Upside Down Cats

When you buy a statue to display in your home, it sits where you place it until you move it somewhere else.

That is so old.

Introducing new and improved sculpture for your home...

Continue reading "The Next Generation of Home ... »

As I mentioned in a previous post I've recently been spending some time outside, even though It's June in Illinois. Normally by this time of the year it is already too hot and humid for me to choose to leave the confines of Home Sweet Air-Conditioned Home unless absolutely necessary.

We have been privileged, however, to be the recipients of several gorgeously temperate days lately, so I have spent a few relaxing late afternoons sitting in the back yard.

On this particular day I was struck by the reflection of our Welcome sign on our house. Maybe it was the combination of the lucky vantage point of my lawn chair that day and the sentiment, welcoming balmy days in the yard - twice, even.

Whatever the reason, I felt compelled to capture the image for posterity - a reminder of a quietly lovely sight.

So, Welcome - and Welcome again - to a little corner of my yard on a late Spring day.

Anyone who knows us, or has ever met us, or has read my blog knows how I feel about my Sweetie, Scott. So I won't be redundant by writing yet another loving testimonial to my husband on the occasion of his birthday. However, should your memory need to be refreshed, I highly recommend you check out these posts from the past:

Sorry, Ladies, He's Taken

Fourteen Long Years...But Not Long Enough!

Synchronicity

Suffice it to say that I love my husband more than mere words can say and I want to express that sentiment to all the world on this particular day, his birthday.

Rather than reflecting (or lamenting) on how many years of one's life have passed, I believe that birthdays are for celebrating the person this day brought us.

So today I celebrate my life mate, my best friend and the person whom I admire most...coincidentally, they were all born on June 21!

Hey, You, I Love You!!!

If you'll indulge me in a little musical interlude, I believe this sums up my feelings on this special day and always...

I have been an uncharacteristically conscientious homeowner this week.

I am a fairly fastidious housekeeper inside the pleasantly climate-controlled walls of our house. It's funny, then, how it can look like the Amazon jungle in my back yard and it usually doesn't bother me one bit. Once Summer parks it's humid unpleasantness on us, I don't go in my yard if I can avoid it. The thought of just sitting in that muggy rainforest of a yard is enough to make me, nauseous let alone exerting myself with physical labor. Frankly, we are doing good by our standards if the lawn gets mowed on a fairly regular basis during the hottest months.

This year, however, we've been blessed by the weather gods with several pleasant days when I've actually enjoyed spending time sitting - and yes, even sprucing up - out in the yard.

Being outside has forced me to actually experience the leafy walls enveloping our yard... The horror movie they will undoubtedly make about our yard will surely be titled, Attack of the Honeysuckles! I couldn't stand the look of it! I dragged out the hedge clippers and the branch cutters - wishing I had a machete as well - and set about cutting and clipping the beastly bushes down to size!

The downside of this project is nothing surprising...

I expected the sore muscles and joints from the repetitive motion, bending and stretching.

I expected the multitude of scratches and gouges from immersing myself in the branches.

I expected to get leaves and sticks in my hair and clothing.

I expected to be inundated with insects... Perhaps you are aware of my revulsion for insects?

The upside seemed straightforward as well...

I expected to see my yard again.

I expected to like the improvement as I regained control over the foliage.

I expected to burn a few extra calories.

I expected that was all that was to be expected.

But I didn't expect to find this...

Continue reading "Serendipity In My Own Back Yard" »

In honor of Father's Day, I want to pay tribute to the Father Figures in my life.

My own father, Jim, was the finest father I can imagine. Dad to seven of us, he taught us about family loyalty, love and laughter. I have already written the ultimate testimonial to Dad back in November when I shared a series of posts on things for which I am thankful. Read Daddy's Little Girl to discover this daughter's admiration for the first man in her life.

Although I lost my dad nearly eleven years ago, I am so very fortunate to have in my life another wonderful man I consider my father as well - Scott's father, Marty.

Continue reading "My Two Dads" »

You may know by now that I am rather fond of my Sweetie, Scott...

What you may not know is that I got a very nice bonus when I opened my Box of Scott...

I got another mother in the bargain!

Continue reading "My Other Mother" »

I'm taking the occasion of Mother's Day to reflect on and celebrate the woman who gave me life

...and so much more.

Continue reading "My Mother" »

Today is our Abbey's birthday. Our eldest turned fourteen today.

Those teenagers sure do sleep a lot!



Here she is celebrating her special day with a Girl's Day Out (of the bedroom where they usually sleep for extended periods). Abbey's the one in the middle flanked by Beemer (top) and Desi (left). It looks as if she is enjoying her birthday, no?

You may not recognize her in this position, but she's the Upside Down star of my header. She's so multifaceted!

Happy Birthday, Special Girl! Your whole family adores you (obviously!).

Yesterday I made German Potato Salad the way my mom taught me. Like all natural-born cooks, her recipe resides completely in her head. So when I asked her several years ago to tell me how to make it myself, she retrieved what she believed was the recipe from the recipe box in her head.

I dutifully copied down every ingredient and step. Then I attempted to make my mom's German Potato Salad...

Hmm...

Continue reading "There's A Mother In My Kitchen" »

I can hardly believe it's May already! Before long I'll be wanting to fire up the grill out back! Our weather's not quite there yet, so here's the list of meals I've planned in advance to cook in my kitchen this upcoming week:



Wagon Wheel Pasta w/ Shrimp & Broccoli in a White Wine, Sun-Dried Tomato & Parmesan Sauce & Garlic Herb Breadsticks

Southwestern Chicken Burgers Topped w/ Cheddar-Monterey Jack Cheese & Chipotle Sauce, Onion Rings & Mixed Greens Salad

Chicken-Fried Steak w/ Creamy Gravy, Mashed Potatoes & Spinach Sauted w/ Shallots in Olive Oil

Hot Dogs, German Potato Salad & Chili-Lime Corn on the Cob

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches on Oat Bread, Tater Tots, Raw Vegetable Platter w/ Garlic Herb Dip

Pesto-Marinated Chicken Breasts Served over Vegetable Rice Pilaf

Puffy Egg Roller Coaster,* Chicken Maple Sausage Links & Blackberries w/ Whipped Cream

Beef Enchiladas & Mixed Greens Salad



Wishing you a wonderful and well-fed week! Bon Apetit!

*Here's a photo I took the last time I made Roller Coaster for brunch. It is a concoction of eggs, flour, milk and butter. Drizzled with a touch of maple syrup, it is absolute heaven, my friends!