A TABLESCAPE & THE LATEST

It has been a little slow in Blondieville lately.  I like that in small doses, I guess. The dreaded computer problems continue...I keep losing my connection.  A new modem.  Two visits from Comcast.  Finally being told we need a wire extender that starts in our crawlspace.  Wait.  WHAT???  Remember the pretty little rose bush I recently scored for ten bucks?  Although The Husband had told me not to plant anything in front of the opening to the crawlspace, I thought, "Ha!  When will we ever need to get in there!"  Oh, Lord.  I need to think this through.

We never made our little weekend trip to the lake.  The Husband had a big trial coming up this week and thought he would do some of his work there.  Alas, Internet problems there, too, (hence no blogging from there lately).  So we were stuck at home.  In order not to rip my hair out, I made him take me to dinner Saturday night.  We went to a place I had never been to before called Mart Anthony.  A cool, casual place in an up and coming area in the South Loop.  Great Italian food.  I loved it and we had a really good time.

It was sort of funny...we chose a table in a dark corner, so dark we couldn't read the menu.  I tried using the flashlight on my phone until the owner brought over a candle.  He muttered something about needing a light put in over this particular table.  After a wonderful dinner we went up to the bar for a drink.  We noticed new patrons at the table we had had, holding the menu up to the candle and straining to read it.  I mentioned to the bartender that we had a problem seeing things in that corner as well.  He agreed, they needed a light.  The Husband asked, "Oh, yeah.  The owner said that.  How long have you been waiting for one?"  And the guy replied, "Oh, a few years."  We nearly fell off our bar stools.  I guess if you really love a place you can put up with something like this.  I'll definitely go back!

So that was my big weekend.  I did get to dogsit Tulo.  This is a picture of him exactly 2 months ago lying in Milo's dog bed.

And this was Saturday.  He's like an elephant in a china shop here.  And the vet told my son that he may peak at over 100 pounds.  He's much larger than Milo now and still wants to play like a baby.  He's so clumsy, he bats at Milo with his big paws and then falls over!  Layla is terrified of him and stays up on the couch or my bed, yipping and growling if he comes near.  She has definitely set the rules!  And Jeff has his own great rules.  Tulo is not allowed on furniture and he knows this.  My spoiled dogs are allowed, in fact, Milo sort of has his own chair that I have a quilt on.  When Tulo sees Milo in his chair, he whines and barks.  If Milo gets down, Tulo jumps up and settles in.  Ha!  I know I'm going to be one of those grandmother's who sneaks my kiddies candy and cookies to no end.

I made chili and garlic toast the other night and Abby and Tom stayed.  I didn't want to set a fancy table but since we never have company I decided to take it up a notch.  These are paper placemats that I found in Asheville.  They come in a tablet of fifty.  Just rip them right off.  So this was pretty simple.

Tom had gone somewhere that day to have his fingerprints taken for a teaching certificate.  I was teasing him that we were going to find out his true identity finally, whether it be a spy or Superman.  When I decided on these chalkboard napkin rings, I knew I had to keep the joke going.  And yes, these are the same napkins for the third time since Easter.  A dirty little secret...the cabinet I keep all the linens and runners and place mats in is stuffed to the max.  I have to unload half of it to dig partway down and then I pull out the wrong things.  So, that's on a huge list of boring, mundane things to do.  

We have been talking about getting new carpet in our family room and office for what seems like years.  It's the only part of our house that doesn't have hardwood floors, that being because directly beneath it is the crawlspace (yes, the dreaded crawlspace I mentioned above...it's truly haunting me).  The Husband believes the carpet and padding keeps the room warmer and I have to agree.  Finally I found a woman that Emily knows on a Facebook page for area mothers that does the whole carpet deal for you..  So I made an appointment and she was just the nicest lady.  We know some of the same people and love the same area restaurants...I felt like we were good friends.  So anyway, I picked out a very neutral, pretty sort of flat carpet, but very soft.  The price came in and it was sensational.  The Husband had gone to Home Depot and got prices to compare and we are getting such a great deal.  

Well, now is the fun part.  Everything has to be moved out.  They can work around my humongous sofa, loveseat and chair.  The office however...it gives me chills to even think about.  Emily has stuff in there from when she went to school.  I have craft things in there from 10 years ago.  Books are stacked up on the floor and bins are filled with every conceivable thing but what they were intended for.  This is a room that has become what it is because each of us have been afraid to throw out something that is important to someone else.  I am SO not looking forward to this.  And I also have to have our blinds installed.  I picked them up from Home Depot well over 6 weeks ago.  It's free installation.  I don't know about you but I really dislike having someone fixing or installing or doing something in my home.  I have to put the dogs in the basement and then I feel like I'm at odds with what I can do while they are there.  It's irritating.  And for the love of God!  I have 16 windows!  They are going to be here til Thanksgiving!

 

I do have something to be really happy about.  We have finalized our plans to meet up with my favorite blogger Cindy from Applestone Cottage.  Many of you know that Cindy and her husband Dan have become our good friends since our first meetup in Galena, Illinois.  We absolutely clicked and this will be our 6th year getting together.  We chose Madison, Wisconsin this year.  We live bout 5 hours apart (Cindy and Dan in western Wisconsin) so this year we are closer to their neck of the woods.  One year they drove 7 hours to stay with us at the lakehouse!

