No More Chard ~ Blips in the Bathroom and other ramblings

I went out to check the squash and beans and saw the rabbits ate my Swiss chard.  Let's just say that I cannot wait for my new raised beds next garden season.

We had a few more set backs with the bathroom.  When the old light fixture was taken down, we saw that they ran the wires thru the wall and screwed the light fixture into the drywall (not the wood).  Our handy-man had to go get us an electrical box and installed that.  Then when he went to assemble the new light fixture, we saw that one part of it was broken.  It's being returned, and another has already been ordered.

Now that I see how many short cuts the previous owners did, I will be checking the carpet upstairs to see if they even put foam under it.  One room has to be re-carpeted in the future for sure.  I'm trying to clean up the other room and wait it out for a year or two, considering all the repairs needed and costly expenses this year.

I got the herb garden fully weeded and put Mom's flamingo solar light in it.  I also got 3/4ths of the rose bed weeded, but so much more needs weeded.

Also, I am so frustrated with our one tomato plant for sandwiches etc.  It's fully loaded (put banana peel water on it), but it's so loaded the tomatoes are very small.  I'll be removing many green tomatoes later today, to try and let the plant have more strength for producing larger tomatoes.  Let's just say I'll not be pouring banana peel water on it anymore.

I finally got out my home owner's journal (yes I am a journal junkie).  I'm updating it with the repairs, and paint colors.  I'm taking photos of all the repairs and will print them off and tuck them into this handy journal as well.

 

Chores and memories and other ramblings....

 While tying up the tomatoes I thought of Mom.  It didn't matter who brought her home grown tomatoes, she always told me that my tomatoes tasted the absolute best.

Also, bandaids and travel toilet paper brought Mom to my mind.  While cleaning her house, she had a good supply of travel toilet paper and bandaids.  I didn't think I would need them, but lately....found myself in a bathroom stall in a store and no toilet paper, and scratched the heck out of my arm removing hay from upstairs and have no bandaids.  I'm heading to the camper this morning in hopes to find more bandaids.

I don't want to waste gas for just one thing today, so I surely hope I find extras out there.  I have a travel tote we use when we go on car trips and camping trips, but I have yet to find it in this maze of a mess house right now.

In regards to the entire bale of hay I found upstairs, Daughter K left it in a tote.  When I inquired on the oddity of it, she said she "left it because Rosemary (her rabbit) didn't like it". Sigh....why an entire bale?  I have no idea.  Kids!

Daughter K called.  She wanted some zucchini.  Mom used to fry her sliced zucchini when they stayed over as kids.  Heck, she used to make it for us as kids.  So good too.

While cleaning green beans I thought of Dad.  He always told me I snapped the beans too big.  He said I needed to snap them in smaller bite size pieces.  Guess who snaps them in smaller pieces to this day?  Yep.  Me.

While searching for a new crochet pattern, I thought of Mom.  She was the one who always gave me an idea that ended up selling very well at craft shows.  The last item she asked me to make was the jar openers, and the first dozen sold completely.  I've since then made more, and have them for sale now at the museum gift shop.

The moon was very visible the other night.  Last night it was too cloudy.

My husband keeps reminding me that the flower beds need weeded.  I keep telling him, "yeah, and so do the hot peppers, kale, bell peppers, squash, cucumbers, and the herb garden..."  I'm only one person, and I have to paint to keep up with the bathroom project.

Speaking of the bathroom, we decided that it was best to change out the pvc water lines for the shower and put in a new shower handle/shower head.  We have no access if they bust down the road, so to ensure a good re-build, that was done before the last piece of drywall goes up (hopefully today).  One more thing to delay the finish, but better to do it, than to not.

The water was shut off for that last repair, so I am running the dishwasher very early, as it is completely full.

I cleaned out a 2 drawer filing cabinet, and gave the cabinet to a friend who is in the process of moving.  One more thing out of the living room maze of a mess (used to be in my kitchen under the desk).  We don't need that much file space anymore.

I brought down one more bag of trash from upstairs, as well as the tote with the remaining hay (why oh why??!!). More purged, and another box for donation.  I am also saving the very large cardboard from the vanity etc. and storing it for the garden next year.  I put it under my grow bags to keep the weeds down.

I purchased sun-block curtains for the west facing window and north and south in the smaller bedroom upstairs.  It made a huge difference in temperature up there.  It's cooler, although we are not running AC up there this year.

This and That

 

It's been nice to watch the sunrise with my husband lately.

I went out to pick green beans and almost stepped on this guy.  Ugh.  The bugs are horrible this year.

The green beans are rolling in, but wax beans have yet to keep up.  I now wish I planted more, but they are coming in anyway.

The bathroom ceiling has been textured and painted.  Now the last piece of drywall goes up, but they are calling for rain.  I guess we'll see what happens today.

I printed yet another free pattern for a crochet project.  It's for kids, so I have something inexpensive they can buy at a future craft show.  If I ever get crochet time, I will post a picture of it.

Name that bug and other outdoor work . . .

 

Although the spot on this bug looks orange, I swear it was read when I saw it fly.  The top one was about 2 inches long, so does anyone know if this is a danger?  Or harmless?  We've never seen it here before.  Best guess they are Mydas flies, but can't be certain.

It's been a horrible rodent/bug year for us.  The mole chasing windmill is keeping the moles away from the garden, but I had to order another windmill for the front of the property.  The moles have dug tunnels all over my front flower beds (grr!).

It was a beautiful sight to watch the plethora of lightning bugs last night.  I don't think I have stayed up, or stayed outside that long in a long, long time.

