The fleurs are flourishing...

 

 

We've had such a mild summer and my flowers are loving it, they are absolutely huge.  The impatiens on the wall are planted in a double tiered planter, and I did side plantings so that they would bloom from the sides instead of just from the top, but you can't even see the sides the impatiens have grown so large.  The herbs are doing so well, I keep pruning and they just seem to grow overnight.   Martha Stewart would be so proud of me ;o)

 

 

This is my window box that hangs on my patio fence, I planted some asparagus fern amongst the begonias, thinking that it would give it a feathery look, but the begonias choked out the ferns!  They grew so big you can't even see one little feathery frond.
 

 

More of my side planting.  Hubby made me pedestals to put in the ground, and I planted begonias on the sides as well as the top of the basket.  It's so shady on our patio now that we can't do any kind of sun loving plants.

 

 

It's so pretty, I am just amazed every time I walk out the door.  But wait, I can't take credit for all this lushness.  It's all do to John setting us up with micro irrigation a couple of years ago and hubby  maintaining it every spring.    Every morning at 7am, the little sprinklers that are placed in all my pots and window boxes come on, as well as the fertilizer, and five minutes later all the plants are all dripping wet.  I water nothing in the summer.  Nada, el zippo, and I think it works so well because the foliage doesn't get wet, just the soil.

If everything is this big now,  what is it going to look like in September???  I can't imagine….

 

Did you ever have a day that was so reminiscent of your childhood that you could almost reach out and touch it?  A day so bittersweet that the memory is almost painful?  That's what my day is like.

The weather in Heavensville is absolutely glorious.  Temps in the mid 80's, low humidity, it's a perfect summer day, a day that mother used to call "easy living."" Hubby and I were about and about on Milly, and the breeze, the sun, the clouds, it just took me all took me back to that simple life in the country.

Oh, how I loved sitting on the front porch, dressing my cats in doll clothes, drinking mother's sweet tea with a plate of warm cookies, fresh from the oven.  No worries, no problems, just a little girl living with nature and animals on a dusty country road.  There were so many summer days like today, the windows open, the clothes hanging on the line, WROY, the Tri-State Boomer playing on the radio in the kitchen.

It was so shady at our little house on the ditch, tree's surrounded the house, filtering the sun, it was just so simple, and so, so, so wonderful.

Sure takes me back...

uppiesbeads59 - Tammy's CC and BB Creams

 

Tammy is like having our own personal skin care expert right in our home.  She's the best makeup artist,  ever.  At my age I would have never expected to find someone who addresses old(er) women, and does it with such flair!

I must be living in the dark ages, because I had never heard of CC Creams and BB Creams until I watched this. Once again, she gives us a great video and learning experience.  My gawd, this woman has beautiful skin!

Such a fan here, such . a . fan !

Remember to subscribe to her anti-aging channel on YouTube.  Here's the link...

Let's just pretend for a moment...

 

We're sitting on this porch in a little rickety cabin in the mountains, you and I, having a cup of coffee and catching up on whats happening in our world.  We can hear water trickling in a nearby stream, a dog or two sitting at our feet, Maggie in my lap, a cat is lazily winding itself around the porch post  and the birds are singing their morning songs.

 It's a beautiful summer morning, the sun is filtering through the trees, a gentle breeze is blowing, the air is perfumed with the scent of wild roses and we have warm croissants, Irish butter and homemade blackberry jam to go with our coffee.

Now doesn't that make you smile?  Works for me...

Let's go make it a good day, ladies, and carry this smile with us.  ~ Jan

This isn't exactly what happens in our house...

Poor LC spends his days looking for things I've misplaced. The man never loses anything.  I just don't understand why not...

I think this will be my new motto, love this!

The Queen of Versailles, Excess like you've never seen before...

 

This show literally had my mouth hanging open.  It's a documentary that was on Bravo earlier this year and I had taped it.  I was cleaning out my queue last night, found it and LC and I thought it would be interesting to watch.  Well, it certainly is, I've never seen so much excess and flamboyance in my entire life.   These people have no grip on reality, none!

