SUMMER BOUNTY

It is that time of year once more. This photo I took last year but all looks the same this year.
I will make a run to the farms later this week for zucchini to make relish. We usually grow zucchini's in our own garden but this year we decided to just put in tomatoes, onions and peppers. As the farms are so close and always have bushels of everything it really seemed kind of pointless to plant so many things. Of course my herb barrel is full to the brim with rosemary, thyme, parsley, cilantro and dill.
We will have a good crop of tomatoes this year as the plants are loaded. They will be late however as we had such a late spring and summer like last year.
We are enjoying the pickled veggies I made a couple of weeks ago and hubby has almost polished off his huge jar of hot pickles.

It is another stellar day here in the Willamette Valley. We woke to bright sun this morning and the sky is cobalt. The various green trees look like paintings against the deep blue of the sky. It stirs memories of when I dabbled in oil painting. I was always looking for patterns, shadows and highlights when observing natures bounty.

Here is the recipe for the most delicious zucchini you will ever make or taste bar none! Trust me on this.

Zucchini Relish
5 cups of zucchini squash
2 cups of onions
2 tablespoons salt(I use kosher salt)
2 or more red and green peppers

Chop vegetables or put in a coarse grater.(I grated the zucchini and diced the peppers and onion) Put in a large bowl Add salt and let stand overnight. Rinse in cold water. Drain.
Put into a kettle and add.
1/2 quart vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon nutmeg
1/2 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook 30 minutes. Seal in sterilized jars(I use pint size) No processing is necessary according the original recipe. But USDA guidelines indicate that the relish should be processed in a boiling water bath canner for ten minutes.(I do this procedure)

Now feel free to double this recipe if you want to make more than this amount which is approximately four pints. I prefer to make it up twice and deal with a smaller batches.

This relish will far surpass any cucumber relish you have ever tasted!

Well as they say "that's all folks".  At least for the day.

STIR FRY OVER RICE

This stir fry was good last night. I did add some chicken breast that I had diced and stir fried to the mix.
I made a sauce of toasted sesame oil, lime juice, soy sauce, and Sambel olek chili sauce to taste. I stir fried all the veggies in my hot rolled steel wok and then added the cooked chicken and the sauce and stirred and served over short grain sticky rice.
I made an amount for two people. So make up the sauce amount in proportion to the veggies.


Another gray valley day here this morning breaking to sun this afternoon like yesterday I would presume.
I enjoyed the afternoon yesterday after the clouds rolled away. It was a pleasant day not to hot for getting some sun.
The squirrels were chattering and arguing they were so loud. I surely get a chuckle out of their antic's as they are quite entertaining.


Today hubby and I are going out for pizza. Have not done that for quite a while. We are going to Papa's Pizza this time. We do like their crust and really the pizza is tasty too. The only drawback is the ambiance it is not good. It is a family pizza place and usually there are kids running here and there and it can get quite loud when it is busy. However my husband is running errands in that area of the city so we will stop and take our chances. Just maybe it will be quiet this time.

My husband has a huge hardwood refinishing job starting tomorrow so I will be catching up here at home while he works hard. I need to get at our hardwood floors also. They are so easy to maintain but when your entire house is hardwood flooring it does take time to vacuum them and clean them all. In correspondence with that I will do some deep cleaning in the kitchen. I look forward to having the alone time to do these kinds of chores. I put Pandora radio on the internet on and clean and scrub. I gives me a nice feeling of accomplishment when all is done.


Well I must get ready for my little date with my husband. I have not eaten today so that pizza sounds so good right now.
Have a nice day.

NEICE BROOKE ON MISSION IN UGANDA

Here is Brooke in here element. I hope this gal stays safe and healthy. I just read in this mornings paper about an Ebola outbreak in western Uganda. You take these risks when you travel to third world countries. Brooke is traveling with Global Expeditions. She is a darling girl and loves children. So at this point in time we have one niece in Germany and one in Africa.


Yesterday was our niece Sarah's 22nd birthday. She is teaching at a British Army base this summer in Germany. This weekend she went with a friend to Brussels to celebrate her birthday. She posted on FB that she spent her 20th birthday in Germany and France. Her 21st birthday in Italy and now her 22nd birthday in Belgium. Way to go Sarah! Could I please stow away in her large suitcase?


