Order Out of Chaos, 2

So before and mostly during my mom's visit, this is what my patio looked like, or a good chunk of it:

Good grief did we work! We planted, re-potted, straightened, moved about a gazillion plants, seeds, seedlings... Exhausting!

But it was worth it! Most everything is doing fabulously and also looks fabulous! More pictures of the garden and the "tomato field" once I put the finishing touches on them this weekend. 

But for your viewing pleasure, here is the newly usable patio! Well, usable for what it's actually supposed to be used for, ha ha!

And here's another, just 'cause it's so awesome!





More coming on the rest, no worries.

:)

Impulse Buy

So most women make impulse buys. Men, too, we all know they do. But the types of impulse buys do tend to differ, even among the same gender. I know the perception is that women's impulse buys run along the lines of shoes or purses or clothes. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've made those sorts if impulsive purchases, lol. 

No - here is my latest impulse buy...








Yes, you are seeing that right. 25 pounds of flour. I eye them every time I go to Costco, and I'd been buying a lot of flour the past few months. So I bought one a few weeks ago. 

Where is it now, you might ask? Well, take a look...

Yet another accomplishment of my mom's and me. Yep, we bagged up all that flour in Ziplocs and put it in the freezer. I left one of them out to use, of course. And what did I use it for already, you may ask?

Why - my world famous pizza, of course! There's more flour to be used before I hit the freezer again, but it's a start, right?

:)

Memorial Day

There's a lot I could post here tonight, but really, I think this day is too important to do more than say Thank You to the soldiers and their families who gave their lives for us to live how we do. 

Memorial Day - To remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. I thank you.

:)

Post Card Saturday!

It's that time again! Post Card Saturday! 

Here is the front of today's offering:

Obviously another shot of Washington, DC. Even back then, the cherry blossoms were famous (not that I know exactly when "back then" was More below on that..) It's a very pretty picture, however.  

And the back. Once again, you might notice there's no correspondence. I can make a few guesses as to time period, but they would be super vague and a wide range, lol. One of these days, maybe I'll actually do some research.

If you notice, this one also has a blurb about the place. A lot of super early ones don't. 

And here's the postage side. As you see, this one still has the instruction where to put the address, so it can't be so common place that everyone is expected to already know. And of course, the postage amount still blows me away, lol.

I know these without anything on them might not be as exciting, but they are still pretty enough that someone saved them. I really am going to do some research, too, and see if I can nail down some of this stuff.

But enjoy this one for now!

:)

Post Card Saturday - and Sunday...

Sort of a hint of things to come... 

It's been a long day today, no doubt about it. I am wiped out and have to get up in the morning. So Post Card Saturday will happen on Sunday this week, ha ha! Along with loads of other stuff that's gotten accomplished over the past week. Not all at once, but hopefully interesting enough to post about for the coming few days.

More tomorrow!

:)

It's Only Thursday, Right?

In progress, but looking *much* better!

Whew! This garden overhaul/redo is taking a *lot* of time. A lot more even than it did to set it up in the first place. That's probably a testament to how well stuff grows down here. Or to my growing gardening ambition or something. Who knows, but that's the "garden" garden right now, with more to come. And not even counting the patio stuff that is still, well... chaos, as you see here...

But progress is being made, I swear! For example, here are the basil plants before...

...And after, ha ha! It's actually really hard to show them at the moment because they are in about a zillion little pots and glasses to root. The tiny plants that were growing from seeds are in little pots of dirt, though they seem to be doing well. 

The plant that was still growing has been shorn of what was growing and there are now a bunch of small cups of water to root. Mom's going to take some home when she goes, and then... I'll have more basil than I'll know what to do with. That's a good thing, right?

But here - take a look at these babies! Remember the poor pepper plants? Still growing peppers despite looking so forlorn?

Here they are in their new digs! (ha ha! Pun sort of intended.) The poor plants were so root bound, roots were growing out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pots they were in. Mom and I hated to move them while they had peppers and blossoms on them, but it really was now or never. Keep your fingers crossed they continue to do well. They seem happier already...