You can find it on Netflix Instant or Hulu Plus, if you have some free time, you might want to give this a go, it's definitely not boring.

After it was over, I Googled to see what happened since it filmed, as the show ended,  their 90,000 square foot house, the largest in America, was going into foreclosure.  Looks like their back on top of the heap, the bills are paid and construction is ongoing.  Amazing, simply amazing...

Happy 4th!!!!

 

 

July 4th,  a day for picnics, family, friends, fireworks and sunny, hot weather.  

But not this year, it's currently 72°, with isolated thunderstorms predicted for Heavensville.  Hubby and I are "home alone" this year, so we're skipping the fireworks, just grilling a steak, tossing a salad and then going to the movie.

Wherever your travels take you this weekend, stay safe, enjoy and make it memorable.  ~ Jan

Talking Ben

 

Precious little Ben is almost eleven months old now and obviously has a lot to talk about.  Videos like this will be such a good memory for him some day, totally priceless...

Ladies Night, Mary Kay Andrews

This is the best read of the summer, at least so far.  I'm a huge fan of Mary Kay Andrews and have been for years.  I started with Savannah Blue and Savannah Breeze, enjoyed her hilarious stories so much that I went on to read all of her books.   I introduced them to my daughter-in-law, Deanna, and she has read them all, too.  Her latest, Ladies Night is such a trip, and of course since it's about a blogger, it's especially interesting to yours truly.

So if you're looking for easy, breezy this summer, take this for a spin, you won't be disappointed.  

~ Jan

 

Rising media star and lifestyle blogger Grace Stanton’s own life gets torpedoed after she drives her cheating husband’s pricey sports car straight into the family swimming pool in a fit of anger. Soon she’s locked out of her own palatial home, checking account, and blog, forced to move in with her widowed mother who lives above, and owns, The Sandbar, a rundown beach bar. Attending court-mandated weekly “divorce recovery” therapy sessions with a group of three other women—marital misfits whose only common denominator is betrayal—Grace and the women soon ditch their therapist and move their Wednesday “Ladies’ Night” sessions to The Sandbar. They begin to help each other, walking a fine line between revenge and justice, as each one finds closure in ways previously unimagined. Can Grace figure out a new way home and how strong she needs to be to get there? Told with Mary Kay Andrews’s unique blend of humor, heart, and unpredictable plot twists,Ladies’ Night will have you raising a glass and cheering these characters on.

So how many pictures are on YOUR hard drive!!!!

 

Outta control doesn't begin  to cover it.  I take pictures, thousands of pictures, and they are only filed by date in folders on my hard drive.  At least  they are backed up to an external drive, but that's as good as it gets.   They are all jumbled together, they are so mixed up that trying to do any kind of organization is beyond me.  I keep "hoping" that someone will eventually come up with a program that will help filter them.  But i have no tags, nada nothing, so I'm pretty much SIL!

Things are so bad that I can't even try out the new Instagram video feature on my iPhone.  I was talking to my buddy V awhile ago, she was asking why I hadn't done any video, well it's because there is no room on my phone and now I have to make yet another folder and move all my iPhone pictures, all 1,750+ of them to my hard drive.  My organizational skills or lack thereof sometimes is mind boggling.

Just whining.  That is all….

Snoopy on a Saturday morning ;o)))

Ashleigh and Pudsley, Britains Got Talent

 

What a wonderful video this is.  Pudsley is an amazing little dog,  and this is one of those feel good videos that stays with you long after you've watched it...

Dial Gold Antibacterial Body Wash, it's NEW!!!

Oh, I get excited by the stupidest things, and this just made my day!  Mother's soap of choice was always a bar of Dial Gold.  I love the smell and the memories associated with it,  and use it occasionally, but I'm spoiled by body wash.  Its just a royal pain to use a bar of soap.  How lazy am I??? Ya, ya, I hear you, I know it's silly, but just telling it like it is...

