A Frozen Treat

Here I am...the first breath of warm weather craving something cold to eat. I was grocery shopping and looking for something...I didn't know what....just something that would satisfy my taste buds. There they were in the freezer section....Edy's Coconut treats. Which one would I buy? I decided on the plain coconut bar...knowing that I could try the other as soon as this package is finished. the one with coconut water has half the calories of the other...Of course I opted for more calories :)

I got them home and popped them in the freezer. Later in the evening, I decided to have one. I bit into the frosty delight and was surprised by the flakes of real coconut in each bite. Now, if you are a coconut lover  (as I am) you will love these treats.

They are full of coconut and have a very coconutty flavor.Last year I tried the fruit bars and wasn't disappointed. This year I was ready for something new...Speaking of something new....Edy's now carry a full line of fruit bars along with fruit and veggie combination bars. Flavors like Tangerine-Carrot, Apple and Greens, Strawberry Rhubarb (be still my heart) Blueberry Medley, and Peach Mango. These are not your usual watered down flavors. A full flavored chilled treat for summer. Try it... you'll like it!
Balisha

Pussy Willows and More

I needed a few things from the grocery and as I was heading toward the produce section....these caught my eye. I have been looking for pussy willows for quite a while. We usually can get them at Church. Someone brings them in and they sell them between Masses....using the money for some Church project that the kids are doing. I haven't seen them at Church...so I scooped up two bouquets. I put one here, where we come in the front door and the other is in the breakfast nook. I love pussy willows...almost as much as Easter lilies. I've never had a bush, but have tried to grow them from branches that take root in my vases. These are sturdy branches with fat catkins. A perfect name for this fuzzy little nub on a branch. The bushes are pretty nondescript after blooming...so they are really suited for a woodland border. If these root...I may try again...to start one in the way back.
It's beautiful today. Yesterday I just kept going. I felt so good and kept at it cutting down perennials and vines leftover from fall. I cut down the purple coneflowers and checked the roses for new growth. I filled bags of debris and took them back and dumped them in the woods brush pile. I added new compost to many of the potted sedums and replanted the strawberry jar.
I got the spray paint out and sprayed the grapevine wreath that hangs on the porch rail near the garden by the drive. It is getting old and is sort of a gray color....this will liven it up a bit. As I walked back up to the house....I realized that I am feeling better than last year. No limping around, I can bend better, and all in all I can accomplish what I set out to. I think that I owe this to the months of going to the pool three times a week. We were there this morning and noticed that more older people were there. I guess we all benefit from the water exercise that we get. Oh, and another thing I noticed.....One day,when I was doing exercises with a new DVD...the instructor said to stand on one leg. I thought....easy peasy.....but found that I felt tippy when I did it. My balance was off. After going to the pool and practising standing on one leg in the water for the count of 50....I can do it without losing my balance. Yea! You might think that this is a minor accomplishment, but not so for this aging woman.
Well, I have to get going. We are going out for lunch...it's 3 pm and we haven't eaten yet...only a cookie :)
Balisha

What I'm Doing Today

I'm on Spring Break for today....I'm going to get outside and clean up the front porch and bring up the cushions. I don't care that snow is predicted for next week. We will enjoy the porch while it's in the 60's. I finished my window project last night and Joe is going to hang it. I'll be back later today, because I'll need to rest. I hope some of you people who have had to hibernate all winter...like big old fuzzy bears....can get out in the nice weather today.
See ya later,
Balisha
I'm back with some pictures of what I did today. I got the porch ready for the summer this morning. This is my favorite time of the year. It's warm enough to work outside, things are just beginning to pop....and while that's happening we can get things done like washing windows, cleaning clay pots, trimming, some pruning, and cleaning up the porch furniture and the porch itself. We can't do much in the garden...so these things get us outside enjoying the beginning of the weather that we have waited for so long. Here are some pictures of today...

 Here are the swingers. They have hung here on our porch for a long time. Once in a while, a bird will dart in and out between them. Especially when we have a bird nest on the porch.

 Our porch is very narrow. It is just big enough for us to sit and for a couple of neighbor friends who stop by for a visit. I usually sit on the Adirondack chair and Joe sits on the bench.

 The window that I have been working on...is hanging there now. I painted it barn red and backed it with an old quilt that was falling apart. I finished it yesterday and it's on the porch wall today.

