FLOORCLOTH FINISHED

After six long weeks of working on this little project, actually about eight if you count the time I stewed over what I was going to paint on the piece of canvas I bought, I finished the floorcloth to use on the back porch.  I don't know that I am altogether thrilled with it, but it is what it is - finished.  I like it and yet it seems a bit too folk artish or juvenile or something like that.  Maybe the colors I used are a bit too "happy" or bright.  At least it doesn't clash with the swing cover. 

I will admit, if I had it to do over, I surely would not have undertaken a project this large (about 3'x6') without several small ones under my belt.  A lot of things were learned about what to do and not to do in the future.   It's been a long time since I made one back in maybe the late 80's.  It was fun all over again!

 

PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS

Now is a great time to think about Christmas shopping.  So many things are on sale right now because of school starting.  New crayons, cute pencils, markers, etc for stocking stuffers   Just think how nice it would be to already have most of that done before the holiday hubbub starts.  Don't forget to write down in a little notebook or something what you bought, for whom and where you hide it so you don't re-buy.

JUST CAN'T HELP MYSELF

With a tiny break in the heat and humidity - rejoicing over just 94 degree weather, believe it or not - the shutterbug has me and I just can't help myself. 

This beautiful butterfly was attracted to a rug I had laid out on the back porch to shake out.  I have no idea what may have been the attraction, but he spent hours flitting back and forth to it.

The next picture is not particularly great, but it was a rare sighting of two mama turkey hens with a combined 12 young fledglings in the church yard.   They were running as fast as they could away from us, but you can still see about 10 of them in the picture.

Dragon flies move so fast and are so hard to get a focused shot of.  This is just one of about 180 shots I took.  Patience, patience, patience paid off. 

I never tire of looking at the beautiful creatures God made.  Get your camera and go enjoy a bug or something.


PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS

I try to always keep onions on hand and especially like to buy lots of them when they are on sale.  However, it doesn't take long for them to go bad, so I freeze them for quick use later.  Just chop and saute' in a bit of bacon grease, olive oil or just plain water.  Once they are cool, place spoon fulls on small pieces of wax paper and loosely place in a Rubbermaid type sealed container.  Make sure you label the container.

 

You'll always be ready to throw a casserole together.

WILTING SUMMER ROSE

Summer, 2011 will definitely go down as one of the toughest this old gardener can recall - persistent heat reminiscent of opening the oven door when baking biscuits at 400 degrees without the promise of a single yummy bite, hair-curling humidity and dehydrating drought.  You gotta love Mississippi summers! 

Having finally made it to August and the little kiddies back in school, hopefully some of us can go to a local football game and manage to sit on the bleachers without getting bun blisters.  But for me, I am just an old wilting summer rose waiting around for the beautiful butterflies that are everywhere this time of year. 

PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS

All lovers of birds, you just must give them a nice cool place to drink and get a good bath.  It's such easy, cheap fun to watch them come and enjoy themselves.  Use a container that is at least the size of a large dinner plate and about 2 inches deep.  I have been using an old plant saucer for about 15 years.  It sits on a big stump of railroad cross tie and is near a bush they can hide in until brave enough to perch for a drink.   They drop in everyday about mid morning and late afternoon.  Cardinals are the most frequent visitors and usually come in as a couple.  He always takes the bath first while she patiently waits.  Very interesting to watch.

Enjoy the free joys in life.