So, today I was at WallyWorld, cruising the body wash aisle, and Bingo, there it was, sitting on a shelf, front row and center in front of me, NEW, DIAL GOLD BODY WASH!!!!

I may have to go take another shower just to take it for a spin.  Doesn't take much these days to excite this old(er) girl...

Uppie'sbeads59, Tammy's Messy Side Bun Hair Tutorial

 

You all know what a fan I am of Crazy Miss Tammy.   Well, this lovely 50 something woman has done it again.  Her messy side bun is an amazing look.  And no, I don't have long hair and never will again *sigh* but it sure is fun to watch her do this and see the end result with her gorgeous earrings.

Take a break today, sit back and enjoy.  This woman is just lovely and such a sweet, sweet person!!!!!

Subscribe to her YouTube Channel and you will get updates for all her videos.  She is going to do a makeup tutorial later this week on the makeup she used in this video.

Here's the link to her channel...

Firing Paula Deen, my two cents worth

 

I think, this is without a doubt, a total travesty, destroying this woman's entire career because of a remark, albeit racist,  that happened twenty year ago.  Twenty years ago.  I'm certain that if most of us were held accountable for things we said or did twenty years ago, we would be landing in a pile of doodoo, too.

I admire the woman for what she has accomplished.  Sure she can be crude, rude and obnoxious, but should she be fired for a racist comment made years and years and years ago.  Oh, puh-leez.  

Following are lyrics from a Chris Brown rap song.  A black man, who beat his girlfriend to a pulp on the way to the Grammy's  and was still invited back to the same Grammy's a couple of years later and forgiven for his transgressions, still singing his songs with filthy lyrics and making millions of dollars for doing so.  Why???  Is what Paula Deen did as bad as these lyrics that were written and sung by this same black man, Chris Brown.  I think not!  And this is just a  minuscule drop in the bucket, a mere blip on the radar screen, but it's shocking to see.

And let's fast forward to the politicians.  Andrew Weiner and Weinergate.  All the sexually explicit photos and messages he sent, in part to a 21 year old college student, while he was married and his wife was pregnant.  Was he ostracized?  Oh hell no, he's now running for mayor of NYC!

And then there is Mark Sanford who disappeared totally for six days when he was Governor of South Carolina,  he left his wife for a woman in Buenos Aires in 2009.  Was he slapped on the wrist?  Was his career over?  Nope, he's now a congressman in South Carolina.

I could blog for hours about people who did far worse things than Paula Deen.  Far worse, but they are forgiven and all is well.  Even Martha Stewart who went to prison never missed a beat when she returned to society.

I think this is appalling, it's a witch hunt, and this woman got caught up in it.  Totally ridiculous, in my opinion, punished to the extreme for nothing worse than other people in the limelight do on a daily basis...

Tiger Lilies always make me nostalgic...

Hubby and I drive the county roads often, and now the tiger lilies are in bloom.  They were Mother's favorite, she had them on her ditch bank, and as a child I never appreciated them, but now they just make me nostalgic.

That's happened a lot this summer, being nostalgic… When I hear a train whistle I'm transported back to my childhood, running to the front porch to sit in the porch swing and watch the far away train wind through the hilly countryside.  Summer rains remind me of days spent at my friend Roxie's house, playing endless games of Monopoly that went on for days. 

I was browsing thru an antique store and saw aluminum glasses, the ones that Mother had, they were so popular in the fifties, and they made your tea so cold that it would sting your mouth and Mother put so much sugar in her tea that it puckered your lips, not from the sour, but because it was so syrupy sweet.   And the white ducks we fed last week when Abby was here transported me back to my Aunt Liz's house, she always had white ducks in her yard.

I'm thinking I need a trip to Enfield.  I like to park the car on the road by our old house in the country and listen to the familiar nature sounds.  Drive down our gravel road and sit and gaze at the ditch.  Just remember my childhood when life was carefree and the world was a better place.  And maybe I'll find some Posey County Cantaloupes for sale on the way home,  and if I'm really lucky some summer squash and zucchini.  Yep, that's just what I need, to be transported back to my childhood, if just for a few hours….