We had a nice evening last night. Sarah's parents came for a casual dinner. I just made Trader Joe's turkey burgers so simple and yummy. You just put these quarter pound tasty gems right on the grill frozen. I like to brush them with 5 spice marinade. I made the famous In and Out burger sauce then we added all the usual items. They wound up being fat big juicy turkey burgers. Nothing dry about this patty!
The beans I threw together turned out quite amazing. I only had one small size can of Bush Baked beans. So I added a can of drained and rinsed red beans, some bbq sauce and some of my homemade Russian dressing. Wow! who would have ever thought? Hubby's sis adored them said they were the best ever. Well that makes me wonder if I should bother with scratch baked beans as usual.
Anyhow for a last minute get together it all turned out yummy.


It is gray now and may be so all day. Cloudy seems to be the venue for the next few days. Oh well do not mind that much but do want heat in the garden to get those tomaotes ripening. Our plants are huge but the tomatoes are still green. However it is early yet they will be ready like last year the end of August or first part of September as we did not get them planted till late due to the chilly wet weather.


Tonight we are dining on stir fry. I am making a big wok full of farm stand veggies. I am making a sauce with toasted sesame oil and other ingredients. You can serve this with spaghetti noodles like a lo mien or serve over sticky rice. We are going to have rice tonight as we are hungry for it. I will take few photo's and post the sauce recipe tomorrow.


I do want to walk this morning so I had best get those walking shoes on and get out the door. I like Sunday's. Hubby is going to get his tools and equipment ready for his job starting tomorrow. I need to take care of a few small things and that it is. A relaxing day of watching the Olympic's. We do not watch every event as we have certain favorites.


Till later.

STAR JASMINE ON OUR DECK

This is our star jasmine on the back deck railing. It has grown so much this year and is to vibrant and the smell is just intoxicating. Lovely.


It is gray this morning though the sky will be blue shortly. Seems that coastal mode is upon once again. But today it to be eighty I feel that is just about perfect for me.


I have a few extra things I want to do in the house this morning after my walk. I need to trim back and fertilize some house plants that need attention. Wash the inside of the living room and kitchen windows and clean our hardwood floors in the main living area's. Then the rest of the day is mine to enjoy.


We are having guests for dinner tonight. We will just grill. I am making turkey burgers with the works and baked beans and corn on the cob. I do wish I had one last jar of zucchini relish to put on those turkey burgers. But I left the last jar with my brother who told me yesterday he is so enjoying it. So that is a good thing. I must get more made and soon.


I went yesterday morning and picked up much needed items at a couple of places. The traffic was deplorable even early. Does no one work on Friday's?  Friday is a dreadful day to get around in this city. Anyhow happy to say that chore is done.


Well I for one was disappointed in the opening ceremonies for the Olympics last night. Of course the last summer Olympics in Beijing was amazing such a spectacle no one could follow that. I just felt last nights affair lacked luster and any excitement at all. So now the games have begun. It is always interesting to watch the athlete's. I for one do not have an athletic bone in my body. For as long as I  remember I really had no interest in sports. I suppose one knows early whether they have a inkling for that or not. I remember I was a cheerleader at our little grammar school. I was horrid. So uncoordinated it seems. I never felt comfortable doing such things. Now add music and I can dance up a storm but that is a different venue. I am musical, artistic and creative but not athletic. So we all have our own special gifts.


I must get on with my day now as it is slip sliding away.
Do have a lovely Saturday. There are not many weekends left in summer now. Soon it will be autumn and the leaves will change and drop and the rain will come..........right now I do not want those thoughts.
Ciao

POLENTA SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

If I do say myself this is one yummy casserole.
The sauce was made with the fresh tomatoes that I froze last year, onions, garlic and fresh herbs and seasonings. All was pureed after cooking.  This sauce was outstanding, rich, red and fresh tasting.  The photo top right was what I sauteed to put in the casserole, which consisted of green peppers, red peppers, and a anihiem peppers and turkey kielbasa you could any sausage you like. Bottom left is the finished casserole and right on the bottom is my dish of food before digging in.
Ingredients.
1 roll of polenta sliced
cooked sausage of your choice sliced
marinara sauce(if you buy a jar of sauce you can just use it right from the jar and add whatever spices and herbs you prefer if any.)
peppers, onions, garlic,
fresh thyme, basil, oregano, and whatever other Italian seasonings you prefer. 
1 package of shredded Italian cheese mix. Make sure the mix has mozzarella in it. This make the topping cheesy good like pizza.

