Sunday, August 26, 2012

Another Holiday





I will be taking another holiday as we are going to the coast!
I am looking forward to some rest and relaxation
and will be back in three weeks :)


~Finding the amazing in the simple~
Thanks so much for stopping by!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

One of My Favorite Things


I love linens and lace,
flowers and delicate china,
teacups and teapots and pastels.


But there is one things that gets my heart pounding
and gives me goosebumps of excitment.
Nope, not skydiving.


It's the sound of jets flying by at super speeds.
I love air shows!


Not only do I love the sound of the jets
and watching the acrobatic fliers
but there is also the thrill of trying to caputre
them on camera as they zoom by at warp speeds.


And there aren't only jets at air shows.
There are also gliders,
and parachuters,
and jet fueled
outhouses, and snoopy houses
and...


the Magic School Bus!


There's the new...


and there's the vintage.


There's the experienced fliers
and some who are just learning.
These three vintage planes do an aerobatic routine.
One instructor and two brothers who are learning.


There's the big and there's a small.
There is a little bit of everything at the air show.
But my favorite is the CF-18 fighter jet.
This is the one at the air show and if you look very closely
you would see 13 unique snowflakes,
each representing a province or territory.
Is there something you enjoy that is unexpected?


~Finding the amazing in the simple~
Thanks so much for stopping by!


Friday, August 24, 2012

Pantry & Freezer Cleaning


Just before it is time to start harvesting in the garden
I like to give my pantry and freezer a thorough cleaning.
This is pretty much an all day job but it is the best time to do it
as the freezer and pantry are at their lowest stocked points.


I start the day by unplugging the freezer 
and taking everything out and putting it in baskets.
I try to put like things together,
breads in one basket, veggies in another, meat in another, etc.


When I am done taking everything out
I leave the freezer and head over to start on the pantry.


I start by taking everything off one section and
wiping it down with a mild bleach solution.
While the one set of shelves is drying
I start taking things off the next section of shelving.


It is always handy to have a large garbage can nearby
to throw out any old items or packaging.
When I am about half done working my way around the pantry
it is usually time to head back to the freezer.


Once all the chunks of ice have fallen down
I scoop them out with a shovel.
I'm short and it's the easiest way for me to get them out - lol :)
I then wipe down the freezer with a very mild bleach solution,
rinse it and dry it.


As I put things back into the freezer I make a list of everything going in
with the quantity of each item.
When I am all finished I put the master sheets on top of the freezer
and as an item is added or removed I change the total on the sheet.


Once everything is all back in looking neat and tidy
it's time to plug it back in, shut the lid
and wipe down the outside.
Now it's all ready for the veggies that I will be freezing.


Then it's back to the pantry to finish the last half.
For some reason this side always seems to go a little quicker
but I don't mind.  By this time I just want to be done.
When the shelves are done I give the floor a good wipe down as well
and change and update any shelf labels that need it.
It's a wonderful feeling to have it done
and seeing those clean, empty shelves
just waiting for the canning from the garden.


~Finding the amazing in the simple~
Thanks so much for stopping by!


Thursday, August 23, 2012

No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies


This is one of the first recipes I learned how to make
way back when I was in Junior High School
and taking a Home Economics class.
The recipe was handed out to us on a sheet of
yellow colored paper that I still have
and pull out every summer to make these cookies.


Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
6 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup finely shredded coconut
3 cups oatmeal


Combine the first four ingredients together in a pot
and bring to a boil.
Boil 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.


Remove the pot from the stove
and add the coconut and oatmeal.
Stir to combine.
Place spoonfuls on waxed lined cookie sheets, working quickly.
Let cool and enjoy.
I usually store these in the refrigerator.


~Finding the amazing in the simple~
Thanks so much for stopping by!


Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Simple Sweet Peas


My hubby picked me a sweet little bouquet of sweet peas from the garden
so I thought why not put together a table featuring the sweet peas.


I pulled out my pink tablecloth,
added some white placemats
and my everday dishes.


My favorite accent plates that seem to go with everything.


A simple white bowl and pink napkin
with my delicately floral wine glass.


A simple crocheted doilie and the beautifully fragrant sweet peas.


I wanted to keep this table simple so I just added
a tealight holder with these light pink tealights
on either side of the sweet peas.


I find that no matter how simple the meal
a pretty table makes it seem so much better :)


Now we use our table for a lot of things
so it's just not practical for us
 to keep it dressed up throughout the week.


I do like to keep with my weekly theme though
so this is what my weekday table looks like.


Two pretty little doilies for the tealights
and the bouquet of sweet peas in the center.
Simple, sweet and pretty.


~Finding the amazing in the simple~
Thanks so much for stopping by!


Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Around the Yard and Garden


Whenever we are away I always wonder
how the yard and garden are faring
so one of the first things I do when we get home
is take a tour of the yard and garden.


This is the first flower bed you see when you drive in.
It is my only shade flowerbed
but it is thriving this year.


The daylilies add a wonderful pop of color.


I was concerned how some of my flower pots would do
without their daily watering but they were fine :)


The chili peppers turned from green to red.

 

The pumpkins and cantaloupe over doubled in size!


And the spaghetti squash is producing lots of squash
and baby watermelons are beginning to appear.


I have been so blessed with a very bountiful garden this year.


The beans are almost done for the season
and the peppers are large and healthy.



We were able to pick our first cucumber
and the corn is filling out.


The strawberries are continuing to produce
and are nice and sweet.


The flowers in the garden are blooming
and bring me such joy with their beauty
while I harvest the vegetables.


The bachelor buttons with their various colors.


Dahlias and stocks.


My forgotten garden is also coming along nicely.


The light blue mushroom almost glows
surrounded by greenery.


I added this little solar light with a blue jay on top.
The blue jay is my daughter's favorite bird.


If you look closely near the back
you can see another solar light with a cardinal on top.
Cardinals are my favorite birds.
I also added a trellis in the corner.
It was wonderful to come home and see
all the beautiful blooms.


~Finding the amazing in the simple~
Thanks so much for stopping by!



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