Abby Reads...

 

 

This is my last Abby entry, it's a short video of her reading.  Ryan and Lindsay were telling me that she can read, so I bought her Dick and Jane books, the ones I read when I started first grade, wondering if they would be too difficult for her at three and a half.   I just handed her the books, she had never seen them before and she read them with no help from Grammie.   Then I gave her Dr. Seuss' The Cat and the Hat and she read that!   So much for Dick and Jane...

Abby and the Golden Necklace

When Abby was visiting last week, every day we would go for rides on Milly down to the woods, and Milly would transform from a golf cart to a Magic Pirate Ship, and the woods became an Enchanted Forest.

When we would ride thru the field to the Enchanted Forest, the field became the ocean and it was pretty rough going, but we persevered.  Captain Hook, who was a bumble bee, led the way with us yelling "Ahoy Matey," and we were screaming the whole time because the bad pirates were chasing us, but we were faster than they were and always outran them.   We were looking for the Golden Necklace that the bad pirates had stolen, and every single day, we made this trip, some days,  two or three times, always looking through our telescope, trying to find the golden necklace.

Well, naturally grandparents want to make a little girl's dream come true, so Larry went to a tag sale and came home with two huge bags of Mardi Gras beads. 100+ necklaces.  Then the night before she left to go home, he went to the woods and dropped piles of beads along the path, ending with a whole pile of golden necklaces.  For those of you who know Larry, you are probably smiling, because he never does anything half way, he always takes it to the extreme, and of course, since it was for Abby, he really pulled out all the stops.

So the last evening, we went for one last treasure hunt, searching for that golden necklace, and the following video is the result.  It's rather long, but I couldn't bear to edit it, this will always be a real treasure for her in years to come.  The farther into the video we go, the more excited she gets, just watch and you'll see what I mean...

 

 

 

 

 

 

She was so excited, after we came home with her treasures,  she kept saying over and over again.  "I never saw anything like it."  "Never in my entire life."  It was as though she couldn't believe it had really happened.  Now what do Grammie and P-Pa do to top this?  I'm clueless right now, but it sure will be fun figuring out what we do for her the next time she comes to stay...

It's all about the grandkids this week...

 

Ben, Abby's little brother, is ten months old now, cutting his first teeth, and is just adorable.  Abby went home today, I have a couple more posts to make about her, then it's back to business as usual.

I do all of these blogs about my grandchildren and tag each one with their name so that some day, when they are grown they will be able to look back at their childhood thru the eyes of Grammie and her blog.  I think it's a special gift I'm giving them.  So bear with me ladies, all the Grammie gushing will be over soon, pinky swear it will.

The house is quiet now, LC and I miss her so much, but she will come again.  She had a blast visiting us, I haven't laughed so much in years as I have this week, oh we had such fun with her...

Huh, what crayon???

 

Most dogs eat off the floor, pick things up, put them in their mouth, but  that has never been Maggie.  She just doesn't.  You drop food, she ignores it, she doesn't sniff for crumbs, nada, zilch.  

Well, that has all changed since Abby's arrival.  Three year olds leave lots of things behind, things that would entice any little dog, and apparently Mags has decided that she likes what Abby likes.  She has a particular fascination with crayons.  Why, I don't know, but she licks them, she carries them around in her mouth, and her human Mom is not a fan.  I wouldn't think crayons would be toxic, after all they are for kids, but I don't like her carrying them around in her mouth.

Abby is good about not dropping things, but she's not perfect, so occasionally I find "things."  This afternoon Maggie had dibs on an apple slice from Abby's Happy Meal, and she wasn't giving it up.  She just follows Abby around seeing what treasure she can eat and/or play with.  Kids and dogs, is there anything cuter….

Abbyisms...

 

Abby:  Grammie, I really like your home.

Grammie:  You do Abby, why?

Abby:  Cause you have pretty stuff… and no stairs!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Abby:  Ppa, why are your feet dirty?