In a sprayed casserole dish add the sliced polenta cover the bottom of the casserole.
Next add the sausage and peppers then the sauce and top with shredded cheese.
Bake at 350 degree's uncovered for 35 minutes or until the cheese is all bubbly and slightly browned. Then let sit for fifteen minutes to settle before dishing up.
Serve with a crusty loaf of bread to dredge up all the good sauce.
Yummy!


Well that is about it for today. I need to run several errands this morning and pick up staples at Trader Joe's. I love that store so many things are wonderful buys as well as good products.


Have a great day.

MY GRANDDAUGHTER'S WEDDING

More photo's of my precious granddaughter Megan.
There are so many wedding photo's but I choose these four for the blog. They show her spirit and her happiness.
I posted on a previous blog about Megan and Shannon's marriage.


Tonight in Zo's Kitchen I am preparing a polenta sausage bake. This is my own creation and it very good.
I took the remainder of my last years garden tomatoes out of the freezer this morning and will make the sauce with those. I am going to thaw them and cook them down slowly with onions, garlic and fresh herbs and spices. Then I will let the mixture cool down and put into the blender and process until smooth. This a layered casserole with polenta slices, various peppers, sliced kielbasa with marinara sauce and Italian cheeses. I will take a photo tonight and post the recipe tomorrow. I am going to check back as I may have already blogged about this dish.


Hubby and I had a fun afternoon yesterday. The first stop did not turn out well however.  I was hungry for Chinese food so went to a place that was recommend by my hubby's sis and husband.
We should have left the minute we walked in. The place was dirty. There were stains on the carpet and the ceiling tiles were moldy and water stained, the window were dirty etc. There was only one other couple in there. With all that showing itself we should have ran back to the car.  But no, we thought as it was recommend hopefully it will be tasty fare.
When our food came I could not believe what I saw on my plate. My chow mien looked like a pile of limp garbage. gooey and thick pan fried noodles that were discolored at the edges. The vegetables which consisted of celery and onion was faded and wilted and slimy. I looked at the fried rice that had nothing in it whatsoever. It was instant brown rice puffed and gluey. The sweet and sour pork was big chunks of greasy fried pork or at least there was suppose to be pork in that fried mess. Hubby's dish was just as awful and his steamed rice was instant also.
I immediately found our server which not hard as she was the only one there. I told I could not eat a thing on my plate. She said I understand. Seems she had heard this before. Hubby picked away at his until he could not take another bite of that gray thin brown juice which was suppose to be the sauce for his so called Mongolian beef. What a nightmare that place was and I will make on a comment on google reviews about it later today.
So onward with our afternoon. Still hungry we wandered to another part of city which we enjoy. We stopped for another drink and went across the street to one of my fave places. The food was good, the service was wonderful and the drinks were cheap as it was happy hour. We totally enjoyed ourselves. 
We came home sat in the last of the sun on the deck and then came in and watched a movie. A interesting day for sure.


Today we woke to morning clouds and they are still lingering hovering low. They will burn off though as it is to be mid eighties again today.
My agenda today is easy. Tidy the house, take a walk before it gets hot. Do laundry and that is it!!!!


Have a great day today.  It is Thursday so if you are working folk your week is about through and you have the weekend to look forward to. Enjoy!

DIVINE DAHLIA'S

These are dahlia's from my sis in laws yard. They are so pretty she brings me a bouquet occasionally in summer. I adore them they add so much color to our home.