Today is a day off! :D  We are headed to a Marlins game in a little while. But we'll be back at it tomorrow. We have more to plant and transplant, move and rearrange, clean up and organize, so that everything is easy to get to, and I can once again enjoy my patio for more than just watering plants, ha ha!

More as it happens!

:)

Order Out of Chaos, Part 1

So - a lot of things around my house have needed some work for a while. Plant and garden things, I mean.  Imagine that - ha ha!

And  since I have help here (ie - my awesome mother!) for a few days, it's been time for a garden overhaul. Or as much of one as can be, as well as the front beds that kinda got... overgrown. Or undergrown. Or just kind of... not really shaped much after Mom planted all kinds of cool stuff in empty beds several years ago.

Well, that's changed. I have to admit, I don't have any before pictures of this part, though here are a few after pics:

This is a bed in the front of the house that never was filled with anything but rocks and some trash. We cleaned it up, added dirt, and also some lantanas that were on clearance at Lowes. Keep your fingers crossed - this has potential.

We also trimmed back a lot of the palms that were at the window. And then - cut back some of the plants, pulled out an odd shrub/tree thingy, cleared out tons of weeds that had grown around the planted stuff... Also added some lemon balm and flowers, too. So here are more results...

Work is also being done in the back. Transplanting stuff, repotting, re-arranging tubs in the garden, just tons of stuff. More pictures of before and after there when there's more "after" and less "before", lol. It's all just chaos right now. But it's taking shape, slowly but surely. Or so I hope. Keep your fingers crossed...

:)

Post Card Saturday

Hurray! Time for another one! This one is purely from a historical context, even though I have no idea when that is, ha ha. But here's the front:

Yep, the Brooklyn Bridge. It's a really nice picture. However, if you look at the back:

You see there is no address, postmark, etc. So this was just in a collection of unsent post cards and I have no idea when this one was printed. Because as you can see, if you look again, there was no copyright year on it. None that I can see.

Look here, though. It's an actual blurb about the place. Some of the earlier post cards don't have that, so that does at least tell me (from my unscientific experience, lol), that it's later than 1910 ish or so. Or maybe not. I suppose I should make a chronological list of what I have sometime. It's not going to be today, however, lol.

So there is is, on time and everything! And I hope you caught the bonus post card this week! If not, go here and you can check it out. It's super awesome!

:)

Exciting! Something New!

Take a look at that, my friend, and tell me what you think it is...

If you guessed a teeny tiny watermelon, you were right! How awesome is that?! I know, I get excited easily, but that's sort of the point of this gardening thing, right? Ha ha - don't answer that.



And look - here's another one!

That's right - TWO tiny watermelons out there, and more blossoms. Now, I'm not counting my watermelons before they hatch... er, ripen. Well, maybe I am, lol. But I'm not going to count *on* eating them until they are thumped and picked and cut open and eaten, lol. 

But hey - I can dream, can't I?

:)

Too Awesome to Wait! Bonus Post Card Post!

This is just way too amazing to wait until Saturday! Take a look at this and tell me what it is...

Yep, that's right - it's a post card. But not just any post card - it's a post card from my mail carrier!

How does this happen, you ask? Well, let me tell you...

If you're reading this, you most likely know about my post card collection. And if you don't, check out the post card page tab at the top of the blog page  :D 

Well, my mail carrier is a really super nice woman, and there have been a few times we've ended up chatting a bit. She delivered stuff to the door, etc, and we would end up talking. 

One of these times, I told her how people had told me they'd sent post cards but I wasn't getting them. I explained about my collection, etc. So get this - she started looking out specially for them! And then would check to make sure I had gotten them. We talked about books a couple times and I gave her one I had two copies of, just a really, really nice lady.

I'm embarrassed to say I don't know her name even. I'm gonna find out, no doubt about that.