We chose a B&B out in the country but just a short drive from Madison, The Speckled Hen Inn.  It's on 5 rolling acres with horses and lambs and goats and llamas and chickens!  There's a pond and a gazebo and big veggie garden to explore.  Doesn't it look like fun?  We will be there the weekend of August 23.  I bet this would be a beautiful place to stay in the fall.  This particular weekend is Cindy's birthday.  We are going to have her dancing on the tables!

So, that's it for today.  I am making ribs on the grill tonight, well actually soon because I think they have to cook slow.  This is my first time doing them on the grill.  I thought about inviting some of the kids (one couple, that is), but I'm worried that they won't turn out.  Isn't that silly?  Actually, it's more about my state of mind.  If it's just The Husband and I, at the lake for instance, I'd just throw those babies on, maybe remember to look at my watch, sit back with a glass of wine and read the lake newspaper while they smoked away.  But with company...my expectations and worries go up.  We'll see.  I still have 45 minutes until I have to get them going!  Ha!

Have a great rest of the week! :)

XO,

Jane 

GARDEN & GRILLING TIPS FROM A TOTAL BLONDE

Well, here I am again!  I think I posted just a few days ago and I'm really thrilled that not only did I manage my time well to fit this in, I actually have some things to write about.  It really felt like a rather slow week and I suppose it was, especially to those of you that work outside of the home.  I consider it a "productive week" if I've kept busy, kept moving.  If I sat at my computer blogging or surfing, or sat on my butt and read half of a book, that's not good.  I feel good about myself when I MOVE!  Then again, I've never hid it from you that I can be quite a sloth, so you can see how I get and strive toward my definition of productive. :)

I love to putter around my garden.  This is "putter" season.  I pull some weeds, I water the pots with my little old watering can, I add some organic food to the lawn and most of all, I sit in the early evening (okay...this is the 'slothiness" part, (I made up that word.), and just watch as the sprinkler moves back and forth, catching beads of sun, and hearing the faint splatter as it showers my plants.  Mesmerizing!  It's a shame we can't hear what falling snow sounds like when it hits the ground in the winter.  What do you imagine it to be like?  Maybe that's the beauty of it...that it's a silent wonder,  For someone like me who only has about 20% hearing left, that's a relief!  I don't want to miss anything else in this life of mine!

Oh, by the way.  This is Tickseed, the feathery kind that gets lots of tiny flowers.  I had some extra from the lakehouse and I planted it here in the city.  Isn't it pretty?

My hydrangea hasn't really turned any color yet and the blossoms look a little conical.  I bought this as a four year old plant at the farmer's market at the end of last summer.  Sort of curious about what's going on.  Any ideas?

In my area, pansies (not above) do well in the spring and fall. They are not great hot summer players.  I pull them out of their pots once they say "goodbye", and fill the pots with something different.  It's such a great excuse to go to the nursery!  Hee!  But I actually got a little wiser this year.  Instead of falling for those half priced leftover annuals, I found these perennials that fit perfectly in these pots.  Thus, I can plant them in one of my garden beds later and they will come up every year!  They are called Lantana.  I think I'm on to something here!  Finally. :)

    I saw these coming up and wondered what the heck they were.  I've been known to pull up what I think are weeds only to find they are flowers.  Gulp.  I looked at my graph which has a bird's eye sketch of my yard and all of the things I've planted since 200 B.C. and I didn't see anything in that spot.  Then it bloomed and I declared, "Phlox!"  But nothing on my diagram.  The other day I found a big envelope in my shed in which I keep all the 'sticks" that come with my plants...you know, the ones with the name and info, etc.  And I found one for Phlox.  It never made the diagram.  I'm slacking off, but what a nice surprise.  I thought maybe it was a present from the birds!  I get a lot of those.

As I wrote in my last post wherein I discussed entertaining, I'm not one to give tips because Lord knows...it's always trial and error for me.  And I'm not going to give gardening advice,  I'm no expert.  I've been an avid gardener for 25 years and I have a library of related books that's quite extensive.  I just want to tell you, as I did with my party giving exploits, some of the things that work for me may work for you... just some friendly words.   I thought about sharing this last evening as I was in the process of taking care of my plants... we were leaving again for the lake today and staying three days (plans fell through, going tomorrow morning...hence this timely post).

I love me sprinkler!!  But I only use it on my lawn.  I use it about 2-3 times a week if there is no rain and I let it soak the grass down about an inch and 1/2, or as far as half my index finger can do down and feel moisture.  Again, I'm not an expert, but this works for me.  When we have had a good bit of rain, I am much more stingy with watering.  And I read some advice by the late great Thalassa Cruso, if you plan to be away, like on a vacation and don't have a way to have your lawn watered, wean it off slowly in the weeks before.  Grass can get spoiled! Oh, how I loved this woman...truly the Julia Child of gardening.  Look up her books, I discovered them over 25 years ago.  They are a pretty penny now...collectors items.  She wrote essay style.  A woman after my own heart.