Ppa:  Because I've been walking in the garage barefoot, Abby

Abby:  Well, you need to wash them...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Abby:  Grammie, does Mrs. Dowd have a little girl? (Mrs. Dowd lives in the condo next door)

Grammie:  No Abby, Mrs. Dowd is old

Abby:  How old is she, Grammie?

Grammie:  96

Abby:  NINETY-SIX, that's almost a hundred, Grammie...

Dear Abby...

 

Today I would like to introduce you to Miss Abigail Leigh (wearing Grammie's glasses).  She graciously sat down for a question and answer session for The Daily Dish.

Grammie:   What is your favorite thing to do?  

Abby:  Play with my Dad

Grammie:  What games do you like to play?

Abby:  Horse, it's my very favorite.

Grammie:  What do you do at school?

Abby:  Ummmmm, I do stuff.

Grammie:  Who is your best friend and why?

Abby:  Chloe, because I like her, I give her a snuggle and a  kiss.

Grammie:  What is your favorite thing to do with mama?

Abby:  Ummmmm, I like for her to read to me.  My favorite book is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Grammie:  Who is your favorite dog?

Abby:  Izzie and Maggie because I like them so much.

Grammie:  Abby, what do you want to do when you grow up?

Abby:  I want to be a good drawer.

Grammie:  What is your very favorite thing to do with your brother?

Abby:  I like to play with him because he swings with me

Grammie:  What is your very favorite food?

Abby:  Big crackers, because I like them so much!

Grammie:  What food do you think is icky?

Abby:  Chicken, because I don't like it, it tastes funny.  Macaroni and cheese tastes funny, too.

Grammie:  Are you looking forward to going to the zoo tomorrow?

Abby:  Ya, I want to see a unicorn (oh-oh).

And that concludes our question and answer session.  She sat on my lap and informed me when I forgot to put a question mark at the end of my sentences, and reminded me to put Abby and Grammie at the beginning of each question and answer.  Oh, dear Abby...

 

 

More from Glamperland

If you love all things retro, and who doesn't, these campers will just make you swoon.  I'm not even a camping type girl and these make me want to rush right out and buy a vintage one just to see what we could do with it. 

But no, I'm not going too, I'll just drool over these and post pictures for all of you….

Enjoy ~ Jan

Abby's Summer Visit 2013

Lindsay and Ben brought Abby half way to Heavensville  today, we met at Cracker Barrel for a quick lunch, and Abby came home with us for a few days.  It's her first visit, and she was reassuring her mother.  Linds was telling her goodbye and hugging her tightly and Abby said, "Don't worry, I'll come back."

We've got so many things planned, what a fun week we have ahead...

Miss Minnie Smartest Little Yorkie I've Ever Seen

 

 
 

This little dog is less than six months old.  I am absolutely, positively astonished at how smart she is.  When my Yorkies were six months old, I was still trying to teach them not to pee in the floor.

If you're a dog lover, you must see this video.  It is one of the sweetest things I've ever posted, well except for that precious two year Emma and her horse Cinnamon...

Oh, this tiny little fur baby brings back so many memories of Maggie, with her wispy hair.  She reminds me of my friend Diane's Miley, as well.  I do adore Yorkies...

It's National Eat Your Veggies Day...

 

 

Okay gang, last week I told you about what I now know to be called "zoodles."  It's the faux spaghetti made with summer squash and zucchiniNow you all know that I've always given you good information, and trust me, this is absolutely the best, ever!  Last night, thanks to Ang bringing me a grilled pork tenderloin that she had wrapped in bacon, seasoned with Tony Chachiare Creole Seasoning and grilled, dinner was easy breezy.  The tenderloin was amazing, and since I'm low carbing, I made strips of Zoodles with summer squash, using my nifty julienne cutter, sautéed them for just a minute in butter, salt and pepper, and you have no idea of how good this is.  I had been tossing them with olive oil, butter takes it to a whole other level ;o)  And tonight, I'm making it and adding fresh basil from my garden and shards of freshly grated parmesan.  Yum!