I spent a good part of the day tying up the tomato plants.  Good grief!  Some of them I tied up the day prior already needed more tying up.  They are growing crazy this year, however we did not get any rain last night as predicted.

I was up very early this morning to check on the weather status, and oh my gosh it is super humid at 4am.  Blech!  It'd be great from some morning rain, so I wouldn't have to water everything, and could tackle the indoor to-do list.

My husband complains when I plant something from seed that is horrible to weed later, so I weeded out the chard.  I was hoping to weed the kale, but nope.  Watering all morning, possibly weeding tomorrow.  The hot peppers are on, as well as some bell peppers, and one single tomato is turning red already.

I put up 2 pint bags of Russian kale, and brought in one more zucchini.

Bathroom repairs update:  Entire bathroom has kilz down, so today the ceiling is getting texture.  Once that ceiling is painted, it should go faster to get it in working order.  

I was plum worn out after being out in the heat, so I didn't get a lick of trim painted.  Sigh.  It might happen today.

Our handy-man also repaired the tiller and put a new belt on it.  Now that my husband is starting to get home earlier, he will be able to help me more in the garden.

Question:  How long does watercress last in the freezer?  I'd like to freeze some, but what I have read says 3-4 months.  

Happy Homemaker Monday

 Long, but busy weekend.  While our handy-man had the weekend off, I was working hard to paint bathroom door trim, and juggle the laundry, put things back where I painted another smaller area of a kitchen wall, do dishes, cook, garden, and stock up.

The bathroom repairs continue.  The floor is in.  He had to make some changes with the new sub-floor.  The new shower base drain hole was about 1 inch off of where the original drain was.

The kids, when they lived here, took long hot showers, so the paint on the ceiling was literally coming off.  It's been cleared, sanded, and areas filled.  It could be another 3 days before the drywall can be put in.  The ceiling will be painted with kilz, then re-textured, and painted with ceiling paint.  Each step taking a day to dry, so I'm trying to be patient.

The garden is starting to roll in bounty.  I pulled the last of the lettuce plants and made us a big salad for these humid and hot days.  I spent most of the day Sunday in the tomatoes. Many of them need tied up again.

My husband is working every single day.  He gets no days off for a few weeks.  I'm not running out of things to do, but I do miss him.

I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.  Will link up when she posts later.

The weather . . . 

We will hit the 90's again, with possible thunderstorms tonight or early tomorrow morning.

As I look outside my window . . .

The sun is shining, and the weeds have once again taken over in the flower beds.  I found some smaller wild growing mullein and have moved them closer to the house.

Right now I am . . .

Doing a load of laundry, and just finished breakfast.

Thinking and pondering . . .

Trying to decide which job to tackle on rainy days - upstairs, bedroom closet, or front room (need to clean out a file cabinet that was previously in kitchen desk area).

How I am feeling . . .

Pretty good actually.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Sausage, bean, and egg breakfast burritos, topped with home canned cowboy candy, coffee.  Lots and lots of coffee.

What I am wearing . . .

Garden work jeans, tank-top and currently slippers until I head out to the tomatoes.

On my reading pile . . .

Somehow I keep adding to the pile, but not reading lately.  Just zero time for it.

On my TV this week . . .

Anything that catches our eye.

On the menu . . .
-roasted turkey, zucchini and corn saute
-chicken, apple/pecan/cranberry salad

-turkey a'la king, peas

-Mac' n' cheese (haven't made it in a long, long time)

-leftovers

Looking around the house . . .

Well, it looks as if the house is under construction, ha ha!  I'm trying to keep things organized, but half the bathroom stuff is in the kitchen, and trim is being painted in the living room.

To do list . . .
-clean out fridge
-laundry

-mail in rebates

-call body shop and make an appt.

-weed flower beds

-tie up tomatoes

-harvest kale

-dishes

-vacuum

-find Mom's camping journals

-check campgrounds for a fall camping trip (if it happens)

From the camera . . .

These were from all weekend.  Momma and her babies.

Devotional/Prayers . . .

-prayers for my friend Marilyn and her husband (Brian, and his sister Christy), as her Father-in-law suddenly passed away yesterday.

Vacuum Packing ~ Dehydrated Onions ~ Onion Powder and other random-ness

 

Update on the 8# of dehydrated onions - I refilled our homemade onion powder (I store this in the freezer in an air tight container and it has worked great for years), and I learned something new this year.  I learned how to vacuum pack for longer shelf life.

I do not have a food saver, however, I used parts from food saver for part of it, and used a hand pump and it worked perfectly.  Thanks to watching numerous Youtube videos, I have now added more knowledge to my preparedness skills.  I showed my husband what I used, and he just shook his head and laughed.  Well, I got the job done, ha ha!

I think I shared this stuff before, but now I am be-bopping from painting the last door/trim in the kitchen.  Our handyman takes weekends off so I am tackling the trim to the bathroom door this weekend.  I'm also cleaning upstairs, and back to the tile floor in the master bathroom.  It works great, and I only have a small area left to do, and it's stayed clean from the last time I worked on it.

While out last week, on errand day, I picked up a new towel to use in the camper. Hopefully, after start up is over, we can actually go camping for the first time this year.  So over due, so over due....

Beautiful Sunrise ~ Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

 

My computer loaded these backwards, but from bottom to top this morning's sunrise.

I whipped up some homemade Thousand Island Dressing for us.  Recipe is linked.  You can make your own mayo, used home canned sweet pickle relish and home canned ketchup.  Yum!