I have not blogged for a while as we have been gone on a short vacation to Silver Lake Wa. to see and spend time with my brother.
We were there four nights. Overall the weather was nice except for the second day as it showered and the wind blew. However we still made the best out of the day. We had the campfire going all day so we stayed warm by the fire when the showers stopped. We sat in the gazebo when they swept in again.
At the same time every evening the bull frogs would start their quartet. There were two very powerful baritones and two soprano's. They continued throughout the night lulling us to sleep and sometimes keeping us awake.
One afternoon my brother noticed a young buck deer he was sprawling on a mound of grass chewing his cud. He had no interest in us at all. As we watched him he stared right back with no intention of leaving. 
Many birds inhabit Silver Lake year long. Once again we spotted Blue Herons always a thrill to see them spread those prehistoric ragged wings and take flight. Geese and ducks were in abundance on land and in the canals and lake. We were touched by the melodies of the many song birds and laughed at the antic's of crows and jays. Silver Lake is like a huge sanctuary.
It was a nice trip but always lovely to get home. We were tired and believe me my sofa and bed looked pretty inviting and cozy.


Our weather here at home has been a mixed bag since we returned. Today is cloudy, yesterday was pretty and perfect. We have had thunder storms and wind and some showers also. 
Surprisingly our tomato plants look amazing. They have grown quickly over the past week. We have tomatoes on all the plants and many peppers on the pepper plants also.


I made a trip to the farms yesterday and loaded up on veggies and fruit. When I got home I made two large jars of picked vegetables. They look so pretty and colorful. They will be ready to start snacking on in a about a week. They will hold in the fridge for many months actually. When I do not make huge quantities I prefer to just keep them in the fridge rather than can them and put them in the pantry. Next week I will make zucchini relish. I took my last precious jar to my brothers we used it one night on our turkey burgers but I left the remainder for him.  


We had burgers last night. Actually I used a recipe for the sauce and the burger assembly copying a recipe in Food Network magi zine called"Almost Famous In and Out burger". You know from the burger joint chain in California. The sauce was yummy and they also do a odd thing. You give each side of our patty a smear of yellow mustard and grill it that way. I will say the burger was very juicy so maybe that helped achieve that.
Tonight we are having comfort food.  This is a fave of my husbands.  I make from scratch mac and cheese made with two cheeses melted into bechamel sauce. The pasta I use is radiatori it has little ridges in the pasta that hold that yummy sauce. When you take a bite the pasta releases the cheese from it's spirals and the yummy creamy sauce envelopes your mouth like smooth silk . I can't say enough this is comfort in every mouthful!  
We are having a green salad loaded with farm veggies to go along side the mac and cheese.


Well I could write for a while as I am enjoying it but I do have a few things to attend to so I will leave you now.
Have a super Sunday whatever it is you are doing.
Ciao

STRAWBERRY JAM

Yes it is time for strawberry jam. Love this time of year. The farms are finishing up with the strawberries but there are raspberries and soon there will be other offereings. All the fruits and veggies look so bright and pleasing. Unlike the grocery stores. the last head of lettuce I bought in a grocery store was so pale and cold storage tasting I tossed it. Thank goodness for the farms.


It is  a little cooler here this morning. I have both doors open to the screen doors. The fresh morning air is a blessing. 


This morning early I am going to wash and wax my car. I did not get that done yesterday as I started reading and could not leave my new intriguing book. It is disgusting I know to procrastinate but I am a whiz at that. So the car gets tended this morning.


Hubby has made his hot pickles with peppers and garlic. Curious to see how they turn out in a week or so. Which reminds me I must get my pickles made soon and also about 12 pints of zucchini relish. I am making plenty this year as I love to give jars to those that enjoy it so. It truly is the best recipe it is wonderful on burgers of all varieties and dogs, sandwiches, and a spoonful over the top of pork or beef is a delightful addition. So I will be busy in my kitchen any day now.


We have been talking and we are going to make some changes to Zo's Kitchen in the future.
At this point we do have granite squares on our counter top but we desire to have solid surface brown and black granite. We want to replace our white sink to a composite black sink with a new upscale faucet.
We will put in a new back splash we are not certain at this point what that will be we have several idea's. Also hubby is going to refinish the cabinets give them a sand and new coat of finish. Our older microwave will be replaced and we will give the walls a fresh coat of paint. So that will take place this winter as money allows. It is quite exciting to think about.


