Garden goodies...

I love getting up early in the morning and getting the day going.  Especially when it gets so hot, so quick during these brutal summer days.  I enjoy going outside peeking at everything in the yard as everything starts to wake up.  Feeling the cool air.  Listening to the birds singing.  My most favorite way to start the day.  Getting all the yard things done before the heat gets too uncomfortable.

There was a little spying on the garden to see if anything is near ready to be nibbled on.  A big smile was made when all the goodies were seen among all the green leaves and plants.  No squealing or anything like that just because it was so early in the morning.  Don't want to freak the neighbors out.

But how wonderful to see the little pieces of garden candy ready to eat.  There's never really enough grape tomatoes for salads or anything because they are all eaten out in the garden.

More goodies hiding.

This honestly is the best candy bowl to have sitting by the kitchen sink.

There is basil coming out of my ears.  The plants are doing so awesome this year.  Just amazing what happens when you actually take a few minutes to learn how to grow this stuff properly.

Then there is the lone sunflower.

Not sure where it came from.  

We just left it where it started just because this plant is obviously so determined.

Then at lunch time when it gets a tad too warm to be outside any longer, I shut all the windows, turn the a/c on (yuck) and enjoy some of the garden goodies that were picked earlier in the morning.

 Then work continues on the newest project started a few days ago.  It's going to be massive.  Not sure what I was thinking.  I'm blaming it all on the heat.  The dang heat.

At least it's something pretty to work on while inside, waiting for the heat to move on.  

~*~

This Summer so far...

This Summer is just flying by.  It seems like it just started the other day and here it is already half over.  Slow down already.  I'm not okay with only having half of it left to enjoy.  

Dear Mother Nature, no one around here wants Summer to go by this fast.  Please slow down a tad.

The garden is turning into a jungle.  Within a matter of 3 weeks it has gone from just trying to get going and making its mark in its little spot in the yard  

to making us wonder if this space is going to be big enough for all the pretty plants out there.  It's so exciting to go out every morning to see the progress out happy little garden makes every day.  Strawberries to be nibbled on.  Grape tomatoes nearly ready for an impromptu lunch with the Lettuce leaves while wandering in the garden.  It's hard to not to smile when seeing the vast improvement in this little space when compared to last year.  It's kind of nice that Mr. Green Thumb decided to make a stop here this year.  :)

Our little house guests have gone from depending on their parents for everything

to leaving the nest just a few days ago.  

In less than a month everything happened so fast.  From nest building, the laying of the pretty blue eggs, the hatching, being so dependent and then literally flying the nest.  What a whirlwind.

  

All four survived the tight quarters that the nest became.  The fighting for worms and what the girls called sibling rivalry.  I even thought one afternoon these little birds were going to get a talking to from the girls about all the shoving and pecking on each other that was going on in the nest.  Apparently the birds just needed to know that you just don't behave that way with each other.  I had to leave the room after hearing that just so I didn't laugh in front of anyone. 

A surprise visit was made to see our newest little man in the family.  He's another cuddlier which was fine by me.  So mellow and easy going but with all seriousness on his face.  Kind of makes you wonder if it's the calm before the storm.  

Lots of hugs and snuggles were given to this little guy also.  You forget so fast how busy a two year old can be when your own kids get older and more independent.  Hotwheels and planes are the main focus of this little guy.  It was quite funny to watch him try to carry every car he has in one armful because making trips from one room to the other was not an option.  Very determined little guy.  He was going to make it happen one way or another.

Such sweet little boys.

Alot of sewing has been happening around here lately.  So nice to have something wonderful to keep you busy when the weather gets too hot and unbearable to be outside.

Our newest little guy received his very own blanket (finished in the nick of time) from his Auntie during our visit with him.  He snuggled in it the entire time during our visit.

And let's not forget Mr. Pig (aka Sloppy Joe).  All hand sewn by Little Auntie just for our new guy with hopes of it becoming a favorite treasure of his.

Don't ask about the name.  It seems that the majority of all the soft little creatures around here are given food names.  I just don't ask.

Now if the days could pass a little slower and the brutal heat find itself another place to be, all would be wonderful.  But of course Mother Nature will not listen to me.  So we will just have to enjoy and make the most of each day we have this summer.

But it could still slow down just a bit.  

I'm just saying.

~*~

Jam...

Thanks to some inspiration from Dana,  I finally broke down and made our first homemade jam for the season.  First time for freezer jam.

Yes, I am a little slow when it comes to breaking out of the norm and trying something new.

Freezer jam is now my new best friend as far as jam is concerned.  Who knew we could be up to our ears in all this yummy jam without boiling, sealing and everything else.

A quick trip to the store to load up on strawberries, pectin, these nifty little plastic jars and we were set for making our own concoctions with juicy, sweet strawberries.

A few jars of plain strawberry and a few jars of strawberry rhubarb and we may be set for a couple of months.  I don't see it lasting longer than that around here.

Especially when this has become the breakfast of choice around here now.

~*~

For Mom...

Mom finally got her birthday present the other day.

It was only late by two weeks.

Sure didn't help that I couldn't make up my mind with what I wanted to do and then ripping things apart and starting over.

Finally it clicked and it all came together.

But here it is now in all its wonderfulness.

A brand new table quilt just for her.

Bright and cheery for summer!

Love the back with the solid piece of fabric and all the pretty little flowers.  The binding is also a favorite with the dark blue and flowers.

Note to self:  make a better effort at not waiting till the last minute again and having a plan ahead of time.

~*~