Sunday, April 20, 2014

HAPPY EASTER!

May you all have a very Happy, Blessed Easter!  Enjoy and love one another and remember the reason for the Season!  Thank you all for visiting me.  xxoo.    Later.......JO


Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Happy Spring! Happy Easter!

Hello All!

The weather here has been absolutely deelightful!!  I've just had my guys come and completely clean, and trim the yard, so everything looks so nice.  The orange and grapefruit trees got trimmed back a bit also, and now I can see when a coyote wanders into my yard.  Haha.  I haven't gotten any plants for the yard yet, and I guess that will have to wait til after Easter.

But, having this done
 (finally, as I have been procrastinating about it), has inspired me to do more inside the house, and in the patio.   Helps me get ready for Easter, as I will be having the gang here.  I have my menu all planned out - ham, of course, with 


pineapple slices, and mustard and brown sugar glaze, as my Mama made it, glazed carrots, mashed potatoes, green beans with sliced almonds, rhubarb pie, and pineapple upside down cake.   Sound good to me!  

The only 


 finished project I have to show is the little bunch of rabbits, and the Easter eggs I made for my daughter's holiday tree.  They are getting there kind of late, but I know she won't mind.  She knows how hectic life is for this old woman!   I know she will love them.  Then I will have to get busy on the next ornaments.  Any suggestions on what I can make for the summer months?   I will make red, white and blue stars for Memorial Day, and for Labor Day, but I don't know what to make for in between.  Help??  

Well, I hope you all have been enjoying the gorgeous weather in your area, except for those of you who have gotten more snow, but fear not, nice weather is coming!  For us, it is starting to get warmer by the day, and we have already had temps in the 90's.   Dread the hot summer, but it is not too great a price to pay in exchange for the wonderful weather, of Spring, Fall, and Winter!!  

So, I hope you all have a wonderful Spring, I hope you get outside as much as possible, smell the flowers, fresh mowed grass, trees, and hear the birds singing to you!  

Until .....Later........JO  xxoo


Friday, April 11, 2014

Ain't Life Grand!

Hello All!
   

I've been absent from my blog for awhile.  Dentists, doctors, etc., have kept us busy for the last month or so.   And we still have some ahead of us, mainly carpal tunnel surgery for both hands for my hubby.  Poor guy has so much pain in his hands, and I have to help him a lot because of it.  But, hopefully, the surgeries will help alleviate the pain, and allow him a little better use of his hands.
But, we haven't been without  interesting things in our lives.  We've been out and about, taking day trips to local areas, seeing things we haven't seen before, picking fruit and making orange and grapefruit juice, cooking, crocheting (me!), and visiting with friends.    Below is a photo of us with some special friends, who are traveling the country in their Airstream.  They were here in Arizona, and we didn't want to miss the chance to visit with them.  They've gone on to California, and will continue around the country.  Lucky folks!   


Plus, we have been picking the fruit from our yard, which we have in abundance, as we have three orange trees and a grapefruit tree.  I looooove being able to just walk out in the yard, and pick a grapefruit or orange for my breakfast.  I love making fresh fruit salads,  and they are even better when you can add something from your own yard.  


When I went out this morning, I noticed that  the flowers on the grapefruit tree had produced these tiny little grapefruits that I had never noticed before.  I guess I had just never really looked;  I would just go out and pick one and go back inside.  Now, I know that the process works as such; first, the beautiful aromatic flowering buds, then the fruit, but I had never seen them in this developmental stage.  They were no bigger than my little fingernail!  I was amazed, and ashamed of myself that I had never taken the time to notice them before.  Aren't they amazing??   I mean, I am always the one saying "Stop and smell the roses", but I hadn't been doing it.  So I shall try to pay more attention to these things.  Ain't life grand?!!  

So, since I went out there for a couple of grapefruit, I cut them up and added them to my wonderful fresh fruit salad.  I love it for breakfast with a dollop of Greek yogurt, and a sprinkling of raw sugar, and a tablespoon of granola!  Mmmmmm, perfection.  And healthy!  



Speaking of healthy, I am still working on my diet, trying to eat healthier, and have lost, in total, only about six pounds, but it am keeping at it!  Also, working on organizing so that life is more tranquil, and peaceful, because I know that clutter just makes life seem chaotic!  

And lastly, I am still working on my eldest grandaughter's purple afghan.  I did all the easy squares, and am now working on the bobble patterned squares.  I've discovered that I do not like the bobble stitch in a project of this size.  I have to make 12 squares of each color;  purple, lavender, and sparkly white.  And it is too slow for me, (I like to see more progress), and too tedious.  I may try to alter the pattern of squares, so that I don't use as many bobble squares as the simple ones.  Is that wicked of me?  I don't like to have to spend this much time on one project.  I want to see results much more quickly!   I guess that is just so that I can get on with another project.  I have so many projects I would like to try, and so little time!  

I shouldn't complain, as I am very fortunate that the good Lord has given me this time to do what I love.   Retirement has afforded me that time, which I didn't have when I was working, so I am blessed and thankful.  And I have had so much inspiration from other bloggers, and from Pinterest.  I have found so many things to do that I love.  
Maybe next time I post something, I will have some photos of some finished projects, so I can show you my progress.  I will work diligently each day.  


So, I will talk to you again.........Later.........JO