 Finally, here is Miss Goosey Lucy. She is all dressed up in her rain coat. She is next to a pot of artificial flowers. Pretty soon some real flowers will be there. I am painting a stool and that will be behind her with a big plant on it.

So, there you have it. My morning in the sun. Now, I'm going out to plant some succulents in the strawberry jar.

Balisha

Monday This and That

I spent the weekend doing all sorts of things. We went to Mass on Sat. evening and then came home to watch a movie and eat a snack. During the night the phone rang and really startled me. It was 2:50 am. I only heard my son's name mentioned. The call was about son John's security system....someone had set it off and they couldn't reach him......so they called me.  I asked him to take my name off the list in the morning, because there is nothing we can do if this would happen again. We live more than an hour away from him. This is startling for us two oldsters...neither of us slept the rest of the night. Nothing happened at his house...and he was sleeping at the time (with his phone turned off). Why do people turn off their cell phones... when they have no other phone? What if someone needed them in an emergency situation? Oh, well enough crabbing about that.
Yesterday, found me working on my window project and in between letting the paint dry, I was working on my little critters. I got the critters done and my window project is ready for the next step. I'll show you later this week. We had a nice dinner...roast chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, asparagus, squash, and some Italian bread. We watched the Country Music Awards show until bedtime.
This morning was the day to go to the pool. It felt good to leave in the relatively warm weather. The pool was cold, however. Coming home, I decided to call Elizabeth and see if she wanted company. She had called last week and invited me sometime this week. I drove over to her house and was greeted by two little Westies at the door. They are so cute and love when anyone visits. She always tells them that I am coming and they get so excited. We sat by the fireplace,and she turned on the fire. The dogs settled down and she pointed to the counter...told me to go and get my birthday present. It was wrapped in a cellophane bag with crinkle ribbon. A small, very pretty, little cruet with rum inside. If you remember, I told you that she puts a little rum in her tea. I tried it the last time at lunch and she remembered that I liked it. So, the rum for my tea and the antique cruet was my birthday gift. I got such a kick out of this present. Now, when I have tea....I will remember her. I wondered about driving home with open liquor in the car....but took the chance.
As I was driving into town, I noticed something new. On the corner, by the drug store, a framework for a building of sorts was being built. It looked like a place for plants...maybe a garden center. I asked in the store, and was told that I was right. We will have a new garden center right on the corner as I drive into town. Oh, I will need some help going past this place. How convenient...maybe too convenient. I will tell you more as it gets built.
Now, I am going to finish up downstairs and then take a rest. So looking forward to the rest of the week. Warmer weather means I will be outside. I sat on the porch yesterday and it felt so good.
Have a nice afternoon
Balisha

Morning Has Broken

 One of my favorite hymns is "Morning Has Broken." I first heard the song in the 1970's, when it played on the radio...sung by Cat Stevens. I remember it vividly....I rushed to the kitchen and turned the radio up. The tune was so pretty and the words were like poetry. I've always loved poetry about nature....and this song was one that I wanted to remember...so I wrote it down, so as not to forget it. Later, when I was in Church, I heard it again. I didn't realize that it was a hymn. Now, I was able to sing it. We used to have a part of the service, where we could choose a favorite hymn to sing....mine was always this one. When Joe and I were making plans to marry, the Priest said that one of us could pick the processional and the other the recessional. I thought about our morning wedding and picked this song for the processional. I hoped that it was in the Catholic hymnal...and it was.... only with different words. I only needed the melody.  I still play it on you tube when I want to hear Cat Stevens sing it.I just found out that it is the first Christian hymn to have it's most famous cover version by a Muslim.. Cat has been a Muslim since 1978.

Here are the lyrics....
Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dew fall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day

Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word

Do you see what I mean about the lyrics? A beautiful poem set to a beautiful tune. A beautiful way to start the day here in No. Illinois. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and it promises to be a nice day.
Balisha

The baby eagles have hatched...two of them. Just saw Mom feeding the two some leftover fish. They are so cute...with their fuzzy little heads. Just put eagles at Decorah, Iowa in your search line...and watch.
Me

I had the morning planned..............

