Home, garden and a few other things

Hello on this hot, hot, hot Thursday.   Before long we will have a foot of snow. Probably not but just hoping.

A few stragglers from my small garden area like these cow peas as they are called on the seed packet I planted from.  I call them black eyes and I like them better green with tomatoes and sometimes corn cooked together.  I eat them dried also but never can find the green ones in the stores like I used to, so I grow a few vines myself.

I keep watering, all the while saying I won't do it anymore, just too hot to keep up with.

So, what do I do?  I keep watering.  Can't help myself.

I will miss the flowers and veggies when the season is over, so I enjoy as much of it while I can.

Few seashells sitting on my patio wall.  I will be back to the ocean in the fall..  

A day last week, Opa took Genevieve by Lewis Ginter Botanical gardens and in one area there are these cut logs and tree limbs.   Genevieve made a display of them.  I like how she creates. 

Back to my garden area, it's a jungle.  I think next year I will put up an arch of some kind, nothing fancy for the vines to run over.  The okra went crazy growing in the concrete block crevices.  I do believe the shading by nearby vegetables like tomatoes, helped keep them growing and sheltered from this horrible heat this summer.  Well, it's summer and supposed to be hot.  I remember some hot days growing up so it's nothing new.   I do see a hawk in the evening fly over keeping tabs on things. 

 It helps I do believe by keeping the squirrels and other animals away from the garden area. 

 Steve surely did a wonderful job in putting up the fence and walk around.  He made the door with hinges and did a great job!

A few zinnias and a dahlia picked for a vase. 

Genevieve picked out this tuber from Home Depot for me to put in a pot.  It has done so very well and many more blooms to go.  Genevieve and Adalyn both love flowers.

Now I am just sitting around thinking about what I need to do next, or should I say first. I have so much to do outside here. 

💖😎🎕⚘

Betsy

Our lounge at home and furniture arrival

 This week has been wonderful.  The days cooler and the nights a few anyway in the 50's.  Next week we are due for a change in that it is supposed to get back into the 90's.

We got some of our furniture, well all except for the pots of grasses for accent and the server that will make a great t.v. stand.  We need to get a larger t.v. but not right now.

The furniture can be added to but I think we have enough.  It's a sectional and plenty room and space for sitting. 

First time for leather.  We love it. 

Coming in from porch and the back of the sectional and room. 

I am not sure what kind of if any window hangings I will do. The large T.V. stand will go as soon and piece to replace it comes. 

There are three recliners, one on each end and the other next to an end one. 

There will be plenty of room behind sofa for something to pull out when having Christmas and dinner downstairs.  I think I mentioned before we live in a bi level and my mom will be more comfortable downstairs in lounge area.   The white table in corner won't stay. Not sure what to do with that. 

I am very happy with the rug.  Kinda reminds me of the ocean. It's called cascade.  

We also purchased two white swivel and rolling chairs.  They are called dining chairs and fit perfectly at this table for games or whatever else we may need a table for. 

This table between chairs was white and somewhat dented on top.  It's wood but a little sanding and some paper bags fixed it. 

The paper bags I tore into pieces and glued to table randomly.  I thought it looked kind of like leather.  I then painted polyurethane over the table. Lots of coats of urethane but after every two or three coats I gave it a light sanding.  I built it up enough until I could not feel the edges of the torn bags, and everything was smooth and even. Last I pushed into the rim some tacks for added interest.  

I am happy with the purchase of this corner lamp for just the right amount of light. 

I think I may purchase another table lamp from Havery's like this one.  It's hand crafted and I love the look of the glass and the color.  

We enjoy relaxing in this room now.  

I almost forgot the clock.  My granddaughter Genevieve saw this in the furniture store while we were finalizing our furniture purchase and said I should get this clock because it looked like steam punk, I guess she meant because of the metal and roman numerals, well we got it and it keeps great time. 

Ignore the mess behind the door, it is the utility room and another door out to the porch beyond that. 

I am still thinking about taking down the mirror over the fireplace because it reflects nothing really interesting but after hanging the clock I am having second thoughts.  Will see. 

Area behind sectional is plenty for something else and also the white table will be gone.

I am reading at the moment "The Chateau" I have not been reading as much as I like but now, I will get back to some relaxing evenings curled up with a good book.

The last of the teddy bear sunflowers.  They will dry in the vase as I let the water dry up and they will keep the pretty orange yellow color. 

Fresh picked okra from my little garden area along with tomatoes. Rice, shrimp and kielbasa. Some seasonings.  Gumbo the way we like it. 

Chocolate cake I made.  Very easy with just eggs, flour, cocoa, hot water, baking powder, sugar and oil. 

This cake is so good and moist.  I cut between the layer and slice vanilla ice cream to put in between and some hot fudge on top.  I took the picture before I put on the whipped topping.  The taste reminds me of the Shaneys Big Boy restaurants hot fudge cake.   

Soon it will be time to put out some September colors like orange, yellows and tan leaves and flowers.  But I am not rushing it, it is still August and like I said earlier, it will be in the 90's next week.

These will do for now. 

My husband was walking several nights ago and captured this beautiful evening sky.  It looks like a womans face with wings on both sides almost.  Maybe a guardian angel, that is what I thought of when I saw it.  

This is it for now

Take care

🌞🌻

Betsy

August and hot

 Already into August.  I can't believe how time is just flying by.  I have been keeping up with watering because if I don't the plants will curl up and die.  

I need to do something different in garden area next year and that is not put too much organic fertilizer.  Not sure what has happened but the leaves on the okra plants are huge and so are cucumber leaves.  I have been keeping a cover on the tomatoes and some other plants during the heat of the day so they won't burn and it's helped. 

I have been drying my Mexican Mint Marigold which as I believe I mentioned earlier posts that it can be substituted for Tarragon.  I love Tarragon and when it's gone this takes the place.  I like it cut up in butter and in chicken salad.  All hanging in my window downstairs with

 purple basil and green basil along with winter thyme. 

I picked a few Teddy bear sunflowers, and they are drying in a vase with just a little water along with some zinnias.  I don't replenish the water, and they dry well this way. 

Since it has been so hot.  I have been trying to clean up a few pictures that are from Mom and this one being of Mama's cousins.   Rachel and Rolland Rees of Ohio.  

This is the condition of photo

Backside 

Mama wrote "my cousins"

I am trying to do what I can with old pictures to save them and give to people in family who want a copy.   Rolland died in 2008 at 83.   He was from Mentor Ohio.  

I can't find anything on Rachel in the picture.  I wish I could.

Here it is after cleaning it up a little bit.

A little too dark so I made the second one lighter

Little better but still more work to do. 

Some more sharpening.

I had to zoom in to see what was on the shirt collar and it's a sailboat.

Well one down and many more to go.

Til next time 

Betsy