But apparently - she went on vacation last week. And she took my name and address with her - and sent me a post card! Here it is, her "signature":

How Awesome Is That! I put out a thank you note for her, and hopefully will catch her tomorrow or the next day to thank her personally. And get her name...

Post cards rock - especially from the Mail Lady!

:)

Very Awesome, pt. 1

Time for Breakfast!

Several very awesome things happened yesterday! Unfortunately it got late last night before I realized it and could get it all here. And it's early and getting ready for work time now. But just a teaser of things to come this afternoon.

Hope you're having a great week so far!

:)

Happy Mothers Day - and More!

I happen to have the most awesome mom ever. I think so, anyway, and I am sure many would argue that *their* moms are the most awesome moms ever. We'll all have to agree to disagree, because I know mine is. Just sayin'  Ha ha!

Regardless

Happy Mothers Day 

to one and all, regardless of how many, or even how many legs, your babies have.  :D

Also - just to show you a little of what some of the Best Students Ever are like... 

Friday, I walked into one of my classrooms, and saw - this

Yep! Students of mine had remembered Teacher Appreciation last week, and well, how amazing is this?! The pink bag was full of pink things - especially flamingo stuff (I *love* flamingos!). There were macaroons - YUM. And Cachitos - YUM again! Roses, balloons... How do they know all my favorite things?  :D

It was awesome and amazing and I love my students, too. 

Hope your weekend was as fabulously excellent and productive as mine. More pics to come on the productive part, ha ha!

:)

Post Card Saturday

Here we are again - Post Card Saturday! I had intended to post some awesome pictures of some of The Most Awesome Students Ever yesterday, but ended up at a party. So tomorrow for sure. 'Cause yesterday was Awesome!

However, it is time for Post Card Saturday, and here we are, today's offering:

From New London, Connecticut, apparently. Here is the "big picture" of the back. There's a blurb about the front picture, as you can see. The address, once again... Lol. Just a box number, city, and state. 

Here's the postmark, and the reason I chose this card today. The postmark is 1952. I'll explain when I get the message, ha ha!



Because here's the message! As best I can tell it says...

                                             21 Randall St.
                                                       Groton, Conn.
Hi,
Was so glad we got to see you and Mother Pittenger. I kept my fingers crossed until we finally made it. Will write later. Don't have much time now. Wanted you to know we made it. (star or something?)
Love to all,
Leona (?), Leo, and Yvonne

The reason this one made me think is because, well, there I was, taking pictures of it with my phone. Yes - my phone. The one I can call anywhere in the world on, at any time (more or less). We just take it so for granted now, everyone has a phone, it's nearly impossible not to stay in touch if you have even the tiniest desire to do so.

So many of the post cards I've put here have been much older than this one, by a couple of decades or more. But even here, in 1952, the primary means of private communication was still - written. Letters, post cards, and the like. Imagine sending someone off on a long trip somewhere, someone you care about. Basically you just had to trust they got there. 

Sure, stuff mailed in the US might make it in a few days or so. But that's still a few days you have to wait to find out if the person you cared about made it home, or to their new hotel, or over the mountains, or across the country, and so on... And that's even *if* they sent the post card or letter *immediately* after they arrived. Just think if they were on a voyage across the ocean! 

Sure there were telegraphs, but I am thinking those were really expensive and rare to send. Meaning that you might wait *weeks* for someone to get where they were going, and then even *longer* for the letter or card to reach you.

Patience, Darling. Surely a letter will come today. How many times did loved ones think that to themselves? Because honestly, there was just nothing they else they could do. I go back to Laura Ingalls Wilder. Those pioneers packed up a wagon and set off across the country, and probably more often than not, never heard from or saw some of their families again. 

So two things to take from this, as far as I see it.

1. Have Patience. Sometimes all you can do is wait anyway, so don't spend so much time worrying until you have something to worry about.

2. Don't take for granted any time you get to spend with people you care about. Once they leave your presence, there's no telling what could happen. 