It's a must try, pinky swear it is.  And yes, I know I just blogged about this peeler last week, but it's so good that it's worth repeating  with a bit more information.

I have this Oxo julienne peeler, but people like the the Kuhn Rikon even better.

Here are the links, do yourself a healthy favor this week and buy one.  I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond, but its 's much easier just ordering on Amazon.

Such a good thing...

Here's the link for the Kuhn Rikon

Here's the link for the Oxo that I have

 

 

A Glamper! Is this not the cutest thing ever...

 

Quite possibly one of the coolest retro-camper yet.  We need one of these hubby!!!!!

Glenn Close at 66

 

Note to Self:  Look at this picture every time I even think of letting my hair grow long.  And never wear dark lipstick, and tone down the light  blonde color to medium golden blonde.  

Okay, so maybe she was a few years younger in the picture below but oh what a difference golden blonde hair and warm peachy makeup is compared to platinum over processed hair and harsh makeup.

Wow, is this a huge wakeup call for us over 60 women! 

And for the record, I'm a huge fan of Glenn Close and have always thought she was a very attractive woman.  Maybe she's playing a role in the picture above.  Just sayin….

The Golfer's Christening - Jeanne Robertson

 

My daughter-in-law, Deanna introduced me to the humor of Jeanne Robertson and  I just adore this feisty southern woman.  I follow her on Facebook and she posted this video today, it's her favorite Father's Day story.  If you want a chuckle, just watch, this woman is an All American Treasure... 
 

 

If you would like to follow her on Facebook, here is her link...

P.O.S.H.

I was looking at my Country Living feed on Facebook, and was able to link to to P.O.S.H. (Posh Chicago) and, as always, I'm amazed at what you can find and buy online.  Without ever leaving your house, the world really does come to you, it's a beautiful thing.
 

 

Their store is located in downtown Chicago, and they have great online shopping.

These are a few things that caught my eye.  Love the cow butter dish, and the glass jugs and carrier are perfect for summer flours from your garden.    This site is chocked full of retro items, be sure and browse their accessories.

Yes, I know you want the click,, here it is ~ enjoy...
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't Let Me Down, The Beatles

 

 

My friend, Jean, sent me the link to this video this morning.  Oh, this little guy is just precious, and so smart!

Grammie's post stories about the grandkids, it's what we do...

Of course I think Abby's antics are positively hysterical, the rest of you, probably not so much.  But, hopefully, my blog archives will be intact when she is grown and she will be able to look back at the stories of her life that she would never know about had it not been for my Daily Dish.

This is Lindsay's recent Facebook post.  Abs is totally obsessed with Finish Dishwashing Liquid, and last weekend, she told me she also liked All.  Too bad Art Linkletter isn't still around, oh the stories we all have.  

My friend Trisher's Hayden, who's three, told her grandma last week  that she shouldn't go up on the rocks, because "Boys and Ivy are up there."  

So this is Lindsay's Facebook post, it's so funny...

It can't help but feel personal that Miss A is totally obsessed with Finish. Yes Finish, the stuff for the dishwasher. When she saw the commercial for the first time, she looks at me and says "I wish that I would have Finish. It would make my house sparkle." I tried to gently explain that's not how it works and after she saw the commercial a couple more times (thanks Nick Jr) she realized it was just for dishes.

However, that didn't lessen her desperation for Finish. After leaving the grocery store on Tuesday, Ry called from wherever he was last week and Miss A wanted to talk to him. The first thing she did was tell him she was mad at me for not getting her Finish. So, because he is awesome like that, he brought her some as her special surprise he always brings home from trips. Girlfriend straight up lost her mind. All day she has been telling me I need to put dirty dishes into the dishwasher so that she could put Finish in and they will be sparkly and wonderful. She always ends with, "You need help with dishes, don' cha?" 

Apparently. 

Who does Ben look like???

