Hello Saturday

 Back to posting again finally.   Been awhile. 

It has been so hot and humid around our neck of the woods.  A welcoming rain has cooled it down wonderfully.  

My garden has grown so much since the rain.  Some cukes and tomatoes. 

Parisienne cucumbers and some peppers

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We ordered our furniture. We finally made a choice as to what to get for our lounge area downstairs. It will be the middle of August before it gets here. 

A few pictures from Havertys furniture store are of a coffee table we purchased.   Will work well since we do eat lunch or dinner sometimes there. 

I like how it lifts and has storage. 

Good for playing board games too.

A three light lamp post will work really well in the corner next to our table along with the two potted grasses shown next to lamp. I took this picture in the showroom. 

Below, the blue glass lamp will look nice on an end table

I copied this sectional we purchased from Havertys website.

Something different for us is the semi aniline leather, in the color - blue ocean.

The recliners at both ends have powered head and footrest with two positions recline.  We ordered a battery pack also, so we don't have to plug to wall, good to have on hand anyway. 

The sofa shown is with white end tables, we went with brown ones like the coffee table with metal corners.  Carpet has swirling colors of blues and Greens along with other light colors.  Reminds me of the ocean.   

I

 Took a while to make decision but we wanted to be sure of what we wanted.  

One cup holder and utility drawer that fits in with the sofa I thought a good idea to have also. 

I like Havertys and the service they offered of a designer to come to our house to measure and see what we liked as far as the fit for furniture we were interested in and accessories, so helpful.   Back at the store it was all put in a program arranged in our room so we could see how it would look.  

Can't wait to get the room together and marked off of our to do list. 

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Lavender has dried and I have been making sachets.  I like lavender lemonade too.

This is hanging in kitchenette area window downstairs. 

The room had a strong lavender scent while pulling the dried lavender from the stems.

More stems to strip of lavender tomorrow.  

Teddy Bear sunflower seeds I sowed in the spring have come up really well and I love the pom pom like flowers on this type of sunflower. 

Crepe Myrtles are getting so tall, and I guess I won't be trimming a little off the top anymore.

Their color looks so much prettier than last year.  

Iced tea with orange slice and some fried tomatoes.  I like my fried tomatoes more on the red side and not green.  The red has more flavor.   I fried mine in spray pam and cooked for a while with lid on. They browned nicely and not as many calories like it would be frying in oil.  I usually like mine dipped in corn starch and sometimes a mixture of cornstarch and flour which makes more of a crisp coating.  These are floured.  I need to put cornstarch on my grocery list. 

Later, Betsy

🎕

Happy Hot Humid Saturday

 Whoa, been out in the heat as I couldn't drag myself out early enough this morning to beat it to get some things done.

Weeded a little in the garden and watered, then watered again.  Hopefully tomorrow we will get a little rain, or we are supposed to at least.

Tomatoes and squash are growing and there are teensy little tomatoes on the vines.  I also see I am going to have to take care of what looks to be a tomato worm eating at one.  

This was last week.  they are much larger this week.   

This was taken a few day ago also and they are taller today.  When the time is right for planting, they take off.  I stopped rushing to plant early, no more.  Mine do well planted in June around the first week especially for squash and putting tomatoes out. 

My tomatoes I started all from seed indoors, the rest in the ground. 

The seedlings of bush beans and black-eyed peas grow well in the crevice of cinderblock.

I heard okra does to, so I planted some of those.

I will be planting some lettuce in the crevices when cooler and some kale.

Right now I am not doing anymore.  Just watering and enjoying the little things.

Patio plants doing well also.

these two growing together

My husband has been out working in the heat cutting grass and weeding, sweat dripping.  All he wanted was a quick plate of cold cuts with Dijon mustard.

I decorated a little of my front door.  Genevieve our  grand daughter helped a lot with this.  She loves decorating.  

I put little flags out also. May post those tomorrow.

Penguin is still here.  Doesn't seem to fit but he holds the flag in place. 

Been moving furniture around. Again, Genevieve helps and gives hints and ideas and very good ones I must say.   This table used to be downstairs.  Both tables came from Derek and Miranda (son and dil).  I love them. 

The table below is antique and used to be at the front door.

Stuff getting moved around so the vase on the right doesn't stay there but the table on the left will for a while.  The open door leads to the outside and utility kitchen or makeshift kitchen area I should say.  We want to re do the whole area.  A little nicer kitchenette. 

 Our lounge area is downstairs also. This area is where we pulled the carpet up and had vinyl plank flooring put down.   

 We are in the middle of ordering new furniture for the lounge room. It will be an ocean blue leather modular and will be so comfortable watching television and just plain relaxing.   The upper level is kitchen living room, dining area etc.  

Thanks for your help, Miss Genevieve sweetheart. Girl loves her sunglasses and straw hat.

💖

I think I am off to the store now to add filler on that star on the front door.  

Bye, Betsy

Saturday in June post

Still planting and it's late for me. I usually start in May.  The weather in May was very rainy and then there were some very chilly days, then hot.  Crazy weather.  

I planted seeds more this year and haven't purchased many plants.  Prices have gone up quite a bit from last year.  

Some Calendula planted in pots coming up.  They sprout and shoot up in no time.

I have more in other pots. These look teeny but before long there will be blooms

 Marigolds too. French marigold seeds and these are called Court Jester.  Yellow with red stripes. 

Can't wait till they bloom

I took this image from Pinterest 

My zinnias seed I started a little later this year but they are growing.

The mum next to the zinnias I cut from a larger plant last year and stuck it in the ground.

Mums are so easy to root. 

the large plant on the right in an Astor.

Lots of blooms on the Astor.  Gladiolus coming up in different places where I planted the bulbs in the ground

Boxwood trimmed in the planter and have several more to do. 

cosmos growing from seed that I scattered about in the winter.  It was a bag of wildflower seeds. Not sure what kind they are but I do know this one is a cosmos.  

hydrangea finally growing

It is still small but has more blooms than the larger one 

This one finally growing but no flower heads

A hydrangea and it's called summer crush.  Marked down at Walmart plant dept.  I knew it would come back after watering.   Walmart does not take care of their plants. It has grown in a week since I put in this pot.

I must get a few more tomatoes in the ground.  All seen here will not be planted.  I planted too many from seed this year.  Many are tiny Tims and they only need a 6inch pot or larger.  Cherry tomatoes and good for a patio.  The indefinites are Box car Willie. First time I have grown this type.

Cukes in the pots, I plant cukes at least twice in the season. 

started from seed and after placing in pot, it grows very fast.

My cuke needs water I see.

Nasturtium from seed.  I love these florets and leaves in my salad.  Taste a little like creasy salad to me.  

they are blooming in different pots and beds.  I plant in with my tomatoes and then let them die back as the soil is enriched by them.  

 Mexican mint marigold comes back in my pots every year.  I use the leaves in my chicken salad and some other dishes that tarragon in used in since it tastes so similar.    I grow tarragon but it dies back sooner so the Mexican mint takes its place for me.  A substitute for French Tarragon.  I dry the leaves to use in winter. 

Lavender cut from under dogwood tree. Grows well there.

I have one tea rose left in this area out of three. I dug out one that died this past month. 

Looking through recipes tucked in cookbooks and came across this one I saved.

I used several types of berries in this one.  The topping for me is lemon curd spread on while warm.

I love the coconut in the cake.  Makes it so moist. 

I wish my picture had have been better but it was good.

Wishing all a great Saturday.