And the last thing...as you can see from my picture above, I like to soak my plants,  with just a regular  hose at a medium type of flow.  This is just for my flower beds.  Leaves don't need or want water and the roots need it.  Why waste water?  Of course it takes time to move that hose around.  I have it going while I'm working in the yard and move it periodically.  Try to position the hose so the water puddles around the plant and ideally flows down to another plant.  Double the money.  I really love when I'm sitting out in the evening, the dogs languishing in the cool grass, getting up to move the hose around a bit, knowing it's making those tender roots plump up and say, "ahhhh!"  As you can see, I love my mulch.  It's work to buy, haul in and spread, but it's totally worth it and  not expensive.  I use shredded bark and put it down every spring.  I love that it smothers a lot of weeds, keeps the plants cool and holds that moisture in.  It looks good, too.  I have some beds that are free flowing and natural...and I have some that are very neat and tidy.  The mulch enhances all of them.  Try the soaking method.  You can almost hear that "slurp!" :)

 Enough on plants and please forgive me if I am trying to come off like an expert.  No!!  Just passing along what works for me and may work for you.  Ask those pro's at your nursery, Google your questions, read books!

I am switching to my never ending quest to learn how to grill food!  I won't bore you as I think probably 9 out of 10 of you know tons more than me.  But I am a creative cook so this is more of me passing along a few things I tried that worked on the grill.  Pictured above is a salmon filet that serves four.  I just cooked it skin side down with a little blend of olive oil, apricot preserves, green onions and some garlic salt.  Delish.  Close the cover and let it smoke just a short while...fish dries out fast.

Something that takes longer and I put it on ahead of everything else, are sliced potatoes.  I cut one potato per person in 1/2 inch rounds, just nice and thick so they don't fall apart.  In a bowl I toss the slices with some veggie oil (it just does better at high heat and browns everything better, but by all means, use the oil you prefer), some S & P, garlic and onion powder and maybe some dried herbs that you like.  Grill about 7-10 minutes per side and stick a sharp knife in the middle to test for doneness.  Oh heaven!  A little sour cream or a few drips of melted butter makes this out of sight when you serve.  As for the rest of my grilling experimentation, slow going.  I only test things on The Husband and he has a penchant for liking most everything.  Ha!

  

These are how the potatoes look right before I pop them on the grill.  See how those trays come in handy (as I wrote about in my last post)?

Last but not least, I gave our main bath a face lift.  I was at Home Depot trying to find a solution for my grub problem (involving the lawn, should you be wondering).  Do you love the smell of Home Depot like I do?  It smells like fresh cut lumber.  This one is hiring.  I could work there just to have that wonderful smell around me all day!   Anyway, I needed a few groceries and  Target is right there.  Even though I was saying to myself, "No, no, no...don't go there", I did.  And I looked in the bath aisle.  Seriously, I'm not a spendthrift nor frivoulous, I put away more each month than I spend (that saving for a rainy day is something that was instilled in me long ago by The Husband).  I just love to change out the bathroom once in awhile.  I have about five shower curtains and I switch them out about every three months when the plastic liner starts to get a little 'not so pleasant'.  I saw this and thought what a departure it would be for me.  I'm loving blue and patterns, especially patterns that don't involve flowers.  Very different for me and I'm loving this sort of metamorphosis!  Just the rug and curtain...didn't set me back much but I'll be darned, no one noticed it!!  And I take the rug up every night because it's white and I don't want anyone's dirty feet on it in the morning when they shower.  Oh, I'm so Type A! 

Lastly...Chicago  is hosting the Lollapalooza Festival for the ninth year in a row.  3 days long in Grant Park, it's a fantastic time and draws huge crowds.  Lots of great live music acts and fantastic food.   I haven't been but would love to go one year, I know many who have gone and just loved it!  I'm bringing it up because you may have heard of it.  And we have just been down for the count as a city if you follow the news.  I want to give a shout out for some of the things we are good at, proud of.  Say a prayer that the gun violence, here and everywhere will end...it's very close to home.  I put my faith in our mayor and police department.  I'm not going political on anyone.  Just please say a prayer for all of the innocent people in our city who are facing this violence and the aftermath in these past few month.  Chicago Pride!

Thanks.

Jane

Joining in at Thoughts From Alice for Sundays At Home

And

Cindy from Dwellings Of The Heart for Amaze Me Monday

50 WAYS NOT TO HAVE A PARTY

Hello!  I hope everyone is off to a good start for the week.  We are enjoying great temps here in my neck of the woods in the high 60's~low 70's.  Most of all I'm enjoying a little break in the humidity.  And it's sunny after many cloudy but rainless days.  Finally.

You might remember that we were going to have a BBQ on Saturday and yes, we did.  It was a lot of fun but I am sorry to say I only have a handful of pictures.  I was going to try to get pics when everything was set up but we were actually doing that even as the first couple of people came.  If I learned anything from this particular party, if someone offers to help, don't try to act like you're Mr. Nice Guy and get all "Aw, shucks" over it.  Be firm.  Say exactly when and how you want that help.  I was offered a tent, tables and chairs as well as some setting up help.  I was also offered some help in the kitchen.  Most of it happened but I think it turned into more of a disaster in the making and no one was very happy.  I'm all for delegating, but not if it involves more than making a simple dessert to bring or loaning some extra folding chairs.  