Well I really have no more chatter and I must get on with this lovely summer day.
Have a good day also.

BROOKE IN AFRICA

Our niece Brooke who graduated from high school last year is off to Africa as I write this. She is going with a large group to several different area's in Africa in coordination with her church.
She is sweet, gentle girl. Very talented in many ways. She is my hubby's youngest sister's daughter. So we will be thinking of her as she spends a month in Africa. 


I am tired already and the day is barely half over. I was up early to get my husbands breakfast and pack him a lunch. He has another long hot day ahead of him.
I then took a long walk before the heat came upon us. I did my house chores, jumped in the shower, put my face on as I say and was out the door. I have just returned a bit ago. My back is aching that is why I am sitting at the moment and typing. There are $150 dollars worth of groceries still sitting on the counter to be put away. But oh I had to get off my feet.


I picked up three new to me books at St. Vinnie's. I cannot wait to dive into one of them asap as I just finished one yesterday. So I will rush to get my other to-do's for the day out of the way so I can read.
My project this afternoon is to wash my car inside and out. I usually run it through it the car wash but I decided as the weather is so lovely to do it myself this afternoon. I have always rather enjoyed washing an automobile. The spray of water flying back at  you in the wind is quite refreshing on a hot day actually. 
I remember when I was a young gal and I would wash my parents car. I would drive into the yard very carefully(that was the best part) and spend the afternoon in my tanning clothes washing and waxing away. I always put the car radio on (probably ran down the battery).  Mom was always so sweet and would bring me some fresh squeezed lemonade or maybe even a coke or home made root beer. Whatever it was it was always icy cold and tasted so good on a hot day. Good memories.


Well my back has eased a bit so I can start putting my grocery haul away.
Nothing fancy for dinner tonight we are having leftover's. That suits me just fine. We are not big eaters in summer when it gets hot. That is a good thing I think


Enjoy your hump day! I heard through the FB that Seven/Eleven stores are giving away free slushies today, you know it is 7/11 today.


Till later.

JANUARY 9TH OUR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

It was our anniversary yesterday. Twenty two years married but thirty years total time together. WOW!
Hubby worked a long day so we just enjoyed a simple dinner of grilled steak and salad with my Mom's yummy Russian dressing. We sat out on the deck while the steak grilled and caught each other up on our day.
After dinner we watched Next Food Network Star one of our favorite shows and then settled down to drift into sleep mode while watching "the Alps" these shows are amazing they are filmed from the air and the landscapes are just incredible. We have watched many now mostly European countries but they have them also of the United States. They are on the HD Net Channel.
So that was our anniversary celebration. Quite low key but what to do when my husband worked a long hard day? We were content and happy to be in each other's company.
The photo is of me in a new top I bought for the occasion. 


I am getting us ready for our camping trip with my brother at Silver Lake WA. We enjoy this trip so much and go there every year. It is a very fun time in a gorgeous area. What is not to like? So today I start the preliminary planning. I am sure I will have several lists going.


It is another stellar day here today. However there is haze high in the sky. When the sun came up this morning it was a rosy glow. It must be smoke I wonder where it is coming from?




As it was just our anniversary here is my thought for the day on marriage.


Be thankful for your mate always.
Tell each other every day "I love you".
Be thoughtful and caring of one another.
Do small things to make the others heart happy.
Do not hurt each other's heart. For that heart was given into your keeping.
Be thankful for this person that is in your life and give gratitude.
Have fun, laugh, be silly, enjoy one another.
Make the most out of each experience together.
Never go to bed upset with one another. Make your peace as tomorrow is another day to share love not anger.


On those sweet thoughts I will leave you for today.

PORK JAMBALAYA

What a great dish this is. So full of flavor.
This is what I did.
In the bottom on my slow cooker I put a half chopped onion, three celery ribs sliced, 1/2 mild pepper sliced and one jalapeno pepper sliced and one large clove of garlic chopped.
On top of these ingredients I put in cubed pork(use shoulder or country rib meat)  about a pound or so seasoned it well with kosher salt, pepper,cumin and paprika. I then added a can of diced tomatoes with their juices and about a 1/4 cup of chicken broth. This cooked on high heat for about four hours I then turned it to low and cooked it another couple of hours.
I made a large pot of rice and mounded the rice into deep bowls and ladled on the jambalaya.
Hot crusty filone bread to the side for dredging up all the juices was all that was needed.
Bon Appe'tit.


