my work clothes yet.

I am creating...I downloaded a playlist for a friend earlier tonight, surely that counts for something.

I am going...to take my bath early, need to get caught up on my daily Bible reading...not doing so hot this summer.

I am reading...just finished Sanctuary by Beverly Lewis, about to start Heat Wave by Richard Castle and my Bible.

I am hoping...that I keep the house picked up now that it's nice and clean.
I am hearing...CSI Miami

Around the house...it's still quiet. It's nice and clean too, thanks to some heavy duty Saturday cleaning.

One of my favorite things...holding newborn babies, got to hold my friend's week old baby girl on Saturday...so precious!

A few plans for the rest of the week...work, home, work, home and more work! Probably get through a book or two as well.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

You can participate in the Simple Woman's Daybook by going to the link below.


http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/
Have a wonderfully delightful week!

Mandy

Getting to Know You...Sunday, July 11

The weekend went by so fast as usual! It was nice though, my house is completely clean and once I get the guinea girls mansion cleaned out, it will mark the first time in a long time that everything's been done at one time! Being that it's Sunday, it's time for the weekly edition of Getting to Know You hosted by Keely MannLand5.  If you'dl like to join in, just stop by her blog and grab the questions for yourself.

1. What is YOUR definition of sexy?
Being comfortable and confident in your own skin, with your own style and loving yourself just the way you are.

2. Would you rather clean up puke or change a poopy diaper?
Definitely a poopy diaper...cleaning up puke only makes me want to hurl myself! 

3. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
Generally an extrovert, but put me in a large group of people and I turn into an introvert!

4. If you had to give up one of your 5 senses for a year..which one would you give up?
I'm going to have to go with smell...I'd like to say taste, but I know me and I'd continue to eat my favorites out of habit regardless of whether I could taste it or not!

5. Cake or Pie?
Both

6. If you could play any character on TV (old or current) who would you play?
Mariska Hargity from Law and Order SVU

7. My favorite website is Amazon...I could spend all day looking through the book section and reading the reviews, all while making my own list longer!

8. The highlight of my day is coming home from work and chatting with my girls.

I bought more dirt, so I'm off to repot a few things on the back porch!

Mandy

Happy Birthday Shelby-Lou!

Today, my youngest daughter turned 10! Double digits are big, because even though she's tiny (just over 50 lbs, and right past 4 ft), I don't think I can carry her around the house anymore! Don't get me wrong, I'm not toting her on my hip or anything, but sometimes I just have to swoop her up and hold her.  She'll never be too big to crawl up in my lap though...nope, I refuse to even go there!

I had thought to use nicknames for my girls, but that's going to be too confusing...especially when my mother made a blog and totally forgot about using nicknames.  So, today, my Shelby is 10!  As our summer tradition has it, this is the 6th year that she celebrates her big day at my parents house.  Kind of a bummer for her mother, but I don't really think she'd appreciate it any other way. 

Going back to the oldest digital photo I have of her, this was probably at 3 years old. This was her first time going to my parents without me and daddy.  They went camping this year.

To today, or at least my most recent shot of her...my mother's slacking a bit this year!

I took dinner to a friend tonight who just had her third little girl, and I wanted to bring her home!  She was about the same size as my Shelby-Lou when she made her entrance at 6 lb 4 ou, 19 inches long! 

She's our Type A to a tee child, obedient to a fault and never a dull moment!  Her sister woke her up at 1 a.m. this morning writing "happy birthday" on Shelby's skin!  Fortunatley for her, it's takes Shelbs a bit to fully focus or she would've gone "ninja" on her.  She might be small, but she's not one to mess with.  Caitlin did make up for it though I think by giving her a ride of a lifetime on the go-cart...Nana said Shelby was hanging on for dear life!

Writer's Workshop...Bucket List

I have always loved to write, so when I saw this weekly meme, I thought why not!

Out of the 5 prompts listed for the Writer's Workshop, I'm think I'll go with the listing 100 things I want to do before I turn 100.  Otherwise known as a Bucket List...I probably won't get to 100, but we'll see!