Jeff has really gotten his "grill on"!  His new home has a fabulous sort of built in grill on the covered patio (as well as a restaurant quality stove in the kitchen), so he has really been whipping up some great stuff and enjoying it.  He likes to buy his meat fresh and has a fantastic butcher, so he offered to bring hamburgers (made fresh that day), hotdogs and chicken.  He had the grill smokin' hot and we were really impressed.  I made potato salad and pasta salad and there were appetizers brought by a few family members that were great.  The Husband happened upon a recipe for Jalapeno Poppers recently and since he doesn't  even know his way around our kitchen, we call it his signature (and only) dish.  Considering the seeding and cleaning of the Jalapeno's pretty much forces everyone to leave the room due to the fumes, he's on his own with this one but they are SO good.  I will give you the recipe one of these days.  Or email me if you are anxious! ;-)

Here's Abigail and Papa.  I don't know why Papa is making that face...it looks like someone just told him a naughty joke.  

I thought I had planned ahead...we do this sort of stuff at the lake all the time so as I try to think back on what went awry that day, it's mind boggling. 

Maybe I didn't prepare for the unexpected.  I woke up at 4:00 a.m. Saturday morning having asthma issues.  I reached for my inhaler and it was empty.  It became worse and worse until The Husband could get to the pharmacy at 9:00 a.m.  I was finally getting my breath by noon but many hours wasted.

We thought we could squeeze in other obligations.  We had two graduation parties that day that we (The Husband and I) thought we could manage by each of us going to one for about an hour.  I raced out the door an hour before my own party to go to another party up the street where I barely knew any of the 60 or so guests.  I stood like a wallflower with my teensy plastic cup of wine and looked at my watch every other minute.  

I could have done without the tent, I worried too much about rain.  I should have done more ahead of time, I got a little too confident that time was on my side.  And I must never run out of my meds!

 

After all of this has been said, you probably expect me to be the last one to give out party tips!  Well, these aren't so much tips as they are things that I found that make life easier when you're hosting a few or a lot.  I found these baskets in the dollar bins at Target.  A lot of the tweens and teens don't like salads or the side dishes we do.  Rather than setting out big bows of chips, buy the individual bags and toss them in a basket.  You can even fill one with individual packaged cookies and sweets to put on the dessert table.  

We stopped buying canned drinks years ago when we found so many half empty when we cleaned up.  Buying liter bottles didn't change things much, then we had bottles and plastic cups.  Thank goodness for these little bottles and cans...perfect for kids and even on the bar when adults make their own mixed cocktails.  

I don't know how I could function without trays in my life.  I must have 15 in all sizes and shapes at the lake.  We live outdoors mostly so I am always corralling food and drinks and snacks and utensils on them to bring outside and then you can easily do your clean up with them.  Same at this house now that we are using the grill more.  These are from my grocery store.  Check the seasonal aisles at CVS and Walgreens.  All this stuff goes on sale about now.

I love melamine.  Oh, how I do!  I get really grossed out by how plastic containers can get greasy and never seem to come clean.  And these are so solid.  And colorful!  People are so surprised to see that I actually do love color, as long as it's outside! Ha!  I believe these were about $8.00 at Target.  One of these bowls held 2 pounds of pasta salad so they are big.

I know you've seen these little caddies with compartments.  They come in all shapes and sizes.  I have one at the lake, too and we use it to carry out ketchup, mustard, etc. For this party I had utensils, straws. napkins and small paper plates in it.  I think I got the woven caddy from Pier 1 at the beginning of summer.

These are bamboo forks and knives that I stock up on from a website called Smarty Had A Party.  I love this place.  They have everything disposable to take your party up a notch but make the clean up easy.  Most of the stuff is sold in bulk so one or two bags of utensils or napkins (in every color of the rainbow) can last me all summer long.  I keep some of the disposable forks in a Mason jar on the kitchen counter to grab for a snack or take out food.  

Yesterday was my "I'm not doing anything" day.  I really need time to slow down, stop and smell the roses.  I ate leftovers all day and dug deep into a mystery novel I'm reading.  I wouldn't even go outside with the dogs...I have had enough of the Great Outdoors.  Then today I woke up to sunny skies and just when I thought I was losing that summer enthusiasm, you know, when you can't stand the sight of another weed and keeping your yard neat comes second to cleaning the bathroom, I felt renewed.  I got showered and dressed and decided to pick up where The Husband left off outside yesterday cleaning up.  I picked up branches from the wind we've had the last few days, I watered my plants and swept and filled the bird feeder.  It is glorious out there!!  Do you see the striped outdoor rug there?  I had been really stubborn about not getting one even though our patio is really, really cracked and split.  That happens when you've been outside in the wind, rain, sun and cold for over 80 years!  What I thought was just a little old time charm started to get ugly so I broke down and got this from Home Decorators (on sale) and I think it looks good with my replacement umbrella.  

Did you notice the green beans?  My first harvest!  And my only harvest...I planted the beans in a container and well, you just don't get as many as you do when you have a few rows in your garden patch.  I am getting some decent container lettuce and the tomatoes are getting big, just not red.  :(

My first bloom on this rosebush.  It's so pretty.  When I was picking out the plants for my little landscaping job at the lakehouse, they had these New Dawn rosebushes on sale for $10.00 each so I grabbed one.  I've been wanting roses that I can cut and bring indoors so I hope this one does what it promises.