It is a grand Sunday. We woke to heat. I have the air going but keep to temp at 75 degrees I can handle that. I was just out to give the plants on the deck some water, they were very thankful they looked all droopy and were happy to be perked up.


I was out early this Sunday morning. I was at the grocery store almost by myself, then over to Walmart same thing. Back home quickly, no traffic. It is a good time to go but I usually like to laze on Sunday morning. You know three cups of coffee while reading the Sunday paper slowly. But we had to roll out of bed early as hubby is working so I just went into overdrive gave myself a quick jump start with the caffeine and was out the door.


Hubby will be home in about three hours and I am now going to plop in my chair and have a bite to eat and read my latest novel. It is a OK read but nothing special. But after such a busy morning I feel like relaxing a bit.


Have a fun Sunday!

SPAIN

Spain, I am thinking there are many dishes I would like to eat in this country. Paella is a famous dish made with meat or fish, rice, veggies, broth seasoning and herbs and saffron. Saffron is the ingredient that turns it's that golden color. My niece Sarah and I were discussing paella. Spain will be somewhere she is going when in Europe and being an adventurous gal she wants to try the foods the country is famous for. Saffron is very expensive sometime back I bought a jar of it........blistering price!



I am making jambalaya today. I will put pork short ribs into the slow cooker with onion, peppers, garlic, tomatoes herbs and seasonings and let it all simmer together all day. Then serve this over rice in deep bowls with a crusty bread to dunk up the sauce. My mouth is ready for this bit of happiness.


Today is a free day for me. What I mean by that is I do not have an agenda. Everyday for weeks now it seems has been filled. So today I catch up on some much needed house chores and see how the day unfolds.  For sure I am making shortcakes to go with our Oregon strawberries I picked up yesterday at the farm.
 My husband will be working so the house is mine once again.
I am leaving for my daughters soon so must prepare for that trip. It will be so nice to spend time with her with no men folk. We will have our mommy /daughter time. I know she has a couple things planned but mostly I think we will just be in her big backyard relaxing, chatting and trying to stay cool. 


Yes the heat is on and going up every day.
Summer has arrived with a hot air blast!
Have a great Saturday!

PICKLE TIME

Yes it is pickle time again.
Hubby and I were talking yesterday and he is going to make hot pickles and I am going to make sweet dills. Then also I am going to pickle some veggies with a few mild to hot peppers thrown in the mix. So we are looking forward to those treats.


I am so loving this weather. Summer is here it seems and it is heating up. 
I sent a message to my granddaughter Megan in Topeka Kansas it is to be well over a hundred there today. The humidity in that part of country is always high so it will feel even hotter. I forgot to ask Megan if her new home has air conditioning I surely hope so.


We had a nice evening meal last night. It was hubby's birthday. So I fixed a half grilled chicken, made potato salad, baked beans and also fresh green beans from the farm. I drizzled olive oil over the green beans and sprinkled them salt and pepper and put into a double foil packet and placed on the grill the last half hour while the chicken grilled.
You want to put the packet on a med high grill about 350 is enough. Turn them frequently. They come out a little browned around the edges and the flavor is condensed like if you roasted them in the oven. They are really yummy.


We had an enjoyable 4th. Out for lunch and then spent the late afternoon and evening with family. Street fireworks of course. This year it was quite a show like a real fireworks display. Staying up late does wear me out though this gal needs her sleep.


I walked early this morning. There was still a bit of the night chill in the air. I like getting that walk over early in summer.


No news so I will leave you and do a few chores. Hubby is working so the house is quiet. I like that.
Ciao

HEAVENLY CLOUDS

What do you feel when you look at this picture. Go ahead take a moment and just feel.
I know what it brings to my mind and it touches me so.
Our sky today does not look like this. Our sky is, guess what? You are right, gray!!!! This year is so so odd. If we thought last spring and summer was late coming we were so fooled. This year they may not even appear.
I know I say this erroneously though as we are to finally start having nice weather with quite a few days in a row showing full sun. Now only if that will only happen we here in the northwest will certainly have big sunny smiles.