My little grandson is ten months old, and  quite the little man now.   Yesterday, one of my relatives posted a picture of Daddy as a small boy on our family Facebook Group, and I'm thinking, wow, Ben looks like Daddy.

 

 

So I took  little Ben's picture, made it sepia, and then aged it, put it side by side with Daddy as a small boy, and guess what, I don't think he looks like Daddy at all.  I'm still thinking he looks like his good looking Grandpa Woodard.  I think it's the chin that looks similar to Daddy, but that's about it.

Aimee also posted this picture of Daddy when he was a young man.   And my John does look like Daddy, a lot!

Facebook is such a good thing, I would have never have seen these pictures, had it not been for Aimee's posting.  It's just wonderful to see his beautiful eyes again, it's hard to believe, but he would have been a hundred years old this past April.   

Jan's Summer Garden 2013

 

I love my patio in June.  By July, hot weather has hit, and plants are stressed, but right now everything is lush and green.  It's amazing how many plants I can stuff into such a small area.  Where there's a will, there's a way.

Sorry about the shaky video, I'm such an amateur when it comes to these things...

~ Jan

Low Carb Pasta

Hubby and I were out and about this morning, we stopped at Sam's for a rotisserie chicken and then went to Bed Bath & Beyond because I've been wanting an Oxo Julienne Peeler.

I'm doing low-carb this summer.  Yes, again, and I've read in lots of forums about making faux pasta with zucchini, and I tried doing it by hand, and let me tell you, it was a royal pain in the patootie, it just didn't work for me.    I'm all bells and whistles, the gadget queen here, and this morning I was on a mission, I wanted that peeler.  If you want it, too,  here's the link.

So, $8.50 later, (I had a coupon) I walked out of the store with the niftiest little gadget I've had in a long time.  I came home, laid my zucchini on the cutting board, peeled a slice, and it didn't work.  Huh, I tried it again, nope, it just kind of mangled the zucchini.  So I'm fast getting frazzled, because I  was so excited about this thing and it's a total bust, but thank goodness for hubby.  I hadn't peeled off the blue coated covering of the blade.  Sheesh!

So then I started pulling it across the zucchini, and it made the most wonderful shreds.  I was practically jumping up and down.  Okay, so that's a stretch, but I was very impressed.  I quit when I got to the seeds, you don't want to use the seeded part,  just the meaty part.  Some people peel zucchini, I didn't,  I happen to like the peeling.  I've read reviews that if you julienne carrots it can dull and bend the blades, but I'm just using mine for zucchini and squash, so no worries.

Into the skillet it went with a little extra virgin olive oil that John and Deanna brought me from Italy, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a clove of smashed garlic, and I just tossed the zucchini until it was warm, I wanted it "al dente" not mushy.

And this picture is my result.  I'm so impressed, the flavor of the zucchini isn't strong or overpowering in the little strips, the texture is right, the look is right.  And the taste?  Well, of course it isn't pasta, but it's a close second.  Next I'm making meatballs, and marinara sauce, and pesto sauce, and alfredo sauce, and, and, and...

Oh, ladies, this is a good thing.  This is a really good thing!

~ Jan, doing the happy dance here...

The Commodores, Easy

 

 

This is stuck in my head today.  Now it's stuck in yours, no thanks necessary ;o)

Peanuts is timeless, circa 1969

Who says you can't remove spilled wax from clothes...

I managed to spill candle wax all over the side of my coral capris last weekend.  Well, I also splashed it on the wall, but we're not going to address that.  Poor hubby will have to deal with it.

So, now I have candle wax all down the side of one leg, and I'm not a happy camper.  I go online read how to remove it, and gave it a try.  First I took a knife and scraped off as much of the wax as I could, somehow managing to do it without tearing a hole in the fabric.  Then I took a paper towel, and set my iron to medium, put the paper towel over the stain, and kept going over the paper towel with my iron so that the wax would absorb into the paper towel.  Finally, I poured alcohol over the stain and rubbed it in.