Other than an eye doctor appointment tomorrow and maybe a trip for a few groceries, I am free as a bird this week.  There is no company in sight coming up to the lake and The Husband surprised me, he has taken a week off the second week in August for us to go up there and just do nothing.  But of course we will.  I'm still working on the never~ending job of expanding my English Garden but we also plan on scouting out some new towns, flea markets and restaurants.  Can anyone tell me the name of a good beach read?!! :)

XO,

Jane

Joining Brenda at Cozy Little House for Tweak It Tuesday

OH WHERE DO I START AND A HUGE BBQ

Oh!!!Oh!  Ah Ha!!  Hello to all of you!  I'm out of breath.  This is just bull that I can't sit down.  Computer problems (and I won't bore you...please don't let me hurt your feelings but I really don't like to hear of computer problems...they happen.  Move on).  Just time...so fleeting, running away before I can document it.  Should I start to post every other day?  Just short activities/adventures ( I like the sound of that!), the usual ramblings?

Okay.  Enough.  We had our big group at the lake this past weekend.  One of my biggest joys is seeing anyone play in the sand.  That's what lake life is all about.  Okay...among other things, ahem.  Let me introduce you to Emmett.  He loves the sand and rarely left it...only to go on the boat.  And the one thing he talked about over and over when he got home was the swans.  And we have plenty of them.  They seem to multiply each year (but the huge turtles in our bay are making them diminish a bit, if you know what I mean).   Anyway, what a cutie!

This is Nora, his mom on the left.  She is my daughter in law, Mary Clare's sister,  She's a single mother, very independent, has a successful, happy career, and beautiful on top of it.  She wants to meet a smart man!!    Love it!  Her mom, Peggy, (my partner in crime, and son in law Kevin), not to be confused with my Kevin, all pictured here.

A wee little story about Kevin and Mary Clare's sister, Katie, (you've heard of her...she does my hair at her home even though she  owns a very successful salon in the trendy Lincoln Park area of Chicago).   Katie had kissed a lot of frogs.  Finally, a mere three years ago, she signed up with Match.com.  She kissed a few more frogs.  And then she met Kevin, fresh over from Ireland and very happy in a truck driving job.  He's a happy, funny and positive guy...very laid back to Katie's big time energy! I hate to say it but he has such a huge brogue I can hardly understand  him.  But to look into those big blue eyes... What a match! They clicked.

They were married in Ireland two years ago and...

...a baby girl is arriving in October!!  So we had Katie and my DIL, MC, pregnant at the lake last weekend, and sister Nora with her little guy, Emmett.  We're wondering what next year will be like!  Babies galore!

As usual...fun in the sun.  Out on all the water toys, lots of great food and snacks...a few naps for myself and Peggy (the matriarchs) and a lot of fun keeping multiple dogs separated (no, they don't always like one another, although Milo has quite a love affair with that Golden across the creek...she's now crossing over to see him!!  Brazen hussy!!)

I promised you pictures of my big "landscape" project and I'm feeling a little too "brazen" myself  (I have to look that word up!).  It looks a little sparse and insignificant but you have to realize the plants have to grow.  Okay...the hosta's have been here a long time.  I brought them as divisions from my house here years ago.  They should bloom white in a few weeks.  The difference between the white and lavender blooms is the scent.  Just a small bunch of white in a vase in a small room will knock you over...very strong, but nice if you keep it subtle.  The light purple have a very light subtle scent.

This is the right side of the porch.  Sorry about the hose...I was soaking it all to death.  Everything looks so tiny yet I hauled those plants in.  In the background is a Weigelia shrub and it will get flowers in the spring.   Daylilys and hosta's.  I also have some Tickseed mixed in.  I dug and turned over soil, added peat moss, planted everything, made a few runs to the nursery and hauled out 8 bags of shredded mulch from my car and did my thing with it.  You know what?  I think I am very strong.  I think I could lift boulders on my shoulders!! I'm psyched!  I may need to lose some pounds but I'm strong!  That makes me feel SO good.  I worked my arse off for 7 hours that Sunday.  And I loved being sore.  I loved everything about it! :)

Okay...back on home turf.  I never told you the story of THE GRILL.  In a nutshell (yeah, sure), I have been wanting a backyard barbecue grill.  We had one years ago and it was seldom used.  Look...we LIVE outside on weekends and 99% of our meals are cooked on a grill.  When we have those 4 days home for the rest of the the week, I seldom want to be out in the flora and fauna, much less be cooking in it.  So when our Weber, or whatever it was died, I said "Be gone", and all was well.  So, I've turned a new leaf and I am back to livening up the flora (and the fauna, maybe just my dogs and a few stray cats, squirrels, opossum and a brown lab that knows how to lift the latch on my gate and let Layla and Milo loose).  Anywho, I begged and bribed for a grill just this past spring and when I threatened to go out and get one on my own....lo and behold a truck pulled up one day and there it was!!  So I spend a lot of time out tending to the flora and cooking up scrumptious meals.  Okay, I'm off track...

 I really, really wanted to have a backyard barbecue...like we used to have before the old grill died and we resorted to eating my dreary meals at the table...not enjoying any of the F & F other than the wilted, dyed daisies from the grocery store (those bright blue daisies should be outlawed...sick) on the dining table.  I wanted to enjoy all the plants and flowers and mulch and cute little garden signs and votive citronella candles while we dined.  No matter that I had no idea how to cook on a gas grill.

The Husband has always been in charge on the grill at the lake while I make a simple salad and busy myself along with putting paper plates and plastic forks out.  Every once in awhile I take over and make hockey puck burgers or hotdogs that are unrecognizable.  We use them for kindling.  