1. Learn to ballroom dance
2. Go to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina
3. Take my children to Disney
4. Visit an Amish community
5. Visit Maine or Rhode Island to see the lighthouses
6. Eat lobster on the beach one one of the above locations
7. Take a trip to Spain
8. Read all the books in my library
9. Instill my love of reading in my children
10. Take piano lessons, again
11. Run a 5k without stopping, then
12. Run a 10k without stopping, and then
13. Run a half marathon (no desire for the full)
14. Open a used bookstore/succulent nursery
15. Run all the above races with my oldest daughter
16. Write a book
17. Dance in the rain with my husband
18. Take off on a Girls Only adventure with my mother
19. Another Girls Only adventure with my best friend
20. Yet another Girls Only with my girls...not in our house!
21. Climb a mountain
22. Master Zumba and become an instructor
23. Teach piano lessons to children
24. Volunteer at a crisis center for young girls
25. Volunteer at a women's shelter
26. Visit Graceland
27. Watch my daughter's marry the man of their dreams
28. Visit Holland and get my picture in a field of tulips
29. Loose 15 lbs and keep it off
30. Watch my daughter's grow in their love of their Heavenly Father
31. Read my Bible through from cover to cover
32. Live closer to my parents
33. Gain control of my temper
34. Take a summer off to spend with my girls
35. Teach my girls to drive like their mother
36. Help my mother make a blog
37. Take photography lessons
38. Get as close to mastering the Fruits of the Spirit as I possibly can
39. Learn to belly dance
40. Make a scrapbook for each of my girls
41. Get season tickets to the Majestic Theatre
42. Become season ticket holders for the San Antonio Spurs...for all 4 of us
43. Pay off all debt including the house
44. Be the best friend I can be to my current friends and ones I've yet to meet
45. Own a Westie
46. Stomp grapes
47. Learn to sew
48. Redo my bathroom and put in a whirly tub
49. Have a miniature, pot-bellied pig to call my own
50. Attend a Broadway production of The King and I, Fiddler on the Roof and a number of other musicals
51. Get a reduction...I'll leave it at that
52. Put together a cookbook of my girl's favorite recipes to give them when grow up and leave me
53. Visit Hershey, Penn.
54. Learn to rollerblade
55. Take tennis lessons and play with my youngest
56. Go skydiving with my husband
57. Learn how to grill more than hotdogs without burning i

I didn't think I'd make it to 100, but I did suprise myself by getting to 38!  I was at 38 and then took my bath and realized I'd left off belly dancing!  Cut the bath short to fix this...I think I'm good with 57.  I'm really content with a book or working with my plants, so this has been a good exercise in realizing that a little adventure wouldn't hurt me!

If you'd like to try, head over to Mama Kats and join in the fun!

Have a great night!
Mandy

Pink Butterfly

I had a little downtime today at work and was looking around on the internet to see what fuzzy Kalanchoes I might be missing...he!he!  I got a little side tracked when I saw what I thought was the Kalanchoe Serrata 'Magic Tower'...only, it's called a 'Pink Butterfly'...how pretty!!  The other neat thing I learned is that it's plantlets don't root, so they're just there for pretty decoration! 

I also saw someone call it 'Pink Sparkler too...I'll have to get closer shots, but they do look very delicate!  Dave's Garden has a bunch of nice pics of this one too, this link should take you straight to the page for this one. 

I finally got to enjoy the pool tonight for a little bit, we're supposed to get more storms starting tomorrow, so it was nice to float around for a bit.  While I was floating, I saw two hummingbirds drinking from my Goldfish Plant and the new Bougainvillea...too bad my camera was in the house!  I pulled out the hummingbird feeder just in case they want to come back!  Maybe I'll be prepared better next time.

Very happy that it's Wednesday...love short weeks!!

Mandy

Elephant Ear?

So, Titania over at Yesterday Today and Tomorrow In My Garden had suggested I look out for an 'Elephant Ear' Kalanchoe.  After a quick Google search, I think I might already have one.  I've got it in the same little pot with a little 'Fang' Kalanchoe, but if this is the 'Elephant Ear', I might need to be moving it to it's own pot.  This is my second 'Fang', I had one last year and I bought it quite large (on sale, of course) and dummy me let it get frost bitten over the winter...I was bummed to say the least! Since these were both small, I just put them together until they grow.  The 'Fang' is the shovel looking bumpy one.

I think this is either a Kalanchoe 'Felt Plant' or an 'Oak Leaf'..not sure which, so if you know, please set me straight!

I picked up a Kalanchoe 'Golden Girl' over the weekend, but I was going to pot her before taking a picture...need to get that done.

Now on to non-plant conversation...

Tonight on the way home, I was talking to my mother and she was telling me that she made Chicken and Dumplings for dinner.  Now, that happens to be my absolute favorite meal that my Mamaw (mother's mother) would make when we would visit and then taught me to do.  Out went my plans for hotdogs!  I had the biscuits here since I'm making it this weekend for a friend who just had a baby.  All I needed was chicken...no cooked chicken, but I do have canned turkey (sounds odd, but it's awesome) from the turkey farm in Ohio that I thought I'd try.  It was awesomely delicious (if I do say so myself)!!  

