Summer in Missouri.....

We're in the middle of July in the Ozarks and it is "hot"!  Heat index has been over 100 but so far the actual temp has not been there.....and hopefully, it won't.  The garden seems to like it and the tomatoes are ripening quickly and I have a hearty supply of basil, which I love.

My pesto-making supplies.....and some of my homegrown tomatoes....

I love pesto so I make enough for freezing.

I received a cutting of chocolate mint from a neighbor and I love it in my tea.

I also like having ice tea spoons and they're difficult to find these days and new ones are almost impossible.  I've managed to collect a nice selection.

Sometimes a nice glass of ice tea on a hot afternoon is just the perfect thing.

It's so strange how in the winter we long for those wonderful summer days where we can be outside and enjoy the yard and the fresh air and then summer is here and we're dreaming of fall and cool nights and fires in the fireplace.  I'm making a concerted effort to appreciate the present without always dreaming of tomorrow.  It's not always easy but at my age, I'm trying to live in the present and not to wish anymore of my life away.

Hope you're enjoying your here and now!

Linda's wonderful garden in LaRussell, MO.....

It started out rainy yesterday but by the time we had driven to LaRussell (about 40 minutes) the rain had stopped and the heat was moving in.  It was a beautiful morning in our friend Linda's yard.  She works so hard on this but it's her "happy place".  I know how she feels because I feel the same.

LaRussell is a very small town where we spent several years when my sisters, Judy and Mary, and I were young.  Our parents owned the local mercantile and my dad, because we lived in this house, was mayor.

It was a wonderful environment to grow up in and we made many life-long friends.  It's still a wonderful little town full of many really good people.  We love going back for visits especially when we get to roam around Linda's yard.

Behind this flower bed is where our grocery store was originally.  Someone has made it into a home now.  So good to see the building being used.

 

More of the yard....

 This was a shed that Linda inherited from Mr. Graff.  He lived in the farm next to where she grew up.  It is so cute and I informed her that if she would put in plumbing, I could live out my golden years here.  She's done so much work to it and the inside is perfect for spending an afternoon with a good book.

 Linda and her friends, Sandy and Jim Pharill.  Sandy writes a gardening column for the Joplin Globe.

 

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 It was just the perfect way to spend a summer Saturday.  We drove through the countryside the rest of the day and so enjoyed it.  I'll close the post with one of our surprises.  Judy got out and stood in the weeds for this shot.....hope she didn't get chiggers!

Have a wonderful week!

Summertime....

I don't know about where you are but here, in Missouri, it is very hot!  Not only is it hot but we have rain almost daily so it's very humid.  Lately memories from my childhood have crept in and I try to remember what it was like to live without air-conditioning.  My grandchildren cannot fathom life without air-conditioning and not just in the house but in the cars we drive, in stores....everywhere.  We had grocery stores when I was young and they weren't air-conditioned and we would all pile into our station wagon and head to church which wasn't cooled.  I remember the cardboard fans that everyone used in order to tolerate it.  Anyway, I'm so THANKFUL for my nice cool house and so grateful because I know there are many who don't.

I've been taking inside pictures of the house so you can see what I've tried to do with it.  These are mainly smaller venues but the seem to photograph better.

My kitchen is smaller and no room for an island.  I just have to be more organized when I'm cooking.

I have a small breakfast area at the end of the kitchen and this is one of my options for building a screened-in porch.  If I don't, my plan is to put two comfy chairs there so I can set and look outside since it isn't used often for eating.

 The "Liberty" runner on my table and the framed piece below are two of my wool applique projects.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer and managing to stay cool.  It's been a good one so far for me and a busy one.  Lots of projects on the horizon and with any luck I'll at least accomplish a few.  Hopefully, my next post will include one of those!!!!

Rainy day and Mondays.....

It's a rainy ole day and haven't managed to accomplish much.   I did change my beds and put the flannel sheets on.  It's been chilly here at night and I love turning the furnace off and snuggling into my warm, flannel sheets.  My grandkids love their flannels, too.  That's been about it so thought it would be a good day to write a blog post.

It's been such a busy couple of weeks trying to get everything ready for Leola's Holiday Open House.  Think sometimes we make it more work then we need to but we always want to stand out in the crowd.  Sister, Linda, and I have almost decided we're to old for this kind of work.  Don't think I'd ever felt as tired in my life as I did this time.  Our sister, Judy, has already retired from the business so more work has been shifted to our shoulders.  Oh, well, we made it and it was a huge success.

 

These are some of the candy canes that I make and also make the fabric balls for bowl fillers.

 

And the pillows are some of my wool applique....

 

 

We're so grateful to all those who have been our loyal customers and always show up for our open houses.  They make it worth it.

Have a wonderful week.