The Sour Cream Chocolate cake and frosting turned out delicious and I have frozen half of it for another two treats in the future.

Three blooms at the back deck

The Peonies are starting to open now.

More to come!

I haven’t checked the plant in the side garden yet, maybe tomorrow.

I did spot a baby bunny in the back yard just now.   I hope Molly doesn’t see it!

You heard that saying Ask and you shall receive?  Well I didn’t even ask and this came in the mail yesterday!

A new change purse from Silver Fox

It is leather, red with a tooled design, and absolutely gorgeous.  I love it   Thank You Maria.  You sure know how to please a gal!

The temperature is just a touch below normal today and Frank was spread over the bed last night.  It sure made it comfy!  I am going to have to add an edging to it so it will hang over the edge of the bed a little more though.

Well it is Chinese out of a bag tonight so I had better get this lazy butt off the chair and get started.  Remember to laugh out loud –it is good for the attitude and the lungs (We need both you know).

Here it is

I haven’t tried the cake yet but I licked the spoon for the frosting (Yummy).  I very seldom make one of the recipes because of Jay’s restrictions but once in a while we have to bend the rules!

I also bought three Triple Berry with Apple and Rhubarb Pies to go in the freezer from Schwan’s.  These are a limited item so I decided to get them while the getting is good.  I have made a jam out of these same ingredients and call it Berries and More.  It is good eating.

I got a little weed whacking done around front day before yesterday but the neck and shoulder complained so yesterday I did the usual Sunday things that go with getting the trash ready to go down to the road.  Then I kinda took it easy part of the day.

Tomorrow is the appointment with Dr. Hemming so I should have some idea on the progress I’m making ( or not).  I know by what I can do with this right arm that I’m doing better but I don’t know if it is improving well.

We had home made tacos last night and of course the leftover lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cheese is going to be our luncheon salad along with home canned bean soup today.  There are cube steaks for supper but how they will be fixed is up for grabs yet.

Yesterday was warm, today is getting very warm about 79 degrees.  I can’t say it is hot because my friend in California gets temps in the 100s.  I have ceiling fans going all over the dome and a box fan in the kitchen doorway.  Going to have to find help soon to set up the AC.  Also need to dig out the summer clothes, pull the light bedspread from the chest and put the quilt in.

Well the laundry that I did this morning is waiting to be folded.  The fresh sheets are waiting to go on the bed.  My first cup of coffee is waiting to be finished and my hearing aids are waiting to go in.   This is to explain the title.

On Thursday after therapy I got on the tractor and mowed the front and both sides of the yard for about two hours..  I look at it as additional exercise of those muscles in the arms and back.

Today after therapy I tried to do a little weed whacking but the machine started to smoke and my arms were not to happy so I went in and rested for an hour or so.  I am debating trying a little more whacking now.

I took some more pictures this morning.

At The Corner Of The Porch

Columbine is growing in the berm, in several of the extension gardens, and at the corner of the porch.  It is in various shades of pink and purple.

Bleeding Hearts

Only two blossoms lefts –it didn’t do as well this year.  I’ll need to clean out the bed and fertilize the area to bring it back.

Name unknown

This vine has thorns and little pink blooms on it.  It comes up every year and for the life me I don’t know what it is!

Another unknown!

I planted this bush in the front of the dome because the electric meter, telephone equipment, and furnace exhaust are all located beside the front door facing the street.  This year it is almost tall enough to hide all this.  The blooms are luring the hummingbirds out there right now.

I still have a lot of weeds to cut down so I guess I’ll try a little more while it is warm and sunny!

Red Maple

The maple is back in all it’s glory in the back yard!

The Viburnum

I know it as the Snow ball bush, in the front yard, is also in full bloom.

Next the Berm!

Debra Working In The Berm

Monday morning before 10 am Wes’ wife, Debra , was up to clean up the berm in the front yard.  She worked until after 5 pm, that afternoon, removing two small trailers full of debris and planting additional flowers.  The results are as follows.

The West end of the berm.

The Middle

The East end.

The new flowers are yellow Snapdragons that join the ones that came back up from last year.  Also a new batch of Cosmos to fill out the space.  All in all a beautiful job, very well done, and much appreciated by an old broad that can’t tell a flower from a weed!  Thank you D-I-L of mine!!!!!

All I managed to do was drive the tractor, empty the trailer out back on the pile, bring up the hose reel from the basement, and hook up the hose so she could water when she was done.

Jay watered the berm this morning and I will water it tonight because Debra said to.  I still have to try weed whacking in the extension gardens because that they are getting  overgrown.  I don’t known how the shoulder is going to take that but I at least have to try.

After therapy this morning, with Jay’s help, we managed to get the umbrella and chairs out of the basement and up on the deck to be used with patio table.

Shade and a breeze!

I just spent an hour and a half out here reading a Deaver novel and shoving White Cheese Popcorn in my mouth.  That minus what I spilled on the floor that was enough to feed half the birds in the neighborhood! What a delightful way to spend the morning!