Anyway...never one to back away from a challenge...with my brand spanking new grill and all my pretty flora (fauna only if I fill the bird feeder which I am cruelly selective about),  I have invited a mere 32 close family and friends for a BBQ on Saturday.  I am so ready!!  Armed with a list and my right hand woman, Abby, we hit Home Depot, Target, Binny's and the grocery today.  We have it all...we have family who will be

bringing tents and tables and chairs.  We have the good old bean bag boxes and a new game...something involving throwing a Frisbee at a beer bottle on top of a Tiki torch.  And you are required to drink something if you hit it or not.  You know, one of those "beer games" I just don't know about.  And Abby, our little waitress and bartender (she has had as a supplemental living) is making some sort of tropical drink that we all get a shot of considering the whole "B" family will be there.  We did find cute, trendy striped straws that we will be cutting into 2 inch segments for this little shot of Bali.  And  we have trendy colored plastic tablecloths and votives from the Dollar Store. I will try to get pictures...my family really gives me h*** when I interrupt a good time with random shots.  The best I can do is get people to pose and that takes away from my fun.  Ha!!!

 In spite of all my lightheartedness in this post, Milo had his surgery today.  Funny, I wrote in my last post about how I didn't like to get into the personal or serious.  Well, I have to digress here.  It was HELL getting up at 6:00 a.m.  Personally, I don't do that much at all.  The last time I remember doing that was a good 23 years ago and that was only to go to the hospital and have Abby.  Sheet.  I would have slept through that, too, except my water broke and I hate sleeping all wet and cold like that.  Again, I digress, I got him there and my lovely Dr. Fisher (hey...shout out to LePar Animal Hospital!!!) called at 10:00 a.m. (yes, I was awake and at the liquor store by then...don't judge...see above).  Although they were having a red wine tasting, and thank the gods, I really abhor red wine, I was able to hear from the doctor that all was well with my main man.  Thank you, God.

Five teeth gone and still barking at the hot UPS guy...I think he's fine.  I may save his pain pills for my own personal use...like this barbecue. 

Joining Alice at Thoughts From Alice Sundays

XO,

 Jane

A TOUR THROUGH BLOGLAND~A SPECIAL FEATURE

I was so happy and honored when Doreen from House Honeys asked me to participate in this blog tour.  Doreen is one busy gal...recently retired, she and her husband moved into their second home, a log cabin in the woods.  Doreen is hard at work decorating and trying to squeeze 2 homes into one!  Visit her, you will just love her sense of humor and her decorating and craft ideas.   I had been reading other  posts on the Blog Tour and loving them and never thought that I would be telling my own story, answering these questions myself.  I hope you enjoy reading!

 I've been blogging since December of 2009.  That said, the first question on the tour is:

1)  What are you working on right now?

  

At  this time with it being summer, I am always outdoors and mainly involved in my gardening.  As you will soon find out, we have two homes...one in the city and one in the country.  I know it sounds ideal but multiply your work and obligations by two!!  But yeah, we have a lot fun.  I caught the gardening bug when I got married and for the first time had a home of my own.  I had a lot of influence from my sisters and never stopped learning and enjoying the joys of creating a beautiful landscape.  Right now I'm working on new and expanded perennial garden beds at both homes (sigh...)!  The Husband helps when he can but he KNOWS not to mess with my stuff!

 I'm also working on changing around our den in the city house.  It's gone through many transformations and right now I'm bringing it from a formal sort of 'sitting room' to a casual place to read or watch TV.  Wish me luck!  I'm taking baby steps because it's so much better to work on indoor projects when the  weather isn't so great and it's summer now!  Forget that!! Ha!

We did recently complete some changes in our master bedroom at the lakehouse.  I wanted a nice blue color on the walls to reflect the lake and sky outside the French doors and I fussed with pictures and bedding and rugs until no end.  It finally came together recently and I feel "at home" here even though it's been 23 years!!!

2)  Why do I create what I do?

This is serious business and I know my long time readers don't always see this side of me but I will try to be as honest as I can.  As much as I believe in honesty and truthfulness, I believe in privacy so I may  not be  "telling it all" in my posts.  Need I do that?  I'm not out to write a book about my life.  My blog started out as many of of yours did, as a creative outlet.  As the name of my blog illustrates, this is a journal.  My blog has very much replaced the hard cover, written and scribbled journals I've kept as far back as 14 years old  (which I still have!).  However, in those journals I wrote so much in an attempt to work things out, to pour my feelings into, to grasp the difficulties in whatever was occurring in that specific time of my life.  My blog has replaced these journals in such a positive way.  I've been able to share my life, express my feelings and put a spin on all of it in a happy and helpful way.  Of course I have a personal side to my life and experiences that I struggle with.  I have had major struggles in my life as many of you have had.  That's just not relative to what I want my blog to

be about.  So in answer to the question, I write to please myself and hopefully, entertain you!

 3)  How does your work differ from other genre's?

I believe that the biggest difference has to do with my shifting from city to country life.  I chronicle a myriad of different  occurrences and experiences in both places yet they all  accurately and affectionately  reflect my crazy life.   I never forget how lucky we have been to have our little place on the lake.  We welcome family and friends all the time and it keeps us all connected.  Our children grew up swimming and boating and water skiing, not to mention ice skating and downhill skiing in the winter.  Hey, the greatest snowball fights ever!! I thank The Husband for having the foresight in a great investment...a place to exhaust and rear our kids and a place to sit back and enjoy the slow life once they are on their own!  City life is equally exciting in it's own way.  We are more grounded here with extended family and friends.  Our children went to fantastic schools and we are part of a great community.  This will always be "home" to me.