Time to get out that gardening outfit and work out in the garden...as weather permits. My gardening outfit begins with faded old jeans, T shirt, sweatshirt, hoodie, and then my pillow ticking garden jacket. Shoes or boots depending on the wetness of the ground. As you can see....I dress in layers. As I work, off comes one layer and then another. Soon, I am there with just my denim striped jacket, shirt and jeans. I've had this jacket for probably 25 yrs. It just keeps on going....like I do. Like the old energizer bunny. I hate wearing something on my head, but sometimes I'll wear a bandanna and then just move it to my neck as the day warms up. I have a couple different kinds of garden gloves. Soft deer skin and fabric ones. I also have heavy duty ones for pulling branches etc. I won't be doing any of that this year. Lastly we come to the best companion a lady of 76 can have....my trusty old green plastic chair. Joe's son didn't want these chairs a few years ago and I snapped them up. They are just the right height for me and I have three that I put in strategic spots around the yard. I carry that plus my tool bucket (a 5 gal container fitted with and insert to hold all my necessary things like tools, phone and sometimes my AM radio. So, you see....I'm no fashion plate when I'm out working. I look rather like a character....my posh neighbors must watch for my outfit to change, but it never will. My kids and husband hate to hear me talk about my demise, but my garden outfit is one that I should be buried in :) Just a little garden humor this early morning:) :) :)

Today is chilly and I may go out and do a couple of things....but guess I'll stay in and just stew about the stew I made yesterday. I did this because we usually go swimming on Wed morning and I like to have a quick meal when we come home. Joe decided to take the car in for service and go swimming tomorrow...he planned this at the last minute.

So, my plans had to change. I hate that. Oh, well....be flexible they always say....who are they anyway?
Balisha

Oh, my goodness...I'm just in from outside...I had a card to put in the mailbox. The wind had died down and then I decided to take all the terra cotta garden pots etc. out and place them where they belong in the yard. This being said...I wonder, do you put things in the same place year after year? I seem to do this, only because the succulents in the strawberry jar love full sun and not much water, the Italian pots hold Dipladenia plants...and they love a good soaking with the  hose. The handmade concrete shell with hens and chicks....looks so nice sitting on the purple chair. My stack and grow is so bright with geraniums.....and those do well on the deck.The huge cup and saucer planter holds moss roses and goes with the red geraniums. So these plants dictate where they like to be placed and the containers just follow along.
I'll be back tomorrow with other things going on in the garden. I may be walking with an umbrella...or maybe snow shoes :)
Balisha

I Just Can't Wait....Can You?

Winter is over and I see signs of spring everywhere. As I stepped out the door on this windy day....the last of the leaves from last year are drifting down the street. Whoops there goes my perfectly coiffed  hair :) Birds are pecking the ground to find some little things to eat. Male birds are beginning to strut around like peacocks...trying to lure a lady. Yesterday the goose pair (I like to think that this couple is the same one I see each day) were floating down the river against the current. The white caps bouncing around them as they seemingly just float on top of the water. I'm sure that under the water their legs are paddling a mile a minute.

I didn't try to do anything outside...it would have been pointless. Today the wind is a little less, but cold has returned and I have to find things to do inside. I've been researching the Internet to find an idea for something to hang on my porch wall. We have a problem with wreaths. Wreaths just invite birds to make their nests there. I like to sit on the porch and really don't want to co-exist with birds.

I have a couple of old windows downstairs. I've painted a couple of them, but I wanted to do something different. Our front door is barn red and I have a tall stool that I'm going to paint the same color...it holds my bigger aloe plant for the summer months. I'm thinking that I will paint the window frame that barn red. I have an old quilt that is falling apart. It has faded colors of red white and blues. I think that I will cut the quilt (I'll wait here while you gasp) Parts of this little quilt simply shred with each of my touches. It's been outside on the porch for years...so I feel comfortable cutting it up and using it for several projects. I want to put part of this quilt on the back of the window frame. I can nail it in several places. Then I'm planning on decorating the frame with some dried materials ....or birds made of felt. This is just formulating in my mind as I write this.

We have blue cushions on the white chairs and a barn red bench with a blue cushion there already. A couple of small glass tables and of course some green plants...maybe some scented geraniums.I'm anxious to start this project.

In the meantime, I'll  continue watching for spring like things going on. I simply love this time of renewal. It is so welcome this year....what a long, difficult winter we just experienced. Just thought of something....I will be bringing my bird bath and the terra cotta pots and strawberry jar soon. Oh, I just can't wait...can you?
Balisha