After that, I thought Goldie and I needed a walk.  She made it one mile with me and after jogging a bit decided she needed to stop constantly, so she got dropped off and and I finished up the other two by myself with my music!  I haven't jogged or walked since the Susan B. Komen 5k that me and a friend ran a few months ago...man am I out of shape!  To cool off, I repotted my Hibiscus tree into a much needed, much larger pot!  

Sorry this was so long...I think I miss my girls and the conversation that comes with!  Not to mention my jogging buddy, who pushes me to keep going even though I want to sit down and cry!

Good Night!

Mandy 

Hibiscus and Succulents

I can't believe that it's already the end of the last day of the long weekend...it went by much too fast, as usual!  Our neighbor friends decided to finally tackle the crushed granite path they wanted to make from the front fence all the way back around their back porch.  We always work together, this one my husband represented our team more than I did, but from Saturday morning through 2 p.m. today they got it done! There's something about mud that does nothing for me, so I was much more useful today than the other two days.  I dabbled more at cleaning my house and getting the back porch in order; still have a ways to go with both!  I did however get the succulent hanging baskets done for the front porch.

Other than the Kalancoe 'Chocolate Soldier's' in the middle, everything should grow and hang over.  There's a 'Brown Bean' Sedum, 'Vera Higgin's' Apenglow and a few other Sedum and Echeveria varieties.  Hoping that these should do better in this spot than the Chocolate Mint did...that got repotted and put in the back yard in a shadier spot.  I also worked on the succulent pots that my mother bought and left for me to pot.

This one's my mother's.

This one is mine.

It was dark when I finished these, but I figured I'd take more as they fill out.  Julie, the 'Mother of Millions' you sent me has done really well, so much so that I shared one of them with my mother.  I put my Kalanchoe Serrata, 'Magic Tower', on the top of mine with an Echeveria.  The 'Magic Tower' is more pinkish than the 'Chandelier Plant' that I already had, and it's leaves are serrated, whereas the other is more tubular.  I bought another Hibiscus Saturday morning, my neighbor and I couldn't not leave Home Depot with them.  This is her first and I did warn her that they're also addictive.  They had these great little bushes called 'Carolina Breeze'...a gorgeous orange! 

Off to make an enchilada casserole before we start wilting!

Hope everyone enjoyed their long weekends!

Mandy

Getting To Know You...July 4th

I came across this Sunday meme tonight and thought it looked fun. This one is called Getting to Know You and its hosted by Mannland5!  Just follow her button above to check it out for yourself.


1. What do you look forward to the most on the 4th of July?
Hotdogs!  Seriously, my family thinks we eat them more than anyone they know (not true), but I really do like them.  Oooh, homemade icecream too! Only this year, I've had neither...I'll make up for it later in the week.

2. Are you a hugger?
Absolutely!

3. What is your favorite BBQ'd food?
Ribs made by our friend, chicken, turkey and sausage too...ok, about anything BBQ'd won't get turned down!

4. Do you like to watch parades?
No, but I watch the Battle of Flowers and Flambeau Parades every year downtown with the rest of the crazies.  My husband tries every year to get us to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, but it's been 15 years, and I haven't bit yet!

5. Who has stinkier farts..boys or girls?
Oh my...in my house, it's the girls!

6. Vampires or Werewolves?
Neither.

7. Do you read your horoscope?
No to this one as well.  God's got my future planned out and that's all I've got to know!

8. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Blue Bell Mint Chocolate Chip

This was fun...short and sweet!

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July celebration with their families and friends!
Mandy

Back Porch Visitors

I have lots of new plants to talk about, but I don't think I have the energy tonight.  I did have two cute and not so cute vistors today on my back porch.  I went out this morning to show my spoiled princess that it wasn't raining so she could go outside.  A cute little gecko was perched on one of the sanseverias.  I've never seen one on my plants before, so of course I had to run in and grab my camera.

Tonight, I decided to put my newly acquired Passion Vine in the ground and when I went to grab my little shovel from the extra dirt I keep in a pot, I was greeted by this not so attactive toad. He was hiding under the shovel of course, so I jumped first and then hurried to get the camera!

This little guy sat right there and watched while I potted two succulent strawberry pots and some other things.  It wasn't until I was finished because it was getting too dark that I heard him moving around and finally hopped off somewhere in the yard. 

One thing that I did get today and will post it's final home tomorrow is a Passion Vine plant.  I thought the bloom was too whimsical not to have, and while I was at it, picked one up for my mother.  I put it in a corner on a trellis behind a Mexican Petunia that my mother brought me.  It was too dark to get decent pictures of that though tonight.

Have a wonderful 4th of July!

Mandy