So I think shifting from one very different place to another locale, with it's parallels but also very different activities and experiences makes for a different sort of post.  And I also believe that I can relate to many of my readers/followers/good friends because I'm honest and straightforward, even with a wry sense of humor and some sarcasm. 

 

My blog is ever changing with the things I love to do.  I'm quite the homebody sometimes and I love to cook and share recipes and do tablescapes on occasion.  It's been fun to meet other ladies who love to do this as well.

I love to decorate and share a few DIY projects once in awhile.  Before...

...and afters are quite fun.  I simply describe myself as having a "Lifestyle" blog.  I really don't fit in any category.  I may post about cooking or fashion,  gardening or a day at the lake.  Life is rich with experiences and I have a never ending curiosity!

In writing about my everyday life, my kids always play a large part in it.  We are a tightly woven family and they always seem to give me fodder to write about.  I actually think that a lot of the funnier posts I've written involve these kids and The Husband, of course.

And here we are.  We will celebrate 28 years of marriage in December.  We've been through thick and thin and I could never have asked for a better lifetime partner.  

And now the final question:

4)  How does your writing/creative process work?

I should have spent more time reading blogs and learning the ropes before I dived in, but I did get a lot of help from observing as I went along and also got advice from some very nice bloggers.  I basically start with a visual prompt by keeping a camera with me at almost all times.  I have a small digital camera with great settings that fits in my purse and I also invested in a Canon DSLR a few years ago and I use that for special events or occasions.  My IPhone camera is as good as a point and shoot and I can grab that in an instant.  Taking photos, especially still life pictures, has really made me notice the beauty in everyday life.  Every couple of days I download my pictures and I can see a story develop; where I had been, what I was doing  and then I mentally start piecing together a sort of account/story/essay (!) by stringing the events together and weaving the pictures in and out.  The mood or mindset I'm in plays a big role in the tone of my writing, and I write in "real time", it's easier for me and I like to be spontaneous. I aim to post at least twice a week but as I get busy, it's more like once a week and I'm bound and determined to change that.  

I hope you've enjoyed this special little post.  The questions were quite interesting.  I am supposed to pass the baton on to two bloggers as part of the tour.  I would love to see these two ladies participate:

Mary from A Breath of Fresh Air

Brenda from A Cozy Little House

Of course no one is obligated to do this, but I enjoyed it.  Thank you, Doreen!

XO,

Jane

EVERY BLOOMIN THING!

Yep!!  This is about everything blooming and more, but boy, what a treat it will be to look at this winter!  Can you believe we were complaining about cold weather 3 months ago?  And we will surely be complaining about the heat shortly.  Ha!

One of the Hibiscus Sisters is doing pretty well.  In spite of my great ability to bring them very close to death as I winter them over in a large percentage of space in my family room, this past winter seemed to have the most desirable of results...beautiful blooms in April!  Indoors.  Alas, a week or so later I was watering the old girls and I saw a swarm of what looked like gnats or fruit flies.  I gingerly lifted up a leaf, then another and saw that they were infested with white flies and their larvae...as in the leaves were "encrusted" with them.  I literally flew down the hall screaming for The Husband.  As he shook his head in dismay, I demanded Herculean efforts...as in get the damn things outside now!!!  April in Chicago isn't exactly balmy and I thought I killed the poor ladies, but secretly, I knew it must have also killed the freaking larvae.  Fear not, the plants pulled through.  One of the gals has been pruned down to almost nothing but carries on and this one is looking pretty attractive, but no blooms yet.  Just not sure what I will decide to do this winter.  I try to limit living things in my home to us and the dogs.

My container tomato plants are doing very well.  I have 4 in here and one is just a cherry tomato plant. This is the same size container as the Hibiscus Sisters are in, believe it or not.  I have them in a sunnier spot than last year and they are my pride and joy.

This is what they looked like 8 weeks ago.

I love when I see these little gems.  I have never successfully grown anything in a container and I was so bummed out that I ran out of time to ready my vegetable garden beds....this gives me such satisfaction and makes me smile. :)

I also planted a tender 'Salad Bowl' lettuce in a container.  A tip I have is to give your lettuce a 'crew cut', just snip off the tops instead of pulling the leaves out of the soil.  You can bet on another shearing later.  And in late August I can plant more seeds...they love the colder weather here as they mature.

Last summer Emily and I bought 4 year old hydrangeas 

at our farmers market.  I was worried...hers was doing so well and mine looked sick.  Well, she gets more sun...be patient.  If you have less sun, your plants may be slower, smaller...but fear not!  Look at this baby.

This is one of the newer hydrangea plants I found at the nursery last summer.  Blooming like crazy yet the plant is only about 5 inches high!!  I can't bear to cut any flowers yet. :(

The same for my new clematis...just barely climbing the trellis (an old iron  headboard) and blooming.  How brave and strong and sweet plants can be.

I'm not new to day lilies but these are from the package that The Husband gave me as a gift in the spring from his favorite spot, Costco.  They are coming up so great and I love the yellow ones.  I happen to have some extra deep pink colored plants from the lake that I'm going to add...this will be such a pretty corner.