Wow - didn't mean for this to become such a downer, lol. But yeah, this postcard made me think, what can I say? 

:)

More Coolness!

So there are finally some doings in the garden to report on! Some very cool ones, I think. I'm just going to start with a couple tonight, then more this weekend. I'd say tomorrow, but given that tomorrow is Friday and all... yeah, we'll see, ha ha!

First up - Crazy Peppers!

 Take a look at what look like poor, wilting, failing bell pepper plants!





Here's another look. 

But if you look closely, they are once again full of both peppers *and* a ton more blossoms! They each have about four peppers on them now, in various sizes. One is even turning red! How awesome is that?

And here you go - take a guess what this is:

If you guessed watermelon blossoms, you were right! That thing is growing like crazy, spreading all over the place, and has several buds/blossoms on it! How amazing would that be to be able to eat my own watermelon from my own garden?! You can probably guess the answer to that... hehe.

More coolness on the way, sometime this weekend most likely, unless I really can do it amongst all the stuff going on tomorrow and tomorrow night. In other words, don't hold your breath!

:)

Discovery!

So - just this past Saturday, I discovered that there was one of these places near my house! That caused super major excitement, I can tell you.

What is La Granja? For those of you that don't know - it is Peruvian Fast Food. Literally. It is a fast food joint, with Peruvian food. They have mostly roast chicken, rice and beans. But they also have Lomo Saltado (If you want to know what that is, go here.). Also Papas a la Huancaina, Alfajores, Inca Kola, and of course, ceviche. They have all of this and more (all conveniently linked if you want to know. Peruvian food is the BEST! Everyone who's eaten it says so!)

And it's super affordable, too! Fast food might be convenient, but it's gotten kind of pricey depending on what you want. For $4.50, you can get a quarter chicken with rice and beans as a lunch special. Awesomeness, I'm telling you. Finally something to be happy about being in South Florida  ;-)

I got a take out menu, hehe. Yum!

:)

Could There Be One?

Take a look at this - could there be a stretchier kitty anywhere?


Say hello to Penny Lane, aka Kitten, Squeaker, and lastly - Stretchy Cat.

Does this kitty know how to stretch or not? ha ha. You see Sophie is unfazed, just drowsing along while the cat does her thing. 

Just another quickie to share all this cuteness. Seems sort of unfair to keep it to myself.

:)

Post Card Saturday!

Here we are once again - Post Card Saturday!

I've chosen another historic one because I just think they are all so dang cool, ha ha! This one is of New York, waaaayyy back in the day. Like, before my day. Before my mom's day, or even my granny's day, lol. So very cool. Enjoy!

Here's the front, of course. New York... I really am going there some day. I mean it!

Here's the back. There is some wear and tear obviously, but still in good enough shape to have and to read. And yet another with no address, lol. The name of a hotel, a city and state, and that's it.

See that postmark?! 1909!! Yikes! (And clearly someone thought this postcard was worth a buck twenty-five, lol)

And here's the message. As far as I can read, it says...

Dear Uncle Rob,

Harry and I send love. We have beautiful weather and sail this afternoon at 3 pm.
                                            Corinne

So another little slice of American history here for all those interested. 

Have a great Saturday!

:)

Time...

... Is a Beautiful Thing!

Don't we all know it? Especially when you realize too far in to something that the time vs. money equation has been on the losing side way longer than you realized. That's what's happened to me, another reason (okay, call it an excuse if you want, ha ha!) for my rather sporadic posting over the past few months. It's almost over, however, and I've learned my lesson. 

So a quick update, hopefully some pictures this weekend  :D

1. Limes are gettin' bigger! Maybe by the time my mom comes to visit, we can use them for our gin and tonics  ;-)

2. The zucchini plant went the way of all the yellow squash plants, really quickly. I kind of expected that, but hoped anyway.

3. The watermelon plant is doing *great*! I think I might have seen a blossom on it last night - how awesome is that?

So there's the garden update, such as it is. More later!

:)