Into the washing machine it went, but first I rubbed it with detergent, and when I took it out the stain was gone.  I was really surprised, a I don't usually have good luck with this type of thing.

Now about that wall….

It's National Iced Tea Day

 

They have a National day for everything it seems.  But I am a fan of fruit flavored tea.  Mother always put orange slices in her tea, and I've been a huge fan of doing that my whole life.  People are always surprised, they expect lemon.  But don't forget peach slices and raspberries when they are in season.  It's a good thing...

 

 

And if you don't mind the calories, Nashville Fruit Tea is just amazing.  I had it for the first time at HRH Dumplings,  a great little restaurant in downtown Franklin.  I posted the recipe a few years ago, five to be exact, on Jan CAN Cook.  Here's the quick link...

Things never go as planned

 

Lindsay, Ryan and kids are coming tomorrow, so I whipped up this Starbucks Lemon Loaf recipe because Linds adores lemon.  It looked good, reviews were good, mine turned out hard as a rock and flat as a flitter and looks nothing like this picture.  Why???  I've been baking for how many years now????  So I put it in Tupperware while it was warm, hoping that it will magically turn to moist gooey yumminess by tomorrow.  Umhmmm, sure it will.

So then I made her potato salad because she likes it better than macaroni salad, which I'm getting ready to make for Ryan.  It went well, potatoes, eggs, sour cream, mayo, mustard, dill relish, and dill weed, but the potatoes are dark.  Why???  I've been boiling potatoes for how many years now????

So I go online, read that it's the potatoes, not the cook.  Something about the oxidation in certain potatoes, so do I throw them out and start over?  They taste fine, Google says it's just a cosmetic thing, not a taste thing, so I'm putting them in the fridge, hoping that the chunks of potatoes will magically turn white by tomorrow.  Umhmmm, sure they will.

Now I'm ready to make macaroni salad, but first a trip to the market for Miracle Whip, Ry likes sweet macaroni salad, with chunks of Velveeta, eggs, Creamettes medium shells, sweet pickles, onions, and Miracle Whip, not mayo.  Wonder how this will turn out?   After all I've been making macaroni salad for many years now????  Umhmmm, it's a no brainer, Jan, sure it is...

Then I'm going to bribe hubby to clean the kitchen and we're going out to dinner.  I'm on a roll this morning, and so far it's rolling the wrong way.  Don't think I want to make dinner, but after all, I've been making dinner for how many years now????  Umhmmmm, better have dinner out.  If they screw it up, I can send it back!!!

The Heat, Coming June 28th

 

Finally, a movie that looks really good!  Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy,  directed by Paul Feig, who directed The Bridesmaids, sounds like a win-win to me!!!!

Abby is the sweetest little girl!

 

Just couldn't resist posting a picture Lindsay just sent.  Oh, what a joy it is to be a Grammie to this special child!

The latest Moore Oklahoma tornado

 

My friend, Holly, who lives in Moore, sent me this picture of Friday night's storm.  ABC News said last night that this tornado was the widest path in recorded history.  Once again, thank goodness,  Holly and her family were spared, and her house escaped damage, but to be in or near this storm would be frightening beyond belief...

People are SO clever

 

Is this not the cutest idea.  All it takes is a cup, a saucer, some super glue and you're in business.  It looks amazing, well it does until birds poop all over it.  Egads, I've been living with hubby too long.

This is EXACTLY what he would say!!!!!!

Your morning giggle.

Note to self:  Jan, add balloons to your list for Target this morning :o)))

 

Thought you could use a smile after that Madonna picture

Looks like Madonna's had work done...

And it's not good work either.  Why can't women leave well enough alone???

Just my two cents worth...

Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun, 2013 Version

It's hard to believe that everybody's favorite Cyndi Lauper tune is thirty years old.  THIRTY YEARS OLD!!!!  

This 2013 celebrity studded version is a "must see."  So crank those speakers and dance, ladies.

And if you really wanna have fun, set this song as your ringtone for a favorite friend.  It will make you smile every time they call.  Pinky swear it will ;o)