This area has always been called my "Woodland Garden".  It's very shady and I have this beautiful abundance of day lilies that came from the first home that my sister Chrissy and her husband bought 8 million years ago.  It was totally overgrown with orange day lilies and she dug them up and gave them to all of us sisters.  I may be the only one still in one place that has them.  Here's to you, Chrissy! :)

Lastly, the herb garden is doing okay.  I have two varieties of oregano and one is not as fragrant as the other so I may give it the heave ho.  I want to add some thyme and tarragon.  I like to cook with those and that's what it's all about, right?

About two weeks ago we had a wicked storm blow in at night.  We lost our power for 22 hours which is unheard of in our area, and the most damage seemed to be from the winds.  My table umbrella, which I thought had just blown over into a corner of the patio, was actually cracked off at the table level (the base was made of teak).  I was so sorry, I really loved that umbrella so I ended up ordering the same one again from Plough & Hearth.  It's so well made and is raised by a pulley rather than a crank and I really like that.  And I was brave...I got something different and  colorful instead of the earth tone thing I had before.  Daughter Emily does not like it.  She said it's 'Grandmother-ish'  Well, hello!!!  And thank you all for your sweet congrats!  Future mother and father are doing well!  And you know what...I'm actually loving when certain people in my life don't like or agree with what I do.  It's sort of fun to shake my head and point my nose up...say nothing.  It drives them crazy!!

  

I'm going to tell you more about this in another post.  This is at the lake.  I was actually too undecided to show you the "after" pictures because the sun was hitting it a little wonky and I want you too see it in the best light.  This area is the left side of our front porch and then there is a twin side on the right.  Let me tell you, it was all overgrown with weeds and God knows what and it smothered out the day lilies and hosta's I had planted there years ago.  My wisteria on the posts had also gone crazy and tangled everything up so I had a real mess on my hands.  Note the gorgeous local stones that our guy added to the cement foundation...truly custom and a great nod to the land we live on.

This was part way into my job last Saturday.  I pruned the heck out of the wisteria as I also did on the opposite side.  Years ago I prayed it would reach the balcony and arbor.  Oh, dear God.  The stuff is miserable.  But we're good now.  I have scratches up and down my arms and face and some spots on my hands have almost became infected.  Next time, long sleeves and perhaps, a face mask.  In any event, the porch and balcony are neat as a pin and I proceeded to do some landscaping on Sunday.  I love to say that...landscaping.  In  a nutshell...ahem, I went to a family owned nursery here in Chicago and met with one of the brothers that owns it.  He was such a wonderful help in selecting shrubs and plants.  And after carting it all up to Michigan on Friday with The Husband not uttering one word, I played landscaper for 7 hours on Sunday.  Once again, I love that title.  I could be a landscaper if I weren't inherently lazy.  And extremely allergic to all things green.  Just call me a soldier for now. I'm so relieved I don't have poison ivy.   Anyway...when I finished, the light was set behind the trees and casting very unbecoming shadows and glare on my creation so I am going to make you wait with baited breath to see what I did.  So there!

 Today was a hellish day for the dogs.  The annual trip to the vet.  Happily, they are in great shape, Dr. Fisher said that she can barely believe Milo is 10 years old.  He shows no symptoms of slowing down or being out of shape.  He does, however have really bad problems with his lower front teeth.  She has wanted to pull them for the last year and I have been too frightened of anesthesia.  Now he's lost a few on his own and she has me worried about infection and pain so he is having the 'surgery' next Thursday.  It's breaking my heart,  I remember Brenda's pup having 13 teeth removed recently...:(   Tonight they have sore hips from their shots and are just creeping around and shying away from us.  And I feel the wimpers coming again when I think of the cost today and what it will be next week.  How we love our critters.  Here is Layla waiting for me to turn in.  The Husband needs no excuse.

Finally, a little update on my Tulo~man grandog.  He loves mud and water.  He has never met a puddle he doesn't like.  He has come out unscathed in many an adventure in his short 14 weeks of life.  2 jumps out of the window of the moving car, 2 ticks and a fish hook in his paw. My son loves to take him everywhere and he lives on the edge of a spectacular forest preserve.  Jeff and Abby take Tulo for hikes along cliffs almost every morning.  Thankfully Tulo has been (somewhat) fortunate and my son has learned what that child-lock window button is for on his car.  

Again, it's lake time on Friday.  This weekend we are having DIL Mary Clare's family up.  I love all of them and we will have a full and happy house.  Having company gives me a reprieve from work...other than passing out paper plates and replacing toilet paper rolls, I'm pretty good with just sitting and enjoying the company and fresh air.  We are actually having temps in the 70's and the humidity finally went Bon Voyage!  And it's supposed to stay like this for awhile.  We've had so much rain, but mixed with sun, too, so it's hard to count on anything.  I personally take the rain as a sign to snuggle in bed longer with the hounds in the morning or sneak in an afternoon read or nap.  Really!  That's what rainy days are for!

I will be back on Monday.  I was (finally) asked to be on one of those blog hop tours where you answer a whole lot of mind bending personal questions about your reasons for blogging, etc.  Just kidding.  I adore the gal that asked me and I hope to take my humorous shield off and give you some close to the heart answers.  

Happy Hump Day! :)

XO,

Jane