Plus I had company!

Frog or toad? Beats me!

At least he didn’t interrupt my reading!

Just got a call that my other hearing aid is back in so it is down tomorrow to pick it up.  That is good then I can hear what Spirit is saying again!

Rhubarb

Yesterday after therapy and a shopping trip I stopped at my favorite place south of us on M15 and picked up 10 lbs. of fresh rhubarb.  I brought it home cleaned it, chopped it up, put in baggies,  and into the freezer to wait for the strawberries and blueberries to come in.  I’ll probably buy 20 or more lbs. over the next few weeks until I know I have a sufficient  amount for all my canning needs.

I have been spoiling myself the last few weeks –buying flowers for the dining room table.

Latest bouquet

I figure what the heck if I don’t spend over $6.00 it is worth the pleasure it brings me after the therapy sessions to see them sitting on the table when I walk in!

A moment out to say –Michael, you better be getting better!
Also a birthday wish for Jay’s sister Marilyn who will be another year older this coming week.  Like a good sister-in-law I’m not telling you her age!

I’m hoping to hear from Sterling Hearing Center next week that the fit for the aid for my right ear has been corrected.  I sure do miss it!

Also I will soon see my surgeon and find out if I’m progressing satisfactorily with the shoulder.

To all the Mothers out there I hope you enjoy your day—you deserve it!

Well this early morning rising has me looking for a small siesta so I’m going to go find it!

Yesterday Cindy drove me down to Pontiac,MI. for the next appointment at Sterling Hearing  which was to learn how to clean and care for my hearing aids.  Unfortunately the left ear was being irritated on the rim of the fold of the ear  because  because the fit was too tight.  So they took another impression of the ear  (yep green goo again) and I had to leave the hearing with them so it could be refitted in the new (skin? shell? what ever they call it).  But right ear is working well and unless I have a balance problem I’ll continue to wear that aid.  Hopefully the left aid will be fixed in a week.

Well Frank Is finished unless I want to put a border on it.

Big enough to cover the top of my Queen size bed!

I think the crochet bug is satisfied for now.  I think a bit of novel reading and maybe a little outside work is in order.

Jay is mowing again today so the yard is looking better.

What we call the back forty!

2.5+ acres is quite a bit to mow!

Debra has been delayed in coming up to work in the berm but that is fine because it ain’t going no where!!!  I did manage to get one of my gazing balls up.

One out and one to go!

I put it on the deck so I can enjoy it instead of in one of the gardens out front.  The other one may go in the berm area.

Well Jay just came in for something to drink so I’m going to try my hand at the mowing.  Have a great day!

I have to bring the Humming bird feeder up and get it filled because it is time for them to show up.  Both my birdhouses at the back of the yard have tenants now but I can’t tell what they are.

One of my caregivers has been in the hospital the last few days and I just spoke to him on the phone when he was in the car going home.  Get well quick Michael!

Monday Cindy is going with me to Sterling Hearing Center for a check up.  I will also get lessons on how to clean the hearing aids.  I have a couple of questions I need answers on also.

Two days of warm weather but last night was a pretty heavy rainstorm.  Poor Brandy was shivering and we thought hiding.  It turned out she followed Jay out when he went to roll up the truck windows.  We finally found her huddled on the porch by the door as the rain, thunder, and lightening continued.  We were so lucky she didn’t panic and run off.

Therapy is still painful of course but I can see little improvements in the use of my right arm.  I found my 2.5 pound dumb bells this afternoon so I will add them to my home exercise routine.

I hear frogs from the pound out back this evening.  The other night it was what Jay calls peepers!

My Spirit, our African Gray,  Is talking more every day.  Of course he has been right along but I couldn’t hear him well enough to understand until now.

Well I think I’ll take some time to work on Frank a while.  Have a great week end!!!!

Grand daughter

A very Happy Birthday to Jasmine the May Day Girl.  May you have many, many more!   Love Gram and Grandpa!

Great for potting!

Well if you spill some soil it brushes right out on the ground.  It is definitely the right height to stand at. You can move it by shifting into first and find another place to park!  My Christmas Cactus had outgrown their pots and were becoming root bound.  The Primrose was still in the cardboard container it came in .   So I bought larger containers for the cactus and used one of their containers for the Primrose.

In the bay window!

A few more pictures of the outdoor flowers.

I spent some time out pulling dead stems and leaves in the berm also. It is in pretty rough shape and I’m somewhat hampered with this shoulder to do anything about it

Some of the ground cover from last year is blooming again.

But basically it is a mess.

Maybe I can try a bit more cleaning up as I progress.

Peonies

Both of the Peony plants are now in the bud stage so things are moving along.

How are your lowers progressing–let me know!

A Happy Young Lady

She gradated from Grand Valley College this last Friday.  A proud Mom and Dad attended the ceremony.  We send our best wishes for a successful new beginning.