I had a fun time with my gal friend. Short but sweet as they say. My hubby dropped us yesterday into the 5th st area and we went to several establishments. We were hungry so we chowed down at the Cornucopia. It was good fare. Gerie had their cod fish and chips, they are rolled in a cornmeal mix there so very crunchy. The fish was fat and juicy inside. I had their sliders. Three tiny burgers made with organic beef from Knee Deep Cattle co. this is really good tasting beef. We then went to Marche' and sat out on their charming little patio. I had a glass of gamay wine and Gerie continued on her quest of micro brews. We called for a cab and had a safe and sane ride home. So a very nice day.
At home hubby joined us and we sat on the deck for a while but then it clouded over and turned cold and bit of wind came up. So off into the house we went. Hubby fixed himself some dinner we were still full so we declined. After his dinner he retired to the bedroom to watch a movie. Then Gerie and finished our evening with red wine and chatted until one am. 
I must admit I am tired today and now I am going to sink into my chair and read and perhaps close my eyes and drift away into those clouds for a while.
Have a nice Tuesday.

GRANDDAUGHTER MEGAN'S WEDDING

Here is my beautiful granddaughter Megan and her Mother Gina and Father Tony.
Megan was married to Shannon Caudill on June 16th. The wedding took place in Eureka Springs Ark. This town is known as the wedding capitol of the south. It is a lovely town set deep in the Ozark mountains.
All that attended had an amazing time. I wish I could have been there also. 
I have many photo's at this point but not the ones from the photographer. When those do become availbe I will post a few on the blog. I would imagine though that they will posted on FB.


Megan was my first born granddaughter. She is my daughters oldest child.
There were many there at the hospital waiting the arrival of this baby. Her mommy Gina of course was there and her daddy Tony and her two grandma's. Myself and Tony's mother Nancy.
What makes it grand is that Nancy and I were school chums and there we were now so many years later pressing up against the delivery room door to hear that first cry from our first granddaughter. When we heard her soft little cry and yes it was soft. We held one another and tears filled our eyes. What a moment.
What a little doll she was. I know I am her grammy and I know I am prejudiced but she was so so cute. A load of dark hair, olive complexion and chubby body. Her face held the tiniest nose and big dark almond eyes and rosebud lips. 
Her hip was dislocated while she was being born so the way to rectify that was keeping her in triple diapers. In time her hip would heal in the right position.  So for several weeks her little chubby legs stuck out from the sides of her body. Also the first few days of her life she had a little heart murmur. Gina had a heart monitor which we attached to Megan every night. Well no one got any sleep because if she barely moved it went off. Everyone would be racing to the nursery in a panic. So after a few nights we decided to not put it on her. All was well and we all slept much better including Megan. Though as everyone knows there is no rest for anyone with a newborn in the house.  


Megan has been beautiful her whole life on the inside as well as the outside. There are many things about Megan that remind me of my Mother. Her tender voice, her sweetness and her manner.
I truly wish we could see her more often. She lives in Topeka Kansas as that is where her hubby is from, his relatives live there. So off she went about 4-5 years ago. She works for a technology company there and they recently bought their first home. So it looks as if she is staying. We her family here had hoped she would be back in the NW area at some point. Also she lives right in the tornado alley. Thankfully their new home has a basement. That relieves us somewhat.........but still we worry.


I will post more photo's from time to time of sweet Megan.
Now it is time for me to enjoy my Sunday.
Unlike the searing heat in the rest of country breaking all records we are cool here in Eugene. We have heavy mist today. I am hoping for a chance to walk later today so bring on the sun.


Tomorrow I have a gal pal arriving from Central Oregon. We will go to lunch and do whatever else grabs us. Two gals out on the town; really two older women out on a Monday afternoon. Not to exciting when you put it that way. But we will enjoy our time together we always do we have been friends since I was twenty one now that is a long, long time. We certainly never run out of chatter.
Ciao